University of Virginia Library

Neuer did Adam more lament and plaine,
For Abel, by his cruell Brother slaine,
Then Iacob mourn'd for fairest Rachels Seede,
Nor would by any meanes be comforted:
All Day the field his Lamentations heares,
All Night his Couch he watreth with his teares:
And if least slumber close his blubbring eyes,
Him thinkes he sees a cruell Beare surprize
His dearest Ioseph; crying out for aid,
And starting vp, awakes, much more afraid,
His Spirit's thus spent, his Body wearied,
With groanes, and tossing vp and downe his Bed:
Loe, aged Isaack, who had long beene blinde
Of's fleshly eyes, but yet of clearer minde,
Comes to his comfort, being thither led
By Beniamin, who to him ministred.
Long stood he mute, and to the grieuous moanes
Of his blist Iacob ecchoed with groanes,
Till's heart with sorrow ready now to breake,
With words all weight, he thus begins to speake.

Deare Sonne, the staffe and comfort of mine age,
The blessed fruit of holy Marriage,
Far more to Mee, then to thee Ioseph deare,
Mine only Sonne, by Promise, But thou here
Hast Beniamin, by thy beloued wife,
Faire Rachel, whilst she liu'd thy Ioy and Life:
Not that I Ioseph dead or lost doe feare,
God that of mee and Abram had such care,
Hath no lesse of thee and thy blest seede,
In which all happinesse is promised.
And if of all, of him especially
VVho is the chiefe of all thy Family:
To whom the Sunne the Moone and Starres must fall,
VVhose Sheafe his brethrens Sheafs must worship all.
Of these two dreames I was a due obseruer,
And reade thence he shall be a great preseruer,
A figure of that Sauiour great, which shall
Himselfe by losing saue himselfe and all.
Thus was I once lost to my faithfull sire,
VVhen on the Altar kindled was the fire,
The knife was ready lift vp by his hand,
To sacrifice my Life at Gods command:
Thus thou as lost, for more then thrice seuen yeares,
Be vail'd wert by mine and Rebeccas teares,
VVhen Esaus wrath thee draue to Siria plaine,
But God Almightie brought thee home againe:
And I presage before the reuolution
Of thrise seu'n yeares, God will the whole solution
of Iosephs dreames with Ioy to thee vnfold,
VVhich shall reuiue thy spirit then being old:
Before great Blessings God doth Crosses send,
That we may on his Prouidence attend,
And see the riches of his grace more cleare,
VVhich hardlier here obtain'd, we hold more deare:
Thus Isaac doth interpre: Visions darke,
As great Mathuselah at building th' Arke,
VVho liu'd vntill the yeare of th' inundation,
As plaine appeares by Ages Computation.

Good Israel was wonderfully mou'd
At sight of those, he reuerenc'd so and lou'd,
His Beniamin but newly taught to stride,
Of his blinde Grandsires steppes then being guide,
Both which seem'd two good Angels to him sent
From heau'n, to ease his griefe and discontent:
VVherefore soone rising on his wearie bed,
Hauing his Father duly honoured,
He answers with a piteous sigh and grone,
Ioseph is gone, and I am left alone:
Deare Rachels first borne, whom to make my wife,
I was a seruant best part of my Life.
After we had beene maryed foureteene yeares,
Rachel and I, with Prayers, Vowes, and teares,
Begg'd him of God: Then did my yeares expire,
VVhich Laban for my two wiues me did hire:
One daughter and tenne sonnes I had before,
By Leah seu'n, and by my Handmaids foure,
But I my Ioseph priz'd them all aboue,
As I his Mother more then theirs did loue:
And though I churlish did mine Vncle finde,
In many things herein he was most kinde,
To pay me wages ere my worke was done;
For I had Rachel ere that I begun
My first yeares Seruice, whereby seu'n yeares seem'd
But a few daies, so I her loue esteem'd:
No man had euer more experience
Then I of Gods good grace and Prouidence,
VVhen I was first to Padan Aram sent,
I only with my staffe forth from thee went
To Bethel, where th' Almightie Lord to mee
Appear'd by Vision, promising to bee
My God, and to my Seede the Land to giue,
Whereon I slept; which firmely I beleeue.
Then did I vow, so he would me protect
Safe in my Iourney, and my wayes direct,
Giuing me Bread to eate, and Clothes to weare,
The Tenth of all I had, to offer there:
God gaue my asking, and abundance more,
So as I thence return'd with stocke, and store:
And though I long forbare my Vow to pay,
God neuer me forgot, vnto this day.
I confident, beyond all hope, can proue
I him shall see againe, whom so I loue,
At the last day: till then, hee's dead, and gone,
No hope before of Resurrection.
This is his colour'd Coat, begored red
By Iawes of Beasts, which on his Carkasse fed.
Were I now blinde, I happy were, then could
I not this dismall spectacle behold.

