University of Virginia Library

Search this document 
Divine poems

Containing The History of Ionah. Ester. Iob. Sampson. Sions Sonets. Elegies. Written and newly augmented, by Fra: Quarles

collapse section 
  
  
  
  
collapse section 
collapse section1. 
  
  
  
  
  
collapse section2. 
  
  
  
  
  
collapse section3. 
  
  
  
collapse section4. 
  
  
  
collapse section5. 
  
  
  
collapse section6. 
  
  
  
collapse section7. 
  
  
  
collapse section8. 
  
  
  
collapse section9. 
  
  
  
collapse section10. 
  
  
  
collapse section11. 
  
  
  
collapse section12. 
  
  
  
collapse section13. 
  
  
  
collapse section 
  
  
  
collapse section 
 1. 
 2. 
 3. 
 4. 
 5. 
 6. 
 7. 
 8. 
 9. 
 10. 
 11. 
collapse section 
 1. 
 2. 
 3. 
 4. 
 5. 
 1. 
 2. 
 3. 
 4. 
 5. 
collapse section 
  
  
collapse section 
collapse section1. 
  
  
  
collapse section2. 
  
  
  
collapse section3. 
  
  
  
collapse section4. 
  
  
  
collapse section5. 
  
  
  
collapse section6. 
  
  
  
collapse section7. 
  
  
  
collapse section8. 
  
collapse section 
  
  
  
  
  
  
collapse section3. 
  
  
  
collapse section10. 
  
  
  
collapse section11. 
  
  
  
collapse section12. 
  
  
  
collapse section13. 
  
  
  
collapse section14. 
  
  
  
collapse section15. 
  
  
  
collapse section16. 
  
  
  
collapse section17. 
  
  
  
collapse section18. 
  
  
  
collapse section19. 
  
  
  
collapse section20. 
  
  
  
collapse section 
  
  
collapse section 
collapse section1. 
  
  
  
collapse section2. 
  
  
  
collapse section3. 
  
  
  
collapse section4. 
  
  
  
collapse section5. 
  
  
  
collapse section6. 
  
  
  
collapse section7. 
  
  
  
collapse section8. 
  
  
  
collapse section9. 
  
  
  
collapse section10. 
  
  
  
collapse section11. 
  
  
  
collapse section12. 
  
  
  
collapse section13. 
  
  
  
collapse section14. 
  
  
  
collapse section15. 
  
  
  
collapse section16. 
  
  
  
collapse section17. 
  
  
  
collapse section18. 
  
  
  
collapse section19. 
  
  
  
  
collapse section 
  
collapse section 
collapse section1. 
  
  
  
collapse section2. 
  
  
  
collapse section3. 
  
  
  
collapse section4. 
  
  
  
 5. 
collapse section6. 
  
  
  
collapse section7. 
  
  
  
collapse section8. 
  
  
  
collapse section9. 
  
  
  
collapse section10. 
  
  
  
  
  
collapse section11. 
  
  
  
collapse section12. 
  
  
  
collapse section13. 
  
  
  
collapse section14. 
  
  
collapse section15. 
  
  
  
collapse section16. 
  
  
  
collapse section17. 
  
  
  
collapse section18. 
  
  
  
collapse section19. 
  
  
  
collapse section20. 
  
  
  
collapse section21. 
  
  
  
collapse section22. 
  
  
  
collapse section23. 
  
  
  
collapse section 
  
 I. 
 II. 
 III. 
 IIII. 
 V. 
 VI. 
 VII. 
 VIII. 
 IX. 
 X. 
 XI. 
 XII. 
 XIII. 
 XIIII. 
 XV. 
 XVI. 
 XVII. 
 XVIII. 
 XIX. 
 XX. 
 XXI. 
 XXII. 
 XXIII. 
 XXIIII. 
 XXV. 
collapse section 
  
collapse sectionI. 
 1. 
 2. 
 3. 
 4. 
 5. 
 6. 
 7. 
 8. 
 9. 
 10. 
 11. 
 12. 
 13. 
 14. 
 15. 
 16. 
 17. 
 18. 
 19. 
 20. 
 21. 
 22. 
collapse sectionII. 
 1. 
 2. 
 3. 
 4. 
 5. 
 6. 
 7. 
 8. 
 9. 
 10. 
 11. 
 12. 
 13. 
 14. 
 15. 
 16. 
 17. 
 18. 
 19. 
 20. 
 21. 
 22. 
collapse sectionIII. 
 1. 
 2. 
 3. 
 4. 
 5. 
 6. 
 7. 
 8. 
 9. 
 10. 
 11. 
 12. 
 13. 
 14. 
 15. 
 16. 
 17. 
 18. 
 19. 
 20. 
 21. 
 22. 
collapse sectionIIII. 
 1. 
 2. 
 3. 
 4. 
 5. 
 6. 
 7. 
 8. 
 9. 
 10. 
 11. 
 12. 
 13. 
 14. 
 15. 
 16. 
 17. 
 18. 
 19. 
 20. 
 21. 
 22. 
  
collapse section 
 1. 
 2. 
 3. 
 4. 
 5. 
 6. 
 7. 
 8. 
 9. 
 10. 
 11. 
 12. 
 13. 
 14. 
 15. 
 16. 
 17. 
 18. 
 19. 
 20. 
 21. 
 22. 
  

