THE HISTORY OF JOSEPH: A POEM.  
Written by Sir Thomas Salusbury, Baronet, late of the Inner Temple.  
LONDON, Printed by Thomas Harper, for Roger Ball, and are to be sold at his Shop at the sign of the Golden Anchor in the Strand, near Temple-bar, 1636.   

PErlegi hunc librum, cui titulus (the life of Joseph, etc.) in quo nihil reperio sanae fidei, aut bonis moribus contrarium.  
Tho. Weeks, Epis. Lond. Cap. domest.   

TO MY HONOURED Grandmother, the LADY Middleton, Late Wife to the right Worshipful Sir Thomas Middleton Knight and Alderman, sometimes Major of the City of LONDON.  
Honoured Madam,  
I Have now unto your Ladyship's acceptance, and the world's censure, adventured these unripe fruits of a forced Muse; which if you shall accept (as they are truly meant) in witness how ready an observer I am of your commands, I shall (arming myself with patience and humility the handmaids of obedience) humbly submit and patiently resolve to bear all just blame the world may lay upon my rudeness (however your Ladyship will be able to excuse) the betraying so worthy a subject to so weak a verse. It shall suffice me that the world take notice, that my endeavours are only ambitious, to satisfy the engagements, whereby your Ladyship's love hath obliged me unto you: by none so paralleled as by that of jacob to his grandchildren: who made Ephraim and Manasses, (as judah, and Simeon) his own. The like from my youth hath been your care and tenderness over me, which I have no way to requite but by my thankfulness, respect and obedience to your commands. In observance whereof I commend this Poem to your patronage, and myself to do you service.  
Your dutiful Grandchild, Thomas Salusbury.   

To the Noble Barronnet, Sir THOMAS SALUSBURY, upon his joseph.  
I Must commend thy judgement, that could choose  
A subject, so well fitted to thy Muse;  
That they adorn each other; that they share  
In equal glory: that thy joseph dare  
(And without danger) thus himself expose  
To th' envy of his friends, as well as foes,  
And (Confident of thy just merit) slight  
His brethren's malice, and the Ismaelite.  
Nay, think his time in Servitude well spent,  
Since now he is become thy Argument.  
Whereby he is advanced fare above  
What Egypt could afford, or Pharoh's love.  
So happily thou hast expressed his worth,  
And in such lively colours set him forth,  
That Putiphars' wife is blameless: all confess  
There was no guilt in her lasciviousness.  
And had that love sick Lady used the Art  
Which thy well languaged Courtship doth impart  
Unto her in this story: the assault  
Had conquered joseph, and excused the fault;  
The charm had been so forcible, that he  
Must with his Cloak, quit his humanity:  
Or condescend, or had his Mistress read  
This Poem; and observed how thou dost plead  
For thy chaste joseph, in as chaste a rhyme,  
In Detestation of so foul a Crime.  
She had abhorred herself, and loved him more  
For's virtue now, then for his face before.  
So potent is thy verse: it doth suppress  
And quench all loser flames of wantonness;  
And kindle in our breasts and cold desires,  
New heat revived by thy Promethean fires.  
Be that thy sole reward, and do not weigh  
The Censure of the world. Some will inveigh,  
Some will commend: but most proclaim by me,  
They envy joseph, that detract from thee.  
D. LL. Dr. I. C.   

To my honoured friend, Sir Thomas Salusbury, my opinion of his JOSEPH.  
AS josephs' brethren's sheaves did all obey  
Young josephs' strait and lofty sheaf, so may  
All other Poets not alone rehearse  
Thy praises, but do homage to thy verse.  
Not blasted with those Critics breaths, who spit  
Malice: and throw thy joseph in the pit  
Of Envy; making their dull brains the Well  
To drown thy fame, whose shallow pates excel  
Poor josephs' Well for emptiness: the pit  
Wanted not waters, as their heads do wit.  
Some will be apt to say (when first 'tis known,  
Thy Muse doth bud) the Rose is overblown,  
The subject's stolen: it is not good to see  
Men play and dally with Divinity.  
Thus will those Critics talk, were but thy vain  
Such as descended from a lovesick brain.  
O that were rare, and excellent! how fine  
Were those thy verses, were they not divine?  
When e'er thy Ioseph's sold unto such wights,  
There's joseph sold unto the Ismaelites.  
But since thy Muse of Chastity doth sing,  
Thy joseph may find favour with the King.  
T. Bayly, artium Magister.   

IF news of Ioseph's death o'er jacob have  
Such forth, to bring his grey hairs to the grave  
With sorrow, sure with joy my tidings must  
As powerful be, to raise him from the dust:  
Then jacob rise and know thy darling Son  
Is yet alive; his glory but begun,  
Then when thou left'st him was: he now is more  
A Favourite, than e'er he was before.  
Not Pharoh's self, nor all the Sons of Nile  
Have so much graced him as thy lofty style,  
My friend hath done: he in thy verse shall be  
Even as in heaven, above Mortality.  
O how divin's thy Muse then that can bless,  
And add to Saints departed happivesse.  
Io. Salusbury, Sen.   

In Authorem, & Librum.  
I Know it's worth yet will I not commend  
Thy Book, I do not love to praise my friend  
Unless some foul Detraction I should hear,  
Of him, or his; else to commend him were  
In friendship as absurd; as should I write  
Strong Arguments to prove that snow is white.  
Nor will I yet admire thy work, to me  
It is a thing not strange at all to see,  
That what thou dost is excellent I know,  
Thyself art absolute, and thy works are so:  
Yet mayst thou meet some Censurers too unkind,  
But pity them, who punishment shall find  
Enough in their own error: they condemn  
Thy work, whilst better judgements laugh at them.  
Io. Salusbury jun.   

To my ever honoured Sir T. S. Baronet, upon his Joseph.  

SO the sweet singer did of Israel use,  
In holy Lays to exercise his Muse:  
Praising his God, for wonders in the Land  
Of Egypt by his servant Moses hand.  
Then with God's mercies sweetly closing there,  
The soul at once he ravished, and the ear.  
But so long since is that, that there be those,  
Make scruple yet whether in Verse or Prose,  
The Prophet wrote, as if a measured line  
Were more unfit to treat of things divine.  
Such heretics of Poetry by chance,  
Will in their censure show their ignorance  
Of this thy labours worth, when they shall hold  
It as a fruitless work, if not a bold:  
Deeming the sacred flames that thus inspire  
Thy breasts with holy raptures, a strange fire.  
And count thee as profane, that darest rehearse,  
The majesty of Scripture in a Verse.  
Whilst men of abler judgements, that descry  
This last worst ages curious nicety  
Such, that God's sacred word, the heavenly bread  
Of life, by most is dully relished,  
Unless in oil or honey dipped, they know,  
He whom the holy Ghosts first penman so  
Extolled, as the type of Christ, and square  
Of virtues, for all graces singular;  
Had slept the subject of our coy neglect,  
As buried in the Scribes grave dialect:  
And josephs' goodness, such, some few alone  
Professors, and Precisians had known;  
Had not thy bounteous Muse thus set him forth  
In fashionable garb, to speak his worth  
In modern tone; now by thy help he may  
Converse with Courtiers, in a Coat as gay  
As erst his Father made him; he may kiss  
Each coyer Ladies hand, nor can he miss  
Admission, or audience to tell  
His story to the best, or worst; so well  
He charms attention: by his sweet and smooth  
Expressions, so pathetically soothes  
His hearers to receive his sugared pills,  
Whilst at their ravished ears and eyes he instils  
His modesty into their souls; and so  
Doth Ioseph's story told 'mongst high and low,  
With greater efficacy, virtue teach,  
By's pattern, than best precepts we can preach.   

In brief, I judge thy Poem to be such,  
So good, so pleasant, that I dare avouch,  
The reader that no profit reaps by it,  
Or pleasure, hath nor piety, nor wit.  
Hold on this godly course, thy talon spend  
By tickling thus our ears, our heart; to mend.  
And when thy budding Springs, spare hours bring forth  
Such fruit, how great shall be thy harvests worth,  
When thy green youth could so exactly trace  
Good josephs' ' perfect ways; well may thy grace  
In riper years, as his recorded be,  
A Map of virtues to posterity.   
T. LL. artium Magister.   

Upon the Author unknown, and his JOSEPH.  
IF fitness be a Poems excellence,  
When to the Subject, Style combines with sense,  
Where lofty matter, lofty lines do swell,  
Where lowly Themes, low words do parallel;  
When under shadowed phrase, doth couched lie  
Sometimes a smile, sometimes a mystery:  
Still keeping chaste to chaste, and high to high,  
Glozing close secrets still with secrecy.  
Then top of wit and masterpiece of skill,  
I here discover from a knightly quill.  
For in these sheets here swaddled up, I spied  
The new borne joseph from his dust revived:  
And from the Presses reaking leaden womb,  
I saw so fair an Hebrew Offspring come,  
So modest, chaste, so joseph-like it seemed,  
As if again fair Rachel's womb had teemed.  
And h'aned you read, how josephs' growing mite  
(By fair degrees) raise him a favourite.  
So doth he here in such brave order rise,  
As may endear him to his Pharoh's eyes.  
Next, as the rest their flagging tops did bend  
To josephs' Sheafe, still mounting up an end;  
So you fond Bards (like their ungrounded sheaves)  
To this green Laurel, veil your sapless Reaves.  
Blast not his worthy fame, here newly blown,  
But learn to mend the ruins of your own.  
Lo here your Precedent, where you may see  
How fare divine wit, passeth Surquedree.  
E. M.   

THE DREAMER, OR The first Chapter of joseph. GEN. the 37.  
JOSEPH, a Shepherd, doth consort  
With's brethren; tells their ill report:  
His Father loves him in extremes,  
For which he's hated, and his dreams:  
He's thrown into the pit, and sold  
Unto the Ishmaelites for gold,  
Who to Egypt having brought him,  
The second time a Courtier bought him.  

GOD, always just, gins in Abraham's Seed,  
To ratify his Promise with his Deed;  
Jacob holds fast, and hath by this time well  
Deserved the happy name of Israel: 
Gen. 31.24.   
The Angel now would part, he (though disable,  
His thigh disjointed, undefatigable)  
Tugs for his blessing; as when heretofore,  
For his lo'vd Rachel, he served seven years more:  
Young Joseph's joyful Mother now (with whom,  
A good portent!) God opened her barren womb,  
Took from her, her reproach; Israel and she,  
Equally blessed by importunity:  
He, for a blessing; She, for one to bless;  
Both earnest suitors, both with like success.  
Hence for all crosses armed, and black despair,  
Learn; GOD himself is overcome by prayer:  
If thou as earnest be in seeking, as  
Untyred Israel and his Rachel was:  
Who now, above the rest, do love this boy,  
As one not gotten in the common way,  
But as a sign of God's continued love,  
A prayr-gained child immediate from above:  
As, when the mind of Man some good conceives  
His hopes dare scarce attempt, and yet receives;  
In like degree he loves it (now it is)  
As if, he durst, he could have wished it his:  
Or, as things held in long suspense before  
They're granted us, we ever prise them more  
Then easier purchases; As we prefer  
Miraculous, before things commoner:  
So they their Joseph, with whom God did bless  
Old Israel's age, and Rachel's barrenness;  
It was enough (he was her son) to move,  
His father, to a more than usual love.  
A coat, of many curious colours wrought,  
He made for him; Joseph was all his thought;  
Joseph was his delight; but yet so far  
As hopeful children to wise parents are,  
He made no fondling of him; he could brook  
The loved child's absence; nor was grieved to look  
Upon his labours; nor was Joseph fed  
With finer meats, nor warmed a softer bed  
With longer privilege, nor was he spared  
From any pains wherein his brethren shared,  
Nor groaned he for his burden, nor did grumble,  
But with prompt will, and an obedience humble,  
Strove to perform his task; He went to keep  
(With Bilhah's and with Zilpah's sons) the sheep,  
And whilst his brethren he did thus consort,  
He brought his father home their ill-report,  
Who joyed, they grieved, so young a one to see  
Detest, and to detect their infamy:  
But Jacob who too wise, above the rest  
Fondly to love one, and for nothing best  
At least to show it; yet he must approve  
And cherish virtue, with increase of love;  
Which now he cannot hide, being swelled as high  
As Joseph's merits; Virtue first may lie  
Or Truth concealed, or the fel-brethrens' hate,  
Ere his affection, now grown passionate.  
And they (who for a tell-tale heretofore,  
Now as their fathers-fondling) hate him more:  
Besides, nought renders one to envious hearts  
More despicable than excelling parts;  
So, nought more than his virtue did incense  
His brethren's rage; his fault was Innocence.  
Such Jacob's quarrel was, such Joseph's fate,  
As 'twere to inherit thus his brethren's hate:  
The Father's life, one Esau's hate pursued;  
The Son was troubled with a multitude:  
He got the blessing from them, and they spite  
Him, now, their God's, and father's favourite.  
And where this hellish fury once is bred  
Of brethren's discord, there 'tis easily fed  
By every new occasion; Joseph's mind  
Was then enlightened, when his body blind  
With drowsy rest, in heavy sleep he winked;  
Yet saw and learned, by a divine instinct,  
Most strange events (such always are the ways  
Whereby God was revealed in following days  
Unto their offspring) when, 'gainst all extremes,  
Their age saw visions, & their youth dreamed dreams  

josephs' first dream.  So Joseph now; When as me thought all we  
Were binding sheaves of Corn, i'th' field, quoth he  
Unto his brethren, that my sheaf arose  
And stood upright i'th' midst, When lo all those  
Of yours stood round, and with reclined head,  
As in obeisance, my sheaf worshipped.  
Scarce had he ended, when they murmuring all,  
Some with a Soul like-troubled as when Saul  
From the raised Prophet heard his sudden doom,  
And the sad ruin of his house to come:  
Some with a scorn; as when Goliath spied  
So weak a Champion come, t'afront his pride  
With staff and sling; with like belief of fate  
Ensuing, they began to vent their hate.  
And are we born, fond-dreamer, to obey?  
Must we indeed thy vassals be, cried they?  
Must we adore thine eyes, and seek grace thence?  
Whom Time and Nature gave pre-eminence?  
What frantic pride transports thy fancy thus?  
Shall such a boy as thou reign over Us?  
And thus they swelled to a more high contempt  
Of him, because he told them what he dreamt:  
Yet this informing Genius left him not,  
But newer fancies in his brain begot;  
Such, and of like presage, which mindles he  
Of all their bitter flouts and mockery  
Freely vents out, even to his father's ear,  
Not caring though his envious brethren hear. 
josephs' second dream.   
Me thought the Sun and Moon (did me adore)  
And th'eleven Stars, as did the sheaves before,  
Quoth he, with like obeisance: Now his Sire,  
In whose aged bosom raged th'unusual fire  
Of indignation, this relation moved  
Him in this sort to check the child he loved.  
What hast thou dreamt fond boy? What shall we all,  
Thy Father, Mother, and thy Brethren, fall  
In reverence to thee? Trust not these vain  
And fond illusions of an idle brain:  
Shall then that blessing leave me that hath gone  
Still an inseparable companion  
Of comfort with me? That which Isaac gave,  
And that which purchased I with lameness have  
Of my touched thigh, when all the night I strove  
With heavenly powers, descended from above,  
Till I obtained? And shall my name, which men  
Used sacred, in their deepest Oaths, and when  
They speak to any unbelieving ear,  
By Abraham, Isaac, Jacob's God they swear?  
Shall this name stoop to thine? Must thou indeed  
Be only blessed of all the promised seed?  
Thus cheked he him; Yet, never the less, each part  
Of Joseph's tale he treasured in his heart;  
So did his brethren too, though their intent  
From their good fathers was fare different:  
They store his sayings up, as fuel fit  
To feed their-hel-bred fire and nourish it,  
Blown to too great a height already, by  
Him that first changed the warmth and purity  
Of fire, to scorching heat, that it might be  
A meet reward to perpetuity  
For his demerits; who, thus damned to flames,  
To make all partners of his torture aims  
Here and for ever, and to that end he  
Tormenteth some with burning jealousy;  
Others, with flames of hate and rancorous ire  
Prepares as charcoals for eternal fire,  
'Mongst all in general (as they are inclined)  
He casts these sparks, which kindled once, a wind  
From any thing he'll raise, to fan withal  
The heat more furious, not a word can fall  
From harmless Joseph, which not something hath  
That adds to his incensed brethren's wrath  
By this time grown to such a hellish flame,  
That nothing but his blood can quench the same:  

Exod. 20  But God, that's True and Gracious, pity takes  
Even unto thousands, for their father's sakes;  
Their Sins cannot old Jacob's service blot,  
Nor may his oath to Abraham be forgot,  
But unto all their goods his love converts  
The ill meant spleen of their malicious hearts:  
Lo how to future times doth this foretell  
The children's stubbornness of Jsrael  
From their beginning; aged but one descent,  
Their plot is murder of the innocent;  
So mischievous their minds, so bend on blood,  
They spared not those that did or meant them good.   