But if, saith Isaack, he hath chang'd his Tent
For heau'nly home, why should you thus lament,
As without hope? since now he is at rest,
Let likewise the remembrance of him rest.
Weepe you, because your losse turnes to his gaine?
Your mourning cannot bring him back againe.
God, our chiefe comforts oft from vs doth rend,
Lest we too much on outward meanes depend.
It may be, you your loue so on him set,
You thereby did your loue to God forget:
Then's Iustice iustly him from you hath rent,
And Mercy giues you cause now to repent.
But whether Ioseph liuing be, or dead,
Let little Beniamin stand in his stead:
What your affection so to him enclin'd,
You eu'n the same in Beniamin shall find,
Of Rachel both begot in marriage bed,
Only this last she neuer suckeled,
For in the paines of Birth she left her life,
Thus he a tender nurse lost, thou a wife:

This Isaacks rubbing on an ancient sore,
Made Israel lament more then before;
So as the childe who still was standing by,
To heare such mourning weepes for company:
And as a Parret, newly taught to prate,
The voice doth of another imitate,
So cryes the Boy; good Father, Ioseph's gone,
And I alas! here left am all alone.
Tis this fine colour'd coat he wont to weare,
Good father let vs it to Ioseph beare,
(For that was euer vnder Iacobs arme)
He may haue neede thereof to keepe him warme.
These pleasant reasons from the witty child,
Old Iacob of his sorrowes so beguil'd,
He was content a while his heart to ease,
The better this his dearest Boy to please.
And since he Ioseph thought dead, and at rest
By little he his Lamentations ceast,
But euer little Beniamin would cry,
To let him goe to Ioseph by and by.

My Boy saith Iacob, if that thou wilt goe
To Ioseph, thou must first as Ioseph doe,
Be a good Boy, serue God, thy prayers say
At Morne, at Night, and oftentimes a day:
All lying, swearing, idle talke forbeare,
Duly obey and serue thy Parents deare,
To any, nor of any speake least ill,
And alwaies be obedient to Gods will:
For so did Ioseph, therefore I had giu'n
Him this fine colour'd coat, But now in heau'n
He is most gloriously by God arraid,
And sees all Ioyes and Pleasures can be said.

By this the Boy to imitate growes faine,
Ioseph in all, for hope of Iosephs gaine;
If Iacob any thing would haue him doe,
Say Ioseph did it, he would doe it too,
If he from any ill would him retaine,
Say Ioseph would not do't, he would refraine:
All which he so well ordered, that in fine,
The Boy was measur'd all by Iosephs Line,
And Iacob so delighted therewithall,
He leaues his couch and comes downe to the Hall,
Where euer Beniamin his darling deare,
Was ready with his pratling him to cheare,
Till in the end his loue so on him set,
Makes him all griefe for Iosephs losse forget:
And pleasure take in Beniamin now more,
Then he in Ioseph euer did before.
So doth one for his wife oft weepe and crie,
As, after her, he would not liue but die,
Forbeares his meat, till time of mourning past,
Then cheares his spirits, and fals to his repast,
And suddenly a second mariage proues,
Whome he more dearely then the former loues,
And so his deare affection on her sets,
He all his former sorrowes quite forgets.
Thus liu'd old Iacob many Iacob many happy yeares
With Beniamin, but wisely he forbeares
Him to aduenture once out of his sight,
Lest as good Ioseph him befall it might.

