University of Virginia Library

Out of his chamber] or veile, as our English Geneva translation hath it in the marginall note, Psal. 19. v. 6. Upon which Aretius Felinus a Commentator: The manner was among the Hebrews, and is observed even at this day, that having spred a vaile they deliver the Bride to the Bridegroom under it, out of which he comming forth exhilarates all, and the wedding feast begins. To which also Jo. Baptist alluded when he said, The friend of the Bridegroom rejoyceth, when he heareth the Bridegrooms voice, Jo. 3. 29. So, the sun rising, and the morning putting forth its golden head into the world, the face of the Universe is in a wonderfull manner refreshed, and as it were renewed.

I may here commend the Author for taking a similitude (sutable to the argument, and person of Joseph) out of the Holy Scriptures.

Hee observes also the Law of the best Dramaticks, who (usually) begin the Action with the Morning, and keep within the compasse of one day.

Where God wee may behold] For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world, are cleerly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternall power, and Godhead.—Rom. l. 20.

Mentall light] What the Sun is to our sense, that is God to our understanding: and as we see not the Sun, but by the light of the Sun; so neither do we see God, but by the spirituall light of himselfe. Having therefore our senses enlightned, we must turn our mind towards God, that our understanding may also be enlightned, Vosid. Idol. l. 2. c. 2.

Whose head Heaven knowes] As for the originall Of Nilus, which many both Ancient and Modern VVriters have delivered to be utterly unknown, Philostratus hath it rightly, l. 1. Icon. The Æpyptians indeed have the channels of Nilus, but the Æthiopians the fountaines. For it runnes downe from the craggy rocks, which are called the Mountaines of the Moon through Æthiopia into Ægypt, which is rightly hinted by Paulus Jovius 1. 18. Hist. sui temp. & Hierom. Osorius l 9. de gest is Emanuelis. But before it rusheth from the mountaines, it makes a huge Lake: of which also Pansanias makes mention, l. 5. And experience hath confirmed the truth of it; as we may see out of Nicolaus Leonicus, l. 2. de Var. Hist. c. 56. The Country where it riseth is called Goyome; and is in the jurisdiction of the King of the Abyssines, who also in his Imperiall titles (among other) writes, King of Goyome, where Nilus riseth. Witnesse the King of Æthiopia David in his letters to Emanuel King of Portugal: and out of them Damianus à Goes, a Portugal. Voss. de Idolo.l. l. 2. c. 75.

Beames from Libanus] Or (in the Scriptures) Lebanon. A mountainous forrest, whence Solomon was furnished with Cedars by Hiram King of Tyre, for the building of the Temple.

Groves within my house] Groves, saith Festus, signifie pleasant woods, such as the Ancients had within the inclosures of their houses

Hor. l. 3. od. 10. —With what a noise the wood
Among fair buildings scituate
Rebellowes to the wind.
And Epist. ad. Fusc. A grove among pillars of marble growes.
And woods in houses like our sacred groves.
And gilded doors, and marble floors.
Tibul. l. 3. Torrentius upon Sueton. Aug. c. 72.

Where likewise Casaubon: the more elegant sort of Romans were so taken with groves, that even in their City houses, if they could in no other place, they would at the least have them on their house tops, Jo. Schildius Commentar, in Sueton.

Live they not contrary to nature, who plant Orchards on their highest turrets? Whose woods shake over the roofes and tops of their houses, their rootes springing up thence, where their tops should hardly have reached. Sonec. Epist. 122. Upon which Lipsius: Gardens and Groves on the coverings and tops of their houses. As wee have seen in the Royall City of Brussels: but upon flat tops, and without a ridge; where the earth was mounted on beames, or arches of brick. Seneca de Ira. 1. 6. ult. calls it, to suspend woods. Which the other Seneca gives a touch of, in Thyestes:

—On my house top no wood
There planted waves.
And Woods climbe up the house tops,
Plin. l. 15. c. 14.

Nero built a house, in which precious stones and gold were not so much wondered at (as a thing long us'd, and by superfluous ryot common) as the fields and pooles, in manner of a wildernesse; on the one side woods, on the other spacious fields and prospects. Tacit. Annal. l. 15. c. 10. See Nero's golden house in Suetonius and Hackwels Apol. l. 4.

I conclude with our Author:

Groves over the roofe tops, and lakes within,
A house containes what everywhere hath bin.
H. Grot. Farrag. l. 2. In Jo. Meursii. de luxu Rom. librum.

Strange beasts from Africk.] Our Author, I suppose, by a medio die, meanes the Meridian or South parts of Africk; and alludes to an old proverbe: Afrca still brings forth some new creature. Nor is Ægypt it self (say some Geographers) in Africk, but in the borders of Asia, and next unto Africk.

