portrait   

THE PARLIAMENT Of virtues Royal: (Summoned in France; but assembled in England) for Nomination, Creation, and Confirmation of The most Excellent Prince PANARETUS  

A Praesage of Pr. DOLPHIN:  
A Portrait of Pr.— HENRY:  
A Promise of Pr. CHARLES.   
Translated & Dedicated To His Highness, by JOSVAH SYLVESTER.   

To the Honourable, Sir Robert carry: Sir james Fullarton: Sir Robert Carr: Sir David Foulis: Mr. Thomas Murray.  

Grave Guides & Guards of Hopeful CHARLES his Wain,  
Lest I incur the lest of Your Disdaigne;  
●f, without Leave, I (over-rashly rude)  
●surp Your Rooms, or on Your Rights intrude;  
〈◊〉 humbly crave Your Licence; and Your Loves,  
●or My Address, When My Access behoves.   

I know, the Field of His Young HIG Hnes heart  
So duly tilled by Your deep Care and Art  
Adding His Father's Royal golden Writ;  
And goodly practise, to demonstrate it:  
His (late) rare Brother's Pattern, of Renown:  
With Honest Quin's new-cast Prince-Worthy Crown:  
And holy Prompting of that reverend Pair,  
●ilborn and Hakwill, from the saecred Chair)  
That little needs He the Stagyrian's store,  
The Corduban's, or th' Attik-Muse his Lore:  
Much less (alas!) My silly Muse's Mite,  
With borrowed Feathers to advance his Flight.   

Yet, sigh, too-often, to a tender Ear,  
●oo-serious Lectures sound buttoo-severe;  
Especially, to Princes dainty Taste,  
They seem but harsh, and will not down in haste  
(As holesom'st Dishes, if but homely dressed,  
Some queasy Stomaches hardly can digest):  
Let me presume (with your good leaves) a while  
To imitate Physicians honest Guile;  
Who, often, in Sugar sheath their bitter Pills,  
The better so to C●re unwilling Ills,  
When way ward Patients, for the Sugars sake,  
Take-in their Health, which else they would not ta●   

Sad Rules of Patience, Abstinence, Austerity,  
Humility, Frugality, Sincerity,  
Religion, Labour, Care of Commonwealth,  
And Many, meet for Prince and People's Health;  
Which hardly can, in their Own Likeness, sink  
In Youth-ful Minds (scarce in their Ears, I think)  
How gravely often, with greatest Diligence  
priest; and impressed with Tullian Eloquence:  
Sweetly disguised, in artificial Suits,  
Dancing the Measures after Delphian Lutes,  
Washed in Nectar, wrapped in sugared Verse,  
Enter more easily, and more deeply pierce.  
This I endeavour: and to This Intent  
I summon CHARLES to virtues PARLIAMENT    

TO The High-Hopeful CHARLES, Prince of Great-Britanne.  

WHere witty Bertault (in his Fancy) meant  
But a faint Praesage of His Pr. of France;  
Our Hopes of Ours the better to advance,  
We have presumed to call a PARLIAMENT  
Where Royal Virtues, from Olympus sent,  
By several ACTS of sacred Ordinance,  
Conform, confirm Your future Governance;  
So please it Heaven your heart & hand consent.  
O! please it Heavn, You may be pleased Thus,  
These Works to imitate, These Acts to act;  
●o prove your self, This same PANARETUS,  
●hen future Age shall see our Hopes in Fact,  
〈◊〉, while I pray; sweet Prince, in humblest sort  
●cite your highness to This Sovereign Court.   
To your Highness Service humbly-devoted, josuah Sylvester.   

TO The right Honourable Lords Spiritual & Temporal: The Knights and Burgesses of the Lower-House: & To all generous and ingenuous Readers.  

PResuming all Your Lordships will appear,  
Not by your Proxies, but in Person, Heer;  
And in your Turns, say (Every-one) Content,  
To Every Act, in virtues PARLIAMENT:  
I humbly bring You Every-one A Brief  
Of every Bill; or, at the lest, the Chief.   

An Act against Duels, desperate Combats, and R●sing Boys. Pag●  
An Act for better Execution of the former Act.  
An Act against Hypocrisy.  
An Act against Superstition.  
An Act against Abuses in the Courts of justice.  
An Act for some Mitigation of the former Act.  
An Act for due Execution of justice in general.  
An Act against Persian State, in proud retiredness.  
An Act against prosuse Prodigality.  
An Act of exceeding Love and excellent Resolution.  
An Act of rarest Piety in a Prince.  
An Act for Imitation and continuance of the former Act. 61  
An Act for right Employment of Public and Private Treasure. 61  
An Act against Ingratitude. 63  
An Act against King-Killers, Powder-Traitors, and their Abettors. 64  
An Act for Clemency, and against Impunity. 65  
An Act for Propagation of Princely Piety. 66  
An Act against the Mitred-Monarchy. 66  
An Act of Admiration. 67  
An Act for Reading of Histories. 68  
An Act against ignorant and ignominious Chroniclers. 68   

THese All are Public Acts: Private, This Session  
Hath Passed None: but in the next Impression,  
Your Acts of Bounty, and the rest of Mark,  
Shall be recorded, By Your Vnder-Clark,   
josuah Sylvester.   

Names of the Nobles in This Parliament, Interpreted.  
PANARETUS: AL-VERTVOUS Andria: Prowess. Phronesia: Prudence. Pistia: Fidelity. Eumenia: Clemency. Euergesia: Liberality. Hypomoné: Patience. Cateria: Constancy. Aletheia: Truth. Dicea: justice. Eusebia: Piety.  

Interpretation of other terms used in This Parliament.  Dysidaimoné: Superstition. Fridea: Contention. Merimné: Careful-vexation Dapania: Charge or Cost. Adicia: Injustice. Oval: Crowns for unbloody Victors   

PANARETUS.  

Y●ERES timely Turns, unto a Lustre run,  
Brought forth at last the long-long wished Sun,  
●here on our Hopes our just Desires pursewd,  
●o see our PRINCELING with a Name indewd  
Which, Since WE saw, or heard that Happy sound,  
●turn's slow Teem had trotted twice the Round)  
●hen, lo, The Etern All-Maker's Majesty,  
Quick-darting down his All-discerning Eye,  
●hereby his Goodness all his Works doth guide;  
●●d seeing priest the sacred Pomp and Pride  
As in so solemn Mysteries is wont)  
●ado●● the Altars and the hallowed Font;  
● th' instant summons with a gracious beck  
〈◊〉 ●imble Scouts, which scudding light and quick,  
●●sp●●ch more speedy than a Thought the things  
●o●● injoind them by the King of Kings,  
●ho, with a most-mildly-maiestike gest,  
● heavenly words, his pleasure thus expressed:  
The young french DOLPHIN in even ready Now  
●o take the Name my fore-Decrees allow:  
A frequent Name of Kings, and famous far;  
Wonders in Peace, Thunder's in dreadful Warre●  
And, One of them, more excellent in Grace,  
Among my Saints hath justly held a place.  
But yet, besides that Name, which France affects  
For one Man's virtue, and for due Respects;  
Besides th●● Name, which only Men have given,  
I'll give him one myself, as sent from Heaven:  
And such a one as one day, by Events  
Shall prove it a true Praesage of that Prince;  
And, in One Word, mysteriously contracts  
The History of His succeeding Acts.   

Go therefore, quickly from all Quarters cite  
The rarest Virtues, and most requisite  
For Royal bosoms, that did ever rest  
Within the Closet of a Kingly breast.  
Tell them it is Ou● pleasure and Decree,  
That to This Prince they All Godmothers be:  
And She among them that is found most fit,  
And best behoves in Crowned souls to sit,  
Shall at the Font, Her sacred Name impose;  
And from thenceforth inspire him, as he grows▪  
With all her Powers, to correspond the scope  
And full Extent of that great Empire's Hope,  
Whose Limits yet unlimited appear,  
Where Sire and Son to me are equal dear.   

I see th' Aegean streams, and Thracian strand,  
Already trembling under his Command:  
And th' horned Crescent (which hath scorned to vale)  
Before the Beams of This new Sun grows pale.   

To greatest Ships (as Guides of all the Fleet)  
The cunningest Pilots evermore are meet:  
Mine, most Immediate, seems the sowerain care  
Of Sovereign Kings (who but My Subjects are);  
And therefore, I, that have behight This Lad  
An ampler Rule than ever Monarch had,  
As, of the WORLD to make him Emperor,  
●'ll have his virtues equal to his Power:  
●'ll make them so: and to approve it, all  
The Earth's four Corners I to witness call.   

This published thus: eftsoones the winged Posta  
address them quick to these inferior Coasts,  
●nd (swift as Arrow) he that took to find,  
●aire Andria, of great and goodly mind,  
among the many Idols of our days  
●hat sergeant her fashion and her phrase,  
spied her at last, for her here slight account,  
●eady to leave us, and about to mount  
A winged horse in hope elsewhere to get  
A new Renown, 'mid stranger Nations yet.   

Her Helmet (ever as her head she stirs)  
Seemed to twinkle with a thousand Stars;  
A stately grove of azure Plumes did wave,  
And proudly shadowed her gilt Armour brave:  
The bright keen Blade that by her side she wore,  
enured to blood in battails long before,  
As it were, weary of that rusting rest,  
And greedy longing for his wont feast,  
Seemed malcontent and his proud Sheath disdains  
(The golden Prison that him still detained)  
Whereon were graven (with Arts Art-passing 〈◊〉  
By such a hand as could give Metal life,  
The noblest feats of Valour (most extolled)  
In later Times, and in the Days of old,  
Of greatest Monarches that yet ever were,  
Whose marks the World (unto this day) doth b●   

There, by the Banks of Granic died in grain,  
(As then: no Banks, but rather Hills of Slain)  
Philip's Great Son (inspite of Multitude)  
To his sole Sceptre the whole World subdued.  
There, valiant CAESAR (Rome's first Emperor  
Quashing the Senates and the People's power,  
●nd stooping all their Laws to his Sword's law,  
●ramples the Trophies of his Son in Law;  
●ho pale without, and all appalld within,  
●lyes from Pharsalia, and his Host, unseen.   

Why flies Great Pompey? so (at once) to loose  
The Honours so often won from so many foes?  
●●cause Thy fainted, must Thou falter too?  
〈◊〉 yes! with Caesar thou hadst here to do.  
cheers thy Excuse: & though Thou lost the Game,  
●hy Victor yet somewhat abates Thy Shame.  
There (on the Chape of massy gold, unmixed  
〈◊〉 other Metal plain or wrought, betwixt)  
〈◊〉 own, great HENRY, smeared with blood & dust,  
cursores th' Iberians with keen falchion just;  
●nd justly keening his courageous sp●rite  
●gainst those daring Demi Mo●res despite,  
〈◊〉 out of breath the bravest of their Troop,  
●h● bleak for fear, begin to faint and droop:  
●he gold there lose, seems even to fly and (more)  
●ooks pale in faces full of pride before.  
●ut He (well marked by his milk-white Plume)  
●ith Kingly scorn, disdaining th'odious fume  
●f vulgar blood, in valiant fury runs  
●pon the proud Commanders Dukes and Donns.  
Who (either proud of Port, or rich Attire)  
Had by his hand a sudden death for hire.  
Their royal Pattern all his Troops take-after,  
And of the rest they make a glorious Slaughter:  
Whence streams of gore that to their Centre scud,  
Met in a Ruby, make a Lake of Blood.  
Such costly Sheath sheathed in such workmanship  
The sheen keen Blade on Valour's brawny hip,  
(Hung in an azure Scarf, all over sown  
With Crowned-Swords, and Septres overthrown.)  
A thousand other famous Battles, fought  
At sundry times, with Cunning-cost were wrough  
Within her Crimson Bases, waving low  
About her Calves, in Buskins white as snow.  
She seemed like Palias, 'gainst the Giants priest;  
Or (on Mount Ida) against Mars addressed.   

At sudden sight of Heavens bright Messenger,  
In milder port she strait composed her;  
And when He briefly to her heedful thought  
Had done the sacred Errand that he brought,  
And (by the way) had questioned her (beside)  
Whether her Haste was bend, she thus replied:   

Celestial Herald, While th'heroic Prince,  
Whose gentle Yoke his Celticks so contents,  
carved with his Sword a Statue to my Name,  
●o stand triumphant in the House of Fame,  
●othing could hold me from his steps, apart;  
●y hand did guide his hand, my heart his heart:  
●ea, I was with him, nay, within him, priest,  
●is spirit's familiar, and perpetual guest.  
●ut sithence Peace Him now hath quite disarmed,  
●nd keepeth Mars within her Temple charmed;  
● did give way to my keen Swords Request,  
Which can no longer lie and rust in Rest)  
●nd, while his heart, now all in love with Peace,  
●ath left His hand, for me, no business,  
meant to seek some other Strand for Stage  
●o act my Wonders, in Wars dreadful rage;  
●hat in brave battails I again might reap  
●he Palms He wont on my head to heap.   

For, with the sparkles of my glorious fire,  
●h'incensed breasts of Younglings to inspire,  
● can no more found in my heart; sith they  
●o rashly rush to cast themselves away,  
●o often, for Trifles (bred of idle breath)  
●o madly run to an untimely death;  
●o daily sacrifice their Life and Soul,  
●n some so foolish Quarrels, some so soul,  
That, in the issue (fatal for the most)  
The Victor's self may rather blush then boast;  
And such, as for such to usurp the Sword  
(Besides the Conquest's even to be deplored)  
Is nothing else but to profane the same,  
And to blaspheme mine honour and my Name.   

Not that I blame (where Blood & Nature binds  
In point of Honour (Idol of brave minds)  
A Cavalier, so sensible of wrongs,  
To hazard Life and all that him belongs;  
Sigh, voided of Honour, he is void of sense,  
That holds not Life a deadly Pestilence.  
But I would have them rightly learn before  
(Not, of a heart mere valiant and no more;  
But, of a heart valiant atonce and wise)  
Wherein that Point of precious Honour lies,  
For which, he's happy that his Life shall loose;  
And cursed he that careless it foregoes.   

For such a cup-fume over flows the brain  
Of such whose Souls this Error entertain;  
That One will ween his Honour interess't  
To bear a Word, though spoken but in jest;  
Who never thinks it tainted with a Lie,  
Nor touched with base and wilful Perjury:  
Nor with his Treason, when for some pretence,  
He hath betrayed his Country or his Prince,  
Or yielded up some un-distressed Place,  
Or ●●ed the first to save a Coward's case.   

So th' Hypocrite, through Superstitious Error,  
Thinks he hath done some sin of heinous horror,  
When, by mis-heed, or by mishap, he comes  
V●hallow-washt, into the Sacred Rooms;  
Yet, makes no Conscience, yet hath no Remorse  
To have undone, or done to death, by force  
Of unjust Doom, or fraud of Evidence,  
A many poor and harmless Innocents':  
Nay, laughs at Widows and at Orphans tears,  
By his deceit, despoiled of all was There's.   

Those valiant Romans, Victors of all Lands,  
They placed not Honour there where now it stands;  
Nor thought it lay, in making of the Sword  
Interpreter of every Private word;  
Nor stood upon Puntillios', for Repute,  
A● nowadays your Duellers pursewed.  
But from their Cradle, trained in Rules more fit,  
They neither knew th' abuse nor use (as yet)  
Of Challenges, apples, and Seconds-ayde.  
But, when the Laws their Bridle lose had laid,  
For Public Glory, ●g●inst a Public Foe,  
There Hono●● point there Valo●s proof to show.   

But, wh●● behooved bravely and first to front  
An Army's force, or bear their sudden Brunt;  
Or, 〈◊〉 thick with darts, victorious, die  
Upon a Breach, or on a Rampire high;  
Or, leap alive into a yawning Hell,  
To save then City, from Infection fell;  
Lived never Men that lesser feared death,  
More-daring Valour never yet had breath.  
Witness (unto this day) th' undaunted hearts  
In ●urtius, Decius, and Horatius Parts:  
With many Worthies more, Immortalised,  
Which for their Countries have Selves sacrificed;  
And who●e brave deeds, whose honours, whose deserts  
Move more Despa●re than Envy in Man's hearts:  
For, dying so▪ Garlands & glorious Verse,  
No● C●●es & Tears, honoured their happy Hearse;  
Their Flower of ●ame shall never, never shed,  
●●cause their Death, their country profited:  
〈◊〉 the death which brings now brainsick Youth  
●nto then Grave, deserves but Tears and Ruth;  
Their Courage casts them even away, for naught;  
Without Memorial, save a Mournful Thought,  
Which, banning but the fury that inflam'd-them,  
honours enough, if that it have not blam'd-them.   

OH what a number of Courageous Knights,  
Abortively, have in These Single Fights,  
Lost the fair Hope the World conceived of them,  
Have idly frustred, of their valours gem,  
Their gracious Prince, who justly might expect,  
Against his Foes, their forward Worths effect;  
And, sacrilegious, to their Wrath have given  
And heady Rage (whereby they have been driven)  
The Sacrifice which (with more sacred zeal)  
They aught to God, their King, their Commonweal!   

Enough to make (could they return from death,  
Such as they were, when here they lost their breath)  
Not a sole Squadron, but an Host of Men  
Whose Acts alone would furnish every Pen;  
An Host of Hector's, and Achillese,  
Caesar's and Scipios, who, by Land and Seas,  
Following Great HENRY for their General,  
Might (if he would) have made him Lord of ALL.  
Where, now, they lie in an inglorious Tomb,  
Longing for Light until the Day of Doom:  
Or lower, in eternal Dungeons devil,  
With Ghosts & Shadows skirmishing in Hell.  
This mischief therefore, springing day by day,  
And spreading so, as naught his course can stay;  
And seeing (too) mine Honour blurred with Blame,  
When these rash Madcaps do usurp my Name;  
To be, from heoceforth, from the Rage exempt  
Of such as turn my glory to contempt,  
And thus desace my virtues grace with Vice,  
I hoped els-whear some holier Exercise:  
And rather would, hearts so intemperous  
Should not enjoy me, then employ me thus.   

Here Andriae ceased: The Angel, gracefully,  
Humours her Anger with this mild Reply;  
Ceites, fair Namph, your Plaint hath Right & Truth,  
But yet, excuse the boiling heat of Youth;  
Perhaps 'tis harder than you ween (precise)  
To beat-once a Frenchman, Young, and Wise.  
This Evil from This inborn Error springs,  
That a Brave Mind, when wronged in any things  
He weens himself (if so he Arms profess)  
Must no-whear seek but in his Sword redress:  
And that an Eye, a Not, a Nod, a Nick,  
● Enough t' offend a Noble sense and quick-  
Petnitious Error, which doth undermine  
Both Martial Thrones and Civil, and Divine!  
●or, to no end the Public Sword shall serve  
If every man may with his Private carve.  
And then, in vain are Soweraine Prince's Laws,  
When Subjects dare Themselves decide their Cause.   

But I believe This Madness will no more  
Praecipitate their courage, as before.  
The curb of Law which by their prudent Prince,  
Is now new made against This Insolence  
Will bar their Boldness, and (directing mean  
How (This dear Honour saved whole and clean)  
A gallant Spirit, wronged in any kind,  
May lawfully his Satisfaction find)  
Will bind their hands, & even glew-in their blades,  
Till, when some Foe the Common Right invades,  
In forward Zeal of their dear Countries good,  
It shallbe honour (even) to dive in blood.   

Disposed therefore to expect Amendss,  
Dispatch the Order which Heavens Monarch sends;  
And go not hence where thou art so renowned,  
Till all the world be but This Empires bound:  
Were it for nothing but That Rising Sun  
Where on all Eyes already have begun  
(Both Friends & Foes) to fix their Hopes and Fears,  
That brave Young Prince, who from his cradle bears  
Thy Image in his eyes, and in his arms,  
Thy Exercise in every kind of Arms.   

Surely, said Andria, it had been hard to found  
A stronger Charm here to arrest my mind,  
(Chief, here living my Souls Sympathy,  
His Father; rather, that same other I)  
For, as in th'one I am a Miracle,  
So will I be a matchless Spectacle  
In th'other too, when to his Ancient Right  
His daring Sword shall make his Claim by Fight:  
Whether his Armies royal Front aspire.  
Those craggy Hills whose Name is taen from Fire;  
O● tend unto those fruitful Plains which spread  
Toward Boötes, and Hyperions Bed,  
Whose Princes in than Fables antic— Framed,  
Counts among Kings, Kings among Counts are named.   

After these words, pronounced with voice & gest,  
As Oracles are wont to be expressed,  
Both took the●● flight through the thin crystal air,  
Towards the Place appointed for Repair  
Of all the rest of Royal virtues Band,  
Which were converted by heavens high Command.   

Royal Eumenia was already come,  
And simple-mannerd (Pistia, thought by some  
Long-since exided from the World); and She  
Who from afar doth all Events foresee.  
There was (apparent by illustrious things)  
Fair Euergesia, Ornament of Kings,  
And sirme Hypomonè, with her Twin-sister  
Cartéria, and She whose Patron and Assister  
Are often shent, Alethia, little known  
To mortal men (not scarce among her own)  
With veils and cloaks they do be-clowd her so,  
Whose spotesse Self should rather naked go.  
In brief, of all the Virtues summoned here,  
There wanted none but Dicea to appear,  
And St. Eusebia, in her Shadows hid,  
That long it was yet Her the Angel spid.   

For here among us a quaint Idol haunts,  
Whose simple habit, whose sad countenance,  
Whose lowly look, whose language mildly meek,  
Whose zeale-like gestures, & whose postures like,  
So sergeant Her, with the Mask it makes,  
That many times the wisest it mistakes.   

You'd think, her heart had only God for joy,  
Her Exercise only to fist and pray;  
That she bhoris the World, and lodged therein,  
Lines as the Fish that out of water been;  
That burning Zeal of Heaven consumes her so,  
That all seems bitter that she tastes below.  
Yet all the while, This hollow Holy-Tricks  
D●ats but of Honours, dreams of Bishopriks',  
Thirsts for Promotion, thrusts for Primacy,  
Hunt's glory still, yet seems it to defy,  
Never does good, but for some great applause,  
Nor ever did good, for mere Goodness cause.   

This B●en of Souls, and that same Foppery  
(Of old) surnamed Dysidaimonié,  
Whose heart, deject with Terrors overstrong,  
To fear God's justice, doth his Mercy wrong  
(Right Servile Fear, with Errors foolifyed)  
Have driven Eusebia hence, else where to bide.  
Because th' one loves not, th' other miss-beloves  
What best to fear and lest presume behoves.   

The Angel therefore ferrets every nook,  
And narrowly her wont haunts doth look,  
In every Cloister and in every Cell,  
Where Folk believed that She did ever devil:  
Yet nothing finds he of her, anie-wheare,  
Save same old tract or footing here and there;  
Not, though he visit the austerities  
O● famous▪ Abbeys and fair Nunneries:  
〈◊〉, in Her stead, he meeteth evermore,  
One of These Hags in every Covent Door,  
●●esst in a habit of so humble show,  
That hard it was the difference to know.   

Yet, at the last, prying on every side,  
Her (as concealed) in a by-place he spied,  
Where, with incessant tears she stayed to rue  
And to bewail our Errors old and new;  
Amid an humble Troop, whom like Desire  
To loathe the World, and from it to retire,  
Had made prefer a poor and mean estate,  
Yea Want itself, in place so separate,  
Before the Wealth, the Honours and Delights,  
Wherewith the World inveigles, as invites:  
As choosing rather here to loose all These,  
Than loose thereby, their Souls eternal Ease.   

In this sequestered place, prostrate in Prayer  
(Best Antidote 'gainst Hopes-pride and Despair;  
The Two grand Poisons of Souls Faculties)  
The Angel found Eusebia on her knees.  
Their Talk was short, the Time inportuned so:  
I● brief therefore he doth his Message show,  
Acquaints her quickly Whence, and Why he came▪  
Than She eftsoons consenting to the same,  
Away they post in a swift Airy Coach  
Towards the place where all the rest approach,  
The general rendezvous for all This Act:  
Where yet (alas!) the Lady Dices a lacked.   

