Du Bartas :: :: University of Virginia Library

Du Bartas

His Divine Weekes And Workes with A Compleate Collectio[n] of all the other most delight-full Workes: Translated and written by yt famous Philomusus: Iosvah Sylvester

Sylvester, Josuah (1563-1618)

[section]

Anagammata Regia: Regi.

Iacobvs Stvart: Iusta Scrutabo.

CORONA DEDICATORIA.

[These laureat Temples which the Laurel grace]

EPIGRAM. To M. Iosuah Sylvester.

In praise of the Translator.

To M. Iosvah Sylvester, of his Bartas Metaphrased.

To my good friend, M. Sylvester, in honour of this sacred Work.

To M. Iosvah Sylvester. A SONNET.

Flexanimo Salustij du Bartus interpreti, Ios. Sylvesteri, carmen Encomiasticon.

In Commendation of du Bartas, and his Translator, M. Iosvah Sylvester. A Sonnet.

In Commendation of this worthie Worke.

An Acrostick Sonnet, to his friend M. Iosva Sylvester.

To the Same.

Du BARTAS His FIRST WEEK, OR BIRTH OF THE WORLD:

Du BARTAS HIS SECOND WEEKE, DISPOSED (After the proportion of his First) Into Seaven Dayes: (viz.)

[dedication]

1. Sonnet.

2. Sonnet.

TO THE RIGHT EXCELLENT, and most hopefull young Prince, Henry, PRINCE of WALES.

TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE, the Lord High Chancelor of England.

TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE, the Earle of Salisbury, Lord high Threasurer of England.

TO THE RIGHT HONOBLE, the Earle of Dorset (late) Lord high Threasurer of England.

TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE, the Earle of Pembroke.

TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE the Earle of Essex, Earle Marshall of England, &c.

TO THE SAME RIGHT Honourable Earle of ESSEX, &c.

TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE Charles Lord Mount-ioy, Earle of Deuonshire.

TO THE SAME RIGHT Honourable Earle of Deuonshire, &c.

TO THE SAME RIGHT Honourable the Earle of Deuonshire, &c.

TO THE HONORABLE, learned, and religious Gentleman, Sir Peter Yovng of Seton, Knight, Almoner of Scotland, and one of his Maiesties Priuy Councell there.

TO THE RIGHT VERTVOVS (fauourer of Vertue, furtherer of Learning) Sir Thomas Smith (of London) Knight, (late) Lord Embassadour for his Maiesty, to the Emperour of Rvssia.

TO THE MOST HONORABLE, learned, and religious Gent. Mr. Anthony Bacone.

TO THE SAME MOST Honourable Gentleman, Master Anthony Bacone.

TO PRINCE HENRY HIS HIGHNES.

[DAVID.]

II.

III.

TO MY EVER-MOST HONOVRED MISTRESS, Mris Essex, wife to the right worthy, William Essex of Lamborn, Esquier; and eldest Daughter of the right valiant, and Nobly-descended, Sir Walter Harecourt of Stanton-Hare-court, Knight Baron of Ellen-Hall.

TO VERTVES PATTERNE, AND BEAVTIES Paragon, Mris Ione Essex: now wife to the right worthy, William Anderson Esquier (second Son of the late Lord Anderson) and only Sister of the Honorably-descended William Essex of Lamborn, Esquire.

VRANIA. OR The Heauenly Muse.

THE TRIVMPH OF FAITH

TETRASTICHA. OR THE QVADRAINS OF GVY DE FAVR, Lord of Pibrac.

SONNETS Vpon THE LATE MIRACVLOVS PEACE IN FRANCE.

A DIALOGVE VPON THE TROVBLES PAST:

AN ODE OF THE LOVE AND BEAVTIES OF ASTRÆA.

EPIGRAMS & EPITAPHES vpon Warre and Peace.

THE PROFIT OF IMPRISONMENT.

LITTLE BARTAS:

Micro-cosmo-graphia: THE LITTLE-WORLDES DESCRIPTION; OR THE MAP OF MAN

CERTAIN EPIGRAMS of the same Mr. H. S.

THE MAIDENS BLVSH:

THE PARLIAMENT OF VERTVES ROYALL:

A DIVINE & TRVE TRAGI-COMEDY; IOB TRIVMPHANT in his Triall:

BETHVLIANS RESCVE.

A HYMN OF ALMS: OR THE BEGGERS BELL; heard, from beyond THE CHARTER-HOVSE,

MEMORIALS OF MORTALITIE.

St. LEWIS; THE KING:

HENRIE THE GREAT (The Fourth of that Name) LATE King of France and Navarr: HIS Tropheis and Tragedie. Written in French By Piere Mathiev.

THE BATTAIL OF YVRY:

SIMILE NON EST IDEM: Seeming is not the Same.

A GLIMSE OF HEAVENLY IOYES:

AVTO-MACHIA: OR The Self-Conflict of a Christian.

TOBACCO BATTERED;

LACRYMÆ LACRYMARVM:

AN ELEGIAC-EPISTLE Consolatorie.

HONOR'S FARVVEL To Her Honorable Friends: Or The Ladie Hay's Last Will

A FVNERAL ELEGIE

To Gods Glory. IN PIOVS MEMORY OF the nobly vertuous and religious Matrone, Margarite, Wife of Robert Hill, Dr. of Divinity, and Pastor of this Parish.

Vxor Felix. Loquitur post funera virtus.

A HOLY PREPARATION to a ioifull Resurrection.

THE MYSTERIE OF MYSTERIES.

Collapse All | Expand All expand section

412

[DAVID.]

[THE FOVRTH DAY OF THE SECOND WEEK.]

The Tropheis.

THE I. BOOK OF THE FOVRTH DAY OF the Second Week, of Bartas.

The Argvment.

Saul's fall from Fauour, into Gods Disgrace.
Dauid design'd Successor in his Place:
Brauing Goliah, and the Philistins
He brauely foyles: He flyes his furious Prince.
Seem-Samuel rais'd: Saul routed; Selfely-slain:
King Dauids Tropheis, and triumphant Raign.
His heauenly Harp-skill (in King Iames renewd):
His humane frailty, heauily pursewd.
Bersabe bathing: Nathan bold-reprouing:
Dauid repenting (Our Repentance moouing).

Saul king of Israell, fortunate at the first, is afterward reiected, and Dauid elected in his steed.

Heröike force, and Prince-fit forme withall,
Honor the Scepter of courageous Saul;
Successe confirmes it: for the power Diuine
Tames by his hand th'outrageous Philistine,
Edom, and Moab, and the Ammonite,
And th'euer-wicked, curst Amalekite:
O too-too-happy lif his arrogance
Had not transgrest Heauens sacred Ordinance:
But therefore, God in 's secret Counsell (iust)
Him euen alreadie from his Throne hath thrust,
Degraded of his gifts; and in his steed
(Though priuily) anointed Iesse's Seed,
Th'honour of Iacob yea of th'Vniuerse,
Heav'ns darling DAVID, Subiect of my Verse.

Invocation.

Lord, sith I cannot (nor I may not once)
Aspire to DAVID's Diadems and Thrones;

413

Nor lead behind my bright Triumphal-Car
So many Nations Conquered in War:
Nor (DAVID-like) my trembling Aspes adorn
With bloody TROPHEIS of my Foes forlorn:
Vouchsafe me yet his Verse: and (Lord) I craue
Let me his Harp-strings, not his Bowe-strings haue;
His Lute, and not his Lance, to worthy-sing
Thy glory, and the honour of thy King.
For, none but DAVID can sing DAVID's worth:
Angels in Heav'n thy glory sound; in Earth,
DAVID alone; whom (with Heav'ns loue surpriz'd)
To praise thee there, thou now hast Angeliz'd.
Giue me the Laurel, not of War, but Peace;
Or rather giue me (if thy grace so please)
The Ciuik Garland of green Oaken boughes,
Thrice-three times wreath'd about my glorious browes,
To euer-witnes to our after-frends
How I haue rescew'd my con-Citizens,
Whom profane Fames-Thirst day and night did moue
To be beslau'd to th'yoake of wanton Loue:
For (not to me, but to thee, Lord, be praise)
Now, by th'example of my Sacred Layes,
To Sacred Loues our noblest spirits are bent,
And thy rich Name's their only Argument.

HEE, WHOM in priuat wals, with priuy signe,
The great King-maker did for King assigne,
Begins to show hiwself. A fire so great
Could not liue flame-less long: nor would God let
So noble a spirits nimble edge to rust
In Sheapheards idle and ignoble dust.

My Son, how certain we that saying proue,

Iesse (or Vshai) send th Dauid to see hubre thrē in the Campe.

That doubtfull Fear still wayts on tender Loue?
DAVID (saith Iesse) I am full of fears
For thy deer Brethren: Each Assault, salt tears
Draws from mine eyes; mee thinks each point doth stab
Mine Eliah, Samna, and Aminadab.
Therefore goe visite them, and with this Food
Beare them my blessing; say I wish them good;
Beseeching God to shield and them sustain,
And send them (soon) victorious home again.

Gladly goes DAVID, and anon doth spie
Two steep high Hils where the two Armies lie,
A Vale diuides them; where, in raging mood
(Colossus-like) an armed Giant stood:

Descryption of Goliah.

His long black locks hung shagged (slouen-like)
A-down his sides: his bush-beard floated thick;
His hand and arms, and bosom bristled were
(Most Hedge-hog-like) with wyer insteed of haire.

414

His foul blasphemous mouth, a Caues mouth is;
His eyes two Brands, his belly an Abysse:
His legs two Pillars; and to see him go,
He seemd som steeple reeling to and fro.
A Cypresse-Tree, of fifteen Summers old,
Pyramid-wise waues on his Helm of gold.
Whose glistring brightnes doth (with rayes direct)
Against the Sun, the Sun it self reflect;

Simile.

Much like a Comet blazing bloodie-bright
Ouer som City, with new threatfull light,
Presaging down-fall or som dismal fate,
Too-neer approoching to som ancient State.
His Lance a Loom-beam, or a Mast (as big)
Which yet he shaketh as an Osier twig;
Whose harmfull point is headed stifly-straight
With burnisht Brasse aboue an Anuils waight:
Vpon whose top (in stead of Bannaret)
A hissing Serpent seems his foes to threat:
His brazen Cuirasse, not a Squire can carrie;
For 'tis the burthen of a Dromedarie:
His Shield (where Cain his brother Abel slaies,
Where Chus his son, Heav'n-climbing Towrs doth raise;
Where th'Ark of God, to the' Heathen captiuate,
To Dagon's House is led with scorne and hate)
Is like a Curtain made of double planks
To saue from shot some hard-besieged Ranks.
His threatfull voice is like the stormefull Thunder
When hot-cold Fumes teare sulphury clowds asunder.

His brauing Defiance to the Hoast of Israell.

O Fugitiues! this is the forti'th day
(Thus barkes the Dog) that I haue stalked aye
About your fearefull Hoast: that I alone
Against your best and choisest Champion,
In single Combat might our Cause conclude,
To shun the slaughter of the multitude.
Come then, who dares; and to be slaine by mee,
It shall thine honour and high Fortune bee.
Why am I not less strong? my common strength
Might find some Braue to cope with at the length.
But, phy for shame, when shal we cease this geare:
I to defie, and you to fly for feare?
If your hearts serue not to defend your Lot,
Why are you arm'd? why rather yeeld you not?
Why rather doe you (sith you dare not fight)
Not proue my mildnesse, than prouoke my might?
What needed Coats of brasse and Caps of steele
For such as (Hare-like) trust but to their heele?
But, sith I see not one of you (alas!)
Alone dares meet, nor looke me in the face,

415

Come tenne, come twenty, nay come all of you,
And in your ayde let your great God come too:
Let him rake Hell, and shake the Earth in sunder,
Let him be arm'd with Lightning and with Thunder:
Come, let him come and buckle with me heer:
Your goodly God, lesse then your selues, I feare.

Thus hauing spewd, the dreadfull Cyclop stirr'd
His monstrous Limbes; beneath his feet he reard
A Clowd of dust: and, wherefoe're he wend,
Flight, Feare, and Death, his ghastly steps attend.

Euen as a payr of busie chattering Pies,

Simile.

Seeing some hardie Tercell from the skies
To stoop with rav'nous seres, feele a chill feare,
From bush to bush, wag-tayling here and there;
So that no noyse, nor stone, nor stick can make
The timorous Birds their Couert to forsake:
So th'Hebrew Troopes this brauing Monster shun;
And from his sight, som here, som there, do run.
In vain the King commands, intreats and threats;
And hardly three or foure together gets.

What shame (saith he) that our Victorious Hoast

Saul stirreth up his Souldiers, and proposeth ample Reward to him that shall vndertake the Philistine.

Should all be daunted with one Pagans boast?
Braue Ionathan, how is thy courage quaild?
Which, yerst at Boses, all alone assaild
Th'whole Heathen Hoast. O Worthy Abner too,
What chance hath cut thy Nerues of Valour now?
And thou thy selfe (O Saul) whose Conquering hand
Had yerst with Tropheis filled all the Land,
As far as Tigris, from the Iaphean Sea:
Where is thy heart? how is it fall'n away?
Saul is not Saul: O! then, what Izraelite
Shall venge God's honor and Our shame acquite?
Who, spurr'd with anger, but more stird with zeale,
Shall foile this Pagan, and free Izrael?
O! who shall bring me this Wolf's howling head,
That Heav'n and Earth hath so vn-hallowed?
What e're he be, that (lauish of his soule)
Shall with his blood wash-out this blot so foule,
I will innoble him, and all his House;
He shall inioy my Daughter for his Spouse:
And euer shall a Deed so memorable
Be (with the Saints) sacred and honorable.

Yet for the Duel no man dares appeer:
All wish the Prize; but none will win't so deer:
Big-looking Minions, braue in vaunts and vows,
Lions in Court, now in the Camp be Cows:
But, euen the blast that cools their courage so,
That makes my DAVD's valiant rage to glowe.

416

Dauids offer.

My Lord (saith He) behold, this hand shall bring
Th'Heav'n-scorning head vnto my Lord the King.

Alas, my Lad, sweet Shepheard (answers Saul)
Thy heart is great; although thy lims be small:
High flie thy thoughts; but we haue need of more,
More stronger Toyls to take so wilde a Boare:
To tame Goliah, needs som Demi god,
Som Nimrod, rather then a Shepheard-Lad
Of slender growth, vpon whose tender Chin
The budding doun doth scarcely yet begin.
Keep therfore thine owne Rank, and draw not thus
Death on thy self, dis-honour vpon vs,
With shame and sorrow on all Israel,
Through end-less Thraldom to a Fo so fel.

His assurance.

The faintest Harts, God turns to Lions fierce,
To Eagles Doues, Vanquisht to Vanquishers:
God, by a Womans feeble hand subdews
Iabins Lieutenant, and a Iudge of Iews.
God is my strength: therefore (O King) forbear,
For Israel, for thee, or mee, to fear:
No self-presumption makes me rashly braue;
Assured pledge of his prowd head I haue.

Seest thou these arms, my Lord? These very arms
(Steeld with the strength of the great God of Arms)
Haue bath'd Mount Bethlem with a Lions blood:
These very arms, beside a shady wood,
Haue slain a Bear, which (greedy after prey)
Had torn and born my fattest sheep away.
My God is still the same: this sauage Beast,
Which in his Fold would make a Slaughter-feast,
All-ready feels his fury and my force;
My foot al-ready tramples on his Corps:
With his own sword his cursed length I lop,
His head already on the ground doth hop.

The Prince beholds him, as amaz'd and mute
To see a mind so yong, so resolute:
Then son (saith he) sith so confirm'd thou art,
Go, and Gods blessing on thy valiant hart;
God guide thy hand, and speed thy weapon so,
That thou return triumphant of thy Fo.
Hold, take my Corslet, and my Helm, and Launce,
And to the Heav'ns thy happy Prowes aduance.

The faithfull Champion, being furnisht thus,
Is like the Knight, which twixt Eridanus
And th'heav'nly Star-Ship, marching brauely-bright
(Hauing his Club, his Casque, and Belt bedight
With flaming studs of many a twinkling Ray)
Turns Winters night into a Summers day.

417

But, yet that he had half a furlong gon,
The massie Launce and Armour hee had on
Did load him so, he could not freely mooue
His legs and arms, as might him best behooue.
Euen so an Irish Hobby, light and quick

Simile.

(Which on the spur ouer the bogs they prick
In highest speed) If on his back he feel
Too-sad a Saddle plated all with steel,
Too-hard a Bit with-in his mouth; behind,
Crooper and Trappings him too-close to binde;
He seems as lame, he flings and will not go;
Or, if he stir, it is but stiff and slowe.
DAVID therefore lays-by his heauy load;
And, on the grace of the great glorious GOD
(Who by the weakest can the strongest stoop)
Hee firmly founding his victorious hope,
No Arrows seeks, nor other Arcenall;
But, from the Brooke that runnes amid the Vale,
Hee takes fiue Pebbles and his Sling, and so,
Courageously incounters with his Foe.

What Combat's this? On the one side, I see
A moouing Rocke, whose looks do terrifie
Euen his owne Hoast; whose march doth seem to make
The Mountaine tops of Sucoth euen to shake:
On th'other side, a slender tender Boy
Where grace and beautie for the prize doo play;
Shaue but the doun that on his Chin doth peer,
And one would take him for Anchises Pheer:
Or, change but weapons with that wanton Elf,
And one would think that it were Cupids self.
Gold on his head, scarlet in either Cheek,
Grace in each part and in each gest, alike;
In all so louely, both to Foe and Friend,
That very Enuy cannot but commend
His match-less beauties: and though ardent zeale
Flush in his face against the Infidel,
Although his Fury fume, though vp and down
He nimbly trauerse, though he fiercely frown,
Though in his breast boyling with manly hear,
His swelling heart do strongly pant and beat;
His Storme is Calm, and from his modest eyes
Euen gratious seems the grimmest flash that flies.

Am I a Dog, thou Dwarf, thou Dandiprat,
To be with stones repell'd and palted at?
Or art thou weary of thy life so soon?
O foolish boy! fantasticall Baboone!
That never saw'st but sheep in all thy life;
Poore sotte, 'tis heer another kind of strife:

418

We wrastle not (after your Shepheards guise)
For painted Sheep-hooks, or such pettie Prize,
Or for a Cage, a Lamb, or bread and chese:
The Vanquisht Head must be the Victors Fees.
Where is thy sweatie dust? thy sun-burnt scars
(The glorious marks of Soldiers train'd in Wars)
That make thee dare so much? O Lady-Cow,
Thou shalt no more be-star thy wanton brow
With thine eyes rayes: Thy Mistress shall no more
Curl the quaint Tresses of thy Golden ore:
I'll trample on that Gold; and Crowes and Pyes
Shall peck the pride of those sweet smiling eyes:
Yet, no (my girle-boy) no, I will not 'file
My feared hands with blood so faintly-vile:
Go seek thy match, thou shalt not dy by me,
Thine honor shall not my dishonor be:
No (silly Lad) no, wert thou of the Gods,
I would not fight at so vn-knightly ods.

Com barking Curre (the Hebrew taunts him thus)
That hast blasphem'd the God of Gods, and vs;
The ods is mine (villain, I scorne thy Boasts)
I haue for Aide th'almighty Lord of Hoasts.

Th'Ethnik's a-fire, and from his goggle eyes
All drunk with rage and blood, the Lightning flies:
Out of his beuer like a Boare he fomes:
A hellish fury in his bosom roames:
As mad, he marcheth with a dreadfull pase,
Death and destruction muster in his face:
He would a-fresh blaspheam the Lord of Lords
With new despights; but in the steed of words

Simile.

He can but gnash his teeth. Then as an Oxe
Straid twixt the hollow of steep Hils and Rocks,
Through craggie Coombs, through dark and ragged turnings,
Lowes hideously his solitary Moornings:
The Tyrant so from his close helmet blunders
With horrid noise, and this harsh voyce he thunders:

Thy God raigns in his Ark, and I on Earth:
I Chalenge Him, Him (if he dare come forth)
Not Thee, base Pigmee. Villain (sayes the Iew)
That blasphemy thou instantly shalt rue.

Simile.

If e'r you saw (at Sea) in Summer weather,
A Galley and a Caraque cope togither
(How th'one steets quick, and th'other veers as slowe,
Lar boord and star-booord from the poop to prowe:
This, on the winde; that, on her owres relies:
This daunteth most; and that most damnities)
You may conceiue this Fight: th'huge Polypheme
Stands, stifly shaking his steel-pointed beam:

419

Dauid doth trauerse (round about him) light,
Forward and back, to th'left hand, and the right,
Steps in and out; now stoops, anon he stretches;
Then here coyls, on eyther hand he reaches;
And stoutly-actiue, watching th'aduerse blowes,
In euery posture dooth himself dispose.

As, when (at Cock-pit) two old Cocks doo fight,

Simile.

(Bristling their plumes, and (red with rage) do smite
With spurs and beak, bounding at euery blowe,
With fresh assaults freshing their fury so,
That, desperate in their vn-yeelding wrath,
Nothing can end their deadly fewd but death)
The Lords about, that on both sides do bet,
Look partially when th'one the Field shall get,
And, trampling on his gaudy plumed pride,
His prostrate Fo with bloody spurs bestride,
With clanging Trumpet and with clapping wing,
Triumphantly his Victory to sing:
So th'Hebrew Hoast, and so the Heathen stranger
(Not free from fear, but from the present danger)
Behold with passion these two Knights on whom
They both haue wagerd both their Fortunes summ
And eyther side, with voice and gesture too,
Hartens and cheers their Champion well to doo;
So earnest all, hat almost euery one
Seems euen an Actor, not a looker-on.
All feel the skirmish twixt their Hope and Fear:
All cast their eyes on this sad Theater:
All on these two depend as very Founders
Of their good Fortune, or their Fates Confounders.

O Lord, said David (as he whirld his Sling)
Be bowe and Bowe-man of this shaft I fling.

With sudden flerk the fatal hemp lets go
The humming Flint, which with a deadly blowe
Pearç't instantly the Pagans gastly Front,
As drop as Pistol sho in boord is wont.
The villain's sped (cryes all the Hebrew band)
The Dog, the Atheist feels Gods heauy hand.

Th'Isacian Knight, seeing the blowe, stands still.

Goliah ouerthrowne.

Fro th'Tyrants wound his ruddy soule doth trill;
As from a crack in any pipe of Lead
(That conuoyes Water from som Fountains head)

Simile.

Hissing in th'Aire, the captiue Stream doth spin
Insiluer threds her crystall humour thin.

The Giant, wiping with his hand his wound,
Cries Tush, 't is nothing: but eftsoones the ground
Sunk vnder him, his face grew pale and wan,
And all his limbs to faint and fail began:

420

Thrice heaues he vp his head; it hangs as fast,
And all a-long lies Isaac's dread at last,
Couering a rood of Land; and in his Fall,

Simile.

Resembles right a lofty Tower or Wall,
Which to lay leuel with the humble soil
A hundred Miners day and night doo toil;
Till at the length rushing with thundrous roar,
It ope a breach to th'hardy Conquerour.

Then, two lowd cries, a glad and sad, were heard:
Wherwith reviv'd the vaunting Tyrant stird,
Resummoning vnder his weak Controule
The fainting Remnants of his flying Soule;
And (to be once more buckling yer he dies,
With blowe for blowe) he striues in vain to rise
Sach as in life, such in his death he seems;
For euen in death he curses and blasphemes:
And as a Curre, that cannot hurt the flinger,
Flies at the stone and biteth that for anger;
Goliah bites the ground and his owne hands

Simile.

As Traytors, false to his fel hearts commands.
Then th'Hebrew Champion heads the Infidel
With his own sword, and sends his soule to Hell.

Pagans disperse; and the Philistian swarms
Haue Armes for burthen, and haue flight for Armes;
Danger behinde, and shame before their face;
Rowting themselues, although none giue them chase.

Dauids Thanks giuing for the victorie.

Armi-potent, Omnipotent, my God,
O let thy Praise fill all the Earth abroad;
Let Israel (through Thee, victorious now)
Incessant songs vnto thy glory vow:
And let me Lord (said DAVID) euer chuse
Thee sole, for Subiect of my sacred Muse.
O wondrous spectacle! vnheard-of Sight!
The Monster's beaten down, before the Fight:
A Dwarf, a Shepheard, conquers (euen vnarmd)
A Giant fell, a famous Captain, armd.
From a frail Sling this Battery neuer came,
But 'twas the Breach of a Tower-razing Ram:
This was no cast of an vncertain Slinger,
'Twas Crosse-bow-shot: rather it was the finger
Of the Al-mightie (not this hand of mine)
That wrought this work so wondrous in our eyne:
This hath He done, and by a woman weak
Can likewise stone the stout Abimelech:
Therefore, for euer, singing sacred Layes,
I will record his glorious Power and Praise.

Then, Iacob's Prince him ioyfully imbraces,
Prefers to honours, and with fauours graces,

421

Imployes him farre and nigh; and farre and neere,
From all sad cares he doth his Soueraine cleer.
In camp he curbs the Pagans arrogance:
In Court he cures the Melancholy Transe
That toyls his soule; and, with his tunefull Lyre,

Effects of Musick.

Expels th'll Spirit which doth the body tyre.
For, with her sheath, the soule commerce frequents,
And acts her office by his instruments;
After his pipe she dances: and (again)
The body shares her pleasure and her paine;
And by exchange, reciprocally borrowes
Som measure of her solace and her sorrowes.
Th'Eare (doore of knowledge) with sweet warbles pleas'd,
Sends them eftsoons vnto the Soule diseas'd,
With dark black rage, our spirits pacifies,
And calmly cools our inward flame that fries.

So, O Tyrtéus, changing Harmonie,

Examples of the same.

Thy Rowt thou changest into Victorie.
So, O thrice-famous, Princely Pellean,
Holding thy hart's reanes in his Tune-full hand,
Thy Timothie with his Melodious skill
Armes and dis-armes thy Worlds-drad arme (at will),
And with his Phrygian Musicke, makes the same
As Lion fierce; with Dorick, milde as Lambe.
So, while in Argos the chaste Violon
For's absent Soueraine doth graue-sweetly groan,
Queen Clytemnestra doth resist th'alarmes
Of lewd Ægysthus, and his lustfull Charmes.
So, at the sound of the sweet-warbling brasse,
The Prophet rapting his soule's soule a space,
Refines himself, and in his phantasie
Graues deep the seal of sacred Prophecie.
For, if our Soule be Number (som so thought)
It must with number be refreshed oft;
Or, made by Number (so I yeeld so sing)
We must the same with som sweet Numbers bring
To som good Tune: euen as a voice (somtime)
That in its Part sings out of tune and time,

Simile.

Is by another voice (whose measur'd strain
Custom and Art confirms) brought in again.
It may be too, that Davids sacred Ditty
Quickned with Holy Writ, and couched witty,
Exorcist-like, chaç't Natures cruell Foe,
Who the Kings soule did toss and torture so.
How e'r it were, He is (in euery thing)
A profitable seruant to the King:
Who enuious yet of his high Feats and Fame,
His Faith, and Fortitude, distrusts the same:

422

And, the diuine Torch of his Vertues bright
Brings him but sooner to his latest Night;
Saue that the Lord still shields him from on hy,
And turns to Tryumph all his Tragedy.

O bitter sweet! I burst (thus raues the King)

Sauls Envy to Dauid.

To hear them all, in Camp and Court to sing,
Savl he hath slaine a thousand, David ten,
Ten thousand David. O faint scorn of men!
Lo how, with Lustre of his glorious parts,
He steals-away the giddy peoples hearts;
Makes lying Prophets sooth him at a beck;
Thou art but King in name, He in effect:
Yet thou indur'st it; haste thee, haste thee (Sot)
Choak in the Cradle his aspiring Plot;
Preuent his hopes, and wisely-valiant
Off with his head that would thy foot supplant.
Nay, but beware; his death (belov'd so wel)
Will draw thee hatred of all Izrael.
Sith then so high his heady valour flies,
Sith common glory cannot him suffice,
Sith Danger vpon Danger he pursews,
And Victorie on Victorie renewes;
Let's put him to 't: Let's make him Generall,
Feed him with winde, and hazard him in all:
So shall his owne Ambitious Courage bring
For Crown a Coffin to our Iunior King:
Yea, had he Sangars strength, and Samsons too,
He should not scape the taske I'll put him to.

But yet, our David more then all atchieues,
And more and more his grace and glory thriues:
The more he doos, the more he dares aduenture,
His rest-less Valour seeks still new Aduenture.
For, feeling him armd with th'Almighty's Spirit,
He recks no danger (at the least to fear it).
Then, what doos Saul? When as he saw no speed
By sword of Foes so great a Foe to rid,
He tries his owne: and one-while throwes his dart,
At vn-awares to thrill him to the heart:
Or treacherously he layes som subtill train,
At boord, or bed, to haue him (harm-less) slain:
On nothing else dreams the disloyall wretch,
But Dauids death; how Dauid to dispatch.
Which had bin don, but for his Son the Prince

Ionathan's loue to Dauid.

(Who deerly tenders Dauids Innocence,
And neerly marks and harks the Kings Designes,
And warns the Iessean by suspect-less signes)
But for the kinde Courageous Ionathan,
Who (but attended onely with his man)

423

Neer Senean Rocks discomfited, alone,
The Philistines victorious Garison.
About his eares a Shower of Shafts doth fall;
His Shield's too-narrow to receiue them all:
His sword is duld with slaughter of his Foes,
Wherefore the dead he at the liuing throwes:
Head-lined helmes, heawn from their trunks he takes,
And those his vollies of swift shot he makes.
The Heathen Hoast dares him no more affront,
Late number-less; but, easie now to count.

Dauid therefore, flying his Princes Furie,
From end to end flies all the Land of Iurie:
But now to Nob; t'Adullam then, anon
To Desart Zif, to Keilah, Maaon,
Hauing for roof heav'ns arches starry-seeld;
And, for repast, what wauing woods doe yeeld.
The Tyrant (so) frustrate of his intent,
Wreakes his fell rage vpon the innocent;
If any winke, as willing t'haue not seen-him,
Or if (vnweeting what's the oddes between-him
And th'angry King) if any had but hid-him:
He dies for it (if any haue but spid-him):
Yea the High-Priest, that in Gods presence stands,
Escapeth not his paricidiall hands;
Nor doth he spare in his vnbounded rage,
Cattel, nor Curre, nor state, nor sexe, nor age.

Contrariwise, Dauid doth good for ill,
He Hates the haters of his Soueraine still.
And though he oft incounter Saul lesse strong
Then his owne side; forgetting all his wrong,
He shewes him, aye, loyall in deed and word
Vnto his Liege, th'Anointed of the Lord;
Respects and honors him, and mindes no more
The Kings vnkindness that had past before.