Wool from boughs by the Seres cemb'd.] The Seres are a people of the East. From this Nation silke (cal'd in Latine Sericum) was brought into Persia: From Persia, conquer'd by Alexander, into Greece. From Greece, the Roman Empire flourishing, into Rome; where a pound of silk was sold for a pound of gold. Untill Justinian the Emperour not liking to pay so dear for garments to the Persian his enemy, by good hap two Monks came out of India, who told Cæsar of the silk-wormes, and that the wormes could not be brought to Constantinople, but the eggs might, out of which the worms would breed. The Monks therefore were sent back to fetch the eggs. And from hence is all that kind of silk-wormes, which we have at this day in Europe. But the more vulgar opinion was, that silke was carded or comb'd from the boughs and barkes of trees. Whence Virgil. 2. Geor. v. 120.

Or th'Æthiopian woods white with soft wool?
Fine flecces how from leaves the Seres pull?
Vos. Idol. l. 4. c. 90.

At Babylon with skilful needles wrought.] The Veil of the Temple at Hierusalem is described by Josephus, to consist of violet, purple and scarlet-silk cunningly mixt and wrought by Babylonian Needles. Sands Annotat. on Christus Pat. Act. 4. v. 296.

Pearles a present from the Indian.] Among the Indians and Persians Pearles are found in hard white shels of sea fish, and bred at a certaine time of the yeere by mixture of dew, which they take in with often gaping. That this kind of jewell also, though not so good, is bred and gathered in the Brittish sea wee are not ignorant. Ammian. Marcellin. And to the like purpose Pliny, l. 9. c. 35. It is certain that small and discoloured Pearls are bred in Brittain, whereas the commendation of them consists in whitenesse, greatnesse, roundnesse, smoothnesse, weight: yet in hope of the Brittish pearles, such as they were, Julius Cæsar, saith Suetonius, first went into Brittaine, and consecrated a Brest-plate of them to Venus his progenitrix. See Sir H. Savil, upon Tacit. in the life of Agricola.

I will speak first of pearls, as Tertullian saith, precious in the very name. The Latines call them Uniones, not because there are never two found together, but because no two are found unsever'd. That the shels open and shut themselves is certain enough. But they are said to open in the night, that from the Lunar aspersion, that is, the dew, they may conceive. This is Pliny's opinion, and thence of Solinus, and from him of Ammian. Marcel. But though this may bee true of the Land shell, yet it will bee false of the sea shell, as even this is an argument, that whereas of the shels some are at the bottome, others float, and swim on the top of the sea; these on the superficies are the least. I know they may answer, the shels goe to the bottome assoon as they have conceived: but the shells having the biggest Pearles are bred in the bottome, and wander not, but stick there, so that the Diver must often sink twenty fat home for them. Vossi. Idol. l. 4. c. 47.

Ambition did not a great Table spread.]
Luc. l. 4. O luxury too prodigall of things!
Content with no provision easily brought;
Ambitious hunger for things dearly sought
O're land and sea, pride of a sumptuous table,
See what small store to cherish life is able,
And nature please: these souldiers fainting souls,
No unknown Consul's noble wine in bowls
Of myrrh and gold restores; from fountains pure
Water and bread their fleeting lives assure.
T. May.

Mandrake.] Grotius, I beleeve, alludes to Josephs elder brother Reubens Mandrakes, and a place in the Canticles 7. 14. where they are spoken of as a pleasant fruit; Though they which are cal'd so among us are not so. And Iunius and Tremellius translate the word, amabiles flores.

No sparkling wines of Meroe.] Luc. l. 10.
In golden plate they fill their feasting boards,
With what the air the earth or Nile affords,
What luxury with vain ambition had
Sought through the world, and not as hunger bade,
Beasts, fowls, the Gods of Egypt are devour'd,
From Chrystall Ewres is Niles water powr'd
Upon their hands: studded with gems that shine,
Their bowles containe no Marcotick wine,
But strong and sparkling wines of Meroe.
T. M.

Zythum] Is a drink made of Barley. Theophrastus saith, that there is a wine made of Barley and Wheat, which the Ægyptians call Zythum. See Hierome upon Esay, c. 19.

A Well.] See the wells digg'd by Isaac, Gen. 24. And Jacobs well. Jo. 4. 6.

Timbrell] Or Sitrum. A musicall Instrument peculiar (it seemes) to the Egyptians. And therefore Virgil of Cleopatra:

The Queen her troops with her own Sistrum cals.
Ænead. l 8.

And Lucan,

She with her Sistrum frights the Capitoll.
l. 10.

Hunger no allegiance knowes.] Luc. l. 3.

Corn most stirs their hate most draws their loves,
And only Famine to rebellion moves
Cities; and fear is bought, where great men feed
The slothful Commons: nought starv'd people dread.
T. M.

