THE HISTORY OF SUSANNA. Compiled according to the Prophet Daniel, amplified with convenient Meditations; sung by the devoted honourer of the divine Muses, GEORGE BALLARD.  
Conscia●ens rectiridet mendacia fame.  
LONDON, Printed by Thomas Harper for William Hope, at the Unicorn in Cornhill near the Royal Exchange. 1638.   

The contents of the whole.  
OLd Scripture-blessings Heaven confirmeth on  
A Saintly Hebrew-dame in Babylon:  
Her bright triumphant Virtue tramples down  
men's lust assaulting, wins the Daphnean Crown  
Of glory, over seeming shame. Two foes  
To her renown, implunge themselves in woes  
Which folly brings. Who would this sum behold  
In special, it the sequel shall unfold,  
With ample satisfaction in the same,  
To all, that bear good will to Susan's name.   

The Author's Petition; To the fairest of all Beauties, the King of Glory, the everlasting Sun of righteousness, and the consolation of Men and Angels, who reigns and shines for ever in Trinity and Unity.  
Eternal glorious Lord Triumphant on  
Thy pure Celestial fiery burning throne,  
Whose locks, and garments brightness far outgoes  
The shining whiteness of Mount- Salmon-snowes:  
One portion of whose beauty mortals can  
Not comprehend, if not in form of man.  
Most amiable Helion fair, from whom  
Continual streams of heavenly flames do come  
Into our boldened breasts: whose lightsome rays  
Illumine infant-babes to chant thy praise.  
Vouchsafe that from above the splendent Pole,  
Thy beams divine may luminate my soul.  
O thou that learnd'st old Isay's son to sing  
The songs of Zion ruined on silver-string:  
(Great God of Moses▪ God of Muses too)  
Teach me to sing, as thou taughtest him to do;  
While I do represent Susanna's story,  
Which Daniel penned unto thy pristine glory.  
Fill me with Zions fountain streams, to chant  
Thy praise (O God) in praising such a Saint.  
Furnish my lines, with secret power to kill  
Unjust revenge, and carnal fires to i'll;  
That that immortal chastity, and honour,  
May (with thy blessed gifts conferred upon her)  
All Readers move to studious admiration  
Of Susan's goodness, in her imitation;  
That babes unborn, while World endures may dread  
Thy sacred Laws, in hope of bounteous meed;  
And Vice (when her unseemly self is seen,  
Unstript from vestments of so fair a Queen,  
As Virtue, peering in deformed hue  
Of Viper-spots, unto the public view)  
May be abandoned from the souls of men,  
Unto the place of torment Satan's den.  
So (if so blessed) these lines in time to come,  
(Bearing thy glory) shall not find a tomb,  
But (fraught with Susan's lively honour) vie  
With during Annals of Eternity.   

To the right Honourable ANNE, Countess of Northumberland, all prosperity here, and in the World to come sempiternal welfare.  
Excellent MADAM,  
BEing assured, that your Ladyship very well- 〈◊〉 there is no ornament 〈◊〉 eminent virtues, 〈…〉 sublime 〈…〉 emboldened to 〈◊〉 into the Sanctuary of your protection, renowned Susanna's History: which to your Honour may challenge worthy relation, for manifold respects; worth your gracious acceptance, and leisurefull meditation. To speak a little in her payses: Susanna was a Lady Princely descended from the royal blood of the loins of judah, whence our ●●●iour pleased to derive his happy incarnation. Her virtues to her birth in highness were parallel. Her very infancy gave divine presaging promises to the world, of her future goodness. Her countenance in the cradle, manifested infallible tokens, to character succeeding honour. Her riper wisdom was discreet to preserve the honour of her soul immaculate. Her elevated cogitations enspheared themselves in the first Move● (a higher Orb●e, the● 〈◊〉 Circles of frailty) He● intaminate affection devoted her best service to the glory of her Maker, knowing it the end of her Creation. Her modesty was the exact model of all her actions. A good conscience she held the most inestimable flower, that grew within the border of Time: far sweeter than the Roses of England, more fragrant than judaean Balms, or the Cynamons of Egypt; for the same shall be transplanted into the Garden of Paradise. The Temple of her heart she solely dedicated to her Redeemers service; that neither the attractive allurements, nor menacing reproaches of monstrous Magistrates, nor obloquy, nor ignominious death (which she accounted as a pleasant object (in comparison) or a haven of harbour to fly unto, ●o her Creator's presence, against the assaults of the swelling waters of wickedness) rather then to pollute her Nobility with dishonourable 〈◊〉: or to defile the Sanctum Sanctorum of her soul▪ (the receptacle of the holy Tri●●●y) with uncleanness: the rougher her ●rosse, the richer was her Diadem: the more her malignant Adversaries powerful oppression, the more her patience in a const●●● resolution, is laudable with all Posterity. She perceived her conflict could be but momentany, uncouth; her triumph everlastingly glorious: impaled about with crowns of continuance. Her tears, suspi●●tions, and orisons were as the former & later rain, and winds of Heaven, to foster those diviner seeds, which the Almighty had sown in the Eden furrows of her bosom, unto a joyful harvesting. In her affliction she found variety of Soule-solacing dainties, wherewith she repasted her spirit in supernatural contemplations Her Chastity, her Charity, her Hospitality were remarkable. Finally, whatsoever virtues, whatsoever comeliness, whatsoever proportion, what endowments, and rare qualities of body and mind soever, can commend women were wonderfully complete, and conspicuous in Susanna. For which her soul hath never-ending felicity; her name immortality. She was undoubtedly a Darling of the Omnipotent Deity: who miraculously raised a little Daniel by heavenly power to vindicate her injuries, in bringing down the mightiness, ●nd esteem of ancient cunningly combined Senators, to sudden confusion. In countenancing therefore Susanna's story (〈◊〉) for Susanna's sake, your Ladyship shall perpetuate through all Generations your name, living in a like sympathy of your own true Nobility's blessings; and shall demonstrate your clemency herein, in pardoning the errors of a boldness in affection of him, that cannot be an Alien, nor 〈◊〉 Infidel to your worthy perfections; neither thinketh now, that he over-presumeth ●pon, or any way insinuateth, but voluntarily, according to your merit, confirmeth 〈◊〉 Dedication upon your Honour,  
Remaining at your Honour's service to be commanded, G. B.   

THE PROPOSITION Apologicall to the Learned Readers.  
NO Story of transformed Dames (of old)  
By Poets changed into stars of gold,  
Into clear Fountains, Birds, and branches green;  
Nor of the Pagan-praysed Ephesian Queen,  
Who (naked) bathed with Virgin-Nymphs of Wood  
In bubbling stream; whose Nymphs about her stood,  
Like Ivory pales (in vain) to hide their Dame,  
From Cadmus' Kinsman, that a Hart became:  
No laud of her; but I Encomiums sing,  
Of new Titania bathing in a Spring;  
More constant, chaste, more beautiful divine:  
Of whom Diana was a former sign.  
Who wears of glory an unchanging crown,  
(A star which never falls from Heaven down)  
Had she been known Thessalian Bards among,  
Her stories true had in their times been sung;  
Not one, but two Actaeon's found her, laving  
Her dainty limbs in Fountains ever-waving.  
Who unattended (by her Virgin-train)  
To beastly Monsters changed the lustful twain.  
Her peerless form, and virtues do inspire  
My bosom with a holy warming fire:  
Emboldening me (whom Fortune barred to climb  
The Muse's Mountains in my Sylvan-rime,  
To sing her praises, which will du●e even  
Longer on Earth then shining Lamps in Heaven.  
And I admire her Legend hath (so long  
Poets so plenteous) never yet been sung.  
Susanna that eternal Saintly thing,  
Merits a worthier Muse than mine to sing  
Her honoured Fame, my boldness should be dumb,  
In this attempt; saving in days to come,  
My mean untutored pains (perchance) may call  
More learned men to come and mend it all.   

Sect. I.  
ARGUMENT▪  
In Babylon lives joachim,  
Blessings God showers down on him▪  
Living single▪ Noble Lords  
Would w●●e him, he dislikes their words.  
ON Shinar ●plains, where haughty Ninus would  
His Babel-tow'r to heaven should be extolled,  
Stands situate within a wall of stone▪  
Bitumenate the City Babylon▪  
Where dwelled an Hebrew Lord of taintless fame▪  
And high descent, Lord joachim by name▪  
A man to whom the Governor of heaume▪  
Virtue and riches bounteously had given;  
Slighted their proffered Virgins; nor did he●  
Regard their portions, nor their pedigree;  
Hearing his wise forewarning parents say,  
How many perils, in such wedding lay;  
He vowed to marry, but to marry one  
Of Iudah's Tribe, and not of Babylon.   

MEDIT. I. Res est solliciti plena timoris amor.  
PRide, and Idolatry are Babel's sins,  
Whence all the woe of Zion still begins.  
He, that from Babylon, a good wife takes,  
Snatcheth an Eeele out of a bag of Snakes.  
Before the flood good Fathers (by divine  
Instinct of goodness) did their sons confine  
By marriage, not to mingle with the strain,  
Of feminines sprung from condemned Cain:  
Who tempted men to fall from God above,  
Instead of him unliving Gods to love.  
The man, that wives, with an Idolatress,  
Marries temptation, never wants distress.  
Cursed is such wedding; to declare how foul,  
Such wedding renders man's eternal soul.  
God made men's wives a monstrous brood bring forth  
Of ugly Giants, to amaze the Earth.  
Who for their pride, and cruel acts removed  
Amongst men, with men of the old world were drowned.  
And who have so been married since the flood,  
Begotten have a Gigantean brood:  
Such Nimrod was, such were his workers on  
The luckless Tower of confusion.  
Of whom old Bards ingeniously did fain,  
To war with Heaven, fals-thirsting thereto reign,  
Heaping huge hills on hills, and chambering on,  
To pull jove down from his supernal throne.  
Cruel Idolatry, and Pride are Twins,  
Which God abhors, too seldom pardoned sins;  
Th'one banished Angels from the Courts of Heaven,  
Tother hath Kings of Diadems bereaven:  
Both making children of the holy lands,  
Distressed bondmen in Chaldean bands.  
How happens then, that any captive-lord  
In Babylon, with blessings should be stored?  
He, that from heaven, sent hells infernals slashes,  
On sinne-blind Sodom burned to dust and ashes▪  
For unrepented crimes, hath also given  
To penitents, 'midst earthly hell, a heaven.  
He is the true God, when his people turns,  
Doth rain down blessings, and his scourges burns.  
Else joachim had known no day of mirth  
In Babylon, nor no such heaven on earth.  
God thinks on kindness when for sins he scatters  
The sons of Zion, among many waters.  
Rods for amendment sending upon those  
Which sleep in sin, he wakens them with woes.  
When sinners turn to him, they do not want,  
Vineyards he gives, which they did never plant,  
And corne-full acres, which they have not sown,  
And towns of strangers given them for their own.  
Let no man trust in sin, nor though sinne-driven,  
From man's society, despair in heaven:  
For God, on a sin banished man put on  
A Crown imperial in great Babylon.  
Making him after (for presumptuous ills)  
Graze among cattle on a thousand hills:  
And after that, gave him his Crown again,  
To make him know, a King of Kings doth reign.   

Se●●. II.  
ARGUMENT.  
Babel Ladies try their 〈◊〉▪  
To g●ine L●rd joachims' good will▪  
Susan (who deserves the Bay●s▪)  
Wins his love, her beauty's praise.  
NOw, when the Babylonian Lords could not  
Tangle Lord Io●chim in Love's Gordian knot;  
When they perceived 'twould be in vain for them  
To turn unto their be●t his passion-streame:  
They all surceased their hopeless suits to move,  
Leaving him freedom to select his love;  
But now some Feminines of Babylon  
To gain his love, did gay adornments don.  
They went apparelled in the Hebrew fashion,  
Swelling their minds with vain imagination.  
This love● now attendeth Time to ●inde,  
Wherein his Love should know his loving mind.  
The youthful Lady, marriageable grown,  
Virtue and Beauty gained her such redound,  
That every man (informed of her Name)  
far in the Orient, spread her newborn fame;  
For unto her, this attribute was given:  
Susan the fair, who fears the God of heaven.  
Her form and virtue (interblending rays)  
Transplended theirs, that lived before her days.  
Before her, such a beauty was not seen  
Within the City of King Ninus Queen;  
Clearly in whose complexion glory shone,  
Like Titan in serenest Horizon,  
Beyond expression beautiful, her Nation  
Admired her form, with more than admiration.  
Some parallel her by the fond compare  
Of mundane things, some call her Phoenix fair;  
Some said her front seemed like an Iv'rie hill,  
Whereon some god did Nard and Amber spill:  
Her lovely cheeks resembling summer-fields,  
Which damaske-rose, and silver lily yields:  
Her hairs the golden threads; or in the skien,  
Like bright Apollo's morning-beames; hereyn  
Sparkling like Diamonds, or stars that shone  
With influence, to comfort lookers on.  
Others affirm, her head's a little heaven  
Imperial, where blessed Angels liven,  
Her breathing like perfumed wind, which moves  
In balmy sweet Egyptian autumne-groves.  
Her teeth like orient pearl, whose comely rows,  
Her lips (like Ruby) very seldom shows  
In her discourse▪ whose voice to standards by,  
Soomed like supernal seav'n-spheered harmony.  
Some said her neck a turret seemed of one  
Smooth polished snow-white Alablaster-stone:  
And that the same (for evermore) inzoned  
A Carquenet of costly diamond.  
Her paps two Swan-down worlds, that each contains  
Like Rivulets, bright Azure branched veins.  
Such kind of commendation did but stain  
Her holy countenance in a purer grain,  
Then blushing rose, then Vespers crimson sky,  
Then snowballs tincted with vermilion die.  
What man soe'er Susanna's praise would sing,  
Had need carouse the heliconian spring;  
Had need Arion's silver Harp, and voice,  
Or of King david's, a diviner choice;  
Else, he can never truly blazon forth,  
Sufficient praises of Susanna's worth.   