For, th' Angel tasked to go seek her forth,  
Seas her no more conversing on the Earth,  
Nor finds her sitting (as she want of-old)  
On Prince's Thrones, and Prelates, uncontrolled;  
Nor among Magistrates, which are the Tongue  
And ●●fe of Law, t'interpretinterpret Right and Wrong.  
Where at amazed, and desiring more  
To sound what reason Men could yield therefore,  
Assumes a Body, bearing in his hands  
A b●gg of Write and seem-Deeds for Lands:  
Comes to a Hall, all full of Murmuring  
Of people pricked with the angry sting  
Of ●ed 〈◊〉, who her Venom sheds  
Even into Boors and Paisants hearts and heads,  
By Her kee● fury (as wiith Brizes) stung;  
And by Merimnè and Dapania wrong:   

In This great Hall, unknown unto Repose,  
Stalk that stern Fury, either among those  
O● her own Fry, or 'mong the wretched Crew  
Whom Her hard Gripe's had made (in vain) to re●  
A Rank of Seats, each unto other fixed,  
And every-one a sundry Name affixed,  
bordered the Walls, smoky with age ' and foul;  
Perches of many plumie-pownced Fowl,  
Whose nimble Quills have learned to fly for that  
Ri●h Mineral, which makes men peace and prate.  
There was no Order: a lowd-buzzing Press  
With whirling Eddies hurried without cease,  
Full of all Sorts; of Priests, of Gentlemen,  
●●●chants, Mechaniks, Grooms and Husbandmen:  
Each justled other, crowding to and fro,  
A● here and there the stream did ebb and flow.   

This yauld, that brauld, another beaten the Bar;  
O●e wooed the judge, another urged him far;  
This proves Default, That pleads a Warranty;  
This auoides Witness; That, appeals more high;  
●●other, fleering doth his Adverse flout.  
With Rod in hand the Ushers trudge about:  
A world of Lawyers swarmed; yet some had leisure  
(●s lest employed) the Places length to measure.  
〈◊〉 boiled with Discords; one no sooner done,  
〈◊〉 instantly another New begun;  
With such a Noise as soundeth near the Shore  
When, towards a Storm, the Sea begins to roar.   

Hard-by this Ocean, which Night only stilled,  
Appeerd an Old-man (as one deeply illd,  
And inly galled for some grievous Loss)  
With eyes lift-up, pale cheeks, and arms across;  
Whom th' Angel spying, towards him he speeds▪  
And (seeming Mortal by his Shape and weeds)  
Good Father, said he (so to sound his mind)  
Where might I (think you) Lady Dicea find,  
Whom I have sought already far and near,  
And surely thought now to have found her here▪   

Dicea, my son, said the Old-man (well-nigh  
Gushing out Tears which stood in either eye;  
And sending forth a deep-●et Sigh, before)  
Dicea, alas! is in the World no more.  
That Fire which only Death hath power to quench  
That fell Desire no Deluge else can staunch;  
The burning Thirst of Worldly Goods and Gol●  
And all Sins, taught to war against her, bold;  
Have forced her to forsake this wretched Frame,  
And fly again to Heaven whence first she came.  
Or, if in Earth she yet have any Stance,  
'Tis with the Chinois, Turks, or Scythians:  
But in This Climate hardly doth appear  
Any small sign, to show she hath been here.  
Cruel Adicea in her Room is set:  
●●●e Favour, Fraud, and Madame Countersait,  
(Out of all Courts hunting all Conscience quite)  
Make of Right crooked, and of Crooked Right.  
Art and Deceit keep there their open Schools:  
●●son and Law are but the phrase of Fools,  
〈◊〉 Law and Reason are now weighed (by Sleight)  
I● golden Scales; where, only GOLD is weight.   

Thus, the Old-man proceeding still complained;  
T●●l th' Angel, thus his Blasphemies restrained:  
Alas! good Father, your fresh Grief (I see)  
For some great Suit, late lost unhappily,  
●●om your sad lips this bitter language draws;  
●●●usable (perhaps) for your Grief's Cause:  
〈◊〉 th' eye of Passion ill discerns the truth.   

This having spoken; the Celestial youth  
●●rns to another, less disturbed in mind;  
●●d likewise asks, Where he might Dicea find.  
●ee, more discreet, and milder-spoken, far,  
Replies: My Son, sure very few there are   

(Yea of the wisest, who best understand)  
That easily can answer thy demand.  
For One perhaps will think her to be there,  
Whereas, another (seeming wronged) will swear  
By Heaven, and all that in it Heaven contains,  
That not a spark nor mark of her remains:  
Each holding her, present, or absent, still  
As his own Cause hath thryved well or ill.  
But I'll assure thee (and past all Appeal)  
That in this Place she doth not always devil.  
Sometimes she comes, and brings for Company,  
Honour, and Faith, and old Integrity:  
But the strange Tricks of a bold babbling Dame  
Called Quiddi-quirk, as barbarous as her Name,  
Molest her so, that soon they drive her hence;  
For, Both atonce have nowhere Residence:  
And Plutus too, her manytimes dismays.  
With that sweet Power whereby the world he 〈◊〉  
Causing her often return with heavy cheer:  
And that's the Cause she stays so seldom here.   

Often have I seen her on the souverain Seat  
In that high Senate, whose Edicts complete  
Sway all the Kingdom; and (if anie-where)  
I sure believe, you yet shall found her There,  
If those Abuses whose bold Tyranny  
From other Thrones hath driven her openly,  
Have not creptin by some close Golden Port:  
But, far be That from such a reverend Court.  
●eer ceased He: and instantly, with all  
●ng his sight, the Angel leaves the Hall;  
fairy Body to the Air repays.  
〈◊〉 while he takes to other Court's his ways,  
〈◊〉 happily the wished Lady meets:  
●o, inly joyed (which outward gesture sweets)  
●ause in judgement she had overthrown  
●ongs proud Support, & given poor Right his own,  
●me from deciding of a Cause of weight,  
●ore the Peers and Council of Estate.  
●ut, her Content was doubled when she heard  
●av'ns sacred will (as th' Angel had averrd)  
●d His high pleasure (whose Omnipotence  
●e heavens adore) for Surname of the Prince:  
●th him therefore Her speedy she directs  
ewards the Troop which only her expects.   

Now all these Nymphs assembled, seemed priest  
All diversely with joy and Hope possessed)  
●ll take their Flight to that King-favourd Place  
●here (preordained for this Work of grace)  
●hey should impose the Royal Infant's Name,  
●he World's main Hope (as most conceive the same)  
●hen suddenly there did among them breed  
●noble strife, which stayed their forward speed:  
Though great desire to see the radiance  
Of that young Sun which should enlighten Fra●●  
Hasted their haste: and though on every side  
As well the sacred Pomp as civil Pride,  
The King himself, Princes and Princely Dames  
Glittering in gold, sparkling in precious Flames,  
And all the Court adorned in rich Array,  
Seem as offended at the lest Delay.   

But yet, because heavens Monarch had decreed,  
That of the Virtues She which should exceed,  
As most conducing to Kings happy state,  
Should with her Name this Princeling nominate;  
When one of those high Hearlds urged them on,  
Among themselves This to consult upon:  
Consult? said Andria: Why consult about  
A Point, whereof (I think) was never doubt?  
Mine, Mine's this Honour: for among us all  
Who more adorns a King's Memorial,  
Or better keeps a Sceptres Majesty  
At his full Height in Royal hands, than I?  
I fill his Name with glory and Renown;  
I make him feared abroad of every Crown.  
I with the terror of his Arms deter  
Ambitious Tyrants that they dare not stir  
●siue War against Himself or His,  
〈◊〉 ever spurred by Spite or Avarice;  
●amous Valour gaining This, for Meed,  
●t at the last he seems it not to need:  
●esse he list his Conquests to extend  
●ough-out the World; then is it I that bend  
〈◊〉 proudest Mountains under his Command,  
〈◊〉 strongest Holds, I tender to his hand;  
〈◊〉 with fear, I i'll with trembling Ice  
〈◊〉 boldest hearts of oldest Companies  
●t dare resist his quick and thick Alarms,  
●th th' only lustre of his glittering Arms.  
●●n only with his Trumpets sound  
without a stroke) his Enemies confounded;  
〈◊〉 dreadful, make the most redoubted here  
●nk it no shame to fly his fierce Career,  
〈◊〉 if (no Steel, of proof to ward his blows)  
〈◊〉 were Rashness more than Valour to oppose.  
●uch were of-old those hardy Heröes found,  
〈◊〉 Prowess, Than for Demi-gods renowned:  
●h, He whose shoulders shored Olympus' walls:  
●h, He who conquered th' Empire of the Gauls:  
●h, that Great Macedon, and such (again)  
●ose famous Paladines, whose Fables vain,  
(Yet useful Tales) tho'ld Romants' feign so fit,  
That even they seem by Mórpheus' fingers writ.  
But what they had Idéally from Art,  
That Réally I to a Prince impart.   

Who knows not, that I, only used in Field,  
Serve all the Virtues both for Sword and Shield?  
Yourselves, indeed, seem to agnize no less;  
Although, in words, you shame it to confess.  
For, when the fury of Wars dreadful Stowres  
Begins to thunder near Your dainty Bowers,  
All pale for Fear, all trembling, all dismayed,  
To Me ye fly, to Me ye cry for Aid;  
Under my wings ye creep, to keep you sure:  
Where (and but there) you think yourselves sec●   

And, rather I, than Any (who expose  
Myself alone against the Hail of Blows)  
Begin Estates, beget, and bring them forth,  
And plant (in blood) the Empires of the Earth.   

The admired height of Rome's great Sceptre yerst  
(As that of Greece) was but My work, at first;  
And that same Other, famous, glorious Throne,  
Whose Greatness, Yet, doth in its Cinders groan.  
For, though by War, with Fire and Sword, I waste  
What heavens Decree hath doomed to be defaced;  
〈◊〉 while I raze, I raise; and of the Rubble  
●ettie States, I build One hundred double;  
●orrid Dragons grow so hugely great  
●manie Serpents that alive they eat.  
●ou are indeed extolled (and worthily)  
〈◊〉 knowing well, to use a Victory:  
〈◊〉 without Me, You can have none to use;  
●●out Me then, your Knowledge naught accrues.  
●refore, your honour's less; at lest 'tis such,  
〈◊〉 (at the best) on Mine dependeth much.  
●n brief, in all the sacred Works we do,  
〈◊〉 Merit's divers, and our Honour too:  
〈◊〉 rule the humble, I the proudest tame:  
〈◊〉 adorn Kingdoms, and I conquer them:  
〈◊〉 can direct, and I protect a Crown:  
〈◊〉 do besiege, I dare assault a Town:  
〈◊〉 show the utmost of Man's Wit and Art;  
●t your aims with valiant hand and heart:  
〈◊〉 (lastly) plot, in shady Chambers seld,  
●at I perform, abroad, in bloody Field.  
●ut, in all These, I pass you All, as far,  
●o subdue the stoutest Foes in War;  
〈◊〉 see about one (Lightning-like) to flash  
ilions of Shott, Million of Swords to clash;  
To hear no noise but Canon's roaring Thunder,  
Divorcing Souls from Bodies pashed in sunder;  
To march in blood even to the Knees; and yet  
In all undaunted, not dismayed a whit,  
Is both more painful and more Princely too,  
Than, cleared of a cloudy Fraud, or two;  
To shield by counsel Equity oppresst;  
To gain the Fame of Wisdom with the best;  
To fast and pray, or give abundantly;  
Or get the name of gracious Clemency.   

Than well far Valour: and long live the Story  
Of valiant Princes in the Fane of Glory:  
Not human Virtue hides so well as I,  
Obnoxious stains when Princes step awry;  
An ALEXANDER ARISTIDES seems,  
Because the splendour of my spreading beams  
With radiant lustre dazzles so the sight,  
That naught is seen but Great and glorious Light  
Where, if he lack my Rays, or my Renown;  
Boast he of double or of treble Crown,  
Be he benign, be he munificent,  
Just, wise, religious, learned, eloquent,  
Precise of Promise (both to Friend and Foe)  
Princes abroad little regard him though;  
〈◊〉, might heeiustlie all (else) Virtues vaunt;  
●t wanting me he seemeth all to want.  
His Harelike heart, at Wars lest noise doth quake,  
●d to his Beads he doth him all betake;  
〈◊〉 Fear strikes Fear in his best Refuges,  
●d his no-courage doth discourage His.  
〈◊〉 brief, as bless with Peaceful Virtues rare,  
●e seems far fit (in a time of War)  
●th Keys and Crosiers a POPE'S Part to play,  
●en Sword and Sceptre, as a KING, to sway.  
As Andria had ended here her Part;  
●ee, in whose School we learn the heedful Art  
〈◊〉 never fondly Undertaking aught;  
●ft, soft, said she: To boast ourselves, we aught  
●ot blame our Equals; nor (with proud Exchange)  
●o our own Praises their Dispraises change:  
●dria, I grant, Thy merit's great; but Mine  
〈◊〉 if not greater, full as great as Thy:  
whence, to reign in Soul of Majesty,  
●ere is no Virtue to be matched with Me.  
For, let a King be full of High-deseigns,  
●t him be Valiant, as your Paladines;  
●t him be gracious, just and liberal,  
●ue of his word, and so devout withal,  
That at his Feet all Vices prostrate lie;  
If Me he lack that am all virtues Eye,  
Blindfold he uses (nay, well-near abuses)  
These divine Gifts, which bounteous Heaven info  
And right resembles a fair Ship, for Sea  
All ready rigged, and furnished every way  
With every Needful; Men, Munition, Beef,  
Beer, Biscuit, all: only she wants (the Chief,  
The Life and Soul; the Sense, the Law, the Lig●●  
Whereby she lives, moves, stirs, and steers aright  
A skilful Pilot, with Discretions hand  
Her winged Manedge rightly to command  
With hempen Rains, and wooden Bridle, so  
That never wry she sail, nor wrong she row:  
Without whose guidance, if the puffing gales  
Into the Deep transport her huffing sails,  
She runs at random, and with rueful Knock,  
Soon splits herself upon some Shelf or Rock.   

Even so it fares with Princes, when they make  
Or Peace, or War, and not My Counsel take;  
Or, without Me, as it were blindefold, use  
Their other Gifts the gracious heavens infuse.  
They thrive so little, that (as in a Wrack)  
Their own rich Burden often breaks their back  
●ir forward Valour but sad Fruit doth yield  
●y win the Victory, yet loose the Field;  
●y bravely fight, and yet are bravely soiled:  
●e Error still hath alltheir Actions spoiled.  
●ir Bounty binds not, but unbindeth hearts:  
●ir Clemency much more than Rigour smarts:  
●ir Zeal itself, proves to themselves pernicious;  
〈◊〉 unto others blind and superstitious:  
●ir Vice and Virtues them so inter-nex,  
●t scarce can one distinguish their Effects.  
Not that Ill still is not Good's Opposite;  
〈◊〉 that, They wanting Me, their only Light,  
〈◊〉 (even) Good evil; or do, out of season,  
●ood, which is not good, done without Reason;  
〈◊〉, of fair Virtues, fruitful Seeds of Glory,  
●p blasted Buds, which stain their goodly Story,  
●hat famous Conquest ever yet was got  
●ich to the Victor I prepared not?  
●u fightest bravely, and in Victories  
bloody blades, gettst the first Crown, for prize;  
I, by th'u'rt of Providence, dispose  
〈◊〉 glorious issue thy courageous blows.  
●ely take the fit advantages  
Time and Place, to second Courages:  
I, skilfully the Squadrons range and rank;  
I marshal them to show their Front or Flank  
As best befitts (by warlike Stratagem)  
T'enclose their Foes, to clip, or curtal them;  
Or, breast to breast (as angtie lions wont)  
With brave encounter, charge them full affront:  
I by an Ambush, laid with lucky speed,  
Oppressed with number, help thee at thy need.  
I many-times prevent thy like misshap,  
When seem-fly Foes would train thee to the t●  
I, to be brief, with ever watchful brain  
Assist, to make thy Valour never vain.   

But, if a Prince must needs want one of us,  
And might not be both Wise and Valorous;  
Sure Reason would our glorious Parts assign,  
Thy to brave Soldiers, to great Captains Min●  
Because, my Powers are proper to Command,  
As Thy to Execute with hardy hand.   

But though our humours so fair divers be,  
Yet may we Both, in one brave Spirit, agreed;  
And, for This Age, we need no Witness else  
But famous HENRY, who in both excels;  
With so great Wisdom ruling on the Throne  
Which with such Valour he hath made his Own●  
victories, yet, making Men dispute,  
●hich of Us, they should them best impute.  
●t hundred Laurels never widow-curst,  
〈◊〉 hundred Ovals, which no skin have burst,  
●e I have often Conquered without Thee:  
●euer wert Thou Victor without Me.  
〈◊〉 I have often seen Armies dissiped,  
〈◊〉 proud, strong Cities often rendered,  
●ll mured, well manned, & well stored with food)  
rout the spilling of a drop of blood;  
●g no other then the ancient Wile  
●asting fields, where Public loss (the while)  
●urnd This Gain, to stoop by Famine Those  
●ch could not else have been subdued by Blows.  
●des, th'off-cutting of all Passages,  
●ell of Succours, as of Forages;  
●en to conquer by uncasuall course,  
●t-lesse to fight, and without force to force.  
●reat Captains therefore did Us never part:  
〈◊〉 either, sole, is as a head less Dart;  
(if not headless) heed less thrown (as ill)  
●m feeble caster, without aim, or skill.  
●T is said of Pallas, in the Trojan Broil,  
●t She in fight stern Mars himself did foil;  
To show how fair Wise-Valour doth excel  
A rash Excess of Courage boiling cell;  
Whose fume-blind force, wanting Discretions b●  
Resembles right a sight-less Polyphem.   

But. whether joint or severed be our Powers,  
My Cunning still yields fairer fruits and flowers,  
Than doth Thy Violence (though often it spread  
Bright virtuous rays about Thy glorious head).  
For, only then are Thy stiff arms employed,  
When stubborn War dares to have all destroyed.  
But, when sweet Peace fills Crowns with Coron●  
Thou art locked up in Prince's Cabinets;  
Among the Corselets, which, now wariefied  
Through love of Peace, they have new laid aside;  
Or those, which idly (through Time's alteration  
Hung by the Walls, both out of Use and Fashion  
But I, indifferent, serve in War and Peace;  
I breed her, feed her, and her years increase,  
By prudent Counsels, provident Decrees,  
Kind turns, calm Treaties (sitting all degrees);  
In brief, by all means meet to tender Kings  
Mutually friends; and rule their Underlings:  
Whence to their States if happy fruits accrue,  
Th'honour of all to Me alone is due.  
●t, in the World, what State hath ever thriven;  
●ther, which hath not to Wrack been driven,  
●re lacked My Conduct, and where only Chance  
〈◊〉 steered the course of Public Governance?  
●t human Action, what Design, what Thought,  
rout Mine aid hath ever come to aught?  
●t Private stock, what Public stem of Blood,  
rout my Rules hath sprung, or long hath stood?  
●oblest Arts, all nimblest Works of worth,  
●ch human brains conceive, & hands bring forth,  
●d they not Me for rich and fruitful Womb,  
〈◊〉 whence their births (both first & second) come?  
〈◊〉 kindest Counsels, without Mine among,  
〈◊〉 we not call them Treasons of the Tongue,  
●n blind and bad Adnise (though malice-less)  
●s the Friend to whom it meant Redress?  
●ay nothing, nothing under Heavn, may miss  
〈◊〉 Minds guide rays of my Resplendencies:  
〈◊〉 the true Sun of all human acts;  
rout Me, Fortune all their praise exacts.  
●ght ● leave to Fortune's doubtful deed,  
〈◊〉 all appear well set, though ill succeed:  
〈◊〉 where My Sceptre hath a soucraine sway,  
●nes false Die hath little power to play.   

Than, be't on Cedar, with a Pen of Gold,  
For Memory and Glory too, enrolled,  
That Of all Soule-adorning Gifts divine,  
The Majesty, the Monarchy is Mine:  
That I, Their Queen, life of Their laws and spring,  
Ambrose, of all virtues worthiest of a KING.  
To whom, I seem so much more requisite  
(Being both his Guide & Eye to give him Light)  
As hath a Guide (so judge the most discreet)  
Moore need of Eyes, than either hands or feet.   

Hear ceased Phronésia: Andria instantly,  
Weening her wronged, seems willing to reply,  
And to herself already soft she says,  
She hath less skill in Phrases then in Frays;  
But, to maintain the honour of her Cause,  
Where need requires, not words but swords she d●   

Than SAINT Eusebia, jointly raising fair  
Her Souls pure Zeal, and hersweet Voices air,  
See, see (said She) how proudly insolent,  
Vain Men, admiring and too confident  
Of Their fond Wisdom, and frail Fortitude,  
(Forgetting Heavns quick Eye and Arm) conclude  
That their own strength, or their own Providence  
Hath foiled their foes, or given their own defence:  
●lly children (set on form or stool)  
●se hands are (first) held at the Writing-Schoole,  
●ing some Letter, vaunt it for their Own,  
〈◊〉 think their Art-less fingers skilful grown.  
●t, o fond Mortals! Neither is't your Art  
mystique State, nor your high hand and heart,  
●ch in your Borders Peace and Plenty brings,  
●nds your Battles in your Tryumphings:  
Heavns Right-hand invisibly addressed,  
rescue You, hath death itself repressed;  
●ell'd all Perils, put-by all Miss-haps  
●dy to quell you with tempestuous claps):  
〈◊〉 then retorting all upon your Foes,  
●u of Laurels (which They did propose)  
●s Terrors, Errors, or Disorders rife,  
mutinies, or other Civil strife,  
●ther Mischief, which confounds their powers  
〈◊〉 their own Swords, or makes them fall on yours:  
●at your hands, victorious Thus, do bear  
●t glorious Palms, and olives everywhere  
●rne your Coasts with their rich oily tress:  
〈◊〉 all with you is Victory, or Peace.  
●t you, ingrate thewhile, through blind Self-love,  
〈◊〉 seeing that these Gifts come from above,  
Sacrifice to yourselves, confer the honour  
Of all, to all, save to their own right Owner.   

OH cursed Soil! o barren Sand and dry!  
Not bettered aught by any husbandry;  
Hardened with heaunly dews, the more the worse  
More worthy nothing then a heavy Curse.  
OH wretch! refer, refer aright, and bring  
These sacred Streams birth to their sacred Spring,  
That perfect Good, which can no more desist  
To do thee good, than Thou Him to resist.   