I'le charge the Lad that he my cup did steal.] An example perhaps of a blamelesse untruth (Philo also commending it) may be given in Joseph, who being the Kings Vicegerent and in highest authority, feignedly, and not so thinking, accuseth his Brethren, first as spies, then as thieves. Grot. d. jure bell. ac pac. l. 3. c. 1 § 15.

And so parents, Schoolmasters, Tutors and Magistrates may understand our English proverbe. Tell a lie, and find a truth. We allow likewise Physitians and nurses to say to a child or patient, that a bitter potion is sweet, &c.

Power is but frail.] Therefore if wee are plac'd amid'st the noise of Cities, let a Monitor stand by our side, and against praysers of great patrimonies commend him that is rich with a little, and measures wealth by the use. Against them who extoll favour and power, let him set leasure imploy'd in studies and a mind turn'd back from externall things to its owne. Let him shew these in the vulgar opinion happy ones, trembling and astonish'd at their owne envyed height, and thinking far otherwise of themselves then they are esteem'd by others: For what unto others seem high places, unto themselves are precipices. Then are they heartlesse and quaking as often as they look down from that steep height of their greatnesse; For they think on the various casualties, and most slippery to them that are aloft, then they fear what they coveted, and the felicity which makes them heavy to others lies heavier on themselves: Then they praise a still quietnesse and freedome, they hate splendor, and fly from their yet unshaken state; then may you see them for feare playing the Philosophers; and sound counsels of a sick minde. Sen. Epist. 94.

Which keeps in breath All virtues—Piety] Take away Piety, saith Cicero, faith also and the most excellent virtue Justice is taken away. See Grot. d. jure bell. ac pac. l. 2. c. 20. sect. 44, 45, 46.

Asenath] Who was given a wife to Joseph, the daughter not indeed as many think, of the Keeper of the Prison, by name Potiphar, who bought Joseph of the Ishmaelites; (for by reason of the notorious immodesty of his wife, he might justly have refused the daughter) but of the Priest, or rather Prince of On; that is, Heliopolis, whose name was Potiphe-rah Voss. Idol. l. 1. c. 29. p. 210.

From Cush] Cush was the eldest son of Cham, Gen. 10. 6. From whom came the Æthiopians. The name signifies an Æthiopian or Blackamore. Some are of opinion that the curse of Noah was the cause of the blacknesse of Chams posterity.

With noses flat, &c.] A flat nose, thick lips, and a black skin is esteem'd the greatest beauty among the Æthiopians, who paint the devill white. But, how to judge of true beauty, see in one of Bacons Essaies; and in another of those, which my once School-fellow but ever honoured Samuel Gott, hath lately put forth.

Custome of barbarous Princes] Tacitus hath it, how that in his time the Germans almost alone of all barbarous Nations were content with single wives. Which also appeares every where in the Histories of both the Persians and Indians. Grot. d. jur. bell. &c. l. 2. c. 5. § 9. See likewise there, why it was not unlawfull for the Patriarks to have many wives. And how Polygamy was disliked by the wiser sort of the Heathen.

Of the not onely many but incestuous marriages of the Parthians, you may read in our English Luc. 1. 8.

The Venus of those barbarous Courts who hears not?
Which like bruit beasts all wedlock rites exile,
And with wives numberlesse all Laws defile:
Th'incestuous beds abhorred secrets lie
Ope to a thousand Concubines, rais'd high
With wine and banqueting; the King refraines
No lawless lust, though ne're so full of staines, &c.

How stands it with thy providence, &c.] A weake Christian may herein be satisfied by the wise Heathen Seneca's Answer to Lucilius's Quære, Why good men suffer misfortunes, seeing there is a Divine Providence. But see likewise Grot. d. verit. Chr. Rel. l. 1.

------Rarely known
To beauty a companion.

Hee alludes to that of Juvenal in his tenth Satyre.

So seldome beauty is with vertue match't.
Sir Rob: Stapylton.

Who with glad hope in patience live] Because they understand all those afflictions to bee sent from God, either for chastisement of sinnes, or for exercising of their virtues, they not onely patiently but joyfully, as obedient children, receive them from the hands of a mercifull Father, and give thanks also, either for a mild correction, or an inestimable advantage. Erasm. Colloq. Epicur.

Till the King troubled with a dream] The consideration of dreames is not altogether to be rejected, which neither Physitians themselves contemne; whence there is extant a Booke of Hippocrates περι ενυπνιων. Yet this must bee done warily, lest wee mingle false things with true, which when Aristotle saw to be done of many, it made him say, that there are no divine dreames, though to him who throughly looks into that book, will appear footsteps of a contrary opinion. Surely the wisest sort have rightly distinguish'd dreames into divine and humane. Spondanus in Homers Ilia. l. 1. v. 63. και γαρ τ' οναρ εκ Διος εστιν.