'Twas early in the morn when they were gone  
Forth with their Father's flocks, to feed upon  
The plains of Sechem, where they not above  
A few short hours had spent, when Jacob's love  
Moved his desire to know what had befell  
Them since their parting, whether all were well  
Amongst their flocks and them, if they had found  
Good shades to rest in, or good feeding ground  
There for their sheep and herds, and thus inclined  
He calls young Joseph to him, bids him find  
His brethren out, where they in Sechem are,  
See them and bring me knowledge how they far  
The youth is soon commanded, which he shows  
In quick obedience, forth he gladly goes  
On this kind errand, to perform the will  
Of him that sent him, never fearing ill  
Because he meant no harm; So innocent  
Was his great Master from his Father sent  
To their cursed Offspring; who, not only bred  
From cruel loins, but more experienced  
In blood and murder; having slain even all  
That came and would them to repentance call,  
So wicked as they are, they send t'his grave  
Him that brought peace to all, and came to save.  
Who with an unmoved soul as cheerful went  
To give his Father's will accomplishment  
Even to the death, though hence the difference grew,  
He that his Father's wisdom was, fore-knew  
His danger, Joseph went in little doubt  
Oth' sad event to find his brethren out  
And comes by this to Sechem, calls and cries  
Aloud upon them, but there's none replies  
Until as in their quest he roving ran  
Thus through the spacious fields, he met a man,  
Who finding him, demanded what might be  
The cause of his so busy search; quoth he  
I seek my brethren Sir, can you I pray  
Direct my wand'ring steps, or tell where they  
Have led their flocks; I have to find them out,  
Traversed the vale of Hebron and about  
The plains of Sechem run with fruitless speed,  
Meeting with none could tell me where they feed.  
No (quoth the man) then in good time I may  
Give thee some ease at last: I heard them say  
Let us to Dothan hence; Scarce had he said  
Dothan, when Joseph but to thank him stayed,  
Then with much haste, making this news his guide,  
Posts after them, whom when from far they spied,  
Their colours changed, and their distracted blood  
Ebbed to their hearts, and straight gushed like a flood  
Into their face and eyes, and glowing there,  
Made their long carried coals in flames appear:  
And then a murmur doth amongst them run,  
Like the winds struggling ere the storm's begun.   

When the four Elements assembled are  
From all the corners of the Earth to war  
In some great Tempest, when the Air and Fire  
Against the Earth and swelling-Seas conspire,  
Thunder's their trumpet, at whose noise they fall  
In a rude conflict mixed, and threaten all  
Their poor inhabitants; Lightnings would dry  
The Seas, and they to quench heaven's fires do try,  
And hel's flames too, where having fall'n, they rise  
With a new crotchet now to strike the Skies.  
The earth and air mean while as 'twere dissolved  
Into one ill mixed body, look, involved.  
Thus altogether rude, and shapeless as  
Old Chaos, ere the world's creation was.  
Nothing but darkness now, no light is found  
More then in wretched man, in passions drowned:  
Reason extinguished, man's a world composed  
Of all the elements which lie enclosed  
In several humours, from them bred whence flow  
Our passions which being bound and ordered so  
By reason, as the world by light (the best  
And first of creatures, made to rule the rest)  
Angels are in their kind less blessed than we  
That images of our Creator be.  
But that kerb break, and passions ruling, than  
No storm, no Chaos, so deformed as men.  
And thus with Joseph's brethren 'twas that stood  
Now like so many cain's, in wait for's blood.  
See where yond dreamer comes (say they) let's kill,  
Let's make an end of him, and see what will  
Become of all his projects, and his visions,  
His idle fancies, and fond apparitions,  
And for a good excuse we can not miss  
we'll say, Some beast devoured him, true it is.  
Most savage beasts they were that thus did plot  
To ruin him, their rage considered not  
His father's care who sent, whose love him brought  
To hearken of their healths, this they ne'er thought.  
All seek his death but Reuben, who more mild  
Than were the rest, labours to save the child,  
The boy is young, and childish, he in vain  
Urged, and for dreams deserves not to be slain.  
Then with his father's weakness intercedes,  
His years, and his great love to Joseph pleads,  
Joseph's the staff, and prop of Israel's age,  
Thus he persists, but they still deaf with rage,  
Give him no ear, his words can do no good:  
Which when he sees, oh yet let's shed no blood  
He cries, my brethren, I'll direct a way  
To your revenge, and yet we will not slay,  
Nor lay our hands on him, not fare from hence  
Ith'desert is a hollow hole, and thence  
Down to the bottom the descent so steep,  
That 'tis impossible he ere should creep  
Again above ground, there's no water there,  
And 'tis so steep withal that none can hear  
His cries, and if by chance he there be found,  
It may be said, he fell into the ground.  
Then can it ne'er be told, we took his breath,  
Although indeed we left him to his death:  
None of his blood can on our heads be laid:  
For none of it we shed, all this he said  
To rid him from their hands, and if he might,  
To bring him to their father home at night.  
At last more pacified, they take for sense  
His words; and give him freer audience.  
Reuben, say they, speaks truth, then let's not strive,  
We will not kill, but bury him alive.  
Their plot concluded on, and Joseph come,  
They fall upon him altogether: some  
Rip off his many coloured coat (the sign  
Of jacob's love) others make fast a line  
About his tender waste, and ripping thence  
All but his shirt, white like his innocence,  
They hale him forwards, whilst his grief, and fears,  
Can vent itself in nothing, but in tears:  
They will not hear him speak, nor are they moved,  
Nor once considered how their father loved  
Those blubbered eyes; nor what hold grief would take  
On his grey hairs, for his lost joseph's sake:  
Mindless of this, with other thoughts than whet  
Their fury on, and more on edge did set  
Their vengeance, being by this come to the pit,  
They rudely take and cast him into it:  
And in the ground they bury (O vild deed)  
Gods promise, and the hopes of Isacque's seed.  
But see his power, that from the lose stones can,  
Or loser dust, raise Abraham sons, made man  
Of nought, can cause new quickened bodies come  
From the graves barren, and unfruitful womb.  
He that shall make all deeps, and seas at last,  
Their dead from forth their silent mansions cast,  
That power can Israel's seed so deeply sown,  
'Cause sprouting thence, to flourish in a throne.  
Even he that pulls the mighty from their seat,  
Shall make the lowest highest, Joseph great,  
Who left thus deep, now to his deeper thoughts,  
More than his own fate, wails his brethren's faults,  
Thinks on their impious rage, and what a curse  
Must follow their offence, this grieved him worse  
Than his own sufferings, they mean while the feat  
Long plotted on performed, sat down to eat  
On th'earth's green carpet, but what ere their food,  
I dare presume, their cheer was not so good,  
It cannot be the guilt of their offence  
Can sit so light upon their conscience.  
Some anxious thoughts of their great God displeased  
Poor Joseph left to cold, and hunger, seized  
Sometimes upon them all, as there they led  
It seems they mu●'d, for lo they lift their head,  
And looking round, behold upon the sight  
Of certain Merchants, that were Ishmaelites,  
Whose camels laden (towards Egypt bend)  
With balm, and myrrh, and spice, from Gilead went▪  
Judah cries out, what will it do us good  
To kill our brother, and conceal his blood?  
He is our brother, and our flesh, 'twere well  
We laid no hands upon him, let us sell  
Him rather to you Merchants, and being sold,  
We are revenged, and our reward is gold.  
The saying pleased them all, and up they rose  
(Whilst absent Reuben nothing of it knows;)  
And coming to the pit, cast in a rope  
To hale up weeping Joseph, now in hope  
Some pity came upon them, when he found  
Worse mischiefs gaping for him then the ground,  
He in the narrow confines of the cave  
Was King, there being none else, but now's a slave,  
For th' Ishmaelites being come, to them they brought him,  
Who having looked upon, and liked him, bought him,  
For twenty silver pieces, a good rate  
Judas but thirty for his Master ga●:  
Joseph thou highly valued art to rise  
Within ten pieces of thy Saviour's price,  
Thy brethren I'm assured, thought 'twas good gain  
To have revenge and silver for their pain.  
Two pieces every man, but now thou'rt gone  
A cloak to hide their fault, they think upon,  
And here the worst of all their malice note,  
Their infamy, they cover, with thy coat.   

God's finger's in't, a ramme's for Isaac slain,  
A kid for Joseph, with whose blood they slain  
His coloured raiment, mean while to the pit  
Reuben makes haste, and being come to it  
Bows him there down, and whispers, brother rise,  
I come to free thee from the cruelties  
Of them that hate thee, as from being slain  
I saved, so now I'll bring thee home again  
Unto thy father: but when none replies  
He doubts, and louder, and yet louder cries:  
At last, with outstretched throat, he lifts his voice,  
So have I often heard the climbing noise  
Of some exact Musician that gins  
So low, ' you'd scarce believe he touched the strings:  
Then by degrees mounts to a tone so high  
That each ear tingles as in sympathy,  
Or like the tune oth'winde, that calmly blows  
At first, then swells, and by degrees it grows  
Higher, and higher yet, and is at last  
Able to deaf the hearers, every blast:  
Such and so fruitless, is th'exalted voice  
Of Reuben now he hears no answring noise  
But his own echo, willingly beguiled,  
He takes that as an answer from the child,  
And calls again, till reason makes him know  
It is not, though (God wots) he wish it so.  
He finds his error, and with tears laments  
His brother's loss, then passionately rends  
His , and with redoubled haste he makes  
After his brethren, whom he over-takes,  
First with lamenting voice, which to them cries,  
And coming near with teare-bedewed eyes,  
Joseph is gone, what shall become of me,  
He was not in the pit, then farewell he,  
They all replied, we need not fear his spite:  
Now, to bring home t'our father tales at night,  
You have not slain him then, good God defend;  
He from his brethren, this untimely end  
Should have, (quoth Reuben) no, be thou content,  
No violent hands we laid on him, yet sent  
Him far enough from troubling us again,  
Nor is our quietness the only gain  
 made, nor yet our just revenge: but see,  
All this w'had for him, here's a share for thee.  
Who when he saw no remedy, at last  
He purged himself oth'guilt, and forward passed:  
Whilst they applaud their doings and device,  
 found to blind their father's aged eyes,  
Who wished them blind indeed, when they the coat  
Present unto him, and ask him if he know't,  
He takes and views, and seeing it all over  
Dipped in his best loved sons supposed gore,  
He fain would not believe his eyes, on them  
He looks that brought it, then on it again;  
He knows the work, and as he well may do,  
The making, and the curious colours too.  
So God the rainbow clothed, which of his love  
And future pity was the pledge, so 'bove  
His other brethren, this as a delight  
Did witness Joseph was in's father's sight.  
But here th'unhappy difference did prove,  
That shows God's pity, this man's pity move.   

Who having seen? a crimson that outshines  
The well pressed fruit of cluster bearing vines,  
Or any thing of Nature well set by;  
To shadow forth the purple Syrian die,  
Close unto which another colour's laid,  
Pure as the modest blushes of a maid,  
And sundry other reds by a well taught,  
And curious needle-woman finely wrought  
Into one pillar; in fewer seen  
As many sorts of well disposed green,  
The next of yellow, and between them lay  
The feather of the prating Popingay,  
Flame colour then, and saffron you behold,  
Compared with the pleasing hue of gold,  
And in like well mixed method you might find  
Blacks, blues, and whites, diverse of every kind  
In several pillars waved, and neatly wrought  
Into one piece of stuff, one curious coat:  
If I that artificial work should see  
Spoilt, and bestained with blood, 'twould pity me,  
How much is he moved then? that is persuaded  
'Twas with his blood, and death for whom he made it▪  
He that his passions will express aright,  
Must be as he was in the self same plight.  
His brows are cloudy, from his eyes it reins  
Salt showers of tears, as 'twere to wash the stains  
From off the slubbered coat, then with a groan,  
Because that's spoiled, he'll likewise spoil his own.  
He rends his garments, and in sackcloth cloth's  
His aged loins, then weeps afresh and loathes  
All words of comfort, Joseph thou art gone,  
Torn as my garment, bloody as thine own,  
Some evil beast, some bear, or lion wild  
Have filled their greedy paunches with my child:  
And now though all his sons and daughters rise  
To comfort him he'll none: his big swollen eyes  
Will take no truce from tears, they banish sleep,  
And as 'twere made for nothing, but to weep.  
The day he in no other task out-wears,  
And all the night waters his couch with tears.  
Now thou art gone, what comfort can I have?  
I'll follow thee, my son, into the grave,  
With sorrow I'll descend, thus grief prevail d  
o'er the old man, and thus he long bewailed  
The prosperous youth, who is by this time brought  
To Egypt with those Merchants, and there bought  
By Putiphar, an officer by place  
Chief Marshal, and a man in pharoh's grace.    

THE PRISONER: OR, The second Chapter of Joseph. GEN. the 39  
JOSEPH his Master puts in trust,  
His Mistress tempts him to her lust,  
Fair words, and threats, in vain she used,  
Then in disdain to be refused:  
Complains of an intended rape,  
Alleged her outcry, his escape;  
So Joseph is in prison cast,  
An uncouth fault, for being chaste.  
But still God blessed him: to his care,  
The prisoners all committed are.  

THe great Creator whose all piercing eye  
The secretest corners of our hearts can try.  
He that their future inclination knows  
Being grown to men, that now art embrioes.  
Elected Isaac, ere good Abraham thought  
Old barren Sarah should a son have brought.  
And Joseph sure, whom God a blessing gave  
To weeping Rachel, part of it must have  
Himself; the Lord ne'er blessed a barren womb,  
And not the issue that should from it come.  
joseph's beloved, and blessed, even from his birth,  
Blessed in the hollow caverns of the earth,  
Where being cast, and then again haled thence,  
And by his brethren sold for twenty pence  
Of silver, to those Merchants, who him bare  
To Egypt, to the house of Putiphar.  
There sold the second time; God in the place  
Of bondage, with his Master gives him grace.  
Who, Joseph Steward of his house, doth make,  
And all he hath, and all for joseph's sake  
Is blessed, and prospers, Joseph is found just,  
As seems by Putiphar, his Master's trust:  
All's under joseph's hand, nor doth he know  
Aught that he hath, but what he eats, or so.  
Nor doth he lose by't, Joseph keeps true counts,  
And Putiphar to wealth, and honour, mounts  
By his just care; but see, the devil would show  
A little kindness unto Joseph too.   


A description of Joseph.  Joseph's a proper man, fair to behold,  
Of goodly stature, and a handsome mould,  
His sparkling eye quick with attentive care  
Shoots pleasing beams, yet those, not wanton are;  
His smooth white forehead, and unclouded brow  
The open plainness of his heart did show  
Sweet and good natures read, not crafty wiles  
Are hidden, in his undissembled smiles.  
His long dishevelled locks, of curled hair  
From obscene speeches guard his deafened ear,  
His lips fair Rachel's were, his looks so meek,  
His modesty gave colour to his cheek.  
His head, and heart, were jacob's, just, and wise,  
All this the fiend pleads, and in's Mistress eyes,  
Gives him not grace, but liking, not with loves▪  
But with her hot lusts strong temptation proves  
His youth, so forcibly as might enrage  
The cold, decayed blood, of wrincled age.  
Yet Joseph is unmoved, a wonder past  
Modern belief, he's tempted, fair, and chaste.  
Had many women been so, 'twould from spite  
Redeemed the sex, and common epithets:  
His no forced virtue was, like theirs that be  
Best guarded by their own deformity  
From sin, whose face is able to deter  
Lust from themselves and the adulterer.  
Whose looks no more temptation in them have  
Then that they're like the devils, nor to save  
Charge or expenses was it, nor was he  
To buy his sin, or lose his chastity  
At so dear rate; his manhood to control,  
As (sinners now) with money, and their soul.  
Nor lacks he boldness, for his Mistress she  
Becomes the tempter, and where modesty  
Most hinders lust, me thinks that grace I find  
Like God's restringent power, which to mankind  
The devil doth as 'twere in chains withhold  
From doing of the mischief, that he would;  
Nor wants he youthful heat, being in the prime  
And flower of his age, the aptest time  
For such employments, nor wants aught to move  
That might seduce him to unlawful love.  
But he that chaste, and can't be otherwise,  
Offers himself a wretched sacrifice  
To God, when all his bones of sap are dry,  
As cain's lean ears of corn, which in God's eye  
Was not of all accepted: the most high  
Delights not in such barren piety.  