Twelue times through all the Signes the Sunne had past,
And now through Gemini was making hast,
When he more kindly on his Paramore
The Earth did shine, then euer heretofore:
Which made the superstitious Cananite
Adore this Planet, as a God of might,
And by Religion of his owne deuising,
To worship the Sunne-setting, well as rising.
And amongst other their Inuentions vaine,
Dan Phœbus to leaue Delos Ile they faine,
To court the Nimph of Iordane for his Bride,
And her to honour with his fertile side.
Therefore her Bankes he richly doth adorne,
And Hills and Valleyes fills so thicke with Corne,
The eared Lands seeme a continued plaine,
VVhose eares of Corne stoope to the ground againe,
And she proud of the honour of his rayes,
Her bosome all with fragrant flowres begayes,
The more him with sweet sauours to delight,
And seeme more faire embellisht in his sight:
VVhich made the Hills and Dales to laugh and sing.
And all the Birds with sweetest warbeling,
VVith them to tune sweet ditties to his praise,
VVhose heat and Light diuides the night from daies.

Seu'n times this Gyant his full course had run,
And ended, where his trauell he begun,
VVhilst Iordans Nimph continues in his grace,
VVhich Canaan made the happyest fruitfull place
Of all the Regions, where Sunnes fertile heate,
Doth cause the Laborer with Ioy to sweate.
But as we alwaies after Drowth see Raine,
Warre after Peace, and after Pleasure Paine;
So after plenteous and fruitfull yeares,
Great famine, want, and scarcitie appeares
In Canaans Land: For seu'n yeares being past
Of Plenty; Famine all the world doth wast.
Therefore, they that of late Sols mariage fain'd,
Now of his wrath and Iealousie complain'd,
That he which with his Beames late cherished
All fruits, the Earth in fruitfull bosome bred,
Was so inflam'd with Iealousie and Ire,
As if he all the Earth would set on fire:
So as he either would her seedes not daigne
To quicken, or if that the hopefull graine
Promis'd a fruitfull haruest at the last,
He in his fury all would burne or blast,
Thus did those heathen of Gods wonders fable,
And vainly construe his workes admirable.

But good old Israel who, like Lilly-white
Amongst the thornes, fear'd God and did vpright,
The glory they did to the Creature giue,
Gaue the Creator, who doth euer liue,
And looking to the Author of this store,
For this his greater plenty, honours more.
And takes the Famine for a Chastisement
To man for sinne, that so he might repent.
But as the plenteous store did nothing breede
But Pride and Follies vaine in Canaans seede,
(Excessiue rioting, Lust, Drunkennesse,
Amongst the rich: Nicenesse and Idlenesse
Amongst the poore: who swinishly eu'n all
The Acornes eate, but looke not whence they fall,
Consuming all the Corne their land them beares,
Not laying vp least store for dearer yeares,
But loathing and despising courser graine,
Transport it as superfluous for their gaine,
So when the Earth denide like store to bring
All fall to grudging and to murmuring,
And Sol whom, they so honourd at the first
For his high fauours, for his Fury curst:
And those which late so plenteously were fed
In the first yeare, are like to sterue for bread.
Yea holy Jacob though he were exempt
From Canaans sinnes, yet in their punishment
Doth beare his share, and now for want of Bread
He feares the ruine of himselfe and seede.
And though he sole relyeth on Gods grace,
Of which he had good tryall in like case,
Neglects no meanes to make supply of store.

But thus bespeakes his sonnes, I heretofore,
When plenty in your fields did so abound,
Wisht that a man amongst you might be found,
Who wisely would for future wants prouide,
But folly tis for Had-I-wist to chide,
We heare ther's store of Corne in Egypt land,
Yet one doth gaping on another stand;
Oh hast you thither Bread from thence to buy,
To saue aliue vs and our Family.

