University of Virginia Library

Now is the time that all the Sheaues must bend
To one, now rais'd on high vpon his end,
The Sunne, Moone, & Starres eleuen must now
To him they meanely erst accounted, bow.
For Ioseph now by due desert and right,
Is plac'd in honours Chariot shining bright,
And all the Corne, the Treasure of the Land,
Vnder his sole disposing and Command:
For this same Ioseph which the Hebrewes sold,
Is he of whom great Trismegist erst told:
Who Corne had heap'd vp numberlesse like sand,
And was the Ruler ouer Egypts land,
When lo! the brethren tenne before him brought,
Low bowing to the ground, him thus besought:
Great Lord! whose wisdome and deserued grace
Giue's thee in Egypt eu'n the second place,
Whose Prudence, honour, glory and renowne,
Through all the habitable Earth is knowne,
Vouchsafe to vs thy Seruants now such grace,
As thou hast done to many in our Case:
We Brethren all, one mans Sonnes, come to buy
Corne to releeue vs and our Family,
Except we by thy Clemencie be fedde,
We and our Race must die for want of Bread.

The Lord of Egypt then who them did know,
But was vnknown, Himself strange rough doth show,
And now remembring well his Dreames of late,
For which these, that thus honour, him did hate,
Thus answers: See! you haue a faire pretence,
To buy you Corne and Victuall from hence;
But you are come into the Land as Spies,
To see wherein our strength and weakenesse lies:
I'st like ten Brethren should so farre descend?
None left at home their houses to defend,
Or are you all without a house or home,
And masterlesse about the Countrie rome?

Truly, saith Iudah, we twelue Brethren bee.
All one mans sonnes, of which thou ten dost see,
The least, at home, doth with his Father stay,
But no man knowes, where th' other is this day:
To buy foode are thy Seruants hither come,
For vs and for our Families at home:

By this, saith then the Prince, the truth I'le know,
Whether you, as I say, be Spyes or no:
For, by the life of Pharoh, no man home
Shall goe, before your younger Brother come:
Take them to Prison, till his comming tryes
The truth: By Pharohs life you are but Spyes.

Then he three dayes committeth them to ward,
Whilst of an answer they themselues prepar'd.
Thus, as Gods Minister and Substitute,
He vengeance on their sinnes doth retribute,
Sinnes now forgot, because so long since past,
But though God's slow, he payes them home at last:
Yea then, when they themselues thinke most secure
For Iosephs wrongs, he pay's them home and sure.
Happy who make right vse of Chastisement,
Which is to hate, forsake Sinne, and repent:

But, they in Prison, Ioseph doth aduise
Alone with God, how he may best deuise,
Them for their foule offences to correct,
And yet his aged Father not neglect,
Whom faine he would releeue with store of graine,
But feares his Brethren will not come againe.
The third day therefore, thus saith Ioseph, heare,
Doe this and liue; for I the Lord doe feare:
If you be true men, as you all affirme,
Leaue one man bound, the rest all home returne,
With Corne for to releeue your Family,
Then bring your brother, And not one shall dye,
But traffique here as true men in the Land,
And I will free your Hostage from his Band.
His word preuail'd, But they in conscience
Prickt for their cruelty, and foule offence,
Long since committed 'gainst this Lord vnknowne,
And thinking God now payes them with their owne,
Thus one to other to complaine begin;
Ah! how did we against our Brother sinne,
When his Soules anguish did to vs appeare,
And he besought vs, yet we would not heare:
Therefore on vs, this trouble now doth fall,
When Ruben thus; oh! did I not you all
Not to offend against the Lad desire,
And now you see God doth his bloud require:

Little thinke they that Ioseph by doth stand,
And all their speeches plainly vnderstand,
Who turnes and weepes, yet soone returnes againe,
So Friends afflictions teares from friends constraine.
Then taking Simeon he him binds with bands
Before their eyes: And secretly commands.
To fill their Sackes with Prouender and Graine,
And put their Money in their Sackes againe:
So they returne with Conscience tiring more,
Then all the Miles from Nile to Iordanes shore,

