Egypts Favourite The Historie of Joseph, divided into four parts: Together with old Israels Progresse into the Land of Goshen. By Francis Hubert |
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IACOBS PROGRESSE.
1
Mee thinkes I see in what religious wise,Old Iacob vnto Beersheba went,
I heare him pray, I see him sacrifice,
And on his knee his heart to God present.
2
From Israels God I heare him craue protection,In this his long, and last peregrination,
For though to Ioseph Egypt bore affection:
She had strange Gods, was full of fornication.
3
Ibis, and Apis, Crocodiles, and Leekes,Such beastly stinking Gods shee did adore,
Against these and the like old Israel seekes,
And from the true God doth true grace implore.
4
And marke the issue of his good intention,God, Izaacs God doth meet him the mid-way,
And of his mercies infinite propension,
That night in vision thus to him did say.
5
Iacob, goe downe to Egypt, doe not feare,I am thy God along with thee will goe:
And I will make thee a great nation there;
Who could dispaire, that was encourag'd doe.
6
And I will surely bring thee vp againe,Ioseph shall put his hand vpon thine eyes,
Me thinkes I see new blood in each old Vayne,
Me thinkes I see him cheerefully arise.
7
How like a Gyant to his course he runnes,His Heart with joy, with heavenly joy enspir'd
And how he ranckt, and marshalled his sonnes,
And from his natiue soyle how he retyr'd.
8
Canaan adue, thy father IsraelThe top, the hope, the glory of thy Nation,
Takes his last leaue, for ever bids farewell,
Goshen hencefoorth must be his habitation.
9
Me thinkes I see him like an aged tree,Digg'd vp by th' Rootes, and in a new soyle planted,
That growes no more, at least, no more to thee,
Leaues now, for fruit beares, those but thin & skanted.
10
Mee thinkes I see him now in triumph ride,I heere his Chariot-wheeles: his Horses neigh,
I see his Sonnes, and Daughters by his side,
And how they march in order on the way.
11
His Sonnes his Childrens children, Sheepe, and Oxe,Their goods, & all that carriage worth they thought
Horse, Cattell, Asse, and in one word their stockes,
They driue from Canaan, and to Egypt brought.
12
I could, but that your memories twould cumber,Tell you the names of all their families;
All his sonnes names, threescore and sixe in number,
Which Scripture saith descended from his thighes,
13
Besides his Sonnes wiues; thus old Israel takesHis progresse into Egypt, like a Prince,
Iudah his sonne, his Harbinger he makes,
Who went before to giue intelligence
14
Of Iacobs comming: which when Ioseph knewHis father was at hand, and did draw neere,
He mounts his Chariots, and with all his crew,
Rides foorth to meet him, moov'd by loue and feare.
15
You sonnes of Belial, that advanc't to stateForget your Parents, nay your Parents scorne,
See how well duty in a Magistrate
Shewes to a Syre, though but a Sheepheard borne.
16
My Lord Protector from his Chariot lights,And craues his fathers blessing on his knee,
Before great Lords; his Peeres: in all their sights
To teach them Duty, and Humility.
17
Rise blessed sonne, heereafter ever beThe worthy favorite, through the world styled
Thine armes the Storke embleme of piety,
Thine honourd name, on fames record be filed.
18
At Goshen was this interview (wee find)(If that an interview wee may it call)
When Egypts Ruler on his knee enclind,
And on his neck his reuerent Sire doth fall.
19
There weepes a good while too, the teares hee shedWere teares of kindnesse and of inward ioy:
And when for weeping, hee could speake (he sed)
Now let mee dye; since I thy sight enioy.
20
Doe but imagine, hee that was so tender,When to his brethren first made himselfe knowne,
How hee his kindnesse to his Sire doth render?
And to his fathers house what loue was showen.
21
Egypts great-Patron was not now to learneHis complements and courtly entertainements,
But by his deeds his kindred might discerne,
His welcomes were not shewes, nor verball feynments.
22
They found a reall hearty bien venu:Egypts best soyle elected for their seat,
No sooner come, but had to Pharoahs view,
Who like a royall King doth them entreat.
23
Ioseph himselfe in person made their way,And doth to Pharoah reu'rent Israel bring:
Hee tels his brethren too, what they should say,
And how behaue themselues before the King.
24
Fiue of his brethren with the good old manWere to the Court and to the presence brought:
Long stayd not there, but the Egyptian,
Pharoah appeares. Old Iacob kneeles: besought
25
The God of Israel; the true God to blesseThe life of royall Pharoah, keepe his Crowne,
And giue him his desires and good successe,
And fill his Cup with honour and renowne.
26
The King beheld old Iacob with delight:His graue aspect, his age hee doth admire,
And being greatly pleased with his sight,
His studies and his age hee doth enquire.
27
Iacob replyes, the number of my dayes,A hundred thirty yeares doe speake mee old,
Euill and few, compar'd, short euery wayes,
To those good dayes, my ancestors haue told.
28
Thy seruant and his sonnes in acts and bookesHaue little skill, our onely education,
Haue beene to keepe our flockes: our sheepheards hooks
Those are thy seruants wayes & recreation.
29
Thus Ioseph had before hand them aduis'd,Happy t'auoyd th'Egyptians emulation:
(For they were schollers) haply 'twas deuis'd,
They might together follow their vocation.
30
And so not mingling with the vnknowne nation,Not suck their euils. Ioseph knew the trade
Of keeping sheepe, was an abomination
To Egypt, Josephs brethren Pharoah made
31
Rulers of all his Cattle, all his Flockes.They are in office now, who late like spyes,
Were in disgrace: thus fortune playes and mockes,
Changes; throwes downe, erects vnto the skies.
32
Fortune sayd I? mine error I recant:It is a Pagans voice, an Atheists phrase,
'Twas Abrahams God, that Israel new doth plant:
The Author and the cause of all good dayes.
33
Youth to your trust, good father to thy rest,Repose thy weary limbes, thy progresse done:
Goshen, fat Goshen entred and possest,
Sleepe in the bosome of thy watchfull sonne.
34
The remnant of thy dayes in comfort spend,Grow, plant new nations, doe thou find a graue,
My muse that brought thee to thy iourneyes end,
Doth here shake hands, and leaue to part doth craue.
FINIS.
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