The brethren ten, (for Iacob would not send
Downe Beniamin with them) do soone descend
To Egypt, where neare Memphis on the way
A graue old Sage they ouertake in gray,
Who seem'd by his graue gestures and his motions,
To be a Hermit, now at his deuotions.

As Isaacke going out one Eu'n to pray,
Seeing his seruant lighting on the way,
With faire Rebecca vaild, and all her traine,
Left his deuotions them to entertaine;
Eu'n so this Sage, whose eyes on heauen were plast,
As they would thither ere his body hast,
Seeing these gentle strangers there alight,
And him to mutuall courtesie inuite,
Leaues his deuotions, and of them enquires,
(Knowing they Hebrewes were by their attires)
In their owne language, what, and whence they are,
Which true and plainly they to him declare:
And farther tell him that a famine sore
Had now consum'd their Corne and all their store,
Compelling them from Canaan to goe downe
To Egypt, where they knew none, nor were knowne.
Therefore saith Ruben, may we you request
Vs strangers to informe, as you may best,
Of your condition first, next of your king,
Your countrey, and your forme of gouerning:
And if, as Fame reports, here's store of graine,
And how and where we may the same obtaine,
For here, eu'n as at home, we see all wast,
No future haruest, nor least signe of Past,
And therefore with my brethren I desire
To know the cause of what we so admire,
Without a Seed-time or a Haruest, Plentie.
And Garners full, although the fields be emptie.

Brethren said Trismegist, for so he hight,
I first must here lay open to your sight,
That Being's his goodnesse Power and Prouidence:
By which we all haue Motion, Being, Sense,
Who, the first cause of all, doth things dispose
By Second, these we see, that keepes he close:
I am a Priests and Princes eldest sonne,
For Priests and Princes are in Egypt one,
And to the Sunne, as was our countrey guize,
Was consecrate to offer Sacrifice,
Great Trismegistus was mine ancester,
A King, a Priest, and a Philosopher:
Soone as my Tongue mens words could imitate,
And, though with little vnderstanding, prate,
My parents me instruct to learne by heart
The rules of Wisedome, and the lawes of Art,
The aspects of the Starres, their seuerall wayes,
Coniunctions, Orders, Jnterposings, Stayes,
Flying of Birds, Beasts intrailes, and in fine,
All that might make with them a sound Diuine.
And well I profited, for ere least haire
Of Siluer, with my Golden did appeare,
The wisest, I of all my Peeres was deem'd,
And most in Temple and in Court esteem'd:
Could best of all expound the hardest Theames,
Tell men their Fortunes, and interpret Dreames:
Thus I the Oracle was many a yeare
Of Egypt, and of all the Countries neare;
Till that high Wisdome which things future knowes
As present, Them by Dreames to Pharoh showes.

Fast by a Riuer side him thought he stood,
Whence came vp seu'n fat Kine, well flesht and good,
And other seu'n ill-fauour'd Leane, that houre
Came vp, and all the faire ones did deuoure:
Againe, he slept, and saw seu'n eares of Corne
On one root, well-set, ranke, and goodly borne,
Which seuen thin blasted, spoild and eate vp cleane,
Then Pharoh wak'd, and lo! it was a dreame.
The Morning come, and he sore troubeled,
His Southsayers are all assembeled,
Pharoh thereof to vs makes declaration,
But not a man can giue th' interpretation.
Our Spheres, Spels, Circles, Birdes, nor Sorceries
Had power to discerne these Mysteries:
Then Pharoh mou'd, and thenceforth grieuing sore,
Forbeares his meate, and comes abroad no more:
Vntill his Butler, rais'd againe to grace,
Who had forgot his friend in wretched case,
Till twice twelue times the Moon with borrowed light,
Had fill'd her hornes (for friends once out of sight,
Are eu'n as soone out of a Courtiers minde,
“Such Curtesie in Court most Schollers finde):