On which see likewise, Plin. Epist. to Suetonius Tranquil. l. 1.

God revealed himselfe, and his will frequently in old times, especially before the sealing of the Scripture Canon, by dreames; sometimes even to Infidels, as Pharaoh, Nebuchadnezzar, &c. But since the preaching of the Gospel became Oecumenicall, dreames, as also Miracles, have ceased to be of ordinary and familiar use: So as now, we ought rather to suspect delusion in them, then expect direction from them. Yet, although God hath now tyed us to his holy written Word, he hath no where abridged himselfe to intimate the knowledge of his will, and the glory of his might by dreames, miracles, &c. But because the Devill may suggest dreames, and work many strange effects, which may seem Divine Revelations or Miracles, when they are nothing less, it is not safe to give easie credit to dreames, &c. as Divine; Untill upon due triall there shall appear a direct tendance to the advancement of Gods glory, and a conformity unto the revealed will of God in his written Word. Moreover, so to observe our ordinary dreames, as to divine, or foretell of future contingents, or to forecast there-from good or ill luck (as we call it) in the successe of our affaires, is a damnable superstition. Lastly, there may yet be made a lawfull, yea and a very profitable use, even of our ordinary dreames; both in Physick and Divinity. Of our bodies first. For since that the predominancy of Choler, Blood, Flegme, and Melancholy; as also the differences of strength, and health, and diseases, and distempers, by diet, passion, or otherwise, cause impressions of different formes in the fancy: our dreames may help to discover both in time of health, our naturall constitution, complexion, and temperature; and in times of sicknesse, from the ranknesse and tyranny of which of the humors the malady springeth. Of our soules too. For since our dreames for the most part look the same way, which our freest thoughts incline, the observing of our ordinary dreames may bee of good use for us unto that discovery, which of these three is our master sinne (for unto one of the three every other sin is reduced) The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, or the pride of life. Dr Sanderson, but more at large in his sixt Sermon, ad populum, of Gods appearing to Abimelech, Gen. 6. 20.

Magicians] We commonly so call them, who use diabolicall arts, and have any compact or commerce with evill spirits. That such were these, may be suspected by their successors in the time of Moses; Though the Persian Magi were Philosophers. And Cic. l. 1. de Div. The Magi are a kind of learned and wise men among the Persians. The Wise men of the East are so called, Mat. 2. The Word hath since been taken in an ill sense for Witches, or Conjurers, and had the like fate with Tyrant, Sophister, &c.

Vossius makes three sorts of art Magicke. Naturall, as when an Egge moves on a Table, because of Quick-silver put into it; or a Naile hangs in the aire, because a Load-stone is hid above and beneath it. Artificiall, when Archimedes burnt the Roman Ships with looking-glasses, and Archytas made a woodden Dove to fly. Dæmoniacall, when a man is carried a hundred miles in an houre; a Brazen head answers to any question, &c. Which Magicke who exercise, commonly joyne therewith the naturall and artificiall, that they may be thought in all the rest to work by nature or art.

Heavens constellations] Theagenes foretold the Empire to Augustus. Thrasyllus shew'd what imminent danger himselfe was in from Tiberius, The Mathematicians banish'd Rome by Vitellius, foretold his death should bee before the Calends of October. Ascletarion accus'd for a Mathematician, and not denying it, boasted of what he had foreseen by his art: Domitian ask'd him if he could tell what his own end should be, and when he affirm'd that he should shortly be torn of Dogs, commanded him to be slain forthwith; and, to confute the vanity of his art, carefully put into the funerall fire: which done, it happen'd, by a sudden tempest the pile was cast downe, and his body halfe burnt, was devoured by Dogges. The Empire was likewise foretold to Ralph of Auspurgh, and the Popedome to Leo the tenth. But it is not so hard to answer these, as is supposed. For a thing is fore-known, either by commerce with the Devill, who by reason of his subtlety and experience is seldome deceived; and often, God permitting, brings to passe what he foretels: Or when Astrologers are familiar with great men, and knowing what they go about, boast that they foreknow many things by the Stars, which they have learned elsewhere: or lastly, when crafty men among many false speake something true by chance. For that they do not alwaies tell truth, is proved by innumerable examples; I will now only bring in that of Pope John. 21. a Philosopher, Astrologer, and Physitian, who having before his familiar friends promised himselfe long life, died the fourth moneth after. Voss. de Idolo. l. 2. c. 48. See also a discourse against Astrologers in Barclayes Argenis. l. 2.

A silke white robe] White garments were worne by Princes and persons of honour among the Easterne nations, as purple among the Western. And therefore (unless I mistake) Herods souldiers arraied our Saviour (though mockingly) in white (for so our old English translations read it, with St Hierome, if the vulgar Edition be his) and Pilates in a purple robe.