MEDIT. II. Auri sacra fames.  
WHen men on plenti's swelling Ocean sail,  
Attended on with honour's windy gale;  
Worldlings will be their servants: earthly treasure,  
Attracteth friends, and momentany pleasure.  
Women to wealthy men conjoin alone,  
Like steel unto Septentrional stone▪  
If pleased Fortune's Sunny beamlings shine,  
Serenely on some boon estate of thine:  
If bounteous heaven's builder deign to ●hrow  
His left-hand-blessings on thy crowned brow;  
Thou shalt not want sufficient friends, that will  
Augment the portion of thy plenty still.  
Then (jove-like) thou in welcome-golden shower,  
May'st o'ercome Danae, in her brazen tower.  
Nations in blinded times of old bare love  
To Heaven, when they de●sied jove:  
But (nowadays) no jupiter i● found▪  
For (in all lands) Pluto a god is 〈…〉  
And through the Christian world in moderns times,  
In female-hearts, god Mammo● highly climbs.  
Gold is a Lodestar to their loves, it can  
Draw them to fancy any wealthy man.  
To win a golden Husband, some devise,  
To cover all Nature's informities:  
If fairness dwindles in their cheeks, they will  
Watered with Clarets, and bestow their skill.  
Lest Titan's kisses stain their painted skin,  
Their fans, and veils shall mew their beauties in▪  
If they have bouncing limbs▪ the same are pennd  
In leathern prisons, proportion to amend:  
If they want grace (by art) in fac● they bring  
Of white and red a second beauty's Spring:  
Such when I see (Lord) how completely vain,  
(Think I) is all god Mammon's following train.  
Such yields this world, affording other some,  
Contemning gold, which covet wealth to come.  
Not in this world: whose parents that did breed them,  
With blessed food Helcias-like did feed them.  
And they (not worldly minded) never marry;  
But where they find the fear of Heaven tarry.  
Slighting Earth-treasures, they will not approve  
Mortals for mortal riches worthy love.  
They with Susannan virtues are endi●●ae,  
Of them, i● but a slender multitude.  
Who haply trained in faintly education,  
Can join their love with Christian moderation.  
With so much comeliness as their complexions,  
A man would deem full of divine perfections.  
And such (like Capharean Lanterns) give  
Them light, which in nocturnal darkness live.  
Such when I see;▪ I seem to see the graces  
Of heavenly Angels, shrined in human● faces;  
And then I think, if such perfection dwells  
With Saints abiding in terrestrial cell.  
In mortal mansions of flesh, what stories  
Can show the heavenly ones supernal glories?   

Sect▪ III.  
ARGUMENT.  
joachim to Helcias ●oes,  
His love unto Susanna shows  
Her Sire assents; his speeches ●●ines  
Her heart, and marriage-day obtains▪  
NOw when Susanna's beauty through the town,  
And Provinces was blazoned up and down,  
Some Noble Lords (who lived in Babylon)  
Sought her in marriage, 〈◊〉 her Paragon  
Of fairest beauties (so all tongues agreed)  
Who, her in wooing, had as hapless speed,  
As those gay Dames, that (whilom but in vain)  
Supposed the young Lord joachims' love to gain;  
For old Hel●ias (though his daughter could  
Not fancy them, fearing in time she would)  
Susanna listening to her constant Lover,  
Her whispering friends (in corners) do discover  
A glorious combat in her countenance,  
By all the Graces fought in puissance:  
A pleasant battle, none of them would yield,  
To lose the glory of that honoured field.  
Aurora's blush of ruby countenance,  
Nor Maiden- Cynthia's silver-radiance,  
Nor deawly Vesper's Crimson-coloured sky,  
Nor via lacteas heavenly milken die▪  
Nor Doves, nor Roses, could such colours show,  
As in her countenance did come, and go.  
It seems her judgement wisely did approve  
His Courtly learning in the school of Love:  
For yer Titania, with her horned brow,  
Wandered on high 12 heavenly mansions through,  
She was affianced, at her father's boo●d,  
To joachim her overjoyfull Lord.  
Glad, as our Lovers, were their friends, and they  
Prefixed the wedding's ceremonial day,  
Which soon expires; and in his nuptial bands,  
The mariage-god conjoins them heart & hands.  
Glad jo-peans Hymen then did sing,  
And to their wedding pomp, and glory bring.  
What shall I say? such marriage (unbereaven  
Of happiness) was forecontrived in heaven.  
To tell the Bride, and Bridegroom's going forth,  
With various music, quaintest songs of mirth,  
When spangled anadems bedecked the brow  
Of Madam Bride, time scanteth me to show.  
Suffice it you, she was attended on,  
By all the stately trains of Babylon:  
And through that town, to honour Susan's name  
Loud Cymbals ring out: Naptha bonfires flame:  
Tilts, Tournaments, and great triumphant sport,  
Honoured her Nuptials in great Babel's Court.   

MEDIT. III. Verus amor odit moras.  
THe best love-potion is, whoever prove  
Virtuous affection; it obtaineth love▪  
True love resembling unction poured upon  
The Crown of Aaron, thence descending on  
His beard, and garment-skirts▪ that left behind  
Odours, which to devotion moved the mind.  
'Tis like the fine dew of Hermoni●●-fountains,  
Gently distilling upon Sion-mountains.  
'Tis purest fire, extracted from the Pole,  
Surpassing that, that fond Prometheus stole  
It (being enkindled by Celestial breath)  
Burns till extinguished by the hand of death  
In virtuous souls of men. Beauty alone,  
●n●ends it not, it dures when beauties gone  
〈◊〉 profit▪ not on pleasure it depends,  
Pleasure and profit on true love attends:  
True love disdaineth all ignoble ends:  
It 〈…〉 hearts in that contentive chai●▪  
Which World's great builder did for man ordain▪  
Not in the earth; where blood and wrong abounds,  
But in the bosom of Elysian grounds.  
By love and wedlock, highest God (who then  
Made two of one) made them two one again:  
Leaving the same for signals to abide  
Of Heaven's bridegroom, and his holy bride.  
Could men of such a Theme no verses make:  
Mountains, and Rocks would warble undertake,  
Loud echo answering them again) would sing,  
And shame upon unthankful men would bring:  
Our soul's Redeemer by his 〈◊〉 divine,  
To honour these turned water into wine,  
At Galilean Canaan▪ God declared  
Heav'n-joyes unto a wedding feast compared.  
But for true-love, and marriage-propagation,  
The World had still remained in desolation.  
O love and wedlock (chase wanton fires,  
Which in our souls the Paphian god inspires)  
In you the poor man's joys 〈◊〉 abound:  
As his, whose brows with fined gold are 〈◊〉  
You empty dwellings fill, and are a sign  
Of Zions bridegroom, and his love divi●●  
Your praise (alas) my Muse too saintly sings.  
Let some good Angel spread his shining wings,  
Descending on them from supernal Choir,  
And bring with him some sempiternal Lyre.  
To strike with airs of Heaven the ears of men,  
And show how much indebted mortals been  
To Heaven for these, let duller worldlings be  
Ravished, to hear celestial melody▪  
When he shall strike his more than Orphean string,  
Stones, streams, and woods will dance about, and sing.   

Sect. IU.  
ARGUMENT.  
joachim, and Susann's love  
Crowned with blessings from above:  
They have beauteous children, fair  
Mansions, and Gardens rare.  
Our married Lovers, full of high content,  
Live merry, lives in Fortune's blandishment:  
God showrs abundant blessings on them down  
Giving them children, wedlock joys to crown,  
In whose composure, Elements conspire,  
To turn themselves into eternal fire.  
The virtuous Offspring of the patient joh,  
(For beauty famous in this earthen Globe,  
Whose fairness shamed the finest flowers of May)  
Were not more amiably fair than they.  
Lord joachim, and Lady Susan were,  
(When ever named) Music to every ear.  
Their joy abound's on earth, & Fortune's Sun,  
With golden-beames, on them serenely shone  
No sadning want, no sorrow-bringing strife,  
Was known to burden their good mariage-life:  
But in their bosom, dwelled a purer love,  
Then what the Tur●le bearers his fellow-dove.  
Their dwellings for the years been seazons stand,  
Like little Temples in a holy Land,  
Within adorned, with polished Ivory posts.  
And with refined gold of Ophir-coasts.  
Gardens, and Orchards they had many a one,  
(And such, as then, were paralleled by none)  
Surrounded with Bitumened walls of stone.  
Gardens they had, in every month were green,  
Where trees, and herbs were still in glory seen.  
Where Nightingales continual songs did sing,  
Because they found there, a continual spring.  
There you, in winter-gardens, might behold  
Swee● Marjorams, some green, & some like gold.  
There Lavender, and full-blown Daffodil,  
Purple-veined violets, Cowslips, Camomile,  
There verdant herbs, there blossomed Rosemary  
Flourished, with the immortal Daphnean tree.  
In Winter-moneths, there might you gather posies  
Of Gillow●●●w is, and pretty Prime-●oses:  
There plushen-pasies, woodbine-double flowers,  
And brabbles sweet, decked Flora's winter-bowers.  
There Periwinkles, Germander, and Lilies,  
With Flags aspired behind Nardiss●● Dillies:  
There lofty Firre-trees, Pinks like leaved Pine,  
Pomecitron-trees, and trees which Iv●es twine,  
There berried Hollyes, juniper, and Ewe,  
With never●more decaying Boxtrees grew.  
There Orange, Limon, Palm, Pomeg●anad 〈◊〉,  
Cypress, and shady Mirtle-trees were seen.  
There many plants (bearing no fruit but flowers)  
By art were changed to eye contenting bowers,  
There Labyrinths, and many Mazes were,  
A little Wilderness of trees was there:  
All which in Winter-gardens seemed gay,  
As greenest Elme-trees in the month of May.  
There the Mezerion-plants on high did bloom,  
From plants and herbs, such spicy winds would come▪  
That you would think (had you been there) there moves  
Autumnal airs of blessed Arabian groves.  
To say what herbs, what plants, and odours fill  
Their Summer-grounds, 〈◊〉 my weaker  
The Graci●● 〈…〉 of the glories (skill.  
Within those places) wrote Elysian stories:  
Where Pleiades celestial influences,  
Bred orient coloured flowers to cheer the senses,  
And to content the Spirits; there did stand  
The owner's study; on a knowle of land:  
Where the desilience of argentine-streames  
Enlightened it, with Sols reniding beams.  
Thrice happy man he did enjoy the pleasure  
Of (almost) Eden, in the highest measure,  
That any man (since Adam fell) obtained  
In Regions where E●an Monarches reigned.  
Fair Stillatories he had builded there:  
Where Flora's virtual powers did appear;  
But beautiful Susanna (Io chi●● Erred)  
More pleasant was then all the flowrs beside.  
His Olive-orchards, Parks, and Vineyards all.  
His bleating slocks, which came at shepherds call,  
His corn, his wine, his plenteous Bahns & Myrrh,  
Were slender blessings all compared with her●  
For my Urania in Queen Flora's bowers,  
Dares sing, Susanna fairer than earthly flowers.   

MEDIT. IU Bonis bona singula.  
THus righteous souls are blessed: their God, who guides  
The floods of Heaven, and the Ocean tides,  
Who fills the world with plenteousness, and rolls,  
The rapid Spheres on their unmoving Poles)  
Doth send them comforts from his holy hill,  
And the desires of their souls fulfil.  
Their wives resemble Vine-trees on the house:  
Their youthful sons, those pleasant Olive-boughes,  
Abounding with the fattest dews of Zion;  
Their furnished tables round about environ  
Their daughters fair (of Virtue fair ensamples)  
Like polished pillars in the holy Temples.  
Their eyes behold their children's children in  
The land of grace, when peace is crowned Queen.  
On their inheritance, Heaven sendeth down  
All promised blessings, their desires to crown  
With joys beyond their wish: no hailstones shall,  
No mildews harm, on their corn-acres fall.  
Their land (unlike unto Egyptian grounds,  
Which watering Nilus, often, starve's and drownd's)  
Th' eternal send's from his round running throne,  
The former with the latter rain upon.  
Their mountains, vales, and dales of corn shall bring,  
With fruitfulness, that they shall laugh and sing.  
Their fertile Vines (with clusters heavy loaden)  
Shall (almost) burst before they can be trodden  
Into the painful winepress, they shall leave  
Behind enough for strangers to receive.  
Their Garners shall with wheat be over-heeled  
Their casks with wine, with milk, and oil be filled,  
Their cattle fruitful, where the same abide,  
Grass shall upspring like that on jordan side,  
Aspiring in the kindly month of May.  
Butter, and Honey shall their stomaches stay:  
Rivers anammell all their virid plains,  
Where milk, and mell, and Maja still remayn's;  
Whose motley medow's pomp shall be maintained,  
By Iris riches, when the heavens have reigned:  
Fishes shall multiplying, fill their floods,  
As greenest leaves replenish Summer- 〈◊〉.  
Blessings shall stream unto them, unto them,  
Belong the joys of new Jerusalem.  
In terrene troubles, wheresoever they fall,  
God (their protector) bring's them out of all.  
Confirmed by God, and man, they stand beloved  
Like Sion-mountains, which are never moved  
These are their earthly blessings; these in sum▪  
Fore type man's better heavenly bliss t● come.   

Sect. V.  
ARGUMENT.  
Ioachim's frequented Feasts,  
Princely fare for Princely guests:  
Two lewd Elders (most unjust)  
To lie with Susan burn in lust.  