Eccl. 12.1.  But Joseph full of virtue, full of truth,  
Remembers his Creator in his youth,  
 the days come which bring him of his grave  
In mind, those days, wherein men say they have  
No pleasure: would that grace that saved him then  
From her enticements, were not lost 'mongst men  
Of these last days, she was not foul, nor mean,  
Nor was she old, nor yet a common quean,  
When had she been all these 'ere given a nay,  
How many a youth had cast his soul away  
To such a proffer, they had been less nice  
Then to deny, more ready to entice.  
She was his Master's wife, and this offence  
They would have coloured with obedience  
Still due to her commands: who would have thought,  
I mean what worldly man, but this had brought  
Him to preferment in a way more nigh  
Than his denial, and fidelity?  
She sole commandress was in every thing,  
She could her husband sway, and he the King,  
But wretched men! and yet I'll nothing say,  
I'll not profane my story, to inveigh  
Or scarce to mention them that do not know  
What sweet content doth with good conscience flow.  
But from them to the Devil I'll proceed  
Observe his plots, see with what cunning heed,  
And how industrious he his work doth ply,  
And gives what she could wish, conveniency.  
When all abroad, none's left but she at home,  
Joseph bout's business in the house doth come.  
The fiend doth find his plot may well be crossed,  
That Joseph's bashfulness would ne'er accost  
His amorous Mistress, she'll not be withstood,  
The devil will find more ways unto the wood.  
Her pliant bosom with more heat he moves  
At joseph's sight boldly to break her loves  
In these broad terms, whom when she first doth see,  
She runs to embrace, and cries, Come lie with me.   

Even as a man that in the dead of night  
Some apparition meets, or ghastly sight,  
He cannot fly, but trembles, and stands mute,  
So blushing Joseph, at this shameless suit:  
Whilst she more bold, commends his matchless shape,  
Then on his coral lips commits a rape.  
And if before her words your wonder breeds,  
She is as plain, or plainer in her deeds:  
Wealth is her promise, and her pledge a kiss,  
Alas poor Joseph! what a conflict's this?  
The world, the flesh, the devil, all at once,  
Thou art beset, by hell's fierce champions.  
They strike his ears with flatteries, and they thrust  
Even at his soul with fiery darts of lust:  
Who armed with virtue, in his heart that dwells,  
Makes vain their malice, and their force repels,  
With flat refusal, given with due respects,  
He reuerences his Mistress, but rejects  
Her impudent entreaties, and with eyes  
Cast where she may not see them, thus replies:  
(Lady) you know that in my hands there are  
More than my Master wots, unto my care  
All is entrusted that he hath to lie;  
There is none greater in the house than I:  
Of all his goods he hath detained none  
From me, except yourself, his wife alone.  
Such was old Adam's case, one fruit forbade,  
Ev n all the world beside he might have had,  
And that he longed for, oh unhappy nice  
To save his longing, lost his paradise!  
And shall not his example give to me  
Warning enough from the forbidden tree?  
When to my Master I was sold a slave,  
His goodness trusted, and securely gave  
His whole state to my keeping: oh 'twere shame  
My cozenage should begin upon his fame!  
Besides I pray that God my works may bless,  
How can I then do this great wickedness,  
And sin against him? 'twas I hope to try  
Your servants truth, and his fidelity,  
My honoured Mistress, whence these words proceed  
Not any meaning to so foul a deed:  
Which said, quick reverence made with busy haste,  
Not staying for her answer forth he passed:  
And left her more amazed, than he at first  
When she into her lustful passions burst:  
A modest blush did joseph's cheek bestaine,  
But in her angry looks all colours reign;  
All passions in her breast, first raging ire  
Inflames her eyes, they set the rest on fire  
Of her swollen face, but: oh her lost delight!  
She fears, and changes, now again she's white.  
She grieus, laments, despairs; he'll ne'er come back  
She cries, and now she's melancholy black;  
She frets, and frowns, and then as in disdain  
To be refused, she scorns, and smiles again:  
Now in distraction all her passions met,  
Proteus himself could never counterfeit  
So many several colours, till at last  
This mad fit of her contemplation past,  
She comes t'her self, and thinks what's done, and sed,  
And what's the cause that she no better sped:  
Then she considers that he was but young,  
And must be suppled with a smother tongue:  
She was too rough, thence came her ill success;  
Flattery must win the heart of bashfulness.  
She studies now encomiums for the rare  
Perfections he's endued with, such as were  
Excuse, she thought, for lust of worse degree  
Than hers, for incest, or damned Sodomy.  
Nature (saith she) did ne'er a body frame  
So excellent; only to bear a name,  
And to be looked on, nor will I persuade  
Thee unto aught, but that for which thou'rt made,  
Which was not for thyself; thou art not young,  
Nor decked with comeliness, nor wise, nor strong,  
For thine own only good, but unto thee  
Nature imparted these, that thou mightst be  
Her steward of them; youth and strength are thine,  
(But for her use) oh do not thou decline  
From her commands that gave them, she did frame  
All for each others good, and what I claim  
Is by her laws, who never sure combined  
So smooth a body, with so harsh a mind,  
As pretendest to have, all thou canst say  
Is of thy Master's goodness, canst thou pay  
His courtesy with greater, all thy life.  
Then this thy kindness to his dearest wife?  
And is't not mere dissembling if thou tell  
Thou lov'st him, and not her he loves so well?   

Isle four legged dwellers in the woods, and hills,  
Both male, and female, whilst nought curbs their wills  
enjoy their sweet variety with peace:  
Nature commands them nothing but increase.  
Yet still dost urge a matrimonial tie  
Why canst thou think wise she would ere deny  
To man whom she of all things hath possessed  
Those privileges she hath given a beast?  
But more and stronger charms she doth invent,  
And so the fiend had made her eloquent.  
Her words an aged Hermit from his cell  
Might have enticed, and made him sue for hell.  
But Joseph's still unmoved, he gives no ear  
He's full of business, and wants time to hear  
Her flattries (in his carriage thus to her  
Were little hopes of being a Courtier).  
Still she assays him whilst the devil her friend  
Makes daily opportunities attend  
Her newer plots, how can they choose but hit  
Between the devils and the woman's wit  
So closely followed? for she day by day  
As Samsons wife, or his false Dalila,  
Importunate, pursues him with her lust,  
And day by day hath the same answer just.  
At last impatient of her oft denial,  
She now resolves upon a final trial:  
And either in her vile attempts she'll speed  
Or on revenge, if not on lust she'd feed.  
What foul effects do such suits propagate,  
If granted, shame; and if not granted, hate.  
Thus armed in both hands, brings she sword, and fire.  
Swords of revenge, and flames of foul desire.  
Here let him choose to which he is inclined,  
The fiend and she are of the selfsame mind.  
If with the sin he cannot be content,  
Let him resolve to bear the punishment.   

The folks i'th' field, and Putiphar at Court,  
Joseph comes home: oh how do all consort  
To her vile purpose? whilst his serious thought  
Mused on his business, she his garment caught:  
Speaks her old language, now she tells him plain  
He's fast, and shall not part with her again  
Till she hath had her will: if he refuse her,  
She'll swear that he attempted to abuse her.   

He thus put out on's dumps, this troubled more  
His thoughts, than all he mused upon before,  
And as for such encounters ill prepared,  
He's mute, and struggles as a bird ensnared:  
Such were his looks, as when Susanna saw  
The wicked Elders from their covert draw.  
Their case not much unlike, the same they cry,  
His Mistress and the Elders, do or dye.  
As a ruft fowl, that gladly leaves her plumes  
In the hawks eager talents, and assumes  
New wings of fear, from her late danger past  
Until her safety she hath won at last.  
The like our troubled Joseph forced to do,  
Forsakes his garment, and his Mistress too.  
Who thus forlorn, of all her hopes bereft  
Nothing of Joseph, but his raiment left,  
And that she kept, a pledge of her disdain,  
Not as a pawn, he would return again.  
His father Jacob was not troubled more  
When he his coloured coat had lost before.  
Then she's now vexed, and fretted, she could tear  
The cloak for anger, yet she will forbear,  
And keep it for revenge, her hopes beguiled  
Makes her to weep, and anger makes her wild,  
With looks distracted now she doth arise,  
And with a loud and troubled voice she cries  
Unto her people, and whilst they amazed  
Upon her ill presaging countenance gazed,  
She cries out help, as if some foe were by  
The Hebrew slave hath offered villainy  
To me his Master's wife; he that's so just,  
In whom his Master doth repose such trust,  
'Twas he came in to mock me, till affright  
By my raised voice, he took himself to flight,  
And left for fear, or shame, or both you see  
This coat, the witness of his lust with me.  
Fine Devil still, what plot hath ever been yet  
Crossed with th'old instrument the woman wit,  
Whom he thought fittest 'mongst the creatures all  
To compass a damnation general,  
In Adam's ruin; she so served him then  
That he hath used the self same hand again,  
In most of's plots e'er since, upon just Lot  
By wine, and women, he a conquest got  
No power but woman's ever could subvert  
David, a man chose after Gods own heart;  
Then which success he chose to set upon  
The strong, and wise, Samson, and Solomon:  
So holy Job was tempted: women are  
Like Angels, and the good may half compare  
With them for glory, did heaven's brightness shine  
As oft upon them, they were as divine.  
The bad ones are the flesh that tempt to evil,  
And almost do more mischief than the devil.  
Fit instruments for him, to death they lead,  
The Wiseman saith, her paths unto the dead. 
Prou. ●. 18.   
They're like man's evil genius, and attend  
As his bad angel for some wicked end.  
The best things when they from their goodness fall,  
And be corrupted, prove the worst of all.  
‛ Angels that fell are devils since their curse,  
But beauteous woman fall'n from virtue, worse.  
Such was this dame, who seeking to betray  
Poor Joseph for his innocence doth lay  
His cloak safe, till his Lords return, to whom  
She thus presents it at his coming home.   

Such are the servants you for me provide,  
Your Hebrew slave o'refraught with lust and pride,  
Came in to mock me, till my shrieks for fear  
Made him forgo his cloak, and leave it here.   

Me thinks with such a brow vexed Samson eyed  
His father that restrained him from his bride.  
So joseph's angry brethren, did behold him,  
When they against him rose, before they sold him:  
As now his Master doth, who will not stay  
To hear him what he for himself can say.  
Anger contracts his brow, his eyes shoot fire,  
His wrath is kindled, will the slave aspire  
To all I have? Is there not in his hands  
Enough already? and with that commands  
Him to perpetual prison, too unjust  
A guerdon for inviolated trust.  
Yet in his anger did some love appear,  
'Twas to a place where the King's prisoners were.  
But God that's every where is there likewise,  
And gives him favour in his keeper's eyes;  
Who a new charge commits unto his care,  
Even all the prisoners that in prison are.  
Joseph doth all, the keeper takes his rest,  
And looks to nothing, but still Joseph's blessed.  
For see the Lord his own that ne'er forsakes,  
Makes all to thrive that Joseph undertakes.  
Who cheerful still, and no way discontent  
For his lost liberty, or punishment:  
His clear soul knowing, that for no offence  
He suffered, only for his innocence.  
And cheerful well he may be, each place proves  
A heaven unto him, wheresoever he moves.  
By God's dread presence, as by King's resort,  
Each petty cottage doth become a Court.  
As was the house of Obed-Edom blessed,  
Whilst in his walls the sacred Ark did rest:  
So Joseph now in jail (no doubt) it were  
A happiness to be a prisoner there.  
The keeper finds his blessings whilst he sees  
With admiration his increase of fees.  
Great prisoners daily flock, like Laban's sheep,  
Whilst Jacob did his pastures keep.    

THE SOOTHSAYER: OR, The third Chapter of Joseph. GEN. the 40.  
The Butler and the Baker, both  
To prison sent in Pharoh's wrath.  
They several dreams to Joseph told,  
Who their meanings did unfold.  
The Butler whom his news restored  
He in his own behalf implored:  
But with him thankless, and unkind,  
Being out of sight, is out of mind.  

ANd after these things, lo, it came to pass,  
Pharaoh offended with his Butler was:  
And his chief Baker, whom (being wroth) he sent  
Together both, to close imprisonment:  
Even to the place where Joseph was in ward,  
Unto whose charge the Captain of the guard  
Committed them, where for a season he  
Did serve them both, and bore them company.   

There they continued, till some days were passed,  
Impatient with their durance both: at last  
With froward vexing they out wear the light,  
And in unquiet slumbers spend the night,  
Until as wearied both, a nap they take  
Each with a several dream i'th'morne doth wake.  
When Joseph early coming to salute  
His charge, he finds them sullen both and mute.   

Sure man's eternal soul, hath here some sense  
(As other spirits) oth'pleniscience  
Which unto them hereafter shall be given  
(Their fleshly dross being purged away) in heaven.  
And did not our gross bodies it deny  
Undoubtedly each man might prophesy.   

Whilst our dull carcases, are charmed with sleep,  
Still as in death: our soul his watch doth keep:  
No outward objects interpose, to hale  
Included fancy forth; the natural  
Thoughts of our souls presented, than we find,  
And dream the fears, or wishes of our mind.   

The knowing soul, then, privy to th'intent  
Of following fate, discover would th'event  
To th'corpse, and wanting power to do't at full  
Speaks in the language of an oracle.  
With which the body waking from his trance  
Is more afflicted then with ignorance.   

So 'twas with these, who understood the news,  

Mat. 13.14.  Their dreaming fancies brought them; as the Jews  
Christ's parables: and no more, than th'Eunuch did  
Esay's mysterious prophecy, as he rid  
Before he met with Philip, 
Act. 8.30.  this did vex  
Their troubled senses, and so much perplex  
Their mind with doubts; as should a pardon come  
To one condemned, he might misdoubt his doom,  
And sentence in it, till it were unsealed,  
And the glad news, with the contents revealed:  
Such were their fears, they always used to be  
A little cheered with Joseph's company.  
But now when he his morning wishes had  
Given, still he finds them discontent and sad.  
Their pale aspects, which with an o'er clouded brow,  
And wrinkled forehead, made them seem as though  
Th'unpleasing fancies not with sleep forsaking  
Their troubled thoughts, still wrought upon them waking.  
Such was wretched Hamans' face, 
Hest 6.  when he descried  
The strange catastrophe of all his pride  
So looked Caldeas' King, 
Dan. 5.  when midst of all  
His jollity, he spied upon the wall  
The characters unknown, the dreadful hand  
Which all the sages could not understand.  
So pensive were these prisoners till some pause  
Past, Joseph silence breaks and asks the cause.  
What mean these heavy looks? they both reply  
Young man, 'tis more than our lost liberty  
That now afflicts us, we have each this night,  
Dreamt several dreams, and here is none that might  
Disclose the hidden meaning, or make known  
To us the right interpretation.  
Perchance they may divine some good event,  
Some ease, or end, of our imprisonment.  
Be not dismayed, replied the holy youth,  
Come not such secrets from the God of truth?  
Cheer up your downcast hearts, and you shall see  
God makes his servants wise: pray tell them me  
To whom the Butler as a good portent  
Of's lucky fancy and the good it meant,  
First clears his clouded face, and taking heart,  
He thus to Joseph doth his dream impart.   


The Butler's dream,  Me thought my fancy gave unto my sight  
A fruitful vine which spread itself forth right  
Into three branches, on whose boughs appear  
The three most pleasant seasons of the year:  
It springs, and buds, and then it blossoms bore,  
At last with ripened grapes all clustered over,  
I gathered some, which as I then did think  
I crushed in Pharaohs cup, and gave him drink.   

To whom good Joseph being loath to hide  
Such welcome news from him, thus replied.  

interpreted.  The fruitful branches that were spread three ways,  
By their interpretation are three days:  
Let not those hours seem tedious, which being spent  
Are the last days of thy imprisonment.  
The King shall lift thine head, and shall restore  
Thee then to fill his cup as heretofore.  
But when as I foretell you find it so,  
Remember Joseph, and some kindness show.  
Mention my name to Pharaoh, free me hence,  
And my good tidings have full recompense.   

I from the Hebrew land was stolen a child,  
Nor hath my youth committed aught so vild  
As to deserve the rigour that thus stays  
Me here to languish out my best of days,  
In obscure laziness; with so small scope,  
Able to break the very heart of hope.  
All that my worst accuser e'er could lay  
Unto my charge, I once did disobey  
My Master's wife, in a command that went  
Against my conscience; and was therefore sent  
Here where you see me; 'twas no other fault  
That damned me to this melancholy vault,  
Where were that axiom true, that some do hold,  
Grief makes men grey, I had ere this grown old.   

Now as you find my truth, remember me  
By the prediction of your liberty.  
Your dream expounded, I have cleared your doubt▪  
But dream not when I shall myself come out:  
Unless your kind remembrance quit me well,  
By giving me what I to you foretell.  
The Butler like a Courtier promised where  
Sad joseph makes his period with a tear.   