Through all thy Province let his Name be pr●●  
If to a Crown his favour have thee raised,  
Rear Him an Altar in thy Soul anon,  
And for Burnt-Offring lay thy heart thereon:  
His power (alone) adore, implore and trust;  
And in thyself kill every kind of lust:  
So shalt thou not, what ever Hap succeed,  
Neither so much Courage, nor Counsel need.  
For, covering thee with his protecting hand,  
Did all the World in Arms against thee band,  
Besiege thee round, assault thee in such sort,  
That naught could save thee; neither force, nor Fo●  
Amid all dangers which might fright thee there,  
He, he would free thee from all cause of fear;  
●hine, preserved from death and deadly Foes,  
●d be amazed to conquer without blows.  
●rayers would put a hundred Hosts to flight:  
●ach a Caesar to command them right,  
●ghting on thy knees, with arms across,  
〈◊〉, thou (alone) shouldst conquer, without loss.  
●e, His Angel would assume the sword  
●e-with sometimes th' Assyrian swarms he gored;  
〈◊〉, Senacherib's braving Blasphemies,  
●d found a King, with waterin his eyes,  
●nquish him with vows: and as with charms,  
〈◊〉 shouldst do more with tears, than he with Arms.  
●y then, thus vainly dare We here consult  
●hers Right? or of our Own insult?  
〈◊〉 she that gives to God (nay, giveth God)  
●er of right this Crown should be bestowed;  
●er possessing, they All Good possess:  
●anting her, All else is emptiness.  
〈◊〉 neither Prowess then, nor Prudence, ween  
●elfe King's glory, neither virtues Queen:  
●e seen Valiant Kings, and Prudent too;  
●uch as knew in all turns what to do,  
●uch whose Constance was incomparable,  
wretchedly, and die as miserable:  
But, never saw I but a happy End  
Of Pious Princes, which on God depend;  
And in all doubts, all dangers (from their Birth)  
Have (sacring unto Heavn the thoughts of Earth)  
With eyes ay-fixt on That sun's sunny side,  
Believed his Love their Guard, his Law their Gui●   

Not that I would a Prince secure and idle,  
Should so let-go his Empire's Rains and Bridle;  
To cast on God the Cares, the Managings,  
And glorious labours that belong to Kings:  
Nay, rather would I, that with Vigilance,  
Constancy, justice, Wisdom, Valiance,  
And all else Virtues which his God hath given,  
He second full th' assisting hand of Heaven;  
Ay well assured that God will not neglect  
just-armed Prayers of his own Elect.  
But, to His only Bounty must they give  
The honour of all the fruits they shall archieue  
By their most noble C●res, most Royal Pains:  
Not to the depth of Machiavilian Brains,  
Not to the vain Effort of human force,  
Nor Martial Courage, mowing Men and Horse,  
Which in effect (how glorious Name it bear)  
Is but a Public, (lawful) Massacre.  
〈◊〉 brief, what Worth, or Wit in King may be,  
●ns King command's he make Them wait on Me:  
〈◊〉 That, the Spur; Mendoza, Rain of each Intent;  
〈◊〉, of his Counsel; Me, the Precedent:  
●it Them often, Me continually:  
〈◊〉 They inspire his heart, his judgement, I  
〈◊〉 that in nothing They with Me compare;  
〈◊〉 any else (how Royal) Virtues rare:  
〈◊〉 make Me sit in honours form the first;  
〈◊〉 without Me, esteem his State accursed:  
●d Them for helpful, Me for necessary:  
〈◊〉 ●●rme believe, when Times are adversary,  
●er to fail, with prows and Policy,  
〈◊〉 fall, with All; then flourish without Me.   

through such a Faith, that great King-Prophet yerst,  
●h little force, so many Foes reversed:  
●ft escaped so many Snares of Death,  
●ch Envies hand had set to stop his breath:  
fortunate, in every jeopardy,  
〈◊〉 almost seemed t'have wedded Victory.  
●hat Monarch would not gladly be the Heir  
●hese high fortunes of His virtues fair?  
●o would not purchase at the dearest rate  
●ll his Pains, the glorious Praise He gate?  
And yet, the Virtue which advanced Him so,  
And on his Acts such honours did bestow;  
Was not his Prowess (though he durst enough)  
Neither his Prudence (though of famous proof)▪  
But his religious Piety and Zeal  
To serve the Lord, the God of Israel:  
Zeal, which consuming Him with heavenly flame,  
Made him to consecrated his Facts, his Fame,  
Himself, his Sword, his Sceptre, and his Song,  
At the Author's feet, to whom they All belong:  
As still esteeming that he held his Crown,  
By his support who had it first bestow'n;  
Not by the Prowess, or the Policy,  
Of his own darefull hand, or careful Eye.   

Let noblest Princes imitate this Part,  
This pious zeal of his religious heart:  
And let them know, that nor their Heed in sway,  
Nor their Good-hap (which seems t'attend them 〈◊〉  
Their Knowledge, Courage, nor Victorious fame,  
About their heads so glorious Garlands frame,  
Neither from heavn so many blessings bring,  
Neither so much do magnify a King,  
Nor dignify the Sceptre in his hand  
So many millions justly to command;  
●ho, after this world's Diadem,  
●em anew, in New jerusalem:  
God himself-vouchsafes to watch Their state,  
●s Their Counsel, Their Confederate,  
Rock, their Refuge from their Enemies,  
●ets them daily glorious victories:  
〈◊〉 without Me, no Virtue is complete;  
●at, in That which maketh truly Great,  
●e the rest, and all the best They can,  
●re as God in Greatness passeth Man.   

●ebia here concluding her discourse,  
〈◊〉 began her Title to enforce:  
〈◊〉 (said she) long lent you ear alike,  
●om your Reasons, and your Rhetoric  
●er nothing, from the most of you,  
〈◊〉 surpations of Mine honours due;  
〈◊〉 mine own Noursling from my side you steal,  
●in, with justice, you scarce justly deal.   

〈◊〉, if of Virtues any worthy be  
sign, as King's eternal Company;  
●ith more lustre their great Names do grace,  
●n She may justly claim that Place;  
●ee alone, who, by One duty, do  
〈◊〉 happy Kings, & happy Subjects too:  
She, that of all the Graces from above,  
Acquire them most their People's hate or love:  
She that the Stock of Traitors doth extinguish,  
She that good Kings from Tyrants doth disting●  
She that to Each due Recompense imparts  
According to their good, or bad Deserts:  
She, without whom, the rife-full strife-full sou●  
Of Mine and Thy, would all the World confo●   

Not that I am so inly blunt, or blind,  
As not to value Valours valiant mind;  
Or not to see, What Benefits to Kings  
Sacred Eusebia, and Phronensia brings:  
But save Easebia (whom I honour more  
Than all the Greatness Worldlings most adore)  
Not one of you produceth her effects  
So fortunate and free from all defects,  
But oftentimes some evil them succeeds  
Which equals often their Good, sometimes exceed●  
Much like some Herbs, of doubtful fame and fo●  
Which cure one Grief, and cause perhaps a wors●   

't' a glorious Work triumphing worthily,  
To win by force a famous Victory,  
To 〈◊〉 a field with dead, to swim in blood,  
To glass once Valorin a Crimson flood:  
●hat's all This, but a mere Massacre  
●ous Lions (not a human War)  
〈◊〉 the Right of the bright Sword victorious  
〈◊〉 the Cause just, & the Effect as glorious?  
●re not those so bloody Palms, (the while)  
●red in Countries, ruin'd with the spoil  
●arrs dire fire, flaming on every side  
●se sad fields, for saken far and wide?  
●udy Virtue, for War only fit,  
●or the Mischiefs that do wait on it!  
〈◊〉 least (alas!) her thirsty Steel should rust  
●n her Sheath, too-long restrained; must,  
●men with Tears see their dear Countries spoiled,  
〈◊〉 fields with heaps of slaughtered bodies piled,  
〈◊〉 Cities sacked, their Houses all inflamed,  
〈◊〉 treasures shared, their wines & daughters shamed  
〈◊〉 tenderbabes (which have no help, but cries)  
●d, broached, broiled, in horrid Sacrifice?  
●e, Noble fury of heroïck hearts,  
●id●ous Stage whereon thou act'st thy Parts,  
〈◊〉- too-costly to a State; too-deer  
●ll thy Palms, thy Glory walks too-neer  
〈◊〉 Miseries, Pains, Perils, Dolours, Deaths,  
●dire Events; which not alone the breaths  
Of Foes hereave, and Foreign States undo;  
But wrack withal thine own Domestics too.   

For, what Effects, but such nefarious things,  
Have been the fruits of thousand valiant Kings;  
Whose memories so ring of Battles yet,  
That even with blood their Stories may be writ:  
Leaving their Names, just Arguments of terror,  
Loading the Earth with Monuments of horror,  
Filling both Land and Sea, with Gore, with Gall,  
And, to no purpose, topsie-turning All:  
Sigh all the gain of all their Victories,  
Is but a fame of Valiant Robberies;  
Reproachfall praise to Sovereign Potentates,  
To Supreme Pastors, to high Magistrates:  
Yet, most of These have reaped no other fruit,  
From bloody labours, but This odious Bruit:  
Whereas They should (only) their Powers employ  
To salve, to save; and never to destroy.   

One only King (no further Name is need)  
justly constrained to arm, & mount his steed,  
By force to enter to his Own by Right;  
Hath sacred all his Art, his heart, his Might,  
To's Empire's good: and chase War away,  
Makes Peace approved his valours daughter aye.  
●est, still greedy of new Isles, new Indeses,  
〈◊〉 raised such storms with their Ambitious winds,  
●heir own Seas have nigh sunk Themselves,  
●ast their Subjects upon Rocks and Shelves,  
●e (through more woes) they, even with tears, behold  
●ll it is to have a King too Bold.  
●w, for your Prudent (but, mere Prudent) Kings,  
〈◊〉 much Discourse, which from their judgement springs,  
●akes them timorous, loath to take-in-hand;  
●se their time, while waiting Time they stand;  
●aring nothing, but Discoursing still,  
●r as much as Those that dared ill:  
●akes them, more (in Worldly matters, here)  
●e and sharp, then loyal and sincere.  
●t as They, of dangers heedful are;  
●em, no less behoves it to beware.  
〈◊〉 not say, that many times the grounds  
●on the worlds, blind, foolish wisdom found'st,  
contrary unto the solid Base  
〈◊〉 heavns true wisdom every where doth place.  
●t, one Thought never itself extends  
〈◊〉 can) at once, to two so divers Ends:  
●ore than can the sight of mortal eyes  
〈◊〉 same instant, Heaven and Earth comprise.   

What shall I say of Thee (and do thee right)  
Sweet St. Eusebia, God's own dear Delight?  
Thou fillest Kings, endued with Thy desires,  
With sacred fervour of Celestial fires;  
Thou makest their Lives a lively speaking Law,  
To rule their Subjects more by Love then Awe▪  
But yet, thou makest (if Thou alone be There's)  
Them too-too-slack in other Kingly Cares;  
Too-mewed in Peace, in War too-scrupulous;  
And think so much of Heavn, that Earth they lo●●   

Andrea▪ Euergésia, praising Thy Effects,  
Amid the best well may we doubt defects:  
For, what in Kings more Heaun-like seems to 〈◊〉  
Or Godlike more, then to be liberal?  
Yea, liberal Princes seem even Gods on Earth,  
Com'n-down from Heavn to hunt Despair & D●●●  
Care, Indigence, Encumber, and the rest,  
Wherewith poor Virtue often is oppressed.  
Yea, even as Gods, Their Names are honoured  
And, for their Service, nothing is too-deer.  
(The ground of which so great benevolence,  
In some, is Hope; in some, Experience):  
So that all Vows, all Voices end in Them,  
And, as the Sun, Their Sceptres brightly beam.  
〈◊〉, oftentimes, those Bounties of thy hand  
〈◊〉 public Burdens, bitter to a Land;  
〈◊〉 fluent Princes (lest their Favours source  
●d be exhausted) have too-oft recourse  
●ributes, Imposts; and some worse withal:  
●ce Flowers to few, to many Thorns befall:  
〈◊〉 Ararice herself unjustly fills  
〈◊〉 what Profusion over-fondly spills.  
●r Thou, Eumenia, though extolled so high  
●chest Type of Heavenly Clemency;  
only Shield of such ● dare infrenge  
acred Rules, to save them from Revenge:  
〈◊〉 canst not clear thee from the confluence  
●ills used to Fellow Indulgence.  
●y too-sparing, Thou dost Vices spread;  
〈◊〉 losest sound, to save corrupt and dead:  
●illing Ciries with home-Enemies,  
●ardons turn to public Injuries.  
〈◊〉 I, by practice of unpartial Rigour,  
●ain good Orders, keep the Laws in vigot:  
〈◊〉 Kings atonce beloved and feared too  
●ed, alone of those that evil do).  
〈◊〉 Subjects (set on happy Plenty's knee,  
●ir possessions from Oppressions free)  
Bless them, adore them, hold them (ever dear)  
Their Country's Fathers, nay their Gods wel-●●  
In brief, no Blessing can befall a Realm,  
But There's enjoy, from, by, or under Them.   

For, as it is, of the Wilde-Ash-tree, said,  
That th' only savour, nay the only shade,  
Instantly kills (by strong Antipathy)  
What ever Serpents underneath it lie:  
Such, to the Snakes of Vice, those Princes are  
Which 'gainst Injustice have proclaimed War,  
With no less Care to make My Rules to reign,  
Than their own Sceptres in their hands sustains  
Cancrone no Rebellion spring (at lest) none speed  
In their Dominions, neither Factions breed:  
Sigh gracious Heavens vouchsafe them this A●  
For having used so equally My Sword  
(To all Degrees, in City, Field, and Town)  
In Civil War they shall not wear their Own●   

Their People, feeling in Their happy Sway,  
What Hap, what Rest, what Freedom they enjoy,  
Deeming them as their Gods, and meeting (rife)  
Their length of Bliss by Their dear length of 〈◊〉  
Watch for Their Safetics; and can suffer naught  
'Gainst them to be misdone, mis-said, mis-tho●  
●ore than 'gainst their Publique's Prospering,  
●eof they hold Their justice only Spring.  
●r, of all rarest Virtues that may meet  
●ust Prince, They only taste the sweet  
●ine Effects; and of that Equal Care  
●ot surcharging more than they may bear.  
〈◊〉 boots it that their Majesties be meek,  
●animous, frank, pious, politic.  
〈◊〉 of a spirit surpassing each Extreme;  
〈◊〉 they but Me, They little reck of them:  
〈◊〉 love them not, they listen far and near,  
●e welcome news of their wished death to hear.  
●n, if they use My sacred Exercises,  
●ugh they be stained (perhaps) with other Vices,  
〈◊〉 hold them perfect; and, in spite of Fate,  
〈◊〉 after death, their Names they celebrated;  
●ing Relics, still preserved above  
●mes fair bosom, and their People's love.  
●es, unto this day, that Norman Prince,  
〈◊〉 Rollo, still beloved (though dead long since)  
●alld upon (as for His just Revenge)  
●n some new Wrong doth their old Right infrenge.  
●nceforth therefore, o Princes, that desire  
●aue your Names to highest Fames aspire,  
To leave behind you Monuments of Worth,  
To give your Glories, after death, new Birth;  
Endeavour not to dazzle proudest eyes  
With Towers of Marble mounted to the skies;  
Neither by War (whose Train is Plague & Dea●  
With fire and blood to mingle Heaven & Earth;  
To thousand Perils to expose your lives,  
Whereby your Greatness, not your Goodness, thrive  
Only, love Me; let Me be reverenced  
Through all your lands, by all your hands defen●  
Let Me sit by you on an Awful Throne,  
To daunt the Lewdest with my looks alone;  
And with my Sword still drawn to prune-away  
Luxuriant Twigs that break my just Array:  
Let My Tribunals be the Poors Refuges;  
Let here-on sit no Mercenary judges:  
Let Innocence find there her surest Fort;  
And who wants Right, there let him want Suppo●  
There let My Balance be impawned to none;  
●ut, as his Right is, let Each have his Own:  
In brief, with You let Me be set so high,  
That absolute as you do Reign, may I:  
And I shall more enrich your lasting Stories,  
Than all your golden Towers, your Cōquering●  
●precious Gifts that with full hand you give,  
●ght beside, whereby your Names can live.  
●a as yet did her Discourse pursue,  
●ugh mild Eumenia, loath to loose her due,  
●onger to endure her Vaunts so high,  
〈◊〉 open mouth was ready to reply;  
〈◊〉 her Sister Euergesia eek,  
〈◊〉 little choler colouring her cheek)  
〈◊〉 from th' Empyreal (right Imperial) Court,  
〈◊〉 a new Nuntio with a new Report,  
●ie Truchman of supernal Pleas,  
●gentle jars thus gently to appease.  
●ortall Beauties of past-humane Souls,  
●t both Globes in his one hand-gripe holds,  
〈◊〉 you to weet, that His high pleasure is  
●uench for ever all your Differences)  
●ll have th'honour to impose the Name,  
●hom he means such favour & such Fame,  
●ARETVS (for an auspicious Sign.  
●e marked him All with all your types divine)  
〈◊〉 All transformed into that reverend Clerk,  
●s hallowed Organ, for this sacred wark;  
●s, Thou (whom He resembles best)  
〈◊〉 Name the Child, in name of all the rest;  
After that He hath six times sounded though  
That other Name his Nation fancies so.   

High, by ye then, Time calls you; for the thro●  
These Rites expecting, thinks each minute long.  
And I, the while, with no less speed must spy  
Th'unwholesome Den where Pestilence doth lie,  
And in heavens name, her straightly countermand,  
That She presume not once to lift her hand,  
Nor from her Quiver shoot one Arrow out  
At any of the Royal Courtly Rout  
Assembled for the sacred Mystery,  
During the Pomp of That Solemnity.   

Heerwith the Angel henceed, & bent his flight  
Towards Our sad City, which then deeply sighed  
Under the fury of that Monster fell.  
He found her out in a hot-humid Cell,  
About to Arm her, & to scout abroad,  
Even towards the Place which now the heavens forbade   

Fowl seam-rent rags (which some old rob had●  
Cased here and there her yellow-sallow skin,  
Wherein hot fiery Carbuncles were fixed,  
With poisonie R●bies, here and there betwixt:  
A quenchless Thirst, with a continual Fever,  
Broiled in her breast, boiled in her body ever;  
●rie Breath was as a deadly stroke:  
arsed Stance ready with stink to choke:  
●se it was, that never Wind could fan,  
〈◊〉 ' vnrefined autumnal African,  
〈◊〉 noisome air a stuffing fog did pen  
●mustie Vapours of a moisty Fen.  
●round about her, by her side did lie  
●ts of Fruits that soonest putrefy,  
●ns of Million; Pears, Plums (passing numbers)  
〈◊〉 humor-poysoning, crudie-cold Cucumbers;  
〈◊〉 Grapes; & that soft Persian fruit (so dear)  
●ll at home, & little better here.  
●e Angel, wont to heavens Blissful Hall,  
● little stay in this unwholesome Stall;  
●athing soon that thick contagious air,  
readily dispatched his Message there:  
●eav'n-ward quickly from the Fury flew,  
●e horror yet so seemed him to pursue,  
●he had fainted to have been so nigh-her,  
●e not felt him of th'immortal Quire,  
●immortall Sisters, in one troup, the while  
●ch from their Owners every Vice exile)  
sported swift upon a winged Cloud,  
●ir Arrival made the Palace proud.   

The pompous Scaffold, for this purpose re●●  
Seemed at their sight to tremble (as afeard):  
The stately Towers of th' antic Edisice,  
The massy Porch, and Arch, and Frontispiece,  
Seemed round about to lighten smiling flames,  
As at ●●eir Entrance to adore these Dames.   

They, s●●●●ing them (unseen) amid the thro●  
Of those Good-Great, whom (as they passed along)  
A soft sweet Murmur, for their Virtues, blest;  
Served with Them (each in her office priest)  
That goodly Rising Sun, whose Rays, new sp●  
So rather a Spring of flowering Hopes have bred●  
And, after both his favoured Names were given,  
The human first, then that they brought from He●  
All, in a ring, about him did appear  
(Under the form of some fair Princess near,  
Or some great Prince then present there in view)  
To do his Name the Honours iusily due;  
Each cheering Him to follow for direction  
The Property She brings to King's perfection.   

Mayst Thou (said one, as his sweet Eyes she ki●  
Great little Prince, be of the heavens so blessed,  
That, though Augustus' fortunes Thy surpass,  
Thy Fortunes yet may give thy Prudence place:  
〈◊〉 Thou abound in royal Bounty so  
●her said) that Trajan thou outgo:  
〈◊〉 said another: how my Hopes aspire!)  
●alour, oneday even excel thy Sire:  
●here (said one) oneday appear in Thee,  
martial Fathers matchless Clemency:  
●aist Thou, from thy Childhood (said another)  
●d in Zeal thy Mother and Godmother.  
●efe (Pandora-like) Each offered there  
〈◊〉 precious Gifts, in Praesage (as it were)  
●ith advantage gracious heavens produce  
〈◊〉 wished-Counsails into Act and Use.  
●nt, God Almighty, King of Kings, that He  
〈◊〉 on These Thrones hisroyall Turn shall be,  
●ay have care t' accomplish everywhere  
〈◊〉 all our Hopes have for him dared to swear,  
●hat his Looks, Words, Manners, Motions, seem  
●ery part, to promise' still for Him.  
●y He, his People tender, love, protect;  
●ght in justice, yield them her Effect:  
●ee forbear to over-charge their backs  
〈◊〉 novel tributes, or with need-less Tax:  
●et them see that of all Titles given  
●l the Kings that have been under Heaven,  
He holdeth Good the best; better then glorious,  
Warrs-thunderbolt, Earths-Terror, Great, Victori●●  
Whose lofty sound makes Princes often become  
Abroad more feared then beloved at home.   

High swells the Ocean, when the Moon's at 〈◊〉  
And with proud Billows threats both Hill & H●  
But sinks again, and shrinks into his Bed,  
When Cynthia mues her never-constant Head:  
So (swelling proud; so, surly browed the while;  
So, temper-lesse; tempted with Fortune's smile)  
Ignoble Natures are too-lightly puffed;  
And with her Frown as basely counterbufft.   

far other be His firm and generous Mind,  
Whether his Fate be cursed, or be she kind;  
Yea, fawn-shee, frown-shee, (firm indeed to non●  
Be He still like himself, The same, still one;  
Still bountiful, still milde-maiesticall,  
And still vouchsafing free Access to all:  
So that no Bar (a Barbarous device)  
But due Respect do sever Him from His.  
For, be a Prince never so mighty Great,  
If betwixt Him and His a Bar He set;  
At length he sets one (which scarce aught repairs  
Twixt their Affections & his own Affairs.  
He, to th' idle Pomp of Prester-Ians,  
〈◊〉- proud Sophies, and soft Asians,  
●are, to keep their tawny Majesties,  
subjects sight (save once a year, or twice)  
〈◊〉 Him daily (like the Sun) go out  
●er and cheer the cloudy World about;  
●o the poor oppressed Widow right,  
●p the Orphan, overborne by might;  
●e the just sighs of sad Labourers:  
●waies (like that best of Emperors)  
〈◊〉 That no Day, or think it lost (for naught)  
●in he hath not some such Action wrought;  
●t he lives not then, or lives in vain;  
〈◊〉 a Subject, not a Sovereign.  
assume not He in frivolous Expense,  
〈◊〉 gold a just love's gentle violence  
●or his Succour (in extreme Affair)  
●his poor People from their hands to spare,  
●from their mouths, nay rather from their bellies)  
●s, drawn-dry with Pump of former Tallies.  
●her, counting it (with some Remorse)  
●old, but Blood; may He with greater force  
〈◊〉 to lavish upon idle Veins,  
●biects soul, & th' humour of their Veins.   