LOrd joachim, and his beloved Spouse,  
To honest comers kept a bounteous house:  
Unto their Lordly Palace every day,  
Their Kinsmen came to banish dole away.  
Sometime they spent their time in harmless mirth,  
Sometimes in games the pleasures of the earth  
Lord joachim was niggard unto none;  
His greatest comfort underneath the Sun,  
Was to bid strangers welcome to his table;  
His pilgrimage of life was honourable.  
Pilgrims about the World, report his fame,  
As Sidney's lines one Lord Kalander's name.  
Princes, and judges to their sumptuous Palace,  
Would often journey for their better solace:  
Where feasting days (save Players made no sport  
Resembled grand days in a Prince's court.  
The captive Hebrews, that had long been sorry,  
Without abuse, would there be often merry.  
To welcome them, who thither would repair,  
The dainties of the Ocean, Earth, and Air  
He wanted not: of juncketting no dearth,  
Hesperian gardens such things brought not forth.  
The Manna, that on Thisbe's tree distils  
In Summer-mornings', on Portuguese hills,  
He counted but a drug; his plenteous wines  
Equalled the red juice of Engeddian Vines.  
He had Ambrozian junkets, men did think  
Supernal Nectar had been there for drink.  
Abusive Bacchanalians, which do mar  
The bliss of man, from him were banished far▪  
But if in Babylon, lived any poor,  
They were relieved by his abundant store.  
The Hebrew-Elders earnestly entreat,  
Within his hall, to build their judgement seat.  
He granted their petition; all, and some,  
Who had to do in law, did thither come.  
Now were not any in more honour there,  
Then joachim, and his Susanna were:  
Now Fortune's Sun, as never 't would decline,  
Upon Susanna smilingly did shine:  
She found a Heaven on Earth, living a life  
Most Princess like, most worthy Io●chim's wife;  
But mundane pleasures, which do flatter souls,  
May in one moment, all be turned to doles.  
Behold (you that beheld the splendent light  
Of Susan's virtue with your mental sight)  
What Hel-born darkness would defile her fame,  
And with reproach entomb her honoured name.   

In Babylon an annual custom was,  
To change their judges, as the years did pass:  
judicious Princes once a year did choose  
A pair of Elders, fit to doom the jews.  
Who now, mistaken, had selected forth,  
Two sons of Belial, men of seeming worth,  
Dissembling Lawyers, such as, all their lives,  
Had been familiar with their neighbour's wives:  
Such wicked children, and the same, of whom,  
Th'eternal said; Iniquity is come  
From Babylon: and plainly doth appear  
In breasts of Ancients, that do govern there.  
These haunt the Mansion of Lord joachim,  
And crept in estimation with him:  
Where (often) both of them in doubtful cause,  
Pass partial judgement of impartial Laws.  
Their heads were wilefull; for a golden fee,  
Saints they condemned, bold sinner's lives to free.  
These (gazing on the Sun of Susan's beauty)  
Were strucken blind, they could not ken their duty:  
Their hasty feet in paths infernal trod,  
And they forgot the glorious laws of God:  
When Time's cold Winter changed their beards like wools  
Of whitest Lambs, and baldned both their skulls,  
They burned in lust towards her; and every day,  
Court being ended, there did loyt'ring stay:  
Their blood reboiled, like that in Aeson-veins,  
They were as jocund as the younger swains.  
To dinner (sent-for) each returneth home,  
Whither again, they (having dined) would come,  
So in apparel, changed that men (whilere)  
Who 〈…〉 were.  
Though they, by interparlance, were unjust,  
Yet did they not communicate their lust;  
T'ill wondering at their frequent meeting there,  
Each tell's his fellow, without shame, or fear,  
And then these Devils in a humane shape,  
Cohasten fair Susanna to entrap:  
Though Charon, hel's infernal Boat-man, stood  
Waiting to waft them o'er the Stygian flood:  
They doted on Venerean sport, as though  
They had creation only to do so:  
So (waxen old) they both again begin  
To serve another prenticeship to sin:  
Mispending their most precious heaven lent leisure,  
Not in repentance, but in carnal pleasure.    

MEDIT. V. Voluptas dulce venenum.  
COuld judges (having honour to be styled  
Gods upon earth) than Devils prove more vild?  
Could they (who often had condemned to die,  
Adulterers) commit adultery?  
Could Elders burn in lust? could old men wander  
In flames, like the Serpentine Salamander?  
Did they (when crooked, old, and bald, and rivel)  
Don youthful raiments, to allure to evil?  
Had the seducing Devil no younger men  
In Babylon, to be his factors then?  
Vainglorious fools to think apparel could,  
Entice a Saint, though wrought with Indian gold.  
Had they contemned the Laws, and taken leisure,  
To fall from God, to make a god of pleasure?  
Pleasure what is it, 'tis an Amphisben,  
Biting at both ends, it soon endeth men.  
Pleasure what is it? is it not a trap,  
To ruin Anthony in Fortune's lap?  
To humble Hannibal, who marched far,  
Renownedly unharmed by Roman war?  
This is a hand of Mischief: thi● could rim  
Proud Olophernes traitors head from him.  
It could demolish skie-aspiring Troy,  
And her bright glory in dark embers lay.  
The souls of men are oftentimes betrayed  
By carnal pleasure, to infernal shade.  
'Tis like a blind worm● in our paths, it is  
A stinging Adder of the land of Dis:  
'Tis like Medusa's tress; and if it be  
T● wound in the body of man's living tree,  
Man's heart of flesh converts (if he have one)  
By secret vigour, to unliving stone.  
It steeleth o'er the maiden-blushing soul,  
Past sense of sin, makes royal David foul.  
(Alas) the Lebanon of God hath never,  
Such Cedars nourished, but this storm could shiver.  
This is a blast could tumble to the ground  
World-wondred Samson when he lived renowned.  
Could make the wisest mortal King bow down,  
With foolish congees, to the gods unknown.  
Pleasure's a monstrous Witch, that can transform  
Proud men into Harpeian-birds of harm.  
Embrace her in your bosoms, you that list  
To howl in darkness of Chimeria● mist:  
For this pollutes man's soul, and ●an undo  
The strongest men consenting thereunto▪  
Plebeians should beware; and Princes then,  
Be vigilant in choosing soundest men  
For Magistrates, such whose example shooed,  
Shining in goodness, do their Con●i●●e good.  
Kings, that so careful are, shall ever find  
Confirmed peace, and leave renown behind.  
Which Pharaoh knew, when he to Ioseph's hands▪  
Committed ruledome of Aegyptian-lands:  
Wherefore let Christian Kings observe the same,  
And they shall gain an everlasting Name.   

Sect. VI.  
ARGUMENT.  
The Elders think men's spirits ●n●w,  
●fter death, no weal●, nor woe:  
Of sin, and Susan's destoration,  
Consisteth all their consultation.  
THese Elders, when together on a day,  
Between themselves, these following words did say:  
Such words renowned Solomon foretold,  
In counsel speak our Saviour's judges would.  
Mankind is born to live, and die in sin,  
Death makes a man as he had never been:  
Let's laugh our time to nothing: after death  
Comes neither joy, nor pain, our vital breath  
Smoak-like ascendeth from our nostrils; all  
Our words, like fiery dying sparkles, fall  
Unto the ground, our bodies turn to clay,  
Our spirits vanish like the airs of May:  
Our lives consume, like empty clouds of heaven,  
Which winds beyond the ken of man have driven,  
Or like to duly mists, that soon are done  
Upon the rising of the Summer's Sun.  
Our names and fames (in time) will be forgotten:  
Our memory (like dead men's bones) be rotten.  
Time hastens, man decay's, completes his Urn,  
And 'tis decreed: from death can none return.  
Come let us fall unto our wont games,  
Let us be blithe, and nourish wanton flames,  
On silver-trenchers, let us frankly ear.  
The finest fat of lust-provoking meat;  
'Twill make us young though we be waxen old,  
And let us drink (in burnished bowls of gold)  
The sparkling ancient strong Falernian Wines:  
And look about, for youthful Concubines.  
Sad cogitations jolly souls oppress:  
Let us ascend our thrones in pleasantness.  
Let Nard, and Amber on our garments smell,  
Like Flora's Bowers, where Maja's Nymphs do dwell.  
Roses will wither (being fully blown)  
But while they bud, we'll wear a Rosy crown.  
What Lyncean eye discerns our lewd delight,  
Covered with darkness of the cloudy night?  
Why should we censures fear, or idle sound  
Of humane words, that are environed round  
With marble-wals? the wit of mortals can  
Not find our wiles past finding out of man:  
And Heaven regardeth not the works of men;  
Come let us boldly feast, and frolic then;  
Let us not care though heav●ns bright eye espies,  
For danger comes not from serened skies.  
That men to heaven ascend, is but a fable:  
Heaven for mankind is not inhabitable.  
Fair women be our heaven: Venus treasures  
Our happiness: some token of our pleasures,  
In ev'ery place, whereby the world may mind us  
In future time, now let us leave behind us.  
To swell our borders, let us never spare  
To injure Orphans: never let us care  
To estimate men's white sen●●ed hairs,  
The open Index of their doting years.  
But to our pleasure, let us bend Susanna;  
Whom fame reporteth chaster than Diana.  
Fame is mistaken, she is fairer far.  
Shall we but gaze on this admired star,  
To pine with Tartalus? let's mount and tear  
Her glory down, and slain her silver sphere  
If Susan be a Comet in the air,  
She doth portend Elders shall soon enjoy her.  
Dedalian plumes, let us ascend upon:  
And shuffle Phoebus from his burning throne.  
But if with wax-wings we our mounty make,  
Doubtless we tumble in Icarian lake  
Of common shame, and folly bars our bliss.  
Remember we our novel case in this:  
We have imparadised our best affection,  
Within the Eden of her best complexion.  
Let us be prudent still: and we shall find  
A mooting time, to new inform her mind.  
What if Susanna be so seeming chaste,  
So careful to conserve fond honours blast,  
That she about the town will never room:  
But in her Palace live immured at home?  
What if she walk but in her gardens, we  
Have leave to walk in them aswell as she▪  
What if a seeming Angel, we shall prove  
Her woman, by obtaining of her love.  
Boldness beseemeth lovers best, and fortune  
 
Then ●et us watch her Gardens, 'tis a common  
Custom observed among the Hebrew women,  
To bathe her Ivory limbs, if we out-find  
Her bathing there, there she discerns our mind.  
Though judges, we'll turn Sentinels for love:  
This noble passion oft transformed jove.  
In her white Conscience-book, we'll register  
Our warm affections: we deserve not her  
If we delay this hour let us begin:  
Demurs in love, are more the mortal sin.  
Doubtless (Diana-like) she ●aves her limbs,  
In yonder Fountain: on whose floury brims,  
May we surprise her, and possess our pleasure,  
In rifling up dame Venus' hidden treasure.  
If in our aidance, Heaven Gods will not bow;  
Help us, you Acharontish gods below,  
We can beguile, if holpen but by you,  
Daughters of jacob, and of judah too.   

MEDIT. VI Heu vivunt homines tanquam mors nulla sequatur.  
BElial, and all his babes are busy still,  
In darksome earth, to do their pranks of ill:  
And what the devil dare scan● presume to do,  
That evil he tempts ungodly men unto.  
The glorious Angels dare not pausing stand:  
But what God will's perform it out of hand:  
The whirling spheres, with armies of the heaven,  
Observe the statutes God to them hath given.  
The Sky, the Earth, the Ocean, every thing;  
Nay fiends themselves, obey th' eternal King.  
Dumb creatures of this world fulfil the word,  
And will of man, their domineering Lord:  
The brutish cattle do what them behoove;  
But sinful men most disobedient prove:  
They (worse than all things else) disdain to follow,  
The Lord of all things, all his Laws unhallow;  
And (but for nothing in an angry mood)  
They sometimes swim in streams of Abel's blood:  
And for base lucre, german brothers slay:  
The Devils have more fear, and faith than they.  
●ome of them make a god of gold, and some  
(With giddy cups of Atheism overcome)  
Believe blind Fortune wrought this goodly frame,  
That all contains, and governeth the same.  
Another kind remain befooled in evils,  
Supposing neither Deity nor Devils,  
Counting Religion, and the holy Law,  
But wiles to keep the wilful world in awe.  
Some others deem death naturally came  
To every thing, beneath the Cynthian flame;  
Yet living so (as they should never drink,  
The cup of death, nor sleep on Lethe-brink.  
They fearless sin, until by death th' are sent  
Unto infernal vales, where Dathan went,  
With his companions, there's no wrath to come,  
(As they believe) soul's bliss, nor day of doom;  
But every nullifidian, which denies  
The resurrection, from the dead shall rise▪  
And last, heareth Archangel'● trumpet summon  
To heaven's chief session's all the world in common▪  
Platonian wisemen (when the world is done)  
Shall come in judgement of the Virgin's son:  
At which great day, the round enflaming earth,  
The boiling Sea, and burning hell beneath,  
Shall vomit up their dead, whose spirits shall  
In quickened corpse, be re-invested all.  
All Na●ions shall at heaven's throne appear,  
To yield account how they have lived here.  
The King of glories (at whose dexter-hand,  
Thousands of thousands Saints and Angels stands  
Shall bend the shining heavens down, and come,  
To render to the live, and dead men doom.  
Then righteous souls shall evermore be blessed  
With Eulogies to everlasting rest.  
May I believe (while I have life and breath,  
That our dead bodies do but sleep in death,  
Until that glorious day, that after then,  
God's Paradise, just ones obtain again:  
For, for the righteous, Zions Lamb was killed,  
Yer God foundations of the world did build:  
But woe to them, and many woes remain,  
That are miswandred in the ways of Cain.  
That by deceitfulness of Balam's hire,  
Are tumbled down to Hel's Gehinn●●-fire;  
That in gainsayings of rebellious Core,  
Are fall'n down, and lost for evermore:  
For they are stones in hospitable feasts,  
Abominable, more than any beasts.  
Roaring like waves, which Satan puts in ●●tion,  
To foam out shame on sin's bloud-coloured Ocean.  
And like to errant Stars bereaven of light,  
Reserved in darkness, for the darkest night.   