One day as Saul (to ease him) went aside
Into a Caue, where Dauid wont to hide,
Dauid (vn-seen) seeing his Foe so neer
And all alone, was strook with suddain fear,
As much amaz'd and musing there-vpon;
When whispering thus his Consorts egge him on:

Who sought thy life is fall'n into thy lap;
Doo'st thou not see the Tyrant in thy Trap?
Now therfore pull this Thorne out of thy foot:
Now is the Time if euer thou wilt doo't:
Now by his death establish thine estate:
Now hugge thy Fortune yer it be too-late:
For, he (my Lord) that will not, when he may,
Perhaps he shall not, when he would (they say).

424

Why tarriest thou? what dost thou trifle thus?
Wilt thou, for Saul, betray thy self and vs?

Wonne with their words, to kill him he resolues
But, by the way thus with himself revolues:
He is a Tyrant. True: But now long since,

Anti-Bellærmin & his Disciples Authors or Fautors of our Powder-mine.

And still, he bears the mark of lawfull Prince:
And th'Ever-King (to whom all Kings doe bow)
On no pretext, did euer yet allow
That any Subiect should his hand distain
In sacred blood of his owne Souerain.
He hunts me cause-less. True: but yet, Gods word
Bids me defend, but not offend my Lord.
I am anointed King; but (at Gods pleasure)
Not publikely: therfore I wait thy leasure.
For, thou (O Lord) regardest Thine, and then
Reward'st, in Fine, Tyrants and wicked men.

Thus hauing sayd, he stalkes with noise-less foot
Behind the King, and softly off doth cut
A skirt or lap of his then-vpper clothing;
Then quick auoydes: and Saul, suspecting nothing,
Comes forth anon: and Dauid afterward
From a high Rock (to be the better heard)
Cries to the King (vpon his humble knee)
Come neer (my Liege) com neer and fear not me,
Fear not thy seruant Dauid. Well I knowe,
Thy Flatterers, that miss-inform thee so,
With thousand slanders daily thee incense
Against thy Seruants spot-less innocence:
Those smooth-sly Aspicks, with their poisony sting
Murder mine honor, me in hatred bring
With thee and with thy Court (against all reason)
As if Convicted of the Highest Treason:
But my notorious Loyalty (I hope)
The venom of their Viperous tongues shall stop;
And, with the splendor of mine actions bright,
Disperse the Mists of Malice and Despight.
Behold, my Lord, (Trueth needeth no excuse)
What better witnesse can my soule produce
Of faithfull Loue, and Loyall Vassalage,
To thee, my Liege, than this most certain gage?
When I cut-off this lappet from thy Coat,
Could I not then as well haue cut thy throat?
But rather (Souerain) thorow all my veins
Shall burning Gangrens (spreading deadly pains)
Benum my hand, then it shall lift a sword
Against my Liege, th'anointed of the Lord;
Or violate, with any insolence,
Gods sacred Image in my Soverain Prince.

425

And yet (O King) thy wrath pursues me still;
Like silly Kid, I hop from hill to hill;
Like hated Wolues, I and my Souldiers starue:
But, iudge thy self, if I thy wrath deserue.

No (my Sonne Dauid) I haue don thee wrong:
Good God requite thy good: there doth belong
A great Reward vnto so gratious deed.
Ah, well I see it is aboue decreed
That thou shalt sit vpon my Seat supream,
And on thy head shalt wear my Diadem:
Then, O thou sacred and most noble Head
Remember Mee and mine (when I am dead):
Be gratious to my Blood, and raze not fell
My Name and Issue out of Israel.

Thus sayd the King; and tears out-went his words:
A pale despair his heauy hart still-girds:
His feeble spirit præsaging his Mis-fortune,
Doth euery-kinde of Oracles importune;
Suspicious, seeks how Clotho's Clew doth swell;
And, cast of Heav'n, wil needs consult with Hell.

In Endor dwelt a Beldam in those daies,
Deep-skild in Charms (for, this weak sex always

The Woman Witch of Endor.

Hath in all Times been taxt for Magik Tricks,
As pronest Agents, for the Prince of Styx:
Whether, because their soft, moist supple brain,
Doth easie print of euery seal retain:
Or, whether wanting Force and Fames desart,
Those Wyzards ween to winn it by Black-Art.)
This Stygian scum, the Furies fury fell,
This Shop of Poysons, hideous Type of Hell,
This sad Erinnys, Milcom's Fauourite,
Chamosh his Ioye, and Belzebubs delight,
Delights alonely for her exercise
In secret Murders, sodain Tragœdies;
Her drink, the blood of Babes; her dainty Feast
Mens Marrow, Brains, Guts, Livers (late deceast).
At Weddings aye (for Lamps) she lights debates;
And quiet Loue much more then Death she hates:
Or if she reak of Love, 'tis but to trap
Som severe Cato in incestuous Lap.
Somtimes (they say) she dims the Heav'nly Lamps
She haunts the Graues, she talks with Ghosts, she stamps
And Cals-vp Spirits, and with a wink controules
Th'infernall Tyrant, and the tortur'd Soules.

Arts admiration, Izraels Ornament,
That (as a Queen) Command'st each Element,
And from the Toomb deceased Trunks canst raise,
(Th'vnfaithfull King thus flatters her with praise)

426

On steepest Mountains stop the swiftest Currents,
From driest Rocks draw rapid-rowling Torrents,
And fitly hasten Amphitrites Flood,
Or stay her Eb (as to thy selfsems good):
Turn day to night: hold windes within thy hand,
Make the Sphears moue, and the Sun still to stand:
Enforce the Moon so with thy Charms som-times,
That for a stound in a deep Swoun she seems:
O thou al-knowing Spirit! daign with thy spell
To raise-vp heer renowned Samuel,
To satisfie my doubtfull soule, in sum,
The issue of my Fortunes yet to-com.

Importun'd twice or thrice, she, that before
Resembled one of those grim Ghosts (of yore)
Which she was wont with her vn-holsom breath
To re-bring-back from the black gates of death,
Growes now more gastly, and more Ghost-like grim,
Right like to Satan in his Rage-full Trim.
The place about darker then Night she darkes,
Shee yelles, she roars, she houles, she brayes, she barkes,
And, in vn-heard, horrid, Barbarian tearms,
She mutters strange and execrable Charmes;
Of whose Hell-raking, Nature-shaking Spell,
These odious words could scarce be hearkned well:

Eternall Shades, infernall Dëities,
Death, Horrors, Terrors, Silence, Obsequies,
Demons, dispatch: If this dim stinking Taper
Be of mine owne Sons fat; if heer, for paper,
I write (detested) on the tender skins
Of time-less Infants, and abortiue Twins
(Torn from the wombe) these Figures figure-less:
If this black Sprinkle, tuft with Virgins tress,
Dipt, at your Altar, in my kinsmans blood;
If well I smell of humane flesh (my food):
Haste, haste, you Fiends: you subterranean Powr's:
If impiously (as fits these Rites of yours)
I haue inuok't your grizly Maiesties,
Harken (O Furies) to my Blasphemies,
Regard my Charms and mine inchanting Spell,
Reward my Sins, and send vp Samuel
From dismall darknes of your deep Abysse,
To answer me in what my pleasure is:
Dispatch, I say, (black Princes) quick, why when?
Haue I not Art, for one, to send you ten?

When? stubborn Ghost! The Palfraies of the Sun
Doo fear my Spells; and, when I spur, they run:
The Planets bow, the Plants giue-ear to me,
The Forrests stoop, and even the strongest Tree,

427

At driery sound of my sad whisperings,
Doth Prophecie, foretelling future things:
Yea (maugre Ioue) by mine almighty Charms,
Through Heav'n I thunder with imperious Arms
And comst not thou? O, so: I see the Sage,
I see th'ascent of som great man: his age,
His sacred habite, and sweet graue aspect
Som God-like raies about him round reflect:
Hee's ready now to speak, and plyant too
To cleer thy doubtings, without more adoo.
Saul flat adores; and wickedly-deuout,
The fained Prophets least word leaues not out.

What dost thou Saul? O Izraels Soverain,

Against those that resort to Witches.

Witches, of late, feard only thy disdain:
Now th'are thy stay. O wretch doost thou not knowe
One cannot vse th'ayde of the Powers belowe
Without som Pact of Counter-Seruices,
By Prayers, Perfumes, Homage, and Sacrifice?
And that this Art (meer Diabolicall)
It hurteth all, but th'Author most of all?
And also, that the impious Athëist,
The Infidel, and damned Exorcist,
Differ not much. Th'one, Godhead quite denies:
Th'other, for God, foul Satan magnifies:
The other, Satan (by Inchantment strange)
Into an Angell of the Light doth change.
When as God would, his voice thou wouldst not hear;
Now he forbids thee, thou consult'st els-where:
Whom (liuing Prophet) thou neglect'st, abhorr'st,
Him (dead) thou seck'st, and his dead Trunk ador'st:
And yet, not him nor his; for th'ougly Fiend
Hath no such power vpon a Saint t'extend,
Who fears no force of the blasphemous Charms
Of mumbling Beldams, or Hels damned Arms:

Against th'illusion of Sathans false Apparitions and Walking Spirits.

From all the Poysons that those powers contriue,
Charm-charming Faith's a full Preseruatiue.
In Soule and Body both, He cannot come;
For, they re-ioyne not till the day of doom:
His Soule alone cannot appeer; for why,
Soules are invisible to mortall eye:
His Body only, neither can it be;
For (dust to dust) that soon corrupts (we see).
Besides all this, if t'were true Samuel,
Should not (alas) thine eyes-sight serue as well
To see and knowe him, as this Sorceresse,
This hatefull Hag, this old Enchanteresse,
This Divell incarnate, whose drad Spell commands
The rebell-Fury of th'Infernall Bands?

428

Hath Lucifer not Art enough to fain
A Body fitting for his turn and train?

Simile.

And (as the rigor of long Cold congeals
To harsh hard Wooll the running Water-Rils)
Cannot he thicken thinnest parts of Air,
Commixing Vapours? glew-them? hue them fair?

Simile.

Even as the Rain-Bowe, by the Suns reflexion
Is painted faire in manifold complexion:
A Body, which we see all-ready formd;
But yet perceiue not how it is performd:
A Body, perfect in apparant showe;
But in effect and substance nothing so:
A Body, hartless, lung-less, tongue-less too,
Where Satan lurks, not to giue life ther to;
But to the end that from this Counter-mure,
More couertly he may discharge more sure
A hundred dangerous Engins, which he darts
Against the Bulwarks of the bravest hearts:
That, in the Sugar (euen) of sacred Writ,
He may em-pill vs with som bane-full bit:
And, that his counterfait and fained lips,
Laying before vs all our hainous slips,
And Gods drad Iudgements and iust Indignation,
May vnder-mine our surest Faiths Foundation.

But, let vs hear now what he saith. O Saul,
What frantick fury art thou moov'd with-all,
To now re-knit my broken thrid of life?
To interrupt my rest? And 'mid the strife
Of struggling Mortals, in the Worlds affairs
(By power-full Charms) to re-entoyl my Cares?
Inquir'st thou what's to-come? O wretched Prince!
Too much, too-soon (what I fore-told long since):
Death's at thy door: to-morrow Thou and Thine
Even all shall fall before the Philistine:
And great-good Dauid shall possesse thy Throne,
As God hath sayd, to be gain-sayd by none.

How Sathan comes to tell things to-come.

Th'Author of Lies (against his guise) tels true:
Not that at-once he Selsly all fore-knew,
Or had revolv'd the Leaues of Destiny
(The Childe alonly of Eternity):
But rather through his busie obseruation
Of circumstance, and often iteration
Of reading of our Fortunes and our Fals,
In the close Book of cleare Coniecturals,
With a far-seeing Spirit; hits often right:
Not much vnlike a skilfull Galenite,
Who (when the Crisis comes) dares even foretell
Whether the Patient shal do ill or well.

429

Or, as the Star-wise somtimes calculates
(By an Eclipse) the death of Potentates;
And (by the stern aspects of greatest Stars)
Prognosticates of Famine, Plague, and Wars.

As he foretold (in brief) so fell it out:

Saules death.

Braue Ionathan and his two Brethren stout
Are slain in fight; and Saul himselfe forlorn,
Lest (Captiue) he be made the Pagans scorn,
He kils him-Self; and, of his Fortune froward,
To seem not conquer'd, shewes him Self a Coward.

For, 'tis not Courage (whatsoe'r men say)
But Cowardize to make ones Self away.

Against Self-killing.

Tis even to turne our back at Fears alarms:
Tis (basely-faint) to yeeld vp all our Arms.
O extreame Rage! O barbarous Cruelty,
All at one Blowe, t'offend Gods Maiesty,
The State, the Magistrate, Thy selfe (in fine):
Th'one, in destroying the deer work divine
Of his almightie Hands, the next, in reauing
Thy needfull Seruice, it should be receiuing;
The third, in rash-vsurping his Commission;
And last, Thy Self, in thine owne Selfs-Perdition,
When (by two Deaths) one voluntarie Wound
Doth both thy body and thy soule confound.
But Isbosheth (his deer Son) yet retains
His Place a space, and Dauid only Raigns
In happy Iuda. Yet, yer long (discreet)
He makes th'whole Kingdoms wracked ribs to meet:
And so He rules on th'holy Mount (a mirror)
His Peoples Ioy, the Pagans only Terror.

If ever standing on the sandy shoar,
Y'haue thought to count the rowling waues that roar

Comparison.

Each after other on the British Coast,
When Æolus sends forth his Northern Poast;
Waue vpon Waue, Surge vpon Surge doth fold,
Sea swallowes Sea, so thickly-quickly roul'd,
That (number-less) their number so doth mount,
That it confounds th'Accompter and th'Accompt:
So Dauid's Vertues when I think to number,
Their multitude doth all my Wits incumber;
That Ocean swallowes me: and mazed so,
In the vast Forest where his Prayses growe,
I knowe not what high Fir, Oak, Chest-nut-Tree.
(Rather) what Brasil, Cedar, Ebonie
My Muse may chuse (Amphion-like) to build
With curious touch of Fingers Quauer-skild
(Durst she presume to take so much vpon-her)
A Temple sacred vnto Dauids honour.

430

Epitome of Dauids Vertues.

Others shall sing his mindes true Constancie,
In oft long exiles try'd so thorowly:
His life compos'd after the life and likeness
Of sacred Patterns: his milde gracious meeknes
Towards railing Shimei, and the

Nabal.

Churlish Gull;
His louely Eyes and Face so bewtifull.
Som other shall his equity record,
And how the edge of his impartiall sword
Is euer ready for the Reprobate,
To hewe them down; and help the Desolate:
How He no Law, but Gods drad Law enacts:
How He respects no persons, but their Facts:
How braue a Triumph of Selfs-wrath he showes,
Killing the Killers of his deadly Foes.
Som other shall vnto th'Empyreall Pole
The holy fervour of his zeal extoll:
How for the wandring Ark he doth prouide
A certain place for euer to abide:
And how for euer euery his designe
Is ordered all by th'Oracle Diuine.

Vpon the wings of mine (els-tasked) Rime,
Through the cleer Welkin of our Western clime,
I'll only bear his Musike and his Mars
(His holy Songs, and his triumphant Wars):
Lo there the sacred mark wherat I aim;
And yet this Theam I shall but mince and maim,
So many Yarnes I still am faine to strike
Into this Web of mine intended Week.

Of his valour and victories.

The Twelue stout Labours of th'Amphitrionide
(Strongest of Men) are iustly magnifi'd:
Yet, what were They but a rude Massacre
Of Birds and Beasts, and Monsters here and there?
Not Hoasts of Men and Armies ouerthrow'n;
But idle Conquests; Combats One to One:
Where boist'rous Limbs, and Sinnews strongly knit,
Did much auaile with little ayde of Wit.
Bears, Lions, Giants, foild in single fight,
Are but th'Essayes of our redoubted Knight:
Vnder his Armes sick Aram deadly droops:
Vnto his power the strength of Edom stoops:
Stout Amalek euen trembles at his name:
Prowd Ammons scorn he doth return with shame:
Subdueth Soba: foyls the Moabite:
Wholly extirps the down-trod Iebusite;
And (still victorious) every month almost
Combats and Conquers the Philistian Hoast:
So that, Alcides massie Club scarce raught
So many blowes, as Dauid Battails fought.

431

Th'expert Great

Pompey.

Captain, who the Pontiks quaild,
Wun in strange Wars; in ciuill Fights he faild:
But, Dauid thriues in all: and fortunate,
Triumphs no lesse of Sauls intestine hate,
Of Isbosheth's and Absalon's designes,
Then of strong Aram, and stout Philistines.
Good-Fortune alwaies blowes not in the Poop
Of valiant Cæsar, she defeats his Troop,
Slayes his Lieutenants; and (among his Friends)
Stabb'd full of Wounds, at length his Life she ends:
But Dauid alwaies feels Heav'ns gratious hand;
Whether in person He himself command
His royall Hoast: or whether (in his sted)
By valiant Ioab his braue Troops be led:
And Happinesse, closing his aged eye,
Even to his Toomb consorts him constantly.
Fair Victory, with Him (even from the first)
Did pitch her Tent: his Infancy she nurst
With noble Hopes, his stronger years she fed
With stately Trophets, and his hoary head
She Crowns and Comforts with (her cheerfull Balms)
Triumphant Laurels and victorious Palms.
The Mountains stoop to make him easie way;
And Euphrates, before Him, dryes away:
To Him great Iordan a small leap doth seem;
Without assault, strong Cities yeeld to Him:
Th'Engine alone of His far-feard Renown
Bears (Thunder-like) Gates, Bars, and Bulwarks down:
Gads goodly Vales, in a gore Pond he drenches;
Philistian Fires, with their owne Bloud he quenches;
And then, in Gob (pursewing still his Foes)
His wrath's iust Tempest on fell Giants throwes.

O strong, great Worthies) will som one-day say,
When your huge Bones they plough vp in the Clay)
But, stronger, greater, and more Worthie He,
Whose Heav'n-lent Force and Fortune made you be
(Maugre your might, your massy Spears and Shields)
The fatt'ning dung-hill of those fruitfull Fields.
His Enimies, scarcely so soon he threats
As ouerthrowes, and vtterly defeats.
On Dauids head, God doth not spin good-hap;
But pours it down aboundant in his Lap:
And He (good subiect) with his Kingdom, ever
T'increase th'Immortall Kingdom doth endeuour.
His swelling Standards neuer stir abroad,
Till he haue Cald vpon th'Almighty God:
He neuer Conquers but (in heav'nly Songs)
He yeelds the Honor where it right belongs:

432

And evermore th'Eternals sacred Prayse
(With Harp and Voice) to the bright Stars doth raise.

His Poesie.

Scarce was he born, when in his Cradle prest
The Nightingale to build her tender nest:
The Bee within his sacred mouth seeks room
To arch the Chambers of her Hony-comb:
And th'Heav'nly Muse, vnder his roof descending
(As in the Summer, with a train down-bending,
We see som Meteor, winged brightly-fair
With twinkling rayes, glide through the crystall Aier,
And soudainly, after long-seeming Flight,
To seem amid the new-shav'n Fields to light)
Him softly in her Iuory arms she folds,
His smiling Face she smilingly beholds:
She kisses him, and with her Nectar kisses
Into his Soule she breathes a Heav'n of Blisses;
Then layes him in her lap: and while she brings
Her Babe a-sleep, this Lullabie she sings.

VRANIA's Lullaby.

Liue, liue (sweet-Babe) the Miracle of Mine,
Liue euer Saint, and growe thou all Divine:
With this Celestiall Winde, where-with I fill
Thy blessed Boosom, all the World ful-fill:
May thy sweet Voice, in Peace, resound as far
And speed as fair as thy drad Arm in War:
Bottom nor bank, thy Fames-Sea never bound:
With double Laurels be thy Temples Crownd.
See (Heav'n-spring Spirit) see how th'allured North,
Of thy Childs-Cry (shrill-sweetly warbling forth)
Al-ready tastes the learned, dainty pleasures.
See, see (yong Father of all sacred Measures)
See how, to hear thy sweet harmonious sound,
About thy Cradle here are thronging (round)
Woods, but with ears: Floods, but their fury stopping:
Tigres, but tame: Mountains, but alwaies hopping:
See how the Heav'ns, rapt with so sweet a tongue,
To list to thine, leaue their owne Dance and Song.

O Idiot's shame, and Envy of the Learned!
O Verse right-worthy to be ay eterned!
O richest Arras, artificiall wrought
With liueliest Colours of Conceipt-full Thought!
O royall Garden of the rarest Flowers
Sprung from an Aprill of spirituall Showers!
O Miracle! whose star-bright beaming Head
When I behold, euen mine owne Crown I dread.

Excellency of the Psalmes of Dauid.

Never els-where did plentious Eloquence,
In euery part with such magnificence
Set-forth her Beauties, in so sundry Fashions
Of Robes and Iewels (suting sundry Passions)

433

As in thy Songs: Now like a Queen (for Cost)
In swelling Tissues, rarely-rich imbost
With Pretious Stones: neat, City-like, anon,
Fine Cloth, or Silk, or Chamlet puts she on:
Anon, more like som handsom Shepheardesse,
In courser Cloaths she doth her cleanly dresse:
What-e're she wear, Wool, Silk, or Gold, or Gems,
Or Course or Fine; still like her Self she seems;
Fair, Modest, cheerfull, fitting time and place,
Illustring all even with a heav'n-like grace.
Like prowd loud Tigris (ever swiftly roul'd)
Now, through the Plains thou powr'st a Flood of gold:
Now, like thy Iordan, (or Meander-like)
Round-winding nimbly with a many-Creek,
Thou runn'st to meet thy self's pure streams behind thee.
Mazing the Meads where thou dost turn and winde-thee.
Anon, like Cedron, through a straighter Quill,
Thou strainest out a little Brook or Rill,
But yet, so sweet, that it shall ever be
Th'immortall Nectar to Posterity:
So cleer, that Poesie (whose pleasure is
To bathe in Seas of Heav'nly Mysteries)
Her chastest feathers in the same shall dip,
And deaw with-all her choicest workmanship:
And so deuout, that with no other Water
Deuoutest Soules shall quench their thirst heer-after.
Of sacred Bards Thou art the double Mount:
Of faith-full Spirits th'Interpreter profound:
Of contrie Hearts the cleer Anatomy:
Of euery Sore the Shop for remedy:
Zeal's Tinder-box: a Learned Table, giuing
To spirituall eyes, not painted Christ, but living.
O diuine Volume, Sion's cleer deer Voice,
Saints rich Exchecker, full of comforts choice:
O, sooner shall sad Boreas take his wing
At Nilus head, and boist'rous Auster spring
From th'icie floods of Izeland, than thy Fame
Shall be forgot, or Honour fail thy Name:
Thou shalt surviue through-out all Generations,
And (plyant) learn the Language of all Nations:
Nought but thine Aiers through air and Seas shall sound,
In high-built Temples shall thy Songs resound,
Thy sacred Verse shall cleer Gods clowdy face,
And, in thy steps the noblest Wits shall trace.
Grosse Vulgar, hence; with hands profanely-vile,
So holy things presume not to defile,
Touch not these sacred stops, these silver strings:
This Kingly Harp is only meet for Kings.

434

And so behold, towards the farthest North,
Ah see, I see vpon the Banks of FORTH
(Whose force-full stream runs smoothly serpenting)
A valiant, learned, and religious King,
Whose sacred Art retuneth excellent
This rarely-sweet celestiall Instrument:
And Dauids Truchman, rightly doth resound
(At the Worlds end) his eloquence renown'd.
Dombertans Clyde stands still to hear his voice:
Stone-rowling Tay seemes thereat to reioyce:
The trembling Cyclads, in great Lummond-Lake,
After his sound their lusty gambols shake:
The (Trees-brood) Bar-geese, mid th'Hebridian wave,
Vnto his Tune their far-flow'n wings doo wave:
And I my Self in my pyde

A kind of light mantle made of a thin checkerd Cloth, worne by the Hil-men in Scotland: and now much vsed with vs for Saddle clothes.

Pleid a-slope,
With Tune-skild foot after his Harp doo hop.

Thus, full of God, th'Heav'n Sirene (Prophet-wise)
Powres-forth a Torrent of mel-Melodies,
In Davids praise. But Davids foule defect
Was yet vn-seen, vncensur'd, vn-suspect.
Oft in fair Flowers the bane-full Serpent sleeps:
Somtimes (we see) the brauest Courser trips:
And som-times Dauid's Deaf vnto the Word
Of the Worlds Ruler, th'everlasting Lord:
His Songs sweet feruor slakes, his Soules pure Fire
Is dampt and dimm'd with smoak of foul desire:
His Harp is layd a-side, he leaues his Layes,
And after his fair Neighbors Wife he neighs.
Fair Bersabe's his Flame, euen Bersabe,
In whose Chaste bosom (to that very day)
Honour and Loue had happy dwelt together,
In quict life, without offence of either:
But, her proud Bewty now, and her Eyes force,
Began to draw the Bill of their Diuorce:
Honor giues place to Loue: and by degrees
Fear from her hart. Shame from her forehead flees.
The Presence-chamber, the High street, the Temple
These Theaters are not sufficient ample
To shew her Bewties, if but Silke them hide:

Bersabe bathing.

Shee must haue windowes each-where open wide
About her Garden-Baths, the while therin
She basks and bathes her smooth Snowe-whiter skin;
And one-while set in a black Iet-like Chair,
Perfumes, and combes, and curls her golden hair:
Another-while vnder the Crystall brinks,
Her Alabastrine well-shap't Limbs she shrinks
Like to a Lilly sunk into a glasse:
Like soft loose Venus (as they paint the Lasse)

435

Born in the Seas, when with her eyes sweet-flames,
Tonnies and Triton, she at-once inflames:
Or like an Iuory Image of a Grace,
Neatly inclos'd in a thin Crystall Case:
Another-while, vnto the bottom diues,
And wantonly with th'vnder-Fishes striues:
For, in the bottom of this liquid Ice,
Made of Musäick work, with quaint deuice
The cunning work-man had contriued trim
Carpes, Pikes, and Dolphins seeming even to swim.

Ishai's great son, too-idly, walking hie

Dauid gazing.

Vpon a Tarras, this bright star doth spy;
And sudden dazled with the splendor bright,
Fares like a Prisoner, who new brought to light
From a Cymmerian, dark, deep dungeon,
Feels his sight smitten with a radiant Sun.
But too-too-soon re-cleer'd, he sees (alas)
Th'admired Tracts of a bewitching Face.
Her sparkling Eye is like the Morning Star:
Her lips two snips of crimsin Sattin are:
Her Teeth as white as burnisht siluer seem
(Or Orient Pearls, the rarest in esteem):
Her Cheeks and Chin, and all her flesh like Snowes
Sweet intermixed with Vermillion Rose,
And all her sundry Treasures selfly swell,
Prowd, so to see their naked selues excell.

What liuing Rance, what rapting Ivory
Swims in these streams? O what new Victory
Triumphs of all my Tropheis? O cleer Therms,
If so your Waves be cold; what is it warms,
Nay, burns my hart? If hot (I pray) whence comes
This shivering winter that my soule benums,
Freezes my Senses, and dis-selfs me so
With drousie Poppey, not my self to knowe?
O peer-less Bewty, meerly Bewtifull;
(Vnknow'n) to me th'art most vn-mercifull:
Alas! I dy, I dy (O dismall lot!)
Both for I see thee, and I see thee not
But a-far-off and vnder water too:
O feeble Power, and O (what shall I doo?)
Weak Kingly-State! sith that a silly Woman
Stooping my Crown, can my soule's Homage summon
But, O Imperiall power! Imperiall State!
Could (happy) I giue Bewties Check the Mate.

Thus spake the King: and, like a sparkle small
That by mischance doth into powder fall,

Simile.

Hee's all a-fire; and pensiue, studies nought,
But how t'accomplish his lasciuious thought:

436

Which soon he compast; sinks himself therin;
Forgetteth Dauid; addeth Sin to Sin:
And lustfull, plaies like a young lusty-Rider

Simile.

(A wilfull Gallant, not a skilfull guider)
Who, proud of his horse pride, still puts him to't:
With wand and spur, layes on (with hand and foot)
The too-free Beast; which but too-fast before
Ran to his Ruine, stumbling euermore
At euery stone, till at the last he break
Against som Rock his and his Riders neck.
For, fearing, not Adulteries fact, but fame:
A iealous Husbands Fury for the same:
And lessening of a Pleasure shar'd to twain:
He (treach'rous) makes her valiant Spouse be slain.

The Lord is moov'd: and, iust, begins to stretch
His Wraths keen dart at this disloiall wretch:
When Nathan (then bright Brand of Zeal and Faith).
Comes to the King, and modest-boldly sayth:

The Prophet Nathan's Parable, reprouing Dauid.

Vouchsafe my Liege (that our chief Iustice art)
To list a-while to a most hainous part.
First to the fault giue ear: then giue Consent
To giue the Faulty his due punishment.
Of late, a Subiect of thine owne, whose flocks
Powl'd all Mount Liban's pleasant plentious locks;
And to whose Heards could hardly full suffice
The flowry Verge that longst all Iordan lies;
Making a feast vnto a stranger-Guest,
None of his owne abundant Fatlings drest;
But (priuy Thief) from a poor neighbour by
(His faithfull Friend) Hee takes feloniously
A goodly Lamb; although he had no more
But euen that one: wherby he set such store,
That every day of his owne hand it fed,
And every night it coucht vpon his Bed,
Supt of his Cup, his pleasant morsels pickt,
And euen the moisture from his lips it lickt.
Nay, more, my Lord. No more (replies the King,
Deeply incenst) 'Tis more then time this thing
Where seen into; and so outrageous Crimes,
So insolent, had need be curbd betimes:
What ever Wretch hath done this Villany
Shall Die the Death; and not alonely Die,
But let the horror of so foul a Fact
A more then common punishment exact.

O painted Toomb (then answerd sacred Nathan)
That hast God in thy Mouth, in thy Minde Sathan:
Thou blam'st in other thine owne Fault denounç't,
And vn-awares hast 'gainst thy self pronounç't

437

Sentence of Death, O King, no King (as then)
Of thy desires: Thou art the very man:
Yea, Thou art hee, that with a wanton Theft
Hast iust Vriah's only Lamb bereft:
And him, O horror! (Sin with Sin is further'd)
Him with the sword of Ammon hast Thou murther'd.
Bright Beauties Eye, like to a glorious Sun,
Hurts the sore eye that looks too-much ther-on:
Thy wanton Eye, gazing vpon that Eye,
Hath given an entrance too-too-foolishly
Vnto that Dwarf, that Divell (is it not?)
Which out of Sloath, within vs is begot;
Who entring first but Guest-wise in a room,
Doth shortly Master of the house become;
And makes a Saint (a sweet, mylde minded Man)
That 'gainst his Life's Foe would not lift his hand,
To plot the death of his deer faith-full Friend,
That for his Loue a thousand liues would spend.

Ah! snak'st thou not? is not thy Soule in trouble
(O brittle dust, vain shadow, empty bubble!)
At Gods drad wrath, which quick doth calcinize
The marble Mountains and the Ocean dries?
No, thou shalt knowe the waight of Gods right hand,
Thou, for example t'other Kings shalt stand.
Death, speedy Death, of that adulterous Fruit,
Which even al-ready makes his Mother rue't,
Shall vex thy soule, and make thee feel (indeed)
Forbidden Pleasure doth Repentance breed.