By this the Baker having understood,  
To'thers interpretation was good,  
Roused up himself, and herewith comforted. 
The Bakers dream interpreted.   
Thus told his dream, behold upon my head  
Were three white baskets, th'uppermost me thought  
With all choice kinds of Pharoh's bake-meats fraught,  
Where lo the birds, that round about me fled,  
Did cat them out o'th' basket on my head.  
To whom, thus joseph, (loathing with delays,  
Worse to torment him) telleth that three days  
His three white baskets are, whose short time spent,  
Thou shalt be free from thy imprisonment;  
And then an end of all thy cares shalt make,  
Then shall the King thine head from off thee take;  
And cause thee to be hanged upon a tree,  
And birds shall eat thy flesh from off of thee.  
Thus joseph ends, whilst they with hope and fear,  
True picture of those different passions were.  
Nor will I otherwise describe their station,  
But each was like his dreams interpretation:  
Th'one full of hope, the other of despair;  
But all proves true, as joseph did declare.  
For the third following morn it came to pass,  
That Pharoh's birth day then solemnised was:  
Mirth and the voice of joy the heavens invade,  
Whilst he feast for all his servants made.  
To which the prisoners called, he lifts their head,  
The one's restored, the tother punished  
With shame, and verifying josephs' words,  
Hanged, and his flesh devoured by the birds.  
Mean while, th' advanced Butler, too ingrate,  
Forgets poor joseph, and his wretched state.  
Courtiers have busy heads, the breath of Kings  
Takes from them clean the sense of meaner things  
 other thoughts to think on, then to know  
Friends low in state, when their high fortunes flow.  
 all fair language, and that's freely spent;  
Their promise too is but a compliment.  
No stranger's business in their heads can stand,  
Without some memorandums in their hand.  
But pardon me, you noble souls, that be  
Attendants fit for sacred Majesty.  
Men fare above my Muse, weak to set forth  
Your praise: less able to impayr your worth.   

I know the Court's the only Shoole to teach  
Humanity, and to attain the reach  
Of wit: it is, what need more words be spent?  
Under the King's immediate government:  
Where brave minds, that from glories of the place,  
Virtue and worth derive, their Prince's grace  
Abusing not, but studying to confer't  
To his increase of love, upon desert:  
Have all those Angels placed by heaven t'attend  
The King, (his state and person to defend)  
So many better geniusses to tell,  
And prompt them, both to live, and counsel well.   

But to conceive there be 'bout honour's seat,  
Courtiers like this i'th' story, it would whet  
The dullest Muse, and make mild patience strain  
For Satyrs, being inspired by disdain  
Of such a thankless wretch, that hath forgot  
His comforter in prison, minding not  
Who raised his drooping head, and hopes descry'de  
To him, that else might there for grief have died.    

THE COURTIER: OR, The fourth Chapter of Joseph. GEN. the 41.  
Pharaoh dreamt, the Sages sent  
For, cannot tell him what it meant.  
joseph called for, declares  
Th' approaching Famine, and prepares  
Against it. Pharaoh doth him grace,  
And yields in Court a second place  
To him; his blessing's well begun,  
The King a wife, God gives him Sons.  

Poor joseph still a prisoner, looks to hear  
From his enlarged friend, with patiented ear  
For two years' space: and freedom he expects  
From him, whose life and practice are neglects.  
But now he finds his error, knows it can  
Nothing avail him to confide in man.  
Man ne'er so mindful, 's but a means to do  
What God thinks fit, and gives his blessing to.  
This the Bethulians knew, whose state more bad  
Than Ioseph's and an Advocate they had  
Careful as being a party in the case,  
Hopeful as beauty, or her pleading face. 
judeth.   
Yet they no confidence, repose she,  
They hope a happy means from God may be  
For their deliverance: from hence they take  
Some courage and their joint petitions make  
That God would bless her with success as fair,  
As was the undertaker. Samsons hair  
Gave but small hope to Israel of defence, 
judg. 16   
When as the Spirit was departed thence. 
Isay 38.21. King. 20 7.   
What power is in dried figs to heal the fore  
Of Iudah's King: are Israel's waters more  
Healthful than those of Syria, that they can,  
By washing clean the Leper Naaman?  
What virtue hath unless God blessing meet  
The Prophes salt, to make the waters sweet?  
The greatest means in misery to redress it  
As fruitless is, except our God do bless it.  
Men have not pour to think of what they see  
Unless the Lord instruct their memory.  
As now in his good time he brought to pass,  
The Butler mindful of poor joseph was.  
Though late, when Pharaoh, (for crowns cannot keep  
Care from King's heads) was troubled in his sleep.  
Fancies disturbed work on his restless brain  
He dreamed, and waked, & slept, and dreamt again,  
Again affrighted wakes: and sends to call  
His Sages, and Magicians, and for all  
That used to descant on such mystic themes  
But none can tell the meaning of his dreams.   

Long had they mused, and here one walked alone  
Biting his nails in contemplation.  
There t'other scratched his head as if he were  
Assured without all doubt to find it there.  
One waves his hand, another strokes his beard,  
A third sit still, and with his face upreared,  
Looks whence it came; and sure he'll fetch it far  
That to a strict account calls star by star,  
The host of Heaven, enquiring the effects  
Of the close vision from their aspects  
But hearsalike, that questions powers so high  
The music of the spheres, and their reply.  
Here one more serious plodding then the rest  
Falls fast asleep, whether his mind oppressed,  
With too much study were, or his intent  
By his own dream to what Pharoh's meant,  
He like the rest succeeds: their heads they joined,  
But still so many a head, so many a mind.  
Now like the Philistines that undertook  
Samsons dark riddle, so the Sages look.  
They greatly troubled are, but Pharaoh more,  
His looks are like his Butlers heretofore,  
Who happily was thus by Pharoh's face  
Made mindful of his own and josephs' case:  
And whether's pity, or promise were the thing  
That moved him if to please, or ease the King,  
It were I know not: but he thus began  
With reverence made, This day, o King, I can  
Remember well my faults, Pharaoh was wroth  
With his two servants, and most justly both  
Myself, and his chief Baker put inward  
Into the Captains prison of the Guard.  
Where being at once o'ercome with grief extreme,  
And troubled thoughts, each of us dreamt a dream,  
I'th' selfsame night our sleeps imaginations  
According just to their interpretations.  
We waked and sadly mused, till a young man  
Putiphars' servant, prisoner with us than  
An Hebrew captive, unto whom we told  
Our dreams, their hidden meanings did unfold.  
And as unto us both he did foretell  
According to our dreams it so befell  
Me he restored unto my former place,  
But him he hanged, and so it came to pass.   

He had not fully ended, when as one  
Quick in obedience covets to be gone  
Ere he knows half his errand, Pharaoh so  
Would ere whether or for whom he know,  
But now the tale is ended, when in haste,  
He calls a messenger that comes as fast.  
He sends him to the prison out of hand  
And thinks the time long whilst he gave command.  
The post upon the wings of speed doth fly,  
And come, calls out for joseph hastily.  
Now the delay is his, here lies the sport,  
he'll shave and shift himself ere come to Court  
And all into a comely order bring,  
May make him fit to stand before the King:  
'Twas a good omen sure, a lucky sign  
Which did his future Courtiership divine:  
That he so much of spruceness than bethought him  
When news of freedom from the King was brought him.  
Who the mean while impatient of delay,  
Gins to wonder at the prisoners stay;  
But now's appeased joseph by this is there  
And Pharaoh bent to speak as he to hear.  
I dreamt a dream, and here is none that can  
Interpret it, but I have heard, young man,  
Of thee as one that is well seen and wise,  
In knowledge of such hidden mysteries.   

To whom with a submissive bending knee,  
joseph replies, 'tis not o King in me:  
But God shall give to thy joys increase,  
By his poor servant a reply of peace.   

Pleased with his graceful modesty the King  
Reviews his ingenious face as promising,  
As to our Harvest hopes when one espies  
The setting Sun with redness leave the Skies.  
And with this answer cheered he now thinks long  
To hear more comfort from so sweet a tongue,  

pharoh's dream.  And therefore thus: When as me thought I stood,  
Upon the river's bank behold seven good,  
Fat, and well-favoured kine, from thence did rise,  
And grazed i'th' meadow, but whilst my pleased eyes  
Viewed their broad back that did with smoothness shine,  
The troubled waters sent seven other kine  
So poor, lean fleshed, as I never eyed  
Mere bare anatomies covered with a hide,  
There's none in Egypt such, I took them sent  
As foils the others goodness to present  
By their deformities, for near till now  
Did I observe such beauty in a Cow  
As in the other seven, on whom they set  
And cleand devoured, but ne'er the fatter yet.  
Methought in killing them the ugly beasts  
Looked like so many death in their arrests,  
But in devouring they resemblance have  
To the insatiate and unfruitful grave.  
Which having seen, my labouring fancy broke,  
Sleep left my wearied eyes, and I awoak,  
But whilst my thoughts were fixed upon this theme,  
I slept again, and dreamt another dream.   

And then behold there came into my view  
A sprouting stalk, wherein seven ears there grew  
Good, rank, and full of corn, 
pharoh's second dream.  but whilst I hung  
My eyes on that fair object, lo there sprung  
Close to those ears seven others, thin, and pined,  
Withered, and blasted by the Eastern wind.  
And these devoured, the swollen fruit burdened ears  
Whilst yet no change at all in them appears:  
All this have I to the Magicians told,  
But none the hidden meaning can unfold.   

God hath to Pharaoh his intents made known  
Then answered joseph, Pharoh's dream is one. 
Interpreted.   
For by the seven good kine, seven years are shown,  
So by the seven good ears, the dream is one.  
And the seven leaner kine, and empty ears  
That came up after, are seven other years.  
The first being good, and full, betoken plenty,  
But famine's threatened in the lean, and empty.  
The thing that I have spoken to the King  
Not I, but God hath spoken, and shall bring  
Shortly to pass, seven years of plenty shall  
Crown all your harvest hopes even throughout all  
The fruitful Land of Egypt, after then  
In vain the labour of the husbandmen  
Shall till the earth, whereon no corn shall stand,  
Plenty shall be forgotten in the land.  
From which, as from ploughed sands, expect no crop,  
For seven year's famine shall consume it up,  
And for it doubled twice to Pharaoh was,  
'tis established, and shall shortly come to pass,  
God hath established it, let Pharaoh than  
Throughout his territories find a man,  
Wise, and discreet, and let it be his care  
To see that officers appointed are  
To take the fift part up, throughout the land,  
And lay the corn all under pharoh's hand.  
And let the Cities be well stored with food,  
By the neighbouring country whilst the years are good,  
Since God the bad ensuing hath declared  
Let not the famine find us unprepared.  
But so let Pharaoh 'gainst those barren years  
Provide, that not a soul may perish here,  
For want: let foreign Lands the better fare  
By us, and own their safeties to our care.  
Heer joseph ends, and lo the thing seemed good  
In Pharoh's eyes, and in their eyes that stood  
About him, to whom thus the King began.  
Is there in all the Land a fit man?  
To whom God's Spirit shows such hidden things,  
He keeps Gods secrets, and is fit for Kings.  
Then turning him about to joseph said,  
Since of thee God hath 'bove all others made  
His choice, these holy counsels to disclose  
That proves thee fittest, I have therefore chose  
Thee as the only man, discreet, and wise,  
To do according to thine own advice.  
Thou shalt be o'er my house, what thou thinkest fit,  
Shall be my people's law, who unto it  
Shall yield obedience, great as is mine own  
Shall thy command in Egypt be, i'th' throne  
I'll only be above, the voice is thine  
Of power, the eyes of Majesty be mine.  
Now have I set thee over all my Land,  
Witness this Ring, which taking from his hand  
He put on Ioseph's finger, and arrayed  
Him in rich vestures of fine linen made,  
Such as the Egyptian Princes wore of old,  
And on his neck he put a chain of gold.  
Then in his second chariot made him ride  
Whilst bow the knee before him, people cried:  
For Ruler he, o'er all the Land doth make him,  
Which to confirm he turned, and thus bespak him.   

'Tis I am Pharaoh; nor without thee shall  
A man lift up his hand or foot through all  
My Realm of Egypt, then to crown his life  
With true content, he fits him with a wife,  
Fair Asenath, a goodly prize alone,  
She was Potipherahs' daughter, Priest of Un.   

Thus Ioseph's raised unto the height of power,  
In shorter space, than the quick springing flower:  
That asks but one night's growth, he that of late  
Wailed in a dungeon, fills a chair of State,  
Oh what a bounteous King found he to do it!  
Nay, what a bounteous God that moved him to it!  
Then think on Ioseph's case what ere thou be,  
Dispair not, art in prison? so was he,  
Perhaps, thou'lt say, thou hast no skill in dreams,  
No revelations, God hath other means.  
Doubt not his power, nor providence, he can  
That hath created all, sure help a man  
More ways than one: dost thou complain thou'rt poor,  
And sufferest want? job surely suffered more.  
Do crosses vex thee? or afflictions rod  
Torment thy soul? have patience still in God:  
Wait on, pray to, trust in him, only he  
Can cure, and cleanse, and ease thy malady.  
Dost strive with strong temptations, to him then  
God cast seven devils out of Magdalen?  
Art sick, or sinful? prayer a cure did win  
For Hezekiah's sore, and David's sin.  
Perchance thoust trusted, prayed, and waited long;  
Look back to joseph, he was sure but young  
When first he tasted sorrow, vexed between  
Bondage, Lust, Prisons, and his brethren's spleen:  
Even from his very cradle, yet he stayed,  
He waited long with patience, long he prayed  
E'er comfort came; for lo when he appears  
Before the King, his age was thirty years;  
Out of whose presence, to his charge he went,  
And overseers throughout Egypt sent  
In the seven plenteous, whilst all their grounds  
Brought forth by handfuls, every place abounds  
With goodly crops, the sight whereof began  
To cheer the Clown, and glad the Husbandman.  
They ply their trust, their labours never cease  
To treasure up the fruitful earth's increase.  
Me thinks I see them, like the busy swarm,  
When their commander hums, and gives th'alarm:  
They issue forth, and their dispersed power  
Coasts every field, and light on every flower,  
To make their sweet extractions, and they strive  
Who shall unlade him oftenest at the hive:  
They fill their bags, and gladly homewards fly  
With pleasant burdens in their painful thigh:  
Only this difference makes 'twixt them and these,  
The gatherers went not murmuring as the Bees.  
But with their silent paces all along  
They trudge like Aunts, a people wise, not strong, 
Pro. 30.25.   
Preventing want in plenty, with their pain,  
So each of these came laden home with grain.  
They gleaned apace, whilst corn like sands they found,  
And stored the Cities from the neighbouring ground:  
Th'y have gathered much, the Granaries are filled  
With all th'abundance which the land doth yield.  
Egypt is now provided 'gainst her fears,  
Should all the world besiege her for seven years;  
Were they walled strong enough, it were no doubt  
But they'd by that, starve the besiegers out.   

His work now ending, joseph takes his rest,  
And with two sons, is ere the famine blessed,  
Two goodly sons, which Asenath the fair,  
Vn's Priest and Prince's daughter to him bare:  
The first he called Manasseh, for he said,  
God of my toil hath me forgetful made,  
Past in my Father's house: the second he  
named Ephraim, for God hath caused me  
Here to be fruitful, whither I was sent,  
As the place for my affliction meant.  
But now the time is come that must atone  
The dreams with their interpretation:  
Now Pharaoh finds that josephs' words are true,  
The good years gone and passed, and bade ensue:  
Egypt expects, and now the time appears  
The full are swallowed by the blasted ears.  
Pined, famine from all lands comes flocking thither,  
And from all country's men come flocking with her.  
Egypt alone hath bread, yet some of those  
That were ill husbands, or that did repose  
No trust in Ioseph's words, by this half dead  
For their late unbelief, cry out for bread.  
But still to Pharaoh when the people cried,  
They were to joseph sent to be supply'de.  
What he shall bid you do, to him they went,  
Who sold them corn, when all their store was spent.  
The granaries he set , for there was dearth  
And famine o'er the face of all the earth,  
Nay, now in Egypt's self it waxed sore,  
Till he supplied their daily wants with more,  
It raged in all lands and all Countries came  
Thither for corn, and ask for Ioseph's name.    

THE STEWARD: OR, The fifth Chapter of Joseph. GEN. 42.  
To joseph from all Countries come  
Th'inhabitants for food 'mongst whom  
His brethren came plagued with the dearth,  
To him as Steward of the earth,  
For by him are all Nations fed  
Egypt alone abounds in bread.  
Blessed with his care, which none denies,  
Save them, he challenged for spies.  
To prove their trust, they must again  
Returning bring young Benjamin.  
Simeon meanwhile in hold remains,  
And they released go home with grain.  

LIke that mysterious Book the Angel gave  
To john, are worldlings fond delights, they have  
A smack of pleasure which affects the sense  
At first, but ends in bitter penitence.   


Prov. 5.3, 4, 5.  The whore hath honeyed lips, her perfumed breath  
Utters words smooth as oil, but unto death  
Her feet make haste, her steps to hell do tend,  
Sharpness and bitterness are in her end.  
Such in all earthly pleasures, they whose minds  
Swell with vainglory, or whom Mammon blinds,  
The god of this world, that they think to be,  
In riches only true felicity;  

Dan. 2.  Like the forgotten dream of Babel's King,  
(Which did confusion to the Sages bring)  
A head of gold, a breast of silver, they,  
With thighs of brass may have, but feet of clay.  
Their glory, riches, joys, wherein they trust,  
Being passed away, their end shall be in dust.   

The world like a fond Mother is, and smiles  
Upon her own, whom she a time beguiles  
With pleasures, fading like herself, (for she  
That hath not, cannot give eternity  
To them) whose first, and better days being past,  
Must grieve the rest, and think upon their last.   