Sect VII.  
ARGUMENT.  
Susanna baths her in a Spring  
Of her Gardens, where birds sing:  
Near which, enamoured Elders were  
Enambusht; they surprise her there.  
Upon a day Susanna walked alone,  
(Save two young damsels her attending on)  
Into her gardens shady woods, and bowers,  
T'enjoy the bliss of vacant evening hours,  
To hear the Choristers of Nature sing  
Their dulcet-tunes unto the dancing spring,  
To hear the shrill sweet Philomela of May,  
Warble forth sweet notes on a thorny spray:  
Which birds (she listening to them) ran on still  
In various quav'rings of unmated skill,  
Chanting their silver-ditties more and more,  
And sweetlier sang, than they had sung before:  
Tuning through their winde-instrumentall throats,  
Acquaint diapasons of well sounding notes.  
Which Music (repercussed by rocks, and rils)  
Sported nymph-Eccho in the boschy hills.  
In her peramble; lo the blossomed trees,  
With hony-dews, employ the humming bees,  
And painted trout in clearest fishponds play  
Above the water, in a shining day.  
There softer airs (perfumed by many flowers,  
Which flourished through May as mid-night-showres)  
Sweetened the bowers of her sweet meditation,  
Pleasing her soul in heavenly contemplation:  
Where lustful Elders cunningly lay hidden,  
To theeve away the only fruit forbidden.  
Now when she had perambulated round,  
(As she accustomed) her small Eden-ground,  
She (most unhappily) came down to cool  
Her curious body in a crystal pool;  
(The sultry time inviting to the same)  
Lest purest blood within her veins inflame.  
She little weening what bold serpents lay  
Lurking to venture on so boon a pray)  
Sent both her maidens, that untired her, in  
To fetch sweet washbals for her silken skin,  
Who brought the same, returning in, they barred  
Her garden doors, as she had given word.  
And then in veils, with linnen-syndons dight,  
(Whose perfect hue out-shone the milken white)  
Gently she waded from the fountain brims,  
Where water nymphs embraced her Ivory limbs,  
The day was clear, and radiant Titan's e●'n  
Did scantly through o'reshading arbours shine.  
No eye she deemed, but heaven's immortal one,  
Discerned her in that secret fount alone.  
She upright standing whe● false Elders eyed her,  
Like fair Diana, when Action spied her.  
Who wont (while bathing in the silver, spring)  
This sequent Psalm most frequently to sing.  

PSAL. 137. Psalmus comes optimus.  

WHen by the floods of Babylon,  
We sat us down, did flow  
Floods from our eyes, to pender ●n  
Our mother Sion's 〈◊〉  
As for our Harps we hanged them  
On willows to remain:  
Which crowned Perah's winding stream,  
In midst of Shinar-plain.   

Then our Captivors mocked our moan,  
Thus taunting with their tongues:  
Come tune your Harps, and sing us one  
Of Zions holy songs.  
Lord, how can we our songs commend▪  
To our great God, and King▪  
Can we be glad! within a land  
Of strangers, can we sing?   

Jerusalem if I do let  
From my remembrance slide▪  
Then let my dexter-hand forget  
My warbling Harp to guide.  
And if I thee remember not,  
Cleave to my mouth (O tongue)  
Hierusalem ●f I prefer  
Not thee within my song.   

Forget not Edom's sons (O Lord)  
When thou didst Zion wound:  
How they against thy Zion roared,  
Down, down with't to the ground.  
(O daughter Babel) thou shalt be  
Quite overturned thus:  
He shall be blessed, rewardeth thee▪  
As thou hast served us.   

They shall be blessed, that shall take  
The children of thy sons:  
And for thy fornications sake,  
Dash them against the stones.    

Before she was in middle of her song,  
Lust-boldned elders through the thickets flung.  
And rudely a black Psalm began to sing,  
Unto molested Susan in the Spring.  
To her, ashamed they, unconfounded, plead,  
Whose lustful language, nothing stands instead:  
For where Heaven wins; that fortress of renown  
Is too much strong, for fiends to batter down.    

MEDIT. VII. Aetes' aurea prima.  
IT was a golden age, yer sin began  
Strange fires to kindle in the soul of man:  
For man (an Angel's fellow then) could sing  
Heav'n-tuned lauds to heavens eternal King,  
Could then converse with God, could psalm his praise  
Commingling sweet songs with Archangel's lays.  
Like Truth did man go naked then, and bless  
The God of truth without abashfulnesse.  
He had no charms, like Sirens, to entice  
The gentler Virgins of the world to vice:  
His body did a heaven-born soul eashrine,  
And (like the same) was deathless and divine.  
All humane thoughts were perfect: Belial then  
Had not a son among the sons of men.  
Then fairest women (naked though they went)  
Did never fear inhuman ravishment:  
For their illustrious ever-during beauty,  
Enchanted not men to forget their duty.  
Sorrows and shames (which since have overflown  
The earth) in earth were utterly unknown.  
Enormous crimes dwelled with infernal Devils,  
And man's sweet heart was undistained with evils;  
A mansion 'twas, where Virtues did remain.  
'Twas then a throne, where Helion did reign:  
But, sinful, now become a noisome sty  
Of all pollution, where Fiend-legiens-lie.  
And (since this worse Iron-age is come)  
Virtues retire unto celestial home  
That Virtue, Chastity (which God regard's  
To crown from Heaven, with undefiled rewards)  
By painted Vice, is injured every ●●ower:  
Almost is lost her mayden-blushing flower.  
Vice counterfeits her colours, she proclaims  
 
 
Ever to dwell in insubstantial wind.  
Fair Chastity, which vice cannot infringe.  
Nor the great Engineer of Hell unhing:  
O Favourite of th'eternal, where art thou?  
What happy place doth entertain thee now?  
Didst thou relinquish this vain World below,  
When other Goddesses of old did so?  
Abandoning the earth of bliss bereaven,  
To wander in the milky way of heaven?  
Or staidst behind alone, to reign and rest  
In Princely throne of fair Susanna's breast?  
Thou art but seldom seen on earth 〈…〉  
Shall almost sooner find a sable 〈…〉  
Where may the Daphne's of the 〈…〉  
Themselves in safety from assaulting 〈…〉  
Sith Sin (that wand'ring jew) 〈◊〉 fast 〈◊〉  
Through earthly kingdoms: Heaven 〈◊〉 the chaste.   

Sect. VIII.  
ARGUMENT.  
The Elders sue to chaste Susan,  
Who doth their obscene suit disdain:  
Threatening her, they offer rape,  
Which (she by calling loud) doth scape.  
TO holy-thoughted Susan in the Spring,  
These Goatish Elders thus began to sing;  
Susanna fairest of all blessed creatures,  
Susanna, quintessence of blessed features,  
With whom the fair dames of the world compared,  
Would Morions seem, unworthy man's regard,  
World's living wonder, rare Susanna, know,  
We unto thee, are humble Suppliants now,  
In such a suit, as once supernal jove  
Motioned unto his metamorphosed Love.  
Uncloud the Sunbeams of thy beauty's shine:  
Let no misseemly frown, nor tears of brine  
Unglorifie that happy form of thine:  
Grant us thy love, becalm thy countenance;  
In Lethe-streames, drench the remembrance  
Of nuptial vows: let folly not forestall  
Thy soul of blessings: take the golden ball  
Of lovely Venus, whiles youth's flower lasts,  
Gather the same, before the flower blasts,  
By us old blades: whose mettle backs are steel:  
The approbation thou, anon, shalt feel.  
We are no Scouts thy jealous Husband sends  
To tempt, and tell; by heaven we are thy friends▪  
And German-kinsmen of the Royal line  
Of judah-kings, as thou mayst well divine.  
Our compliments must not be tedious, we  
This many a day, have longed to lie with thee.  
We are love-martyrs, and to dust shall turn,  
Unless thou quench the fires wherein we burn.  
The Planet now, which bringeth love's delight,  
Comes in conjunction with the Queen of night.  
Heaven on the action smile's: thy doors are fast:  
Come, in thy Paradise of joy repast  
Our warm desires: let us fall quickly to it,  
Lest Gods themselves transform themselves, and do it.  
Susanna be not coyous; we do know,  
Women, who take good turns, will answer no.  
Why seemest thou composed of snowy stone?  
Turn like the Image to Pigma●ion:  
Be not flint-hearted; from this fountain come,  
Have pity on us, and be pleasuresome.  
Hast thou not heard of Iacob's princely son,  
Thy grand forefather's lovely actions, done  
In holy Regions to a dainty dame,  
For pawned ring▪ it savours not of shame;  
Were to thy husband such occasion lent,  
He would pursue the selfsame merriment,  
As he hath often done, in wisdom then  
Reciprocal, come forth, and pleasure men:  
That we (thy servants) will't thou but enfold  
Us in thy arms! may give thee bags of gold:  
Which unto thee, we (consecrating) prove  
Like men of Lemnos to the Queen of Love.  
Scorn not affection: love, disdained, will  
In little time, convert to mortal ill.  
Th'amazed Lady oftentimes, afraid,  
Dived under stream, not harkening what they said.  
When she upheaved her beauty, ten times more  
They 'gan to woe, and threaten then before:  
Like David, she desired Dovelike wings;  
Or (to defer them from her holy springs)  
Such sounds, as frighted sons of Aram from  
Besieged Samaria, in their ears might come.  
Within her Saintly countenance, there stood  
Abundance of abashed Vermilion-blood;  
But than she frowned upon these evil doers,  
And thus admonished her old wanton wooers.  

Her denial.  
You that are more lascivious far, than either  
Sea-Sargons, or the Land-goats when together,  
Know, that mine Honour (not received in vain)  
Abhors the tincture of foul whoredoms slain.  
Were you both young as David, when he killed  
The monstrous Giant in Philistian field,  
More beautiful than Absalon: and could  
To be, unchaste, you give me seas of gold;  
I would contemn you both, and rather fall  
Into your wrath then to infernal thrall.  
Men shall not slain for gold, nor orient stone  
The fair white robe Heaven gave my soul to don.  
judges go doom yourselves; masters of Laws,  
Who learned you plead in such a crimefull cause▪  
Go mourn in sackcloth for your sins for shame:  
But if such madness you disdain to ta'en;  
Depart from hence: seek Babylonian Whores,  
Who, signpost like, stand painted at the doors.  
In their white bosoms, they will you enfold,  
And welcome bid for bags of yellow gold.  
By courting me, you gain your wills, as soon  
As Syrian Wolves, by barking at the Moon.  
You fly, me seems, with idle Bees of Ind,  
Against rough weather, and the stormy wind;  
Fierce Euphrates, quoth she, to yonder mountains  
Shall backwards run, and hide him in his fountains;  
Leaving the deep pools of his channel dry:  
Swart leathern Swains shall plough-turmoile the sky;  
Sodom's dead lake revive, and entertain  
Leviathan, and Neptune's hungry train:  
Fishes shall floods forsake, and fowls of heaven  
Be decked with scales, and in the Ocean driven:  
Babel shall know no heat, nor Pontus' cold,  
Fire and water shall one dwelling hold:  
The brightest flame of Heaven shine by night,  
And horned Cynthia give diurnal light.  
Before I change my settled constant mind,  
To damn myself, that you may count me kind.  
Depart, and say you have a woman known,  
Preserved your honour, saving of her own.   

Their Reply.  
Proud scornful dame, what fair means cannot do,  
Be certain, foul means shall compel thee to.  
Our wronged Honours suddenly shall rain  
A storm of vengeance on thee for disdain.  
Repent, proud woman, we shall make thee glad  
To lie with us: or we will make thee mad.  
Ten thousand times thy betters have agreed,  
To pleasure us ten thousand times at need,  
Nor need they to repent it such behavours  
Obtained them ours▪ and all their husband's favours,  
If thou refuse, false witness we will bear  
To slain thy reputation; we will swear  
To end thy life, we found a youngman here,  
With thee, in Venus' action, we will say,  
Therefore thy Maidens thou didst send away;  
So we'll take vengeance, dooming thee to death:  
And, after, when thou wantest vital breath,  
Have thy supposed trespass sung in rhymes,  
By errant Scundrils in succeeding times.  
Drunkards, and mimical Pantomini,  
Shall make pastime to act thine infamy:  
Pointing the horns at joachim: and cleep  
Thy children bastards, he's constrained to keep.  
As bug words children, thy misbranded name,  
Shall frighten strumpets from the acts of shame.  
Wherefore for honour of thy name, agree  
To condescend that we may humble thee.  
Concluding so, they offered rape: and feared her,  
That she cried out, and all her servants heard her.  
But, as she called pure rivulets of tears,  
Streamed from her eyes: which in the spring appears pears  
Clearer than morning-dew; and did divide  
Themselves in droplings swimming towards the side.  
Which holy Well, where Saintly Susan wept,  
This strange memorial of her tears hath kept;  
That ever-since, her fluid waters shine,  
Brighter than silver, brackt with siluer-brine▪  
Which, waxing colder, do for cures, excel  
Saint Winifrid's waters in the Cambrian Well.    

MEDIT. VIII. De Daemone dira libido.  
THe Devil vows no Orators in time  
Of old, he could make Serpents plead for him  
In wily arguments; all kind of evil  
Comes from, and is ov'rgilded by the Devil.  
There's Love a virtue of unvalued price,  
And Lust (misnamed love) a brutish vice.  
And this infernal thing wants neither tongues,  
Nor tunes, to warble forth enchanting songs.  
Lust is a subtle Siren, ever training  
Souls to destruction, by her secret feigning:  
She is the prince of darkness eldest daughter,  
Wanting no craft: her cunning Sire hath taught her  
Profound dissimulation: she hath skill  
To speak all Languages, whene'er she will:  
Wand'ring this earthen world, all carnal men  
To her do homage; they her servants been.  
This strumpet (clad in Peacock-plumes) doth ride  
Both day and night, in painted cars of pride:  
Her handmaid Lying Panders, and suborn's  
Lovers enough, to serve her lustful turns.  
Gild, Sorrow, Shame, Horror attend her still:  
But she can mask them, and go where she will.  
Bulwarks of brass, condensed walls of stone,  
Cannot debar her: she can walk alone  
Unseen, in private Gardens every day:  
Within the darkness, findout Venus' way.  
And where her power cannot throughly pester,  
She planteth Envy her Gorgonian sister;  
But these (assisted by the fiends of Hell,  
Where all Serpentine monstrous legions dwell)  
Can never change the Saints firm resolution;  
Though they procure them bodily confusion.  
Pleasures, nor pains, which wicked mortals plod,  
Prevail not to pull righteous souls from God.  
Gemonian stairs, Phalarian Bulls, nor all  
Torments, that flow from cruel Tyrant's gall,  
Tarpejan Mountains, Altars of Busire,  
Nor furnaces of Babylonian fire,  
Rewards, nor tortures have not pour to cause  
The Saints on Earth, t'abandon heavenly laws.  
Chameleons change their colour, Guile her game:  
But in both fortunes, Virtue is the same.  
Nor hath a Planet's influence power to make  
Resolved souls their chastity forsake.  
The subcelestial armour Saints do wear,  
Is resolution; soul-distracting fear  
Never can pierce it; it defends the heart,  
Better than Coats of mail, and can retort  
More keen, and fiercer flying shafts then those,  
That (singing) come from ful-bent Russian bows.  
Those valiant ones, that wear it, can be bold  
When others tremble, unappaled, behold  
The sternest looks of Death, can smile upon  
Cocytus' waves, and burning Phlegeton.  
Though foul Erinys in the world does reign,  
They (Titan-like) do constant still remain.  
Th'ungodly World can vomit up no gall  
On them, but they can (dauntless) scorn it all.  
(Lord) grant us resolution still, to trust  
In thy defence, from undermining lust:  
Support us by thy power; and then we shall  
Like Sion-mountayns stand, and never fall.   