Ah shame-less beast! Sith thy brute Lust (forlorn)
Hath not the Wife of thy best Friend forborn,
Thy Sons (dis-natur'd) shall defile thy bed
Incestuously; thy fair Wiues (rauished)
Shall doublely thy lust-full seed receaue:
Thy Concubines (which thou behinde shalt leaue)
The wanton Rapes of thine owne Race shall be:
It shall befall that in thy Family,
With an vn-kins-mans kisse (vn-louing Louer)
The Brother shal his Sisters shame discouer:
Thou shalt be both Father and Father-in-law
To thine owne Blood. Thy Children (past all aw
Of God or Man) shall by their insolence.
Euen iustifie thy bloody soul offence.
Thou sinn'dst in secret: but Sol's blushing Eye
Shall be eye-witness of their villany:
All Izrael shall see the same: and then,
The Heav'n-sunk Cities in Asphaltis Fen,
Out of the stinking Lake their heads shall showe,
Glad, by thy Sons, to be out-sinned so.

438

Thou, thou (inhumane) didst the Death conspire
Of good Vriah (worthy better Hire),
Thou cruell didst it: therefore, Homicide,
Cowardly treason, cursed Paricide,
Vn-kinde Rebellion; euer shall remain
Thy house-hold Guests, thy house with blood to stain,
Thine owne against thine owne shall thril their darts:
Thy Son from thee shall steal thy peoples harts:
Against thy Self he shall thy Subiects arm,
And giue thine age many a fierce Alarm,
Till hanged by the hair 'twixt Earth and sky
(His Gallow's pride, shame of the Worlds bright Eye)
Thine owne Lieutenant, at a crimsin spour,
His guilty Soule shall with his Lance let-out.
And (if I fail not) O what Tempest fel
Beats on the head of harm-less Izrael!
Alas! how many a guiltless Abramide

The Plague of Pestilence.

Dies in Three dayes, through thy too-curious Pride!
In hate of thee, th'Air (thick and sloathful) breeds
No slowe Disease; both yong and old it speeds;
All are indifferent: For through all the Land
It spreads, almost in turning of a hand:
To the so-sick, hard seem the softest plumes;
Flames from his eys, from's mouth come Iakes-like fumes:
His head, his neck; his bulk, his legs doth tire;
Outward, all water; inward, all a-fire:
With a deep Cough his spungy Lungs he wastes:
Black Blood and Choler both at once he casts:
His voices passage is with Biles be-layd,
His Soule's Interpreter, rough, foul, and flayd:
Thought of the Grief it's rigor oft augments:
'Twixt Hope and Fear it hath no long suspense:
With the Disease Death iointly trauerseth:
Th'Infections stroak is euen the stroak of Death.
Art yeelds to th'anguish: Reason stoops to rage:
Physicians skill, himselfe doth ill engage.
The streets too still: the Town all out of Town:
All Dead, or Fled: vnto the hallowed ground
The howling Widdow (though she lov'd him deer)
Yet dares not follow her dead Husbands Beer.
Each mounts his Losse, each his owne Case complains,
Pel-niel the liuing with the dead remains.

Simile.

As a good-natur'd and wel-nurtur'd Chyld,
Found in a fault (by's Master sharply-myld)
Blushing and bleaking, betwixt shame and fear,
With down-cast eyes laden with many a tear,
More with sad gesture, than with words, doth craue
An humble Pardon of his Censor graue:

439

So Dauid, hearing th'holy Prophets Threat,

Dauids Repentance.

He apprehends Gods Iudgements dradly-great;
And (thrill'd with fear) flies for his sole defence
To pearly Tears, Mournings, and sad Laments:
Off-goes his Gold; his glory treads he down,
His Sword, his Scepter, and his pretious Crown:
He fasts, he prayes, he weeps, he grieues, he grones,
His hainous Sins he bitterly bemones:
And, in a Caue hard-by, he roareth out
A sigh-full Song, so dolefully devout,
That even the Stone doth groan, and pearç't withall,
Lets it's salt tears with his sad tears to fall.
Ay-gracious Lord (thus Sings he night and day)
Wash wash, my Soule in thy deep Mercies sea:

Psal. 51.

O Mercy, Mercy Lord alowd he Cries;
(And Mercy, Mercy, still the Rock replyes).

O God, my God, sith for our grieuous Sin

Application to France.

(Which will-full we so long haue weltred in)
Thou powr'st the Torrents of thy Vengeance down
On th'azure Field with Goulden Lillies sow'n:
Sith every moment thy iust Anger drad
Roars, thunders, lightens on our guilty head:
Sith Famine, Plague, and War (with bloody hand)
Doo all at once make havock of this Land:
Make vs make vse of all these Rods aright;
That we may quench with our Tears-water quite
Thin Ire-full Fire: our former Vices spurn;
And, true-reform'd, Iustice to Mercy turn.

And so, O Father, (fountain of all Good,

The like to England, now for many yeares together grieuously afflicted with the Plague.

Ocean of Iustice, Mercie's bound-less Flood)
Since, for Our Sins exceeding all the rest,
As most ingrate-full, though most rarely blest
(After so long Long-Sufferance of Thine:
So-many Warnings of thy Word diuine:
So-many Threatnings of thy dread-full Hand:
So-many Dangers scap't by Sea and Land:
So-many Blessings in so good a King:
So-many Blossoms of that fruit ful Spring:
So-many Foes abroad; and False at home:
So-many Rescues from the rage of Rome;
So-many Shields against so many Shot:
So-many Mercies in that Powder-Plot
(So light regarded and so soon forgot).

Since for Our Sins, so many and so great,
So little mov'd with Promise or with Threat,
Thou, now at last (as a iust ielouze God)
Strik'st vs thy Self with thine immediate Rod,
Thy Rod of Pestilence: whose rage-full smart,
With deadly pangs pearcing the strongest heart,

440

Tokens of Terror leaues vs where it lights:
And so infects vs (or at least affrights)
That Neighbour Neighbour, Brother Brother shuns;
The tendrest Mother dares not see her Sons;
The neerest Friend his deerest Friend doth flye;
Yea, scarce the Wife dares close her Husbands eye.
For, through th'Example of our Vicious life,

Simile.

As Sin breeds Sin; and Husband marr's the Wife,
Sister proudes Sister, Brother hardens Brother,
And one Companion doth corrupts another:
So through Contagion of this dire Disease,
It (iustly) doth thy heav'nly Iustice please,
To cause vs thus each other to infect:
Though This we fly, and That too nigh affect.

Since for our Sins, which hang so fast vpon-vs,
So dreadfully thy Fury frowneth on-vs;
Sith still thou Strikest, and still Threat'nest more,
More grieuous Wounds then we haue felt before:
O gratious Father, giue vs grace (in fine)
To make our Profit of these Rods of thine;
That, true-Converted by thy milde Correction,
We may abandon euery foul Affection:
That Humblenes may flaring Pride dis-plume:
That Temperance may Surfaiting consume:
That Chastity may chase our wanton Lust:
That Diligence may wear-off Slothfull rust:
That Loue may liue, in Wrath and Enuies place:
That Bounties hand may Auarice deface:
That Truth may put Lying and Fraud to flight:
That Faith and Zeal may keep thy Sabbaths right:
That Reverence of thy drad Name may banish
Blasphemous Oathes, and all Profaneness vanish.

Since for our Sins (aswell in Court as Cottage)
Of all Degrees, all Sexes, Youth and Dotage,
Of Clarks and Clownes; Rich, Poore; and Great and Small,
Thy fear-ful Vengeance, hangeth ouer all;
O Touch vs all with Horror of our Crimes:
O Teach vs all to turn to thee betimes:
O Turn vs (Lord) and we shall turned be:
Giue what thou bidst, and bid what pleaseth thee:
Giue vs Repentance; that thou mayst repent
Our present Plagve, and future Punishment.

FINIS.

441

The Magnificence.

THE II. BOOK OF THE FOVRTH DAY OF the Second Week, of Bartas.

The Argvment.

Death-summon'd David, in his sacred throne
Instals (instructs) his yong Son Salomon:
His (pleas-God) Choice of Wisedom, wins him Honor:
And Health and Wealth (at once) to wait vpon her:
His wondrous Doom, quick Babe's Claim to decide:
Mis-Matches taxt, in His with Pharaonide:
Their pompous Nuptials: Seav'n Heav'n-Masquers there.
The glorious Temple, Builded richly-rare.
Salem's Renown drawes Saba to his Court:
King Iames, to His, brings Barta's, in like fort.

Happy are You (O You delicious Wits)
That stint your Studies, as your Fury fits:
That in long Labours (full of pleasing pain)
Exhaust not wholly all your learned brain:
That, changing Note, now light and grave canon,
Handle the Theam that first you light vpon:
That, heere in Sonnets, there in Epigrams,
Euaporate your sweet Soule-boyling Flames.

But my deer Honor, and my sacred Vows,
And Heav'ns decree (made in that Higher-House)
Hold mee fast fetter'd (like a Gally-slaue)
To this hard Task. No other case I haue,
Nought else I dream of; neither (night nor day)
Aim at ought else, or look I other-way:
But (alwayes busie) like a Mil-stone seem
Still turned round with the same rapid stream.

442

Thence is't that oft (maugre Apollos grace)
I humme so harsh; and in my Works inchase
Lame, crawling Lines, according to the Fire,
Which (more or lesse) the whirling Poles inspire:
And also mingle (Linsie-woolsie-wise)
This gold-ground Tissue with too-mean supplies.

You, all the year long, doo not spend your wing:
But during only your delightfull Spring
(Like Nightingales) from bush to bush you play,
From Tune to Tune, from Myrtle spray to spray:
But, I too-bold, and like the Swallow right,
Not finding where to rest me, at one flight
A bound-less ground-less Sea of Times I passe,
With Auster now, anon with Boreas.

Your quick Career is pleasant, short, and eath;
At each Lands-end you sit you down and breathe
On som green bank; or, to refresh you, finde
Som Rosie-arbour, from the Sun and winde:
But, end-less is my Course: for, now I glyde
On Ice; then (dazled) head-long down I slyde:
Now vp I climbe: then through the Woods I craul,
I stray, I stumble, somtimes down I fall.
And, as base Morter serveth to vnite

Simile.

Red, white, gray Marble, Iasper, Galactite:
So, to connex my queint Discourse, somtimes
I mix loose, limping, and ill-polisht Rimes.

Yet will I not this Work of mine giue o're.
The Labour's great; my Courage yet is more,
My hart's not yet all voyd of sacred heat:
Ther's nothing Glorious but is hard to get.
Hils were not seen but for the Vales betwixt:
The deep indentings artificiall mixt
Amid Musäiks (for more ornament)
Haue prizes, sizes, and dies different.
And O! God grant, the greatest spot you spie
In all my Frame, may be but as the Fly,
Which on her Ruff (whiter than whitest snowes)
To whiten white, the fairest Virgin sowes:
(Or like the Veluet on her brow: or, like
The dunker Mole on Venus dainty Cheeke:
And, that a few faults may but lustre bring
To my high furies where I sweetest sing.

David waxt old and cold; and's vitall Lamp,
Lacking it's oyl of Natiue moist, grew damp
(But by degrees); when with a dying voice
(But liuely vigor of Discretion choise)
He thus instructs his yong Son Salomon,
And (as Heav'n cals) instals him in his Throne.

443

Whom, with-out Force, Vproar, or Ryualing,

Dauids instructions to his Son Salomon.

Nature, and Law, and Fortune make a King;
Euen He (my Son) must be both Iust and Wise,
If long he look to Rule and Royalize:
But he, whom only, Fortunes Fauour rears
Vnto a Kingdom, by som new-found stairs;
He must appeare more than a man; and cast
By rarest Worth to make his Crown sit fast.

My Salomon, thou know'st thou art my Yongest:
Thou know'st, besides, out of what Bed thou sprungest:
Thou seest what loue all Izrael bears thy Brother:
To honor Thee, what wrong I doo to other;
Yea euen to Nature and our Natiue Law:
'Tis thy part therefore, in all points to draw
To full Perfection; and with rare effect
Of Noblest Vertues hide thy Births defect.

Thou, Izraels King, serue the great King of All,

A king (first of all) ought to be Religious.

And only on his Conducts pedestall
Found thine Affaires: vpon his Sacred Lore
Thine eyes and minde be fixed euermore:
The barking rage of bold Blasphemers hate:
Thy Souerain's Manners (Vice-Roy) imitate.
Nor think, the thicknes of thy Palace Wals,
Thine iron Gates, and high gold-seeled Halls,
Can let his Eye to spie (in euery part)
The darkest Closets of thy Mazie Heart.

If birth or Fate (my Son) had made thee Prince
Of Idumeans or of Philistins,

Valorous.

If Pharaoh's Title had befall'n to thee,
If the Medes Myter bowed at thy knee,
Wert thou a Sophy; yet with Vertues luster
Thou oughtst (at least) thy Greatnes to illuster.
But, to Command the Seed of Abraham,
The Holy Nation to Controule and tame,
To bear a Iosuahs or a Samsons load,
To be Gods Vice-Roy, needs a Demi-God.

Before old Seruants giue not new the start

Impartial in bestowing Preferments.

(Kings-Art consists in Action more then Art.)
Old Wine excelleth new: Nor (giddily)
Will a good Husband grub a goodly Tree
In his faire Orchards midst, whose fruitfull store

Simile.

Hath graç't his Table twenty yeers and more;
To plant a Graft, yer e'r he taste the same,
Saue with the teeth of a (perhaps) false Fame.

These Parasites are euen the Pearls and Rings

Impatient of Parasites and Flatterers.

(Pearls, said I? Perils) in the eares of Kings:
For O, what Mischief but their Wiles can work?
Sith euen within vs (to their aid) doth lurk

444

A smoother Soother, euen our owne Selfs-loue
(A malady that nothing can remoue)
Which, with these strangers, secretly Combin'd
In League offensiue (to the firmest Minde)
Perswades the Coward, he is Wisely-meek:
The drunkard, Stout: the periure, Politick:
The cruell Tyrant, a iust Prince they call;
Sober, the Sot; the Lauish, Liberal:
And, quick nos'd Beagles, senting right his lore
(Trans-form'd into him) euen his Faults adore.

To banish Atheists and all notoriously wicked persons frō his presence.

Fly then those Monsters: and giue no accesse
To men infamous for their wickednesse:
Endure no Atheist, brook no Sorcerer
Within thy Court, nor Thief, nor Murderer:
Lest the contagion of their banefull breath
Poyson the publike fountain, and to death
Infect Thy manners (more of force then Law)
The spring, whence Subiects good or bad will draw.

To over-Rule his owne Passions & Affections.

Rule thine Affects, thy fury and thy fear:
Hee's no true King, who no self's-sway doth beare:
Not what thou could'st, but what thou shouldst, effect:
And to thy Lawes, first thine owne-self subiect.
For, ay the Subiect will (fear set a-side)
Through thick and thin, hauing his King for guide.

To be milde and gratious.

Shew thy Self gratious, affable and meek;
And be not (proud) to those gay godlings like,
But once a year from their gilt Boxes tane,
To impetrate the Heav'ns long wisht-for raine.

To be faithfull of his promise.

To fail his Word, a King doth ill beseem:
Who breaks his faith, no faith is held with him,
Deceipt's deceiv'd: Iniustice meets vniust:
Disloyall Prince armes subiects with distrust;
And neighbour States will in their Leagues commend
A Lion, rather then a Fox, for Friend.

To be readier to Reward then Punish.

Be prodigall of Vertues iust reward:
Of punishments be sparing (with regard).
Arm thou thy brest with rarest Fortitude;
Things Eminent are euer most pursu'd:
On highest Places, most disgraces threat:
The roughest windes on widest gates do beat.

Not to be Quærellous, yet quick & courageous in a iust Cause.

Toil not the World with Wars ambitious spite:
But if thine Honour must maintain thy Right,
Then shew thee David's Son; and wisely-bold
Follow 't as hot, as thou beginst it cold:
Watch, Work, Deuise, and with vn-weary limb,
Wade thorough Foords, and ouer Chanels swim.

His exercise in Warre.

Let tufted Planes for pleasant shades suffice,
In heat; in Cold, thy Fire be exercise:

445

A Targe thy Table, and a Turf thy Bed:
Let not thy Mouth be ouer-dainty fed:
Let labour be thy sauce, thy Caske thy Cup;
Whence for thy Nectar som ditch-water sup:
Let Drums, and Trumpets, and shril Fifes and Flutes
Serue thee for Citterns, Virginals and Lutes:
Trot vp a Hill; Run a whole Field for Race;
Leap a large Dike; Tosse a long Pike, a space:
Perfume thy head with dust and sweat: appear
Captain and Souldier. Souldiers are on fire,
Having their King (before them Marching forth)
Follow in fortune, witness of their Worth.

I should inflame thy heart with learnings loue;
Saue that I knowe what diuine habits mooue

In peace not to be ouer studious: yet, to vnderstand the Principles of all Prince-fit Sciences.

Thy profound Spirit: only, let th'ornament
Of Letters wait on th'Art of Regiment:
And take good heed, lest as excesse of humor
In Plants, becomes their Flowring Lifes consumer;
So too-much Study, and delight in Arts,
Quench the quick vigour of thy Spirituall parts,
Make thee too-pensiue, over-dull thy Senses,
And draw thy Minde from Publike cares of Princes.
With a swift-winged soule, the Course survay
Of Nights dim Taper and the Torch of Day:
Sound round the Cels of th'Ocean dradly-deep:
Measure the Mountains snowie tops and steep:
Ferret all Corners of this neather Ball;
But to admire the Makers Art in all,
His Power and Prudence: and, resemble not
Som simple Courtier, or the silly Sot
That in the base-Court all his time hath spent,

Simile.

In gazing on the goodly Battlement,
The chamfred Pillers, Plinths, and antique Bosses,
Medals, Ascents, Statues, and strange Colosses;
Amaz'd and musing vpon every piece
Of th'vniforme, fair stately Frontispice;
Too-too-self-rapt (through too-self-humoring)
Losing himselfe, while others finde the King.

Holde-even the balance, with clean hands, clos'd eyes:
Revenge seuerely Publike Iniuries;

The principal & peculiar office of a king.

Remit thine Owne. Heare the Cries, see the Tears
Of all distressed poor Petitioners.
Sit (oft) thy selfe in Open Audience:
Who would not be a Iudge, should be no Prince.
For, Iustice Scepter and the Martiall Sword
Ought never seuer, by the Sacred Word.
Spare not the Great; neither despise the Small:
Let not thy Lawes be like the Spiders Caul,

Simile.

446

Where little Flyes are caught and kild; but great
Passe at their pleasure, and pull-down the Net.

Away with Shepheards that their Flocks deface:
Chuse Magistrates that may adorn their Place;
Such as feare God, such as will Iudge vprightly:
Men by the seruants iudge the Master lightly.
Giue to the vertuous; but thy Crown-demain
Diminish not: giue still to giue again:
For there too-deep to dip, is Prodigalitie;
And to dry-vp the Springs of Liberalitie.

Hic labor, hoc Opus.

But aboue all (for Gods sake) Son, beware,
Be not intrapt in Womens wylie snare.
I feare, alas (good Lord, supreamly sage,
Avert from Mine th'effect of this Præsage)
Alas! I feare that this sweet Poyson will
My House here-after with all Idols fill.
But, if that neither Vertue's sacred loue,
Nor fear of Shame thy wanton Minde can moue
To watch in Arms against the Charms of Those;
At least, be warned by thy Fathers Woes.

Fare-well my Son: th'Almightie cals me hence:
I passe, by Death, to Lifes most excellence:
And, to go Raign in Heav'n (from World-cares free)
The Crown of Israel I resigne to thee.

O thou that often (for a Princes Sin)
Transport'st the Scepter, even from Kin to Kin,
From Land to Land; Let it remaine with Mine:
And, of my Sons Sons (in successiue Ligne)
Let that All-Powerfull deer-drad Prince descend,
Whose glorious Kingdom never shall haue end;
Whose iron Rod shall Satans Rule vn-doo:
Whom Iacob trusts in; Whom I thirst for too.

Initium Regni Salomon.

DAVID deceast: His Son (him tracking right)
With heart and voyce worships the God of Might;
Enters his Kingdom by the Gate of Pietie;
Makes Hymns and Psalms in Laud of the true Deitie;
Offers in Gabeon; where, in Spirit he sees

His vision.

(While his Sense sleeps) the God of Maiesties,
The Lord of Hoasts; who, Crownd with radiant flames,
Offers him choice of these foure louely Dames.

First, Glory, shaking in her hand a Pike

Description of Glory.

(Not Maid-like Marching, but braue Souldier-like)
Among the Stars her stately head she beares,
A silver Trumpet shril a-slope she weares,
Whose Winde is Praise, and whose Stentorian sound
Doth far and wide o'r all the world redound.
Her wide-side Robes of Tissue passing price,
All Story-wrought with bloody Victories,

447

Triumphs and Tropheis, Arches, Crowns and Rings;
And, at her feet, there sigh a thousand Kings.

Not far from her, coms Wealth, all rich-bedight

Of Riches.

In Rhea's, Thetis, Pluto's Treasures bright:
The glittering stuff which doth about her fold
Is rough with Rubies, stiff with beaten Gold.
With either hand from hollow steanes she powrs
Pactolian surges and Argolian showrs.
Fortune, and Thrift, and Wakefulnes and Care,
And Diligence, her daily Servants are.

Then cheerfull Health: whose brow no wrinkle bears,

Of Health.

Whose cheek no palenesse, in whose eye no tears;
But like a childe, she's pleasant, quick, and plump,
Shee seems to fly, to skip to daunce, and iump:
And Life's bright Brand in her white hand doth shine:
Th'Arabian birds rare plumage (platted fine)
Serues her for Sur-coat: and her seemly train,
Mirth, Exercise and Temperance sustain.

Last, Wisdome coms, with sober countenance:

Wisdom.

To th'ever-Bowrs her oft a-loft t'advance,
The light Mamuques wing-less wings she has:
Her gesture cool, as comly-graue her pase:
Where e'r she go, she never goes with-out
Compasse and Rule, Measure and waights about:
And by her side (at a rich Belt of hers)
The Glasse of Nature and her-Selfe she wears.

Having beheld their Bewties bright, the Prince
Seems rapt all-ready even to Heaven from hence;
Sees a whole Eden round about him shine:
And, 'mid so many Benefits Diuine,
Doubts which to chuse. At length he thus begun:
O Lord (saith he, what hath thy Servant don,
That so great blessings I should take or touch,
Or thou shouldst daign to honour me so much?
Thou doost prevent my Merit; or (deer Father)
Delight'st to Conquer even my Malice rather.

Fair Victorie's a noble Gift: and nought
Is more desired, or is sweeter thought,
Than even to quench our Furie's thirst with blood,
In iust Revenge on those that wrong our Good:
But oft (alas) foul Insolence comes after;
And, the long Custom of inhumane Slaughter,
Transformes in time the myldest Conquerors
To Tigers, Panthers, Lions, Bears, and Boars.

Happy seems He, whose count-less Heards for Pasture
Dis-roab (alone) mount Carmels moatly Vesture:
For whom alone a whole rich Countrey, torn
With timely Tools, brings forth both Wine and Corn:

448

That hath soft Sereans yellow Spoyls, the Gems
And precious stones of the Arabian streams,
The Mines of Ophir, th'Entidorian Fruits,
The Saban Odours, and the Tyrian Sutes.
But yet we see, where Plenty chiefly swayes,
There Pride increases, Industry decayes:
Rich-men adore their Gold: whoso aspires
To lift lo Heav'n his sight and Soules Desires,
He must be Poor (at least-wise like the Poor)
Riches and Fear are fellows ever-more.

I would liue long, and I would gladly see
My Nephews Nephews, and their Progenie:
But the long Cares I fear, and Cumbers rife,
Which commonly accompany Long-Life.
Who well liues, long liues: for this Age of ours
Should not be numbred by years, dayes and howrs:
But by our brave Exployts: and this Mortality
Is not a moment, to that Immortality.

But, in respect of Lady Wisdomes grace
(Even at their best) the rest are all but base.

Salomons choice.

Honour is but a puffe; Life but a vapour;
Wealth but a wish; Health but a sconce of paper:
A glistring Scepter but a Maple twig;
Gold, Drosse; Pearls, Dust, how-ever bright and big.
Shee's Gods owne Mirror, shee's a Light, whose glance
Springs from the Lightning of his Countenance:
Shee's mildest Heav'ns most sacred influence:
Never decays her Beauties excellence;
Aye like her-Self: and shee doth alwaies trace
Not only the same path, but the same pase.
Without her, Honour, Health, and Wealth would proue
Three Poysons to me. Wisdom (from aboue)
Is th'only Moderatrix, spring, and guide,
Organ and honour of all Gifts beside.

Her, her I like, her only (Lord I craue,
Her Company for-ever let me haue:
Let me for-ever from her sacred lip,
Th'Ambrosiall Nard, and rosiall Nectar sip:
In every Cause, let me consult with her:
And, when I Iudge, be shee my Counsailer.
Let, with her staffe, my yet-Youth govern well
In Pastures fair the Flock of Izrael,
A compt-less Flock, a Flock so great (indeed)
As of a Shepheard sent from Heav'n had need.
Lord, giue her mee: alas! I pine, I die;
Or if I liue, I liue her

Pyrausta.

Flame-bred-Flie:
And (new Farfalla) in her radiant shine,
Too-bold, I burn these tender wings of mine.

449

Hold, take her to thee, said the Lord: and sith
No Beauty else thy soule enamoreth;
For ready hand-maids to attend vpon her,
I'l giue thee also Health, and Wealth, and Honor;
(For 't is not meer, so High-descended Queen,
So great a Lady, should alone be seen)
The rather, that my Bounty may invite
Thee, serving Her, to serue Me day and night.

King Salomon, awaked, plainely knew
That this divine strange Vision never grew
From the sweet Temper of his sound Complexion;
But that it was som Peece of more Perfection,
Some sacred Picture admirably draw'n
With Heav'nly pencill, by an Angels hand.
For (happy) He had (without Art) the Arts,
And Learning (without learning) in all parts:
A more then humane Knowledge beautifies
His princely actions: vp to Heav'n he flies,
He dyues to Hell, hee sounds the Deep, he enters
To th'inmost Cels of the Worlds lowest Centers.

The secret Riddles of the sacred Writ

His excellent Wisdom and vnderstanding in all things.

Are plain to him: and his deep-pearcing Wit,
Vpon few Words of the Heav'n-prompted stile,
In a few Dayes, large Volumes can compile.
He (learned) sees the Sun's Eclipse, sans terror:
He knowes the Planets never erring Error;
And, whether Nature, or some Angel moue
Their Sphears, at once with triple Dance aboue:
Whether the Sun self-shine; his Sister, not:
Whether, Spring, Winter, Autumn, Summer hot,
Be the Suns Sons: what kinde of mounting vapor
Kindles the Comet, and the long-taild Taper:
What boystrous Lungs the roaring Whirlers blow'n:
What burning Wings the Lightning rides vpon:
What Curb the Ocean in his bounds doth keep:
What power Night's Princesse powrs vpon the Deep:
Whether the Heav'ns sweet-sweating Kisse appear
To be Pearls parent, and the Oyster's Pheer;
And whether, dusk, it makes them dim withall;
Cleer, breeds the cleer; and stormy brings the pale.
Whether, from Sea the Amber-greece be sent;
Or be som Fishes pleasant excrement.
He knowes, why th'Earth's immoueable and round,
The lees of Nature, Center of the Mound:
He knowes her measure. And he knowes beside,
How Coloquintida (duely apply'd)
With-in the darkness of the Conduit-Pipes,
Amid the winding of our in-ward Tripes,

450

Can so discreetly the White humour take;
Rheubarb, the Yellow; Hellebore, the Black:
And, whether That in our weak Bulks be wrought,
By drawing 't to them; or by driving 't out.
In brief, from th'Hysop to the Cedar-Tree,
He knowes the Vertues of all Plants that be.
He knowes the Reason why the Woolfs fell tooth
Giues a Horse swiftness; and his footing, floth:
Why the Sex-changing, fierce Hyena's eye
Puts curstest Curs to silence suddenly:
Why th'irefull Elephant becommeth tame
At the approaching of the fleecy Lamb:
Why th'eye-bold Eagle never fears the flash
Or force of Lightning, nor the Thunder-clash:
Why the wilde Fen-Goose (which keeps warm her egs
With her broad feet vnder her heatfull legs,
And, tongue-less, cries) as wing-lym'd, cannot flie,
Except she (glad) Seas brynie glasse descrie.
He knoweth also, whether that our stone
Be caked Earth, or Exhalation:
Whether the Metalls (that we daily see)
Be made of Sulphur and of Mercurie;
Or, of som Liquour by long Cold condenst,
And by the Heat well purified and cleans'd;
Or, of a certain sharp and cindrous humor;
Or whether He that made the Waving Tumor;
The motly Earth; and th'Heav'nly Sphears refin'd,
All-mighty, made them such as now we finde.
He comprehends from whence it is proceeding,
That spotted Iasper-stones can staunch our bleeding:
Saphires, cure eyes, the Topaz to resist
The rage of Lust; of drinke the Amethist:
And also, why the clearest Diamant
(Iealous) impugns the thefts of th'Adamant.

Tunes, Measures, Numbers, and Proportions
Of Bodies with their Shadows, als' he kons;
And (fild with Nectar-Deaws, which Heau'n drips)
The Bees haue made Hony within his lips.
But he imbraceth much more earnestly
The gain-full Practice, than cold Theory:
Nor reaks he so of a Sophistick pride
Of prattling Knowledge (too-self-magnifi'd)
As of that goodly Art to govern well
The sacred Helms of Church and Common-weal,
And happily to entertain in either,
A harmony of Great and Small together.
Especially Hee's a good Iusticer,
And to the Lawes dooth Life and strength confer.

451

And, as the highest of Bigaurian Hils

Simile.

Ay bears his head vp-right, and never yeelds
To either side, scorns Winde and Rain and Snowe,
Abides all weathers, with a cheerfull brow;
Laughs at a Storme, and brauely tramples vnder
His steddy Knees, the prowd, lowd, rowling Thunder:
So hee's a Iudge inflexibly-vpright.
No Loue, nor Hatred, of the Guilty wight
(What e'r he wear for Calling, small or great)
His Venging blade can either blunt or whet;
He spurneth Fauours, and he scorneth Fears,
And vnder foot he treadeth private Tears:
Gold's radiant Lustre never blears his Eye:
Nor is he led through Ignorance a-wry.
His voyce is held an Oracle of all:
The soule of Lawes hee wisely can exhale:
In doubtfull Cases he can subtilize,
And wyliest pleaders hearts anatomize.
Scarce fifteen times had Ceres (since his Birth)
With her gilt Tresses glorifi'd the Earth;
When he decides, by happy Wisdoms means,
The famous quarrell of two crafty Queans.