GOD like a gracious Father, but austere;  
First, by corrections teacheth his to fear,  
And to be humble, which being taught them, he  
I'th' end rewardeth their humility  

job 1.  With choicer blessings, job he first did try,  
By taking of his wealth, his misery  
Increased by sore diseases, soul, and sense,  
Vexed to the utmost of his patience.   

Abram from God receives a strict command  

Gen. 22.2.  To sacrifice his Son; with his own hand  
To kill his Child, having as yet but one.   

jacob an heir to his affliction,  
Hath lost his best loved boy: Gods blessings here  
TO his children, different from the worlds appear▪  
Whilst here's a little time, the world doth bless,  
Their end is crowned with endless happiness.   

Nor doth the God of earth and heaven give  
Us only future hopes, but whilst we live, 
job 42.   
Feeds us with daily blessings: job increased  
In wealth; again, is richest of the East.  
Nor doth good Abram like contentment lack,  
Isaac is with a blessing given him back:  
And jacob shall, the days are now begun, 
Gen. 22.20.   
Find to the safeguard of his life, his Son.   

The general dearth that through all nations ran,  
Hath shown his lean aspect in Canaan;  
And pinched the holy Patriarches: ten are sent  
Of josephs' brethren, all their store being spent,  
For new supplies of corn; for it was said,  
That only Egypt did abound in bread.   

Forwards they set, now the first motion stirs,  
And they prove josephs' best Interpreters.  
The time is come, the sheaves begin to bend,  
Ten of the stars already do descend,  
The rest must follow: jacob now shall see  
His raised Son, and his sleeping prophecy:  
And he to whom so many dreams were known,  
God now declares, and brings to pass his own.  
For lo his brethren that were come before him,  
Bowing their faces to the earth, adore him.  
He's put in mind of's vision, at first view,  
Though none of them knew him, yet them he knew:  
And this gives me more wonder than their change,  
His strange remembrance, their oblivion strange.  
It is not commonly the poor forgot,  
To claim alliance from their friends grown great.  
Nor is't the usual way o'th' world, that men  
Of rising fortune should remember then  
Their mean, though nearest kin, & much the less  
To be expected, coming in distress.  
Look on their natures, and there sure should be  
Between them some prompting antipathy  
Should make them know, however high estated,  
So great an eyesore joseph whom they hated.  
Who on the other side, as soon as spied them,  
(Nor was his memory malice) he descried them.  
He found them as he left them, but their eyes  
Were doubtless dazzled with his dignities:  
Whilst no revenge, (therefore let none mistake him)  
Did so quick sighted, but his meekness make him:  
He meant no harm unto them, though he spoke  
In a sharp key, and with a rougher look,  
Asks whence they came, when humbly one replies,  
From Canaan, to buy corn; he calls them spies.  
Canaan upon a fruitful soil doth stand,  
Flowing with milk and honey: Ye our land  
Are come to pry into, to what distress  
Famine hath brought it, and what nakedness.  
When trembling, with one sudden voice they cry,  
Thy servants true men are, and come to buy  
Food for our aged Father, we were borne  
All one man's sons, and hither come for corn;  
Our altered soil doth not afford us grain;  
Twice hath the reaper looked for work in vain.  
Twitch have the Ploughman's toil and seed inhumed  
Untimely frosts, unkindly heats consumed.  
Our store is spent, nor have we hope to live,  
Unless your goodness do our wants relieve.   

Still joseph, who but what he knew did hear,  
Changed not his note, but bids observe their fear,  
Their trembling joints, faint voice, & downcast eyes,  
True signs of guilt, discovered them for spies.  
They know not how to look, nor what to say?  
Their postures, every thing seemed to betray  
Them to his jealous fury: if they muse  
Or whisper, then they're forging an excuse;  
If they be silent, that their guilt implies;  
Their boldness impudence, their language lies.  
Yet still considering that no such they were  
As he suspected them, they persevere  
More confident as in their tale begun.  
They were twelve brethren, and the youngest son  
Their aged Father's fondness did detain  
At home with him: the twelfth alas was slain,  
By what mischance unknown: they stoutly stand  
upon't, they came not to descry the land.  
Their honest errand served not to disguise  
So bad intents: but still I called you spies,  
Answered the subtle joseph; thus you shall  
Prove my surmises vain: choose one of all  
That may go up with a supply of grain,  
The rest with me in prison shall remain.  
Ye shall not hence by pharoh's life I swear,  
Until I see your youngest brother here.  
This is the way to prove my doubts untrue,  
And whether there be any trust in you.  
Let one then fetch him, here your safety lies,  
For by the life of Pharaoh, else y'are spies.  
At this with fear and trouble sore dismayed,  
Not knowing what to say, they nothing said.  
But as they musing on each other stared,  
joseph for three days put them all in ward:  
Then calling them before him, they appear,  
He bids do this and live, for lo I fear  
God; and if as ye say, ye true men be,  
Let of your brethren, one stay here with me;  
The rest go home in peace, with good supply,  
To stave off famine from your family:  
But see your youngest brothers presence prove  
Your truth returning, so no hand shall move  
Against your lives, or safeties, or withstand  
Your peaceful traffic with us in the land   

This said, when seeing no way to prevent,  
Of sad necessity they were content.  
Yet with their captive brother, ere they go,  
They take a little time to vent their woe.  
Gild surely hangs upon us, and our God  
That saw our sin, now threatneth with the rod  
Of vengeance, timely had our grief been spent,  
Ere we our harmless brother, hither sent.  
We turned him pitiless, and deafened ears,  
When he in anguish of his soul, and tears,  
Gently besought us, but alas, too late,  
We ne'er repent us of our cursed hate,  
Whence all these mischiefs their beginnings take:  
We justly punished are for josephs' sake.  
For Egypt, even the place where we him sent,  
God hath ordained for our punishment.   

Alas cries Reuben, had you been so wise,  
As t' have given any ear to my advice,  
This had not been, when I with language mild,  
Dissuaded you from sinning 'gainst the child;  
But following then your rash and furious mood,  
Behold th'event, God hath required his blood.  
Little thought they that joseph was so near,  
The other party to these presents there.  
For he dealt subtly with them▪ and as one  
That makes himself the sly companion  
Of thiefs, or traitors, or perchance would be  
More satisfied in some home jealousy.  
He feigns long deafness, or it may be, can  
Translate his tone, like some outlandish man.  
Mean while securely they their mischiefs vent,  
And he's made privy to their close intent.  
As fare deceived here, josephs' brethren were,  
He spoke no word but by Interpreter,  
At all unto them, and much did seem  
A stranger to their language, as to them.  
Now he hath half his plot, and well content,  
Freely forgives them, whom he sees repent.  
And in true token, he begins  
With tears to help them to bewail their sins.  
He weeps, returns, and then as if he thought  
'Twas not enough they see and wail their fault,  
As doth the grave Confessor use to do;  
He means to put them to some penance too.  
For having kept them three days in distress,  
Their comp'ny he dismissed, by one made less.  
For simeon before their eyes he sent  
Bound back again to close imprisonment.   

Yet sure, this punishing of them did prove  
The truth of his forgiveness, and his love,  
As did his acts of love in kindness meant,  
Appear to them a kind of punishment.  
For having given command that each man's sack  
Be filled, and each man's coin restored back  
In their sack's mouths: and likewise that they may  
Be furnished with provision for their way.  
Forwards they set though with an heavy pace  
Clogged with their grief, and lamentable case.  
Sure tedious are their steps, who cannot stir  
But sorrow is their fellow traveller.  
Sore grieved in heart their journey they begun  
At their first lighting is confusion.  
For Reuben, that for provender unbinds  
His sack the money in the mouth of't finds.   

And as the clown that doth through meadows pass  
Espying some glorious colours in the grass,  
Stoops down to reach them, being in hope to take:  
A goodly prize, when lo, he clasps a Snake.  
As pale as he was Reuben, when he saw  
His coin in the sack's mouth he doth withdraw  
His trembling hand, and in as great a fear  
As had he met the God of money there.  
See here my coins restored! cries he, some train  
'tis for our lives, and we shall all be slain.   

As in a field of standing corn we find  
One end being shaken by the whisking wind,  
Those which receive the gust, declining fall  
Upon their neighbours, till clean through all  
Quivering runs; like to those troubled ears,  
They shaken are with one another's fears.   

Oh most unusual fright, For were not it  
Uoucht by Antiquity, and holy Writ,  
Who would in these our times of God adored  
Believe their fear: to see their gold restored.  
Had Achan's heart upon th' accursed touch  
Of the forbidden gold, failed half so much,  
Had his Fore-father's fears upon him fell  
T'had saved a family in Israel?  
He feared not punishment, but it appears  
That they, alas! were punished with their fears,  
'Twas all God used as the correction mild,  
Of a good father to a loved child.  
And 'twas enough for he but shakes the rod,  
And straight they fear, but 'twas the fear of God.  
Alas! what is't that God hath done they cry  
Unto his servants: in this ecstasy,  
They hom return to Canaan, and their tell  
Unto their father all that them befell,  
Saying, the man that is their Lord bespoke us  
In a rough language, and for spies did take us.  
When sorely troubled we, in humble wise  
Answered, thy servants true men are, not spies,  
We of one aged father were begot,  
And were twelve brethren, whereof one is not.  
The youngest as the comfort of his days  
At home in Canaan with our father stays:  
Whereat the Lord unsatisfide replies  
Thus shall your truth be proved to me, arise,  
Prevent your household famine and be gone  
With food sufficient for you, leave but one  
Behind, but see that your return bring here  
Your younger brother so shall it appear,  
You true men are, not spies, then I'll restore  
Your now detained brother, not before.  
And if to trial of your truth you'll stand,  
Do this and traffic with us in the Land,  
jacob as yet stands mute, while they go on  
Emptying their sacks of their provision.  
But when their money with their corn appears  
They start, not having yet o'ercome their fears:  
And lo this object, nothing less dismayed,  
The sons, than now the sire, they're all afraid.   

Then jacob first the silence break, as one  
That in the grief challenged chief portion.  
He for his children's loss, felt greatest smart  
Which thus breaks forth, in agony of heart.  
How hath your malice of my sons bereft me  
joseph is not, nor Simeon is not left me.  
Poor Benjamin you practice to betray,  
And with him take my souls delight away.  
All these things are against me, here he stayed  
And gave his grief some vent: when Reuben said  
'tis a hard strait, we must for famine die,  
Or bring our brethren in this jeopardy.  
Yet let not Israel fear: let him but give  
The Child into my hands, and we shall live  
Let me ensure his life, and if he runs  
In any hazard, let it to my sons  
Be even alike; his safe return again  
Redeems their lives, or else let both be slain.   

More spoke he, but in vain, jacob is loath  
For his loved Benjamin, to accept them both  
A pledge, but with a discontented frown,  
He tells them flat, my son shall not go down  
Along with you, of joseph I'm bereft  
This, only this, is all my comfort left  
And sure 'twill bring (if any harm he have)  
My grey hairs down with sorrow to the grave.    

THE FREEMAN: OR, The sixth Chapter of Joseph. GEN. the 43.  
Famine, that Mothers hath to kill  
Their sons enforced, with a will  
As bad, doth Israel constrain  
To send his children down again  
With Benjamin: whose sight hath won  
Liberty for simeon.  
Who now a free man with the rest,  
At josephs' house partakes the feast.  

'tWas a hard choice, 
2 Sam. 24.  David for his offence  
Had; between famine, War and Pestilence.  
Not better much, was this of jacobs' here,  
To famish, or to part with what most dear  
Was to his soul: than which, no plague could be  
Of greater torment, not the misery  
War brings along, not death, which as the chief  
Of humane terrors; so to dye for grief,  
The worst of deaths (as doubtless he had done)  
His life ran equal hazard with his son.   

Mean while, the brethren urging his consent  
That Benjamin might go, are discontent,  
Doubly to be refused, it did appear  
First, in his Father's eye, that he more dear  
Was held than they; the ancient cause that bred  
Their hate to joseph, he inherited  
As next of kin: yet hence their ire did grow  
On better grounds, their brother might not go,  
Though to save all their lives: in their distress  
Their offspring murmured in the wilderness,  
Not more 'gainst Moses, than (their corn near spent)  
They 'gainst their Sire, who when he would have sent  
Them down again: thus judah makes reply:  
The man protested to us solemnly,  
To bring our brother, as we hoped for grace  
Or favour, else we must not see his face.  
So if you'll send him with us, well and good,  
We also will go down, and buy you food;  
Or else we will not: for he told us plain,  
Without your brother, see me not again.   


judges 77. King. 6.  A shrewd Dilemma! jacob full as loath  
As the rash jephtah was to keep his oath:  
Or as Samarias' starved Wyves, grieved in heart  
To kill their sons for food; was he to part  
With his loved Benjamin: oft they withdrew  
Their trembling hands, relenting ere they slew  
Their harmless babes, and oft they filled the skies  
With bitter exclamations, and loud cries.  
So jacobs' love ere he could send his son,  
Oft changed his wavering resolution.  
His tenderness and reason are at strife,  
He shall not go in peril of his life,  
The one allegeth, t'other makes reply,  
If he go not, he must for famine dye.  
he's now resolved, yet ere he let him go,  
He first taketh liberty to vent his woe,  
And as an angry gamester hastily,  
Imputes ill fortune to the standers by:  
So jacobs' wrath is for his losses bend  
On them for aught he knew were innocent.  
Why have you dealt so ill with me, in giving  
Him knowledge you had yet a brother living?  
Perhaps as desperate men at point to dye,  
Think less their danger, when with company,  
So you unto your fears could find no other  
Ease or excuse, but that you had a brother  
Yet to partake your sufferings, if not so,  
What reason had you else to let him know?   

The man did strictly of us they replied  
Ask of our state, and how we were allied,  
If w'had more brethren or a Sire alive?  
His jealousy made him inquisitive,  
Whilst in the humblest way, our fear affords  
Him answer to the tenor of his words:  
For how alas! could we for truth have known  
He would have bid us bring our brother down?   

Then judah further to his father spoke,  
And doth in feeling manner undertake  
His brother's safety, and more boldly pleads  
Their general want of bread, which intercedes  
A bad, but powerful Advocate: O shall  
Your fonder love of one, destroy us all!  
Let the Lad go, that we some food may bring,  
To save our little ones from famishing:  
And if into your hands I don't resign  
Him safe, his danger, and the blame be mine.  
Had we not through your scruple lingered here,  
We had returned ere this, and quit your fear.   

IT hath been a common and approved saw  
Throughout the world; Necessity hath no law,  
Yet I'm assured no Rhetorician can  
Plead half so well, for could there be in man,  
Till this his so necessitated trial,  
An obstinater spirit of denial  
Than was in jacob: who now yielding, spoke  
To judah thus; if't must be so, then take  
A Present of the best fruits of the land,  
And each man's money double in his hand,  
For that which was returned, which haply might  
Have only been in you some oversight.  
And take your brother also: rise, and go ye,  
And God Almighty give his mercy to ye  
Before the man, that ye may bring again  
Your other Brother, and my Benjamin:  
For of my children, if I be bereaved,  
I am beeeaved. Here stopped he, they received  
Their charge with gladness: cheerful now they went  
Without reply, their Father being content  
To send their brother with them, whom they hold  
A safeguard better, than the coin twice told  
They brought along their honey, nor their spice,  
Their myrrh, nor was their precious Balm the price  
Of Simeons' ransom: nothing else could be  
A witness 'gainst the Ruler's jealousy,  
Save Benjamin alone, 'gainst jacobs' love  
judah prevails, when Reuben cannot move,  
Though better minded: as it doth appear  
By his first proffer of a pledge so dear  
As were his two son's lives, which jacob takes  
Of judah, but at Rubens hands forsakes.  
It sure must grieve, him thus to be denied,  
That laboured most against the fratricide,  
And sale, th'imputed cause of all their woe:  
But 'tis no matter; so their brother go,  
Whose happier tongue persuades; for him alone  
They for their peace and freedom build upon.  
Now they are confident, and travel fast  
As hungry men for meat, then, midst their haste  
They make a sudden stop: they see the Inn,  
Where when they last returned, they'd frighted been,  
In opening of their sacks: they doubtful are  
Lest to their golden bait, some dangerous snare  
Be fixed; and their coin hidden in the sack  
To pick a quarrel with them coming back.  
When having proved themselves no spies to be,  
They might be charged now with thee very.  
Nor seems their Benjamin: but as one more  
(To be a bondman) than they brought before.  
For him doth Iudah's heart misgive, his mind  
Is troubled for his pledges left behind,  
And for his father's loss; and still their fear  
Grows greater as to Egypt they draw near.  
At last considering that no ill they meant,  
Nor theft, nor falsehood was in their intent,  
As by their brothers coming is made plain  
And bringing double money down again.  
Clearness of conscience doth a while beg in  
To comfort them: when lo their ancient sin  
Is interposed: me thinks, I cannot see  
Cries one, yond Ruler, but my memory  
Afflicted is with joseph: all his words  
Are full of terror, and his eyes as swords  
Even pierce my soul with fear: at every sight  
Of him I tremble: so his looks affright,  
As had our brother's wronged ghost possessed  
His brow, infusing vengeance in his breast.  
The same conceit troubles them all, they could  
Almost turn back: but hunger makes them bold,  
So that a little ha'ing o'ercome their fear,  
Once more before the Ruler they appear.   