Sect. IX.  
ARGUMENT.  
chaste Susanna to her Lord  
Falsely accused, and sent toward:  
Tongues of taunting people stir,  
All her friends lament for her.  
SVsanna calls, the Elders loudly roar,  
To drown her cry, ope her Garden door,  
Returning, with a recareering pace,  
As if some Rebel they had held in chase.  
So greedy Huntsmen, on the Pontic downs,  
With whooping, cheer their game pursuing hounds,  
Their voices they uplifted to the sky,  
With hubbubs, raising woeful hue on cry.  
Her clamour-hearing servants running came,  
To tender aydance to their tender Dame,  
And as, in post, through postern doors they run,  
Th'abominable Elders both begun,  
(Purboild in breathless sweating) to amort  
Her men, and Maidens with obscene report.  
Until that time, did never cloudy shame  
Obnubilate the Glory of her Name.  
Her moanful Virgins dutifully run,  
To comfort her: her vestments they put on:  
The clothed Lady comes before the Lords  
Whom Elders prepossessed with lying words:  
Which made their ears to tingle, and their hair  
Ascend, as if some Stygian fiends were there.  
But Susan, better meditating on't,  
Bedried her eyelids cleared her mournful front,  
" As doth the Delian Princess, when her Grace  
" In Thetis wavy streams hath washed her face:  
And, gaining strength, did presently begin  
To clear herself, from that suggested sin.  
Before her husband she the guilt did rem  
From her, imputing heinous crime on them:  
Which they, denying, called her impious dame,  
Her grieved Lord believed not the same:  
Wherefore the Elders do confine his Spouse,  
(That night) close prisoner to her father's house:  
Commanding upon pain of fines, that none  
Should speak with her, till morning Phoebus shone,  
Where she, good heart, lies pickled up in tears,  
While to her parents she her conscience clears.  
The vulgar people these aspersions cast,  
Susanna is more beautiful, then chaste,  
And as Diana kissed with loving skill  
Shepheard Endymion upon Latmos hill:  
Susanna so in wanton-bowers did spend  
Her hours, in dalliance with a nimble friend.  
These torrents of unjust defame, and wrongs  
Of derogating vulgar-taunting tongues,  
Like swelling floods, that to the Ocean roll,  
Add fresher troubles to her vexed soul.  
Some men of Babylon begin to scorn  
Lord joachim, pointing at him the horn:  
But his true friends conjoined with him in prayer,  
Knowing Susanna chaste, as she is fair.  
They in compassion of this Innocent,  
A silver-sea in brinish showers spent:  
Till sable night had with her Ebon-robe,  
Darkened the surface of this earthen Globe:  
And drowsy Morpheus, with his leaden key,  
Had locked the doors of many a mortal eye.  
Night, being waxen old, and drunk with tears,  
No golden star was seen to gild the Spheres,  
Titan to their Antipodites being gone,  
To luminate another Horizon.  
Now did these Elders hold a parolment,  
To practise mischief 'gainst this innocent:  
Where they determined, when the morning came,  
They would condemn this good distressed dame:  
So they departed bedwards: guilty fears  
Ringing like alarms, in their frighted ears,  
In them, the terrors of th' internal worm,  
Ten thousand kinds of living deaths did form:  
Dissembling Satan tempting them, till day;  
To have them take Susanna's life away:  
Which they resolved, yet did their bosoms quake,  
Fearing of men, whom they afraid should make.   

MEDIT. IX. Ludit in humanis divina potentia rebus.  
WHat shall I laugh, that Fortune like a ball,  
Bandies the Globe of this inconstant All?  
Shall loud Abderian laughter fill my tongue,  
Or shall I sing Ephesian mourning song?  
Because the world's a well concordant jar:  
Like feigned Perseus' wedding bringing war.  
Nothing subsists beneath the Cynthian flame,  
But somewhat lives to terrify the same.  
The Emperor and Peazant have their foes,  
Aswell as friends; world's Epidemic woee,  
And casual joys denoting; great men know  
Few real friends, from friends in feigned show  
Too day unconstant worldlings will dispraise  
Whom they to morrow, to the Heavens raise;  
And, presently, their judgements will condemn  
The persons (whilom) in esteem of them.  
'Tis necessary, that offences come:  
But woe, and many woes to them by whom:  
'Twere better they (with millstones heavy tied  
About their necks) had in the Ocean died.  
'Tis necessary, that offences come,  
To make us mindful of supernal home;  
Should be continual Summer, all things fair,  
And plentiful, few souls for heaven would care.  
Should Fortune cheer us with still smiling eye,  
We should condoat on this vain world, and die▪  
Therefore all things beneath-expansed Heaven,  
God hath to change, and revolution given.  
The Sun (attained to his Meridian throne)  
Declines again, till he from thence be gone.  
The gentle calms bring rougher storms, and all  
Hot gleams of Titan cause cold showers to fall.  
Mild Zeph'ry Summer part●s; in Summer's room,  
I'll Winter with Aeolian rufflers come.  
Age follow's youth, death life, night follows day:  
So vanisheth world's glory clean away.  
Calamity, and comfort comes, and goes,  
From man to man, like Neptune's ebb and flows.  
Now carol we like Nightingales of May,  
Anon like Pelican's, we pine away.  
In humane things, a power divine doth play:  
This changfull world attends her changing day.  
We prostrate lie on dunghills, and anon,  
Ascend in triumph, upon Honour's throne.  
Earth-joyes are false, they bid us soon adieu,  
Her during-sorrowes are most certain true.  
Our wise forefathers doted not on this  
Deceitful round, where Satan's kingdom is;  
Though living in the golden age of joy,  
Hundreds of years, they counted earth a toy;  
But in these Iron-generations, some  
Prize it, on whom world's worse ends are come.  
My soul contemns this world, which over flows  
Me, like a Sea, with tides of briny woes.  
Where grief's Vorago's upon either hand,  
Worse than Scylla, with Charybdis stand.  
Lord, deign we may by trouble-stormes 〈◊〉  
Hence, to our soule-contenting rest in heaven.  
Sith we to Eden, must through Bochim go,  
Thy will be done (dear God) that will's it so:  
For one sweet day within the Courts of Heaven,  
Will recompense all torts on earth receiven.   

Sect. X.  
ARGUMENT.  
Susan (arraigned the Bench before)  
Falsely accused to be a whore:  
judgement against her rashly given,  
She prays unto the judge of Heaven.  
WHen day had, with his early dawning light,  
Earth uninvelopt, from the cloudy night;  
And rising Titan gloriously had shone,  
Upon the golden towers of Babylon:  
Firing the pine-trees on the Eastern Mountains,  
Dancing a while on warm Eoan Fountains;  
These scarlet-judges, with their purple-brothers,  
With swarms of Babylonians, jews; and others,  
Assemble in Lord Ioachim's great Hall,  
Where to the Bar Susanna they do call.  
Who thither comes, and on her train attends  
〈…〉 friends.  
〈…〉 in that place to wrong  
That places Owner: whose mild kindness long  
There suffered them to make a Senat-roome,  
O Devilish, to pronounce a murderous doom,  
A sentence there, to rifle her of Fame,  
And in the Scroll of death describe her name,  
Which in life's golden roll, Angels, on high,  
Fore-registred above the shining sky.  
Hence gentle eyes, your tears again will drown  
Her story, teer-already overflown.  
The veil, which modest Hebrew-women wear,  
They gave command should be ta'en from her there:  
Forgetting all humanity and duty,  
To glut their wicked eyes upon her beauty:  
The sight whereof transpierced souls so deep,  
All her spectators could not choose but weep:  
The most obdurate Hinds in all that Nation,  
Shed plenteous tears in this collachrimation.  
Such sighs, and groans came from her kindred pale,  
As once were heard in Hadadeimmon-vale,  
When as (she heav'nwards looking) Elders laid  
Their cursed hands upon her head, and said.  

Her accusation and condemnation.  
AS we two were in Ioachim's garden-places,  
One to another putting doubtful cases:  
Susanna with two Damsels, yesterday,  
Came there to walk, sending her Maids away.  
Who shut her Garden-dores, and inwards went:  
Then came a young man from enambushment  
Unto Susanna; we beheld them in  
The Goatish action of Venerean sin:  
Which thing perceiving, gently we drew near,  
If possibly to apprehend him there:  
But the young Ruffian (spying us) forsook  
His Paramour, and to his heels betook  
Him suddenly: whom we pursued a main,  
With loudest hubbubs, that he might be ta'en.  
For he was lusty, nimbler far than we,  
And from us through the upper door went he.  
So he escaped; this apprehended woman  
Denied the Fact, affirming there was no man;  
And, urged by us, disdained to confess  
The runnaway's Name: unto which wickedness  
She multiplieth more, saying to wit,  
We two with her adultery would commit.  
Thus scandal bringing on us: but (my Lords)  
As there's a power divine discerning words,  
And deeds of Mortals, we prolate no lies:  
'tis true, so doom us he that framed the skies.  
Here at the over-credent bench, and all  
Assembled Senators in the sabled hall,  
(With tears in their impartial eyes that came)  
Past dismal doom on this unguilty dame.  
Susanna here's which sentence of her doom:  
Yet no cold faintness in her heart doth come,  
Till when her friends (like Conduits) standing by  
Watered their garments, that no thread was dry,  
Then Susan most abundantly did steep  
Herself in tears, and Mirrha-like did weep,  
Her teare-besprinkled countenance did show,  
Like Damask-roses decked with morning-dew.  
Her faith was firm in heaven; thus she prayed,  
That scant might speak to mortal men, and said,  
Eternal judge, Discerner of all things,  
That shelter under gloomy darkness wings,  
Who rightly dooming, from supernal throne,  
The dwellers of this world dost look upon:  
Who, yer they come to pass, dost truly know,  
All thoughts, and actions, that are done below,  
knowst thy wronged handmaid's innocence, and how  
These sinful Elders seek mine overthrow,  
Without my fault, how, wanting heavenly grace,  
They forge untrue tales on the judgement-place.  
(Lord) that defended'st me reposing trust  
In thy protection, from undoing lust,  
To me be gracious, from thine holy hill:  
Protect me, with paternal kindness still,  
From malice and confusion; so may I  
Survive my foes thy name to magnify.    

MEDIT. X. An terras Astraea reliquit?  
IS fair Susanna so condemned? will none  
Paroll in her defence in Babylon?  
Must she expire according to her doom?  
Return (grim Death) into the silent tombs,  
Or charnel house: unto thy dusty dwelling,  
Reduce poor chained bondmen, ever yelling  
In recent pains, whose bones fell Tyrants grind.  
Fetch them away, that are with famine pined.  
Take sickly people to thee, which endure  
Torments, that Aesculapius cannot cure:  
But (meager death) if thou wilt feed thy fill  
On brawny hearts, a slender while be still:  
(Death) spare the innocent: and let thy frown  
(Divine Astraea) hurl delinquents down.  
But what! is sin-confounding justice gone  
From Earth, and seated in Syderian throne,  
Among the number of imagined signs!  
Or is she blinded in terrene designs?  
Where is becoming Mercy that should rest,  
Aswell as judgement, in the judge's breast?  
Is Mercy (counted but a foolish pity)  
For ever banished from the sinful City?  
Where are the Wisemen telling things to come,  
And bypast secrets) to reverse a doom?  
If they could guess by countenance-guessing skill,  
And artful rules, she was unguilty still.  
But wisdom never dwelled on Shinar-plains,  
Where nothing but unrighteousness remains.  
How long (almighty Lord) shall judah dwell  
In Babylon, the sons of Israel  
(Heirs of thy promised Canaan) be a scorn  
To Katife-Nations? shall thine eldest born,  
Thy sole-begotten, thy most ardent lover,  
Abandoned be for ever? bounden over  
Into the hands of Infidels? how long  
Shall they complain, yer thou avenge their wrong?  
How long shall Foxes of the Deserts prove,  
To spill the spirit of thy Turtledove,  
How long shall wicked men, like Palmtrees flourish?  
Shall them the land with fatness ever nourish?  
Shall wronged Hebrews pine away, and die  
(From Egypt quit) by Babel's tyranny.  
Are thy sweet mercy's golden Fountains poor?  
Or faileth (Lord) thy promise evermore?  
Hast thou forgotten to be gracious? hath  
Thy wont favour lost itself in wrath?  
Harken'st thou not unto the fervent prayers  
Of injured prisoners? pitiest not their tears?  
How long shall Babylonian tyrants say,  
The Lord regard's not what his servants pray?  
Shall in the tomb thy faithfulness be known,  
Thy loving kindness in destruction shown?  
Shall sinners triumph, Saints by sinner's doom  
Against thy promise, to confusion come?  
Shall sooner hills and bulky Mountains fly,  
Like Atoms, about the shining sky.  
Sooner the Earth and Heaven melt away,  
Then shall one title of thy words decay.  
I know petitions of the faithful break  
The doors of Heaven, and in thy presence speak.  
I know thy mercies, and thy judgements will  
Be ever certain (as they have been still,)  
And wicked men, before they die, shall know,  
Thou, from on high, governest the World below.   