Is't possible, O Earth (thus cries the first)

The Controuersie between the 2. Harlots for the liue Childe.

But that (alas) thou should'st for anger burst,
And swallow quick this execrable Quean!
Is't possible (O gracious Soverain)
That comming new from dooing such a deed
So horrible, she shame-less dares proceed
T'approch thy sight, thy sacred Throne t'abuse,
Not begging pardon, but even bent t'accuse?
Last night, with surfet and with sleep sur-cloyd,
This care-less step-dam her owne Childe o'r-layd:
And softly then (finding it cold and dead)
Layes it by me, and takes mine in the stead.
Heer, old, bold strumpet, take thy bastard brat,
Hence with thy Carion, and restore me that,
Restore me mine, my louely living Boy,
My hope, my hap, my Loue, my Life, my Ioy.
O cruell Chance! O sacrilegious!
Shall thy foul lips my little Angel busse?
At thy fond prattling, shall hee pret'ly smile?
And tug, and touze thy greasie locks the-while?
And all his Child-hood fill thy soule with glee?
And, grow'n a man, sustaine thine age and thee?
While wretched I haue only, for my share,
His Births hard Travail, and my burthen's Care,
His rest-less rocking, wyping, washing, wringing;
And to appease his way ward Cries with singing?

452

O most vnhappy of all Woman-kinde!
O Child-less mother! O! why is my Minde
More passion-stirred, than my hand is strong?
But, rather than I'l pocket vp this wrong;
To be reveng'd, I'l venter two for one,
I'l haue thy Life, although it cost mine owne.

O filthy Bitch! Vile Witch (sayes th'other tho)
O! who would think, that Wine could mad one so?
O impudent! though God thou fear'st not, fear
The Kings cleer iudgement, who Gods place doth bear.
Art not content t'haue call'd (or rather cry'd)
Me Whore, and Thief, Drunkard and Paricide:
But thou wilt also haue my Childe, my deer
(Whom with so strong a knot Loue links so neer)
My Babe, my Blisse? Yea marry (Minks) and shall:
Who takes my Childe, shall take my life with-all.
Iust Davids iust Son; for thy Father's sake,
For his deer loue, for all that he did make
Of thee a Childe, when he (re-childing) sought
With childish sport to still thy cryes, and taught
(Or'gan to teach) with language soft and weak,
Thy tender tongue som easie tearme to speak:
Or, when (all bloody, breath-less, hot he came
Laden with spoyls of Kings he overcame,
He ran t'imbrace thee, rockt thee in his Targe,
And when thou cry'dst, vpon his shoulder large
Did set thee vp, while thou his beard didst tug,
Play'dst with his nose, about his neck didst hug,
Gap'tst on his glittering Helm, and smil'dst to see
Another Salomon there smile on thee:
And vnderneath his dancing Plume didst play
Like Bird in bush; sporting from spray to spray;
I doe adiure thee to attend my Plea:
By the sweet name of thy deer Bersabe,
Who in the night, shivering for cold, so oft
Hath bow'd her selfe over thy Cradle soft;
Who both the bottles of her Nectar white
Hath spent vpon thee, hundred times a night;
Who on thy head hath set her pearly Crown,
And in Thy life liv'd more than in her Owne:
I doo adiure thee (O great King) by all
That in the World we sacred count or call,
To doe me Right: and if, too-mylde, alas,
Too mercifull thou wilt not Sentence passe
Of iust revenge for my receiued wrong;
Yet, reaue me not what doth to me belong,
What liberall Nature hath bestow'd on me,
What I am feis'd-of (without thank to thee);

453

For pittie doo not my heart blood depriue,
Make me not Childless, having Childe a-liue.

While both, at once, thus to the King they Crie,
'Tis mine, 'Tis mine: thou ly'st; and thou doost lie:
The partiall People divers Verdict spend;
Some favour th'one, others the other friend:
As, when two Gamesters hazard (in a trice)
Fields, Vine-yards, Castles, on the Chance of Dice,

Simile.

The standers-by, diversly stird with-in,
Wish, some that This, and some that That may win:
Waver twixt Hope and Fear: and every-one's
Moov'd, with the mooving of the guilefull Bones.

Only, the King demurrs: his prudent ears
Finde like, both reasons, both complaints, both tears:
The Infants face could not discipher whether
Of both should be the very Mother: neither
Could calculation of their ages, cleer
The Iudges doubt, nor any proof appear.
Then, thus He waighs (but as in dreaming wise);
Th'industrious Iudge, when all proofs fail him, flies
Vnto Coniectures drawn (the probablest;
Out of the book of Nature's learned brest;
Or to the Rack: Now, Mothers loue (thinks hee)
Is Natures owne vnchangeable Decree:
And there's no Torture that exceeds the pains
Which a kinde Mother in her Childe sustains.
Then (as awake) Come, come, no more a-doo,

The Doubt admirably decided.

Dispatch (saith hee) Cleaue the quick Childe in two,
Look that the Sword be sharp; in such a case,
Needs must our Pittie giue our Iustice place:
Iustice (yee see) can iudge him whole to neither:
Divide him therefore, and giue half to either.
O difficult! but thus the King descries
Their hearts deep secrets: all discovered lyes,
The vizor's off; their Tongues, sincerely prest
With true instinct, their very Thoughts exprest:

Bee't (said the stepdam) so, sith 't must be so:
Diuide him iustly from the top to toe.
No (said the other) rather, I renounce
My right in him, take thou him all at once,
Enioy him all; I'l rather haue him Thine
A-liue, and whole, than dead and mangled Mine.
Thine (quoth the King) hee's Thine by Birth (I see)
Thine by thy Loue, and thine by my Decree.

Now, as with Gold growes in the self-same Mine

Simile.

Much Chrysocolle, and also Silver fine:

The wonderfull Prosperitie of Salomon and his People.

So supream Honor, and Wealth (matcht by none)
Second the Wisdom of great Salomon.

454

He far and neer commands by Land and Seas;
A hundred Crowns doo homage vnto His:
His neerest Bounds, Nile's Sea and Sidon seem,
And Euphrates bows his moyst horns to him:
Peru, they say (supposing Ophir so)
By yeerly Fleets into his Fisk doth flowe:
In Sion Gold's as common as the Sand;
As Pebles, Pearls: Through-out all Iury-Land,
There seems an Ocean of all happinesse
To over-flowe; and all doo all possesse:
Each vnder his owne Vine and his owne Tree,
His Grapes and Figs may gather quietly.
Thus he abounds in Blisse; not so to change-ill
Man into Beast, but make of Man an Angel,
To praise th'Immortall, who to him hath given
Even heer a Taste of the delights of Heaven.
This great, wise, wealthy, and well-spoken King
His sweet renown o'r all the World doth ring:
The Tyrian, for Confederate desires him:
Pharao for Son: th'Alien no lesse admires-him:
Than his owne Subiect: and his eyes sweet flames,
As far as Nilus, fire the flower of Dames.

Mis-Matches iustly taxed.

O Salomon, see'st thou not (O mis-hap!)
This Mariage is no Mariage, but a Trap?
That such a mongrell Match of differing Creed,
Of mortall quarels is th'immortall seed?
That Ox and Asse can never well be broak
To drawe one Plough together in one yoak?
Who-ever weds a Miscreant, forth-with
Divorceth God: our Faith still wavereth;
It needs an Aide and not a Tempter nigh,
Not th'instrument of th'old Deceiver slie,
Not deadly poyson in our Coach to couch,
Sleep in our bosome, and our breast to touch,
And breathe into vs (in a kinde of kissing)
An Ir-religion, of the Serpents hissing.
Shee that from Ægypt coms (O King) is none
Flesh of thy Flesh, nor yet Bone of thy Bone:
But a strange Bone, a barbarous Rib, a Peece
Impoysoned all with Memphian Leprosies.

But, thou wilt say, thy Loue hath stript yer-while
Her spotted suite of Idol-serving Nile:
And clad her all, in Innocence, in white;
Becom'n by Faith a true-born Abramite.
It might be so: and to that side I take,
The rather, for that sacred Beauties sake,
Where-of she is a figure. Yet, I fear
Her Train will stain thy Kingdom every-where,

455

Corupt thy Court: and God will be offended
To haue his People with strange People blended;
The mighty Lord, who hath precisely said,
You shall not theirs, nor they your daughters wed.

Vnder the gentle Equinoctiall Line,

A pleasant Description of Loue's fruitfull Groue.

Faire amorous Nature waters freshly-fine
A little Groue clad in eternall green,
Where all the yeer long lusty May is seen,
Suiting the Lawns in all her pomp and pride
Of liuely Colours, louely varified:
There smiles the ground, the starry-Flowers each one
There mount the more, the more th'are trod vpon:
There all growes toyl-less; or, if tild it were,
Sweet Zephyrus is th'onely Husband there.
There Auster never roars, nor Hail dis-leaues
Th'immortall Groue, nor any branch bereaues.
There the straight Palm-Tree stoopeth in the Calm
To kiss his Spouse, his loyall Female Palm:
There with soft whispers whistling all the yeer
The broad-leav'd Plane-Tree Courts the Plane his Pheer,
The Poplar wooes the Poplar, and the Vine
About the Elme her slender armes doth twine:
Th'Ivie about the Oak: there all doth proue,
That there all springs, all growes, all liues in Loue.
Opinion's Porter, and the Gate she bars
Gainst Couetize, cold Age, and sullen Cares,
Except they leaue-off and lay-down before
Their troublous load of Reason at the doore;
But opens wide, to let-in Bashful-Boldness,
Dumb-speaking Signes, Chill-Heat, and Kindled-Coldness,
Smooth soothing Vowes, deep sorrows soon appeas'd,
Tears sudden dry'd, fell Angers quickly pleas'd,
Smiles, Wylie-Guiles, queint witty-pretty Toyes,
Soft Idleness, and ground-less bound-less Ioyes,
Sweet Pleasure plunged over head and ears
In sugred Nectar, immateriall Fears,
Hoarse Waaks, late Walks, Pain-pleasing kindly cruell,
Aspiring Hope (Desire's immortall fuell)
Licentious Loosness, Prodigall Expence
Inchanting Songs, deep Sighs, and sweet Laments.

These frolike Louelings fraighted Nests doe make
The balmy Trees o'r-laden Boughs to crack;
Bewty layes, Fancy sits, th'inflamed heat
Of Loue doth hatch their Couvies nicely-neat:
Som are but kindled yet, som quick appear,
Som on their backs carry their Cradles deer,
Som downy-clad, som (fledger) take a twig
To pearch-vpon, som hop, from sprig to sprig:

456

One, in the fresh shade of an Apple-Tree
Lets hang its Quiver, while soft-pantingly
'T exhales hot Vapour: one, against a Sparrow
Tries his stiff Bowe and Giant-stooping Arrow:
Another sly sets lime-twigs for the Wren,
Finch, Linot, Tit-mouse, Wag-Tail (Cock and Hen):
See, see how some their idle wings forsake,
And (turn'd, of Flyers, Riders) one doth take
A Thrush, another on a Parrat rides,
This mounts a Peacock, that a Swan bestrides,
That manageth a phaisant: this doth make
The Ring-Doue turn: that brings the Culver back:
See how a number of this wanton Fry
Doo fondly chase the the gawdie Butter-fly,
Some with their flowrrie Hat, some with their hands
Some with sweet Rose-boughs, some with Myrtle wands:
But, th'horned Bird, with nimble turns, beguiles
And scapes the snares of all these Loues a-whiles.
Leaue Wags (Cries Venus) leaue this wanton Play:
For so, in steed of Butter-Flyes, you may,
You may (my Chicks) a Childe of Venus strike:
For, some of mine haue Horns and all alike.

This said: eftsoons two twins whose gold-head darts
Are never steeped but in Royall hearts;
Come, Brother deer (said either) come let's to 't,
Let's each a shaft at yon two bosoms shoot.

Their winged words th'effect ensues as wight,
Two or three steps they make to take their flight,
And quick-thick shaking on their sinnewie side
Their long strong sarcels, richly triple-died
Gold-Azure-Crimsin; th'one aloft doth soar
To Palestine, th'other to Nilus shoare.

Pharonida.

Pharo's faire daughter (wonder of her Time)
Then in the blooming of her beauties Prime,
Was queintly dressing of her Tress-full head
Which round about her to the ground did spread:
And, in a rich gold-seeled Cabinet,
Three Noble Mayds attend her in the feat.
One with a peece of double dented Box
Combs out at length her goodly golden locks:
Another 'noynts them with Perfumes of price:
Th'other with bodkin or with fingers nice,
Frizzles and Furls in Curls and Rings a part;
The rest, loose dangling without seeming Art,
Waue to and froe, with cunning negligence
Gracing the more her Beauties excellence:
When, armd with Arrows burning, brightly keen,
Swift Swallow-like, one of these Twins comes in;

457

And, with his left wing hiding still his Bowe,
Into her bosom shot, I wot not how.
My side! my heart (the Royall Maid cries out)

Loves first Feaver.

O! I am slaine: But, searching all about,
When shee perceiu'd no blood, nor bruise; alas,
It is no wound; but, sleeping on the grasse,
Some snake (saith shee) hath crept into me quick,
It gnawes my heart: ah, help me, I am sick,
Haue mee to bed: eigh me, a friezing-frying,
A burning cold torments me living-dying.

O cruell Boy, alas, how mickle gall
Thy baenfull shaft mingles thy Mell withall!
The Royall Maid, which with her Mates was wont
Smile, skip and dance on Fields inammeld front,
Loves solenesse, sadnes, and Self-privacy;
Sighes, sobs and throbs, and yet she knowes not why:
The sumptuous pride of massie Piramides
Presents her eyes with Towrs of Iebusides;
In Niles cleer Crystall shee doth Iordan see;
In Memphis, Salem; and vn-warily
Her hand (vnbidden) in her Sampler sets
The King of Iuda's Name and Counterfets:
Who, medi'ting the Sacred Temple's Plot,
By th'other Twin at the same time is shot:
The shaft sticks fast, the wound's within his veins:
Sleep cannot bring a-sleep his pleasing pains;
Pharonida's his heart, Pharonida
Is all his Theam to talk-of, night and day:
With-in his soule a civill War hee feeds:
Th'all-seeing Sun now early backs his Steeds,
Now mounts his Mid-day, and then setteth soon:
But still his Loue stands at the hot high Noon.
He Rides not his braue Coursers (as hee wont)
Nor Reads, nor Writes, nor in his Throne doth mount
To hear the Widow's Cause; neglects his Court,
Neglects his Rule; Love rules him in such sort.

You prudent Legats, Agents for this Marriage,
Of Rings and Tablets you may spare the Carriage:
For, witty Loue hath with his lovely shaft
In eithers heart grav'n others lively Draught:
Each Liues in other, and they haue (O strange!)
Made of their burning hearts a happy Change.
Better abroad, then home, their hearts delight;
Yet long their bodies to their hoasts t'vnite.

Which soon ensues: the Virgin's shortly had
From Mothers armes imbracing gladly-sad:
And th'aged Father, weeping as hee spake,
Bids thus Adieu when shee her leaue doth take;

458

Sweet Daughter dear, Osiris bee thy guide,
And loving Isis blesse thee and thy Bride
With golden Fruit; and daily without cease
Your mutuall Loves may as your yeers increase.

Wives, Maids and Children, yong and ould, each-where,
With looks and vows from Turrets follow her:
Calm Nilus calmer then it wont is grow'n,
Her Ships haue merry windes, the Seas haue none:
Her footing makes the ground all fragrant-fresh:
Her sight re-flowres th'Arabian Wildernes:
Iury reioyces, and in all the way
Nothing but Trumpets, Fifes and Timbrels play:
The Flowr-crown'd People, swarming on the Green,
Cry still, God save, God save, God save the Queen;
May shee bee like a scion, pale and sick
Through th'over-shading of a Sire too thick:
Which being Transplanted, free, sweet air doth sup,
To th'sweating Clouds her grovy top sends vp,
And prospers so in the strange soil, that (tild)
Her golden Apples all the Orchard gild.

No streets are seen in rich Iervsalem:
For, vnder-foot fine scarlet paveth them,
Silks hang the sides, and over-head they hold
Archt Canapies of glistring Cloth of gold.
They throng, they thrust, an ebbing-flowing Tide
A Sea of Folk follows th'adored Bride:
The ioyfull Ladies from their windows shed
Sweet showrs of flowrs vpon her radiant head;
Yet ielous, lest (dy'd in their native grain)
Her Rosie Cheeks should Natur's Roses stain.

But lo, at last, th'honor of Maiesty,
Glory of Kings, King Salomon draws ny:
Lo, now both Lovers enter-glauncing sweet
(Like Sun and Moon, when at full view they meet
In the mid-month) with amorous raies reflexion
Send mutuall Welcoms from their deep affection:
Both a-like yong, like beautifull, like brave,
Both graç't a-like; so like, that whoso have
Not neer observ'd their heads vnlikenesses,
Think them two Adons, or two Venusses.

These nouice Lovers at their first arrive
Are bashfull both; their passions strangely strive:
The soules sweet Fire his ruby flames doth flush
Into their Faces in a modest blush:
Their tongues are ty'd, their star-bright eyes seem vail'd
With shame-faç't Cipres; all their senses fail'd.

But, pompous Hymen, whither am I brought?
Am not I (heathen) vnder th'happy Vault

459

Where all the gods, with glorious mirth enhanç't,
At Thetis Nuptials ate, and drank, and danç't?

Heer, th'Idumeans mighty Ioue treads, vnder

Salomons Nuptials.

His tripping feet, his bright-light burning Thunder.
A-while hee laies his Maiesty aside,
To Court, and sport, and revell with his Bride;
King, plaies the Courtier; Soverain, Suter 'coms;
And seems but equal with his Chamber-Grooms:
But yet, what e'r hee doo, or can devise,
Disguised Glory shineth in his eies.
Heer, many a Phœbus, and heer many a Muse
On Heav'nly Layes so rarely-sweet doo vse
Their golden bowes, that with the rapting sound
Th'Arches and Columns wel-nigh dance the Round.
Heer, many a Iuno, many a Pallas heer,
Heer, many a Venus, and Diana cleer
Catch many a gallant Lord, according as
Wealth, Beauty, Honour, their affection drawes.
Heer, many a Hebé fair, heer more then one
Quick-serving Chiron neatly waits vpon
The Beds and Boords, and pliant bears about
The boawls of Nectar quickly turned out;
And th'over-burdned Tables bend with waight
Of their Ambrosiall over-filled fraight.
Heer, many a Mars vn-bloody Combats fights,
Heer, many a Hermes findes out new delights,
Heer, many a horned Satyr, many a Pan,
Heer, Wood-Nymphs, Flood-Nymphs, many a Faiery Fawn
With lusty frisks and lively bounds bring-in
Th'Antike, Morisko, and the Mattachine:
For, even God's Servants (God knowes how) have supt
The sugred baen of Pagan Rites corrupt.

But, with so many lively Types, at will
His rich rare Arras shall som other fill:
Of all the sports, I'll onely chuse one Measure,
One stately Mask compos'd of sage-sweet pleasure;
A Dance so chaste, so sacred, and so grave
(And yet so gracefull, and so lofty-brave)
As may beseem (except I mee abuse)
Great Salomon, and my celestiall Muse.

The Tables voided of their various Cates,
They rise at once; and, suiting their Estates,
Each takes a Dame, and then to Dance they com
Into a stately, rich, round-arched Room,
So large and lightsom, that it (right) they call
The Vniversall, or the Worlds great Hall.
O what delight, to see so rich a showe
Of Lords and Ladies dancing in a rowe

460

All in a Round, reaching so far and wide
O'r all the Hall to foot-it side by side!
Their eyes sweet splendor seems a Pharos bright,
With clinquant Raies their Body's clothed light:
'Tis not a Dance, but rather a smooth sliding,
All moove alike, after the Musicks guiding:
Their Tune-skill'd feet in so true Time doo fall,
That one would swear one Spirit doth bear them all:
They poste vn-mooving; and, though swift they passe,
'Tis not perceiv'd: of hundred thousand pase,
One single back they: Round on Round they dance:
And, as they traverse, cast a fruitfull glance.

The Mask of Planets.

Iust in the middle of the Hall, a-sloap
(Even from the floor vnto the very top)
A broad rich Baldrick there extendeth round,
In-laid with gold vpon an azure ground;
Where (cover'd all with Flames) in wondrous art
Five Lords, two Ladies dance; but each a-part.

Saturn.

Heer trips an old-man in a Mantle dy'd
Deep Leaden-hue, and round about him ty'd
With a Snake-girdle biting off her tail.
Within his Robes stuff (in a winding trail)
Creeps Mandrake, Comin, Rue and Hellebore;
With lively figures of the Bear and Boar,
Camell, and Asse (about to bray well-ny):
There the Strimonian Fowl seems even to cry;
The Peacock, even to prank. For Tablet fine,
About his neck hangs a great Cornaline,
Where som rate Artist (curiousing vpon 't)
Hath deeply cut Times triple-formed Front:
His pase is heavy, and his face severe;
His Body heer; but yet his Minde else-where.

Iupiter.

There the Lord Zedec him more spritely bears,
Milde, fair and pleasant; on his back hee wears
Tin-colour'd Tissue, figur'd all with Oaks,
Ears, Violets, Lillies, Olives, Apricocks;
Bordred with Phaisants, Eagles winged-black,
And Elephants with Turrets on their back;
Pointed with Diamonds, powdred and imbost
With Emeralds, perfum'd with wondrous Cost.

Mars.

The third leads quicker on the self same Arch
His Pyrrhik Galiard, like a star-like March:
His face is fiery: Many an Amethist,
And many a Iasper of the perfectest
Doth brightly glister in the double gilt
Of the rich Pommell and the pretious Hilt
Of his huge Fauchin, bow'd from hand to heel:
His boistrous body shines in burnisht Steel:

461

His Shield flames bright with gold, imbossed hie
With Wolves and Horse seem-running swiftly by,
And freng'd about with sprigs of Scammony,
And of Euphorbium forged cunningly.

But, O fair Faëry, who art thou, whose eyes

Venus.

Inflame the Seas, the Air, the Earth, and Skies?
Tell vs, what art thou, O thou fairest Fair,
That trimm'st the Trammels of thy golden hair
With Myrtle, Thyme and Roses; and thy Brest
Gird'st with a rich and odoriferous

A Spouse-belt.

Cest,
Where all the wanton brood of sweetest Loves
Doo nestle close; on whom the Turtle-Doves,
Pigeons, and Sparrowes day and night attend,
Cooing and wooing wheresoe'r thou wend:
Whose Robe's imbrodered with Pomgranat boughs,
Button'd with Saphires, edg'd with Beryl rowes:
Whose capering foot, about the starry floor,
The Dance-guide Prince now follows, now's before?
Art thou not Shee, that with a chaste-sweet flame
Didst both our Brides hearts into one heart frame?

And, was not Hee, that with so curious steps,

Mercury.

Next after thee, so nimbly turns and leaps,
Say, was not Hee the witty Messenger,
Their eloquent and quick Interpreter?
How strange a suit! His meddly Mantle seems
Scarlet, Wave-laced with Quick-silver streams;
And th'end of every Lace, for tuft hath on
A pretious Porphyre, or an Agate stone:
A Cry of Hounds have heer a Deer in Chase:
There a false Fox, heer a swift Kid they trace:
There Larks and Linots, and sweet Nightingals
(Fain'd vpon fained Trees) with wings and tails
Loose hanging seem to swell their little throats,
And with their warblings, shame the Cornets notes.
Light Fumitory, Parsly, Burnets blade,
And winding leaf his crispy Locks beshade:
Hee's light and lively, all in Turns and Tricks;
In his great Round, hee many small doth mix:
His giddy course seems wandring in disorder;
And yet there's found, in this disorder, order.

Avoid base Vulgar, back Profane, stand-by;
These sacred Revels are not for your ey:
Com, gentle Gentles, Noble Spirits, draw neer,
Preace through the Preace, com take your places heer,
To see at full the Bride-groom and the Bride,
A lovely Pair, exactly bewtifi'd
With rare perfections, passing all the rest,
Sole-happy Causes of this sumptuous Feast.

462

Lo where they com: O what a splendor bright!
Mine eyes doo dazle. O thou primer Light!
Sun of the Sun, thy Raies keen point rebate,
Thy dread-spread Fire a little temperate:
O, dart (direct) on thy fair Spouse a-space
Thine eyes pure light, the lustre of thy Face:
For, I no longer can endure it, I
Am burnt to ashes: O, I faint, I dy.
But, blessed Couple, sith (alas) I may-not
Behould you both vnmasked (nay, I can-not)
Yet in these Verses let mee tell (I pray)
Your Dance, your Courting, and your rich Array.

Luna.

The Queen's adorn'd down to her very heels
In her fair hair (whence still sweet deaw distils)
Half hanging down; the rest in rings and curls,
Platted with strings of great, round, orient Pearls:
Her gown is Damask of a Silver-ground,
With Silver Seas all deeply-frenged round;
With Gourds and Moon-wort branched richly-fair,
Flourisht with beasts that onely eat the Air.

But why, my Muse, with Pencill so precise
Seek'st thou to paint all her rich Rarities?
Of all the Bewties, Graces, Honors, Riches,
Wherewith rich Heav'n these Maskers all inriches,
Shee's even the Mother: and then, as a Glasse,
On the Behoulders their effects shee casts.

Sol.

A Garland, braided with the Flowry foulds
Of yellow Citrons, Turn-Sols, Mary-goulds,
Beset with Bal'nites, Rubies, Chrysolites,
The royall Bride-groom's radiant brows be-dights:
His saffron'd Ruffe is edged richly-neat
With burning Carbuncles, and every set
Wrought rarely-fine with branches (draw'n vpon)
Of Laurell, Cedar, Balm and Cinnamon:
On his Gold-grounded Robe the Swan so white
Seems to his honour som new Song t'indite.
The Phœnix there builds both her nest and tomb:
The Crocodile out of the waves doth com:
Th'amazed Reaper down his sickle flings;
And sudden Fear grafts to his Ankles wings.
There the fierce Lion, from his furious ey,
His mouth and nosthrils, fiery Flames lets-fly,
Seems with his whisking train his rage to whet;
And, wrath-full ramping, ready even to set
Vpon a Heard of fragrant Leopards:
When lo, the Cock (that light his rage regards)
A purple Plume timbers his stately Crest,
On his high Gorget and broad hardy Brest

463

A rich Coat-Armour (Or and Azure) shines,
Afrenge of raveld gold about his Loins,
In lieu of Bases. Beard as red as blood;
A short Beak bending like the Eagles brood:
Green-yellow eyes, where Terrours Tent is pight;
A Martiall gait, and spurred as a Knight:
Into two arches his proud Train divides,
With painted wings hee claps his cheerfull sides,
Sounds his shrill Trumpet, and seems with his sight
The Lions courage to have danted quight.

These happy Lovers, with a practiz'd pase,
Forward and backward and a-side doo trace;
They seem to dance the Spanish Pavane right:
And yet their Dance, so quick and lively-light,
Doth never pass the Baldricks bounds (at all)
Which grav'n with Star-Beasts over-thwarts the Hall.

When the brave Bride-groom towards Mount Silo traces,
A thousand Flowrs spring in his spritefull pases:
When towards Mount Olivet hee slides, there growes
Vnder his feet a thousand Frosty Snowes:
For, the Floor, beaten with his Measures ever,
Seems like the Footing of the nimble Weaver.

This lovely Couple now kisse, now recoil,
Now with a lowring ey, now with a smile:
Now Face to Face they Dance, now side by side,
With Course vn-equall: and the tender Bride
Receives strange Changes in her Countenance,
After her Lovers divers-seeming glance.
If vnawares som Envious com between
Her and her Love, then is shee sad be-seen,
Shee shuts her ey, shee seems even to depart:
Such force hath true Love in a noble heart.
But all that's nothing to their Musick choice:
Tuning the warbles of their Angell-Voice
To Foot and Viol, and Care-charming Lute,
In amorous Ditty thus doo they dispute;

“O bright-ey'd Virgin! O how fair thou art!

The Epithalamy.

“O how I love thee, My Snowe-winged Dove!
“O how I love thee! Thou hast rapt my heart:
“For thee I Dy: For thee I Live, my Love.

“How fair art thou, my Dear! How dear to mee!
“Dear Soule (awake) I faint, I sink, I swoun
“At thy dear Sight: and, when I sleep, for Thee
“Within my brest still wakes my sharp-sweet Wound.

“My Loue, what Odours thy sweet Tresse it yields!
“What Amber-greece, what Incense breath'st thou out

464

“From purple fillets! and what Myrrhe distils
“Still from thy Fingers, ringd with Gold about!

“Sweet-Heart, how sweet is th'Odour of thy Prayse!
“O what sweet airs doth thy sweet air deliver
“Vnto my burning Soule! What hony Layes
“Flowe from thy throat! thy throat a golden River.

“Among the Flowrs, my Flowr's a Rose, a Lilly:
“A Rose, a Lilly; this a Bud, that blow'n:
“This fragrant Flowr first of all gather will-I,
“Smell to it, kisse it, wear it as mine owne.

“Among the Trees, my Love's an Apple-Tree,
“Thy fruitfull Stem bears Flowr and Fruit together:
“I'll smell thy Flowr, thy Fruit shall nourish mee,
“And in thy Shadow will I rest for ever.

While Hesperus in azure Waggon brought
Millions of Tapers over all the Vault,
These gorgeous Revels to sweet Rest give place,
And the Earths Venus doth Heav'ns Venus trace.

These Spousals past, the King doth nothing minde
But The Lords House; there is his care confin'd:
His Checker's open, hee no cost respects;
But sets a-work the wittiest Architects.

The building of the TEMPLE.

Millions of hands bee busie labouring;
Through all the Woods, wedges and beetles ring:
The tufted tops of sacred Libanon,
To climb Mount Sion, down the stream are gon:
Forrests are saw'd in Transoms, Beams and Somers;
Great Rocks made little, what with Sawes and Hammers:
The sturdy Quar-man with steel-headed Cones
And massie Sledges slenteth out the stones,
Digs through the bowels of th'Earth baked stiff,
Cuts a wide Window through a horned Cliff
Of ruddy Porphyre, or white Alabaster,
And masters Marble, which no Time can master.
One melts the White-stone with the force of Fire:
Another, leveld by the Lesbian Squire,
Deep vnder ground (for the Foundation) ioins
Well-polisht Marble, in long massie Coins;
Such, both for stuff, and for rare artifice,
As might beseem som royall Frontispice.
This heaws a Chapter; that a Frize doth frame;
This carves a Cornich; that prepares a Iambe;
This forms a Plynth; that fits an Architrave;
This planes a Plank: and that the same doth grave,

465

Gives life to Cedars dead, and cunningly
Makes Wood to move, to sigh and speak well-ny:
And others, rearing high the sacred Wall,
By their bould Labours Heav'n it self appall:
Cheerly they work, and ply it in such sort
As if they thought long Summer-daies too-short.