That great King-Prophet (so renowned for Song)  
Once for the water of a Well did long,  
Which at the Postern of a City rose,  
Amid an Host of his most deadly Foes:  
Three of his Worthies (in despite of death)  
Broke through their Army, even to underneath  
The very brickwall whereas the Well did spring;  
Whereof they drew a portion for the King.  
Than, off again they bravely come their ways  
(Covered with wounds, but more with worthy Praise)  
And re-arriued in their own Camp, their Prize  
Unto their Prince present in humble wise.  
But He, bethinking through how many deaths  
Those dreadless Champions had then fetched their breaths,  
In fetching of that wished Water so;  
For all his thirst, he would not drink it tho:  
For, what is This (said he) but the hart-bloud  
Of These that Thus have ventured for my good.  
So, to Gods will, His, willing to accord,  
He offers it on th'Altar of the Lord   

So, may Our Prince anotherday employ  
The public Treasure, which with careful joy,  
His loving Subjects shall (as aught the loyal)  
Yield to support his Port and Charges royal.  
He present to th'insight of his Thought,  
〈◊〉 how much Sweat & Sorrow it is bought:  
●t Rigour (used in his Name perhaps)  
●rts it from oppressed Widows laps,  
〈◊〉 wretched Craftsmen, from hard-racked Swains,  
●om Poverty at her own Mess maintains:  
〈◊〉, in Compassion say (with tender grief)  
〈◊〉 is my subjects blood, my People's Life:  
〈◊〉 must not then in idle Pomp and Play  
〈◊〉 water spil●) be spent and cast away.  
●n doubting less the damage than th'abuse)  
〈◊〉 it to God, as to the rightful Use.  
●nd, 'tis to consecrated, and vow it right,  
●d in a fashion pleasing in God's sight)  
〈◊〉 pour it out in Royal (right) Expense;  
●er in War-works for his Realms defence,  
●or his Honour; to all Times to seal  
〈◊〉 Kinglike Bounty, Providence, and Zeal.  
close-fisted therefore may He never be  
〈◊〉 the true Seed of sacred Memory;  
〈◊〉 Those whose lustre doth adorn Renown,  
●d honours Kings more than their orient Crown:  
〈◊〉 stately Structures, speaking Eminence,  
●as their Use match their Magnificence:  
To wall Highways; to heaw-down harmful R●  
To parallel Eld's Aqueducts and Bridges:  
Found Hospitals, or to endow them founded:  
To stop Sea-Breaches where they have surrounded  
To fence with Peers & Piles of sundry sorts  
From Neptune's fury his importing Ports:  
To build fair Shops for th' Helyconian Looms,  
T'advance Their Arts, and give chief Parts chief Room●  
And (as with living Nets) by Benefits,  
To catch both Valiant Spirits & Learned Wits.   

Million of Verse have sounded loftily  
The Prudence, Prowess, Pity, Piety,  
And sacred justice of our Sovereign Sir,  
As diverse gales their divers Sails did stir:  
But not a Voice, in low or lofty vain,  
Hath of his Bounty ever sung a strain:  
Yet yearly from his liberal hand hath come  
A million (a more than Royal Sum)  
Among those (happy) whom his Goodness graces,  
Or whom their own in his opinion places.  
Which of his Predecessors (first or last)  
In Gifts or Guerdons these fair limits past?  
Not one of them did ever reach so high:  
Yet Vulgar bruit (half false, half flattery)  
●es some of them the great and glorious Name  
〈◊〉 Liberal Princes, of illustrious fame.  
〈◊〉 shall not we then, bear through th'universe  
〈◊〉 worthy Praise upon the wings of Verse?  
●l not we say that his renowned hand,  
worthily (in Peace) with Bounty's band  
〈◊〉 bind unto him whom he worthy knows,  
●rauely conquer (in the Field) his Foes.  
●e mute that list, and muzzle they their style,  
〈◊〉 whom his Bounty never deigned to smile  
jereed through their own mis-fate, in having none,  
●auing Virtues, not to have them known.)  
〈◊〉 I, whose hap hath been to march with those  
ewards whose laps This golden River flows,  
〈◊〉 Voice and Verse shall tromp●it far and nigh  
〈◊〉 modern ears, and to Posterity.  
●d (without Flattery) say, that all the scope  
Wishes waiting on our future Hope,  
〈◊〉 all our Prayers for a Complete Prince  
〈◊〉 in the rest of Royal Ornaments)  
●ed of the heavens no greater Hap require,  
〈◊〉 that in This, the Son be like the Sire;  
●d that he may (observing Golden mean)  
●e like a King that means to give again;  
Yet, with such fervour to This glorious Part,  
That still he give less with his hand, than heart.   

Vouchsafe th'eternal Destinies-disposer,  
King's sole Advancer, & Kings sole Deposer,  
That maugre Tyrant's wrath, and traitors wile  
(Whose Masterpiece we Here have seen erewhile)  
He may wax old (after his aged Sire)  
In Peaceful Reign, until his Reign expire:  
And never, but at Tilt, or Tourney, feel  
The cumbrous burden of a Case of steel;  
Or, when just 〈◊〉 shall inflame his sprite  
Against Usurpers of His ancient Right.  
But, whether lawless Need, or Glories love,  
Him drive, or draw, his Force in Field to prove,  
May He in Counsel, Courage, and Success,  
Match his great Parents constant Happiness,  
So as there be no need to spur Him forth,  
With brave Remembrance of His match-less wo●●   

But, Laurel burnt crackles in vain; and of●-it  
Champing the Leaf alone, makes not a Prophet,  
If that his Tutors have not more to do,  
To hold him from, then to incite him to;  
To cool, then kindle, that courageous heat,  
Which makes men fear no death, no dangers th●  
〈◊〉 as once Theseus, ready to be killed,  
●s known to be the King's son, that so wild;  
●is gilt Sword & sign engrav'n thereon:  
〈◊〉 shall be known to be His Father's Son,  
〈◊〉 the Exploits of His, in such a Rank,  
〈◊〉 would have made the two first Caesar's blank.  
●e He Benign, so as his Indulgences  
●d not Bad-Boldnes, Feed not Insolences:  
〈◊〉 to some Winters, over-milde and warm,  
●ich neither kill the Weed, nor i'll the Worm;  
〈◊〉 breed the Plague, Pox, Murrain & the rest,  
●t ●otten Humours may, in Man and Beast.  
●ot, but I know it far more honourable  
save then spill (in Cases tolerable)  
〈◊〉 here a World of Dust-bred Creatures live,  
〈◊〉 reave-mans' life, which only God can give:  
〈◊〉 too-oft Pardoning often too-many draws  
●au● need of Pardon, through contempt of laws  
〈◊〉 Magistrates; whom the Audacious reak  
〈◊〉 Bugs, & Bridles to base minds & weak.  
〈◊〉 Mildness then, be He so moderate  
〈◊〉 His own safety and the public State)  
●t neither Horror taint his Executions;  
●ther his Favours harbour Dissolutions,  
And, too-remisse, by His too-oft Reprieves,  
Turn Pities Temple to a Den of thieves.   

May He fear God, love, worship, seek, & serve hi●  
Know, it's He sole doth establish & preserve him:  
That Kings, as his Anointed, have Regard:  
That but He guard them, little boots their Guard.  
May he believe His Word, honour, obey;  
Take it, for Compass in this Worldly Sea,  
Make it the Measure of King's Power, in all,  
And counting That of Laws the principal,  
Have it aye written in his hearts deep rooms,  
But, as a Prince, not as a Priest becomes.   

Under th'old Law (now abrogat long since)  
One might be both a pontiff and a Prince,  
For nothing seemed then to hinder them  
From matching so Mitre and Diadem:  
But now their Functions are divided far,  
And Monkish Kings, now but contemned are:  
There Man and Master but Hail-fellow is;  
And subjects play the kings, where Kings play Pri●●   

May He be loyal, constant in sincerity;  
In soul, abhorring lies, and loving verity:  
That as his Deeds shall (for the most) be Miracles,  
So may his Words be altogether Oracles.  
th'almightyAlmighty grant, that during all His days,  
● sparks be quenched which Factions wont to raise;  
〈◊〉, for the most (to double Misery)  
●ere be Two Kings where two great Factions be.  
〈◊〉, if there should (which God forbidden) succeed  
●h Mischiefs here (as heretofore there did)  
●y He not want sound Counsels happy Light,  
〈◊〉 guide him in his Father's steps aright:  
●o, reaving th'eldest Emperor's their Palms,  
●dainly turned such Tempests into calms,  
Means so mild, that it was rather thought  
〈◊〉 heavenly Hap, then human Wisdom wrought.  
〈◊〉, were it Wisdom, were it Happiness,  
●tch He our Wishes, and His Wise success:  
●one of Himself, th'other from Heavenly hand,  
●at Peace may prospero over all his Land.  
I know that Princes being born for th'Arts  
●ich Counsels, Camps, & Dangers school imparts,  
●e Books most needful and peculiar There's,  
〈◊〉 Politics, of State, & State-affairs.  
●t, sith so few years do our Age comprise,  
●at even the greatest of the greedy-Wise,  
●ould know but little, if no more they knew  
●en from Experience of one Age they drew:  
That He, at once, may see all Accidents  
Of all past Ages, with his own's Events;   

May He propose & set before his eyes  
The goodly Tables of all Histories;  
And there contempling all the true Records  
Of other Monarches, mighty States, and Lords,  
Observe their Acts, their Counsels, their Discourse,  
All (notable, or rare) in all their Course;  
Both what to follow there, and what to shun,  
And whether Fame or Shame their lives have wo●●  
May He there glass himself, & mark it brim,  
Whether the same shall not be said of Him.  
For here, Our Verses smoothly sing and smile,  
But History will hiss, in other style:  
And Kings that here have been compared to Gods,  
Entombed once, though under golden Clods,  
If in then lives they have deserved it, first;  
Shall hear their Names torn, and their Fame's acc●●   

What may I add unto These Wishes more?  
N● more but This; that All here wished before,  
And All presaged of the DOLPHIN here,  
Con●ur in CHARLES: that all His Parts appear  
A living Picture of all Parts of Worth  
Of all those Worthies whence He takes his Birth:  
●at gracious Heavens (which promise' even as much)  
●all These Virtues deign to make Him such,  
●t really he give royal Assent  
●all the Acts of virtues PARLIAMENT:  
●t in his Turn, the Ages after Us,  
●y find, and know him for PANARETUS:  
●d, sith That Name must needs Immortal be,  
●t no profane hand blurr His History:  
〈◊〉 some sweet Daniel, or some sacred Hall,  
●iuill Hayward, (milde-maiestike, all)  
〈◊〉 purest faith, in a peculiar style,  
glorious Work of His great Works compile:  
〈◊〉 if that Any of more worthy Skillis,  
〈◊〉 He the HOMER to This new ACHILLES,  
●EAT BRITAN'S great Hope of Great Hap to-come;  
●nix arising from a Phoenix Dust:  
●hom the heavens (as merciful, as just)  
●ore our great loss, in Great henry's tomb.  
●ong, long and Happy (in thy Brother's room)  
●ceed Thou CHARLES, ever as Good as Great:  
●iving, old, to Thy old Father's Seat,  
●e, Great, Good STVARTS, till the Day of Doom.  
●ch while I pray, sweet Prince, vouchsafe a space  
●ead and rue Your humble Bead-mans' Case.   

Here (like LEANDER in the Hellespont)  
Tossed in a Tempest, in the darkest Night,  
Distracted with Fears, divorced from the fight  
Of My High Pharus which to guide me wont:  
Spying Boötes in your highness Front,  
For life I labour towards your hopeful Light  
(May never Care be●lowd that Beam so bright,  
Come never Point of lest Eclipse upon't)  
Yet, though (alas) your gracious Rays have sho●●  
My wracked limbs a likely way to land:  
Unless (by Others Help, or by your Own)  
The tender Pity of your Princely hand   

Quick hale me out, I perish instantly,  
Hal'd-in again by Six that hung on Me.  
●xe-times already, ready even to faint,  
●ith grievous Weight of guiltless Want oppressed,  
●RTAS and I have bowed, and vowed our best  
●re the Altar of our Sovereign Saint:  
〈◊〉 yet, the Ear that heareth every Plaint;  
〈◊〉 Heart that pities every poor Distressed;  
●e (alas!) seems Deaf to My Request;  
〈◊〉 only, is not moved with My Complaint.  
〈◊〉 must I needs (NEED still importunes so)  
●ortune still, till some mild Soul relent:  
〈◊〉 (under Heaven) no Help, no Hope, I know,  
●e YOU alone, my Ruin to prevent:  
●OV only may, Now only, if at all:  
●ast Help, past Hope, If Now YOU fail, I fall.   
Your Highnes' most humbly devoted, and observant Servant, josuah Sylvester.   

To The Sovereign of Women, ANNE Queen of Great-Britan.  
By JOSVAH SYLVESTER.  
1614   

TO The right right Honourable LADIES, Lucy, Marchioness of Winchester.  

〈◊〉 Countess of Bedford.  
〈◊〉 Countess of Dorset.  
〈◊〉 Countess of Exeter.  
Frances, Countess of Hartford.  
●atherin Countess of Salisbury.  
Susan, Countess of Montgon.   

Barbara▪ Vi-Countess Lisle.  
Elizabeth, Vi-Countess Haddington.  
Elizabeth, Vi-Countess Fenton.   

〈◊〉, Baroness Zon●h.  
●argaret, Baroness Wotton.  
●●noria, Baroness Hay.   

Eliza. Baroness Knowlis.  
Eliza. Baroness Cavendish.  
jane, Baroness Roxborough.   

mirrors of HONOUR, Models of Perfection,  
〈◊〉 Lowe, to You all, bows the BETHULIAN  
●eeching All, but chief, You, by Name, (Dame;  
●●aign her grace and place in your Affection▪  
●oblest Lights, whose Virtues bright reflection,  
●e-richly sparkles every-way some flame  
divers in Form; in Virtue still the Same)  
〈◊〉 Objects worthy of your Worth's Election:  
〈◊〉 kind Address She craves, your sweet Direction  
ewards the Presence of Your Sovereign DAME,  
●ose High Endowments, by the Trump of Fame,  
●e All Virtuous under Her Protection;  
●●ch, JUDITH humbly prays You, pray, for Her:  
●d, mild interpret Her Interpreter.    

●ETHVLIANS Rescue. THE FIRST BOOK.  

●ing the Virtues and the valiant Deed  
Of th' Hebrew Widow, that so bravely freed  
●lian Doors from Babylonians Dread;  
〈◊〉 with just Falchion did behead their Head.  
●hou, that to save from Pagans' servile Rigour,  
●e Isaac's Heirs, didst steel with manly vigour  
●ke IVDITH'S heart, my feeble heart advance;  
●e, raise my Thoughts in high & holy Trance:  
〈◊〉 my Spirit, o! let thy Spirit reflect:  
●nt I may handle in a style select  
sacred Stuff; that whoso reads This Story,  
〈◊〉 Profit reap, I Comfort, and Thou Glory.   

And Yo●, great Comfort of Great-Britan's 〈◊〉  
Who●e Virtues here I under JUDITH sing;  
Thrice-r●yall ANNE, vouchsafe auspicious Rays  
Of Princely Favour on These Pious Lays  
(Compo●ed first upon a Queen's Command,  
(Disposed next into a Queen's own hand,  
Transposed now to a more Queen's Protection:  
As most peculiar to all Queen's Perfection.)  
Great-gracious Lady, let it not distaste,  
That! VDITH made not (as she aught) more haste  
T● kiss Your Hands; nor deem, nor doubt, the wor●●  
Though She have seen Your Royal Spouse the first  
It was her Truth-man, much against Her mind,  
Betrayed her so, to go against Her Kind.  
For which Offence, with other more, to Her,  
She hath got her now a new Interpreter;  
She hopes, more faithful (wishes, more discreet)  
To say and lay Her Service at Your Feet:  
To give Du BARTAS (at the last) His Due,  
In Her behalf; and in Her, honour You.   

Whi●e Israel a happy Peace enjoyed,  
And, dangerless, with diligence employed  
〈◊〉 Soil, which 70. years vnsow'n  
〈◊〉 before, with Thistles over-grow'n;  
〈◊〉 Lord, Who often, by some Stroke severe  
●st Correction, wakes his Own (for fear  
●t too-long Resting make them like the Horse,  
●th standing still too-long, doth loose his Force,  
●ets to manage; and too-pampred, grows  
●ly, restive; and his Rider throws)  
●rs their Country with so huge an Host,  
〈◊〉 clouds of Arrows darkened all the Coast,  
〈◊〉, Bills, and Darts, seemed, as they stirred, or stood,  
●ouing Forest, or a mighty Wood:  
〈◊〉 of all sorts of Soldiers, rankly-rude,  
●r their Ensigns marched such multitude,  
●en drew dry the Rivers where they passed  
●ugh rich judea; so that, at the last,  
〈◊〉 Iordan's Self, in his dry oazie Bed,  
●ing for shame, was feign to hide his head;  
●se (flat Bankrupt) he no more could pay  
〈◊〉 Tribute-stream, of all he aught the Sea.  
●he sunburnt Reaper had yet scarcely rid  
bridged Acres of their richest Weed:  
●needie ●leaner had scarce gathered clean  
〈◊〉 scattered Ears the Hinder jest, to glean:  
〈◊〉 scarce, as yet, the flails upon the Floors  
●n to groan: When jacob at his Doors,  
Sees HOLOFERNES his weak Frontiers spoil●  
In bloody Rivers drown his fertile Soil;  
Not sparing fell the tender Female-kind,  
Nor hoary hairs (already short confined)  
Nor Sucklings, swaddled in their Mother's arms,  
From insolence of his insulting Arms.   

Than, as a Flock of Sheep, which sees their Foe  
Come forth a Wood (who often hath scared them 〈◊〉  
Minds no Defence; but scudding to be go,  
Makes, in an instant, hundred Flocks of one:  
The Isaaciant seized with a sudden Fear,  
Thinking his Host behind them every where,  
Dispersed and scattered (like those silly Sheep)  
Fly into Woods, in Rocks & Caves they creep.   

The affrighted Swains, neglecting Fields & Flo●●▪  
To save their lives, climb steepest Hills & Rocks:  
Artificers, leaving their Tools to play,  
Gain-greedy Chapmen, laying Trades away,  
High them to hide them, in securer sort  
In mossy Caves, then in a martial Fort.  
And greatest Lords hold dens of Wolves & Bean  
A safer Hold, then Gold-lyned Walls of theirs.   

Fear, lending wings to th' Aged, makes them 〈◊〉  
With lusty speed up to the Mountains nigh:  
●are makes the Mothers, all forlorn and lost,  
●g their dear Cradles to the Clouds almost:  
●ar makes the Children (like so many Lambs)  
●aule on all four after their dabbled Dams:  
●her's nothing heard but hideous Cries & Plaints,  
●d Lamentations, pitiful Complaints.  
OH Lord! (say they) will't thou, for ever, Thus  
●hrill down the Darts of thy fierce Wrath on us?  
●●all the Chaldenan Idolists again  
●y Choose Flock in servile Yoke enchain?  
●all our sad Houses, turned to Heaps of stone.  
●ith Weeds & Thorns again be ouer-grow'n?  
●all sacrilegious Fire again presume  
●hy sacred House, thine Altar, to consume?  
But joachim, Highpriest of God, that tide,  
●nd of the Hebrews then the chiefest Guide,  
●ollowes the stout and expert Pilots guise,  
●ho, when he sees a sudden Storm arise,  
●dds not more Fear, with His Fear, to his fellows,  
●or leaves his Ship to mercy of the Billows;  
●ut, hiding his distrust, opposes brave  
●is Arm and Art against the Wind and Wave:  
●or, quick dispatching (hourly) Post on Post,  
●o all the Coverts of the Able-most  
For Pate, prows, Purse; commands, prays, presse● the●  
To come with speed unto JERUSALEM.   

Since first th' Eternal gave his sacred Law,  
Upon Mount Sinai (in so dreadful Awe)  
The Ark, which contained, in Two leaves of stone,  
Much more sound Wisdom, in itself alone;  
Than subtle Greece, or Rome (renowned for Wise)  
In Worlds of Volumes ever could comprise;  
Wandered from Tribe to Tribe, from Race to Race,  
Throughout all jury, without Restingplace,  
Yea, sometimes too (o too audacious Theft!)  
The sacrilegious Philistines it reft:  
Till th' happy day when Iesse's holy Stem  
Lodged it for ever, in JERUSALEM.   

But, sith as yet, great David's hands were read  
With blood of Thousand he had slaughtered;  
The King of Peace would have a peaceful Prince  
In Peaceful days, with all Magnificence  
To build his TEMPLE; whose high Battlement  
Seemed Earth to scorn, & threat the Firmament,  
Till th' hapless Day wherein a hateful King,  
(In name and nature, just resembeling  
This Tyrant's Lord) with execrable Blaze,  
Did burn it down, & the Foundation raze.  
A longwhile after, Abr'ham's sacred Stems,  
●urnd from Shores of Tyrant Tigris streams;  
〈◊〉 set with Fears, with Peril, and with Pain,  
〈◊〉- builded Heer God's glorious House again.  
●hich, though (alas!) That first no more it matched,  
●hen a King's Palace a poor Cottage thatched;  
〈◊〉 Bigness yet, Beauty, and Height, obscured  
〈◊〉 Pagan Wonders which most Fame procured:  
〈◊〉 ' Assyrian Queen-king's (sometime) sumptuous Bowers,  
〈◊〉 ' Ephesian Temple, the Egyptian Towers,  
●e Pharians Pharus, Carians' costly tomb,  
●odes high Colossus, the huge Heaps of Rome.  
●r, for admired Art, This glorious TEMPLE  
brewed Ctesyphon for Model and Example;  
●nt rare Apelles curious Pencil Light,  
●d led Lycippus cunning Chizel right.  
Thither, by Troops, th' Isaacian Tribes devout,  
●turnd to Salem, flock from all about:  
〈◊〉, when the heavens, opening their Sluices wide,  
●ure sudden Showers, surrounding every side;  
●e gurgling Rills with rapid Course descend  
●om sundry Hills, and to some River tend.  
But, sad-sweet JUDITH in the midst (almost)  
●ined as Cynthia 'mid the Nightly Host:  
For, God (it seemed) her Beauty's Form had cast  
In rarest Mould of Nature (first or last).   

The High Primate then, assisted with the Lig●●  
Of Eleazar (Priests, whose sacred Crine  
Felt never Razor) on his oiled head  
A pearly Mitre sadly settelled;  
His sacred Body also soon he heals  
With sacred Vesture, fringed with golden Bells:  
Than burns for Offering▪ slays for Sacrifice,  
Kids, Lambs, Calves, Heifers, in abundant wise:  
The horns of the Altar with their blood bedying,  
And lowely-lowd, thus to th' Almighty crying:   

We come not here, o dreadful Lord of Hosts,  
To pled a Roll of Meritorious Boasts;  
Nor to protest, that, in these Punishments,  
Thou wrong'st thy justice, and our Innocence:  
Not; we confess, our foul and frequent Crimes  
Worthy worse Plagues than These, a thousand tim●  
Couldst thou forget Thy deer authentik Pact  
With Abraham, or wouldst thou (so exact)  
Forcing thy Mercy in thy justice Scale,  
Our Weight of Sins with judgements countervail   

Remove our Cause, we therefore (Lord) intre●●  
From justice Bar, unto thy mercy-seat:  
〈◊〉 holy Father, pardon us (we pray)  
〈◊〉 turn from us this fearful Storm away.  
Alas! what boots us, that thy mighty hand  
●●th brought us home from Tigris hateful strand,  
〈◊〉 from the Yoke, which we so long (before)  
●der th' Assyrian cruel Tyrants bore;  
●ese fat Fields, we have but new re-tild,  
●ese fair Frames, we do but now rebuild,  
●ese (o Dolour!) our dear loving Wives,  
●r Babes, Sons, Daughters (dearer than our lives)  
●st serve the Chaldés, Ammonites for Pay,  
●d be the Persians', and fell Parthians Prey;  
This thine Altar, if these hallowed rooms,  
●re-profan'd with Heathen Hecatombs?  
O! if thou wilt not pity Us, abhorred;  
〈◊〉 lest, be jealous of Thy Glory, Lord:  
〈◊〉 least, have pity on This Holy Place,  
●here, to no God, but to IEHOVA's Grace,  
〈◊〉 Incense burnt, nor any Sacrifice,  
●●t to thyself, of all the Deities.  
●●rd! therefore turn, o turn the Chaldean Torches  
●●om these rich Cedar Roofs, these stately Porches:  
●eserue these Plates, this precious Furniture,  
●●om sacrilegious Pilferers impure.  
And let our Sorrow, and our Sacrifice,  
Unto thy justice, for our Sins suffice.   