1. Sa. 25  As the hot wrath of David at the sight  
And soft persuasion o' th' fair Carmelite,  
Melted away, when churlish Nabal's life  
Was spared for the sweet carriage of his wife.  
So Ioseph's garb is alt'red when he sees  
Loved Benjamin, no shape of cruelties  
Can then usurp his brows: he bids prepare  
For now his brethren all invited are  
To feast with him at noon, yet still their fear  
Misconstrues kindness, sure some plot is there  
They yet suspect, and as they thought before  
Danger i'th' coin restored, now dread they more  
In this invitement, therefore to prevent  
(What they much doubted by this love was meant)  
Bondage: they to the Steward drawing near  
Relate their story, so in hope to clear,  
And purge themselves from guilt of all offence  
That might the anger of his Lord incense,  
And tendering double money, they deny  
All knowledge by what means it came to lie  
In their sack's mouths: when he that well did know  
His master's mind, put on a feigned show  
Of wonder and saluting them with peace,  
Tells them their Father's God gave that increase  
And treasure in their sacks; then going on  
To Ioseph's house, he brings forth Simeon  
They all are kindly used, as doth appear,  
Their feet are washed, their beasts have provender,  
Two signs of welcome, yet amidst their Feasts  
They wanted some contentment of their beasts.  
The silly jades seeing their racks stuffed with meat  
Better than Canaan used them to, they eat  
Dreadless of worse event, when lo a fear  
Attends their master's trenchers, drawing near  
To josephs' table, they observe the notes  
Of the wise King, their knives are at their throats. 
Prou. 23 2.   
But now they find their entertainment free,  
Their brother Simeon too, at liberty,  
Their present well accepted, joseph kind,  
Questions their welfare, satisfies his mind  
With news of jacobs' health: but when he sees  
Young Benjamin strange loving ecstasies  
Possess him: now with hands imposed on  
Him cries he, God be gracious to my son:  
His bowels yearn, nature's strong sympathy  
Works out his melting heart into his eye.  
This was excess of joy, that when he came  
From his loathed prison was not sure the same.  
We read that than his face but once he clears,  
Which now twice washed in water is and tears.  
He spoke them fair, whilst they as he foresaid  
With lowly reverence, their obeisance made.  
Much kindness past, joseph 'twould seem intends  
For his late churlishness to make amends.  
His servants he commands to set on bread,  
Now are three tables with all plenty spread,  
One for the Hebrews, one a board of state,  
Where joseph all alone in's glory sat,  
One for th' Egyptians, who to eat refuse  
As an abomination with the jews.  
The brethren sat in order, to their birth,  
And to their youth, the place was filled with mirth,  
But Benjamin the best beloved guest,  
Had his mess seven times bigger than the rest.    

THE PLEDGE: OR, The seventh Chapter of Joseph. GEN. 44.  
Afraid as their offspring when pursued,  
By Pharaoh and his multitude  
When they no means of escape could find  
The Sea before, the foe behind  
The Israelites are overta'en,  
journeying homewards; theft was lain  
Unto their charge: whilst they deny  
In thought the guilt of felony,  
But when their sacks they have unbound,  
With Benjamin the cup was found.  
They all return, and judah moves  
In his behalf, his father's loves  
And life built on him, doth allege,  
Offering himself to be his pledge.  

THe Feast is ended: they with joy   
(Their hearts well cheered with welcome & good meat  
Think themselves fit for travel, all their fears  
Forgot, none whispers in his brother's ears.  
Dreadless of danger now they take their leaves  
Lowly submissive, like the bowing sheaves.  
And part to lad their beasts: while Iosephs' brain,  
Is plotting how to bring them back again.  
In every sack the steward must restore  
Again their monies as he did before.   

But Benjamin, as was his share i' th' feast  
His sack seven times more silver than the rest  
Is charged with all: for there they had conveyed  
The Ruler's silver Goblet, which betrayed  
Them to their fears a new, the difference strange  
Twixt his exceed is: and sad the change.  
He at the table sitting down a guest  
Received a sevenfold portion of the feast,  
As of his brethren's terror now, he bore  
The love away then, now the sorrows are  
In as full measure given to him: but why,  
You'll wonder, the pretended felony  
To him alone was laid, or why should he  
The greatest sharer in their torment be  
That was not guilty of their crime? to try  
Heer joseph wisely meant their amity,  

Theod. q. 105. in Gen.  Or if their love was greater that they bore  
To's brother now, then to himself before;  
How they that had him thither sold could be  
Content with Benjamins captivity.   

Whether 'ttwere so, or whether for the grief  
They put him to, or for their unbelief  
He meant this purgatory, the same pains  
Of soul that there are feigned to purge the stains  
Of bad men's lives afflicts them, their offence  
Gnaws them with the same worm of conscience.  
For still as oft as they have cause to fear  
Poor joseph is remembered with a tear  
And still he gives them cause, a punishment  
As great, as just revenge could ere invent,  
Is such a fear, the quintessence and chief  
Of woe, the very soul and sense of grief.  
The plagues of Hell are horror, 
Greg. ho. 22. in Ezek.  and man's fear  
Is a perspective through which leen appear,  
All dangers greater, death itself 'tis clear  
Brings no more tetrour with it then our fear.   

Torment of mercy! thus our maker proves  
His children's patience, vexing whom he loves,  
As joseph did his brethren; who the day  
Of their departure broke, now take their way  
Towards Canan with their loads: scarce had they passed  
The City walls: when lo in all post hast  
Their friend the steward or ' takes them with a face  
Bewraying choler, bids them slack their pace.   

They in obedience answered him, and stood  
Whilst he, why have you thus paid ill for good  
Eagerly charged them? is't not that (quoth he)  
The cup he drinks in, 'tis a robbery  
Most sacrilegious (not to be excused)  
It was the same he in divining used.  
Ill have ye done: alas! what could they say  
What could they think, when he that yesterday  
Used them so well? should to their charge impute  
Theft now; and make a slander his salute.   

Lo here an Emblem of man's life! their fears  
Give way to comfort, and anon appears  

Mat. 5.4  New cause of trembling: joy succeedeth sadness,  
And unto them that grieve, is promised gladness.  
Possessed with wonder, now their looks descry  

1. Kings. 21.  Them like good Naboath, charged with blasphemy.  
Why, saith my Lord, these words? our God forbid,  
We ere should do this thing: the money hid  
In our sack's mouth from Canaan we brought back  
How should we then, or gold, or silver take  
By stealth from thy Lord's house? so let it be  
With whom soe'er of us 'tis found, that he  
May die the death, and we do all accord  
To yield ourselves as prisoners to thy Lord.  
The motion's good, right did his purpose speed  
That well knew where 'twas laid, and soon agreed,  
Only the man with whom 'tis found shall be  
My servant: all the rest of you go free.   

All parties are well pleased, when not afraid  
But full as confident of what they said,  

2. Sa. 12.  As David answering Nathan: or that wretch  
That made of council 'gainst himself did teach  

Hester 6.  His foes preferment: speedily they take  
Their sacks down to the ground, and make  
A busy search, with th' eldest they begin  
And end where it was found with Benjamin.  
Who blushed, though not for guilt, his face the same  
Was as his brothers courted by his dame.  
So looked they all as the stones rolled away  
The five Kings hid i'th' cave of Mackedah,  
Beheld the victor: shame of their disgrace  
Sits heavy on their brow, and burns their face  
They plead not guilty: and as if they meant  
To show their hearts how true they were, they rend  
Their  to their bare breasts: but 'tis no season  
To vent their passions, now, they yield to reason,  
How to redeem their brother, each man's sack  
Burdens his Ass, and all to town go back.   

By this is judah and his brethren come  
To josephs' house, (for he was yet at home)  
Before him to the ground they fall, when he  
As one unkindly dealt with: why have ye  
Thus used me asks? or what is this ye have done  
In recompense of my affection?  
Had you a hope you might escape me so,  
Or could you be so ignorant not to know  
I could divine? what answer have you left?  
Or may so vild and impudent a theft  
Find an excuse? or have you yet the face  
To use denial in so plain a case?  
judah replies, (my Lord) what can we say?  
What shall we speak? how may we wipe away  
This guilt? (and then as men in fear confess  
More than they know, so they seeing no redress  
In justifying of themselves, they yield  
To the apparent proofs) God hath revealed  
Th'iniquity of thy servants; we are bound  
Thy servants, we, and he with whom 'twas found.   

Nay, God forbidden, saith joseph, only he  
With whom the Cup was found, is bound to me;  
With you I've nought to do, you fears may cease,  
You to your Father may return in peace.   

Mercy is that whereby God's goodness bends  
To humane conference; God by that extends  
Man's boldness to solicit him, and so  
As Abraham, when God gracious made him know  
Counsels divine, and the allotted fate  

Gen. 8.  Of cursed Sodom, grows importunate.  
In like sort judah at the soft reply  
Of milder joseph, courage takes thereby:  
His case adds boldness too, for's brother's sake,  
His Fathers, and his son's lives, all at stake:  
My Lord (saith he) and freely drawing near,  
Craves leave to tell his story in his care.   


Prov.  The wise Proverbialist compares the ire  
Of moved Kings, to a consuming fire.  
No less did judah take it for, oh thou  
That even as Pharaoh art! ah let not now  
Thine anger burn against thy servants! we  
When we last came were asked, have not ye  
A Father, or a Brother? when in brief,  
We told the truth of all (alas the grief!)  
We said we had a Father, whose grey head  
Was by a tender stripling comforted:  
The son of his old age; and this alone  
Did make him youthful; having now but one,  
(Endeared him the more) of his loved Mother,  
This the sole relict, having lost his brother:  
Thou badst thy servants bring him down to thee,  
That thou mightst see him, when (my Lord) said we,  
He may not leave his Father, should they part,  
It were enough to break the old man's heart.  
Still layd'st thou thy commands, to see thy face  
No more, unless our brother were in place.  
So to our Father we delivered plain  
Thy words, and when he bade us go again  
To buy a little food, we let him know,  
Without our brother, that we could not go.  
To which thy servant, the old man's oplyde,  
Ye know my wife bore me two sons, one died,  
He went out from me, but returned no more;  
Some beast I therefore said, in pieces tore  
That comfort from me, if you therefore take  
His brother too, and any harm o'ertake  
The Lad, 'twill bring (but heaven him shield and save,)  
My grey hairs down with sorrow to the grave.   

Those twain his ages playfellows, as dear  
And precious to him as his eyeballs were:  
Whereof one gone, if t'other lose its light,  
Then is it time to bid the world good-night.  
And well might jacob love him, whom the pain  
And hardest labour of his youth did gain:  
Twice seven cold winters, twice seven summer's heat,  
With patience he endured, ere he could get  
Their much loved Mother, and as long again  
It was, ere could his prayers and tears obtain  
This offspring more than all their brothers prized  
For them his faith, and works were exercised,  
Their purchase was not by his toil alone,  
They were the fruit of his devotion.  
If we return without him, 'twill destroy  
Our Father's life, that's bound up in the boy.  
So to the grave, down shall thy servants bring  
Their Sire thy servant's grey-head sorrowing.   

Thy servant surety for the Lad became  
Unto my Father, mine shall be the blame  
For ever if I bring him not again,  
Then let thy servant so much grace obtain,  
That I may for the Lad thy bondman be,  
And he with's brethren go, instead of me.  
For how shall I go up without the Lad?  
To be a witness, and spectator sad  
There of my Father's sufferings for my sake,  
Who for the child's return did undertake.    

THE DISCOVERY: OR, The eighth Chapter of Joseph. GEN. the 45.  
Here like a reconciled Lover,  
joseph weeping, doth discover  
In tears of kindness to his brother  
Himself, unable yet to smother  
His passions longer; five he brings  
Of them to Court, who by the King's  
Directions, and commandment,  
With Chariots are for jacob sent.  

THus long good joseph with an unmoved ear,  
The doleful story of himself did hear  
His Father's love and tears: he that denies  
The strength of nature in her sympathies:  
Had he seen joseph here sad burden keep,  
To his grieved father's groans, or heard him weep  
For love to Benjamin, his error he  
Had sure detested as an heresy.   

joseph a natural son appears in this,  
Old jacobs' griefs are parents unto his.  
So like his passions, to his Sires, I find,  
As had he with his body, got his mind.  
He cannot of his Father's sorrows hear,  
But as sad issue, it begets a tear.   

owe dull were all his brethren? not to know  
Him weeping now, as he was wont to do:  
He looked as when they sold him; salt drops shroud  
The Majesty of's eyes, as when a cloud  
So dims the radiant brightness of the Sun,  
That weakest sights may boldly gaze upon  
His beams: what mists do passions cast before  
Our eyes? their envy did not blind them more  
From knowing of their brother, that in tears  
Begged for his life; then now again their fears  
Darken both souls and bodies, both their eyes,  
Their understandings, and their memories;  
They think not what his dreams foretold, his place  
Of promised greatness, nor their humble case.   

men's hearts 'gainst dangers oft misgive, and some  
Are light before against a joy to come:  
But no such motions in their hearts do stir,  
To make them know this their deliverer.   

Blind fathers of as blind a race! whom so  
Not all the Prophecies could make to know  
Their dear redeemer, whom they used with more  
Malice than did their Sires his type before.   

To show his love, Gods ever blessed Son  
Shed tears of grief, and of compassion:  
We never read he smiled: so joseph here  
Cannot express his joy, but with a tear.  
Both passions find one vent, both flowing ran  
From's eyes, as if they melted had the man.  
So strove they for precedence, and t' o'ercome  
Each other, as the twins in's Grandames womb,  
Which first should issue forth, he hears with grief  
His Father's fears and sorrows, and belief  
Of his decease; but now o'erjoyed again,  
He weeps to see his brother Benjamin.  
The eye is the soul's index; had you seen  
The Brethren plotting a revenge, their spleen  
Did in their eyes appear, and you might spy  
The innocence of joseph in his eye,  
As here his love: could their hard hearts have so  
Melted as josephs', to conceive the woe  
Of their sad Father, or their bowels yearn,  
And nature, spite of spleen, made them discern  
Their brother, it had saved their present fears,  
Old jacobs' sorrows, and good josephs' tears;  
Which now as Lectures are to them; and all  
That disobedient, or unnatural  
Unto their Parents, or their brethren be,  
Instructing them in love and piety.  
The goodness of his nature, is a plain  
Doctrinal precedent, he can't refrain  
Before the standers by, some drops must slide  
 he commands convenience; none abide  
Now with him, but his brethren, when in tears  
He makes them know their joseph, and appears,  
How ever their demerits might him move  
In his own likeness, and a brother's love.  
He weeps aloud, till all that present were  
In pharoh's house, and all th' Egyptians hear.   


Kings 19  God comforting Eliah, first with flame,  
Strong tearing winds, & hideous storms, there came,  
Ere the still voice was heard; so if I dare  
Th' immediate actions of the Lord compare  
With those he works by agents; comfort here  
Came to the brethren, as t' Eliah there.  
For after frowns, high words and cries were passed  
In milder terms he lets them know at last  
'Tis I am joseph, doth my Father live?  
When lo his brethren could no answer give,  
And can you blame them for it? should you see  
One long deceased, at least so thought to be,  
Appear before you, full as much remain  
They troubled at his presence; who again  
Calls them, come near I pray you, and being come  
Tells them, I am your brother joseph, whom  
You into Egypt sold: yet do not grieve,  
Nor be you angry with yourselves, believe  
By Gods decree you sold me, I was sent  
Before you to provide you nourishment,  
And to preserve your lives: but two years past  
Are of the famine, which as yet must last  
Five more, in which by Gods most firm decree,  
There neither ear-ring shall, nor harvest be:  
Haste therefore to my Father, say thus said  
joseph thy son; God me a Lord hath made  
O'er Egypt, wherefore come thou down to me,  
And tarry not, so shall thy dwelling be  
In Goshen, where the land is fat and good,  
And for convenience in my neighbourhood.  
There shall thy sons and thy son's sons be placed,  
Thy numerous flocks and herds and all thou hast.  
There will I nourish thee, for yet remain  
Five years of famine; lest for want of grain,  
Thou and thy household all the souls that be  
Born of thy loins should come to poverty.  
My brother's eyes have seen, so likewise see ye  
It is my mouth that speaks these words unto ye▪  
Ye therefore to my Father shall relate  
The glory ye have seen, and all my state,  
In Egypt; ye shall hasten and be gone  
To bring my Father down unto his son.   