As when tenne horse men rouing out for prey,
Lose one of their deare fellowes by the way,
Though with rich Spoiles they to the campe returne,
All for him lost, lift vp their voice and mourne;
So mourne these Brethren nine for Simeons chaine,
Their brothers losse was greater then their gaine:
But when Gad in the Inne his Sacke vnbindes
For Prouender, and there his money findes,
Their hearts them failing, all are sore affraid,
That they as Simeon likewise were betraid:
Ah! What, say they, hath God vpon vs brought
For all the wickednesse which we haue wrought?
This thing vpon vs all is iustly come,
But most especially on Simeon:
Who was the cruellest, and rather would
Haue Ioseph slaine; then to the Merchants sold:
But when at home they to their Father tell
All that to them in Egypt had befell:
And how that they for Spyes were taken there,
Imprisoned three dayes, and put in feare;
And that the Man there still kept Simeon bound,
Till by inquirie all the Truth he found:
And seeing also eu'ry man bring backe
The money, which he carryed, in his Sacke:
The good old man was wondrously affraid,
That Simeon eu'n as Ioseph was betraide:
And said, my sonnes you laugh mine age to scorne,
You haue my Simeon pawn'd or sold for Corne,
Else where should you prouide such store of graine,
And yet bring all your Moneys home againe?
But when they farther told him in a word,
How rough and sterne they found th' Egyptian Lord,
And that their bringing Beniamin must trye,
Whether or no they came the Land to Spy;
He thinkes they likewise seeke him to depriue
Of Beniamin, his dearest sonne aliue:
Wherefore he thus Laments and makes great mone,
His brother's dead, and he is left alone;
If mischiefe him befall vpon the way,
You bring my head to graue with sorrow gray:

The Dearth grows great, Corn's spent, Iacob in vaine
Them bids for foode to Egypt hast againe;

We dare not see, say they, the Princes face,
Except our youngest Brother be in place:
We straight will goe, so him with vs thou send.

But ah! saith Iacob, what did you intend,
By telling of the man you had a brother?

Alas, saith Iudah, how could we doe other?
He of our state and kindred did inquire,
Saying, what liueth yet your aged Sire?
Haue you a Brother yet? we told him so,
Ah! how could we what he intended know?
But send the Lad with vs, we instantly
Will bring you food for all your Family:
I am his surety, him of me require,
For euer let me beare thy blame and ire,
Except I bring him backe: The fault is thine,
Else we returned had the second time.
Father, saith Ruben, let my Sonnes be slaine,
Except I safe doe bring him home againe.

As in some Siege when Famine growes so great,
That Mothers their owne children deare doe eat,
One close her dearest Darling vp doth hide,
Lest others her compell it to diuide,
And rather chooseth eu'n to sterue and pine,
Then cleaue her tender infant in the Chine:
So when the Famine now growes grieuous sore
In Jacobs house, and like still to be more,
He steruing rather chooseth to abide,
Then part with his deare darling from his side;
But when he saw himselfe, and all his race
With dearest Beniamin, in equall case,
That all for want of Bread must sterue and dy,
Except from Egypt they had new supply;
He said to them: Since needes it must be so,
A present of my hands take ere you goe,
Balme, Spice, and Myrrhe with best fruits of the land,
Take likewise double money in your hand,
And that brought backe returne, as it is right,
It may be it was but some ouer-sight,
And take your Brother with you, and arise,
God send you fauour in the Princes eyes.
To free my Simeon, and this my delight,
Thus of my Children I am robbed quite:
With that he poured out a floud of teares,
But hungry Stomackes had nor eyes nor eares,
But tooke the Spice and money in their hand,
And haste with Beniamin to Egypts Land,
From Hebron, three dayes Iourney, passe they right
To Memphis, where they lodged all that night.
Early'n the morning, when as Ioseph sate,
Dispatching Suitors and affaires of State,
Amongst the other suitors in the Hall,
He first one of his Brethren spyes, then all;
But most his dearest Beniamin he ei'd,
And therefore bids his Steward soone prouide,
And take those Hebrewes to some priuate roome,
For he would haue them dine with him at noone:
'Tis fit that those whom God to Place doth call,
Should be to strangers kind and hospitall.
Then brought to Iosephs house, they are affraid,
The money to their charges should be laid.

When Iudah thus: The money we did finde
In our Sacks mouths, when we did them vnbinde,
We haue brought backe, with money eke to buy
New Corne for vs, and all our Family:

Peace, saith the Man, your Father's God you sent
That treasure, I was paid and well content.
And forth-with Simeon out vnto them brought,
Who each saluting other, as they ought,
Enquire at first of one anothers wealth,
But Simeon chiefly of his Fathers health:

Then are they to a stately Parlour brought,
All hang'd with curious Arras richly wrought
By Iosephs Bride, To whom he had made knowne
His Kindred, there in curious colours showne,
(For, as her Lord, so she no time mispends,
But duely with her Maides, her worke intends:
Lo! Ioseph is the Paterne of her life,
Thus a good Husband alwaies makes a wise):
The Deluge in the first peece was contain'd,
Where, but the Arke, nought on the flouds remain'd,
But they abated, Lo! there commeth forth,
All liuing ceeeping things vpon the earth,
With such varietie and cunning wrought,
As plainer folkes them liuing would haue thought,
So skilfull Art doth Nature imitate,
The Dogges doe seeme to runne, the Lambs to bleate:
Here Noah offreth on an Altar built,
Of all cleane Beasts to cleanse sinnes foulest guilt;
Good Sem, Arphaxad, Selah (of whose race
Came Heber, whence the Hebrewes) next had place,
And Pelag next, who first diuides the Land,
Reu, Serug, Nahor, Tarah next doe stand,
From whence comes blessed Abraham, by whom
The blessed Seede of Sarahs wombe should come:
Here Angels him salute, with God he walkes,
And as two friends with God familiar talkes,
Here Sarah laughs to heare from her dry wombe,
Seede like Sea sands, all numberlesse, should come:
Here Isaack's Circumcis'd, Here sacrific'd
By Faith, but for his bloud a Lambe suffic'd:
Rebecca skins on Iacobs hands here cleaues,
Here's Brother of his Blessing he deceaues:
And blessed, straight flyes from his brothers wrath
To Laban, where he both his daughters hath:
Here he returnes, whom soone as Laban misses,
With anger he pursues, but parts with kisses:
Here wrestles he with God, lo here he meetes
His angry brother, who him kindly greetes:
Before one Sheafe, here ten Sheaves seeme to fall,
Here Sunne, and Moone, and Starres, it worship all;

Here are ten Brethren playing in the shadowes,
Whilst all their flockes are mowing of the Meadows,
Like liuely Shepheards all doe dance and sing,
That Woods and Hils with Ecchos seeme to ring;
When comes a Childe in party-colourd Coat,
Them to salute, but all flye to his Throat,
And like so many Butchers 'bout a Lamb,
Secke to bereaue him from his dearest Dam,
Of all the stories they did there behold,
This had most life. For Iosephs wife had told,
With her owne hands, it here so cunningly,
A man would thinke he saw the Picture cry,
And on his knees with vnfeign'd Innocence,
To begge his Life of their Maleuolence.
This made their eyes those curious sights forbeare,
And gastly one vpon another stare,
And so amaz'd them, they now surely thought,
God all their wickednesse to light had brought:
But now that Ioseph is return'd they heare,
Therefore their Present ready they prepare.

As Abram when he had recouered
His Kinsman Lot, and Captiues with him led,
Returning by the way with Bread and Wine,
Was met by great Melchizedek diuine,
And blessed, for that God now by his hand
Had sau'd the Prince and People of the Land;
Eu'n so good Joseph who by paines, not sword,
Had sau'd aliue th' Egyptians and their Lord,
And daily from fierce Famine succored
Such as had died else for want of Bread,
Was met with Presents comming to his Hall,
And blest as the Preseruer of them all.
Amongst the rest these Hebrewes louting low
Their Present offer him, who straight would know,
How they did all, and if their Father old
Liu'd still in health, of whom they last him told:
And what is this your Brother young, said he,
Of whom you told mee? They all answer'd yea.
God blesse my sonne, saith Ioseph, and retires,
To weepe for Ioy, now hauing his desires:
But washing's eyes and face, he doth refraine,
And to his Brethren soone returnes againe,
So calls for meate, he by himselfe alone,
Th' Egyptians by themselues are plac'd each one,
His brethren by themselues (For Egypts Nation
To eare with Hebrews deeme abhomination)
Are ranked as their ages doe require,
Which made them this due order all admire;
To all then from his Board he messes sends,
But fiue to one on Beniamins he spends,
Lo thus they all eate, drinke, and made good cheare,
Till they had drown'd all sorrow, griefe and care,

But Ioseph; who amidst his feasts doth minde
Those, that abroad for hunger steru'd and pinde;
Thinkes of his Father old, and doth command
His Steward for to fill, streight out of hand,
The Hebrews sacks, so full as they can thrust,
And put their moneys in their sacks, as first:
And in the youngest's sacke his siluer Cup,
So in the morning, e're the Sunne was vp,
They with their Camels laden are let go,
But e're they thence are gone a mile or two,
Vp gets the Steward, and them after hies,
Whom ouer-taking, thus aloud he cryes:

Ah! why haue you rewarded ill for good?
My Master of his Grace hath giu'n you food,
And you his Cup wherein he drinketh wine,
And wont to Prophecie and to diuine,
Purloined haue, oh it is euill done.