The Service done, Each doth his way departed,  
And joachim instantly calls apart  
The States of juda, and thus, sadly-sweet,  
Consults with Them, how with this Storm to mee●   

Grave Peers (said he) if your brave Zeal, of old,  
Be not quite quenched, be not yet keycold:  
I● Care of Wives, if tender children's love,  
Had ever Power Your Souls dear Souls to move:  
If in your Breasts rests any noble Worth,  
Now, now or never, bring it bravely forth:  
For, but God aid, and your auspicious Speed,  
We are undone, We & our wretched Seed:  
And never more shall the Immortal see  
This Altar Smoking to His Majesty.   

While th' Air is mute, so that it scarce can make,  
In Summer days, an Aspen leaf to shake:  
While Seas be calm, so that, with Streamers brave,  
A thousand Sail slide on the sleeping Wave:  
While all the Winds be mewed up in their Cell;  
'Tis hard to say, which Pilot doth excel.  
But, when a Tempest, one-while sinks a Ship  
Down to the Bottom of th' infernal Deep;  
●ther-while, with swelling Fury driven,  
〈◊〉 with her Tops against the Stars of Heaven;  
●ng a Shelf now, and a Rock anon;  
〈◊〉, and but then, is a Good Master known.  
●herefore (alas!) let now no carnal Care,  
●oods, lives, honours (for your private Share)  
●e you forget your Common-Country's Love,  
〈◊〉 Sacred Place, th' Honour of GOD above:  
●umbly all into His hands resigning  
〈◊〉 Souls whole Sway● & all your Spirits refining  
〈◊〉 Flame from Dross & Mists impure,  
●h too-●o-oft the clearest Eyes obscure;  
●e (I pray) the best, in likelihood,  
〈◊〉 pleasing God, most for the Public Good.  
〈◊〉 aged Traitor then, whose breath distilled  
〈◊〉 Honey Words, whose breast with Gall was filled,  
aging false Tears from his dissembling Eyes,  
●u●sed Drift did in These Terms disguise:  
〈◊〉 Spirits faint, my Speech doth fail me quite,  
●rost●e hairs for horror stand upright,  
〈◊〉 I consider how This Tyrant fell,  
〈◊〉 B●oud-floods drowning where he comes to quell,  
●es n●er Us; threatening to our Houses Flames,  
〈◊〉 to ourselves, dishonour to our Dames:  
burr, when (on th' other side) to mind I call  
This might● Princes mild Receipt of All  
(Not only t●●h, as, rude and Reason lesle,  
Serve (like himself) dumb Idols, Blocks & Be●●  
But such, as, matching our Zeal's holy Height●,  
Are Abrah●ms Seed, both in their Flesh and Faith▪  
Which wisely h●ue (and timely) turned (submi●●)  
The deadly E●ge of his dread Vengeances:  
I 〈◊〉 the Lord for such a Foe; so meek  
〈◊〉 Lambs, to Lions Lion-like;  
As flexible to humble Tears, as fell  
To resolution's that (in vain) rebel.   

Sigh therefore, yet we may have Choice (for 〈◊〉  
Of War, or Peace; his favour, or his Fury;  
Winking in Dangers, let's not Wilfully  
Fellow our Father's stubborn Surcuidry:  
But, striking Sail in such Storms violence,  
Let's live secure under so good a Prince.   

Yet, None mi●s-take, that I this Counsel 〈◊〉  
To save My Stake, as one too-fain to live:  
Alas! my Years are of themselves of age  
To dye alone, without Assyrians Rage;  
Without the help of their keen Dart or Pole,  
To lance my heart, or to let out my Soul:  
●e, were my Youth's Spring now re-flowred again  
●eateful blood boiling in every vein.  
●eale to GOD, and to my Country's Good  
●d show me well no Niggard of my Blood;  
●t (Samson-like) My Death bring Death to all  
●agan Host and their proud General.  
●ore I fear, lest, with a Zeal too-Yong,  
●ighting for the Law, the Law impugn;  
●ng so the Soldiers Insolence,  
●sing so the Fury of the Prince,  
〈◊〉 they by Conquest of one Day undo  
〈◊〉 Israel, and drown GOD's Glory too.  
●ee bereft, What People, in This Place,  
●ly-religious, shall implore His grace;  
〈◊〉, of all Nations that dispersed Won  
〈◊〉 Shores of Indus, to the S●tting Sun;  
from the farthest Hyperbarean Coasts,  
●ose whose Clime continual Summer roasts,  
〈◊〉 chosen only jacob for his Own,  
●on This Mount His drad-deer Glory shown?  
●t, good old Cambris (else the mildest Prince)  
●nes, grieved and pale with Passions vehemence;  
〈◊〉 interrupting That, with This Discourse  
●ens the heartless Peers and Counsellors:   

Rather, o Earth (for which our Earthlings stri●●)  
Gape under me, and swallow Me alive:  
Rather, just heavens, with sulphury Fire and Fum●  
(As Sodom yerst) Mesodainly consume,  
Than I should (Saint without, within Malicious)  
Give Israel a Counsel so pernicious.   

Were it, the Head of this inhuman Band  
Meant but our Bodies only to command,  
Though with our Birth, to this fa●re Light we bro●●  
Sweet Liberty (so sweet and deer, that naught,  
No Hopes, no Heaps may be compared to it:)  
The TEMPLE saved, I might perhaps submit.  
But, sith this Tyrant, puffed with foolish Pride,  
With heavier Gyves to load our Souls (beside)  
Which (only Vassals of the Thunder-Thrower)  
Nor know, nor own, to Any Sceptres lower;  
Would that (forgetting Him who made us All,  
And of all People chose us principal▪  
And fatherly provides us every thing▪  
And shields us aye with Shadow of his wing)  
We take for GOD, His proud ambitious Prince,  
Who Nimrod-like, with hellish Insolence,  
Would climb to Heaven, although his life be s●●  
As merits not the Name of Man, by much.  
●eard him boldly, bravely stand we to't,  
〈◊〉 against Arms, Man to Man, Foot to Foot.  
●y lies not in vainglorious hearts,  
●er of Horses, not of Pikes, and Darts:  
〈◊〉 be but Instruments th' Eternal moves,  
●own with Conquest whom his Goodness loves.  
〈◊〉, should the Lord now suffer Heathen's rage  
●er-●un his sacred Heritage,  
●se in life his Name we so dishonour;  
●ath, at lest, in Death, let's do him Honour:  
●f we cannot▪ Assur overcome,  
●in, by Patience, Crowns of Martyrdom.  
●d, could our Foes (as fell as Lestrygons')  
〈◊〉 off the Earth extirp our Tribes atonce;  
〈◊〉 could not though GOD's glorious Name inter  
●ese Apostates falsely would infer).  
●e that with so sundry Nations stored  
〈◊〉 peopled World, from one Man; and restored  
●g after that) by one small Bark, the waste  
Flood had made, when it had All defaced;  
〈◊〉 He able even of stones to raise  
●ople Zealous of his glorious Praise?  
〈◊〉 He able once again to open  
sara's Womb, and give her Spouse (past hope)  
Moore Sons, than Sands on Lybian shores be 〈◊〉  
By ruffling Boreas, loud, Cloud-chasing Blast;  
Or twinkling Spangles nightly brightly roll  
On sabled Circles of the whirling Pole:  
Which, with more sacred Voice, more humble 〈◊〉  
Shall sound his Praises, and observe his Law?   

Than rather, Fathers (foul befall You else)  
Let us die Hebrews, then live Infidels.  
Let's not prefer, too-base, and too-too-blame,  
Profit to Duty, idle Fear to Shame.   

Cambris Oration was no sooner done,  
But all th' Assembly (as all joined in one)  
Confirmed His Counsel both with voice & gest:  
And joachim, (joy-rapt, above the rest)  
Lifting to Heav'n-ward reverend hands and face,  
Said, Lord we thank thee, that thy special grace  
Hath steeled our hearts, and linked our Wills no les●:  
A hopeful Sign of happy good Success.   

Than, to the Princes he the Charge commits  
Of Towns and Provinces, as Each befits:  
Lest any, spurted by Envy or Ambition,  
In Zrael should kindle new Sedition.  
So, Each withdraws, and bravely-bold prepare●  
To front the worst that martial Fury dares.  
●ho th' Aristaean busy Swarms hath seen  
Hybla's Top; Whether, with Launcets keen,  
●rging the Drones which over-neer their homes  
●e humming out to rob their fragrant Combs:  
●ther, collectiwg their delicious Dew  
〈◊〉 various Thyme, and other Flowers not few:  
●ther, extending, in rare Symmetry,  
〈◊〉 wondrous Art, their Waxed Canapey;  
〈◊〉 arching even, so many Thousand Cells,  
●uick, so thick; so like, as Nothing else:  
●ther, conducting their too-ful Supplies  
〈◊〉 where, to plant their goodly Colonies;  
●ch keep, still constant, in their new Plantation,  
●ir Mother city's Manners, Laws, and Fashion:  
〈◊〉 seen the jews as busy Diligence,  
〈◊〉 quick Desire to put them in Defence.  
●ome stop the Breaches made by Art or Age;  
●he heavens anger, or the Heathens rage:  
●he, lest the Ram, butting with boisterous Fals.  
●uld pash to powder their too-feeble Walls,  
〈◊〉 Bastions, Bulwarks, Rampires, Ravelins, Forts,  
●k on all sides their Cities where imports:  
●e to and fro trudging with Baskets filled,  
places needful sudden Sconces build:  
Some wanting time, or means their Town to 〈◊〉  
With broad deep Trenches soon begirt it all:  
And from a River near they cut a Rill  
The hollow bosom of their Dike to fill.   

While Armourers, in order, beating quick  
Hot sparkling Steel on Anvils hard and thick,  
Transform it soon to corselets, Curtellaxes,  
Helms, Gorgets, Gauntlets, Bills and Battail-axes;  
And some, for need (to furnish and set-out  
The untrained Shepherd, neat-heard, and the Lo●  
Ground the ground-slycing Coultar to a Blade,  
And of the Sickle a strait Weapon made:  
None Young and healthy took Repast or Rest:  
One on his back, another on his Beast,  
Others in Wagons carryed-in apace  
Corn, Wine, and Food to some importing Place:   

Even so, in Summer (as the Wiseman tells)  
The Emmets by Troops haste from their hollow 〈◊〉  
To get-in Harvest, graving where they go  
Their Diligence even in a path of Stone:  
The lastiest Swarms for their Provision range,  
The sick and old wait at their thrifty Grange  
T'vnloade the Burdens, and lay-up their Store  
In their great Garnier, biting yet before  
〈◊〉 every Grain, lest kept so warm below  
●id the Mould, it after sprout and grow.   
The end of the first Book.   

BETHVLIAN● Rescue. THE SECOND BOOK.  

NOw Holofernes, in the Scythik Fort  
Had pight his Standards; and in various Sp●  
His Youthful Pagans' did them still delight;  
Naught lesle expecting then Affront, or Fight:  
When he had news, The jews stood bravely out,  
Defied his Pride, and fortified about.   

Shall then (said He) shall then a sort of Slaves,  
A sort of Clowns & Shepherds, armed with St●●  
With Slings and Stones, presume to stop the Co●●  
Of Mine exploits: Which, nor the roaring source  
Of rapid Tigris and swift Euphratés,  
Nor snowy Tops of Taure and Niphatés,  
Conspired, could stay? You Chiefs of Moabites,  
Of valiant Ephraim and fierce Ammonites;  
You that as Neighbours (having long conversed)  
Know all the Nations on these Hills dispersed,  
Say, from what People had they their Descent?  
What lies their Strength in? What's their Gouer●●●  
For, He that wisely knows his Foe (they say)  
Hath, in a manner gotten half the Day.  
●hen Ammon's Prince, bending his humble knee,  
●s to the Duke replied right prudently  
●r though in heart a Pagan, born and bred;  
rinsed his Mind, his Tongue divinely led  
●hat same Spirit which did the Seer compel,  
●ch came to curse, to bless his Israel;  
〈◊〉 th' Hebrews State did such Relation make,  
●f in Him Moses and Esdras spoke;)   

●y Lord, I shall, sith You so please, recite  
〈◊〉 Isacians Story; and will follow right  
〈◊〉 ingenious Bees, which want not to devour  
Sweet they meet, nor suck of every Flower;  
〈◊〉 even of those they choose, take but the Crops.  
●s People (Sir) upon the Mountain Tops  
●amped here, originally came  
〈◊〉 forth the Loins of famous ABRAHAM,  
●o, to obey the GOD of Gods, most High  
●er of All; of All Support, Supply;  
●e to This Country (then, in Occupation  
〈◊〉 Canaanites, the rich and native Nation)  
●ere that same GOD not only heaps with Gold  
●d Goods, his House; but also (though He old  
〈◊〉 hundred years; a third part less, his Wife;  
●d, till that season, barren all her life)  
Scent him a Son: swearing, His seed should sway  
Triumphant Sceptres many, many-a-day:  
But, when good Abraham's old-old Age expects  
This happy Promise in the sweet effects,  
Th'Immortal Voice (o piteous Mysteries!)  
Commands that He his ISAAC sacrifice.   

Even as a Ship upon the raging Sea  
Between Two Winds Cross-tossed every-way,  
Uncertain, knows not in what Course to set-her,  
Till one of them, striving to get the better,  
Doubles his bellows, and with boisterous blast  
Drives her (at random) where he list, at last:  
So, th' Hebrew, feeling in-ward War (that season)  
betwixt Love and Duty, betwixt Faith and Reason▪  
Doubts what to do; and his Perplexities  
Lean now to that hand, and anon to this:  
Til● th'heavenly love he aught his GOD had won  
The earthly love he bore his only Son.  
Than, having ready Fire and Faggot laid,  
And on the Altar his dear Son displayed;  
The knife he draws with trembling hand, and ha●  
Even heaved his arm about to strike the Lad,  
When GOD, in th'instant stays the Instrument  
Ready to fall on th'humble Innocent:  
〈◊〉 satisfied with so sufficient Trial  
〈◊〉 Abraham's Faith; to Him his GOD so loyal.  
〈◊〉 ●rom ISAAC, JACOB; & from JACOB sprung  
●●elue sturdy Sons; who, with sore Famine wrung,  
●●rsaking Canaan, for a great-good-while  
●d happy Biding by the Banks of Nile:  
●ere their blessed Issue multiplied so fast,  
●at they become th' Egyptian's Fear, at last:  
〈◊〉, though (alas!) their bodies had no rest,  
●l though their backs with burdens were oppressed;  
●e noble Palm-Trees, mounting stiffly— straight,  
●e more, the more they be surcharged with weight.  
Therefore the Tyrant which then held the Rains  
〈◊〉 ●hat rich Soil where sad Heaven never rains,  
●mmands that all male Hebrew Infants found  
●ore Innocents'!) be quickly killed, or drowned,  
●oon as Wombs had them delivered;  
●●●tone same day might see them born and dead.  
OH Tiger! thinkest thou? thinks that Rage of thine  
〈◊〉 cut-off quite Isaac's Immortal Ligne?  
〈◊〉 may it reave the scarce-born Life of those  
〈◊〉- hatched Babes, and them of Light fore-close:  
〈◊〉 notwithstanding, Iacob's swarming Race  
●hin few Years shall cover Canaan's Face;  
And, thine own Issue even the first shall be  
To break (and justly) thine unjust Decree.   

Pharaeo's fair Daughter, with a noble Train,  
For Blood and Beauty rarely matched again,  
One Evening, bathing in the Crystal Brook  
Which through Gossen crawls with many a Cro●●  
Hears in the reeds a rueful Infant's voice;  
But thinking it some of the Hebrews Boys  
(As'twas indeed) her Father's bloody Law  
Stopped for a while her tender ears with Awe.  
But, at the last, marking the Infant's face  
(I woat not what unusual Tracts of Grace  
And Types of Greatness sweetly shining there)  
Love vanquished Duty, Pity conquered Fear:  
For, She not only takes him up from thence,  
But brings him up, and breeds him as a Prince,  
Yea, as Her own. OH Babe beloved of God  
OH Babe ordained to lighten the Hebrew's Load!  
To lead then Bodies, to direct their Minds,  
First, best, most, Wrighter, in all sacred Kinds ●●  
Thou hadst but now no Mother (to be seen)  
And now for Mother, Thou hast found a Queen   

Lo, thus (my Lord) could their wise God extra●●  
Good out of Evil, and convert the act  
persecution (bend against the blood  
〈◊〉 Life of His) unto their greater good.  
●seph's Brethrens, by their Envious Drift  
●ver-throwe him, to a Throne him lift:  
●id proud Haman's deadly Hatred lend  
Mordechay a Ladder to ascend  
honours Top, and trimmed his neck (past Hope)  
● graceful Chain, in steed of shameful Rope.  
●ne day, this Hebrew, driving Iethro's Sheep  
●n Mount Hereb (where he used to keep)  
●e on the sudden a bright blazing Flame  
●e in a Bush, and yet not burn the same;  
●n whence, anon he heard (with Fear & Wonder)  
●oice, might shake both Heaven & Earth in sunder.  
〈◊〉 I that (only) AM-WAS-SHAL-BE, Who  
●e All of Nothing; and can All undoo,  
●n pleaseth Me: JAM▪ M, The Holy-One,  
Great, The Good, The Just; Whose hand alone  
●aines, maintains, and rules the World: JAM,  
omnipotent, The GOD of Abraham;  
●e to my Foes with my Revenging Rod,  
●nto Those that worship Me for GOD,  
●ole, and whole in Thought, in Word, & Deed,  
●t merciful; to Them and all their Seed.  
Than do my Will: dispatch thee speedy hence;  
Go, say from Me, to that unhallowed Prince  
Which ruleth Memphis, and the fertile Plain  
Where swelling Nilus serves in steed of Rain,  
That he dismiss my People: and lest He,  
Incredulous, distrust thine Embassy;  
Cast-down thy Rod, thy Message to confirm,  
It to a Scrpent shall eftsoons transform.   

He throws it down, and instantly withal  
Seas it begin to live, to move, to crawl,  
With hideous head before, and tail behind,  
And body wriggling (after Creepers kind).  
Re-take it up, his GOD commands him then;  
Which, taken, takes the former Form again:  
And, past Man's Reason (by the power of GOD)  
Of Rod turns Serpent, and of Serpent Rod.   

Armed with this Wand, wherewith he was to quell  
The sceptred Pride of many an Infidel,  
He many a time importunes Pharaoh,  
In GOD's great Name, to let the Hebrews go  
Into the Desert, at their liberties  
To serve the Lord, and offer Sacrifice.   

But Pharaoh, deaf unto his sacred Word,  
S●ifly withstands the Message of the Lord:  
●hen, by Moses working many Miracles,  
prized His Orator and Oracles.  
●t, He not only turned into Blood  
〈◊〉 seau'nfold Waves, and every other Flood  
●attens Egypt; but even every Spring,  
●c captive Crystal, golden Pipes do bring  
●ve the Court: so that the King is forced  
●hat read liquor to alloy his Thirst.  
●n, from the Fens, from puddly Ponds & Lakes,  
●ns of Million of foul Frogs he makes,  
●ver Memphis with their ugly Fry,  
●ot forbear the Kings own Canapy.  
●en, of all Ages, of all sorts, and sexes,  
〈◊〉 burning Ulcers, and hot Biles he vexes,  
●t th' Egyptians, in uncessant anguish,  
〈◊〉 known Poison, on their Couches languish:  
●an their Leeches their own Leeches be,  
●ir unheardof, hidden Malady.  
●en on their Cattles; Flocks, & Herds, & Droves  
●wnes & Dales, Fens, Forests, Fields & Groves,  
●g Contagion suddenly he spread;  
〈◊〉 took so quickly both their heart and head,  
●lly Shepherds near the River's side,  
〈◊〉 Cattles dead, sooner than sick, espied.   

Than turns the Earth's Dust into Swarms of 〈◊〉  
Than dims the Air with dusky Clouds of Flies,  
Of Drones, Wasps, Hornets, humming day & 〈◊〉  
In every place, with every face to fight,  
And fixing deep in every Pagans' skin  
Th'unusual anger of their steeled Pi●●.   

Than (when appeared no Threat of troubled 〈◊〉  
No sign of Tempest) at his Servants Prayer  
The Eternal thundered down such Storms of Hail,  
As with the noise and stroke did stoutest quail:  
Here falls a Bull, brained with a Hailstones rap;  
There sprawls a Child, split with a Thunder- 〈◊〉  
Heer a huge Forest, lately all a Cloud  
Of tufted Arms, hath neither Shade nor Shroud  
And, if the native Sapritius again re-suit  
The naked Trees with comely Leaves and Fr●●▪  
Again (alas!) the Caterpillar crops,  
Within few hours, the Husband's yearly hope●   

Than, with gross Darkness veiling close the 〈◊〉  
He so sield-up stubborn Egyptians eyes,  
That for three days with fearful foot and ha●●  
They groped their way (except in Gossen-Land)  
And Titan, tired in his long Course, for ease,  
Seemed then to rest him with th' Antipodes.  
〈◊〉, as the same Sun, the same instant, makes  
Mud to harden; and to melt, the Wax:  
●d These Works, so full of admiration,  
averse Subjects, diverse Operation.  
〈◊〉 humble Hebrews, GOD's great hand adore;  
wilful Pharaoh spurns it more and more:  
〈◊〉 as a Corselet, when 'tis cold enough,  
●ore 'tis beaten grows the harder Proof.  
●t, at the sad News of the Prince, His Son,  
●ll their Heirs, all in one Night undone;  
●as so daunted, that he early bod  
Hebrews go to serve the Lord their GOD:  
〈◊〉, in a Pillar of a Cloud, by Day,  
●re, by Night; directed right their Way.  
〈◊〉, soon retracting his extorted Grant,  
●stubborn Tyrant strangely arrogant,  
〈◊〉 all his Egypt, and in post pursews  
Armlesse Legions of the harmless jews,  
〈◊〉 lodged secure along the sandy shore,  
●e th' Erythraean ruddy Billows roar.  
●as not such Noise, when, tearing Gibalt●●,  
Herculean Sea came first to spread so far  
●t Calpe and Abyle; nor when O●notri●  
〈◊〉 sighing lost her deer near Trinacri●;  
As in both Armies: Th'one insulting proud;  
Th'other in skriches, & sad cries, as loud, (〈◊〉  
Deafened the Shores: while mischiefs, Horns, furio●  
With Noise & Neighs, did even the Welkin for●   

Cursed Seducer (cried the jews) what Spite  
Moved thee to altar our Lives happy plight?  
What! are we Fish, that we here should swi●  
Through these deep Seas? Or, are we Fowls to 〈◊〉  
Over the steepest of these Mountains tall?  
Were there not Graves in Egypt for us all?  
In our dear Gossen? but we needs must come  
In this Red-Sea to seek our rewfuil Tomb▪   

Yet, mildest Moses, with his dead-live Wand  
Strikes th'awful Streams: which, yielding to his 〈◊〉  
Discover Sands the Sun had never spied;  
And Walled the same with Waves on either side:  
Between the which (dread-less & danger-less)  
The Hebrews dryshod past the Crimson Seas.  
But, when the Tyrant rashly them pursues,  
Marching the Way was made but for the jews;  
The Sea returns, & overturns his Force,  
Himself, his Men, his Chariots, & his Horse.   