To exemplify God's love, the holy writ  
The love of woman doth compare to it.  
Which love is full of fervency, so this  
Heer Benjamin, and he embrace, and kiss,  
And weep, and on each others necks they fall  
He weeps again, and now he kissed them all  
Between these loves this difference may suffice  
That love hath melting lips, this melting eyes.  
In tears they held their conference, whilst report  
Had noised the fame thereof through all the Court.  
'tis news in Pharoh's house; and lo the thing  
Pleased all that heard it, for it pleased the King.  
Who thus bespoke him: to thy brethren say  
Go lad your beasts, get home, and bring away  
Your father and your households: I will give  
The fat of Egypt to you, cat and live.  
I have commanded you, now therefore take▪  
Wagons throughout the land of Egypt, make  
All fit for travel, now forget your home,  
Bring father, wives, and little ones, and come.  
Hasten away, regard you not your stuff,  
The good of Egypt's yours, be that enough.   

So Israel's children went, and joseph made  
Wagons, and all things fit (as Pharaoh bade)  
For them to travel with, he cloahed them in  
New change of raiment; but to Benjamin  
Three hundred pieces he of silver gave  
Besides five change of raiment, much more brave  
Than were the rest, and to his Father he  
In this wise sent: ten Asses laden be  
With the good things of Egypt, besides corn,  
And bread, and meat, by ten she-asses born  
To serve his Father by the way, and so  
He set his brethren forth; but ere they go  
He gives a peaceful caveat: bids them see  
That by the way they do not disagree.   

Well might he give the charge, whom once their hate  
Left to his death, or to a worse fate:  
But that great Providence that rules each star  
Who gave to them their influence, whose are  
All powers of Heaven and Earth, whose firm decree  
Is Nature's Law, and humane destiny.  
That power him serves, did not power him save,  
Poor joseph might have lived and died a slave.  
But now as men that truly did repent,  
Of what they'd done, they heard his words, and went  
Forth out of Egypt, and by this they gather  
Near to the land of Canaan, to their Father.  
Where as the bringers of good news they strive  
Which first shall make it known, Ioseph's alive,  
And governs Egypt; then at large they speak  
Of all his state; but jacobs' faith is weak.   

As men to melancholy given delight  
In sadder tales, to feed the appetite,  
Of their dull humour; so was his belief  
To all things hard, that did gainsay his grief,  
Now grown in him a habit: since he deemed  
This his dear joseph lost; for here it seemed  
He thought his children's meaning was t'abuse  
Him with vain hopes; and fainteth at the news.  
But than declared they to him josephs' words,  
And all he said unto them, this affords  
Some better ground for hope; but when he sees  
The wagons that were sent, as by degrees  
His fainting spirit in him did revive  
So his belief increased, Ioseph's alive!  
Ioseph's my son, it is enough; for I  
Will yet go down, and see him ere I die.    

THE MEETING: OR, The ninth Chapter of Joseph. GEN. 46.  
jacobs' sacrifice and prayers,  
God by night to him appears  
With comfort; fearless he along  
journeys; seven and threescore strong  
Of his own loins begot; their meeting,  
And passions of their joyful greeting:  
joseph his brethren doth advise,  
How to the King to make replies.  

NOw do the tents of Israel abound  
With mirth and gladness, joseph lost is found.  
So the strayed sheep which long the shepherd sought,  
Did cheer the finder; so the woman's groat:  
So pleased our heavenly Father is to win  
A son to mercy, that was lost by sin.  
Old jacob heard not with a greater joy  
Rachel had made him father of a boy  
Then now this news; when with a gladsome heart,  
He with his sons, and substance did departed  
Towards the land of Egypt; heretofore,  
He longed not to embrace the mother more,  
Then now to kiss her son: yet can no haste,  
No strong desire hurry him on so fast,  
But to his father's God he'll make some stay  
He offered sacrifice, when in his way  
He took Beersheba; where the Lord appeared  
In visions of the night, and jacob heard  
His Name twice called upon; he makes reply  
Unto the holy voice, lo here am I,   

So holy Abraham answered; 
Gen, 32.11. joh. 10.4. Gen. 3.19. jon. 1.3.  so should all  
God's servants be as ready at his call.  
Christ's sheep do his voice, and him pursue  
And 'tis undoubtedly a sign most true  
Of guilt, or disobedience, when we  
With Adam hide us, or with jonas flee  
When he calls on us, first at the last day  
The just shall rise; and answer here are they. 
Thess, 4.    

They that expect good tidings, give good ear,  
And ready are, as jacob was to hear  
What God spoke further to him; I am he  
Thy father served, and I will make of thee  
A mighty Nation: therefore do not fear,  
Go down to Egypt, I will bless thee there:  
With thee will I go down, with thee remain  
And I will also bring thee up again.  
I'll bless thee whilst thou liv'st, and when thou dies  
joseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes.   

Heer jacob rose with comfort, when his sons  
Had placed him with their wives and little ones  
In Pharoh's chariots, then with all their store,  
Their goods and cattle they from Canaan bore,  
They left Beersheba, jacob and his seed,  
His sons, and his son's sons, and all their breed  
A goodly progeny to Egypt came  
Where God made good the blessing of his 
Gen. 17.12.  name,  
He brought down with him as the text enrowls  
Of his own loins begotten threescore souls  
And six, which were in Egypt made up ten,  
By joseph and his wife and children.  
Had Sarah lived to see this fair foundation,  
Herself the root of this so forward Nation,  

Israel.  She that misdoubting smiled, would at this sight  
So fare above her faith, have laughed outright.  
Israel is well increased that went but one,  
To Padan Aram, with his staff alone,  
Returns enriched with wives, and concubines,  
Twelve hopeful sons begotten of his loins  
Children, and flocks, and herds, all that his eye  
Can wish to see, a goodly progeny,  
But they by this are to so many grown  
As nature could by propagation  
Bring forth, twelve families are made of one.   

Lo here, and see with wonder the increase,  
Of them, whom God hath once begun to bless,  
Full well deserves it, Moses for a Scribe,  
They go by families, but return by Tribes.   

Yet still observe how God his word doth keep  
And what he promised joseph in his sleep,  
Pays to him waking; all the sheaves must bend  
The Sun, the Moon, and the 'lev'n stars descend  
To do him honour: they by this draw near  
To Egypt, judah is their harbinger.  
He to prepare a place doth foremost go,  
And comes to Ioseph's house whom he let's know,  
Their father's near approach, who at the news  
Sets forth to meet him: mark their interviews,  
They study no set speech, their love prevents  
Common salutes, and formal compliments:  
But like two foes, who long at deadly feud  
With zeal of hate each others lives pursued,  
Now well appointed meet, their eager spite  
Admits no parley to delay their fight.  
Their bloody thoughts are painted in their face  
And shown with terror in a rough embrace.  
The passions differ, would I could as well  
Find love enough to make a parallel:  
But seldom doth that better passion move  
Two friends, to such an ecstasy of love  
As these: so shall the joyful bodies come  
To meet their blessed souls in Elysium,  
Save that such perfect happiness could ne'er  
Admit the badge of sorrow; we in tears  
Express the height of gladness, as if 'twere  
To intimate, no Joy is perfect here.   

As in the bodies temper it hath been  
Truly observed which are then most hot within  
When outwardly we frieze; even so we find  
As much deceit in symptoms of the mind,  
Great sorrows seldom weep, and yet appears  
In the excess of humane gladness, tears.  
jacob that ever since his son was lost  
Had used his eyes to nothing else, accosts  
Him with a wont shower, which from his eyes  
Dropped on his neck; he that did sympathise  
In all his father's passions can't refrain  
But pays him with as many tears again  
They breathe their souls in sighs, their kisses dry  
Their moistened cheeks; then in an ecstasy  
jacob cries out (pressed with his sons embrace)  
Now let me die, since I have seen thy face  
And thou art yet alive: So holy Paul  
In heavenly contemplation, filled with all  
Those joys his faith presented him, desires  

Philip 1.23.  To be dissolved; his soul to Heaven aspires  
Or would before its time; but that kept in  
It cannot for the fleshly walls of sin,  
From whence he prays for freedom; jacobs' thought  

Rom. 7.24. Gen. 28.12.  From earth to heaven sure like his ladder wrought.  
As 'ttwere made mindful by this happiness  
Of what unspeakable delights do bless  
Good souls departed, he with Paul doth cry  
Transported with his joy, now let me die.  
'twas a good wish, he, when what most on earth  
Might glad his soul (and make him wish new birth,  
To live another age) befell, doth crave.  
A peaceable departure to his grave.  
Whence learn, no blessing may on earth be given  
But a good man hath better hopes in heaven.   

joseph whose passions could not else be o'ercome  
Turns from his Father to his brethrens, whom  
He thus bespoke; I will to Pharaoh go  
To whom my father's coming I will show,  
And yours▪ I'll tell him that ye shepherds are,  
Men that have been trained up to have the care  
Of Flocks and Herds, which ye along have brought  
To save from famine, if he ask you aught  
When ye before him come, be my words made  
The same: thus shall ye say, thy servants trade  
Hath been 'bout cattles, from our youth till now:  
Ours, and our Fathers; so shall he endow  
You with the Land of Goshen, a good place  
Free to yourselves, and to your flocks to graze  
Without disturbance; yours shall be alone  
The land: for an abomination  
Your trade is to th' Egyptians, so shall ye  
Have to yourselves the fruitful Goshen free.    

THE PURCHASE: OR, The tenth Chapter of Joseph. GEN. 47.  
By his Favourites endearment,  
Pharaoh welcome, and preferment  
Gave to jacob and his sons:  
To them, their wives, and little ones,  
He doth the land of Goshen give,  
There with their Flocks and Herds to live.  
They only of the famine stand  
Fearless, whilst th' Egyptians land,  
Cattle, and every precious thing,  
joseph purchased for the King:  
Except o'th' Priests, whom he allowed  
A daily competence of food.  

IMagine joseph hath by this time told  
His Father's coming, to the King: behold  
My Brethren with their flocks, and the old man  
Our Father, are come down from Canaan,  
Driven thence by famine, late they did arrive  
In fruitful Goshen, here of them are five.  
Then to the King he brought his brethren on,  
Who questions them their occupation:  
As joseph taught them, they their answer made,  
We Shepherds are, ' thath been our Father's trade  
Time out of mind, encouraged by the soil,  
Which like to Eden Garden, without toil,  
Yielded content and plenty, but distressed  
With famine now, seems cursed, as the rest  
Of the whole earth, for our first Parent's sin.  
'Tis thou alone art happy, that within  
Thy realms, men only of God's mercies sing  
Psalms, and not Lamentations: Let O King!  
His goodness teach thee pity us, whilst we  
Thy servants and thy subjects crave to be.  
We are come down to sojourn in thy land,  
Humbly desiring thou wilt give command,  
We may in Goshen live. The King replies,  
joseph, thy Father is come down, thine eyes  
Behold the land, see where thou findest the best,  
There let thy Father and thy brethren rest:  
Let them in Goshen dwell: and if there be  
Amongst them, any whose activity  
Surmounts their fellows, skilful in their trade,  
Let them be rulers o'er my cattles made.  
At first sight, good encouragement they heard,  
Not only being admitted, but preferred  
For josephs' sake, who now his Father brought,  
And set him before Pharaoh: so we ought  
When God doth bless us thankful hearts to bring  
And bless again, as jacob blessed the King,  
Who took good notice of him, it appears  
By his demands, he questions him his years.  
To whom thus jacob, in whose sober eye  
Did reverence appear, and gravity.   

The days and years of this my pilgrimage,  
A hundred are and thirty, a short age  
Compared to that my Fathers lived in,  
But few and evil, all my days have been.   

He first was sensible how life began  

Gen. 6.3  To shorten, since God left to strive with man:  
For he the first of all to me appears,  
Complaining for the fewness of his years.  
How should we scan our lives, if jacob do  
Confess his days but short and evil too?  
Whom God chose in the womb, who by his mother  
The blessing gate, and birthright from his brother,  
Whom God so oft conferred with, who did stand  
On his lamed leg, and with a clasped hand,  
Graspted God himself, and wrestling overcame,  
Winning the prize, a blessing, and a 
* Israel.  name;  
If he found ill in his days, how shall we  
Lift up eyes, most gracious God to thee?  
Yet thou like Pharaoh us that strangers are,  
Nay worse, thine enemies; dost not only spare  
Succour, and cherish, but promot'st us high  
To crown and Kingdoms of eternity.  
Grant then, O God, that for thy mercy, we  
May ever more continue praising thee:  
As holy jacob with a loyal heart,  
Did blessing Pharaoh till he did departed  
Out of his presence, and with joseph went  
Who'cording to the King's commandment  
Gave him and his the best part to possess  
Of Egypt, even the Land of Ramases.  
Where them he plentifully stored and fed  
According to their families with bread  
Which every where was scarce; in Egypt, and  
Canaan that milk and honey flowing land,  
The famine rageth sore, still Pharaoh blessed  
In josesph is: the treasury increased  
And where but titulary Kings the throne  
Held heretofore, Egypt is pharoh's own.  
For yet the famine lasting and the soil  
Ingrateful to the painful husband's toil,  
Whilst slimy Nilus could not make it bear  
Their purses empty as their bellies were:  
Coin was as scarce as corn, when wanting gold  
For food, their horses, and their herds they sold,  
Which in one consumed to Pharoh's hands  
Being masters now of nothing else, their lands  
And their poor selves they do as bondmen yield,  
And every man for corn doth sell his field  
Till Egypt all was pharoh's: they forsake  
Their Country-houses, and themselves betake  
To dwell in Cities, save the Priests alone,  
To whom the Kings assigned a portion  
They therefore sold no lands: then joseph gave  
Others their ground and seed, but the fift thrave  
To Pharoh's use reserved and this did bring  
Thanks from the subject, profit to the King.   

Thus the Almighty doth his servants bless  
Giving to all their works a good success.  
Ioseph's the King's right hand, the people they  
As much in admiration of him, say,  
'tis thou hast saved our lives, now let us find  
Grace in thy sight my Lord, so shalt thou bind,  
Us pharoh's servants, than a Law was made  
By joseph to this day, and Pharaoh had  
The fift of all their corn except alone  
The Priests that sold no lands, did pay him none.   

And happy Israel who in Goshen dwelled  
Pleased with their new possessions, never felt  
The force of famine, nor the plague of want  
Was known among them, nothing there was scant,  
Bread for the man, and fodder for the beast,  
joseph provided them; and they increased  
For they whom God doth bless, shall multiply  
In spite of famine, or the tyranny  
O'th' worst oppressors: all the harsh commands  
Of t'other Pharaoh, nor the heavy hands  
Of their taskmasters, nor their loads laid on  
Can let at all their propagation;  
The hard pressed Grape yields most, and so the fire  
The greater load of woods it bears the higher  
The flames ascend, as they oreburdned grow  
Whilst Pharoh's hate doth but his weakness show.  
Such care had God, then, of his Israel,  

Mat. 16 18. Philip. 1 21.  As of his Church, 'gainst which the gates of Hell  
Shall not prevail: as death is made a gain  
To them that die in Christ, whose thought is pain,  
To worldlings minds, so here this plague befell  
Loss to the world, but gain to Israel.  
Who in their given possessions joyed, and there  
Old jacob with his sons lived sev'nteen year.  
So all the days that he on earth had liven  
By computation, sevenscore were and seven.  
But when the time drew near that he must die  
joseph he called and underneath his thigh,  
(So Abraham gave the oath) his hand did place  
And said if in thy sight I have found grace, 
Goe 24.2.   
Bury me not in Egypt, let me sleep  
Amongst my Father's bones, that who so keep  
My name or theirs in memory may be  
Partakers of the selfsame obsequy.  
To this though joseph plighted had his troth,  
Yet jacob bond him further by an oath.   

Those happy counted are in their decease,  
Who to their fathers gathered were in peace.  
Israel made this appear, who did inter  
None but good Kings in David's sepulchre  
So taught by jacob, who in this being  
Worshipped, his God, and turned him on his bed.    

THE BLESSING: OR, The eleventh Chapter of Joseph. GEN. the 48.  
The thread of Iacob's life near spun,  
He blesseth joseph, and his sons.  
jacob was the second born  
joseph his brethren's hate, and scorn,  
Youngest of ten: yet was he blessed,  
And more beloved than the rest.  
So Ephraim here the youngest lad,  
The blessings of the right hand had.  

A Greater love those blessings more endears  
To us, which we have purchased with tears.  
Hence comes it, women love those children most  
For whom they felt great'st pain: jacob it cost  
Many a zealous groan, ere he could gain  
The fruit of Rachel's womb, and long again  
He wailed that loss with tears, as from the hour  
Her son was borne, his love itself did shower  
More upon his, than on his brethren's head,  
So for his loss he many tears ha'ing shed  
For him now found, he in an ecstasy,  
As cloyed with earthly joy, desires to dye.  
The strength of gladness! were the world mine own,  
And I not wish it, sure the bliss were none.  
But when the powers of the mind are bend  
Upon one hope as 'twere the whole content  
Of man's desire; and God shall think it fit  
To grant; no joy but heaven is like to it.  
His wish on earth was, oh had joseph liven!  
And that wish granted, now he wisheth heaven,  
For which he doth prepare; his mastered flesh  
Yields to his conquering soul, which now afresh  
Assaults the breach, weakness and age had made  
In his frail body, those old walls decayed,  
His spirit's half got forth, and doth foresee  
By faith's clear eye, heavens true felicity;  
Where all the fullness doth of knowledge dwell,  
With which the Patriarch inspired, doth tell  
His children's following fates, and ere he dies,  
Of all that must betide them, prophecies.   