As in Grape-Harvest, with vnweary pains,

Simile.

A willing Troop of merry-singing Swains
With crooked hooks the strouting Clusters cut,
In Frails and Flaskets them as quickly put,
Run bow'd with burdens to the fragrant Fat,
Tumble them in, and after pit-a-pat
Vp to the Waste; and, dancing in the Must,
To th'vnder-Tub a flowry showr doo thrust:
They work a-vie, to th'ey their Work doth growe,
Who saw't i'th' Morning, scarce at Night can knowe
It for the same: and God himself doth seem
T'have taen to task this Work, and work for them
While in the Night sweet Sleep restores with rest
The weary limbs of Work-men over-prest.

Great King, whence cam this Courage (Titan-like)
So many Hils to heap vpon a rick?
What mighty Rowlers, and what massie Cars
Could bring so far so many monstrous Quars?
And, what huge strength of hanging Vaults embow'd
Bears such a waight above the winged Clowd?

If on the out-side I doo cast mine ey,
The Stones are ioyn'd so artificially,
That if the Mason had not checkerd fine

Syrian.

Syre's Alabaster with hard Serpentine,
And hundred Marbles no less fair then firm;
The whole, a whole Quar one might rightly tearm.

If I look In, then scorn I all with-out:
Surpassing Riches shineth all about:
Floor, Sides and Seeling cover'd triple-fould,
Stone lin'd with Cedar, Cedar limn'd with Gould:
And all the Parget carv'd and branched trim
With Flowrs and Fruits, and winged Cherubim.

I over-passe the sacred Implements,
In worth far passing all these Ornaments:
Th'Art answers to the stuff, the stuff to th'vse.
O perfect Artist! thou for Mould didst chuse
The Worlds Idëa: For, as first the same
Was sever'd in a Three-fould divers Frame,
And God Almighty rightly did Ordain
One all Divine, one Heav'nly, one Terrene;
Decking with Vertues one, with Stars another,
With Flowrs, and Fruits, and Beasts, and Birds, the other:

466

And plaid the Painter, when hee did so gild
The turning globes, blew'd seas, and green'd the field,
Gave precious stones so many coloured luster,
Enameld Flowrs, made Metals beam and glister:
The Carver, when hee cut in leaves and stems
Of Plants, such veins, such figures, files and hems:
The Founder, when hee cast so many Forms
Of winged Fowls, of Fish, of Beasts, of Worms:

Thou doost diuide this Sacred House in Three;
Th'Holy of Holies, wherein none may bee
But God, the Cherubins, and (once a year)
The Sacred Figure of Perfection dear,
Of God's eternal Son (Sins sin-less check)
The everlasting true Melchisedec:
The fair mid-Temple, which is ope alone
To Sun-bright Levits, who on Izrael shone
With Rayes of Doctrine; and who, feeding well
On the Lawes Hony, seem in Heav'n to dwell:
And th'vtter Porch, the Peoples residence,
The Vulgars Ile, the World of Elements:
And various Artist honour'st all the Parts
With Myron's, Phidias, and Apelles Arts.

This Pattern pleas'd thee so, th'hast fram'd by it
Th'eternall Watch-births of thy sacred Wit:
Thy pithy Book of Proverbs, richly-graue,
Vnto the Porch may right relation have;
For that it gives vs O economike Lawes,
Rules politike, and private civill Sawes;
And (for the most) those Lessons generall
At Humane matters aim the most of all.
Ecclesiastes the Mid-Temple seems:
It treadeth down what-ever Flesh esteems
Fair, pleasant, precious, glorious, good or great;
Drawes vs from earth, and vs in Heav'n doth seat;
And, all the World proclaiming Vain of Vains,
Mans happinesse in Gods true Fear maintains.
Sanctvm-Sanctorvm is thy Song of Songs,
Where, in Mysterious Verse (as meet belongs)
Thou mariest Iacob to Heav'ns glorious King:
Where, thou (devoted) doost divinely sing
Christ's and his Chvrches Epithalamy:
Where (sweetly rapt in sacred Extasie)
The faithfull Soule talks with her God immense,
Hears his sweet Voice, herself doth quintessence
In the pure flames of his sweet-pearcing eyes
(The Cabinets where Grace and Glory lies)
Enioyes her Ioy, in her chaste bed doth kisse
His holy lips (the Love of Loves) her Blisse.

467

When hee had finisht and had furnisht full
The House of God, so rich, so beautifull;
O God, said Salomon, great Onely-Trine!

Dedication of the Temple.

Which of this Mystike sacred House of Thine
Hast made mee Builder; build mee in the same
A living Stone. For thy dear David's name,
On David's branches David's blisse revive;
That on his Throne his Issue still may thrive.
O All-comprising, None-comprised Prince,
Which art in Heav'n by thy Magnificence,
In Hell by Iustice, each-where by thy Powrs,
Dwell heer, dear Father, by thy grace (to Ours).
If, in a doubtfull Case, one needs must swear,
Loose thou the Knot, and punish thou severe
Th'audacious Perjure; that hence-forth none chance
Tax thee of Malice, or of Ignorance.
If our dis-flowred Trees, our Fields Hail-torn,
Our empty Ears, our light and blasted Corn,
Presage vs Famine; If, with ten-fold chain,
Thy hand hath lockt thy Water-gates of Rain;
And, towards this House wee humbled cast our ey,
Hear vs, O Lord, hear our complaint and cry.
If Captives wee in a strange Land bewail,
If in the Wars our Force and Fortune fail;
And, towards this House wee humbled cast our ey,
Hear vs, O Lord, hear our complaint and cry.
If Strangers, moov'd with rumour of thy Miracles,
Com heer to Offer, to consult thine Oracles,
And in this House to kneel religiously,
Hear them, O Lord, hear their complaint and cry:
Hear them from Heav'n; and, by thy Favors prest,
Draw to Thy Temple, North, South, East and West.

The passe-Man Wisdom of th'Isacian Prince,
A Light so bright, set in such eminence
(Vn-hideable by enuious Arrogance,
Vnder the Bushell of black Ignorance)
Shines every where, illustres every place:
Among the rest it Lightens in the Face
Of the fair Princesse, that with prudent hand
The soft Arabian Scepter doth command,
The Queen of Saba, where continuall Spring

The Queen of Saba.

Red Cinnamon, Incense and Myrrhe doth bring;
Where private men doo Prince-like Treasures hould,
Where Pots bee Silver, Bedsteds beaten Gould,
Where Wals are rough-cast with the richest Stones,
Cast in Devices, Emblems, Scutchions.
Yet, leaving all this Greatnes of her owne,
Shee coms to view the State of Salomon,

468

To hear his Wisdom, and to see his City,
Refuge of Vertues, School of Faith and Pity.

A iust reproofe of all obstinate Recusants.

You that doo shut your eyes against the raies
Of glorious Light, which shineth in our dayes;
Whose spirits, self-obstin'd in old musty Error,
Repulse the Truth (th'Almightie's sacred Mirror)
Which day and night at your deaf Doors doth knock;
Whose stubbornnesse will not at all vn-lock
The sacred Bible, nor so much as look,
To talk with God, into his holy Book:
O, fear you not, that this great Princesse shall
Of thank-less Sloath one day condemne you all?
Who (both a Woman, Queen, and Pagan born)
Ease, Pleasures, Treasures, doth despise and scorn;
To passe with great pains, and with great expence,
Long weary Iourneys full of diffidence;
And nobly trauels to another Land
To hear the words but of a (mortall) Man?

Her Time's not lost: there (rapt) shee doth contemple
The sumptuous beauties of a stately Temple,
The lofty Towrs of hundred Towns in one,
A pompous Palace, and a Peer-less Throne,
Wals rich without; furnisht in richer sort:
Number of Servants doth adorne the Court,
But more their Order. There, no noise is heard,
Each his owne Office onely doth regard:
And (in one instant) as the quaverings
Of a quick Thumb move all the divers strings
Of a sweet Guittern; and, its skill to grace,
Causeth a Treble sound, a Mean, a Base:
So Salomon, discreetly with a beck,
A wink, a word, doth all the Troops direct:
Each of his Servants hath his proper Lesson,
And (after his Degree) each hath his fashion.

This Queen, yer parting from her fragrant Iles,
Arm'd her with Riddles and with witty Wiles,
T'appose the King; and shee resolves shee will
With curious Questions sift and sound his Skill.
But lo what Oedipus! The Law-learn'd Sage,
Which at the Bar hath almost spent his age,
Cannot so soon a common Doubt decide,
Where Statutes, Customs, and Book-Cases guide,
As hee dissolves her Gordian-knots, and sees
Through all her nights, and even at pleasure frees
Such doubts, as doubt-less might haue taskt (t'vntwist)
The Brachman, Druïde, and Gymnosophist:
And knowing, Good becoms more Good, the more
It is en-common'd, hee applies therefore

469

T'instruct her in the Faith; and (enuious-idle)
His brains rich Talent buries not in Idle.

Alas, I pitie you: alas (quoth He)
Poor Soules besotted in Idolatrie,
Who worship Gold and Siluer, Stocks and Stones,
Mens workmanship, and Fiends Illusions;
And, who (by your sage Mages Lore mis-led)
So-many Godlings haue imagined:
Madame, there is but one sole God, most-High,
Th'Eternall King; nay, self-Eternitie.
Infinit, All in all, yet out of all,
Of Ends the End, of Firsts Originall,
Of Lights the Light, Essence surpassing Essence,
Of Powers pure Act, of Acts the very Puissance,
Cause of all Causes, Ocean of all Good,
The Life of Life, and of all Bewty Flood:
None-seen All-Seer, Starr's guide, Sight of Seeing,
The Vni-forme, which giues all forms their Beeing.
God, and One, is all One; whoso the Vnitie
Denies, he (Atheist) disannuls Diuinitie:
Th'Vnitie dwels in God, ith' Fiend the Twine:
The greater World hath but one Sun to shine,
The lesser but one Soule, both but one God,
In Essence One, in Person Trinely-odde.
Of this great Frame, the Parts so due-devis'd,
This Bodie, tun'd so, measur'd, sympathiz'd,
This Temple, where such Wealth and Order meet,
This Art in every part cannot proceed.
But from one Pattern; and that but from one
Author of all, who all preserues alone.
Else should we see in set Batalions
A hundred thousand furious Partizans,
The World would nource civill intestine Wars,
And wrack it selfe in it selfs factious Iars.
Besides, God is an infinite Divinity:
And who can think of more than one Infinity?
Seeing the one restrains the others might,
Or rather reaues its name and beeing quite.
Therefore (O Pagans) why doe you confine
The Infinite in narrow Walls of lime?
Why shut you Him in a base Trunk or Tree?
Why paint you Whom no mortall eye can see?
Why offer you your carnall seruices
Vnto the Lord, who a meer Spirit is?

Why then do you (sayd she) by our example,
Inclose th'Immortall in this earthly Temple?
Lock him within an Arke? and, worse than we,
Feed him with Fumes, and bloody Butchery?

470

This Sacred House so fair (reply'd he then)
Is not to contain God, but godly men
Which worship him: and, we doe not suppose
That He, whose Arms doo Heav'n and Earth inclose,
Is closed in a Chest; but th'ancient Pact,
The solemne Couenant, and the sure Contract,
Which leagues vs with our God, and each with other,
And (holy Bond) holds Heav'n and Earth together.
As for our Incense, Washings, Sacrifices,
They are not (as is thought) Our vain Devices;
But, God's their Author, and himselfe Ordains
These Elements, whereby he entertaines
And feeds our vnderstanding in the hope
Of his deer Son (of all these Things the Scope);
Setting before vs th'Only Sacrifice,
Which in Christ's Blood shall wash-out all our vice.
Come then, O Lord, Come thou Lawes finisher,
Great King, great Prophet, great Selfs-Offerer:
Come, come thou thrice Great Refuge of our State,
Come, thou our Rançome, Iudge and Advocate:
Milde Lamb, Salue-Serpent, Lion generous,
Vn-chalendg'd Vmpire betwixt Heav'n and Vs,
Come thou the Truth, the Substance and the End
Of all our Offrings (whither, all doo tend):
Come O Messias, and doo now begin
To Raign in Sion, to triumph of Sin;
And, worshipped in Spirit and Truth, restore
Vpon the Earth the Golden Age of yore:
Accept this Queen, as of all Heathen Princes
The deer First-Fruits: take on thee our Offences,
That, stript of Adam's sinfull sute, in fine
With sacred Angels we in Heavn'n may shine.

The Queen, nigh sunk in an Amazefull Swoun,
Bespake him thus: My Lord, prattling renown
Is wont in flying to increase so far,
That she proclaims things greater then they are:

Simile.

And, rarest Spirits resemble Pictures right,
Whereof the rarest seem more exquisite,
Far-off, then neer: but, so far as thy Fame
Excels all Kings, thy vertues passe the same:
Thy peer-less Praise stoops to thy Learned tongue,
And envious bruit hath done thy Wisedom wrong.

So may I say, even so (O Scottish King)

Application to the Kings Maiestie.

Thy winged Fame, which far and wide doth ring,
From th'edge of Spain hath made me ventrously
To crosse the Seas, thy Britain's end to see:
Where (Lord!) what saw I? nay, what saw I not?
O King (Heav'n-chosen, for som speciall Plot)

471

World's Miracle, O Oracle of Princes?
I saw so much, my Soule mistrusts my Senses.
A gray-beards Wisedom in an amber-bush,
A Mars-like Courage in a Maid-like blush,
A settled Iudgement with a supple Wit,
A quick Discourse, profound and pleasing yet;
Virgil and Tully, in one spirit infus'd,
And all Heav'ns Gifts into one Head diffus'd.

Persist, O King, glory on glory mount:
And as thy Vertues thine owne Fame surmount,
So let thy future passe thy former more,
And go-before those that have gone-before:
Excell thy self: and, brave, grave, godly Prince,
Confirm my Songs eternall Evidence.

FINIS.

472

The Schisme.

THE THIRD BOOK OF THE FOVRTH DAY OF THE II. WEEK.

The Argvment.

Reiecting Olde, Young-Counsail'd rash Roboam
Loseth Ten Tribes; which fall to Ieroboam,
He, Godding Calves, makes Izrael to Sin:
His Scepter therefore shortly fails his Kin.
Baaz, Zimri, Omri, Achab (worst of all)
With Iezabel. Elias conquers Baal;
Commands the Clouds; rapt-vp to Heav'n, aliue.
Elisha's Works: his bones the dead reviue.
Samaria's tragick Siege. A Storm at Sea,
For Ionas sake: repentant Ninive.

The miserie of a State distracted by factions into Ciuill Wars.

Heer sing I Isaac's civill Brauls and Broils;
Iacobs Revolt; their Cities sack, their Spoils:
Their cursed Wrack, their Godded Calues: the rent
Of th'Hebrew Tribes from th'Isheans Regiment.

Ah! see we not, som seek the like in France?
With rage-full swords of civill Variance,
To share the sacred Gaulian Diadem?

Application.

To strip the Lillies from their natiue stem?
And (as it were) to Cantonize the State
Whose Law did aw Imperiall Rhine (of late)
Tiber and Iber too; and vnder whom
Even silver Iordan's captiue floods did foam.

Deprecation.

But, let not vs, good Lord, O let not vs
Serue servilely a hundred Kinglings thus,
In stead of one great Monarch: never let
The lawfull Heir from his owne Throne be beat;

473

This Scepter yearly to be new possest;
Nor every Town to be a Tyrants nest:
Keep all intire, re-stablish prudent Raign,
Restore the Sword to Iustice hand again;
That, blest with Peace, thy blessed Praise (O Lord)
My thankfull Layes may more and more record.

The General States of Israel, gathered all,

A Parliament or Assembly of the Estates of Israel.

By thousands now, within strong Sichem's Wall;
All ioyntly name Roboam for their King,
But (strictly stout) his Powr thus limiting:

Command (say they) and Rule in Abram's Fold,
Not as a Wolf, but as a Shepheard should:

The People capitulate with their new King.

Slacken the reans of our late Servitude:
Lighten our gall'd backs of those Burthens rude,
Those heauy imposts of thy Father (fierce):
Repress the rapin of thine Officers:
So, we will serue thee, life and goods at-once:
If other-wife; thy service we renounce.

Heer-with amaz'd, thee moody Prince, in post
Sends for those Ancients which had swayed most
His Fathers Counsails: and he seems to crave
Their sage Advices, in a case so grave.

God hath not made, say they (iumping together)

The Counsail of the ancient Nobles.

Subiects for Kings, but Kings for Subiects rather:
Then, let not thine (already in distress)
Be gnaw'n by others; by thy Self much less.
What boots a Head, with-out the hand and foot?
What is a Scepter, and no Subiects to't?
The greater Milt, the Bodie pines the more:
The Checker's fatting makes the people poor:
A Princes Wealth in Subiects Wealth is set:
The Bank of Thrift, where gold doth gold beget:
Where the good Prince coms never but at need:
For, hee is prais'd for a good Heard (indeed)
Whose Flock is fat and fair, with frolik bounds
Frisking and skipping vp and down the Douns.
Among the Beasts fullest of furious gall,
The Vulgar's fiercest, wildest, worst of all;
Hydra with thousand heads, and thousand stings,
Yet soon agreed to war against their Kings.

If then you wish, their barking rage to cease
Cast them a bone; by an abatement, cease
Their wringing Yoak, thy pity let them proue:
And ground thy Greatness on thy Peoples loue.

Or, if thou (fell) wilt needs feed on their ice,
Yet vse no threats, nor giue them flat Denies:
But, to establish thy yet-new estate,
Giue them som hope, and let them feed on that:

474

And (wisely) minde thy Fathers Saying sage,
That A soft answer (soon) appeaseth rage.

Roboam, leauing their sound aduice leaneth rather to the young furie of his Minions & Flatterers.

Roboam, scorning these old Senators,
Leans to his Yonglings, Minions, Flatterers
(Birds of of a feather) that with one accord
Cry-out, importune, and perswade their Lord,
Not sillily to be by such disturb'd,
Nor let him-selfe so simply to be curb'd;
But, to repress, press, and oppress the more
These Mal-contents, but too-well vs'd before:
With iron teeth to bruise their idle bones,
To suck their Marrow out; and (for the nonce)
Their rebell Pride to fetter (as if were)
And lock their Furie in the stocks of Fear,
And to shake-off (on th'other side) and shun
Those Gray-beards old and cold direction,
Their sawcy censures, snibbing his Minority;
Where-by (too-proud) they trip at his Authority,
Vsurp his place; and (too-too-malapert)
Would teach a wiser then themselues his part:
To knowe that hee's a King; and that hee took
Even in the womb, as th'outward limbs and look,
So th'inward graces, the Discretion
And deep Fore-sight of prudent Salomon;
And, in the shop of Nature, learn'd (long since)
The Art of State, the Office of a Prince.

Wisdom (fond King) her sacred Seat erects
In hoarie brains: and Day the Day directs:
Th'old-man-fore-sees a-far; by past events
He (prudent) ponders future accidents:
The Young-man knowes not (new-com, as it were)
This wily World, but as a passenger;
And, more with courage then with Counsail's guide,
Barely beholds things on the outer side.
Yet, to the last thou lean'st; and, frowning fell,
Checkst thus the Sons, of noble Israel:

The Kings rashness threatning rigour.

Ah! rebell Slaues! you, you will Rule your King:
You'l be his Carvers: you will clip his wing:
You'l hold the sacred helm, Controule the Crown:
You'l rate his State, and turn all vp-side-down.
But, know you (varlets) whom you dally-with?
My little finger over-balanceth
My Father's loigns: he did but rub you light,
I'l slay your backs, he bow'd, I'l break yee quight.
He threatned Rods (or gentle Whips of cord)
But I will haue your carrion shoulders goar'd
With scourges tangd with rowels: and my Name
Shall make you quake, if you but hear the same.

475

As rapid streams, incountring in their way

Simile.

With close-driv'n piles of som new bank or bay,
Or steady pillers of a Bridge built new,
Which last-past Sommer never saw, nor knew;
Swell, roar, and rage far fiercer then they wont,
And with their foam defile the Welkins front:
So yerst griev'd Isaac, now growen desperate,
With loud proud tearms doth thus expostulate:

Why? what haue we to do (what part? what place?)

The Reuolt of the 10. Tribes.

With Boözean Ishay's avaricious race?
Go, Raign (proud Iuda) where thou wilt; for we
Nill bear the burthen of thy Tyranny:
Go vse else-where thy cruell threats and braves;
We are thy Brethren, we, and not thy Slaves.

Thus cry the People, and th'ill-counsail'd King
Vn-kingly yeelds to their rude mutining:
And flies eft-soons with som few Beniamites,
The zealous Levites, and the Iudaïtes:
The rest revolt, and chuse for Soverain
A shame-less, faith-less, bold and busie-brain,
An Ephraimite, who (double-false) doth fall
Both from his King and from his God withall.

Ieroboam.

For, he fore-sees, that if th'Isacians still
(As Law inioyn'd) should mount on Sion Hill,
To sacrifice; with beautie of that Temple,
Their Princes sight, the Doctrine and Example
Of sacred Leuites, they would soon be taken,
And drawn aboord the Bark they had forsaken.
To rent the Church therefore he doth devise,
And God's true Spouse doth Harlot-like disguise:
Will haue them hence-forth worship God the Lord
Vnder the Form of Hay-fed Calues (abhorr'd)
In Dan and Bethel: brings vp Service new:
Profane, vsurping sacred Aaron's Dew.

But, how (ingrate) requit'st thou God, in this?
He, of a Servant, made thee King of His:
Thou, of a God, mak'st him a horned Steer;
Sett'st Altar against Altar; and, the deer,
Cleer Star of Truth beclouding with the vail
Of thine Ambition, mak'st all Israel fail,
And fall with-all into the Gulfe of Death,
So deep (alas!) that from thence-forth, vn-eath
Could th'operation of so many Miracles,
In their hard hearts reprint the Sacred Oracles.

One-day, the while this Priest-King sacrifiz'd)
To's clov'n-foot God in Bethel (self-deviz'd)
A zealous Prophet from the Lord there came,
Who boldly thus his brutish rage doth blame:

476

O odious House, O execrable Cell,
O Satans Forge, O impious Shop of Hell;
Accursed Altar, that so braves and boasts
Against the Altar of the Lord of Hoasts!
Behold, from Dauid shall a King return
That on thy stones thine owne Priests bones shall burn,
Thus saith the Lord: and this shall be the Signe
(Prodigiously to seal his Word in mine)
Thou now in th'instant shalt in sunder shatter,
And in the Air shall thy vile cinders scatter.

Take, take the Sot, said then th'vngodly Prince,
And (as he spake in rage-full vehemence)
Reacht-out his arm: but, instantly the same
So strangely withered and so num became,
And God so rustied every ioynt, that there
(But as the Body stird) it could not stir:
Th'vnsacred Altar sudden slent in twain;
And th'ashes, flying through th'vn-hallowed Fane,

Simile.

Blinde the blinde Priests; as in the Sommer (oft)
The light, white Dust (driv'n by the Winde aloft)
Whirling about, offends the tendrest eye,
And makes the Shepheards (with-out cause) to cry.

O holy Prophet (prayes the Tyrant then)
Deer man of God, restore my hand again:
His hand is heal'd. But (obstinate in ill)
In His Calf-service He persevers still,
Still runs his Race, still every day impairs,
And of his Sins makes all his Sons his heirs,

The King of Iuda little better proves,
His Fathers by-paths so Abijam loves;
The People, pliant to their Princes guise,
Forget their God, and his drad Law despise.

God, notwithstanding (of his speciall grace)
Entails the Scepter to the sacred race
Of his deer Dauid: and he bindes with boughs
Of glorious Laurels their victorious brows:
And evermore (how-ever Tyrants rave)
Som form of Church in Sion he will have.

Aza, Abijam's Son; Iehosaphat
The son of Aza (rightly zealous) hate
All Idol-gods: and, warring with success,
Dung Isaac's Fields with forrain carcasses.

In Aza's ayd fights th'arm armi-potent

Aza.

(Which shakes the Heav'ns, rakes Hils, and Rocks doth rent)
Against black Zerah's overdaring boast,
That with drad deluge of a Million-Hoast
O'r-flow'd all Iuda; and, all sacking (fell)
Transported Afrik into Israel:

477

He fights for His; who, seeing th'Ammonite,
The Idumæan, and proud Moabite,
In Battail 'ray, caus'd all his Hoast to sing
This Song aloud, them thus encouraging:

Sa, sa (my hearts) let's cheerly to the charge;
Having for Captain, for Defence, and Targe,
That glorious Prince to whom the raging Sea
Hath heretofore, in foming pride, giv'n way:
Who, with a sigh (or with a whistle, rather)
Can call the North, South, East, and West together:
Who, at a beck, or with a wink, commands
Millions of millions of bright-winged-bands:
Who, with a breath, brings (in an instant) vnder
The proudest Powrs: whose arrows are the Thunder.

While yet they sang, fell Discord reaching-far,
Hies to the Heathen that encamped are:

Description of Discord.

Clean through her mantle (tatterd all in flakes)
Appears her brest all-ouer gnaw'n with Snakes,
Her skin is scarr'd, her teeth (for rage) doo gnash,
The Basilisk with-in her eyes doth flash;
And, one by one, she plucks-off (in despight)
Her hairs (no hairs, but hissing Serpents right)
And, one by one, she severally bestowes-'em
Through all the Camp, in every Captains bosom,
Blowes every vein full of her furious mood,
Burns every Souldier with the thirst of blood:
And, with the same blade that she died once
In valiant Gedeon's (Brother-slaughtered) Sons,
Shee sets the Brother to assail the Brother,
The Son the Sier, and deerest friends each-other.

The swords, new draw'n against their Enemies,

Miraculous slaughter of the Heathen by their mutual swords, diuided among themselues.

Now (new revolted) hack their owne Allies:
And Mars so mads them in their mutuall Iar,
That strange, turns civill; civill, houshold War:
Proud Edom heaws Moab and th'Ammonite;
Amon hunts Edom and the Moabite;
Moab assaults Amon and Edom too;
And each of them was first with th'other two,
Then with themselues: then Amon Amon thrills,
Moab wounds Moab, Edom Edom kills.

From Hoast to Hoast, blind-fold Despair, in each,
Disports her selfe; those that are one in speech,
Vnder one Colours, of one very coat,
Combat each other, cut each others throat.

Rage-full confusion every-where commands,

The confusion of such a Campe so together by the cars.

Against his Captain the Lieutenant stands,
The Corporall vpon his Seriant flies,
And basest Boyes against their Masters rise.

478

Nay, drad Bellona passeth fiercely further,
Th'owne Vncle doth his owne deer Nephew murther,
The Nephew th'Vncle with the like repayes,
Cosen thrils Cosen, Kins-man Kins-man slayes:
Yea, even the Father kils his Son most cruell,
And from one Belly springs a bloody Duell;
Twins fiercely fight: and while each woundeth other,
And drawes the life-blood of his half-selfe Brother,
Feels not his owne to fail, till in the place
Both fall; as like in fury as in face:
But, strength at length (not stomach) fails in either;
And, as together born, they die together.

The faithfull Hoast drawes neer, and gladly goes
Viewing the bodies of their breath-less Foes.
Men, Camels, Horse (som saddled, som with-out)
Pikes, Quivers, Darts, lie mingled all about
The bloody Field; and from the Mountains nigh
The Rav'ns begin with their pork-porking cry:
Heer seems an Arm, a Giant late did owe,
As if it would to a Dwarf's shoulder growe:
A Princes hand there (knowen by precious signes)
Vnto the arm of a base Porter ioynes;
An olde-Man's head heer to a Stripling's neck;
And there lean buttocks to a brawny back:
Heer of a bodie iustly cloven in two,
The bloody tripes are trailing to and fro;
There, fiue red fingers of a hand cut-off
Gripe still the truncheon of a steeled staff;
And, there (at-once, all broached on one Lance)
Lie three braue Horse-men in a deadly Transe.

Chariots, vnfurnisht and vnharnest, stood,
Over the spoaks, vp to the naves in blood:
Th'Engaddian Snowes melt in vermilion streams,
And (now no marvell) Iarvel warmly steams,
Stopt with dead bodies; so, that never-more
It should haue seen the Ocean (as before)
Nor payd the Tribute that his Dutie craves,
Saue that the crimsin holp the crystall waves.

Praised be God (sayd Iuda) praised be
The Lord of Hoasts, the King of Maiesty,
That moawes his Foes; that doth his owne protect,
That holds so deer the blood of his Elect;
That fights for vs, and teacheth vs to fight,
Conquer, and triumph of the Pagan's might;
And (finally) doth punish Tyrants fell,
With their owne swords, to saue his Israel.

Wicked generation of the wicked.

But, notwithstanding Ieroboam's Plot,
His third Successor yet succeeds him not;

479

A barbarous Furie raigneth in his Race,
His bloody Scepter shifteth hands apace:
Nadab his son, and all his seed beside,
Feels cursed Baasha's cruell Paricide;
And Baasha's issue is by Zimri slain,
Zimri by Zimri: then doth Omri raign;
Omri, accursed for his owne transgression,
But more accursed for the foule succession
Of such a Son as Achab (sold to Sin)
That boldly brings Sidonian Idols in,
Builds vnto Baal; and, of all Kings the worst,
Weds Iezabel, adds Drunkenness to Thirst.

Blind Superstion's like a drop of Oyl

2. Smile.

Still spreading, till it all a Garment spoyl:
Or, like a spark, fall'n in a floor of Mat,
Which soon inflameth all the Chamber; that,
Fires the whole House; the House, the Town about;
Consuming all, and never going-out,
Till Goods, and Bodies, Towrs and Temples high,
All in a Toomb of their owne ashes lie:
When one begins (how little be't) to stray
From the divine Law's little-beaten way,
We cursed fall into the black Abysse
Of all foul Errors: every Sin that is
Donns sacred Mask; and, monsters most abhord,
Killing the Saints we think to please the Lord,
As Achab did; who vanquisht with the spel,
Speach, grace, and face of painted Iezabel,
Presumes to lay his sacrilegious hand
On th'oyled Priests that in Gods presence stand,
Of honest Men his Towns depopulates,
Lessens the Number of his Noble States,
T'augment his Lands; and, with the blood of His,
Writes th'Instruments of his new Purchases.
But slain (at last) by th'Hoast of Benhadad,
His Son

Ahaziah.

succeeds him, (and almost as bad)
He breakes his neck, and leaues his fatall place,
To's brother Ioram, last of Achab's race;
An odious race, th'alliance of whose blood
Corrupts the Heirs of Iosaphat the good,
Causing his Son (charm'd with Athalia's wile)
In's Brother's blood his armed arms to file,
And Ahaziah's giddy brain t'infect
With the damn'd Error of Samarian Sect.

But though these Kings did openly oppugn
And stubbornly the King of Heav'n impugn;
Though Abrah'ms issue (now degenerate)
Did but too-neer their Princes imitate;

480

Though over all, a Chaos of confusion,
A Hell of Horror, Murder, and Delusion,
A Sea of Sins (contempt of God and Good)
Cover'd these Kingdoms (as another Flood):
God left not yet that Age without his Oracles:
A hundred Prophets, strong in word and miracles,
Resist their rage, and from sad drowning keep
The wracked planks on th'Idol-Ocean deep.