Sect. XI.  
ARGUMENT.  
By leave, Susanna speaks to both  
Her enemies, and after doth  
In open Court, traverse th'offence▪  
She glories in her innocence.  
GOd heard those holy prayers Susanna prayed;  
And (at the Bar) she to her judges said.  
O you mistaken Lords, grant Susan leave,  
To answer them, your judgements who deceive.  
Though silence in a woman, virtue be:  
'T would, at this time, confirm a crime in me;  
Now let a woman speak, sith innocent,  
From what these men of enmity invent.  
She (licenced) speaks; the Senate lend their ears:  
The guilty twain shed crafty union-teares,  
With smile inter-mingled oftentimes;  
While thus Susanna cleers herself from crimes.  
You my allurers yerst, with oily words,  
Whose tongues convulnerate like Drusian swords,  
Your conscience knows, & heaven at that time,  
No young man in my Gardens acted crime:  
But you, whose bosoms are infectious rooms  
Of noisome Fiends, whose throats opprobrious tombs,  
Thought to defile my body, to have stole  
(By violence) a jewel from my soul:  
Which you supposed t' have purchased with gold,  
Or rifled that, that never would be sold.  
Me think's your cheeks should (knowing you too blame)  
Out-blush the Crimson of your gowns for shame  
You are more cruel than the Crocodile,  
That mangles Memphians on the banks of Nile,  
That kill's with weeping tears for hungers need:  
But you can smile, and murder for no meed:  
Goat's blood dissolveth Adamantine stones,  
My heartblood breaks not your hearts harder on●●.  

Her speech to the Princes.  
Although mistaken, yet impartial Lords,  
You may do well to listen to my words:  
Sith until now, no vapour of defame  
Clouded the little splendour of my Name,  
I cannot but your sudden sentence blame:  
But Elders witness, you presume, is true,  
As I myself would, if I a judge like you▪  
By justest law, I am adoomed to be  
The child of death in your unjust decree.  
But mine eternal portion stands in God,  
Whose judgement breaks, and burns the wicked rod:  
Whose eye transpierceth, like his lightning da●●s  
The darkest corners of dissembling hearts▪  
Discerning innocence; when I do make  
Complaint to him, he doth me not forsake.  
Now I implore my God of Light, in Time,  
Bring to detection, my accuser's crime:  
For by the slender'st means, he can defend  
Out of your power, me from untimely end:  
But otherwise, if pleaseth him, that I  
By shortest pain, shall win eternal joy;  
His blessed will be done, whose mercy still  
Remayn's for ever, and for ever 'twill.  
For (as I am) to his tribunal throne,  
I have appealed from your polluted one.  
When my profused blood (like Abel's) cry's  
To Heaven▪ my glory like the Sun shall rise  
Above false Elder's carnal shame, and then  
Shall their memorial clean depart from men.  
No Nilus, Tanais, Rhine, nor Tagus-●●oud,  
Where men of Spain allay their burning blood,  
Nor the whole Ocean (drained from her sands)  
Can swill my blood from their bloud-guilty hands.  
My soul forgives me, they can never come  
To prosperous ends nor slain a peaceful tomb;  
But grant (when they expire their lives and lust)  
Men could up●reare on their dissolved dust,  
Mausolean Monuments of jasper-stone,  
High as Olympian Mountains: thereupon  
Engrave them golden Epitaphs, with Fames,  
Such as would deify mortals in their names,  
While time continues; those white marble stones  
(Wherewith Lord Io'chim crown's my urned bones.)  
Shall far transplend it. Heaven will send my praise  
Among the Gentiles in succeeding days.  
Though I by your adviselesse judgement, must  
My Tragedy selfe-act in death and dust;  
My comfort is, my spirit will be receiven  
To Abraham's bosom in the joys of Heaven;  
White innocence will be my winding sheet:  
Virtues embalming to my Name, and sweet  
Arabian Odours o', reckoned up with them,  
Will sent like Hemlocks on the ditches brim.  
More had she spoken, but her judges than,  
Impatiently to frown on her began.  
Anger no longer suffering them to gaze,  
Against th'unmated beauty of her face.  
Sentence was given: men should convey her thence,  
To die next morning for supposed offence.    

MEDIT. XI. Ejurant, fingunt Mendacia multa tyranni.  
THere is an all-discerning judge above;  
Will tyran-judges from the earth remove.  
The boldest whores (up-trained in Stews at Rome,  
In their unblushing prostitution) whom  
Custom hath nat'rallized in beastlike sin,  
Are not so bad as tyrant-minded men:  
Who whensoe'er their lewdness is withstood,  
Shame not to paddle in their Kindred's blood,  
And in their impudent Venerean play,  
Sargons', and Goats be not so foul as they.  
When (by their own provokement) they sometimes  
Hear publication of their private-crimes;  
What sudden Iron-vizars they put on;  
What simick smiles? what acquaint derision,  
With gestures feigned to mock the fawning world?  
Which deem's it scandal, out of Envy hurled  
To slain the glory of their names; and then  
 
The Iudg● of Heaven seldom thinking on,  
Who ken's all actions from supernal throne.  
They flatter men, men flatter them, until  
They their too-weak opponents blood can spill.  
O heavy burdens of the groaning ground,  
Men that in peace, more than in war can wound.  
African Panthers, Hircan Tigers fierce,  
Cleonian Lions, and Pannonian Bears,  
The Syrian empty Wolves, the Crocodile,  
Haunting the sedge-banks of Egyptian Nile;  
The Indian Griffon, seizing on her prey,  
And wild beasts all, are not so wild as they.  
They do but ravine for their bellies, then  
Return to rest, ceasing to injure men;  
But Lechers fasting, feasting, sleeping, still  
Are bloody minded, doing, dreaming ill.  
Yet such men prosper in this world of clay;  
They flourish like King David's spreaden Bay.  
The cattle of their fields cannot be told,  
Their coffers all abound with coined gold;  
Their loins are fruitful: they have friends enough.  
Their honour's springtides highly overflow.  
They want no temporal things; on their designs,  
 
 
ungodly men in earth's felicity:  
For their abridgement comes from Heaven's breath:  
They perish like unfruitful Sunburned heath  
On afric sandy grounds: they are out-driven,  
Like clouds of dust before the winds of Heaven,  
To utter banishment, their following train▪  
The earth up-swallow's like thin-flying rain▪  
Worms surfeit on their sweetness, when (alas)  
They to infernal land of darkness pass:  
Dissolving like to winter-Ice before.  
The Summer's Sunbeams, they are seen no more.  
And who (to seek them) travels earth around,  
Shall find, in earth they shall no more be found▪   

Sect. XII.  
ARGUMENT.  
Susanna reimprisoned; friends  
Her visit: she her suit commends:  
She no earthly comfort finds:  
Her countenance transplendent shines.  
COmmand was given Centurions did not fail,  
To bring Susanna to an Iron-jayle;  
Instead of palace, with a Princely Chamber,  
Perfumed with Nard, and Aromatic Amber,  
They prisoned her in stinking cubs of stone;  
There might no maidens her attend upon.  
Her Music was exchanged to sobs, and groans,  
Clanking of chains, friend is lamentable moans;  
Her Jewelled plate converted into one  
Vile earthen dish▪ her bowls of gold were gone:  
Her wine to water turned: her finest fare  
To brownest crumbs (such feeding she did spare)  
With frequent tears, her thirst, and hunger staying,  
She (wakeful) spent her precious time in praying.  
Her Parents, Husband, Children, Kindred all,  
Moaned her supposed inevitable fall:  
There Marble-wals lament; rivers of brine  
Seemed to descend from stubborn Iaylor's ●yn.  
There symbolising Echoes in the Vaults  
Moan her▪ out-railing upon Elders faults.  
Some certain hours in sorrow's compliment,  
She with her parents, Lord, and Children spent.  
Such blessed counsel, streaming from her hart,  
Unto her children, Susan did impart,  
As ravished all her hearers with desire,  
To warm their soul's hands at her virtue's fire;  
All speeches passing from her, would be long:  
These words in prison, came latest from her tongue.  
Farewell my parents, and my Lord, I must  
Yours, and my Children to your cares entrust.  
Let me entreat you, to inform them so,  
As they themselves, and Abraham's God may know:  
So tutor them, as they may stand in awe,  
And due obedience, of th'eternal Law.  
Teach them (my parents) in their parent's stead:  
Breed them (my Lord) as you my Lord are bred;  
While you survive, remember to improve  
These living pledges of our mutual love:  
'Tis Susan's last petition: Heaven doth know  
Mine innocence: unto the Tombs I go  
A Matron chaste, as I a Virgin came  
Into the World: though I proclaim the same:  
Wherefore believe not I am blemished so,  
As mortal Envy seems to make me show.  
This is my comfort, though my body dies,  
My soul immortal mounts above the Skies;  
For my etern Redeemer lives, in whom  
I shall be happy in a World to come.  
Come, noble friends, take a departing kiss,  
Before I enter everlasting bliss.  
Blessings of God descend upon you all▪  
 
Gather my bones into their quiet Urn,  
That when our captive-childrens shall return  
To Canaan Kingdoms, they (at length) may build  
My bones a tomb in blessed Abraham's field.  
Adieu (my parents) husband, children sweet,  
Kindred, and friends, till we in Heaven meet:  
Where, after death, repose our souls; and then  
And there we'll meet, and never partagen.  
While standers by, supposed her countenance clear,  
As the bright glory of the morning●spheare;  
All men beholding her accusers stand,  
Deemed they were men of Mauritanian Land.   

MEDIT. XII. Non est, è terris, mollis ad astra via.  
THat Angel fairness, that of old did shine  
So fair, that it bedaz'led carnal eyen,  
In Moses face, in Steven's countenance,  
(Which was their soul's diviner radiance,  
Through clouds of flesh, which (one day) in Heav'n-storie,  
Shall (glorified) shine like the Sun in glory)  
Teacheth our souls, that God's Elect obtain  
A place, where Henoch, and Elias remain;  
But that abhorred guilty blackness, seen  
In Haman's face, yet he had veiled been,  
Shows, that the spirits of wicked mortals go,  
Unto the dungeon of infernal woe,  
Through fatal caverns: contumelious Core,  
So with companions (long since) went before.  
heavens new Jerusalem is built upon  
Glorious foundations; those abutting on  
Fair Regions, better than Elysian fields:  
Which fruitful dainties, in all season-y●elds;  
Where joys abound, with comforts, such as can  
Not enter in the best conceits of man:  
But every soul, which thither comes, must go  
Through thorny troubles of the world below:  
Because but one conducent entrance bring's  
Unto the Palace of the King of Kings:  
And that an Alpine, not an Appian-way;  
Whereof on one hand, seas of fire slay  
The falling passenger, on t'other side,  
A watery Ocean with a swelling tide.  
The sins of Adam made which entrance narrow,  
And Nature's progress filled with plenteous sorrow.  
Though righteous men find very slender pleasure  
In cursed earth, they are Iehovah's treasure:  
Though Saints in prisons be compelled to eat  
Reversions of wealthy foeman's meat:  
Though (from distressed Zion, led in chains  
Of captive thraldom, unto Shinar-plains)  
They (sitting on way-crossing t●rrent's brink)  
Constrained by thirst▪ the running streams do drink,  
They are God's children, heirs unto a Crown,  
In new Jerusalem, heavens eternal town,  
How long shall tyrants triumph (mighty God)  
While Sion's children under foot be 〈◊〉▪  
How long shall they suspend their Harps upon  
The willows of the brooks of Babylon▪  
They mourn (like doleful Pelican's) and howl  
In desart-places, like Minerva's foul  
As solitary Sparrows (sat alone▪  
On houses tops) thy drooping servants moon.  
Their enemies are mighty men, combined  
To their destruction▪ Lord hast thou confined  
Thy sons unto affliction fires to see  
How fine a sort of holy gold they be?  
Refine them from earth d●o●fulnesse, and soon,  
Their splendour shall shine like the radiant noon.  
In gloomy darkness, though y'have mourned long,  
Though (fainty) laid Egyptian pots among,  
Though ye, by madness of a tyrant's 〈◊〉,  
Abjected were in Babylonian fire;  
You shall in triumph ride like socked Kings;  
Your raiment shall surpass the snowy wings  
Of silver-doves: whose garland feathers would  
'Gainst Titan's beams, outshine refulgent gold.  
(Lord) thy corrections ever (taken rightly)  
Are cordials to make our souls more sprightly.  
Our Saviour's Cross ●nto the Saints, becomes  
A ladder leading to Heaven glorious 〈◊〉.   