OH happy People, for whom GOD (so kind)  
Arms Fire, & Air, & Clouds, & Waves, & Wind●  
〈◊〉 All things serve: which hast All things in Pay.  
●euer let Time's File to fret away  
●re a Favour? rather let the Tongue  
●ll thine Aged tell it to Their Young;  
〈◊〉 to their Seed, & They to theirs again;  
●ally These Wonders to retain.  
●em, forty years, GOD in the Desert fed  
angels Food, with a celestial Bread;  
〈◊〉 from a Rock (as dry as Pumice first)  
〈◊〉 Rivers gush, to satisfy their Thirst:  
〈◊〉 (even) their Shoes, & all their Garments there,  
●od, the last, as the first day they were:  
〈◊〉 sigh our Souls will faint for want of Food,  
liberal in All, for all their Good,  
〈◊〉 (on Mount Sinai) in his Sacred Law,  
〈◊〉 to their Souls, through sharp-sweet filial Awe:  
●hing them all (as duty All doth bind)  
●ue Him first, & next to Him, Mankind;  
〈◊〉 We might never break That sacred Twine  
●h Man to Man, & Man to GOD doth join.  
●aue Moses dead, brave Iosuah's rule began;  
●e happy Sword soon conquered Can●an;  
●n few years unto subjection brings  
Lives and States of one and thirty Kings.  
At His command, more powerful than the Thunder  
The firmest Rocks & Rampires fall in-sunder;  
Without the Shock of Tortoise or of Ram,  
To batter Breaches where his Army came:  
For, but with bellowing of hoarse Trumpets of 〈◊〉  
As with an Engine, proudest Towers are torn:  
As at his Beck, the heavens obey his will;  
The Fire-foot Coursers of the Sun stand still,  
To lengthen Day, lest under wings of Night,  
His Heathen Foes should save themselves by Fli●   

This scourge of Pagans', in a good old age▪  
(To live in Heaven) leaving this Earthly Stage,  
Israel had many Magistrates of Name,  
Whose Memories live ever fresh in Fame.  
Who knows not A●●d, Sangar, Samuel,  
D●bor●, Bara●, and Othoniel?  
Who hath not heard of mighty Samsons Coil,  
Who, sole, and Arm-less, did an Army foil?  
What Praise with Iephthe's might have well com●  
Had but his Rashness his dear Daughter spared▪  
What Clime, what Time, what River, Dale, or 〈◊〉  
But rings of Gedeon, and his high Renown?   

After the judges; Kings (some good, some b●●)  
The sacred Helm of th' Hebrew Vessel had:  
〈◊〉 their david's holy Harp and Skill,  
●ng but David would I wa●ble still:  
〈◊〉 (my Lord) great david's Deeds, could none  
〈◊〉 while) achieve, but david's Self alone;  
●one but david's Harp, & david's Hymn  
●nd aright the honours due to Him:  
〈◊〉 not therefore, with unworthy Lays,  
●ing to praise him, derogate his Praise.  
〈◊〉, shall I balk his Son, whom Heaven adorn  
〈◊〉 Health, Wealth, Wisdom, & All-Plenties horn:  
●e prudent▪ Problems, touching every Theme,  
〈◊〉 thousand Sophysts to JERUSALEM,  
dianes, Indian's, Africans, among;  
●'d by the Charms of his All-Skilfull Tongue?  
●m, whose Zeal the Idols so defaced;  
●urg'd GOD's TEMPLE, & his Rites re-placed?  
●im, that saw a heavenly Host descend  
●ccour Zion, and his Foes offend?  
●im, whose Army, near to Gerar, yerst,  
●d Ethyopians swarming Troops dispersed?  
●im, who praying for heavens aid, to fight  
●st Ammon, Moab, and Mount-Sē●rit●;  
〈◊〉 by themselves, his sad Request fulfilld,  
●n, Self-incenst, themselves they enter-killd?   

But Chaldei's King, by Theirs Captivity,  
Put (late) an End unto That Monarchy.  
Ye● did Great Cyrus' Them again restore  
To Liberty; and gave them furthermore  
Leave to elect Two Rulers of their Race:  
Whereof the One (who yet supplies the place)  
Was joachim; who, for his holy Life,  
Prowess, and Prudence, is respected life,  
Not sole in Zion; but with Ammonites,  
Syrians, Sydonians, Madians, Moabites,   

Thus was (my Lord) the Prime, this the 〈◊〉  
Of ISRAEL, through every Time's success●●●  
And Thus the Lord hath lift them (nigh) to He●  
Sometimes; sometimes, them (even) to Hell hath 〈◊〉   

But, whether Princely-Priest, or judge, or Ki●●▪  
Of th' Hebrew Tribes have had the Governing;  
So long as They observed the sacred Pact  
GOD with their Fathers did by Oath contract▪  
Aye prosperous, triumphantly they trod  
On proudest Foes: and all the World abroad,  
Conspired in Spite, could nothing Them 〈◊〉  
Much less distracted them; lest of all, destroy:  
On th' other side, soon as they have infrenged  
His Ordinance, their GOD (to be avenged)  
thralled them, now, to cruel Moabites▪  
〈◊〉 to Edom, then to Ammonites,  
〈◊〉 Philistines: and aye his Wrath hath been  
●y upon them, when they happed to sin.  
●o be therefore, any their Offence▪  
●ealous justice of their GOD incense;  
〈◊〉 not their Mounts, nor undermine their Bowers,  
●ring thy Rams against their rampired Towers,  
●●ale their Walls, nor lead thy Legions,  
●h Resolution) to assault them once:  
●et them heap, on Carmel Libanus;  
ribbon▪ Niphate; there-on Emmäus:  
●in one Channel let them muster hither  
〈◊〉 and Rhone, Nilus and Rhine together,  
〈◊〉 and Iber too, to fence their Coast:  
〈◊〉 cannot scape from thy victorious Host.  
●t, if they have not broke the Cov●nant  
●h GOD to Abraham & his Seed did grant:  
●re (my Lord) beware how you come near  
〈◊〉 holy Nation, to their GOD so dear.  
●hould swart Auster him dispeople quite  
●u●nish Thee with all His fit to fight:  
●ld swarming Borea● from His utmost end  
●is tall Soldiers to Thy service sand:  
Should Zephyrus add to Thy dreadful Power  
His martial Legions, all Hesperians Flower:  
Should (last) Euru● sand Thee for Supplies  
His Troops which first see Phoeb●● Rays a●i●●  
All These, all-daring, all-devouring Swarms,  
This armed World, or all This World of Arms,  
Can never conquer (in a thousand year)  
The least▪ worst, weakest, of these Cities here;  
Because Their GOD will be Their sure Defe●●●▪  
That GOD almighty, whose Omnipotence  
Can with a breath confounded all Kings that dare  
(As Thou dost now) 'gainst Him make op●● 〈◊〉   

As th' Ocean's Billows swell not by and by,  
When (first) the Winds begin to bellow high;  
But, first begin to foam, & then to fume,  
Higher, and higher, till their Ragepresume  
To chide the Earth, & check the Welkin's Front,  
And ●andy Hills against the Heavenly Mount:  
Even so, the Princes of this Pagan Rout,  
Hearing GOD's praises, forthwith break not o●●  
In rageful Fury; but as th' Ammonite  
Grows in Discourse, so grow they in Despite;  
Till at the last, with loud, proud murmurs▪  
They even blaspheme the glorious King of King's  
Kill (cry they) kill; let's hew & hale in pieces  
●e subtle Traitor, that with wily Speeches,  
〈◊〉 save his Hebrews from Khamnusias' Rod,  
●uld fright us with a false and idle God.  
Renowned General, sand but out a score  
〈◊〉 All thy Troops, & they shall soon run-o're  
●ose rascal Rebels, and reduce them all  
●strate and humble at Thy feet to fall:  
〈◊〉 Coward, Villain. But, the Viceroy then,  
epping their loud outrageous Storms again,  
●an himself Th●● to the Ammonite;  
〈◊〉, impudent Impostor! Tell Me (right)  
●at Fiend, what Fury hath inspired these Spells:  
●at Trevet told thee, or what Sibyl else  
●de thee believe the Syrians shall not quell  
〈◊〉 Isaacian Troop, but stoops to Israel,  
●ose GOD is but their Dream, or Fancy vain▪  
●meer Devise of MOSES subtle brain;  
●ther, of power to give them Victory,  
〈◊〉, from Our hands to rescue Them nor Thee.  
●at GOD have we, but the great King of Kings,  
●●BVCHADNEZZAR? whose dread puissance rings  
●e all the Earth: who covering far & nigh▪  
〈◊〉 Plains with Horse, Hills with Infantry,  
Shall raze these Runagates; which, fled from 〈◊〉  
Have heerusurped Others Right, erewhile.  
Die therefore, villain, die; take the desert  
Of thy false Tongue, & of thy treacherous heart.   

What said I, fond? Not, Dastard, I disdain  
My valiant Blade in Thy base blood to slain:  
Thou shalt so quickly not receive the meed  
Of thy disloyal and detested Deed  
(For, a quick Death is Wretch's bliss, we know▪  
Them quickly ridding both of Life and Woe)  
But, with thy Days thy Dolours to protrack,  
Thou shalt from hence unto Bethulia pack,  
Where still thou shalt, through infinite dismay,  
Undying, die a thousand times a day;  
Until, with Those invincible (thou sayst)  
With thousand wounds a wretched End thou ha●●.  
Why tremblest Thou? why doth thy colour fail▪  
Why seems ●hy heart for horror so to qua●le?  
If so Their GOD be GOD (as thou hast v●nted)  
Now, by thy Face witness thy faith, undaunted.   

Than, the Lord Martial, in Authority  
Under the Viceroy, not in cruelty,  
Transporteth speedy, near Bethulians' side  
The un- pagan Pagan, hand and foot fast tied;  
●uing His Troops wounded with wondrous grief  
〈◊〉 be deprived of so brave a Chief:  
●n so the Puttock in his crooked Serrs  
●e peeping Chicken through the Welkin bears;  
●ile the poor Dam, below cluk-clucking thick,  
●es, but in vain, and calls her rapted Chick.  
The Citizens, seeing th' approach of Foes,  
●n in alarm, them all to Arm dispose;  
●d, with meet Number of their Men of worth,  
●d choice Commanders, bravely s●lly forth;  
●er than Torrents, gus●ing from the Hills,  
●n hopping down into the lower Fields.  
●e Foe, retiring to their mightier Bands,  
●ues captive Ammon in the Hebrews hands;  
●om with a forced foot, though free in thought,  
●d Will right willing, to their Town they brought.  
●ere, round-environd with a curious Crowd,  
●ing to Heaven his hands and eyes, aloud  
●s he began: OH Thou great GOD, the Guide  
Heaven and Earth, and All that is beside;  
●ose living Spirit (spread in, and over All)  
●es All things Life, Breath, Growth, Original,  
●ue Thee, Lord, a thousand Thanks devout,  
●at thou hast deigned, yer death, to take me out  
Of my wild Stock, to grafted me in the Stem  
Of th'happy Tree, dewed with thy Gracious stre●  
Which (maugre Blasts, and Blast, rough & 〈◊〉)  
Of All the Trees, bears only Fruit of Life.   

And, good Isacians, for GOD's sake, I pray  
Miss-doubt me not, as coming to betray,  
Or under-mine by wily Stratagem,  
Your Strength or State; or wrong IERVSALI●  
Not: GOD doth know, I suffer This, for You,  
For witnessing before yond wicked Crew,  
GOD's mighty Arm for Your Forefathers 〈◊〉  
As ready still, to save and shield his Own:   

Fear not therefore Their mighty multitude,  
Whose sight (almost) so many hath subdued.  
Nor let their Boasts, nor braving Menaces,  
Kill, quail, or cool, your holy Courages:  
For, should the whole Earth sand her Sons, in swar●  
Against you only, all to carry Arms;  
So that your Trust be fixed in GOD alone,  
Not in an Arm of Flesh, not in your Own:  
You shall, no doubt, make ruddy, M●cmur's Flo●  
With Idolist Assyrian Armies blood:  
You shall, no doubt, of Fearful, Fierce become,  
Your strong Ass●lants stoutly overcome.  
Almighty's hand, so ready bend to smite,  
●ut to humble, not destroy you quite;  
〈◊〉 but to show you, that in all Distress,  
〈◊〉 only He, can give you quick Redress.  
●s from a Bramble springs the sweetest Rose;  
●om a Weed the whitest Lily grows:  
〈◊〉 so, divinest Sighs, devoutest Tears,  
●urest Life, are Fruits Affliction bears.  
〈◊〉 here the Faithful are much like the Earth,  
●ch, of itself (alas!) brings nothing forth  
Thorns and Thistles, if the Plough she lack,  
〈◊〉 daily wounds to lance her bunchie back.  
〈◊〉 yet the Lord (who always doth relent,  
●oon as Sinners earnestly repent,  
〈◊〉, in his time, his sharp hand doth retire,  
〈◊〉 cast, at last, his Rods into the Fire)  
〈◊〉 rid your dangers, and restore you rest,  
〈◊〉 in an hour, when you can hope it lest.  
●hen, courage, Friends: let's vanquish GOD with Tears▪  
●d than Our Arms shall quickly conquer There's,  
●eir World of Men. And, if as yet in Me  
〈◊〉 any Strength; if any Courage be;  
●ine Experience may in aught avail:  
●ith mine Age, all be not old & frail:  
I vow it all, and All that else is Mine,  
To your Defence, and for the Law divine.   
The end of the second Book.   

●ETHVLIANS Rescue. THE THIRD BOOK.  

Lame-snorting Phlegon's ruddy breath began,  
Reducing Day, to gilled the Indian;  
●n early wakened with their rattling Drums,  
〈◊〉 Heathen Soldier from his Caban comes,  
●s-vp his Arms, and marching in Array,  
●ards Bethulia tends the ready way.  
〈◊〉 May, the Meads are not so pied with Flowers,  
●ndry Figures, Colours, Savours, Powers;  
●s this Host, with Squadrons, different  
●nguage, Manners, Arms, and Ornament:  
●at th'old Chanos (Womb of th'universe)  
●neuer made of Members more diverse.  
●heer-in All agreed, for all their Odds,  
far against th' Eternal GOD of Gods,  
●se breath, whose beck, makes both the Poles to shake,  
Caucasus and Libanus to quake.  
●er, cold Hyrcania's bold & braving Seed,  
〈◊〉 with (Their neighbours) both Armenia's Breed,  
●e wanton Crests. There Parthian Archers try  
●ward to shoot, the while they forward fly.  
The Persian, there, proud of th' Imperial state,  
With golden scales scalops his Armed plate.  
Here would the Mede show, that for want of 〈◊〉  
Not Heart, He lost His (late) Imperial Cap.  
And that, nor Pomp of his too sumptuous Suits;  
His painted Che●ks, his Phrygik Lays & Lute●●  
His crisped Bush, nor his long, borrowed Lock,  
Had ever power his Manly mind to smock:  
Happy-Arabians, who their Fern-thatcht Town●●  
Tumble in Tumbrels up & down the Downs:  
The subtle Tyvians, who did first invent,  
Our winged words, in Barks of Trees to pri●●:  
The men of Moab, and the Ammonites,  
The Iduméans, and the Elamites,  
Learned Egyptians: Those that near confine  
The swelting Coasts of swartest Abyssine:  
In brief; All ASIA was immured almost  
Within the Trenches of This mighty Host;  
Wherein, almost as many Nations clustered,  
As th' Hebrews Army single Soldiers mustered.   

But, of all These, none plagued the Israelites  
Moore, than their own Apostate Ephraimites;  
Who, not to seem of kin to Israel,  
Raged with more fury, fought more deadly fel.  
〈◊〉 the Spring time, while a Pool is still,  
smooth aloft, the Frogs lie croaking shrill;  
●the least Stone that a Child can fling  
●ir the water, strait they cease to sing:  
●hile a happy Peace JUDEA blest,  
Constancy of These stood with the best  
●ng the Saints; and the Lord's sacred Praise  
●n their mouths daily and many ways;  
〈◊〉 at they seemed like burning Lamps to shine  
●d the Flock, devoutly-most-divine:  
●t the Noise of Holofernes Name,  
●r famous Faith nothing but air become;  
●r Mouth is stopped, the Zeal they did presume  
●●ghly hot, is vanished into Fume.  
〈◊〉 turned Pagans' (for some Profits sake)  
〈◊〉, worse than Pagans', their poor Brethrens rake.  
〈◊〉! what a Number of such Ephraincites  
nowadays (Deceitful Hypocrites!)  
〈◊〉- in the Church, the while a prosperous wind,  
〈◊〉 gentle Gales, blows fair and full behind;  
●ch seem with Zeal the Gospel to embrace,  
●le that it yields them either Gain, or Grace:  
〈◊〉 if the Chance change; if it hap to puff  
〈◊〉 half affront; if She be feign to luffe;  
fainthearted, then forthwith they cast about:  
And, with th' Almighty playing bankrupt,  
With greater Rage his Law they persecute,  
Than yerst with Zeal they did it prosecute;  
And in their Malice grow more fierce and furious,  
Than julian yerst, or Celsus, or Porphyrius.   

Soon as the Hebrews from their Turrets spy  
So many Ensigns waving in the Sky;  
And such an Host, marching in such Array,  
Begird afar their City every way:  
They faint for dread; not having where to run,  
Save to the GOD their Grandsires trusted on.   

OH Father (cry they) Father of Compassion,  
Whose wing is wont to be our strong Salvation;  
Sigh now against us all the World doth swarm,  
O! Cover us with thine Almighty arm.   

Thus having prayed, the Careful Governor  
To Charge his Watches doth him quick bestir;  
And when the Sun in his moist Cabin dives,  
With hundred Fires the Day again revives;  
Watch's himself amid the Court of Guard;  
Walks of the Round: and weens, that overhard  
P●oebe's black Coachman drives his sable Steeds,  
Hebrews Ruin hasting more than needs.  
●hile, opposite, the Pagans' think her fast  
●ith her Emdymion, in a slumber cast:  
●t, Man's frail wishes have (alas!) no force,  
●o hold, or hasten, the heavens settled Course.  
● Soon as they saw Aurora's saffron ray  
●n their Horizon to renew the Day;  
●he Vice▪ Roy makes a thousand Trumpets sound,  
● assemble all his scattered Troops around;  
●hich from all parts with speedy paces went  
●nvironing their Chief-Commanders Tent:  
●s round about a Huntsman, in a morn,  
●he Hounds do throng when once they hear his horn,  
● Having, in vain, summoned the Town; hetries  
● hundred ways, it (wrathful) to surprise:  
●eer, th' Engineer gins his Ram to rear;  
●eer mounts his Trepan, and his Scorpion there;  
●ends here his Bricol, there his boisterous Bow;  
●rings here his Fly-Bridge, there his battering Crow:  
asides high Timber-Towers, on rolling Feet  
●ov'd and removed; controlling every Street.  
● Heer, pioneers are put the Ditch to fill;  
●o levelly Mounts, to make a Hole a Hill:  
●o play the Moules, to dig a secret way,  
● to the Town their Soldiers to convey.   

Heer, others must their Ladders raise the while,  
And quick surprise the Sentinels, by wile:  
Others must under-mine: others aspire,  
With matter fitting, every Gate to fire.   

But the most part stand ready in Array  
To give Assault, soon as they see their Way  
Made meet and easy by the batterring Thunder  
Of all their Engines pashing Walls in sunder.   

Tower-tearing Mars, Bellona thirsting-blood▪  
Fill there the faintest with their Furious-mood:  
There fiery Steeds, stamping & neighing loud;  
There Pagan's fell, braving and raving proud,  
With hideous noise make th'heavenly Vault resound,  
The Earth to echo; and even Hell astounded.   

But He that keeps eternal Sentinel  
On heavens high watchtower, for His Israel;  
Pitying his People, alters, in a trice,  
The Tyrant's purpose, by a new Advice;  
Causing the Captains of brave Moabites,  
Strong Iduméans, and stout Ammonites,  
Thus to advice: Most noble General,  
Terror of Kings, redoubted Scourge of All;  
We would not wish (my Lord) in any sort,  
You bring Your brave Bands to assault this Fort:  
●or, neither Pike, Dart, Sling, Bow, Sword, nor Shield,  
●o back the Foe, or make them slack to yield;  
〈◊〉 these proud Rocks, which, by wise Nature's grace,  
●ampire the Rampires of this wretched Place:  
Which year You scale, undoubtedly will cost  
badders of Bodies; and even Tithe your Host.  
●he Victor is no Victor, if his Gain  
●asse not his Loss; nor th'honour drown the Stain:  
●ise-valiant Prince, that Fisher, Fool we hold,  
●ho for a Gull, venter's a Line of Gold:  
●nd, ill doth th'honour of a Crown beseem  
●h'inhumane, bloody, barbarous, Head of Him  
●ho rather would the Death of many Foes.  
●hen Life and Safety of one Friend, to choose.   

You may (my Lord) you may, without Assault,  
Or Loss of Man, reduce them all to naught,  
〈◊〉 in you Hillocks you but seize the Springs,  
●hence hollow Led the Hebrews Water brings;  
●ho, so by Thirst distressed, and so put to it,  
●ill come and cast them haltred at your Foot.  
〈◊〉 The noble Lion never sets-upon  
●se fearful Beasts, but on the noblest one:  
●VE'S sulphury Darts He seld or never thrills  
●t on Mount Atlas, or the Ryphean Hills:  
And stormfull Auster, ever rather smote  
Clowd-cleaving Turrets than a lowly Coat:  
Not more, no more let your dread Arms assail  
So faint a Foe as of himself will quail.   

It is not Fear (my Lord) and much lesle Pity  
(Fear of ourselves, or Favour to the City)  
Makes us oppose us to Thy Purpose yet:  
For, year that We Thy happy Standards quit:  
For Thee will We defy th' immortal Gods:  
For Thee we'll break their Altars all to Clods:  
For Thee will We march with unweary soles,  
Beyond the Arctik and Antarctik Poles:  
For Thee will We with winged Arms go fetch  
jove's Aigle down; and Neptun's Trident snatch:  
For Thee, the Son shall not his Sire forbear,  
Nor Sire the Son, nor Brother, Brother spare.   

The General, who for Avail revolves,  
Peizes this Counsel; and re-peized, resolves:  
Dispatching speedy a selected Force,  
To seize the Waters, and divert their Course.   

The Hebrews, Their Drift, & their Own Danger see  
In that Attempt: so, sally instantly  
To stop the Foe from stopping of the Stream  
Which should derive Liquor and Life to Them.   

Than Pagans' fight for ambitious Fame;  
●ewes, not to die with un-revenged Shame;  
●ravely encounter with so fell Disdain,  
That now the Pagan flies, now fights again;  
●ollowes his flying Foe: and now the jew,  
Nigh foiled, faints; now doth the Fight renew:  
So that fair Victory seems long to waver,  
As it were, doubtful whether side to favour:  
Till (at the last) th' Hebrews, all over spread  
With Clouds of Shot, back to their Bulwark fled:  
Even as a Pilgrim, in the naked Plain  
Meeting a Storm of mighty Hail or Rain,  
Runs dropping wet some hollow Rock to found,  
Or other Covert built by Nature kind.  
Pagans' pursue them, and pell-mell among  
Enter almost the City in the Throng.  
Than every where did dreadful Noise arise:  
From street to street th'amazed Vulgar flies;  
Tearing their hair, beating their breast and face:  
As if the Foe had even possessed the Place.   

Why flieye Cowards? Whether? Do you know?  
What Fortress have you, if you This forego?  
Or, in this City seek you for a stronger,  
To guard you better, or preserve you longer?  
If now (alas!) you dare not bear you stout  
Against the Foe, while he is yet without;  
How will you dare resist his violence,  
Were he once Master of your weak Defence?   

The People, chid thus by their prudent Chief,  
Somewhat re-heart'ned, rescue with relief  
Cambris and Carmis; who, the while, like Towers,  
Had in the Gate withstood th' Assalting Stowers  
Of almost all the furious Infidels.  
For Lance, a long Mast, either strongly wields,  
For Arms an Anvil; each a massy Targe  
Of steel about his neck, as long as large:  
Adown their shoulders from their Helms did wave  
Th●ck Plumy Clouds of Colours brightly-brave:  
Both like, in age, in Courage, Name, and Nature;  
Both like, in bulk, both like in Strength & Stature.  
Both, like Two Popplars which (on either side  
Some silver Brook) their tressie Tops do hide  
Amid the Clouds; and shaken by the Wind,  
Often kiss each other, like Two Brethrens kind.   