But i'th' mean time, conceive the news is quick,  
And one brought joseph word, his Father's sick:  
He therefore hastening, brings along with him  
His Sons, Manasses, and young Ephraim.  
Of whom, when jacob heard, he raised his head,  
Strengthening himself, and sat upon his bed:   

Where thus to joseph, he his speech began;  
God did to me appear in Canaan.  
At Luz, and blessed me, promising increase  
To me, and to my seed, whose fruitfulness  
Shall fill the land, which for an habitation,  
They shall enjoy, and grow a mighty nation.   

As for thy sons which were in Egypt thine,  
Before I came, those I do claim for mine.  
As Reuben are, and simeon, they shall be  
Mine own; thine after issue, all from thee  
Shall take their names; and with their brethren share,  
Where they in their possessions settled are.   

When I from Padan came, my Rachel died  
With me in Canaan by the high way side:  
'Twas short of Ephrath, there I in the way  
Of Ephrath Bethelem, her bones did lay.  
But who are these said Israel? for his eyes  
Were weak and dim with age; joseph replies,  
These are my sons, with whom God blessed me here;  
Then jacob bade, and joseph brought them near  
For him to bless them, who first with a kiss,  
Then clasping of their bodies close to his,  
Began the blessing: In that posture Paul  

Acts 20.9.  Raised Eutychus to life, who by his fall,  
Was doomed to sleep for ever else: if there  

2 King. 13.20.  In the dead Prophet's bones such virtue were,  
To raise men from their graves, what virtue is  
Then in a living Patriarches holy kiss?  
Or if th' Apostles gave the spirit of grace,  
Where they imposed their hands, sure this embrace  
Of a good man, some blessing brings along:  
'Tis a more full expression than the tongue.  

Num. 22  Differing as deeds from words. Balaam must bless  
Against his will: desiring nothing less.  
But jacobs' blessing, for its truth affords  
Apparent proofs, his deeds precede his words,  
Which with God's mercies he began. I thought  
Near to have seen thy face, but God hath brought  
Things to my most content, and hath decreed  
I should not only see thee, but thy seed.   

Then Ephraim he preferred his right hand stayed  
Upon his head, the left athwart was laid  
On tother's, let none take offence to hear  
That jacob blessed his sons, and crossed them there.  
Nor was't a thing of chance, but read and see,  
He laid his hands across them, 
Vers. 14  wittingly.  
Though joseph on his knees, presents them quite  
Contrary, and Manasses to the right  
Hand offered first. So God 'mongst jesses' sons, 
1 Sam. 16.   
Chose not for face or fair proportions,  
But what he saw within: he understands  
All hearts, and sure he guided jacobs' hands.   

Who thus proceeds in blessing them, and said,  
The God from whom your Fathers never strayed,  
Abram, nor Isaac, God that me hath fed  
All my life long till now, with daily bread,  
And the good Angel which such care hath had,  
Me to redeem from evils, bless the lads;  
Be they by mine and Abraham's sacred name,  
And isack's called the blessing of the same. 
Revel. 7.    

As in john's vision, those that stamped were,  
And in their fronts the holy seal did bear,  
Were saved from ruin, so God those did bless,  
That bore the Name of promise with increase.   

jacob pronounced the blessing well: said he,  
May they increase on earth, and multiply:  
So God first blessed the world, when time began,  
Using those words to new created man.  
But joseph not well pleased that jacob laid  
His right hand on the head of Ephraim, said,  
Not so my Father, this the eldest is:  
O be the choicest of thy blessings his!  
Then to remove his resolute hand, he tries,  
But the attempt is vain. jacob denies:  
(His mother could not cousin him, nor get  
The blessing, with another counterfeit,)  
I know it well my Son, he also shall  
A people be, said he, and great withal;  
Yet shall his younger brother him exceed  
In greatness; many nations from his seed  
Shall be derived: so blessed he them that day,  
And said, in thee shall Israel bless, and say  
In a Proverbial wish; all good o'ertake him,  
God like to Ephraim and Manasses, make him  
Happy and fruitful; but in all that passes,  
Still Ephraim he prefers before Manasses.   

The blessing given; the time which then drew nigh,  
He antedating tells them, lo I die:  
Yet fear not, for with you shall God remain,  
And bring you to your Father's land again.  
Yet one thing on thee more I will bestow  
Above thy brethren, which with sword and bow  
I won, that I might add it to thy right,  
From the possessions of the Amorite.    

THE PROPHET: OR, The twelfth Chapter of Joseph. GEN. 49.  
jacob foresees, and antedates  
His son's return, and following fates.  
Then having charged them to inter  
Him in his Father's Sepulchre:  
Shilo's coming prophecies,  
Binds joseph with an oath, and dies.  

NOw jacob hastening to his own, relates,  
Calling his children to him, all their fates  
Which his prophetic soul had then descried,  
Should unto them in their last days betide.  
Hearken ye Sons of Israel, and gather  
Yourselves (said he) together to your Father.   

Reuben, my first borne Son unto my sight  

Reuben.  Gives the beginning of my strength and might.  
The power of dignity and excellence,  
In him should dwell, but that his foul offence  
Deprives him of it, therefore shall not he  
Excel, but as th'unconstant wave shall be,  
For to his Father's bed (an act most vild,)  
Did he go up, and he my Couch defiled;  
simeon and Levi, brethren in offence,  

simeon and Levi.  Have in their dwellings, swords of violence.  
Let not my soul into their secrets see,  
Nor let my honour e'er united be  
To their assemblies, from whose angry breath,  
Issues revenge, with ruin armed, and death.  
Fierce was their anger, cruel was their wrath;  
Bloody, revengeful, and accursed both  
Therefore in jacob they divided dwell,  
And I will scatter them in Israel.   


Judah.  But judah thee thy brethren shall commend,  
Under thy hand, thine enemy's neck shall bend;  
Thou shalt prevail, and still a victor be,  
And all thy Father's sons shall bow to thee.  
Iudah's a Lion's whelp, so from the prey,  
My Son ascends, so down again doth lay  
His conquering limbs, so doth th'old Lion couch him  
To take his rest, whiles none dares rouse or touch him.  
The Sceptre shall not, nor the Law go from  
Between his feet, until that Shiloe come:  
To whom a gathering shall of people be,  
Whose Foal shall to the cluster-bearing tree,  
And his Ass Colt be bound unto the Vine,  
Whose  in blood of grapes are washed, in wine  
His garments steeped, thence shall his inflamed sight  
Take tincture, and his teeth with milk grow white.   

But Zebulun at the Sea heaven shall rest, 
Zebulun   
To him the Pilot flies, with storms distressed,  
And finds a haven his ships may safely ride on,  
For lo his border shall be unto Zidon.   

Like a strong Ass is Issachar, 
Issachar.  between  
Two burdens couching down, who having seen  
That rest was pleasant, and the land was fair,  
His tributary shoulders bowed to bear.   

Dan midst his people, he a judge shall dwell, 
Dan.   
And as one o'th' Tribes of holy Israel.  
Dan shall be like a Serpent in the way,  
And like an Adder in the path shall lay  
Wait to do mischief; slily, as they sting  
The horses heels, till they their rider's fling.   

But I O Lord have ever waited on  
The happy means of thy salvation.  
Gad by a troop shall be o'ercome, but he  
Shall over them at last a victor be. 
Gad.   
Ashur his bread shall be o'th' fat o'th' field,  
And Ashurs' cup shall royal dainties yield, 
Ashur.   
Like to an Hind let lose is Nepthali, 
Nepthali.   
He also shall a goodly speaker be.   

Ioseph's a fruitful bough, whose branches grow  
By a Well side, topping the walls: 
joseph.  'twas so  
That David did the blessed man compare  
To trees that by the waters planted are. 
Psal. 1 3.   
So envy shoots at virtue, some did hate him;  
The Archers sorely grieved him, and shot at him.  
But still his bow abode in strength, the arms  
Of his hands were made strong, against all harms,  
By jacobs' mighty God; all power is his,  
From thence shepherd's stone of Israel is  
even by thy Father's God, whose help's on thee,  
And by th' Almighty's blessing, which shall be  
Still on thy head, blessings from heaven on high,  
And blessings from the deeps which lower lie.  
On thee shall blessings from all places come,  
The blessings of the breast and of the womb.  
The blessings of the Father hath prevailed.  
'Bove those of my progenitors, and availed,  
More than their blessings, to the utmost bound  
O'th' everlasting hills, they shall abound  
On josephs' head, and on his crown, that hated  
Of's brethren was, and from them separated.   


Benjamin.  Like to a ravening Wolf, shall Benjamin  
I'th' morning to devour the prey, begin;  
And when at night he ceaseth from his toil,  
He shall take time then to divide the spoil.  
All these are Israel's tribes, whom thus he blessed,  
According to their blessings, from the least  
Unto the greatest: then he charged them all  
To give him with his Father's burial.  
When I shall gathered to my people be,  
In Ephrons' field the Hittites bury me,  
I'th' Cave that is at Macpelah, that lies  
‛ Against Mamre, t'ath by Abram with a price,  
With Ephrons' field the Hittites purchased been,  
As a possession for to bury in.  
His sacred bones, with Sarahs' were laid there,  
There Isaac and Rebeckah buried were.  
There I my Leah laid, and there would I  
In the same cave with those loved ashes lie.  
That as one flesh and blood we living were,  
In like alliance in the Sepulchre  
We might consume united thus in death  
The field and cave was bought o'th' sons of Heth.  
This having said, thus ending his commands  
Unto his sons, than he withdrew his hands  
And feet, yielding his ghost up into bed,  
And was unto his Fathers gathered.    

THE FUNERAL: OR, The thirteenth Chapter of Joseph. GEN. 50.  
joseph and his brethren all,  
Attend their Father's funeral.  
They humble supplyants' show their fears,  
To him who comforts them and cheers  
Their heavy spirits: all their rage,  
Forgot, in peace, and full of age,  
In Egypt he lamented dies  
And there embalmed and coffined lies.  

IAcob, his Fathers imitates in death  
And in a blessing spent his latest breath;  
Sure good commission for it from God was given,  
For he no sooner ended but to Heaven  
His soul was carried; as if that the last  
Were of his business here on earth, which passed  
He leaves it: having then no more to do,  
And on his journey forwards sets, when lo  
As the Ephesians loath to part with Paul, 
Acts 20.28.   
To the ship sides with grief they brought him all;  
So Iacob's sons their spirits overcome,  
With sorrow; left a while their earthly home  
And as men struck with the same fate; they lay  
As dead as he; they sure brought on his way  
Their father's soul towards heaven, for long 'twas e'er  
joseph recovered strength to shed a tear,  
Lumpish as lead: i'th' fire which melted powers  
And flows about, he lay, but now he showers  
His dead trance broken, on his Father's face  
A flood of tears, then with a sad embrace  
He escaps his grief, such streams of sorrows fall  
As if his moisture were dissolved all  
Into his eyes: then with a pious kiss  
Strives to supply the breathless trunk with his  
Which he in sighing vents: but seeing his breath  
Vain as his wishes to recall from death;  
To the Physicians he converts it, whom  
(To fit the body for a foreign tomb)  
He gives command that they embalm it well  
So they performed their charge, on Israel  
Then after forty days were fully passed,  
So long the days of men embalmed last.  
The lamentation for him sure was sore  
Th' Egyptians they bewail him seventy more.  
But when the times of mourning ended were  
And Ceremonial rites, he drawing ne'er  
To pharoh's house, requests if I have found  
Grace in your sight's, thus tell him, Ioseph's bound,  
To 's father by an oath, he may be laid  
Ith' sepulchre, he for himself had made  
In Canaan. Let me therefore go I pray  
According to my vow, that I may lay  
My father in his grave: I shall remain,  
But few days absent,  I come again.  
Pharaoh that never any suit denied,  
His Favourite joseph moved for, thus replied:  
Go up in peace thou hast free leave, and there  
Bury thy father, as he made thee swear.  
So joseph with the servants of the King,  
Went with his father's coarse; with tears they bring  
Him to his grave, the Elders of the Land,  
And of the Court, his house, his brethren, and  
His father's house; behind they left alone  
Their sheep, their cattles, and their little ones.   

As from some Town, fire, or the hand of fate,  
Hath clean demolished and made desolate,  
The grieved Citizens march to forsake,  
Her ruined walls, such lamentations make  
The sad Egyptians, and their tears let fall  
As had old jacob father been to all.  
Fierce is the battle when the dreadful sound  
Of groans and shrieks of men departing, drowned  
The Drum and Trumpet, such the woeful voice  
Of the sad mourners, overcame the noise  
Of all the Chariot wheels, the trampling steeds,  
Though they were many, such sound proceeds,  
From their high spoken griefs, men scarce could hear,  
Tears filled their eyes, their cries filled every ear.  
Their cries were strong and loud enough t'have given  
A summons back from any place, but heaven,  
Or the deep pit of Hell, where shrieks and howls,  
Are louder of the there tormented souls.  
In Goren Arad, deafness strikes their ears  
Wonder their eyes, to see salt showers of tears  
Add streams to jordan, which seven days oreflowed  
With Ioseph's mourning, whilst he there abode.  
The Canaanites and dwellers round about  
Take piteous notice of it, such a shout  
Of sorrow, ne'er was heard there, therefore they  
Thence named it Abel Misraim, to this day.   

So the performance answer d his command,  
His sons have carried him into the land  
Of Canaan, and there laid him in the Vault  
Of Machpelah, which with the field was bought  
By Abraham, of the Hittite, Ephron all  
Intended for a place of burial.   

And now a new, having hallowed the Cave  
Adding the sacred body to the grave,  
Of his forefathers, they towards Egypt hie,  
joseph, his brethren, and his company.   

One mischief seldom comes alone; the loss  
Of jacob to his sons, hath yet a cross  
Adds terour to their grief should joseph be  
Mindful of their old grudge, and misery  
He had sustained, and now the mourning days  
For their dead Father ended, he might raise  
His spirit to revenge, but that fears done  
They find him Israel's not rough Esau's son.  
For when they jointly had advised and sent,  
To joseph an atoning compliment,  
In jacobs' honoured name, this do we say  
By his commandment now forgive I pray,  
The trespass of thy brethren, and their sin  
Whereby thou hast so ill rewarded been.  
The servants of thy Father's God we are  
Forgive our trespass than we pray thee, spare  
Further entreaties answered he, in tears  
Seeking to drown or wash away their fears.  
When altogether they thus speaking kneeled  
We are thy servants, use us thou wilt,  
To whom thus joseph, fear not (makes reply)  
Not so weare all God's servants, am not I  
Under him too, and when ye sought my blood  
Did not he then convert it all to good?  
That he as 'tis this day might it contrive,  
And I much people might preserve alive,  
Fear nothing then, these words his tears assures  
I will a comfort be to you, and yours,   

And so prevailed these speeche's that they gate  
His love now firmer than their former hate,  
How blessed a sight when brethren thus agree?  
A happy change ends josephs' Comedy.  
This makes a peaceful exit, true content  
Crowns their remaining days, in Egypt spent.  
No more tormented now with griefs or fears,  
Till joseph having lived an hundred years  
And ten, perceiving that the time drew nigh,  
Calling his brethren, told them he must die,  
His sons were present, Ephraim's seed he sees  
Unto the third descent, and on the knees  
Manasses grandchild holds, a joy to bless  
A Patriarch party to God's promises.  
He kept God's secrets living, now he dies  
Which leave make some known he prophecies.  
God will his brethren visit, and recall  
Them from this place, to that land wherewithal,  
To Abraham and to Isaac heretofore,  
And jacob he to bless their offspring swore.   

This said, he ministered his Father's oath  
Unto his children, and gave charge to both,  
He might be buried by his Father's side,  
An hundred then and ten years old he died.   

So much bewailed, that my unskilful pen,  
Might by their griefs inspired, force tears from men  
Of this last age, whose flinty hearts deny,  
Should all the world, themselves excepted dye,  
To weep: unless for want of company.  
Should they but witness here, what showers were spent,  
Rivers of melted sorrows to lament  
This Hearse; as when black clouds threat drops of rain,  
Strong sympathy from stony walls doth draigne  
Distilling moisture, all those weeping eyes  
Would force from their hard hearts like pity rise,  
Should they but hear their wail as they went  
To Canaan with his bones; but what was meant  
Here for a Comic story, lest that I  
By this relation, make a tragedy.  
Embalmed in Egypt, I shall let him rest,  
Fitted with costly odour, for his Chest.   
FINIS.