Thus said to Pharoh, Sir you cannot yet
Chuse but remember, how you did commit
Me and your Baker to your Stewards ward,
For some misdeeds, which you of vs had heard:
Where in the Prison we a young man found,
In whom diuinest wisedome did abound,
For we a seuerall Dreame had in a night,
Which told to him, to vs he read aright;
The Baker to the Gallowes, I to Grace
Should be restor'd, and all in three dayes space:
This of our Dreames th' interpretation was,
All which you saw most truely came to passe.
Thus ends the Butler: Pharaoh glad to heare
Of ought might ease his longing, wishd him there,
Who quickly sent for, shau'd, appareld white,
As him became to stand in Pharohs sight,
Heard, and as soone his Dreame did right expound,
Which by nine yeares experience true is found.
For these seau'n faire Kine, and ranke goodly eares,
He did interpret seu'n fat fruitfull yeares,
The seu'n thin sterued which did them deuower,
Seu'n yeares of famine; In a lucky hower
For Egypt: for thus store we vp did lay
In fruitfull yeares, against this euill day:
And not sole happy for our temporall store,
But spirituall: For many who before
(Long led in ignorance and errour blind,
Till they Gods Truth by good experience find)
To stones and stockes, Sunne, Moone, and Starres did fall
Now worship God the maker of vs all:
Of which, for euer (blessed be his name)
A thankfull one I, though th' vnworthiest, am.
And hauing all vaine worldly ioyes forsaken,
Now to deuotion sole my selfe betaken.

Thus ends the Sage: When Iudah, holy Sire,
Hearing thy words, Gods goodnesse we admire,
Happy that God hath kindled in thy breast,
The holy Fire these flames doe manifest:
But tell vs what became of that great Sage
Which of such store and famine did presage:
You told vs how the Butler him neglected,
But how hath Pharoh his desert respected?
For great ones, for the most part, doe despise
The poore, though they be ne're so iust and wise:
And though the Land is by their wisedomes guarded,
They are not long respected or rewarded.

That's th' end, saith Trismegist, for which I told
The rest. When as King Pharoh did behold
Such heaun'ly wisedome, in such youthfull yeares,
(For scarse six Lustres in his face appeares,)
Who counsell'd him with speede for to prouide,
A man of vnderstanding, that might guide
His vnder Officers, through all the Land,
To store vp plenty vnder Pharohs hand:
The fifth part e'un of all their Corne and seede,
To feede his people in the time of neede:
The saying seem'd so good in Pharohs eyes,
And all his Seruants, that they soone deuise,
(Because no man in Egypt could be found,
In whom the Spirit of God did so abound)
To place him ouer all his house and Land,
That all might be eu'n as he should command.
Thus now he with the King is all as one,
He only sits aboue him in his Throne,
Him then most sumptuously apparelling,
He made the Lord and Keeper of his Ring,
The which he vsed, as the publique Seale,
For all his priuate state and Common-weale:
And in his second Charet brauely plac'd,
And with the highest princely honour grac'd:
This is the Man hath stor'd vp in the Land,
Great heapes of Corne, in number like the Sand:
For as the Sands cannot be numbered,
No more the Plenty he hath gathered.
Now twice the Sunne hath his full course nigh past,
Since all our Lands haue barren lien and wast;
Nilus no more our Fields hath watered,
Nor fertile dewes our fruits haue cherished:
And now the dearth in all the Land is sore,
As well amongst the Richest as the Poore;
The Garners open'd are, and thence is sold
Great store of Corne; Nor doth this Prince withhold
From strangers his Prouision; For well-ny
All Regions hether come them Corne to buy:
This man will you for Money Corne afford,
For he's wise, gentle, iust, and feares the Lord:

But, whilst the Sage to them this tale relates,
They vnawares approach neere Memphis gates,
Then to his Cell returnes the aged Sire,
They hast into the Citie to enquire
More of that Prince, by whom the Corne was sold,
Where they their Brother though vnknowne, behold.