The Heathen, seeing still fresh Troops descend  
From every side, the City to defend;  
Leave-off their Onsett: and, well-nigh disbanded,  
Gladly retreat whether their Heads commanded.   

When I consider the extreme Distress  
Which thirty Days did the Bethulians press;  
●ong sad enough I hardly can invent,  
●o deadly Plight lively to represent:  
My hand for horror shakes, and can no more  
●uide on this page my Pen as heretofore:  
●et do mine Eyes with Tears bedew it so,  
〈◊〉 well appears a subject full of Woe.   

Thou Spirit which dost all Spirit's vivisie;  
Which didst unloose the Tongue of Zachary;  
●nd, through the World thy sacred Name to preach,  
●hy Messengers so sundry Tongues didst teach:  
direct my weary Quill, my Courage raise,  
●hat I, This Work may finish to Thy Praise.  
Though th' Hebrews saw their Town, on every part,  
●ot with an Host, but with a World begirt,  
●et had they Hope the long Siege would no lesle  
consume th' Assyrians, than themselves distiess:  
●at when the Foe had all the Pipes deprived,  
●hence, Water yerst the sacred Town derived,  
●las! their Hope and even their heart did shrink,  
●s quite cut-off, and dried up with their Drink.  
〈◊〉 The Rulers though (yer Bondage, Death to take)  
●ive to the People what Themselves did lack:  
To wit, a hope, Water enough to keep  
In private Troughs, and public cisterns deep;  
Both Citizens and Soldiers to suffice,  
So that they would be moderate and wise.   

So: th' Officers divide in silver measures,  
To all, of all sorts, of these liquid Treasures,  
This welcome Liquor; which might serve (at first)  
To keep their life a while, not quench their Thirst.   

Their cisterns dried, they seek in every sink:  
Of every Gutter greedily they drink;  
T'appease their Thirst a while, not please their taste,  
With Drink whose stink was often the Drinkers last.  
OH wretched Men! OH wondrous Misery!  
Little, or much; drink, or drink not; they die.  
Plenty and Lackwit of Liquor, in extreme  
though Contraries, concur to murder them:  
Within whose Bodies warreth Thirst, as fell  
As outwardly th' outrageous Infidel.   

Street, Lane, nor Alley had this woeful City,  
Wherein the Sisters, Enemies to Pity,  
Invented not some new and uncouth guise  
To murder Hebrews; and from firmest eyes  
(In sign of Sorrow) showers to extract  
Of pearly Tears, of bitter brine compact;  
Mid all Degrees; if rested anywhere  
●ut so much moisture as could make a Tear.   

There, an Old man complaineth that a Lad  
Hath new snatch from him all the Drink he had;  
●ut Thirst contracts his Throat, his voice, & veins;  
●nd ends at once his Life, his Plaint, and Pains:  
〈◊〉 Soldier here re-swils again (and gladder)  
●h'vnsavory Water which had swelled his bladder:  
●here th'woeful Mother, on her Couching-Settle,  
●er half-dead Child reviveth with her Spittle:  
●eer the sad Lover sighs her latest breath  
●ith the last Sighs of her dear Love, in Death.  
●or, cruel Thirst, come from Cyrenian Strand  
Where aye She lives amid the burning Sand,  
perpetual panting for continual Drought,  
●anging her Tongue a foot without her Mouth,  
●er Face all wrinkled, both her Eyes deep sunk,  
●er Body lean and light, her Bowels shrunk,  
●er Breast transparent, and her Veins replete  
●ith Brimstone, all, in steed of Blood's moist Heat)  
●owes from her rotten Lungs a loathsome breath  
through all the Town; infusing Fumes of Death  
〈◊〉 th' Hebrews Arteries: causing every Porch  
obscurely shine with some Funereall Torch.  
So that the heavens, seeing so many Woes,  
Can hold no longer; but would feign with those  
Sad-weeping Hebrews Their sad Tears have melld,  
Save that their Tears the Lord of Hosts withheld.  
And, I myself, that drown mine Eyes with There's,  
Unable though well to express those Tears,  
Will with my Silence vail their Countenance;  
Following that Painter's learned Ignorance,  
Who well conceiving that his live-less Colours  
Can not to life express the deadly Dolours  
Of Agamemnon at his Daughter's End,  
Covered his sad Face with a sable Bend.   

Meanwhile, the few that of this Wrack remain;  
Against their sad Chiefs murmur and complain:  
The Lord, say they, in justice recompense  
Your wilful Malice, and Our Innocence:  
The Lord look down upon the wretched Teen  
Your wicked Counsels have here plunged us in:  
For, had you yielded to the Foes demand,  
Year he had entered on the Holy Land,  
We, happy we, had never seen our Friends  
So hap-less brought to so untimely Ends.  
Alas! What Comfort rests? OH wretched City!  
Those that besiege thee round would show thee Pity;  
Thy Own are Cruel: Foes would feign preserve-thee:  
●hy Friends destroy thee: Those would feign reserv thee,  
●ould save thy Children; thine own Children rather  
●un headlong all on wilful Death together.   

Lord, well we know, our wicked Deeds have made  
●hee (just displeased) to draw the keenest Blade  
●f thy fierce-kindled ire, which justly sheds  
●hy deadliest Darts on our disloyal heads.  
●et, Thou, which dost not long thy Wrath retain,  
Against thine Own) OH turn to Us again:  
●ord, change the purpose of our wilful Lords,  
●ho 'gainst our Bosoms whet the Pagan Swords:  
●r grant (at lest) with thousand Arrows thrilled,  
●e rather may by Heathen hands be killed;  
●hen longer Languor of this baneful Thirst  
●o linger us in living Death accursed.  
〈◊〉 Dear Brethrens, 'tis our only Duty binds,  
●heir Rulers said (not our sinister minds  
●f undermining, or of pining Ours)  
●hus to hold out against these Heathen Powers.  
〈◊〉 You have Pain, We have our Portion too;  
●e are embarked in the same Ship with You:  
●n the same Deep we the same Danger run;  
●ur Cross is common, and our Loss is one:  
As common shall our comfort be when GOD  
Shall please to ease us of th' Assyrians Rod:  
As sure he will, if Your Impatiency  
Stop not the Course of his kind Clemency.   

Than, strive not with th' All-Perfect; but depend  
On God alone: Whose Actions all do tend  
To profit His: Who, in his Season, ever  
(Almighty) can and will His Church deliver.  
Sometimes the Archer lets his Bow, unbent,  
Hung idly by; that, when it is re-bent  
With boisterous Arms, it may the farther cast  
His winged shafts, and fix them far more fast:  
So, often the Lord seems, in his Bosom, long  
To hold his hand; and after (as more strong)  
To hammer Those whose impious Impudence  
Miss-spends the Treasure of his Patience,  
Which (at first sight) gives all Impunity  
(As think the Lewd) to all Iniquity.  
But, at the last, his heavy Vengeance pays  
Them home, for all his justice long Delays:  
As th' Usurer, for bearing of his poor  
And needy Debtors, makes his Debt the more.   

What though th'high Thunderer, in his Fury dread▪  
Strike not in th' instant this proud Viceroy dead?  
●n all th'amass of Waters which he penned  
●ove and under th'ample Firmament,  
●ditious, so shake-off his Sovereign Power,  
〈◊〉 not to sand the thirsty Earth a Shower?  
●o, no: though heavens, on every side so clear,  
●●d nothing less than Rain, or moisture ne●r:  
●ey with their Tears shall shortly soak the Plain,  
〈◊〉 on the Day when Saul began to reign:  
〈◊〉 all the heavens, the Stars, and Elements,  
●st execute his high Commandments.  
But still the Plebe, with Thirst and Fury priest,  
●us roaring, raving, 'gainst their Chiefs contest:  
〈◊〉 holy Nation! shall we, shall We die,  
●eir Elderships grave Sights to satisfy?  
〈◊〉! shall we die to please These foolishwise,  
●o make themselves rich by our Miseries;  
●d with our Bloods would purchase them a Name,  
〈◊〉 live for ever in the Role of Fame?  
〈◊〉, no: Let's rather break their servile bands  
●ich hold us in: let's take into our hands  
●r City's Helm; that freeing it from Sack,  
〈◊〉 wisely so may free ourselves from Wrack.  
As the Physician, by the Patient priest,  
〈◊〉, on his Bed (unruly) will not rest;  
Permits sometimes what Art prohibiteth:  
Osias so, importuned, promiseth  
To yield the Town, if in five Days appear  
No certain Sign of divine Succour near.   

The People then, their woeful past estate,  
Their present pain, and future Fears, forgot:  
Sigh though it should not hap as most they thirst▪  
At lest, they should of Evils scape the worst.   

But JUDITH (who the while incessant Showers  
From her sad eyes, in sign of Sorrow pours)  
With mournful voice now calls upon the Lord;  
Anon, her sad Soul comforts in his Word:  
Prayers, were her Stairs, the highest heavens to clime  
GOD's Word, a Garden, where (in needful time)  
She found her Simples (in Examples pure)  
The Careful Passion of her Heart to cure.   

There, JUDITH reading (then not casually,  
But by GOD's will, which still works certainly)  
Light on the place where the left handed Prince,  
Who, grieved for Israel's grievous Languishments  
Under the Heathen; to deliver them  
Slay Moab's Eglon, by a Stratagem.  
The more she reads, she marks it, and admires  
That Act of A●ud; and in Zeal desires  
〈◊〉 imitate his valour. But frail flesh  
●th thousand Reasons would her purpose dash;  
●oposing, now, the Facts foul odiousness;  
●en, Fear of Death; then, Dangers numberless,  
hereto she puts her Honour: and that (though,  
〈◊〉 Israel's sake, God should the Act allow)  
●o●es a Man's hand, not a Woman's (there)  
●ich fit for a Spindle then a Spear.  
●hile JUDITH thus with JUDITH ●●●abts doth wage,  
●iddain Pu●●●urns-ouer that same Page:  
●d, that which follows shows, how jahel yerst  
●urageously the sleeping temples perked  
〈◊〉 that fell Pagan, who from th' Hebrews flying,  
●cursed found in his Defence his dying:  
〈◊〉 teach all Tyrants in all Times to-come,  
●at they may fly, but not outfly their Doom.   

This last Example did so fortify  
●e fearful Widow, that even by and by  
●e would with Engine of Revenge endeavour  
〈◊〉 wicked soul's and body's knot to sever.  
●ut while apart Sh●● plots and plots anew,  
●me wily way her purpose to pursue;  
●e hears reported, by a neighbour Dame,  
●e Towns Decree, much grieved at the same:  
So: to prevent Mischiefs so near at hand,  
She sends forthwith for Those of Chief Command,  
Whom sharply sweet She thus gins to chide:   

Why! How-now, Lordings, shall the Lord be tied  
Unto your Terms? Will you th' Almighty's Arms  
Chain with your Counsels? limit with your Charms  
O! uniudicious judges, will you Thus  
Give law to GOD, who gives it Heaven & Us?  
Will you subject, to Times confined Stays,  
Th'Author of Times, Months, Moment's, Years 〈◊〉 Dai●  
Be not deceived; The sacred Power Divine  
Not Circumstance can compass or confine:  
God can do, what he will; will, what he aught:  
Aught love his righteous (whom his love hath bog●  
This (Fathers) This my dead Hopes most revives;  
That, in our City not a man survives  
Who lifts his hands (after the Heathen fashions)  
Unto the dumb, dead Idols of the Nations.  
All Sins are Sins: but that foul Sin, alone  
Exceeds all blind or bold transgression  
That we have heaped 'gainst sacred Heaven: for, that  
Seems to degrade GOD of his Sovereign State;  
To give his Glory to a Wedge of Gold,  
Or Block, or Stock, or Stone of curious mould.  
●th then That Sin doth not our Conscience taint,  
GOD's dear Succour let us never faint:  
〈◊〉 think (alas!) how▪ now all Iudas Eyes,  
●st, are cast upon Our Constancies:  
〈◊〉 think, that All will (over all the Land)  
●r Example, either stoop or stand:  
〈◊〉 think, that All these Altars, Houses, Goods,  
〈◊〉 (after GOD) on our couragious-Moods:  
〈◊〉 think, We keep the Gate of Israel;  
●hat, so soon opening to th' Infidel  
〈◊〉 hates so deadly all our Abramides)  
●hall be held Traitors and Parricides.  
●e cannot, neither will we now deny  
●at our Counsel (Thus the Chief reply)  
●oolish, and offensive to the Lord:  
●w (alas!) we cannot break our word.  
〈◊〉 Thou rue our Common miseries;  
inst not see our Tears with tearless Eyes;  
●night and day: o! weep & sigh so much,  
●hy sad Sighs & Tears with Ruth may touch  
vernal judge; whose gentle Ear is aye  
〈◊〉 to All that to Him humbly pray.  
●all, said She, and (if GOD say Amen)  
●edge this City, year we meet again.  
Sound me no further, but expect th'event  
Of Mine (I hope) happy as high Intent:  
And, soon as Night hath spread her dusky Damp,  
Let Me go forth into the Heathen Camp.   

Go on, in GOD's Name: & where ere thou art▪  
GOD guide (say They) thy Foot, thy Hand, thy 〈◊〉   
The end of the third Book.   

●ETHVLIANS Rescue. THE FOURTH BOOK.  

●DITH, the while, trills Rivers from her Eyes,  
●tterrs her knees, tends toward th'arched Skies  
●harm-less hands: then Thus, with voice devout,  
●very Soul to GOD she poureth out:  
●rd! that didst once my Grandsire Simeon arm  
〈◊〉 justice Sword, t'avenge his Sister's harm;  
●n Me that Sword, that I may punish (just)  
〈◊〉 Tyrant fell, far passing Sichem's Lust:  
〈◊〉, not sufficed with Virgin's Ravishment,  
Rape of Wines; is execrably bend  
●oot Thy Name out from the Earth around;  
●r●ze Thy Temple, levelly with the ground.  
●mptuous Prince! whose whole Affiance stands  
●ndred-thousand Soldiers He commands,  
●ndred-thousand Horse, which (thirsting-fight)  
〈◊〉 lofty Bounds the lowly Earth do smite:  
rout Belief, that Thou alone (o Lord)  
●st Heads or Hands; with either Crown or Cord:  
●gthnest the Feeble, quickly foil'st the Strong;  
●ay'st the Power of proudest Kings along.   

Grant therefore, grant, good GOD, his charm●●  
The curious trammels of my Tress may chain: (〈◊〉  
Let every look of mine be as a Dart  
With amorous Breach to wound his willing heart:  
O! let the little grace of Face and Form  
Thou hast vouchsafed me, calm his furious storm:  
Let the smooth cunning of my soothing Lips  
Surprise the fell Fox in his Suttleships:  
But, chiefly, Lord, let my victorious hand  
Be Scourge & Hammer of this Heathen Band:  
That all this All may know, that Abram's Rac●  
Is ever covered with thy Shield of Grace;  
And that no Tyrant ever touched thy jury,  
But felt in fine the Rigour of thy Fury.  
Let not, good Lord, o let not one of These  
Return to taste Hytane or Euphrates.   

Thus JUDITH prays: & in the stead of stops,  
With thousand Sighs her words She interrupts.  
Than, from her sad sole Chamber, late she packs,  
Adorned with Ophir, Gold, and Serean knacks.   

O! siluer-browd Diana, Queen of Night,  
Darest thou appear, while here below, so bright  
Shines such a sacred Star, whose radiant flame  
Would even at Noon thy Brother's splendour shame  
●ough, as unknown, to pass unshown she ween,  
〈◊〉 Odours made hersmelt, her jewels seen;  
●sk, Ambergris, and Civet, where she went,  
〈◊〉 all along an odoriferous Scent:  
carbuncle shined on her Brow so bright,  
●at with the Rays it clarified the Night:  
●●ver Tincel waving in the wind,  
●wn from her head hung light & lose behind:  
●d bond her golden Tress; her Ivory Neck  
●ies and sapphires, counter-changed in check:  
●ither Ear, a richer Pearl then yerst  
●pts proud Princess in her Cup dispersed:  
〈◊〉 soft white Bosom (as with Curtains drawn)  
●nsparent covered under Cobweb Lawn:  
〈◊〉 rob, Sky-coloured Silk, with curious Caule  
〈◊〉 golden Twist, benetted over all.  
〈◊〉 rest she wore, might have beseemed for Tires  
〈◊〉 stately Foundress of th' Euphratean Spires.  
●or, though herself were Modesty itself;  
●tice this Pagan to the wrackful Shelf,  
●es her Own, sh'had borrowed Ornaments  
●ther Ladies of most Eminence.  
●chior, watching in the Court of Guard,  
●g her pass so late, and so prepared;  
Inquires of Carmis (who then watched too)  
What, Whence, She was, & what she went to do▪  
So brave a Gallant, tricked and trimmed so;  
In such a Time, in such a Place of Woe.   

Erewhile, said Carmis, in our City dwelled  
M●rari; a m●n here high in Honour held:  
To whom, for Seed GOD but this Daughter sent;  
His House's joy, This city's Ornament.   

Gain-greedy Fathers, nowadays turmoil  
Bodies & Souls, Heap upon Heap to pile:  
But, have no care with the Mind's Goods to grace  
Th'heirs of their Goods (which after melt apace):  
Much like a Man that keepeth in his Chest  
His costly Garment, folded fair and priest,  
But lets his Body, it was made to serve,  
Naked the while, in Wet & Cold to starne.   

But, as the Farmer spares no pains, nor cost,  
In husbanding his Land; but careful most,  
Now rids the stones, anon ●ips-vp the Ridges▪  
Here casts a D●tch, there plants, there plashes hedg●●  
And never is his hand or tool therefrom:  
But chiesely careth there good Seed to sow,  
That when the Summer shall have ryped his Plains,  
His Crop may pay him for his Cost and Pains:  
●r, as some Damsel, having special Care  
●f some fair Flower, which puts-out earely-rare  
●h' Incarnate Bud; weeds, waters every-houre  
●he fertile Plot that feeds her Gillyflower;  
●hat, oneday blown, it may some Sunday-morn  
●er lily Bosom, or her head adorn:  
〈◊〉 wise Merari did endeavour fair  
●o form the Manners of his tender Heir;  
●hat, in his Age, he thence again might gather  
●h' Honour and Comfort worthy such a Father.  
●r soon as ever, stutting yet and weak,  
●er tender Tongue did but begin to speak;  
●ee taught her not (as many Fathers do:  
●oo-many now) vain words, and wanton too,  
●t some good Prayer, or GOD's Tenfold Law;  
●hat, with her Milk, she might even suck the Awe  
〈◊〉 the Almighty: which not vain appeers;  
●r that the Damsel brought forth in few years,  
●its worthy of such Seed: whence did ensue,  
●at this her Nurture to a Nature grew.  
〈◊〉 doth a Vessel long retain the Scent  
〈◊〉 the first Liquor we have settled in't:  
〈◊〉 doth a Bough bend ever (when 'tis big)  
●o the same side that it was bend, a Twig:  
So, Bears, Wolves, Lions; & our wildest Game,  
Bread tame with us, with us continued tame.   

When as 12. times She 12. new Moons had passed,  
This virtuous Pattern all Perfection graced.  
For, th' expert Pilot is not more precise  
To shun, in Sailing, all the jeopardies  
Of Cyane Straight, of hateful Syrteses Sand,  
Charybdu Gulf, and of Capharean Strand,  
Than was wise JUDITH to avoid the Dames  
Never so little spotted in their Names:  
Knowing that long conversing with the light,  
Corrupts the sobrest; or at lest, though right,  
Right safe th' Honour be saved; the Names not so,  
From common Bruit (though often false) we know.  
For, haunting Good, good are we holden aye:  
Bad, with the Bad: Like will to like, we say.   

She, ever modest, never used to stay  
Abroad till midnight at a Mask or Play:  
Nor tripped from Feast to Feast, nor Street-webs span▪  
To see, and to be seen of every man.  
But rather, knowing that such fond desire  
To gaze and to be gaz'd-on (Flax and Fire)  
Undid light Dina, and such gadding Dames  
A thousand more; their Noble Houses Shames;  
●h● wisely kept at home; where, Morn and Even▪  
●aily she called upon the God of Heaven.   

The rest of every day in duteous course  
●he served her Nursers for a tender Nurse:  
●s wont the Storks kind and officious Brood  
●or their old Parents to go gather Food;  
●nd on some high Fir (far-off having flown)  
●ing life to Those from whom they had their own.   

If in the Day, from Housewives needful care,  
●he had perhaps an hour or two to spare,  
●he spent them reading of the Sacred Book,  
●here faithful Souls for spiritual Manna look.  
sometimes on Cloth sh'embroidered cunningly  
●ome Beast, or Bird, or Fish, or Worm, or Fly.  
sometime she wrought with silver needle fine  
●n Canvas-web some History divine.   

Here L●t, escaped from that dread Flame, from High  
●hich burnt his Town, with winged Feet doth fly  
●o little Zoar: while his Wife (alack!)  
●credulous, and curious, looking back;  
GOD in the instant smighting for that Fault,  
transforms her Body to a Bulk of Salt.   

Heer, chaste Susanna (slandered of dishonour)  
●eems led to Death, People seem priest to stone her:  
But, Truth appearing, soon they seem atonce  
To turn on th'elder all their storm of stones.   

Here loyal joseph rather leaves behind  
His cloak then heart with his too- Lady-kinde:  
And rather chooseth (by her false disgrace)  
His Irons, than her Arms, him to embrace.   

Heer, rash, rough jephthe in unsacred slaughter  
Imbrews his own Blade in his only Daughter;  
By private and improvident Annoyed,  
Troubling the Public & the general joy..   

Weary of Work, on her sweet Lute she plays,  
And sings withal some holy Psalm of Praise;  
Not following such as by lascivious Dances,  
Lavish Expenses, light and wanton Glances,  
Seek to be sought, courted, and loved of most:  
But, as the Fisherman that baits the Coast  
With poysonie Pastes, may have a greater draft,  
And (though less wholesome) hath more Fish caught▪  
Than those that only use their Hook, or Net:  
So may these Gallants them more Lovers get,  
Than modest Maids; But, their immodest flame  
Fire's none but Fools, Frantikes, or Voids of shame,   

Virtue alone gins, begets, conceives,  
A perfect Love; which, though it flow receives  
●s Form & Life, nor is so soon afire:  
〈◊〉, neither doth it half so soon expire.  
〈◊〉 we kindles quickly, & is quickly passed:  
〈◊〉 heats but slowly, & its heat doth last.  
Now IVDITH'S fair Renown through juda rings  
〈◊〉 every City; and great Suitors brings  
from All-form Fashions, from fair painted Faces,  
●om Powdered Tresses, from forced Apish Graces,  
●om Prince-fit Pomp; from Peacock's strutting by  
●ith Bosoms naked to the Navel nigh)  
●o woe Her Virtue. But, loves burning Dart  
●ould neither harm, nor warm her Icy heart.  
●r, as hard Hammers, harder Diamant;  
●e harder did resist loves grace to grant;  
●auing resolved, sole and single, rather  
●o spend her days with her deer-loved Father.  
●t at the last, importuned long, and priest  
〈◊〉 her dear Parents, careful of her Rest;  
●e took MANASSES, one of Noble blood;  
●ch, in the Mind's, Nature's, & Fortune's Good.  
Their Marriage then was neither stolen, nor packed,  
●or posted; to prevent some Precontract,  
●o cheat some Heir, some Avarice to choke,  
●o cover Others, or their own Sin cloak:  
But duly passed, modest, and reverent,  
With Either's Parents knowledge and consent.  
Dina's Disasters to this day do prove  
The sad successes of preposterous Love;  
Of privy Choice, close Matches, and unkend;  
Which seldom bring Lovers to happy end:  
And that ourselves aught not ourselves bestow,  
But Those from whom our Birth & Breeding grow.   