Good sir, saith Ruben, Thinke not any one
Of vs would doe such thing: the money found,
Last time, when we our sackes at home vnbound,
Was brought to thee againe, most truly told,
How should we then or Siluer steale or gold?
Dye let him wheresoeuer it is found;
Wee Bondmen to my Lord for euer bound.

He saith the Steward, shall be bound, where we
The Cup shall finde, the other shall goe free:
Then taking downe their sackes, they doe begin
To search from Ruben, eu'n to Beniamin,
There was it found, then all their clothes rend,
And backe againe vnto the Citie tend.
As Theefes who by the owner ouer-take,
In fresh pursuit, with goods about them take
And brought before the Iudge, all mercy cry,
Without defence, for such their Felony:
So they to Ioseph brought; before him fall,
And only vnto him for mercy call.
What haue you done, saith he, know you not, I
Am able to diuine and Prophecie?

Ah! Iudah saith, what shall thy seruants say,
Or doe? How can we cleare our selues this day?
God hath made plaine thy seruants wickednesse,
We are thy Bondmen all, we must confesse,
As likewise he with whom the Cup was found,

Nay, God forbid, saith Ioseph; he be bound
Who had the Cup, The rest depart in peace
To your old Father, haste, why doe you cease.

My Lord, saith Iudah, we haue no defence,
Yet let me speake one word without offence:
At our last beeing heere, thou didst inquire
Of this our Brother, and our aged Sire,
And we, thy seruants, true and plainly told,
We haue a Father which is very old,
Who also in his age begat our brother,
The only childe aliue now of his mother,
His Brother's dead, and therefore more belou'd,
By this my Lord, then answerd, shall be prou'd
The truth of all your sayings, Bring him hither
That I may see the Brethren all together:
We answerd, if the Lad should but depart
From his old Father, It would kill his heart;
My Lord repli'd, except he to this place
With you returne, forbeare to see my face;
We comming home, this to our Father show,
Who to buy Corne againe would haue vs goe,
But, wee repli'd; except the Lad we place
Before the Man, wee may not see his face:
Ah! saith our Father, you my sonnes well know
That I had by his Mother, onely two,
One's dead, and gone, if this away you haue,
You bring my head with sorrow to the graue:
Not if thou vs vnto my Father send,
Without the Lad, on whom his dayes depend,
Soone as our Father misseth him he dyes,
And we be Authors of his miseries.
Besides, I suretie for the Lad became,
And if I bring him not, must beare the blame:
How shall I then my Fathers face behold,
Without the Lad be there, except I would
Bring on my Fathers house such wrechednesse,
As no mans Tongue is able to expresse:
With that like Iordanes flouds his teares doe fall,
And as he wept, so wept his Brethren all.

But Ioseph then no longer could refraine,
But biddes forbeare, there may not one remaine
Within with him, whilst he himselfe declares
Vnto his Brethren, with such cryes and teares,
That the Egyptians and Pharoh heare
His loud laments, and scarcely can forbeare
To mourne with him, who kept them all from mourning:
But Ioseph to his Brethren soone returning,
Saith, I am Ioseph; doth my Father liue?
Feare not my Brethren, I you all forgiue.

As when a King, that he discouer may
Some traitrous plot, his body doth array
In such an habit, as none can descry
Him from one of that close Conspiracy,
Till hearing all the Traitours Coniuring,
He shewes himselfe to be their Lord and King
So that they all stand mute and in a maze,
And gastly one vpon another gaze:
So stand the ten, one looking on another,
To see so high their late betraied Brother:
Thus at the last, the wicked men shall hide
Their face at sight of him they Crucifide,
When on his Throne his glory they behold
Like Iosephs, who shall like to him be sold.
But Beniamin poore harmelesse innocent,
After he had endur'd this chastisement,
At hearing Iosephs name lifts vp his eyes,
And lowder now for Ioy then Sorrow cryes:
So shall the innocent at last appeare,
To be absolued by their Brother deare.