Simile.

Cleer Sommer Noons need not a candle-light;
Nor sound, Physician; but clean opposite:
So, in our Soules, the more Sin's Floods do flowe,
The more God makes his Mercie's Gulfe to growe.

Elijah the Prophet.

For his Embassage in sad Achab's dayes,
Thesbite Elijah did th'Almighty rayse;
Who, burning-bold in spirit and speech, cries-out,
In Achab's ears, and all his Court about:
O impious Achab, fear'st thou not quoth he)
The sulphury flames and Thunder-bolts that be
Already roaring in the dreadfull fist
Of God the Lord, that doth the proud resist,
Revengeth wrongs, th'outrageous Heathens Hammer,
Terror of Terrors, and all Tyrants Tamer?
Doost thou not knowe, He threats to Israel
A Heav'n of Brass, if they his grace repel,
Reiect his loue, and get them other Loues,
Whoring about with forrain Gods, in Groves?
God cannot lie: his dreadfull Threatnings ever
Draw dreadfull Iudgements (if our Sin persever):
As the Lord liues, this Thirstie yawning Plain
In seav'n six month's drinks not a drop of Rain.

Description of the extreame Drought in Israel for three years & a half.

No sooner spoken, but in present view,
The Heav'ns begin to change their wonted hew;
Th'Ayre deadly thick, doth quickly vanish quight;
To a sad Day succeeds a sadder Night:
A bloody vapour and a burning cloud,
By day, begirt the Sun (all coaly-browd);
By night, the Moon denies to fading Flowrs
Her silver sweat, and pearly-purled showrs:
The Welkin's studded with new Blazing-Stars,
Flame-darting Lances, fiery Crowns and Cars,
Kids, Lions, Bears, wrapt in prodigious Beams,
Dreadfull to see: and Phœbus (as it seems)
Wearie of travail in so hot a time,
Rests all the while in boyling Cancer's clime.
Hils, lately hid with snowe, now burn amain:
May hath no Deaw, nor February Rain:
Sad Atlas Nieces, and the Hunter's Star
Have like effect as the Canicular:

481

Zephyre is mute, and not a breath is felt,
But hectik Auster's, which doth all things swelt,
And (panting-short) puffs every-where vpon
The withered Plains of wicked Shomeron,
Th'vnsauory breath of Serpents crawling o're
The Lybians pest-full and vn-blest-full shoar.

Now Herbs to fail, and Flowrs to fall began;

The miserable effects thereof.

Mirtles and Bayes for want of moyst grew wan:
With open mouth the Earth the ayd doth crave
Of black-blew Clouds: cleer Kishon's rapid wave
Wars now no more with Bridges arched round;
Soreck, for shame, now hides him vnder ground:
Mokmur, whose murmur troubled with the noise
The sleeping Shepheards, hath nor stream, nor voice:
Cedron's not Cedron, but (late) Cedron's bed,
And Iordan's Current is as dry, as dead.
The beam-brow'd Stag, and strong-neckt Bull do ly
On pale-faç't banks of Arnon (also dry)
But, neither, sup, nor see the Crystall Wave,
Ouer the which so often swom they have:
The lusty Courser, that late scorn'd the ground,
Now lank and lean, with crest and courage downd,
With rugged tongue out of his chained mouth,
With hollow-flanks panting for inward drouth,
Rouling his Bit, but with a feeble rumor,
Would sweat for faintness, but he wanteth humour:
The Towr-backt Camel, that best brooketh Thirst,
And on his bunch could have transported yerst
Neer a whole Houshold, now is able scant
To bear himself, he is so feebly-faint.

Both yong and olde, both of the base and best,
Feele a fell Ætna in their thirstie brest:
To temper which, they breath, but to their wo:
For, for pure air, they sup into them, so,
A putride, thick, and pestilentiall fume,
Which stuffs their Lights, and doth their lives consume.
Ther's not a Puddle (though it strangely stink)
But dry they draw't, Sea-Water's dainty Drink:
And fusty-Bottles, from beyond-Sea (South)
Bring Nile to Somer, for the Kings owne mouth.
For, though the Lord th'whole Land of Syria smites,
Th'heat of his Anger on Samaria lights
With greatest force; whose furious Prince implies
The prophet Cause of all these miseries.

Therefore, he fearing Achab's ragefull hate,
Down to Brook Cherith's hollow banks he gate;
Where, for his Cooks, Caters, and Wayters, tho
From the foure windes the winged people go.

482

Thence, to Sareptha; where he craves the ayd
Of a poor Widow: who thus mildely said,
Alas! fain would I, but (God wot) my store
Is but of bread for one meal, and no more:
Yet, give me (saith he) giue me som (I pray);
Who soweth sparing, sparing reapeth ay:
Sure, a good turn shall never guerdon want;
A Gift to Needlings is not given, but lent:
T's a Well of Wealth, which doth perpetuall run:
A fruitfull Field which thousand yeelds for one.

While thus he said, and staid; the Widow glad,
Gives to him frankly all the bread she had:
She lost not by't: for, all the Famin-while,
That rag'd in Tyre, her little Flowr and Oyl
Decreased not, yet had she plenty still,
For her and hers to feed in time their fill.
At length befell fel Death to take-away
Her onely Son, and with her Son her Ioy:
Shee prayes her Guest, and he implores his God,
And stretching him vpon the breath-less Lad,
Thus cries aloud: Vouchsafe me, Lord, this boon,
Restore this child's soule, which (it seems) too-soon
Thou hast bereft: O! let it not be said,
That heer for nought I haue so oft been fed:
Let not my presence be each-where abhorr'd;
Nor Charity with thee to want Reward.

As a small seedling of that fruitfull Worm,
Which (of it selfe) fine shining Sleaves doth form,
By the warm comfort of a Virgin brest,
Begins to quicken, creepeth (as the rest)
Re-spins a-fresh, and, in her witty loom,
Makes of her corps her corps a pretious Toomb:
This Childe (no Man, but Man's pale Module now)
With death ith' bosom, horror on the brow,
The bait of Worms, the Booty of the Beer,
At sacred words begins his eye to rear;
Swimming in Death, his powrs do re-assemble,
His spirits (rewarm'd) with-in his artirs tremble;
He fetcht a sigh; then liuely rising too,
Talks, walks, and eats, as he was wont to doo.

Fain would the Mother haue besought the Seer
T'have past the rest of his colde Olde-age heer:
But th'holy Spirit him sodain hence doth bring
Vnto Samaria to th'incensed King;
Who rates him thus: O Basilisk! O Bane!

The like Imputation, in our dayes, the blind Popelings and profane Worldlings haue layd vpon the Gospel and the Preachers thereof.

Art not thou He that sow'st th'Isaacian Plain
With Trouble-Tares? Seditious, hast not thou
Profan'd the Laws of our Fore-fathers now?

483

Broken all Orders, and the Altars bann'd
Of th'holy Gods, Protectors of our Land?
Since thy fond Preaching did heer first begin,
More and more heavie hath Heav'ns anger bin
Vpon vs all; and Baal, blasphem'd by thee,
Hath since that season never left vs free
From grievous Plagues: it is a Hell we feel,
Our Heav'n is Brass, our Earth is all of Steel.

No, no, O King (if I the Truth shall tell)
Thou, thou art hee that troublest Israel.
Thou (give me leave) thou and thy Grand-sires, mad
After strange Gods in every Groue to gad,
Have left the true, wise, wondrous (all-abroad)
Omnipotent, victorious, glorious God:
Such shall you proue him, if you dare oppone
All your Baal-Prophets against me, but one.

Content, quoth Achab. Then to Carmel's top
The Schismik Priests were quickly called vp:
Vnto their Baal an Altar build they there;
To God, the Prophet doth another rear:
Both have their Beasts; and by their prayer must prove
Whose God is God, by Fire from Heav'n aboue.
The People's eyes, and ears, and mindes are bent
Vpon these Maruails, to observe th'euent
(Marvails, which might well cleer the difference
That had so long depended in suspence
'Twixt Israel and Iuda; and direct
Th'Earth how to serue Heav'ns sacred Architect)
As when two Buls, inflamed fiercely-fell,

Simile.

Met front to front, their forked arms do mell,
The feeble Heards of Heifers in a maze,
Twixt hope and fear, vnfeeding, stand at gaze,
To see the Fight, and censure which doe proue
The valiantest, that he may be their Loue.

Baal's baalling Priests call and cry out for life,

Baals Priests.

They gash their flesh, with Launcet and with knife,
They cruell make their blood to spin about
(As Claret wine from a pearç't Peece doth spout)
And, madly shaking heads, leggs, sides and arms,
They howling chant these Dithyrambik charms;

Help, Help, O Baal, O Baal attend our cryes,
Baal, heare vs Baal, O Baal, bow downe thine eyes:
O Stratian, Clarian, Eleutherian Powrs,
Panomphæan God, approve vs thine, thee ours:
O Epicarpian! O Epistatirian,
Phyxian, Feretrian, O Exacestirian,
Xemian, Messapian, O Lebradean Baal,
O Assabine, Baal-samen, hear our Call.

484

Elijah, that their bloody Rites abhord,
And knowes aright the seruice of the Lord,
T'appease his wrath he doth not scarre his skin;
Nor with self-wounds presume his grace to win,
Nor makes himselfe vnfitting for his function,
By selfly stripes (as causing more cumpunction)
Nor, thrild with bodkins, raues in frantik-wise,
And in a furie seems to prophetize;
But offers God his heart, in steed of blood:
His speech is sober, and as milde his mood.

Ironia.

Cry loud, quoth he: your God is yet perchance
In a deep sleep, or doth in Arms aduance
Against his Foes (th'Egyptian Deïties)
Or is consulting how to keep the Flies
From off his Altar. But, O Izrael!
Alas! why yoakst thou God with Baal (or Bel)?
Alas! how long thus wilt thou halt twixt either,
And fondly mix Darnel and Wheat together
In thy Faith's Field? If Baal be God indeed,
Then boldly serue him, seek him sole at need:
But, if blew Sea, and winged Firmament,
Th'all-bearing Earth, and Storm-breed Element,
Be but the least Works of th'Almighty hand
Of Iacob's God: If Heav'n, Air, Sea, and Land,
And all in all, and all in every one,
By his owne finger be sustain'd alone:
If he haue cast those cursed Nations out,
Which yerst defil'd this fair, fat Land about;
To give it thee, to plant thee in their place,
Why him alone doost thou not ay imbrace,
And serue him onely in thy Soule and Heart,
Who in his Love brooks none to share a part?
The cord vn-twisted weakens: and who serues
Two Lords at-once, to lose them both deserues.
Baal dead (thou seest) hears not his Servants call,
Much less can grant them their Desires at all:
But, Iacob's God, Iehova, Elohim,
Never deceives their hope that trust in him.

Hear me therefore, O Lord, and from aboue
With Sacred Fire (thy Soverain powr to prove)
Consume this Bullock, and shewe by the same
That thou art God, and I thy Servant am:
And to thy Fold (thy Churches Lap) repeal
Thy wandring Flock, thy chosen Israel.

Simile.

As falls a Meteor in a Sommer Even,
A sodain Flash coms flaming down from Heav'n,
Licks dry the Dikes, and instantly, at-once,
Burns all to Ashes, both the Altar-stones,

485

And th'Offered Bullock: and the People fall
In zealous fury on the Priests of Baal;
And, by Elijah's prayer, soone obtaine
Rain, which so often they had askt in vain.

For, what is it Elijah cannot do?
If he be hungry, Fouls, and Angels too,
Becom his Stewards. Fears he th'armed Bands
Of a fel Tyrant? from their bloody hands
To rescue him, Heav'n (his confederate)
Consumes with Fire them and their fierie hate.
Or, would he pass a Brook that brooks no Bay,
Nor bridge, nor Bank? The Water giues him way.
Or, irks him Earth? To Heav'n alive he hies,
And (sauing Henoch onely He not-dies.

This Man of God, discoursing with his heir

Ellijah taken vp aliue into Heaven.

Of th'vpper Kingdom, and of Gods Affair,
A sodain whirl-winde, with a whiffing Fire,
And flaming Chariot rapts him vp intire,
Burns not, but 'fines; and doth (in fashion strange)
By death-less Death, mortall immortall change.
A long-tail'd squib, a flaming ridge, for rut
Seems seen a while, where the bright Coach hath cut.

This sacred Rape, nigh rapt Elisha too:
Who, taking vp his Tutors Mantle, tho,
Follows as far as well he could with ey
The fire-snort Palfreys, through the sparkling Sky;
Crying, My father, father mine fare-well,
The Chariots and the Horse of Izrael.

The Thisbian Prophet hangs not in the Air,
Amid the Meteors to be tossed there,
As Mists and Rains, and Hail, and hoarie Plumes,
And other Fierie many-formed Fumes:
Amid the Air tumultuous Satan roules;
And not the Saints, the happy, heav'nly Soules.

Nor is he nailed to some shining Wheel,
Ixion-like continually to reel;
For Christ his flesh, transfigur'd, and divine,
Mounted aboue the Arches Crystalline:
And where Christ is, from pain and passion free,
There (after death) shall all his Chosen bee.

Elijah therefore climbs th'Empyreal Pole;
Where, ever-blest in body and in soule,
Contemns this World, becoms an Angel bright,
And doth him firm to the Trine-One vnite.

But how, or why should He this vantage haue
Yet Christ (right call'd the first-fruits of the Grave)?
O happy passage! O sweet, sacred Flight!
O blessed Rape! thou raptest so my spright

486

In this Dispute, and mak'st my weaker wit
So many wayes to cast-about for it,
That (I confess) the more I do contend,
I more admire, and less I comprehend.

For lack of wings, then biding heer belowe
With his Successor, I proceed to showe,
How, soon as he took-vp his Cloak (to beare it)

Elizeus or Elisha.

Within Elisha shin'd Elijah's Spirit;
By powr whereof, immediatly he cleaves
An vn-couth way through Iordan's rapid waves:
Past hope he gives to the Sunamian Wife
A Son; and soone restores him dead to life:
With sodain blindness smites the Syrian Troup
The which in Dothan did him round incoup:
Increaseth bread, and of a pound of Oyl
Fills all the Vessels in a town that while:
His hoary head (in Bethel) laught to scorn,
Is veng'd by Bears, on forty children torn:
Naaman's cleans'd; and for foul Simonie,
Gehazi's punisht with his Leprosie:
Mends bitter Broath, he maketh Iron swim
As porie Cork, vpon the Water's brim.

Rich Iericho's (sometimes) sal-peetry soil,
Through brinie springs that did about it boil,
Brought forth no fruit, and her vn-holsome Brooks
Voyded the Town of Folk, the Fields of Flocks:
The Towns-men, therefore, thus besought the Seer;
Thou seest our Citie's situation heer
Is passing pleasant; but the ground is naught,
The Water worse: we pray thee mend the fault,
Sweeten our Rivers, make them pleasanter,
Our Hills more green, our Plains more fertiler.

The Prophet calls but for a Cruse of Salt
(O strangest cure!) to cure the brynie fault
Of all their Floods; and, casting that in one
Foul stinking Spring, heals all their streams anon:
Not, for an houre, or for a day, or twain,
But to this Day they sweet and sound remain.

Their Valley, walled with bald Hills before,
But even a horror to behold, of-yore;
Is now an Eden, and th'All-circling Sun,
For fruitfull beauty, sees no Paragon.
There (labour-less) mounts the victorious Palm,
There (and but there) growes the all-healing Balm,
There ripes the rare cheer-cheek Myrobalan,
Minde-gladding Fruit, that can vn-olde a Man.
O skilfull Husbands, giue your fattest Plains
Five or six earths; spare neither cost nor pains,

487

To water them; rid them of weeds and stones,
With Muck and Marle batten and baste their bones;
Vnless God bless your Labour and your Land,
You plough the Sea, and sowe vpon the sand.

This, Iurie knowes; a Soil somtimes (at least)
Sole Paradise of all the proudest East:
But now the brutest and most barren place,
The curse of God, and all the Worlds disgrace:
And also Greece, on whom Heav'ns (yerst so good)
Rain nothing now but their drad Furie's Flood.
The grace of God is a most sure Revenue,
A Sea of Wealth, that euer shall continue,
A neuer-failing Field, which needs not ay
The cool of Night, nor comfort of the Day.

What shall I say? This sacred Personage
Not only profits to his proper Age;
But, after life, life in his bones he leaues,
And dead, the dead he raiseth from their graues.

Nor is Elisha famous more for Miracles,
Than for the Truth of his so often Oracles:
He showes the Palms and Foils of Israel,
Benhadad's death, the Raign of Hazael:
Beyond all hope, and passing all appearance,
Deiected Ioram's neer relief he warants.

For, now the Syrian, with insulting Powrs,

The Siege and Famin of Samaria.

So streict besiegeth the Samarian Towrs,
That euen all-ready in each nook agrising,
Fell, wall-break (all-break) Famine, ill-aduising
Howls hideously: euen the bare bones are seen
(As sharp as kniues) thorough the empty skin
Of the best bred: and each-man seems (almost)
No Man indeed but a pale gastly Ghost.

Som snatch the bread from their own Babes, that pine;
Som eat the Draff that was ordain'd for Swine,
Som do defile them with forbidden flesh,
Som bite the grass their hunger to refresh;
Som, gold for Birds-dung (waight for waight) exchange;
Som, of their Boots make them a Banquet strange,
Som fry the Hay-dust, and it sauorie finde;
Som, Almond-shels and Nut-shels gladly grinde,
Som mince their Fathers Wills, in parchment writ,
And so deuoure their Birth-right at a bit.

The King, when weary he would rest awhile,
Dreams of the Dainties he hath had yer-while,
Smacks, swallows, grindes both with his teeth and iaws;
But, only winde his beguil'd bellie draws:
And, then awaking, of his owne spare Diet
Robbs his owne brest, to keep his Captains quiet.

488

He is importun'd heer and there about:
Aboue the rest, a Woman skrieketh out
In mournfull manner, with dissheueled haire;
Her face despight, her fashion showes despaire.

Mothers eate their own Children.

O! stay my Liege, hear, hear a grieuous thing;
Iustice, great Ioram, Iustice, gentle King.
O, no, not Iustice: (did I Iustice craue?)
Fondling, in Iustice, thou canst nothing haue
But a iust death; nay, but a Torture fell;
Nay, but a Torment, like the pains of Hell.
Yet, euen this Plea is worse then death to me:
Then grant me Iustice, Iustice let it be.
For (O!) what horror can restrain desire
Of iust Reuenge, when it is once afire?
My Lord, I bargain'd, and (to bind the Pact)
By solemn Oath I sealed the Contract;
Contract, indeed cruell, yet could not be
Infring'd, or broken, without Crueltie.
(Tell it O, Tongue: why stay'st thou so vpon-it?
Dar'st thou not say-it, hauing dar'd and don-it?
Not hauing fear'd Heavens King, how canst thou fear
An earthly King?) Then, thus (my Liege) while-yer
I, and my Neighbour desperately agreed,
Iointly to eate, successiuely, our seed;
Our own deer Children: and (O luck-less Lot!)
Mine first of all, is destin'd to the Pot:
Forth-with I catch-him, and I snatch him to-me
Vp in mine arms: he straight begins to woo-me,
Stroaks, colls, and huggs me, with his arms and thighes:
And, smiling sweet, Mam-mam, mam-mam, he cryes,
Then kisses me: and with a thousand toyes,
Thinks to delight me with his wonted ioyes.
I looke away; and, with my hand addrest,
Bury my knife within his tender brest:
And, as a Tigresse, or the Dam of Bears,
A Fawn or Kid in hundred gobbets tears,
I tear him quick, dress him, and on our Table
I set him: Oh! ('t is now no time to fable)
I taste him first, I first the feast begin,
His blood (my blood) runs round about my Chin,
My Childe returns, re-breeding in my Womb;
And of my Flesh my Flesh is shamefull Tomb:
Soon cloyd (alas!) but little could I eat,
And vp again that little striues to get.
But she, she layes it in, she greedy plyes-it:
And all night long she sits to gourmandize-it:
Not for her fill so much of such (think I)
As to prolong the more my misery:

489

O God, said she (and smiles in eating it)
What a sweet morsell! what a dainty bit!
Blest be the brest that nurç't such meat for me;
But more the Womb that bare it, so to be.
So (to be brief) my Son is eat: But hers
Aliue and lusty in her arms she bears.

Why should her Pittie, rather her despite,
Do both her Faith, Me, and my Son, vn-right?
Ah! for her belly, rather then her Boy,
She playd this prank (and robd me of my Ioy).
She did it not, of tender hart to saue him;
But, greedy-gut, that she alone might haue him.
Therfore, O King, do Iustice in this case:
Nor craue I pardon of thy princly grace
For mine Offence; (such an Offence, I knowe,
As yet grim Minos never iudg'd belowe)
For if I should, how should I do, for meat;
Not hauing now another Childe to eat?
No: this is all I craue before I die,
That I may taste but of Her sonnes sweet thigh:
Or, that (at least) mine eye, more iust then cruell,
May see him slain by her, my Horrors fuell.

But, if you waigh not mine vnfained tears
(Indeed vn-worthy): yet vouchsafe your ears
To the loud Plaints of my lamenting Son;
Who, with strange murmurs rumbling vp and down,
Seems in my bowels as reviv'd to groan,
And to your Highnes, thus to make his moan;

Sir, will you suffer, without all reuenge,
Mens cursed malice boldly to infringe
Law, Faith, and Iustice, Vows, and Oaths, and all,
As buzzing Flies tear Cob-webs on a wall?
Ah! shall I then descend alone belowe?
Dy vn-reueng'd? foster my cruell Foe?
And then, cast-forth in foulest Excrement,
Infect the Aire, offend the Element;
The while her Darling, on his Hobby-horse
About the Hall shall ride, and prance, and course;
And imitate mens actions (as an Ape),
Build paper-Towrs, make Puppets, sit in Lap?
No: let him die, let him (as I) be cut,
Let him (as I) be in two Bellies put:
Full-fill the Pact; that so our wretched Mothers
Their Guilt and Grief, may eyther's match with others.

The King, less mov'd with pitty than with horror,
Thunders these words, raging in threat-full terror;
Vengeance and mischief on mine owne head light,
If curst Elisha keep his head this night:

490

And, as he spake, forth in a rage he flings,
To execute his bloody Threatenings.

Sir, said the Prophet, you haue seen the scathe
Deuouring Famine heer performed hath;
But, by to-morrow this time (God hath said)
Samaria's Gates shall euen abound with Bread.

Tush, said a Minion of the Court, hard by
(Of surly speech, proud gait, and lofty ey)
Though God should open all Heav'ns windows wide,
It cannot be: Yes, Infidell (reply'd
The zealous Prophet) Thou thy Self (in sum)
Shalt see it then: but shalt not taste a Crum.
Thus said Elisha, and th'Almightie Powr
Perform'd his Sayings in the very howr.

Her scarlet Robe Aurora had not donn'd,
Nor had she yet limn'd the Euphratean strond
With trembling shine, neyther was Phœbus yet
Willing to wake out of a drouzie Fit,

Description and effects of Fear.

When pallid Fear, flyes to the Pagan Hoast,
Wilde-staring Hag, shiv'ring, and wavering most;
She, that her voyce and visage shifts so oft:
She that in Counsails striues to lift aloft
Irresolution, to be President
(Canker of Honor, curse of Gouernment):
She that euen trembles in her surest Arms,
Starts at a leaf, swouns at report of harms:
Beleeues all, sees all; and so swayeth all,
That, if she say, the Firmament doth fall:
There be three Suns: This, or that Mountain sinks:
Paul's Church doth reel, or the foundation shrinks:
It is beleeu'd, 't is seen: and, seis'd by Her,
The other Sense are as apt to err.

Clashing of Arms, Rattling of iron Cars,
Murmur of Men (a World of Soldiers)
Neighing of Horse, noise of a thousand Drums
With dreadfull sound from the next Vale ther coms.

The Syrian Camp, conceiuing that the Troups
Of Nabathites, Hethits, and Ethyops,
Hyr'd by th'Isaacians, came from euery side,
To raise their Siege, and to repell their pride;
Fly for their liues, disordered and disperst
(Amid the Mountains) so well-ordered yerst.
One, in his Cap-case leaues-behinde his Treasure:
To bridle's horse another hath not leasure;
Another, hungry on the grass hath set
His Break-fast out, but dares not stay to eat.
One thinks him farre, that yet hath little gon:
Another weens him in plain ground, anon

491

He breaks his neck into a Pit: another
Hearing the Boughs that brush against each other,
And doubting it to be the Conquerer,
He wretched dies of th'only wound of Fear.

As, after tedious and continuall rain,
The honey-Flies haste from their Hiues again,
Suck heer and there, and bear into their bowr
The sweetest sap of euery fragrant flowr:
So from besieg'd Samaria each man hies,
Vnto the Tents of fear-fled Enemies:
Wherein, such store of corn and wine they pill,
That in one day their hungry Town they fill:
And in the Gate, the Croud, that issueth,
Treads th'vnbeleeuing Courtier down to death;
So that (at once) euen both effects agree
Iust with Elisha's holy prophecie.

From this School comes the Prophet Amethite,
The twice-born Preacher to the Niniuite.

Ionas, be gon: hie, hie thee (said th'Almighty)

The Ship-wrack of Ionas.

To Ninive, that great and wanton Citie:
Cry day and night, cry out vnto them all;
Yet forty dayes, and Niniue shall fall.

But, 'gainst th'Eternall, Ionas shuts his eare,
And ships himself to sail another-where:
Wherfore, the Lord (incensed) stretcht his arm,
To wrack the wretch in suddain fearfull Storm.

Now, Nereus foams, and now the furious waues

A liuely Description of the storm at Sea.

All topsie-turned by th'Æolian slaues,
Do mount and roule: Heav'n Wars against the Waters,
And angry Thetis Earth's green bulwarks batters:
A sable ayr so muffles-vp the Sky,
That the sad Saylers can no light discry:
Or, if som beam break through their pitchy night,
'Tis but drad flashing of the Lightning's light.

Strike, strike our saile (the Master cries) amain,
Vaile misne and sprit-sail: but he cries in vain;
For, in his face the blasts so bluster ay,
That his Sea-gibberish is straight born away.

Confused Cries of men dismay'd in minde,
Seas angry noise, lowd bellowing of the winde,
Heav'ns Thunder-claps, the tackles whisteling
(As strange Musicians) dreadfull descant sing.

The Eastern winde driues on the roaring train
Of white-blew billows, and the clouds again
With fresh Seas crosse the Sea, and she doth send
(In counter-change) a rain with salt y-blend.
Heav'ns (headlong) seem in Thetis lap to fall,
Seas scale the skies, and God to arm this All

492

Against one ship, that skips from stars to ground,
From waue to waue (like Balloons windy bound)
While the sad Pilot, on a foamy Mount,
Thinks from the Pole to see Hells pit profound;
And, then, cast down vnto the sandy shole,
Seems from lowe Hell to see the loftie Pole:
And, feeling foes within and eek without,
As many waues, so many deaths doth doubt.

The billows, beating round about the ship,
Vnchauk her keel, and all her seams vnrip;
Whereby the waters, entring vncontroul'd,
Ebbing abroad, yet flowe apace in hold:
For euery Tun the plied Pump doth rid,
A floud breaks in; the Master mastered
With dread and danger (threatning euery-way)
Doubts where to turn him, what to doo, or say,
Which waue to meet, or which salt surge to flie;
So yeelds his charge, in Sea to liue or die.

Simile.

As, many Cannons, 'gainst a Castle bent,
Make many holes, and much the rampire rent,
And shake the wall, but yet the latest shock
Of fire-wingd bullets batters down the Rock:
So, many mounts, that muster 'gainst this Sail,
With roaring rage do this poor ship assail;
But yet the last (with foaming fury swoln,
With boistrous blasts of angry tempests boln)
Springs the main-mast: the mast with boystrous fall
Breaks down the deck, and sore affrights them all.

Pale Idol-like, one stands with arms a-cross:
One moans himself: one mourns his childrens loss:
One, more than Death, this form of Death affrights:
Another calls on Heav'ns vn-viewed Lights:
One, 'fore his eyes his Ladies looks beholds:
Another, thus his deadly fear vnfolds:
Curst thirst of gold! O how thou causest care!
My bed of Doun I change for hatches bare:
Rather than rest, this stormy war I chose:
T'enlarge my fields, both land and life I lose:
Like peizless plume, born-vp by Boreas breath,
With all these wings I soar, to seek my death,
To Heav'n and Hell, by angry Neptune led,
Where lest I scape it, all these sails I spread.
Then thus another: sure no winde (quoth he)
Could raise this Storm; som rarer Prodigy
Hath caus'd this Chaos (cause of all our grief)
Som Atheist dog, som Altar-spoyling theef
Lurks in this ship: com (Mates) by lot let's trie
(To saue the rest) the man that ought to die.

493

'T is I. quoth Ionas, I indeed am cause
Of this black night, and all the fearfull flaws
Of this rough Winter; I must sole appease
(By my iust death) these wrath-full wrack-full Seas.
Then vp they heave him straight, and from the waste
Him suddenly into the Sea they cast.

The King of Windes cals home his churlish train,
And Amphitrite smooths her front again:
Th'Air's cloudy Robe returns to crystall clear,
And smiling Heav'ns bright Torches re-appear
So soon as Ionas (to them all appease)
O'r head and ears was soused in the Seas.

Thrice coms hee vp, and thrice again goes down
Vnder the waves (yer hee doo wholly drown):
But then hee sinks; and, wretched, roul'd along
The sands, and Oase, and rocks, and mud among,
Thus, thus hee cries with lips of zealous faith;
Mercy, my God, shew mercy, Lord (hee saith).

Then God (who ever hears his childrens wish)
Provided straight a great and mighty Fish,
That swilling swallow'd Ionas in her womb;
A living Corps laid in a living Toomb.

Like as a Roach, or Ruff, or Gudgeon, born

Simile.

By som swift stream into a weer (forlorn)
Frisks to and fro, aloft and vnder dives,
Fed with false hope to free their captive lyves:
The Prophet so (amazed) walks about
This wondrous Fish to finde an issue out,
This mighty Fish, of Whale-like huginess,
Or bigger-bellied, though in body lesse.

Where am I, Lord? (alas!) within what vaults?
In what new Hell doost thou correct my faults?
Strange punishment! my body thou bereav'st
Of mother-earth, which to the dead thou leav'st:
Whither thy wrath drives mee, I doo not knowe.
I am depriv'd of air, yet breathe and blowe:
My sight is good, yet can I see no sky:
Wretch, nor in Sea, nor yet a-shore am I:
Resting, I run; for, mooving is my Cave:
And, quick, I couch within a living Grave.