Sect XIII.  
ARGUMENT.  
Mournful Susan (all bemoaned)  
Led from prison to be stoned:  
The Heavens lower, a Prophetling  
Speaks, from danger her to bring.  
WHen short appointed time, by Elders doom,  
Was to an end, for execution come,  
Of this most amiable L●dy; th●●  
She was produced by Centurion's men▪  
Scaffolds upbuilded were▪ from Regions nigh,  
Came sundry people to behold 〈◊〉▪  
And Foreigners, possessed w●th honoured ●ame,  
Among them spreaded of Susanna's name,  
Thither repaired to be informed, how brave  
Habiliments the Hebrew-women have.  
But Susan's wealthy garments by were thrown▪  
 
Veiling herself in Cypr●sse, she 〈…〉,  
Her gorgeous Ruffs, a Cambric band she wore:  
A piece of whitest Lawn upon her head,  
With sable silken veiling overspred,  
Wherein the lovely tresses of her hair,  
In decent manner, all entrammeled were.  
'Tis said, her Cypresse-veiles did emblem dole;  
Her Lawn the whiteness of her heaven-born soul.  
Her trickling tears, that on her trappings flowed,  
Unto the day, like Orient Pearl- 〈…〉  
Through whose transparent films  
Moving to admiration lookers on.  
Death's ready Scaffold, dauntless,  
While round about her flock assembled friends  
The people (like Lepanthus' shore) was still  
In silence, as before a storm it will.  
Till she her solemn dying speeches spent;  
But then the whole assembly did relent.  
Her deeming innocent backbiting binds  
Concerning her, changed their uncivil minds,  
Her holy prayers armed her constant spirit  
With fervent faith for a● heaven mounting flight,  
Her harmless body was exposed to die,  
Her purer soul with Dovelike wings would fly  
Unto the Rock of sempiternal rest,  
In heavenly Canaan, to compose her nest.  
She spoken had, Vain mortal world adieu.  
And taken leave of every one she knew,  
Expecting sudden speeding blows that should  
Repose her limbs in quiet beds of mould  
But now her trembling Deaths-men could notstir  
Their barbarous hands to fling a stone at her  
Titan behind a cloud of pitch withdrew  
His countenance, as if ashamed to view  
Her tragick-murder: Heaven could not refrain  
To shower down sorrow in a silve● rain;  
The clouds disbursed and lightning from the skie's  
Umbratilous obnubilation flies;  
Heaven thundered loudly, earth did, echoing make,  
The stubborn hearts of trembling Pagans quake,  
Then did astunned Chaldean Swains adore  
The God of Heaven, who never did before;  
Many supposed, supernal Gods were come,  
To change 〈◊〉 sentence of Susanna's doom.  
They wondered all: Heaven sent an Angel down  
Whom mortals saw no●▪ Susan's brows to crown▪  
With palms of triumph: she must win renown,  
And glory from the darkest den of shame:  
All gazing Heathens must confess the same.  
Then wisdom's spirit possessed a tender child,  
Whom Daniel, the men of judah styled;  
And he, inspired, his voice advanced on high,  
Thus prophesing: Susanna must not die;  
A loudly crying (no man him withstood)  
I am unguilty of this woman's blood.  
Destroy not her, who never hath done ill:  
Whose soul is white as snow on Salmon-hill.  
Up (taintless Susan) rise: I now resummon  
Thy former glory: let sweet comfort come on▪  
And dwell with thee for ever: 'tis a day,  
To banish mourning: hurl despair away:  
Abstain from sighing: let the storms of dole,  
Be overblown from thy becalmed soul;  
Be dry thine eyelids: let thy tears no more,  
Like blessed streams from holy wells run o'er▪  
God will secure thee from false witnessed crime,  
Thy fame shall last, till God dissolveth time.  
And (but I see thy sorrow●stormes are gone)  
For thee my sorrows would be never done.   

MEDIT. XIII. Dei de parvi●, magne 〈◊〉.  
THough Saints descend to desperations door,  
'Tis good to trust in God for evermore:  
When men are ●ounden in affliction-bands▪  
'Tis God can ransom out of f●●en's hands.  
When worldlings think us past redemption quite.  
His hand can shield from cruel tyrant's might.  
His staff of providence (●●girt with power)  
Is to the Saints an Adamantine tower.  
His providence protests his people from  
All dangers, which threaten on them to come.  
When Iacob's sons were (at E●●thian deep)  
Impent with climblesse Rocks, and Mountains steep:  
When Seas before them billowed, when behind,  
The fierce Egyptians (like the stormy wind)  
Menaced confusion to them: when Despair  
Within their bosoms, mounted on a chair;  
When death's cold Image did their hearts benumb;  
 
For God's al● actions do abound with wonder:  
He govern's Heaven and all remaining under.  
His words are puissant: if he but say,  
To feeble things be strong; how strong are they?  
The slender flies, and bees (at his command)  
Drove armed Giants out of Canaan land.  
His providence can (by an Infant's breath,  
Or weaker means) save dying Saints from death.  
When potent tyrant's practice weakling's wrong,  
Gods saves the weak ones to confound the strong.  
His might preserved within a reeden cage  
Young Moses from bloodthirsty Pharoah's rage,  
To drench with blood, and finally ov'rthrow  
In the Red-sea, his cruel minded foe  
Making an Asse-bone in bound Samson's hands,  
Confound the proud force of Philistine bands  
Allotting to a simple woman, power  
To brain Abim'lech, and defend a tower.  
Weak Iudith's hand to kill, and unrenown,  
 
 
Th' unfamined Prophet▪ in the time of 〈◊〉▪  
A stripling child ordaining to become  
A learned judge; and learned judges dumb:  
An infant to save Susan's life from harm,  
And Senators, in wisdom to inform.  
Grave understanding hath not ever sat  
In sentences framed in an old man's pate:  
" To suckling babes, God's quickening sp●rit reveals  
" What from their doting Grandsires he conceals.  
His wisdom, providence, his power, and love,  
The weakest creatures in the world can prove,  
Are we implunged in profounds of grief▪  
And in them sunken far beyond relief  
Of wisest mortals? let our faith depend  
In God alone, who will deliverance send▪  
For he (whose never-slumbring eyes have shone  
Brighter than many thousand Suns in one)  
Beholdeth all things, and will open lay  
The deeds of darkness to the open day.  
His flood of Mercy overflows the brim,  
God never failing Saints, that trust in him.   

Sect. XIV.  
ARGUMENT.  
Daniel's speech: the Elders (brought  
Into the judgement-hall) are caught  
By contradictious evidence:  
They are condemned for their offence.  
NOw, as in trouble's highest storming tied,  
Susanna's Bark of Fortune, still did ride:  
As little Daniel in its desperate stern,  
Had stiffly fixed his Remorean horn,  
To stay her life from ruin; diverse men  
Of Babylon, began an uproar then.  
So that the Princes of the people came,  
To know the cause, and to reform the same.  
When they demanded: answering, Daniel said  
To the chief Princes, silence being made:  
You Sions children, Princes of holy Nation,  
Are you such fools, without examination,  
Whereby the cognizance of truth doth come;  
To pass the sentence of a final doom  
Upon Susanna (whose sweet virtues pass  
The sacred sweetness of her Angel face)  
Upon a righteous dame, who anywhere,  
Among judean women finds no peer?  
Made you such expedition? were not any  
Presumptions violent▪ were there not many  
Fair circumstances to be pondered on?  
Must such a business hastily be done?  
Now therefore into judgement yet return:  
For they false witness have against 〈◊〉 born:  
Whereof I shall convict them both, and you  
By their confession, find my sayings true▪  
So (reassembled in the judgement-hall)  
Unto the Bar, the Elders they do call;  
Placing the Prophet in the throne of doom:  
For God on him bestowed an Elders ●oome.  
He was promoted upon justice-chaire,  
And at the Bar, arraigned Elders were.  
With mild demeanour, said the Prophet the●●  
Put one a part of these pernicious men:  
That I (apart) may question them by poll,  
And they shall find I have a Prophet's soul.  
Thus he commanded; he was soon obeyed:  
And in this manner to the foremost said.  
O thou whose long injurious dealing hath  
From heaven drawn the judge of judge's wrath  
Upon thy sinful pate: thy quondam spite,  
And darker actions shall approach the light,  
Come therefore tell (if ever thou didst find  
Fairest Susanna in dishonest kind)  
Under what gloomy Arbour 'twas quoth he  
(Presumptuous stripling) fair Susanna we  
Found under Thisbe's trees umbration, in  
The 〈◊〉 action of Venerean sin:  
To whom emboldened Daniel thus replied:  
Against thy life, thou verily hast lied.  
Therefore an Angel of th' eternal Lord  
Attends to kill thee with a two edged sword.  
So he was cast, (casten aside as nought)  
The while his fellow to the ●arre was brought;  
And Daniel said to him; thou of the breed  
Of cursed Cham: but not of Iudah's seed:  
Fairness hath fooled thee▪ Cupids wanton dart  
Hath canker-eaten thy contamined heart  
Daughters of Israel ye have wronged indeed,  
Whom fear o'ercome: they to your wills agreed:  
But Iudah's royal daughter would not yield▪  
By fair, nor foul means▪ to be so defiled  
The gold of Ophir, nor the Pearls of Ind,  
Could balance not the jewel of her mind▪  
Come tell me where (if thou at all hast seen  
A man in carnal sport with Susan been)  
Under what boschy cover? he replied:  
Her under a Pomegranad-tree we spied.  
To whom the Prophet answered (false replyer)  
Thy own confession monstrates thee a liar sword▪  
Wherefore an Angel of th'eternal Lord  
Will right her wrongs with justice sharpened  
His weapons drawn, and he attendeth time,  
To render you the wages of your crime.  
Consider (now said Daniel) have not they  
False witness born, to take her life away▪  
Are not convicted envious Elders caught  
In snares of mischief, which themselves have wrought  
So to the Princes, it appeared plain:  
They were delinquent, Susan void of stain▪  
Whereat the people made a joyful cry▪  
Of shouting sound to pierce the Marble-sky:  
Praising the God of Heaven, who fails not them,  
With constant faith, that do depend on him.  
The Elders (when examined) did confess  
Their luxury-begot maliciousness:  
Cursing their traitorous ignorance, instead  
Of being sorry for so foul a deed:  
Thy folly hath undone me (said the one)  
Tother replied I am by thine undone.  
Their waxen pinions of aspiring pride,  
Were now consumed; into th' Icarian tide  
Of open ruin, they came tumbling down,  
Their sinful selves to overwhelm and drown.  
The Infant-prophet showed the Princes further,  
Th' Elder's adulteries, their hidden murder:  
Who righteously condemned were to have,  
By Moses Law, like punishment they gave  
Unto their neighbours. Susan's life, and name▪  
Were so preserved from power of death and shame.  
And thenceforth men in estimation, take  
The Prophet- Daniel for Susanna's sake.   

MEDIT. XIV. Findit Astraea nefandos.  
GOd's Law is like a Lion in our way,  
Presumptuous minded sinful men to slay.  
And 'tis a fable, that Astraea's blind:  
For I perceive, she can perceive, and find  
Faults of delinquents; facts in darkness done,  
Espie's, as if committed in the Sun.  
Her hands are ambidexters, her brigh●eyne  
Can by a blind man, be discerned to shine▪  
justice from heaven to earth by God's command  
Descends: her sceptre govern's every land.  
The eminent advanced ungodly wight,  
She trampl's down to everlasting night,  
Never deferring to bring sinners down,  
When their misdeeds are unto fullness grown.  
She is not partial: she did never spare,  
The persons of the Lordliest men, that are.  
 
 
Perverted judges of the world may bo●●ow  
A sword like hers, to cause unrightfull sorrow  
Among the simple: by a Lawyer's feat,  
May make a bribe-shop of a judgment-seat:  
And (falsely colouring of most lawful things)  
Make Saints disturbants of the peace of Kings;  
They may connive at wickedness, and think  
justice is blind, because themselves do wink;  
But (in conclusion) justice will confound  
Unrighteous judges, with a shameful wound.  
Let judges be ascertained, they shall come▪  
Before the world's eternal judge to doom;  
Before whose great Tribunal throne of Heaven,  
False witness oaths will never be receiven.  
No wrangling Gown-man (double feed in hand)  
Before his presence, dares in pleading stand.  
Th'all-knowing judge, whom Heaven and Earth doth awe,  
Disdaineth Bribes: there is no common Law  
In new Jerusalem: there truth shall flourish  
When all the enemies of truth shall perish▪  
judgement shall there be perfect, Mercy shall  
Above God's works, be supermounted all.  
O dreadful justice (wanting thee) men could,  
 
 
And by thy smiter keeps the world in awe.  
(Stern beauteous dame,) thy praises man may story,  
But who can blazon thy mild sister's glory?  
Like two Latonian twins conjoined in one,  
You sit with Helion in his heavenly thr●●e,  
And round about this 〈…〉  
A gallop, till these days of 〈…〉   

Sect. XV.  
ARGUMENT.  
Condemned Elders put in jail,  
Foolishly in Fortune rail,  
Come to stake, and (unbemoned)  
Are by mad-brained people stoned.  
THese Belial-childrens, at whose dexter-hand  
Fortune their foe, did (whilom) smiling stand:  
These who (but late) unjustly doomed the just,  
justly are now condemned, and die they must.  
No follower of theirs, but nimbly flees  
Away from them, as cattle fly from trees,  
Strucken by stones of thunder's potent 〈◊〉  
Which splinter tallest 〈…〉  
Now are they prisoned in a common jail,  
Where they, accusing stars of heaven▪ rail  
On one another: Fortune they do ban:  
Blaming themselves, cursing the foe of man▪  
Doglike, they grin, and grovel on the ground▪  
U●-lockt in chains, in darkest dungeons bound.  
Their friends forsook them not the gentlest eye  
One dropling spilled at their just misery▪  
Soon they became a scorning block of men▪  
Th'out-scouring refuse of all Nation's th●●.  
Ballads were soon composed of them, and sung  
By squalid Rag-men in the vulgar-th●ong.  
Drunkards, with M●●●call Pantamini,  
Begot pastime, to act 〈◊〉 ●●famy▪  
They were entangled in the private 〈◊〉,  
Which for Susanna's soul they did prepare:  
And unto desperation, busy Devils  
Tormented them with their internal evils.  
jailors, of ornaments did quite deprive them,  
Out-bringing them for hangmen to unlive them.  
The vulgar multitudes unpave the streets,  
Arming their fury with what e'er it meets:  
They ray with vengeance running to and fro▪  
〈…〉 Wolves and ●●gers wont to do:  
Rending the Purple garments from their backs,  
They drag them to the execution stakes:  
Where their high fury soon descend's upon  
Their spiteful Mu●●ians, in a storm of stone.  
Which battered them to pieces flesh and bones:  
Their b●o●d and marrow did besmear the stones  
〈◊〉 of their dismemberd limbs were thrown,  
For portion to the Dogs of Babylon.  
So di●de these men, in never dying ●hame,  
Yielding their souls to never-ending ●lame;  
Leaving behind abominable stories  
Of barbarous actions, and foolisht glories.  
And friends 〈◊〉 do haunt (they say)  
The lodging chambers where those Elders lay,   

MEDIT. XV. Par nulla figura Gehennae.  
HEll and her torment is no feigned thing:  
Though some suppose it but a conscience-sting.  
Egypt (where plagues, and darkness covered all)  
Was but a shadow of infernal vale:  
Which Tophet is (of old) ordained for them,  
That shall be banished new Jerusalem.  
Out of whose torment, there is no exemption  
Of souls condemned; in Hell is no redemption.  
Some men of all vocations (barred from bliss  
Of heaven) descend unto the courts of Dis.  
There mightiest tyrants with their vilest grooms  
Keep company: there are no changing rooms.  
judges, and Catchpoles in infernal jail,  
Conchained together thence expect no bail.  
The complemental Courtier, with the Clown  
In nakedness, there wanders up and down.  
There triple-crowned Popes, in sable Cell,  
With shaveling Priests, and cowled Friars dwe●●▪  
There Cardinals, and Bald-pate-Iesuits bark  
In thickest darkness, whose designs were dark.  
There Politicians with Buffoons shake hands;  
Rich money-mongers enter into bands  
With broking Scriv'nors: Mountebanks renowned,  
Who send old Charon souls in potions drowned,  
And law-concealers, with their client-clowns,  
Complete the cry with Dogs on Stygian downs.  
The Prince, and peazant pomplesse there remain,  
The mightiest Monarch like the meanest swain.  
jone, and her painted Lady, there may well  
Be equalled by comparison in Hell  
Lais, and the low-prized Harlot (life being done)  
Are there encloistered with the Roman Nun.  
Where wicked people of what ere professions,  
All in confusion, suffer for transgressions,  
More horrid torments, than (as Poets fain)  
Doth ever-pining Tantalus sustain:  
Or Ixion turned upon a running wheel,  
(Whose giddy brain pursues his flying heel.)  
Or Sisyphus, though he etern'ly grown,  
Under the burden of a falling stone:  
Or liver-gnaw● Prometheus, or all legions  
Tortured by Furies in their Stygian regions.  
O dreadful Hell in thy Chimerian womb,  
Shall never true-repentant sinners come:  
Nor into Limbo, nor in Purgatory:  
For Sion's Lamb hath them redeemed to glory.  
Glory to him be given, that will not make  
The wicked innocent, nor Saints forsake:  
Be blessed th' eternal Shepherd, which doth keep  
From Wolves infernal, his elected sheep:  
And from this wilderness of sin, them brings  
To heavenly Canaan's everliving springs.   

