Sect. 17.
The Argvment.
The bloody Massacre: The Iewes
Prevaile: their fatall sword subdues
A world of men, and in that fray,
Hamans ten cursed sonnes they slay.
Now when as Time had rip'ned the Decree,
(Whose Winter fruit unshaken from the tree
Full ready was to fall) and brought that Day,
Wherein pretended mischiefe was to play
Her tragicke Sceane upon the Iewish Stage,
And spit the venome of her bloody rage
Vpon the face of that dispersed Nation,
And in a minute breathe their desolation;
Vpon that day (as patients in the fight)
Their scatter'd force the Iewes did reunite,
And to a head their straggling strength reduc'd,
And with their fatall hand (their hand disus'd
To bathe in blood) they made so long recoyle,
That with a purple streame, the thirsty soyle
O'rflowd: & on the pavement (drown'd with blood)
Where never was before, they rais'd a flood:
There lies a headlesse body, there a limme
Newly dis-joynted from the trunke of him
That there lies groaning; here, a gasping head
Cropt frō his neighbors shoulders; there, halfe dead
Full heapes of bodies, whereof some curse Fate,
Others blaspheme the name of Heav'n, and rate
Their undisposed Starres; with bitter cries,
One pities his poore widow-wife, and dies;
Another bannes the night his sonnes were borne,
That he must dye, and they must live forlorne;
Here (all besmeard in blood congeald) there lyes
A throng of carcases, whose livelesse eyes
Are clos'd with dust, & death: there, lies the Syre
Whose death the greedy heire did long desire;
And here the sonne, whose hopes were all the pleasure
His aged father had, and his lifes treasure:
Thus fell their foes, some dying, and some dead,
And onely they that scap'd the slaughter, fled;
But with such strange amazement were affrighted,
(As if themselves in their owne deaths delighted)
That each his force against his friend addrest,
And sheath'd his sword within his neighbours brest;
For all the Rulers (being sore afraid
Of Mardocheus name) with strength, and ayde
Supply'd the Iewes: For Mardecheus name
Grew great with honour, and his honour'd Fame
Was blaz'd through ev'ry Province of the Land,
And spred as farre, as did the Kings Command:
In favour he increast; and ev'ry how'r
Did adde a greater greatnesse to his pow'r:
Thus did the Iewes triumph in victory,
And on that day themselves were doom'd to dye,
They slew th'appointed actors of their death,
And on their heads they wore that noble wreath,
That crownes a Victor with a Victors prize;
So fled their foes, so dyde their enemies:
And on that day at Susan were imbru'd
In blood, five hundred men whom they subdu'd;
The cursed fruit of the accursed Tree
That impious Decad, Hamans progeny,
Vpon that fatall day, they overthrew,
But tooke no spoile, nor substance, where they slew.
Medit. 17.
I lately mus'd; and musing stood amaz'd,
My heart was bound, my sight was overdaz'd
To view a miracle: could Pharo fall
Before the face of Isr'el? Could her small
And ill-appointed handfull then prevaile,
When Pharo's men of warre, and Charr'ots faile?
These stood like Gyants; those like Pigmy brats:
These soar'd like Eagles; those like swarms of gnats:
On foote these marcht; those rod on troops of horse
These never better arm'd; they, never worse;
Strong backt with vengeāce & revenge were they;
These, with despaire, themselves, thēselves betray;
They close pursu'd; these (fearefull) fled the field;
How could they chuse, but win? or these, but yeeld?
Sure 'tis, nor man, nor horse, nor sword availes,
When Isr'el conquers, and great Pharo failes:
Poore Isr'el had no man of warre, but One;
And Pharo having all the rest, had none;
Heav'n fought for Isr'el, weakned Pharo's heart,
Who had no Counter-god to take his part:
What meant that cloudy Pillar, that by day
Did usher Isr'el in an unknowne way?
What meant that fi'ry Pillar, that by night
Appear'd to Isr'el, and gave Isr'el light?
'Twas not the secret power of Moses Rod,
That charm'd the Seas in twaine; 'twas Moses God
That fought for Isr'el, and made Pharo fall;
Well thrives the Fray where God's the Generall:
'Tis neither strength, nor undermining sleight
Prevailes, where heav'ns ingaged in the fight.
Me lift not ramble into antique dayes,
To manne his theame, lest while Vlysses strayes,
His heart forget his home Penelope:
Our prosp'rous Brittaine makes sufficient Plea
To prove her blisse, and heav'ns protecting power,
Which had she mist, her glory in an hower
Had falne to Cinders, and had past away
Like smoke before the winde; Which happy Day,
Let none but base-bred Rebels ever faile
To consecrate; and let this Age entaile
Vpon succeeding times Eternity,
Heav'ns highest love, in that dayes memory.