While thus hee plain'd; the third day, on the sand
The friendly Fish did cast him safe a-land.
And then, as if his weary limbs had been
So long refresht, and rested at an Inn,
Hee seems to flee; and comn to Ninive,
Your sins have reached vp to Heav'n (quoth hee):
Wo and alas, wo, wo vnto you all:
Yet forty daies, and Ninive shall fall.

494

Thus Ionas preacht: But, soon the Citizens,
Sincerely toucht with sense of their foul sins,
Dispatch (in haste) to Heav'n, Repentance sad,
Sweet-charming Prayer, Fasting hairy-clad.

Repentance makes two Torrents of her eies,
Her humble brow dares scant behold the skies:
Her sobbing breast is beaten blew and black:
Her tender flesh rent with rugged sack:
Her head (all hoar'd with harty sorrows past)
With dust and ashes is all over-cast.

Praier's head, and sides, and feet are set about
With gawdy wings (like Ioves Arcadian Scout):
Her body flaming, from her lips there fumes
Nard, Incense, Mummy, and all rich Perfumes.

Fasting (though faint) her face with ioy shee cheers,
Strong in her weaknes, yong in aged yeers;
Quick health's preserver, curbing Cupid's fits,
Watchfull, purge-humors, and refining wits.

Then Faith (Grand Vsher of th'Empyreall Court)
Vshers these Legats by a golden Port
Into the Presence, and them face to face
Before th'All-Monarch's glorious Throne doth place;
Where (zealous) prostrate on her humble knee,
Thus Praier speaks in name of all the Three:

God, slowe to wrath! O Father, prone to grace!
Lord, sheath again thy vengeance-sword a space.
If at thy beam of Iustice thou wilt waigh
The works of men that wander every day:
If thou their metall by that touch-stone try
Which fearfull-sounding from thy mouth doth fly:
If thou shalt summ their sins (which pass the sand)
Before thee, Lord, who shall endure to stand?
Not Ninive alone shall perish then;
But all this All bee burnt to ashes clean:
And even this day shall thy iust wrath prevent
The dreadfull Day of thy last Dooms event,
This world to Chaos shall again return;
And on thine Altars none shall incense burn.

O therefore spare (Lord) spare the Ninivites,
Forgive their sins; and, in their humbled sprites,
From this time forth thy sacred Laws ingrave:
Destroy them not, but daign them Lord to save:
Look not (alas!) what they have been before;
But vs regard, or thine owne mercy more.

Then, God reacht out his hand, vnfolds his frowns,
Disarms his arm of Thunder bruising-Crowns,
Bows graciously his glorious flaming Crest,
And mildely grants, in th'instant, their request.

495

The Decay.

THE IIII. BOOK OF THE FOVRTH DAY OF THE II. WEEK.

The Argvment.

Ambitions bitter fruit, fell Achab's Stock,
With his proud Queen (a painted Beauty-mock)
Extirpt by Iehv: Iehv's ligne likewise
Shallum supplants. King-killing Treacheries
Succeed a-rowe, with Wrack of Israel.
Time-suiting Batts: Athaliah Tigress fell.
Ioash well-nurtur'd, natur'd-ill, doth run
After his kinde: hee kils his Tutors Son.
Zenacherib: life-lengthned Ezechiah:
Nabvchadnezar: Captive Zedechiah.

Hvff-puft Ambition, Tinder-box of War,

Ambition pourtrayed to the life.

Down-fall of Angels, Adam's murderer,
Parent of Treasons, Reason's Contradiction,
Earth's Enemy, and the Heav'ns Malediction,
O! how much Blood hath thy respect-less age
Shed in the World! showred on every Age!
O Scepter's, Throne's, and Crown's insatiat Thirst,
How many Treasons hast thou hatched yerst!

For, O! what is it that hee dares not doo,
Who th'Helm of Empire doth aspire vnto?
Hee (to beguile the simple) makes no bone
To swear by God (for, hee beleeves there's none);
His Sword's his Title; and who scapes the same,
Shall have a Pistoll, or a poysony Dram:
Hee, fear'd of all, fears all: hee breaks at once
The chains of Nature and of Nations:

496

Sick of the Father, his kinde heart is woe
The good Old-man travels to Heaven so slowe:
His owne dear Babes (yet Cradled, yet in Clouts)
Haste but too fast; are at his heels, hee doubts:
Hee passeth to his promis'd Happinesse
Vpon a Bridge of his Friends Carcases;
And mounts (in fine) the golden Throne by stairs
Built of the Sculs of his owne Countries heirs.
Yet thou permitt'st it, Lord; nay, with thy wings
Coverest such Tyrants (even the shame of Kings).
But, not for nothing doost thou them forbear;
Their cruell scalps a cruell end shall tear:
And, when the Measure of their Sin is full,
Thy Hands are iron, though thy Feet bee wooll.
The Throne of Tyrants totters to and fro:
The blood-gain'd Scepter lasts not long (wee knowe):
Nail driveth Nail: by tragick deaths device,
Ambitious hearts do play at

A kinde of Christmas play: wherein each hunteth other from his Seat. The name seems derived from the French levezsus, in English, arise vp.

Level sice;
Proov'd but too plain in both the Houses Royall
Of Iacobs issue, but too-too disloyall:
As, if thou further with thy grace divine
My Verse and Vows, shall heer appear in time.

God Novv no longer could support th'excess
Of Achab's House, whose cursed wickednes
Was now top-full: and, Dogs already stood
Fawning and yawning for their promis'd blood.
Heav'ns haste their Work. Now, in tumultuous wise,
'Gainst Achab's Son doo his owne Souldiers rise;

Iehu.

Iehu's their Captain: who foresees, afar,
How-much, dispatch advantageth in War;
And, politick, doubles his Armies speed
To get before; yea, before Fame, indeed.

Ioram, surpriz'd in feeble Bulwarks then
(Vnfurnished of Victuals and of Men)
And, chiefly, wanting royall fortitude,
Vn-kingly yeelds vnto the Multitude.

Bould Nimshi's Son, Sir Iehu, what's this Thing?
What mean these Troops? what would you of the King?
Where shall the bolt of this black Thunder fall?
Say, bring'st thou Peace? or bring'st thou War, withall?
Sayd Ioram, lowd: but, Iehu lowder saith,
No (wretch) no Peace, but bloody Wars and death.

Simile.

Then fled the King: and (as a Ship at Sea,
Hearing the Heav'ns to threaten every way,
And Winter-Storms with absent Stars compack,
With th'angry Waters to conspire her wrack,
Strives not to ride it out, or shift abroad,
But plies her Oars, and flees into the Road)

497

Hee ierks his Iades, and makes them scour amain

Simile.

Through thick and thin, both over Hill and Plain.

Which, Iehu spying, and well eying too,
As quick resolveth what hee hath to doo;
Cries, Boy, my Bowe: then nocks an Arrow right,
His left hand meets the head, his brest the right.
As bends his Bowe, hee bends; lets go the string:
Through the thin air, the winged shaft doth sing
King Ioram's Dirge; and, to speed the more,
Pearces behinde him, and peeps-out before.

The Prince now hurt (that had before no hart)
Fals present dead, and with his Courtly-Cart
Bruiz'd in the Fall (as had the Thisbite said)
The Field of Naboth with his blood beraid:
And Salem's King had also there his due,
For ioining hands with so profane a Crew.
Then, the proud Victor leads his loyall Troops
Towards the Court (that all in silence droops);
And, more for Self-love, then for God's pure zeal,
Means to dispatch, th'Earth's burden, Iezabel.

The Queen had inkling: instantly shee sped

Iezabel.

To curl the Cockles of her new-bought head:
The Saphyr, Onyx, Garnet, Diamond,
In various forms cut by a curious hand,
Hang nimbly dancing in her hair, as spangles:
Or as the fresh red-yellow Apple dangles
(In Autumn) on the Tree, when too and fro
The Boughs are waved with the windes that blowe.

The vpper garment of the stately Queen,

Her Pride.

Is rich gold Tissue, on a ground of green;
Where th'art-full shuttle rarely did encheck
The

Changeable.

cangeant colour of a Mallards neck:
'T is figur'd o'r with sundry Flowrs and Fruits,
Birds, Beasts, and Insects, creeping Worms, and Neuts,
Of Gold-Smiths Work: a fringe of Gold about,
With Pearls and Rubies richly-rare set-out,
Borders her Robe: and every part discries
Cunning and Cost, contending for the prize.

Her neat, fit, startups of green Velvet bee,
Flourisht with silver; and beneath the knee,
Moon-like, indented; butt'ned down the side
With Orient Pearls as big as Filberd's pride.

But, besides all her sumptuous equipage

Her Painting.

(Much fitter for her State then for her age)
Close in her Closet, with her best Complexions,
Shee mends her Faces wrinkle-full defections,
Her Cheek shee cherries, and her Ey shee cheers,
And fains her (fond) a Wench of fifteen yeers;

498

Whether shee thought to snare the Dukes affection;
Or dazle, with her pompous Prides reflexion,
His daring eyes (as Fowlers, with a Glass,
Make mounting Larks com down to death apace):
Or, were it, that in death shee would bee seen
(As 'twere) interr'd in Tyrian Pomp, a Queen.

A iust Invective against those 2. (predominant) Court Qualities.

Chaste Lady-Maids, heer must I speak to you,
That with vile Painting spoil your native hue
(Not to inflame yonglings with wanton thirst,
But to keep fashion with these times accurst)
When one new taen in your seem-Beauties snare,
That day and night to Hymen makes his Praier,
At length espies (as Who is it but spies?)
Your painted brests, your painted cheeks and eies,
His Cake is dough; God dild you, hee will none;
Hee leaves his sute, and thus hee saith anon:
What should I doo with such a wanton Wife,
Which night and day would cruciate my life
With Ieloux pangs? sith every-way shee sets
Her borrow'd snares (not her owne hairs) for Nets
To catch her Cuckoos; with loose, light Attires,
Opens the door vnto all lewd Desires;
And, with vile Drugs adultering her Face,
Closely allures th'Adulterers Imbrace.

But, iudge the best: suppose (saith hee) I finde
My Lady Chaste in body and in minde
(As sure I think): yet, will shee Mee respect,
That dares disgrace th'eternall Architect?
That (in her pride) presumes his Work to tax
Of imperfection; to amend his tracts,
To help the Colours which his hand hath laid,
With her frail fingers with foul dirt beraid?
Shall I take her that will spend all I have,
And all her time, in pranking proudly-brave?

How did I doat! the Gold vpon her head,
The Lillies of her brests, the Rosie red
In either Cheek, and all her other Riches,
Wherewith shee bleareth sight, and sense bewitches;
Is none of hers: it is but borrow'd stuff,
Or stoln, or bought, plain Counterfet in proof:
My glorious Idol I did so adore,
Is but a Visard, newly varnisht o'r
With spauling Rheums, hot Fumes, and Ceruses:
Fo, phy; such Poysons one would loath to kiss:
I wed (at least, I ween to wed) a Lass
Yong, fresh and fair: but, in a yeer (alas!)
Or two, at most; my lovely lively Bride
Is turn'd a Hag, a Fury by my side;

499

With hollow, yellow teeth (or none perhaps)
With stinking breath, swart cheeks, and hanging chaps;
With wrinkled neck; and stooping as shee goes,
With driveling mouth, and with a sniveling nose.

The Queen, thus pranked, proudly gets her vp
(But sadly though) to her gilt Palace top;
And, spying Iehu, from the window cride:
Art thou there, Zimri, cursed Paricide?
Fell master-killer, canst thou chuse but fear
For like offence, like punishment severe?

Bitch, cries the Duke, art Thou there barking still?
Thou, Strumpet, Thou art Cause of all this Ill:
Thou broughtst Samaria to Thine Idol-Sin:
Painting and Pois'ning first Thou broughtest in
To Court and Country, with a thousand mo
Loose Syrian Vices, which I shame to showe.
Thou broughtst-in Wrong, with Rapine and Oppression,
By Perjury supplanting Mens possession
And life withall: yea, Thou hast been the Baen
Of Peers and Seers (at Thy proud pleasure slain):
Thou life of Strife, Thou Horse-leach sent from Hell,
Thou Drouth, Thou Dearth, Thou Plague of Israel,
Now shalt Thou dy: Grooms (is there none for mee?)
Quick, cast her down, down, with her instantly.

O tickle Faith! O fickle Trust of Court!

The perfection of Courtship.

These Palace-mice, this busie-idle sort
Of fawning Minions, full of sooths and smiles,
These Carpet-Knights had vow'd and sworn yer-whiles,
Promis'd, protested vnto Iezabel,
Rav'd, brav'd and bann'd (like Rodomont in Hell)
That in her cause they every Man would dy,
And all the World, and Hell and Heav'n defie;
Now, Icy Fear (shivering in all their bones)
Makes them with Fortune turn their backs at once.
They take their Queen between their traiterous hands,
And hurl her headlong, as the Duke Commands;
Whose Courser, snorting, stamps (in stately scorn)
Vpon the Corps that whilom Kings had born:
And, to fulfill from point to point the Word
Elijah spake (as Legat of the Lord)
The doggs about doo greedy feed vpon
The rich-perfumed, royall Carrion:
And Folk by thousands issuing at the Gate,
To see the sight, cry thus (as glad thereat)
Ses, ses, heer Dogs, heer Bitches, doo not spare
This Bitch that gnaw'd her subiects bones so bare;
This cruell Cur, that made you oft becom
Saints Torturers, and many a Prophets Tomb:

500

This Whore of Baal, tear her so small, that well
No man may say, Heer lieth Iezabel.

Iehu's drad Vengeance doth yet farther flowe;
Curst Achab's issue hee doth wholly mowe:
Hee slaies (moreover) two and forty men
Of Ahaziah's hap-less Bretheren:
Baal's idoll Clergy hee doth bring to nought,
And his proud Temple turns into a Draught:
Good proofs of zeal. But yet a Diadem,
Desire of Raign, keeps from Ierusalem
His service due; content (at home) by halves
To worship God vnder the form of Calves.

His Son and Nephews track too-neer his trace;
And therefore Shallum doth vn-horse his race:
The murd'rer Shallum (after one Months Raign)
By Manahem as murdrously is slain:
The traitor Manahem's wicked-walking Son
By traiterous Pekah vnto death is don:
And so on Pekah, for Pekaiah's death,
Hosheah's treason, treason quittanceth;
A proud, ingrate, perfidious, troublous King,
That to Confusion did Samaria bring.

Their Towns trans-villag'd, the Ten Tribes, transported
To a far Clime (whence never they reverted)
Soiourn in forrein soil, where Chobar's streams
Serve them for Iordan; Basan, Chison seems:
While Assur's scorn, and scum of Euphrates
Dance vp and down th'Isaacian Palaces,
Drink their best Nectars, anchor in their Ports,
And lodge profanely in their strongest Forts.

But, changing air, these change not minde (in Iury).
For, though fierce Lions homicidiall fury
Make them retire vndet th'Almighti's wing,
Their Country-gods with the true God they ming:
They mix his Service, plow with Ass and Ox;
Disguise his Church in suits of Flax and Flocks,
Cast (in one wedge) Iron and Gold together:
Iew-Gentiles, both at-once: but, both is neither.

Tale of the Batt.

There is a Tale, that once the Hoast of Birds,
And all the Legions of Grove-haunting Heards,
Before the Earth ambitiously did strive,
And counter-plead for the Prerogative:
Now, while the Iudge was giving audience,
And either side in their seem-Rights defence
Was hot and earnest at the noise-full Bar,
The neuter Bat stood fluttering still afar:
But shee no sooner hears the Sentence past
On the Beasts side; but, shuffling her in haste

501

Into their Troop, shee them accompanieth,
Showes her large forhead, her long ears, and teeth.

The Cause was (after) by Appeal remoov'd
To Nature's Court; who by her Doom approov'd
The others Plea: then flees the shame-less Bat
Among the Birds, and with her Chit-chit-chat
Shee seems to sing; and, proud of wings, shee plaies
With nimble turns, and flees a thousand waies.

Hence, beak-less Bird, hence, winged-Beast, they cride,
Hence, plume-less wings (thus, scorn her, either side)
Hence, Harlot, hence; this ever bee thy Dole;
Be still Day's Prisoner in thy shamefull hole:
May neuer Sun (vile Monster) shine on thee:
But th'hate of all, for ever, may'st thou be.

Such is this People: for, in plentious showrs

Application.

When God his blessings vpon Isaak powrs,
Then are they Isaak's Sons: but, if with thunder
Hee wrath-full tear the Hebrue Tree in sunder,
These Traytors rake the boughs, and take the Fruit;
And (Pagans then) the Iews they persecute.

And such are those, whose wily, waxen minde
Takes every Seal, and sails with every Winde;
Not out of Conscience, but of Carnall Motion,
Of Fear, or Favour, Profit, or Poomotion:
Those that, to ease their Purse, or please their Prince,
Pern their Profession, their Religion mince;
Prince-Protestants, Prince-Catholiks; Precise,
With Such a Prince; with other, otherwise:
Yea, oldest Gangræns of blinde-burning Zeal
(As the Kings Evill) a new King can heal.

And those Scœne-servers that so lowd have cride
'Gainst Prelats sweeping in their silken Pride,
Their wilfull Dumbness, forcing others dumb
(To Sion's grievous Loss, and gain of Rome)
Their Courting, Sporting, and Non-residence,
Their Avarice, their Sloth and Negligence:
Till som fat Morsels in their mouthes doo fall;
And then, as choakt, and sudden chang'd with-all,
Themselves exceed in all of these, much more
Than the Right-Reverend whom they taxt before.

And those Chamæleons that con-sort their Crew;
In Turky, Turks: among the Iews, a Iew:
In Spain, as Spain: as Luther, on the Rhine:
With Calvin heer: and there with Bellarmine:
Loose, with the Lewd: among the gracious, grave:
With Saints, a Saint: and among Knaves, a Knave.

But all such Neuters, neither hot nor cold,
Such double Halters between God and Gold,

502

Such Luke-warm Lovers will the Bride-groom spue
Out of his mouth: his mouth hath spoke it true.

O Israel, I pity much thy case:
This Sea of Mischiefs, which in every place
So over-flowes thee, and so domineers;
It drowns my soule in griefs, mine eyes in tears:
My heart's through-thrilled with your miseries
Already past; your Fathers Tragedies.
But (O!) I dy; when in the sacred stem
Of royall Ivda, in Ierusalem,
I see fell Discord, from her loathsom Cage,
To blowe her poison with ambitious rage;
Sion to swim in blood; and Achab's Daughter
Make David's House the Shambles of her Slaughter.

Athaliah.

Cursed Athaliah (shee was called so)
Knowing her Son, by Nimshi's Son, his fo
(For Ioram's sake) to bee dispacht; disloyall,
On th'holy Mount vsurps the Sceptre Royall:
And, fearing lest the Princes of the Blood
Would one-day rank her where of right shee should,
Shee cuts their throats, hangs, drowns, destroyes them all,
Not sparing any, either great or small;
No, not the infant in the Cradle, lying
Help-less (alas!) and lamentably crying
(As if bewailing of his wrongs vn-knowne);
No (O extream!) shee spareth not her owne.

Simile.

Like as a Lion, that hath tutter'd heer
A goodly Heifer, there a lusty Steer,
There a strong Bull (too-weak for him by half)
There a fair Cow, and there a tender Calf;
Strouts in his Rage, and wallows in his Prey,
And proudly doth his Victory survay;
The grass all goary, and the Heard-groom vp
Shivering for fear vpon a-Pine-Trees top:
So swelleth shee, so growes her proud Despight;
Nor Aw, nor Law, nor Faith shee reaks, nor Right.

Her Cities are so many Groves of Thieves:
Her Court a Stew, where not a chaste-one lives:
Her greatest Lords (given all, to all excess)
Instead of Prophets, in their Palaces
Have Lectures read of Lust and Surfeting,
Of Murder, Magik, and Impoisoning.

While thus shee builds her tottering Throne vpon
Her childrens bones, Iehosheba saves one,
One Royall Imp, yong Ioash, from the pile

Simile.

(As when a Fire hath fiercely rag'd awhile
In som fair House, the avaricious Dame
Saves som choice Casquet from the furious flame)

503

Hides him, provides him: and, when as the Sun

Iehoiada preserueth Ioash.

Six times about his larger Ring hath run,
Iehoiada, her husband, brings him forth
To the chief Captains and the Men of worth;
Saying: Behould, O Chiefs of Iuda, see,
See heer your Prince, great Davids Progeny,
Your rightfull King: if mee you credit light,
Beleeve this Face, his Fathers Picture right;
Beleeve these Priests, which saw him from the first,
Brought to my House, there bred, and fed, and nuç't.
In so iust Quarrell, holy Men-at-arms,
Imploy (I pray) your anger and your Arms:
Plant, in the Royall Plot, this Royall Bud:
Venge Obed's blood on strangers guilty blood:
Shake-off, with shouts, with Fire and Sword together,
This Womans Yoak, this Furie's Bondage, rather.

Then shout the People with a common cry,
Long live King Ioash; long, and happily:

Ioash.

God save the King: God save the noble seed
Of our true King and ay may They succeed.

This news now bruited in the wanton Court,
Quickly the Queen coms in a braving sort
Towards the Troop; and spying there anon
The sweet yong Prince set on a Royall Throne,
With Peers attending him on either hand,
And strongly guarded by a gallant Band;
Ah! Treason, Treason, then shee cries aloud:
False Ioyada, disloyall Priest, and proud,
Thou shalt abie it: O thou House profane!
I'll lay thee levell with the ground again:
And thou, yong Princox, Puppet as thou art,
Shalt play no longer thy proud Kingling's Part
Vpon so rich a stage: but, quickly stript,
With wyery Rods thou shalt to death bee whipt;
And so, go see thy Brethren, which in Hell
Will welcom thee, that badst not them Farwell.

But, suddenly the Guard laies hold on her,
And drags her forth, as't were a furious Cur,
Out of the sacred Temple; and, with scorn,
Her wretched corps is mangled, tugg'd and torn.

Th'High-Priest, inspired with a holy zeal,
In a new League authentikly doth seal
Th'obedient People to their bountious Prince;
And both, to God; by ioint Obedience.

Now, as a Bear-whelp, taken from the Dam,

Simile.

Is in a while made gentle, meek and tame
By witty vsage; but, if once it hap
Hee get som Grove, or thorny Mountains top,

504

Then plaies hee Rex; tears, kils, and all consumes,
And soon again his savage kinde assumes:
So Ioash, while good Ioyada survives,
For Piety with holy David strives;
But hee once dead, walking his Fathers waies,
(Ingrately-false) his Tutors

Zachariah.

son hee slaies.
Him therefore shortly his owne servants slay:
His Son, soon after, doth them like repay:
His People, him again: then, Amaziah
Vzziah fellows, Ioatham Vzziah.

Simile.

As one same ground indifferently doth breed
Both food-fit Wheat and dizzy Darnell seed;
Baen-baening

Artemisia.

Mug-wort, and cold Hemlock too;
The fragrant Rose, and the strong-senting Rue:
So, from the Noblest Houses oft there springs
Som monstrous Princes, and som vertuous Kings;
And all-fore-seeing God in the same Line
Doth oft the god-less with the godly twine,
The more to grace his Saints, and to disgrace
Tyrants the more, by their owne proper Race.

Ahaz, betwixt his Son and Ioathan
(Hee bad, they good) seems a swart Mauritan
Betwixt two Adons: Ezekiah, plaç't
Between his Father and his Son, is graç't
(Hee good they bad) as 'twixt two Thorns, a Rose;

Ezekiah.

Whereby his Vertue the more vertuous showes.
For, in this Prince, great David, the divine,
Devout, iust, valiant, seems again to shine.
And, as wee see from out the severall Seat

Simile.

Of th'Asian Princes, self-surnamed Great
(As the great Cham, great Turk, great Russian,
And if less Great, more glorious Persian)
Araxis, Chesel, Volga and many moe
Renowned Rivers, Brooks, and Floods, doo flowe,
Falling at once into the Caspian Lake,
With all their streams his streams so proud to make:

The true patern of an excellent Prince.

So, all the Vertues of the most and best
Of Patriarchs, meet in this Princes brest:
Pure in Religion, Wise in Counselling,
Stout in Exploiting, Iust in Governing;
Vn-puft in Sun-shine, vn-appall'd in Storms
(Not, as not feeling, but not fearing Harms)
And therefore bravely hee repels the rage
Of proudest Tyrants (living in his Age)
And (ay vn-danted) in his Gods behalf
Hazards at once his Scepter and himself.

For, though (for Neighbours) round about him raign
Idolaters (that would him gladly gain):

505

Though Godlings, heer of wood, and there of stone,
A Brazen heer, and there a Golden one,
With Lamps and Tapers, even as bright as Day,
On every side would draw his minde astray:
Though Assur's Prince had with his Legions fell
Forrag'd Samaria, and in Israel
Quencht the small Faith that was; and vtterly
Dragg'd the Ten Tribes into Captivity,
So far, that even the tallest Cedar-Tree
In Libanon they never since could see:
Yet, Ezechiah serues not Time; nor Fears

His Constancy in the seruice of God, & zealous Reformation of all Abuses in the same.

The Tyrants fury: nether roars with Bears,
Nor howls with Wolues, nor ever turns away:
But, godly-wise, well-knowing, that Delay
Giues leave to Ill; and Danger still doth wait
On lingering, in Matters of such waight;
He first of all sets-vp th'Almightie's Throne:
And vnder that, then he erects his owne.
Th'establishing of Gods pure Law again,
Is as the Preface of his happy Raign:
The Temple purg'd, th'High-places down he pashes,
Fells th'hallowed Groves, burns th'Iol-gods to ashes,
Which his owne Father serv'd; and, Zeal-full, brake
The Brazen Serpent, Moses yerst did make.

For, though it were a very Type of Christ,
Though first it were by th'Holy-Gost devis'd,
And not by Man (whose bold blinde Fancie's pride
Deforms God's Service, strayes on either side,
Flatters it self in his Inventions vain,
Presumes to school the Sacred Spirit again,
Controules the Word, and (in a word) is hot
In his owne fashion to serue God, or not)
Though the Prescript of Ancient vse defend it,
Though Multitude, though Miracles commend it
(True Miracles, approved in conclusion,
Without all guile of Mens or Fiends illusion)
The King yet spares not to destroy the same,
When to occasion of Offence it came;
But, for th'Abuse of a fond Peoples will,
Takes that away which was not selfly ill:
Much less permits he (thorough all his Land)
One rag, one relique, or one signe to stand
Of Idolism, or idle superstition
Blindely brought-in, without the Word's Commission.

This zealous Hate of all Abhomination,
This royall Work of thorough-Reformation,
This worthy Action wants not Recompense:
God, who his grace by measure doth dispense,

506

Who honours them that truely honour him,
To Ezechiah not so much doth seem
His sure Defence, and his Confederate:
His Quarrel's His, He hates whom him do hate,
His Fame He bears about (both far and nigh)
On the wide wings of Immortality:
To Gath He guideth his victorious Troup,
He makes proud Gaza to his Standards stoup,
Strong Ascalon he razeth to the ground:
And punishing a People wholly drownd
In Idolism, and all rebellious Sins,
Adds to his Land the Land of Philistins.
Yea, furthermore, 'tis He that him withdraws
From out the bloudy and ambitious paws
Of a fell Tyrant, whose proud bounds extend
Past bounds for breadth, and for their length past end;
Whose swarms of Arms, insulting every-where,
Made All to quake (even at his name) for feare.

Already were the Cœlo-Syrian Towrs
All sackt, and seized by th'Assyrian Powrs:
And, of all Cities where th'Isasians raign'd,
Only the great Ierusalem remain'd;

Rayling Rabsakeh, in the name of his Master Zenacherib brauing & blaspheming against God and good king Ezekiah.

When Rabsakeh, with railing insolence,
Thus braues the Hebrewes and vpbraids their Prince
(Weening, them all with vaunt-full Threats to snib)
Thus saith th'almighty, great Zenacherib:
O Salem's Kingling, wherefore art thou shut
In these weake walls? is thine affiance put
In th'ayd of Egypt? O deceitfull prop!
O feeble stay! O hollow-grounded hope!
Egypt's a staff of Reed; which, broken soon,
Runs through the hand of him that leans ther-on.
Perhaps thou trustest in the Lord thy God:
What! whom so bold thou hast abus'd so broad,
Whom to his face thou daily hast defi'd,
Depriv'd of Altars, robd on euery side
Of his High Places, hallowed Groves, and all
(Where yerst thy Fathers wont on him to call)
Whom (to conclude) thou hast exiled quite
From every place, and with profane despight
(As if condemned to perpetuall dark)
Keepst him close-Prisoner in a certain Ark?
Will He (can He) take Sion's part and Thine;
And with his Foes will He vniustly ioyn?
No (wretched) knowe, I haue His Warrant too
(Express Commission) what I haue to doo:
I am the Scourge of God: 'tis vain to stand
Against the powr of my victorious hand:

507

I execute the counsails of the Lord:
I prosecute his Vengeance on th'abhorr'd
Profaners of his Temples: and, if He
Have any Powr, 'tis all conferr'd to me.
Yield therefore, Ezechia, yield; and waigh
Who I am; who Thou art: and by delay
Blowe not the Fire which shall consume thee quite,
And vtterly counfound the Israelite.

Alas! poor People, I lament your hap:
This lewd Impostor doth but puff you vp
With addle hope, and idle confidence
(In a delusion) of your God's Defence.
Which of the Gods, against my Powr could stand,
Or save their Citties from my mightier hand?
Where's Hamath's God? Where's Arpad's God becom?
Where Sephervaim's God? and where (in summ
Where are the Gods of Heva, and Ivah too?
Haue I not Conquer'd all? So will I doo
You and your God; and I will lead you all
Into Assyria, in perpetuall Thrall:
I'll haue your Manna, and your Aron's Rod,
I'll haue the Ark of your Almighty God,
All richly furnisht, and new furbisht o'r,
To hang among a hundred Tropheis more:
And your great God shall in the Roule be read
Among the Gods that I haue Conquered:
I'll haue it so, it must, it shall be thus,
And worse then so except you yeeld to vs.

Scarce had he done, when Ezechias, gor'd
With blasphemies so spewd against the Lord,
Hies to the Temple, tears his purple weed,
And fals to Prayer, as sure hold at need.

O King of All, but Ours, especially;
Ah! sleep'st thou Lord? What boots it, that thine ey

Prayer, The Refuge of the Godly:.

Pearceth to Hell, and even from Heaven beholds
The dumbest Thoughtes in our hearts in-most folds,
If thou percçeiv'st not this proud Chalenger.
Nor hearst the Barking of this foul-mouth'd Cur?
Not against vs so much his Threats are meant,
As against Thee: his Blasphemies are bent
Against Thy Greatnes; whom he (proudly-rude)
Yoaks with the Godlings which he hath subdew'd.
Tis true indeed hee is a mighty Prince,
Whose numbrous Arms, with furious insolence,
Haue ouer-born as many as with-stood,
Made many a Province even to swim in blood,
Burnt many a Temple; and (insatiate still)
Of neighbour Gods haue wholly had their will.