Then Ioseph saith, my Brethren all, draw neare,
I am your Brother Ioseph, doe not feare,
That very Ioseph you to Egypt sold,
But be not greeu'd therewith, nor doe it hold
A cruell thing; For God me sent before,
For to preserue your liues with millions more:
This is the second yeare, fiue are behinde,
When none shall reape, or mow, or sheaues vp binde,
God sent me to preserue your Progeny,
And saue you by a great deliuery:
Not you, I say, but God me hither sent,
And made me here, to your astonishment,
Great Pharoh's Father, and giu'n free command
Ore all his House, and ouer all his Land,
Hast to my Father; Tell him in a word,
Thus saith thy Ioseph, God hath made me Lord
Of Egypt: Tarry not, but soone come downe,
And thou shalt dwell on Goshens fruitfull downe:
Thy Children, Childrens children, and thy flocke,
Beasts, Asses, Camels, all thy store and stocke:
Lo there I sustenance for thee will finde,
For those fiue yeares of Famine yet behinde:
Your owne eyes see, and Beniamins behold,
I all in your owne tongue haue truly told.
My glory here then to my Father tell,
As you haue seene, and hither hast to dwell,
So weeping he vpon the necke doth fall
Of Beniamin, and he on his, so all
He kisses, and doth after with them talke,
Familiarly, as they together walke.

As when a Treasure in the earth is found,
Fames Trumpet doth it farre and neere resound,
So Fame this newes in Pharohs Court doth tell,
Which pleased him and all his seruants well:
Therefore he thus to Ioseph, out of hand
Thy Brethren send with Corne into their Land,
To bring their Father and his family,
That they may eate my Lands fertilitie.
Besides, I will my Charrets thou command
For to conuey your Father to my Land,
With Wiues and Children, let them leaue their stuffe,
Egypt shall furnish them with store enough.

Then Ioseph, hasting them away to send,
Peace by the way doth thus to them commend:
I will not now things past commemorate,
Your griefe and sorrow more to aggrauate:
For God hath turn'd your morne of griefe and sadnesse,
Vnto a day of Feasting, Ioy, and gladnesse,
Yet patiently my louing Counsell heare,
And, by your former harmes, learne to beware:
Let not that wicked Enuyer of mankinde
Breede discords, strifes, or quarrels in your minde,
Nor question or dispute one with another,
Who's most in fault for selling of your brother:
Each of his sinne vnfainedly repent,
And giue God glory, who me hither sent,
And all the euill you against me thought,
Turning to good, this great deliuerance wrought.
I send now Charrets by the Kings command,
To bring my aged Father to this land:
Ten Asses laden all with Egypts good,
I likewise send my father for his food:
And ten she-Asses lade with corne and bread,
That by the way, you may thereof be fed:
Changes of Rayment I to each assigne,
These fiue my dearest Beniamin are thine;
With these three hundred siluer peeces: So
He hath his right, yet you no wrong I do.
Let not your eye, cause I am good, be ill,
'Tis reason good enough to say, I will:
Yet Nature may informe you of another,
He is my onely brother by my mother.
Enuy him not, because he in mine eyes
Most gracious is, nor shall he you despise.
Brethren, in loue and amitie combind,
Are like small stickes we in a fagot bind:
No force them bends, whilst they remaine in one:
Disioynd, a child will breake them all alone.
Hast; Fare-you-well; fall not out by the way
W'offend against my Father by your stay,
Lo! thus they flie from Nile to Iordans shore,
To tell their Father all you heard before.

Ioseph is yet aliue, saith Iudah, and
Is Gouernor of all King Pharohs land:

Alas! saith Iacob come you me to flout,
Ioseph now liues in heau'n, I make no doubt,
He was the Prey long since of cruell beast,
I haue his bloody Coate still in my chest.

Ah! saith Dan to Gods glory we confesse,
(Who hath laid open all our wickednesse)
That we our brother out of enuy sold,
When we at Dothan pastured our fold,
To Ishmaelites, who after for their gaine,
In Egypt, where we found him, sold againe:
His colourd Coate which doth with thee abide,
We dipt in bloud, our fowlest sinne to hide:
Lo! now thy sonnes on knees before thee fall,
And for this our offence beg pardon all:
Ioseph vnaskd, our trespasse did remit,
Therefore good father also pardon it.

As Indian merchant on the sodaine told,
His ship is safe arriu'd all lade with gold,
Which long since to be cast away he feard,
Because he neuer tidings of her heard,
First wauers, and it hardly can beleeue,
Fearing lest he too sodaine credence giue,
But when he sees the Porters bringing in
The golden Oare, and Ingots, doth begin
For to reuiue: Eu'n so old Israel
Misdoubts, when first he heard his children tell
Of Iosephs life and glory great at Nile;
But when he thus had wauered awhile,
And saw the goodly charrets Ioseph sent,
To bring him and his houshold from their tent
To Egypt; and his dearest Beniamin
Confirm'd it all for Truth: Behold within,
The old mans spirit doth againe reuiue
And cryes with Ioy: Ioseph is yet aliue,
God pardon you all your Iniquitie,
I will goe downe and see him ere I die.