Thus when the vulgar Triumph (which does last
But seldome, longer then the newes) was past,
And Dagons holy Altars had surccast
To breath their idle fumes: they call'd a feast,
A common Feast; whose bounty did bewray
A common joy, to gratulate the day;
Whereto, the Princes, vnder whose command
Each province was, in their diuided land;
Whereto, the Lords, Leiutenants, and all those,
To whom the supreme Rulers did repose
An under-trust; whereto, the better sort
Of gentry, and of Commons did resort,
With mirth, and jolly triumph, to allay
Their sorrowes, and to solemnize the day;
Into the common Hall they come: The Hall
Was large and faire; Her arched roofe was all
Builded with massie stone, and over-lai'd
With pond'rous Lead; Two sturdy Pillers stai'd
Her mighty Rafters up; whereon, relied
The weighty burthen of her lofty pride.
When lusty dyet, and the frollicke cup
Had rouz'd and rais'd their quickned spirits up,

379

And brave triumphing Bacchus had displaid
His conquering colours, in their cheeks, they said;
Call Samson forth; He must not worke too day;
Tis a boone feast; Wee'l give him leave to play;
Does be grinde bravely? Does our Mill-horse sweat?
Let him lacke nothing; What he wants in meate,
Empty in lashes; He is strong and stout,
And, with his breathe and drive the Mill about:
It workes too hard, we stare: Goe downe and free him;
“Say, that his Mistresse, Delila would see him:
“The sight of him will take our howers short;
“Goe fetch him then to make our Honours sport:
“Bid him provide some Riddles; Let him bring
“Some song of Triumph: He that's blinde, may sing
“With better boldnesse: Bid him never doubt
“To please: What matter though his eyes be out?
“'Tis no dishonour, that be cannot see;
Tell him, the God of Love's as blinde, as hee:
With that they brought poore Samson to the Hall;
And as he past, he gropes to finde the wall;
His pace was slow, His feet were lifted high;
Each tongue would taunt him Every scornfull eye
Was filld with laughter; Some would cry aloud,
“He walkes in state: His Lordship is growne proud:
Some bid his honour, Haile, whilst others cast
Reproachfull termes upon him; as he past,
Some would salute him fairely, and embrace
His wounded sides, then spit upon his face:
Others would cry; For shame for beare t'abuse
The high and great redeemer of the Iewes:
Some gibe and flout him with their taunts & quips,
With that poore Samson, whose abundant griefe,
Not finding hopes of comfort or reliefe,

380

Resolv'd for patience: Turning round, he made
Some shift to feele his Keeper out, and said;
Good Sir, my painfull labour in the Mill
Hath made me bold (although against my will)
To crave some little rest; Jf you will please
To let the Pillour but afford some ease
To my worne limmes, your mercy should relieve
A soule that has no more but thanks, to give:
The keeper yeelded: (Now the Hall was filld
With Princes, and their People, that beheld
Abused Samson; whilst the Roofe retain'd
A leash of thousands more, whose eyes were chain'd
To this sad Object, with a full delight,
To see this flesh-and-blood-relenting sight;
With that the pris'ner turnd himselfe and pray'd
So soft, that none but heaven could heare, and said:
My God, my God: Although my sinnes doe cry
For greater vengeance, yet thy gratious eye
Js full of mercy; O, remember now
The gentle promise and that sacred vow
Thou mad'st to faithfull Abram, and his seed,
O, heare my wounded soule, that has lesse need
Of life, then mercy: Let thy tender eare
Make good thy plenteous promise now, and heare;
See, how thy cursed enemies prevaile
Above my strength; Behold, how poore and fraile
My native power is, and, wanting thee,
What is there, Oh, what is there (Lord) in me?
Nor is it I that suffer: My desert
May challenge greater vengeance, if thou wert
Extreme to punish: Lord, the wrong is thine;
The punishment is just, and onely mine:
I am thy Champion, Lord; It is not me
They strike at; Through my sides they thrust at thee:

381

Against thy Glory 'tis, their Malice lies;
“They aim'd at that when they put out these eyes:
“Alas, their blood-bedabl'd hands would flie
“On thee, wert thou but cloth'd in flesh, as I:
“Revenge thy wrongs, great God; O let thy hand
“Redeeme thy suffring honour, and this land:
“Lend me thy power; Renew my wasted strength,
“That I may fight thy battels; and at length,
“Rescue thy glory; that my hands may do
“That faithfull service they were borne unto:
“Lend me thy power, that J may restore
“Thy losse, and I will never urge thee more:
Thus having ended, both his armes he laid,
Upon the pillours of the Hall; and said;
Thus with the Philistines, I resigne my breath;
And let my God finde Glory in my death:
And having spoke, his yeelding body strain'd
Upon those Marble pillours, that sustain'd
The pondrous Roofe; They cracket; and, with their fall,
Downe fell the Battlements, and Roofe, and all;
And, with their ruines, slaughter'd at a blow,
The whole Assembly; They, that were below,
Receiv'd their sudden deaths from those that fell
From off the top; whilst none was left, to tell
The horrid shreekes that filld the spatious Hall,
Those ruines were impartiall, and slew all:
They fell; and, with an unexpected blow.
Gave every one his death, and buriall too:
Thus di'd our Samson; whose brave death has won
More honour, then his honourd life had done:
Thus di'd our Conquerour; whose latest breath
Was crown'd with Conquest, triumph'd over death:
Thus di'd our Sampson; whose last drop of blood
Redeem'd heavn's glory, and his Kingdome's good:

382

Thus di'd heavens Champion, and the earths bright Glory;
The heavenly subject of this sacred Story:
And thus th'impartiall hand of death that gathers
All to the Grave, repos'd him with his fathers;
Whose name shall flourish, and be still in prime,
In spight of ruine, or the teeth of Time;
Whose fame shal last, till heaven shal please to free
This Earth from Sinne, and Time shall cease to be.