508

But, O! What Gods are those? Gods void of Beeing
(Saue, by their hands that serue them) Gods vn-seeing,
New, vp-start Gods, of yester-dayes device;
To Men indebted, for their Deities:
Gods made with hands, Gods without life, or breath;
Gods, which the Rust, Fire, Hammer conquereth.

But, thou art Lord, th'invincible alone,
Th'All-seeing God, the Everlasting One:
And, whoso dares him 'gainst thy Powr oppose,
Seems as a Puff which roaring Boreas blowes,
Weening to tear the Alps off at the Foot,
Or Clowds-prop Athos from his massie Root:
Who but mis-speaks of thee, he spets at Heav'n,
And his owne spettle in his face is driven.

Lord shew thee such: take on thee the Defence
Of thine owne glory, and our innocence:
Cleer thine owne name, of blame: let him not thus
Tryumph of Thee, in tryumphing of vs:
But, let ther (Lord) vnto thy Church appear
Iust Cause of Ioy, and to thy Foes of fear.

Miraculous slaughter of the Assyrianst.

God hears his Cry, and (from th'Empyreal Round)
He wrathfull sends a winged Champion down;
Who, richly arm'd in more than humane Arms,
Moawes in one night of Heathen men at Arms
Thrice-three-score thousand, and five thousand more,
Feld round about; beside, behinde, before.

Simile.

Heer, his two eyes, which Sun-like brightly turn,
Two armed Squadrons in a moment burn:
Not much vnlike vnto a fire in stubble,
Which, sodain spreading, still the flame doth double,
And with quick succour of som Southren blasts
Crick-crackling quickly all the Country wastes.

Heer the stiff Storm, that from his mouth he blowes,
Thousands of Souldiers each on other throwes:

Simile.

Even as a Winde, a Rock, a sodain Flood
Bears down the Trees in a side-hanging Wood;
Th'Yew over-turns the Pine, the Pine the Elm,
The Elm the Oak, th'Oak doth the Ash ore-whelm;
And from the top, down to the Vale belowe,
The Mount's dis-mantled and even shamed, so.

Heer, with a Sword (such as that sacred blade
For the bright Guard of Eden's entry made)
He hacks, he heaws; and somtimes with one blowe
A Regiment hee all at once doth mowe:

Simile.

And, as a Cannon's thundrie roaring Ball,
Battering one Turret shakes the next withall,
And oft in Armies (as by proof they finde)
Kils oldest Souldiers with his very winde:

509

The whiffing Flashes of this Sword so quick,
Strikes dead a many, which it did not strike.

Heer, with his hands he strangles all at-once
Legions of foes. O Arm that Kings dis-throans!
O Army-shaving Sword! Rock-razing Hands!
World-tossing Tempest! All-consuming Brands!
O, let som other (with more sacred fire,
Than I, inflam'd) into my Muse inspire
The wondrous manner of this Overthrowe,
The which (alas!) God knowes, I little knowe:
I but admire it in confused sort;
Conceiue I cannot; and, much less, report.

Come-on, Zenacherib: where's now thine Hoast?
Where are thy Champions? Thou didst lately boast,
Th'hadst in thy Camp as many Soldiers,
As Sea hath Fishes, or the Heav'ns haue Stars:
Now, th'art alone: and yet, not all alone;
Feare and Despaire, and Fury wait vpon
Thy shame-full Flight: but, bloody Butcher, stay:
Stay, noysom Plague, fly not so fast away,
Feare not Heav'ns Fauchin: that foul brest of thine
Shall not be honor'd with such wounds divine:
Nor shalt thou yet in timely bed decease;
No: Tyrants vse not to Depart in Peace:
As bloud they thirsted, they are drown'd in blood;
Their cruell Life a cruell Death makes good.

For (O iust Iudgement!) lo, thy Sons (yer-long)

Zenacherib slain by his owne sonnes.

At Nisroch's Shrine revenge the Hebrews wrong:
Yea, thine owne Sons (foul eggs of fouler Bird)
Kill their owne Father, sheath their either sword
In thine owne throat; and, heirs of all thy vices,
Mix thine owne blood among thy Sacrifices.

This Miracle is shortly seconded

Ezekiah's sicknesse.

By one as famous and as strange, indeed.
It pleas'd the Lord with heavy hand to smight
King Ezechiah; who in dolefull plight
Vpon his bed lies vexed grieuously,
Sick of an Vlcer past all remedy.
Art failes the Leach, and issue faileth Art,
Each of the Courtiers sadly wailes a-part
His losse and Lord: Death, in a mourn full sort,
Through euery Chamber daunteth all the Court;
And, in the City, seems in every Hall
T'haue light a Taper for his Funerall.

Then Amos

The Prophet Isaiah.

Son, his bed approaching, pours
From plentious lips these sweet and golden showrs;
But that I knowe, you knowe the Lawes Diuine,
But that your Faith so every-where doth shine,

510

But that your Courage so confirm'd I see;

A comfortable Visitation of the sicke.

I should, my Liege, I should not speake so free:
I would not tell you, that incontinent
You must prepare to make your Testament:
That your Disease shall haue the vpper hand:
And Death already at your Door doth stand.

What? fears my Lord? Knowe you not heer beneath
We alwayes sayl towards the Port of Death;
Where, who first anch'reth, first is glorified?
That 't is Decreed, confirm'd, and ratified,
That (of necessity) the fatall Cup,
Once, all of vs must (in our turn) drink vp?
That Death's no pain, but of all pains the end,
The Gate of Heav'n, and Ladder to ascend?
That Death's the death of all our storms and strife,
And sweet beginning of immortall Life?
For, by one death a thousand death's we slay:
There-by, we rise from body-Toomb of Clay.
There-by, our Soules feast with celestiall food,
There-by, we com to th'heav'nly Brother-hood,
There-by, w'are chang'd to Angels of the Light,
And, face to face, behould Gods beauties bright.

The Prophet ceast: and soon th'Isaacian Prince,
Deep apprehending Death's drad form and sense,
Vnto the Wall-ward turns his weeping eyes:
And, sorow-torn, thus (to himself) he cries:

A Prayer for a sick person, mutatis mutandis.

Lord, I appeal, Lord (as thine humble childe)
From thy iust Iustice to thy Mercy milde:
Why will thy strength destroy a silly-one,
Weakned and wasted even to skin and bone;
One that adores thee with sincere affection,
The wrack of Idols, and the Saints protection?
O! shall the Good thy servant had begun
For Sion, rest now by his death vndon?
O! shall a Pagan After-king restore
The Groues and Idols I haue raz'd before?
Shall I dye Childeless? Shall thine Heritage
In vain exspect that glorious golden Age
Vnder thy Christ? O! mercy, mercy, Lord:
O Father milde, to thy dear Childe accord
Som space of life: O! let not, Lord, the voice
Of Infidels at my poor death reioyce.

The Kings praier heard, and his life prolonged 15 years.

Then said the Seer; Be of geed cheer, my Liege:
Thy sighes and tears and prayers so besiege
The throne of Pitty, that, as pearç't with-all,
Thy smiling Health God yieldeth to re-call,
Wills, to his Temple (three dayes hence) thou mount,
Retracts his Sentence, and corrects his count,

511

Makes Death go back, for fifteen yeers: as lo,
This Dial's shadow shal heer back-ward go.

His Word's confirm'd with wonderfull Effect:

The Sun goes backe.

For, lo, the Dial, which doth houres direct
(Life's-guider, Daye's-divider, Sun's-Consorter,
Shadow's dull shifter, and Time's dumb Reporter)
Puts-vp-again his passed Hours (perforce)
And back-ward goes against his wonted course.
'Tis Noon at Mid-night; and a triple Morn
Seems that long day to brandish and adorn:
Sol goes, and coms; and, yer that in the Deep
Of Atlas shade he lay him down to sleep,
His bright, Light-winged, Gold-shod wheels do cut
Three times together in the self-same rut.

Lord! what are We! or, what is our deseruing!
That, to confirm our Faith (so prone to swarving)
Thou daign'st to shake Heav'ns solid Orbs so bright;
Th'Order of Nature to dis-order quight?
To make the Sun's Teem with a swift slowe pase,
Back, back to trot; and not their wonted Race?
That, to dispell the Night so blindely-black,
Which siels our Soules, thou mak'st the shade go back
On Ahaz Dial? And, as Self-vn-stable,
Seem'st to revoke thine Acts irrevocable,
Raze thine owne Dooms (tost in vn-steddy storm)
And, to reforme vs, thine owne speech reform;
To giue thy Self the Ly: and (in a Word)
As Self-blam'd, softly to put-vp thy Sword?

Thrice-glorious God! thrice great! thrice-gratious!
Heer-in (O Lord) thou seem'st to deal with vs,

Simile.

As a wise Father, who with tender hand
Severely shaking the correcting Wand,
With voice and gesture seems his Son to threat:
Whom yet indeed he doth not mean to beat;
But, by this curb of fained Rigor, aims
To aw his Son: and so him oft reclaims.

This Prince no sooner home to Heav'n returns,
But Israël back to his vomit turns;
Him re-bemires: and, like a head-strong Colt,
Runs headlong down into a strange Revolt.
And, though Iosias, Heav'n-deer Prince (who yong
Coms wisely-olde, to liue the older long)
Had re-aduanc't the sacred Lawes divine,
Propt Sion's Wall (all ready to decline)
With his owne back; and, in his happy Raign,
The Truth re-flowr'n, as in her Prime again:
Yet Iacob's Heirs striue to resemble still
A stiff-throw'n Bowl, which running down a Hill,

Simile.

512

Meets in the way som stub, for rub, that stops
The speed a space; but instantly it hops,
It ouer-iumps; and stayes not, though it stumble,
Till to the bottom vp-side-down it tumble.

Nebuchadnezzar besiegeth Ierusalem.

With puissant Hoast proud Nebuchadnezzar
Now threatned Iuda with the worst of War:
His Camp coms marching to Ierusalem,
And her olde Walls in a new Wall doth hem.
The busie Builders of this newer Fold,
In one hand, Swords, in th'other Trowels hold,
Nor selder strikes with blades than hammers there;
With firmer foot the Sieged's shock to beare,
Who seem a swarm of Hornets buzzing out
Among their Foes, and humming round about
To spet their spight against their Enemies,
With poysorsie Darts, in noses, brows and eyes.

Cold Capricorn hath pav'd all Iuda twice
With brittle plates of crystal-crusted Ice,
Twice glased Iordan; and the Sappy-blood
Of Trees hath twice re-perriwigd the Wood,
Since the first Siege: What? sayd the yonger sort,
Shall we growe old, about a feeble Fort?
Shall we (not Martial, but more Maçon-skild)
Shall we not batter Towrs, but rather build?
And while the Hebrew in his sumptuous Chamber
Disports himself, perfum'd with Nard and Amber,
Shall We, swelting for Heat, shivering for Cold,
Heer, far from home, lie in a stinking Hold?
Shall time destroy vs? shall our proper sloath
Annoy vs more than th'Hebrews valour doth?
No, no, my Lord: let not our Fervour fault,
Through length of Siege; but let vs to th'Assault.
Let's win 't and wear it: tut (Sir) nothing is
Impossible to Chaldean courages.

Contented, said the King: braue Blouds away,
Goe seek Renown, 'mid wounds and death, to-day.

Now, in their breasts, braue Honor's Thirst began:

Nabuzaradan.

Me thinks, I see stout Nabuzaradan
Already trooping the most resolute
Of every Band, this plot to prosecute.
Each hath his Ladder; and, the Town to take,
Bears to the Wall his Way vpon his back:
But, the braue Prince cleaves quicker then the rest
His slender Firr-poles, as more prowes-full prest.

Alike they mount, affronting Death together;
But, not alike in face, nor fortune neither:

A Scalado.

This Ladder, slippery plaç't, doth slide from vnder:
That, over-sloap, snaps in the midst asunder;

513

And soldiers, falling, one another kill
(As with his weight, a hollow Rocky-Hill,

Simile.

Torn with some Torrent, or Tempestuous windes,
Shivers it self on stones it vnder-grindes):
Som, rashly climb'd (not wont to climb so high)
With giddy brains, swim headlong down the Sky:
Som, over-whelmd vnder a Mill-stone-storm,
Lose, with their life, their living bodies form.

Yet mounts the Captain, and his spacious Targe
Bears-off a Mountain and a Forest large
Of Stones and Darts, that fly about his ears;
His teeth do gnash, he threats, he sweats, and swears:
As steady there, as on the ground, he goes;
And there, though weary, he affronts his Foes,
Alone; and halfly-hanging in the ayr,
Against whole Squadrons standing firmly fair:
Vpright he rears him, and his Helmet braue
(Where, not a Plume, but a huge Tree doth wave)
Reflecting bright, above the Paripet,
Affrights th'whole Citty with the shade of it.
Then as half Victor, and about to venter
Over the Wall, and ready even to enter;
With his bright Gantlet's scaly fingers bent
Grasping the coping of the battlement,
His hold doth fail, the stones, vn-fastned, fall
Down in the Ditch, and (headlong) he with-all:
Yet, he escapes, and getts again to shoar;
Thanks to his strength: but, to his courage more.

Now heer (me thinks) I hear proud Nergal raue:

Nergal.

In War (quoth he) Master or Match to haue,
By Mars I scorn; ye, Mars himself in Arms;
And all the Gods, with all their brauing Storms.
O wrathfull Heav'ns, roar, lighten, thunder threat;
Gods, do your worst; with all your batteries beat:
If I begin, in spight of all your powrs
I'll scale your Walls, I'll take your Crystall Towrs.
Thus spewd the Curr; and (as he spake withal
Climbs-vp the steepest of a dreadfull Wall,
With his bare-feet on roughest places sprawling,
With hook-crookt hands vpon the smoothest crawling.

As a fell Serpent, which som Shepheard-lad

Simile.

On a steep Rock incounters gladly-sad,
Turning and winding nimbly to and fro,
With wriggling pase doth still approach his Foe,
And with a Hiss, a Frisk, and flashing ey,
Makes sodainly his faint Assailer fly:
Even so the Duke, with his fierce countenance,
His thundring-voice, his helms bright radiance,

514

Drives Pashur from the Walls and Iucal too
(A iolly Prater, but a Iade to doo;
Brauer in Counsail then in Combat, far)
With Sephatiah, tinder of this War;
And Malchy, he that doth in Prison keep
Vnder the ground (a hundred cubits deep)
Good Ieremie, an instrument, alone
Inspir'd with breath of th'ever-living One.

Let's fly, cries Pashur: fly this Infidell,
Rather this Fiend, the which no waight can fell.
What force can front, or who incounter can
An armed Faulcon, or a flying Man?

While Nergal speeds his Victory too-fast,
His hooks dis-pointed disappoint his haste;
Prevent him, not of praise, but of the Prize
Which (out of doubt) he did his owne surmize.
He swears end tears: (what should? what could he more)?
He cannot vp, nor will he down, therefore.
Vnfortunate! and vainly-valiant!

Simile.

He's fain to stand like the Funambulant
Who seems to tread the air, and fall he must,
Save his Self's waight him counter-poyseth iust;
And saue the Lead, that in each hand he bears,
Doth make him light: the gaping Vulgar fears,
Amaz'd to see him; weening nothing stranger
Than Art to master Nature, lucre danger.
At last, though loath (full of despight and rage)
He slideth down into a horrid hedge,
Cursing and banning all the Gods; more mad
For the disgrace, than for the hurt he had.

Mines & Coūtermines.

Els-where the while (as imitating right
The Kinde-blinde Beast, in russet Velvet dight)
Covertly marching in the Dark by day,
Samgarnebo seeks vnder ground his way.
But Ebedmelech, warn'd of his Designes,
With-in the Town against him counter-mines
Courageously, and still proceedeth on,
Till (resolute) he bring both Works to one;
Till one strict Berrie, till one winding Cave
Becom the Fight-Field of two Armies brave.

As the selfe-swelling Badgerd, at the bay

Simile.

With boldest Hounds (inured to that Fray)
First at the entry of his Burrow fights,
Then in his Earth; and either other bites:
The eager Dogs are cheer'd with claps and cryes:
The angry Beast to his best chamber flies,
And (angled there) sits grimly inter-gerning;
And all the Earth rings with the Terryes yearning:

515

So fare these Miners; whom I pitty must,
That their bright Valour should so darkly ioust.

While hotly thus they skirmish in the Vault,
Quick Ebedmelech closely hither brought
A Dry-Fat, sheath'd in latton plates with-out,
With-in with Feathers fill'd, and round about
Bor'd full of holes (with hollow pipes of brass)
Save at one end, where nothing out should pass;
Which (having first his Iewish Troops retir'd;
Iust in the mouth of th'enter-Mine he fir'd:
The smoak whereof with odious stink doth make
The Pagans soon their hollow Fort forsake:
As from the Berries in the Winter's night
The Keeper drawes his Ferret (flesht to bite).

Simile.

Now Rabshakeh (as busie) other-where
A rowling Towr against the Town doth rear,
And on the top (or highest stage) of it
A flying Bridge, to reach the Courtin fit,
With pullies, poles; and planked Battlements
On every story, for his Men's defence.
On th'other side, the Towns-men are not slowe
With counter-plots to counter-push their Foe:
Now, at the wooden side, then at the front,
Then at the Engins of the Persian Mount,
With Brakes and Slings, and

Instruments of Warr wherin wild fire is put.

Phalariks they play,
To fire their Fortress and their Men to slay:
But yet, a Cord-Mat (stifly stretcht about)
Defends the Towr, and keeps their Tempests out.

While thus they deale; Sephtiah, desperat,
Him secretly out of the Citty gat,
And with a Pole of rozen-weeping Fir,
So furiously he doth himself bestir,
That with the same the walking Fort he fires:
The cruel flame so to the top aspires,
That (maugre Blood, shed from aboue in slaughter,
And, from belowe, continuall spouting Water)
It parts the Fray: stage after stage it catches,
And th'half-broyld Soldiers headlong down it fetches.

The King (still constant against all extreames)
To press them neerer yet, with mighty beams
Rears a new Plat-form, neerer to the Wall,
And couers it, with three-fold shelter, all;
The Timber (first) with Mud, the Mud with Hides,
The Hides with Woll-sacks (which all Shot derides).
As th'Aier exhaled by the fiery breath

Simile.

Of th'Heav'nly Lion, on an open Heath,
Or on the tresses of a tufted Plain,
Pours-down at-once both Fier and Hail and Rain:

516

So all at once the Isaacian Soldiers threw
Floods, Flames and Mountains on these Engines new:
But th'hungry Flames the Muddy-damp repels;
The Mounts, the Wooll; the drowning Floods, the Fels.

There-vnder (safe) the Ram with iron horn,
The brazen-headed clov'n-foot Capricorn,
The boisterous Trepane, and steel Pick-ax play
Their parts apace, not idle night nor day.
Heer, thorough-riv'n from top to toe, the Wall
On reeling props hangs ready ev'n to fall:
There, a vast-Engine thundereth vpside-down
The feeble Courtin of the sacred Town.

Simile.

If you haue been, where, you haue seen som-whiles,
How with the Ram they driue-in mighty Piles
In Dover Peer, to bridle with a Bay
The Sand-cast Current of the raging Sea;
Swift-ebbing streams bear to the Sea the sownd,
Eccho assisteth, and with shrill rebound
Fils all the Town, and (as at Heav'nly Thunder)
The Coast about trembles for fear and wonder;
Then haue you heard and seen the Engins beating
On Sion's Walls, and her foundations threatning.

In fine, the Chaldeis take Ierusalem,
And reave for ever Iuries Diadem.
The smoaky burning of her Turrets steep
Seems even to make the Sunn's bright ey to weep:
And wretched Salem, buried (as it were)
Vnder a heap of her owne Children dear,
For lack of Friends to keep her Obsequies,
Constraineth sighs (even) from her Enemies:
Her massie Ruins and her Cinders showe
Her Wealth and Greatnes yer her overthrowe.
A sodain horror seizeth every eye
That views the same: and every Passer-by
(Yea, were he Gete, or Turk, or Troglodite)
Must needs, for pitty of so sad a Sight,
Bestowe som tears, som swelling sighs, or grones
Vpon these batter'd sculs, these scatter'd stones.
In Palaces, where lately (gilded rich)
Sweet Lutes were heard, now luck-less Oules doo screech:
The sacred Temple, held (of late) alone
Wonder of Wonders, now a heap of stone:
The House of God (the Holiest-Holy-Place)
Is now the House of Vermin vile and base:
The Vessels, destin'd vnto sacred vse,
Are now profan'd in Riot and Abuse:
None scapeth wounds, if any scape with life:
The Father's reft of Son, the Man of Wife:

517

Iacob's exil'd, Iuda's no more in Iury,
But (wretched) sighes vnder the Caldean fury.

Their King in chains, with shame and sorrow thrill'd;

Hoshea.

Before his face sees all the fairest pill'd;
Yea, his owne Daughters, and his Wives (alas!)
(Rich Vines and Oliues of his lawfull Race)
Whose loue and beauty did his age delight,
Shar'd to the Souldiers, rauisht in his sight.

O, Father, Father, thus the Daughters cry
(About his neck still hanging tenderly)
Whither (alas!) O, whither hale they vs?
O, must we serue their base and beastly Lusts?
Shall they dissolue our Virgin-zones? Shall they
(Ignoble Grooms) gather our Mayden-May,
Our spot-less Flowr, so carefully preserv'd
For som great Prince, that mought haue vs deseru'd?
O Hony-dropping Hills we yerst frequented,
O Milk-full Vales, with hundred Brooks indented,
Delicious Gardens of deer Israel;
Hills, Gardens, Vales, we bid you all fare-well:
We (will-we-nill-we) hurried hence, as slaues,
Must now, for Cedron, sip of Tygris waues;
And (weaned from our natiue Earth and Air)
For Hackney-Iades be sould in every Fayr;
And (O hearts horror!) see the shame-less Foe
Forcing our Honours, triumph in our woe.

All-sundring Sword! and (O!) all-cindring Fire!
Which (mercy-less) do Sion's Wrack conspire,
Why spare you vs, more cruell (cry'd the Wives)
In leaving ours, then reaving other's lives?
Your Pitie's pity-less, your Pardon Torture:
For, quick dispatch had made our Sorrows shorter;
But your seem-Favour, that prolongs our breath,
Makes vs, aliue, to die a thousand Deaths.
For, O deer Husband, deerest Lord, can we,
Can we survive, absented quite from Thee,
And slaues to those whose Talk is nothing els
But thy Disgrace, thy Gyves, and Israels?
Can we (alas!) exchange thy Royall bed
(With cunning-cost rare-richly furnished)
For th'vgly Cabbin and the louzie Couch
Of som base Buffon, or som beastly Slouch?
Can we, alas! can wretched we (I say)
We, whose Commands whole Kingdoms did obay,
We, at whose beck even Princes knees did bend,
We, on whose Train there dayly did attend
Hundreds of Eunuchs, and of Maids of Honour
(Kneeling about vs in the humblest manner)

518

To dress vs neat, and duly every Morn
In Silk and Gold our Bodies to adorn;
Dress others now? work, on disgrace-full frame
(Weeping the while) our Sion's wo-full flame?
Dragging like Moyls? drudge in their Mills? and hold,
Brooms in our hands, for Sceptre-Rods of gold?

Com, Parrats, com, y'haue prated, now enough
(The Pagans cry in their insulting ruff)
On Chalde shoars you shal go sigh your fill,
You must with vs to Babel: there at will
You may bewail: there, this shall be your plight,
Our Mayds by day, our Bed-fellows by night.
And, as they spake, the shame-less lust-full crew
With furious force the tender Ladies drew
Even from between th'arms of the woefull King,
Them haling rough, and rudely hurrying;
And little lackt the act of most despight,
Ev'n in their Father's and their Husbands sight,
Who, his hard Fortune doth in vaine accuse,
In vain he raves, in vain he roars and rews:
Even as a Lion, prisoned in his grate,
Whose ready dinner is bereft of late,
Roars hideously; but his fell Fury-storm
May well breed horror, but it brings no harm.

The proud fell Pagans doo yet farther pass:
They kill, they tear, before the Father's face
(The more to gore: what Marble but would bleed?)
They massacre his miserable seed.

O! said the Prince, can you less pitious be
To these Self-yeelders (prostrate at your knee)
Than sternly-valiant to the stubborn-stout
That 'gainst your rage courageously stood-out?
Alas! what haue they don? what could they doo
To vrge reuenge and kindle wrath in you?
Poore silly Babes vnder the Nources wing,
Haue they conspir'd against the Chaldean King?
Haue these sweet Infants, that yet cannot speak,
Broak faith with you? Haue these, so yong and weak,
Yet in their Cradle, in their Clouts, bewayling
Their Woes to-com (to all Man-kinde, vnfayling)
Dis-ray'd your Ranks? Haue these that yet doo craul
Vpon all fowre, and cannot stand, at all,
With-stood your Fury, and repulst your Powrs,
Frust'red your Rams, fiered your flying Towrs?
And, bravely sallying in your face (almost)
Hew'n-out their passage thorough all your Hoast?

O! no Chaldeans, only I did all:
I did complot the King of Babels fall:

519

I foyld your Troups: I filld your sacred Flood
With Caldean bodies, dy'd it with your blood.
Turn therfore, turn your bloody Blades on-me;
O! let these harm-less Little-ones goe free;
And stain not with the Blood of Innocents
Th'immortall Tropheis of your high Attents.
So, ever may the Riphean Mountains quake
Vnder your feet: so ever may you make
South, East, and West your owne: on every Coast
So, ay victorious march your glorious Hoast:
So, to your Wiues be you thrice welcom home,
And so God bless your lawfull-loved womb
With Self-like Babes, your substance with increase,
Your selues (at home) with hoary haires in Peace.

But as a Rock, against which the Heav'ns do thunder,

Simile.

Th'Aire roars about, the Ocean rageth vnder,
Yields not a iot: no more this savage Crew;
But rather, muse to find-out Tortures new.
Heer, in (his sight) these cruell Lestrigons
Between them take the eldest of his Sons,
With keenest swords his trembling flesh they heaw,
One gobbet heer, another there they streaw.
And from the veins of dead-lyve limbs, alas!)
The spirit-full blood spins in his Fathers's face.
There, by the heels his second Son they take,
And dash his head against a Chimnies back;
The scull is pasht in peeces, like a Crock,
Or earthen Stean, against a stony Rock:
The scatterd batterd Brains about besmeard,
Som hang (O horror!) in the Fathers beard.
Last on himselfe their savage fury flyes,
And with sharp bodkins bore they out his eyes:
The Sun he loses, and an end-less night
Beclowds for euer his twin-balled sight:
He sees no more, but feels the woes he bears;
And now for crystall, weeps he crimsin tears,
For, so God would (and iustly too, no doubt)
That he which had in Iuda clean put-out
Th'immortall Lamp of all religious light,
Should have his eyes put-out, should lose his sight;
And that his body should be outward blinde,
As inwardly (in holy things) his minde.

O Butchers (said he) satiat your Thirst,
Swill, swill your fill of Blood, vntill you burst:
O! broach me not with bodkin, but with knife;
O! reaue me not my bodie's light, but life:
Giue me the sight not of the Earth, but Skies:
Pull-out my heart: O! poach not out mine eyes.

520

Why did you not this barbarous deed dispatch,
Yet I had seen me an vnsceptred Wretch,
My Citties sackt, my wealthy subiects pild,
My Daughters rauisht, and my Sonns all kild?
Or else, why stayd you not till I had seen
Your (Beast-like) Master grazing on the Green:
The Medes conspiring to supplant your Throne:
And Babel's glory vtter ouerthrowne?
Then had my soule with Fellow-Falls bin eas'd:
And then your pain, my pain had part appeas'd.

O ragefull Tyrants! moody Monsters, see,
See heer my Case; and see your selues in me.
Beware Contempt: tempt not the Heav'nly Powrs,
Who thunder-down the high-aspiring Towrs
(But mildely pardon, and permit secure
Poor Cottages that lie belowe obscure)
Who Pride abhor; who lift vs vp so high,
To let vs fall with greater infamy.
Th'Almighty sports him with our Crowns and vs;
Our glorie stands so fickle-founded thus
On slippery wheels, alreadie rowling down:
He gives vs not, but only shewes the Crown:
Our Wealth, our Pleasure, and our Honour too
(Whereat the Vulgar make so much a-doo)
Our Pomp, our State, our All that can be spoken,
Seems as a glass, bright-shining, but soon broken.

Thrice-happy He, whom with his sacred arm,
Th'Eternall props against all Haps of Harm;
Who hangs vpon his prouidence alone,
And more preferrs God's Kingdom than his owne.

So happy be great BRITANNE Kings (I pray)
Our Soueraigne Iames, and all his Seed for ay;
Our hope-full Henry, and a hundred me
Good, faithfull Stvarts (in successiue rowe)
Religious, righteous, learned, valiant, wise,
Sincere to Vertue, and seuere to Vice;
That not alone These dayes of Ours may shine
In Zeal-full Knowledge of the Trvth divine,
And We (illightned with her sacred rayes)
May walk directly in the Saving wayes
Of faith-full Seruice to the One true Deitie,
And mutuall Practice of all Christian Pietie;
But, that our Nephews, and their Nephews (till
Time be no more) may be conducted still
By the same Cloud by day, and Fire by night
(Through this vast Desart of the World's despight)
Towards their Home, the heav'nly Canaan,
Prepared for vs yer the World began:

521

That they with vs, and we (complete) with them,
May meet triumphant in Iervsalem;
With-in whose Pearly Gates and Iasper Walls
(Where, th'Holy Lamb keeps his high Nuptialls,
Where needs no shining of the Sunn or Moon;
For, God's owne face makes there perpetuall Noon:
Where shall no more be Waylings, Woes, nor Cryes;
For, God shall wipe all tears from weeping eyes)
Shall enter nothing filthy or vnclean;
No Hog, no Dog no Sodomit obscœne,
No Witch no Wanton, no Idolater,
No Theef, no Drunkeard, no Adulterer,
No Wicked-liuer, neither wilfull Lyer:
These are without, in Tophet's end-less Fier.

Yet such as these (or som of these, at least)
We all haue been: in som-what all haue mist
(And, had we broken but one Precept sole,
The Law reputes vs guilty of the whole):
But, we are washed, in the Sacred-Flood;
But, we are purged, with the Sprinkled-Blood;
But, by the Spirit, we now are sanctify'd;
And, through the Faith in Iesvs, iustify'd.
Therefore no more let vs our selues defile,
No more return vnto our Vomit vile,
No more profane vs with Concupiscence,
Nor spot the garment of our Innocence:
But, constant in our Hope, feruent in Love
(As even al-ready conuersant Aboue)
Proceed we cheerely in our Pilgrimage
Towards our happy promis'd Hæritage,
Towards That Citty of heart-bound-less Bliss
Which Christ hath purchast with his Blood, for His:
To whom, with Father, and the Spirit, therefore
Be Glory, Praise, and Thanks for-evermore.

Amen Amen Amen.

FINIS.