Sect XVI.  
ARGUMENT.  
For Susan's sake, a general joy:  
In Babylon 'tis holy day:  
The Nobles of the City come  
To comfort her and bring her home.  
THe Sun that whisome hid his shining face,  
With gladning beams illumines, every place:  
The noblest of the Babylonian trains,  
Deck her with Orient stones, with golden chains,  
With Gems and jewels, that belong to honour:  
Princes like servants did attend upon her;  
And (as they went the goodly streets along)  
The wondering people to behold her throng.  
Such cheerful vigour hath not since been seen  
In eyes of mortals, nor before had been.  
Her way with flowers joyful Virgins strew:  
Envy might burst at such a pompous crew.  
From window-tops, and tops of houses came,  
Glad acclamations to Susanna's name.  
The people climbed on high, and every thing  
Seemed chaste Susanna's victory to sing.  
All men for her deliverance gave glory  
To him that reigns in heaven's supernal story.  
The general gladness of that day proclaim  
Bonfires at every Townsman's door, that flame.  
They made the solemne-tuned Cymbals round  
About the City give harmonious sound.  
The Hebrews did exult with Harp and voice,  
Rebecks and Timbrels ratified their joys.  
The Provinces did of her honour ring,  
The merry people toss their caps, and sing.  
The Princes vowed to have her noble name,  
Written in Books of sempiternal Fame.  
The thrice three sisters of the holy Mountains  
Were invocated from Hyantian Fountains,  
To tune her laud, unto mellifluous strains  
Of Dulcimer, and Viols twined veins.  
Black Cypress from her fairness front was thrown,  
In place whereof, flourished the Daphnean Crown.  
Chaplets of conquering palm she wore upon her  
Temples, & Maidens carolled forth her honour.  
The honoured Crowns of Olive, Palm, & Bay,  
Never more honoured then upon that day.  
The Hebrew-singing Damsels warbled forth,  
Renowned songs of her triumphant worth▪  
Upon Shosannim, they excelled indeed,  
And unto Susan's sweeter praise agreed.  
Apollo's heirs (with odoured garlands dressed)  
In decent-maner, marched before the rest,  
Them leading on: and with their fluent tongues,  
They chanted forth Pierian maiden-songs.  
Who in her Bay-strow'n circuit did bestrew  
Her praise in papers, for the world to view:  
The best Musicians of those times did bring  
Their better skill, Susanna's praise to sing:  
And her thanksgiving parents (full of mirth)  
Triumphed in the Lord of heaven, and earth.  
Had I an hundred tongues, I could not tell  
What joyfulness her noble friends befell.  
Whose dancing hearts, and hands with gladness stir  
When no dishonesty was found in her:  
Her happy self (freed from inhuman wrongs)  
Praised God in Psalms, in Hymns, in Saintly Songs.   

MEDIT. XVI. Indomita virtus.  
WIth crowns adorned, bedecked with jewels rare?  
Mocking Death-jawes, and conquering despair?  
Triumphing on her child-confounded foes?  
Outwearing Infamy, o'recomming woes?  
Doth Susan so returning, mock the grave?  
Such honour all the Saints of heaven have.  
Earth's golden crowns, are earnest unto them  
Of glory's crowns, in new Jerusalem.  
For unto Saints on earth is virtue given,  
To be their conduct in the way of Heaven.  
The dear memorial of virtue sure,  
Doth evermore immortally endure.  
To God and man is virtue known; 'tis she  
Obtain's gold-garlands, wreaths of victory.  
Conquering her foemen finally in fight,  
She gaineth Fame by more than manly might.  
Divine Astraea on her part doth bring  
Armies of Angels from the heavenly King.  
Well is she known to God and man: her presence  
Makes mortals muse on her immortal essence.  
Like a Phoebeian Champion, in Heaven stories,  
She rides triumphant on a Coach of glories.  
Her seat transcendeth stars; her high renown  
Is heavenly Laurels in th'eternal Crown.  
Those Diamonds, and glistering stones, that shine  
In her rich Diadems, are all divine.  
Vnmated pleasures ever tend upon  
All her possessors in Iehovah's throne.  
Before her feet (when she from heaven came down)  
Imperial Crowns, Sceptres and thrones were thrown.  
Glory is her concomitant, that brings  
Her unto view of ravished earthly Kings:  
Who covet (having seen her form divine)  
To be insould in such a Saintly shrine.  
Virtue thou (darling of the King of Heaven)  
Dost bring thy lovers into favour, even  
With Helion, to win eternal fame,  
Conducting to the presence of that lamb,  
Who takes the world's sins clean away, on whom  
Attend chaste thousands, which from Rama come.  
Thou (royal Comfortress of Saints, while they  
Sojourn in mortal Mansions of Clay,  
Sad souls dost solace, and (when e'er distressed)  
Procurest to them a sweet internal rest.  
Angels, and men shall see, and fiends aghast,  
Virtue's true lovers all renowned at last:  
Because the God of goodness, that regards  
chaste souls to crown with undefiled rewards,  
Is glorious judge of Heaven, and earth, and he  
Govern's the World with perfect equity.  
Whose name be blessed, that blesseth every thing,  
To whom all powers of heaven and earth do sing.   

Sect. XVII.  
ARGUMENT.  
Where, and how Susanna lived,  
What poor people she relieved:  
Full of days departing she  
Enjoys heav'n-joyes eternally.  
AFter that time, no Congregations came  
To Susan's Court, to interrupt the same:  
judges sat there no more; no more loud noise  
Of loud-mouthed gownsmen did molest her joys:  
" But little Birds (chirping her sweet good-morrowes')  
" With Nature's melody beguiled her sorrows.  
After this trouble, Susan lived to see  
Her child's children in felicity:  
Still beautiful in years, beheld them flourish,  
Like noble Palmtrees, which calm rivers nourish,  
Or like those Olive-plants to fairness grown  
On verdant Mountains near King David's town.  
Her kindred, and herself with prosperous hand,  
From Babylon returned to Canaan land.  
Her Lord, her children, with herself remained  
In judah borders; where they re-obtained  
Lordships, which their forefathers had foregone,  
At their departure into Babylon.  
Their sacrifices, that the Levites took,  
Made cleansed Sions hallowed altars smoke.  
Renowned Susanna (after this) did never  
Feel any fit of cold affliction's fever:  
But all the quiet comfort earth could give  
She did enjoy, while she on earth did live.  
Her works of Charity (performed then)  
Sweetened the sour afflictions of men.  
Houses, and lands (bestowed on poor-men) prove  
To future times, her hospitable love.  
She holp imprizoned debtors out of thrall,  
(Paying their debts) them granted wherewithal  
To live at liberty; her bread was given  
To hungry Orphans; Beggars were releeven,  
The naked poor-men clothed at her cost,  
And many ransomed that had long been lost.  
Enfeebled sick-men gaining often health,  
Through timely physic, purchased by her wealth.  
Weak Orphans, helpless widows, blind, and lame,  
Whom she relieved to her eternal fame,  
Prayed for her (as in conscious duty bound)  
That she in Heaven and Earth might live renowned.  
The trophies of good actions done by her,  
Transcend high heavens, and are enroled there.  
Of whose clear virtues, mortals did adore  
The mere umbration; counting (heretofore)  
Holy Susanna for a living shrine  
Of heavenly spirits gloriously divine.  
When God determined, she should enter in  
The happiness, once lost by Adam's sin,  
Death (witness of our protoparent's crime)  
Amputed her. As in Autumnal time,  
Men gather Summer's rip'ned fruits into  
Their garner's home: Heaven took her spirit so.  
So reigneth she Iehovah ● Sa●nts among▪  
Her righteous friends for her lamenting long;  
Her corpse (embalmed in spicy Memphian gum)  
They sepulchred in whitest Marble-tombe.  
Which Pilgrim-pleasing monument did stand,  
Till time consumed it in judaean land.  
The world bemoaned her absence; God of Heaven  
To this dear Saint, a better world hath given.  
Fair flights of Angels sung her soul to rest,  
Which evermore now triumphs with the blessed.   

Carminibus vives ●empus in omne meis. MEDIT. ultima. Mors sceptra ligonibus aequat.  
IT is a common theme; the best must die,  
And pass through Nature to eternity.  
'Tis so decreed: the day of death and doom  
Are two Pole-stars, whereby we Pilgrim's room.  
The fairest Damsels drawing vital breath,  
Will not be favoured by ill-favoured death.  
Both young and old, Ester, and Naomi,  
judith, and fair Susanna too, must die;  
Fate snatcheth amiable Queens (at once)  
With Country women, eateth urned bones,  
Spares neither Sexes, pardons no degrees,  
Destroys Physicians, scorneth golden fees:  
A hel-born armed Fury mowing down,  
The mounting Monarch with the mowing clown.  
Impartial Sergeant, I presume to call  
Thee by such titles, thou art named withal.  
Thou longest of all slumbers, dissolution  
Of mortal bodies, wretched life's effusion.  
Wild Cormorant of mankind: rich men's fear,  
Wish of the poor men, wrestler ev'rywhere.  
A silent thief, a Cannibal of Nations,  
Robbing the whole world, swallowing generations.  
Thou Pursuivant (riding without remorse,  
For Adam's sin, upon the pallid horse,  
Bearing all souls in their long journey on,  
Till they appear at the Tribunal throne  
Of Sion's Lamb) dost by appointment come,  
And hurry hence, the good, and bad to doom.  
Thou art a friend foe unto man; thou art  
The good man's comfort, the ungodlies smart,  
A gate of endless merriment to one,  
Unto another of eternal moan.  
Thou fiendly creature of th'infernal Lord,  
With cruel fangs, hadst made us all afeard,  
Had not our heavenly Captain conqueror been  
Of Tophet's King, thy coward-selfe, and sin.  
Where is the venom of thy quondam-sting?  
Where is the valiance of thy vanquished King?  
O pale-faced Caitiff, caught, and wrought, alas,  
Like as in fables, the Cumanan Ass,  
Apparelled with a frightening Lion's skin;  
Thou seem'st a Lion unto men of sin,  
But Saints can smile upon thee: thou art fain  
To bear their burdens, to exeme their pain.  
Although our bodies thou unliv'st, our souls  
Surviving, reign with God above the Poles  
Of whirling heaven: just actions that we do,  
Do also live, and are eternal too.  
Good works with faith, are better worth than gold;  
For they conduct us to the wished-for fold  
Of our grand shepherd jesus: they become  
A milken way to our immortal home.  
Where we shall dwell in everlasting day,  
In better seasons, than our month of May:  
Where Salomon's much wisdom would be poor,  
Where Absalon would seem a tawny Moor:  
Where, in comparison, bold Sampson's strength  
Is infant-weaknesse: and unequalled length  
Of old Methus lem's life, a slender span  
Of posting time: where mundane bliss of man  
Would be accounted, but a painful pleasure:  
Where Croesus' gold is poorest earthen treasure,  
Where Alexander's prize, a certain loss,  
And Neptune's rocks of Pearl & Diamond, dross:  
Where perfect wisdom, beauty, strength, and store  
Of peerless pleasures, during evermore,  
Saints souls possess. To Sion's heavenly home,  
By faith in jesus, jesus deign we come.  
DEO Triu●● in aeternum gloria.   

Conclusion.  

MOnuments of Marblestone,  
Tombs with golden writings on,  
(Like mortal bodies balmed in gums)  
Last but a while, and time consume's.   

Goodly Cities die like men,  
Corn is sown, where such have been:  
Niniveh and Babylon,  
Old Troy, and strongest towns are gone.   

Towns, and Towers, and Bulwarks fall,  
Pyramids of Nile, and all  
Diana's Altars are uptore:  
Delphian wonders are no more.   

Monstrous Tyrants from renown,  
In a moment, tumble down,  
To the den of lasting shames;  
And black Oblivion hath their names.   

Gods of Egypt, Greece, and Rome,  
To a ●iriall end are come:  
(Vain they vanished from the ground,  
Their ruins can no more be found.   

Age, and fate returned them dust;  
But (all ages) Virtue must  
Live immortal; and her praise  
Must dure in ever-during days.