This happy Match begun thus holily,  
And holy carried, did so firmly tie  
This chaste young Couple, in so mutual love,  
That both their bodies seems one soul to move.  
The one never wished but what the other would:  
Both by one Organ their one-minde unfold:  
And, as a Hurt on the Right side (we see)  
Reaches the Left; even so, by sympathy,  
Her Husband's Sorrows did sad JUDITH share,  
And IVDITH'S Sorrows her sad Husband bore.   

The Husband did not his dear Wife control,  
As Tyrant's rule: but as the tender Soul  
Command's the Body; not the same to grieve,  
But comfort rather, cherish and relieve.  
Him JUDITH loved as Brother (or more, rather)  
Feared as her Lord, & honoured as her Father.  
●heir House, for Order so religious,  
●nd more a Temple then a private House:  
●re, did no Maid, with merry-tricks, entice  
〈◊〉 bashful Stripling to lascivious vice:  
●re did no drunken Groom sick Healths disgorge,  
〈◊〉 against Heaven blasphemous Oaths re-forge:  
●e no broad jester, no bold common Liar,  
Gamester, Thief, Rogue, Ruffian, Apple-squire,  
〈◊〉 ever harbour: but all Servants there,  
●heir grave Rulers Rules conformed were.  
●ANASSES, knowing what a Flood of Crimes  
●ounded all, in His enormous Times;  
●cially, what Evils Confluence  
〈◊〉 even corrupted sacred Governments  
〈◊〉 that, for favour, or for Money (more)  
●s, Knaves, Boys, Basest, highest Burdens bore)  
modestly refused all Public Charge:  
●ing him happy so, free and at large,  
〈◊〉 from the Courts of State and justice too,  
●et at Home, his Household dues to do.  
●t notwithstanding, knowing too, that none  
〈◊〉 ever borne so for himself alone,  
●hat the best part of our days (though few)  
●r Country, Kindred, & our Friends is due;  
No Magistrate, He daily served the State  
Moore than a hundred that in Offcesate.  
For, in His House did sacred justice live,  
And from his Lips would She her sentence give,   

He ever was th'afflicted Poors Protector,  
widows Supporter, Silly-ones Director,  
Orphans kind Father: Every age, Sex, Sort,  
Had from his hand some kind of kind Support.   

Never vain Thirst of the ' cursed Earth of Jude,  
Made Him wound Water, neither woe the Wind  
Never did Avarice his Life endanger,  
With mercenary Sword to serve the Stranger:  
Never did He, to Adverse-Clients, cell  
A double Breath, blowing to Heaven & Hell.  
But, strife-less, using harm-less Husbandry,  
took of his Land both Stock and Usury  
Of his le●t Labours. For, sometimes, by Line,  
He plants an Orchard; which he order fine,  
With equi-distant Trees, in Rows direct,  
Of Plums, of Pears, and Apples most select:  
Heer-there He Crab-stocks sets, then grafts then  
Some stranger Slip: inocculates anon:  
Anon with keen Share the kind Barth he shreds:  
Anon the Vine unto the Elm he weds:  
〈◊〉 he prunes-off the superfluous shoots:  
〈◊〉 the Bodies pares, then bears the roots.  
〈◊〉 either dogdays, nor December's Ice,  
〈◊〉 keep Him Prisoner in his Chamber, nice.  
〈◊〉, is one-way, his Reapers he beheld,  
〈◊〉 swelting, swift the yellow handfuls field;  
●om his head, caused a Catarrh descend,  
●hat shortly after caused MANASSES End.  
●hat can number, in November, all  
withered Leaves that in the Forest fall:  
●at can number all the Drops, in Showers,  
〈◊〉 Hyades, Pleyades, and most Orion pours  
〈◊〉 the Plains: may tell the Tears She shed,  
●r dear Husband so untimely dead.  
●ealth and Treasure he had left her, kind,  
●d of easing, more afflicts her Mind:  
●e of his Goods still sets before her eics  
〈◊〉 good old Owners sweet and graceful guise.  
●he had all the Gold was gathered ever  
〈◊〉 the shoal Sands of the Lydian River,  
●d not been Rich, being bearest of Him,  
●ut Whom, Wealth doubled her Woes extreme:  
●ith Whom, glad she would have born the crosses  
●etched job's, sad, sudden, many Losses.   

Phoebus' had thrice through all the Zodiakpast,  
Since His Decease: Yet Time, which all doth waste  
And cures all Cares, could not her Griefs recover,  
For Loss of Him, her decrest Lord and Lover.   

Still therefore, covered with a sable Shroud,  
Hath She kept home; as all to Sorrow vowed:  
For, for the most part, solitary sad,  
Tears in her eyes, sack on her back she had,  
Grief in her heart: so, on the withered Spray  
The Widow- Turtle sighs her mournful Lay;  
Sole, and exiled from all Delights, that move;  
chastened resolved t'accept no Second Love.   

If any time JUDITH went out of Door  
(As Duty binds) it was to see some Poor:  
Some woeful Woman in deep Passions toiled  
For sudden Loss of her deer only Child:  
Some long-Sick body, or some needy soul,  
With needful Comforts of her Bag, or Boule:  
Or else to go (as GOD commanded Them)  
To pray and Offer at JERUSALEM.   

Thus, dear Companion, have I briefly shown  
Fair IVDITH'S Story: on whose Worth alone  
All eyes are cast, but cannot tell you out  
Whether she goes; less, what she goes about.  
●e may, from former things infer  
●e of future; We may hope from Her  
Happiness: and sure, me thinks, her Cheer,  
●int changed, bodes some good fortune near.  
●is Discourse, the wakeful Hebrew Knight,  
●g between, wore-out the weary Night.  
●ITH the while, her Handmaid with her, hies  
●s the Trenches of the Enemies.  
●m the Fort She had a furlong go,  
●athen Scouts desened her, and anon  
〈◊〉 her Thus: O! more than human Beauty,  
〈◊〉? What are You? What Cause hath hither brought ye?  
〈◊〉 Assyrian Camp? Alas! I am  
●g, quoth She) a woeful Hebrew Dame,  
〈◊〉 escape so many Deaths, or Thrall,  
●ere to yield me to your General.  
〈◊〉 to the Duke they lead her. Whosoever  
●n, in Cities, how they flock, to hear  
●ating Montibank; or see some Monster  
●ught from Asrick, from Ind; may construe  
●esse of Soldiers from all parts did throng,  
●is Tent; and even priest in among  
●hat complete She, so comely deemed;  
●e more looked on, the more lovely seemed.   

Her waved Locks, some dangling lose, some p●  
In thousand rings curld-up, with art-less art;  
With graceful Shadows sweetly did set-out  
Her broad high Before Head, smooth as Ice, about:  
Two slender Bows of Ebon, equal bent  
Over two Stars (bright as the Firmament)  
Two twinkling Sparks, Two sprightful jetty Eye●  
(Where subtle Cupid in close Ambush lies,  
To shoot the choicest of his golden Darts  
Into the chariest of the chastest hearts):  
Betwixt these Two Suns, down from this liberal Fro●  
Descendingly ascends a pretty Mount▪  
Which, by Degrees, doth near those Lips extend,  
Where Momus Lips could nothing discommend:  
Her ruddy, round Checks seemed to be composed  
Of Roses Lillied, or of Lillies-Rosed:  
Her musky Mouth (for shape and size so meet,  
Excelling Saba's precious Breath, for sweet)  
A swelling Welt of Coral round behemms,  
Which smiling shows two Rows of orient Ge●  
Her Ivory Neck, and Alabaster Breast  
Ravish the Pagans' more than all the rest:  
Her soft, sleek, slender hands, in snow bedipt,  
With purest Pearl-shell had each Finger tipped.  
●rief, so passing Her Perfections were,  
●t, if rare Zeuxu had but found Her there,  
〈◊〉 such another; when from curious Cull  
〈◊〉 Croton Dames so choicely Beautiful,  
●any Beauties (severally met)  
〈◊〉 cunning Pencil drew the Counterfeit  
●er for Whom Europe and Asia fought;  
〈◊〉 only Piece had he sufficient thought.  
●DITH no sooner came within the Tent,  
●oth her Cheeks a bashful Blush besprent;  
ambling for Fear: until, inviting nearer,  
〈◊〉 courteous General's gentle words re-cheer-her.  
●eet-hart, I am not, I am not so fell  
●lse Report hath told fond Israel:  
〈◊〉 Me for Father, I for Children take;  
●e whom love my Lord their God to make:  
〈◊〉 who do both, may be assured to have  
●t ever Good, Man's heart can hope, or crave:  
●h Israel well should find, would they give ear  
●hat King's Favour, whose dread Power they fear:  
●n fear not Thou, my Love; but tell me free  
〈◊〉 happy Cause that hither bringeth thee.  
〈◊〉 Prince! said She (with, then, firm Countenance)  
●eme, for Fortune, Wisdom, Valiance,  
Of all that ever had Command in Field,  
Or ever managed martial Sword and Shield:  
Although my frail Sex, and weak body's state,  
Not longer could endure the wretched fate;  
Wants, Labours, Dangers, and the deep Affright  
My fellow Towns-folk suffer day and night:  
Yet is not That the Cause that drives me thence,  
Nor That which draws me to Your Excellence:  
But, 'tis a never-never-dying Worm  
Which gnaws my Conscience; a continual Sto●  
A holy Fear, lest I be forced to eat  
(Among my People) some unlawful meat.  
For, I foresee (Sir) that our Folk, yer long,  
With cruel Famine so extremely wrung,  
Will be constrained to fill, and file them too  
With unclean Flesh, which GOD forbids us do●  
And that the Lord (who strikes, with just Revenge  
Whom-ever dare his dread just laws infrenge)  
Will then, without Fight, give Thee up their Plac●  
And one of Thy Thousand of Them shall ch●  
Therefore (my Lord) GOD's Wrath and yours to  
O●t of BETHULIA, to your Camp come I:  
Beseeching humbly, for your honours sake,  
That here no Rigour, neither Wrong I take.  
●s more than Witless that him wilful throws  
●king) in Dangers that he well foreknows;  
〈◊〉 when he may live, pain-less, and secure;  
●oil-full Fears will his own Death procure.  
●ow: please thee grant me, in this Vale (away  
●n noise▪ and number) nightly to go pray;  
●ews no sooner shall GOD's Wrath incense,  
〈◊〉, inspired, shall show thine Excellence:  
〈◊〉 then shall I thy valiant Legions lead  
〈◊〉 all juda; and thy Standards spread  
〈◊〉 swell in ZION; where not one shall dare  
●aunce against thee, nor Defence prepare:  
〈◊〉 not a Dog so much as bark at Thy  
●s-clashing Army, nor their Armours Shine.  
〈◊〉 Name alone shall tame the stoutest troop:  
Thee the Hills their proudest Tops shall stoop:  
●rs, for Thee, their rapid Course shall stay,  
〈◊〉 Thy Host a new un-wonted way.  
●e Prince replies: OH, World's sole Ornament!  
〈◊〉, as fair as wise and eloquent;  
●t-Welcome are You: and we wish you ever  
●l Contentment with us to persever.  
〈◊〉 if you prove in Truth and Loyalty,  
●ou are pleasing to mine Ear and Eye;  
I shall from henceforth worship evermore  
The mighty GOD you Hebrews do adore:  
You shall from henceforth only Lady be  
Both of my Sceptre, of my Soul, and Me:  
Henceforth your Name with high Renown sh●  
Where Heber, Ister, Nile, and Ganges spring.   

With Licence then, soon as the Moon with light  
Of silver Rays began to clear the night,  
The Widow hies to a dark Vale apart;  
Where first she baths her hands, and then her hea●  
Than, from her Eyes a lukewarm Rill she shown  
Than, from her Soul this fervent Prayer powers:   

Lord GOD, no longer now Thy Aid deny  
To those that only on Thy Aid rely.  
Lord rescue Those that ready are to spend  
Their bloods and goods, Thy Honour to Defe●●  
Lord, let our Infants sad and cease-less Moans,  
Our woeful Elders deep and dismal Groans,  
Our Matron's Scrieches, Cries of Virgins fair,  
Our sacred Levit's Day-and-nightly Prayer,  
Perce to Thy Throne, to wake thy slumbering Ey●  
Dread GOD of justice, glorious Father; Why  
Do sulphury Bolts of thy best Thunder light  
On Carmel's Top, and little Hermon smite:  
●d let th' Heav'n-threatning Sons of Ecarth alone;  
〈◊〉 proudest Ossa prouder Pelion?  
Alas! What said I? Ah! forgive me, Lord,  
●is idle, rash, and unadvised Word;  
●hich, in frail Passion, my fond Lips did borrow  
●om fervent Zeal of mine unfeigned Sorrow.  
●o: o, Our Lignes sole Pillar dearly dread,  
●nowe, Thou shortly wilt their Head behead:  
●nowe, This hand, by Thy right hand led out,  
●all at one Blow, This Heathen Army rout.   
The end of the fourth Book.   

BETHULIANS' Rescue. THE FIFT BOOK.  

FOr blood and marrow, in his veins and bones,  
The Viceroy feeds new Pains, new Passions;  
Which, while he shuns, he seeks; feels, yet not know●  
A dead-live Fire, which of Self's Cinders grows.  
For, th' Hebrew Lady's rapting Rarities  
Being now sole Object of his soul's dim Eyes;  
Sad, peevish, pale, soft, drowsy, dream-awake,  
Care of his Host he doth no longer take:  
Goes no more out, a-nights, to set his Watches,  
And Courts of Guard about, on all Approaches:  
Comes not to Counsel, neither gives The Word:  
Nor views the Quarters of his Camp: nor stirred.   

As Sheep, that miss their wont Guard & Guide▪  
Disp●●sed stray▪ now, by some River's side,  
Or gu●gling Brook; now, up & down the Downs;  
Now, in the Groves; now, on the Fallow grounds▪  
So th' ethnic Army, without Rule or rain,  
Tissue their I leisures, violent, or vain:  
●one will obey; None but will now Command;  
●ch, as him listeth, dares him now dis-band.  
〈◊〉 Hebrews, Why stay you now mewed in your City?  
●ow, now or never, doth the Time befit-ye  
●o ●ally on the Foe; whose rank Disorder  
●mong themselves, themselves (in Fight) will murder▪  
●●y; budge not though: of ●uch a Victory  
●OD will the Honour have, and Author be.  
Year that blind Cupid did this Tyrant blind,  
〈◊〉 take the Town was Day and Night his mind;  
●ow, day and night he minds but how to gain  
Lady's grace; Who, taken, is not taen  
●er Soul being tempered more than Fancy-proof):  
●r-while, th' undaunted mighty Theban rough  
●uld not have feared Him▪ with his massy Mace;  
●w, but a Glance of a weak Woman's Grace  
●maies him, daunts him, nay even wounds him deep▪  
●t care of Cure; and doth him Captive keep:  
〈◊〉 while Ambition, with Drums rattling Din,  
baked him early, yer the Day pe●pt-in;  
●w Love awakes him; and with His Alarms  
●kes him neglect the Hebrews and their Arms:  
〈◊〉- while, he h●d Princes and Kings at bay;  
●w, of Himself hath neither Power no● Sway.   

Alas! alas! Unhappy Change, said He:  
Must I live Captive to my Captive-Shee?  
Is This (alas!) to live: the Body baseed;  
The mind as brute; and both their Power defaced!  
This's not a Life: or is worse Life to feel,  
Than sad Ixion's, on the brazen Wheel  
Eternal turning: or a life (in brief)  
Most like the Life of that celestial Thief,  
Whose ever-never-dying heart and liver  
On Schythian Rocks feed a fell Vulture ever.   

What boots me, t' have subdued so many Land●  
What, to have tamed with my victorious hands  
All Nations lodged betwixt Hydas●es large,  
And th' Haven where Cydnus doth in Sea discharge▪  
Sigh I am vanquished, by the feeble Might  
Of Captive IVDITH's Glance. What boots my bri●  
Strong steeled Targe? my brazen Burguinet?  
My martial Guard about my Body set?  
Sigh the keen Shot which her quick Eye doth dart,  
Through S●●el, & B●ass, & Guard, doth wound my 〈◊〉  
What boots my Courser swifter than the Wind,  
Leaving the Swallows in his speed behind?  
Sigh▪ on his back flying, I canno● fly  
The willing Chains of my Captivity.  
●ange, change then, Hebrews, into Smiles your tears;  
●umph of Me, mine Host, Arms, Swords & Spears:  
〈◊〉 no more the Duke, whose Name alone  
〈◊〉 while with Terror shook you every-one:  
〈◊〉: I am He whose Courage, late so brave,  
●ow become but Slave unto my Slave:  
●n not come, to War with Israel,  
〈◊〉 burn your Cities, or yourselves to quell:  
〈◊〉 to entreat You, to entreat (for Me)  
●r match-less JUDITH, that She milder be.  
●ut, whither, Witless, whither am I borne  
Loves fond Fury; wilfully forlorn?  
●e I not Her here in my Patronage,  
●at can the Anguish of my Soul assuage?  
●d yet with idle Plaints I pierce the Skies;  
●d thus unmanly melt me at mine Eyes.  
●nhappy Me! my wretched Case is such  
His, who wants most, what he hath toomuch;  
crystal River flowing to his Lip;  
●dies for Thirst, and cannot drink a sip:  
〈◊〉, so do I respect her Excellence,  
●r Heav'n-given Graces; that, for Reverence,  
●ne eyes dare scarce behold her, and my Tongue,  
●steed of suing, to my roof is clung.  
OH that my Breast transparent Crystal were,  
That She might see my hearts dire Torment there;  
And there read plainly, what my Love's excess  
(Alas!) permits not my sad voice t' express.   

Since JUDITH first came to th' Assyrian Camp,  
Thrice had the heavens light & put-out their Lamp;  
And now Aurora, with a saffron Ray,  
Began, in Ind, to kindle the fourth Day:  
When as the Duke, who Food and Rest forsakes,  
This heavy Mo●n, to 's Eunuch BAGOS, makes:   

BAGOS, my Son, adopted, not by Chance;  
BAGOS, whom I, still studying to advance,  
Have made, of Meanest and neglected most,  
First in my heart, and Second in mine Host:  
BAGOS, I bu●●, I●ave, I rage, I die  
Of wounds received from that fair Strangers Eye.  
●o, seek her out: go quickly: tell her Thou  
My loving Languor: tell her, that I vow  
To make her equal, nay above the best  
Of greatest Dames whom royal Crowns invest:  
Especially, insinuate so, that She  
Be pleased this night to come and sup with Me.  
We art not a Folly, nay a Madness mere,  
In Me, to have the rarest Beauty here  
〈◊〉 Age hath bred; and yet, too-faint a Fool,  
●uld not dare my hearts hot Thirst to cool?  
●ld not my Soldiers laugh at it apace?  
〈◊〉: would not JUDITH blush at My Disgrace?  
●GOS, too-apt, too-vsed to such a Turn;  
〈◊〉 oils the Fire, which but too-fast did burn:  
●ord, if Private men (whose otious Care  
●e pass the Threshold of their own Door dare;  
●se Minds, content with their unhappy Hap,  
●ther Grace or Greatness never gape)  
〈◊〉 not content (alas!) unless somewhile  
〈◊〉 warm Comforts their i'll Cares beguile:  
〈◊〉 more unhappy then, are Those that bear  
atlas' Burden: Those that Rest forbear,  
others Rest: Those that (like Argus) wake  
●e Others, fear-less, their full Naps do take:  
●ong all their Gall, their Toil, their Teen,  
〈◊〉 (Cupid's) Honey be not mixed between?  
●en, Sir, pursue your Love: loose not the Game,  
〈◊〉 of itself comes to your Net, so tame.  
●if in like Employments, heretofore  
●e found Me fit and faithful evermore;  
●is new Trust, you shall by speedy Trial,  
●me more secret, diligent, and loyal.   

Alas! Howmany Bagos', in our Time  
In Prince's Courts, to highest Honours climb,  
Moore, for their Cunning in such Embassies,  
Than for Repute of learned, flout, or wise:  
Whilom, great Courts were Vertue's Accadems;  
Now, Schools of Vice: now (rather) Sinks of Re●   

You, who, Great minded▪ cannot be content  
To be close-Brokers forth ' Incontinent:  
Who cannot brew (with too-too-dangerous Skill)  
Both a Love-Potion, and a Cup to kill:  
Who cannot, noble, your free Nature's strain,  
With flattering pencil on your Face to fain  
A Face of srownes, or Smiles; of Wrath, or Ruth;  
To please the Great (rather with Tales then Truth)▪  
Come not at Court; if I may counsel you.  
For, There, in steed of Grace and Honour, dew  
Unto your Virtues; you shall nothing gain,  
But that which There still haunts the Good; Disdain   

You, Noble Ladies, in whose heart is graven  
A filial Fear of th' All-see GOD of Heaven:  
You that more prise your Honor's pure Report,  
Than Love of Princes: keep you from the Court.   

But You, who, having neither Land nor Money▪  
Outbrave the bravest: Who with words of Hon●  
●d Friend-like Face, Dissemblers, humbly greet  
●om your false hearts wish in their winding sheet:  
●o, lavish, sell your Wives for Offices:  
●o, make you Noble, by base Services:  
●o, serving Time, can set your Faith to sale;  
●t your Religion; sail with every Gale:  
●o, Parasites, can put more Faces on  
●en ever Proteus in the Seas hath shown:  
●o, forcing Nature, can your Manners fit  
〈◊〉 my Lord's Humour; and so humour it;  
●e a Chameleon, which, here blue, there black,  
●r grey, there green, doth with his Object take:  
●o can invent new Toules, new Taxes find,  
〈◊〉 charge the People, and the Poor to grind:  
●o, feigning to possess your Prince's Ear,  
●e Suitors crouch and court you everywhere;  
〈◊〉, subtle Shifters, cell them dear your Smoke,  
●ding the Wretches with a wily cloak.  
●ou, warbling Sirens, whose delicious Charms  
〈◊〉 wariest youth into your wrackful Arms:  
〈◊〉 Circe's, you whose powerful Spells transmute  
●r loves to Stones, Hogs, Dogs, & every Brutus:  
〈◊〉 Stymphalides, whose Avarice devours  
〈◊〉 richest Treasure of Youth's freshest Flowers:  
You, you, whose Painting, and Pearl-golden-glister,  
Of Priam's old Wife, make young Castor's Sister:  
You Myrrha's, you Canaces, Semi-ram's:  
And, if there be any more odious Dames:  
Come You to Court: come quickly: There, on 〈◊〉  
A hundred Honours shall be heaped, undew:  
You, there shall cell justice, Preferments, Places:  
Yea, you shall cell misgoverned Prince's Graces.   

But, Muse, it boots not: Hadst Thou thousand 〈◊〉  
The Strength & Stomach of Alcides' bold,  
Thou couldst not cleanse These Sin-proud shining Hall●  
Fouler by far then foul Augeas Stalls.   

Let's back to JUDITH; who to bring about  
Her hard deseign, surveys her, sets her out,  
Be-curles her Tresses; makes her Crystal clear  
Her Beauty's judge, which had in Earth no peer.   

Than comes she to the Tent, rich hanged rou●  
With curious Arras, from the top to ground;  
Where Artful fingers, for a Web of glory,  
Had woven Medes, Persians', Syrian Princes Story   

There Ninus first, pushed by vain Prides amiss,  
Usurps the East: here comes Simiramis,  
Who, feigning Her a Man, th' Assyrians sways;  
And to the Clouds her BABYLON doth raise▪  
●ee, see a Prince, with soft white singers fine,  
ominate, sits spinning Flaxen Twine:  
●d, for a Lance, bearing a Distaff, shows  
●t more to Female then to Male he owes:  
●how he poats, paints, frizzles, fashions him;  
●es, basks, anoints, views, & re-views his Trim  
●in his Glass, which for a Glaine he wears.  
〈◊〉 how he shifts to hide his Shame and Fears:  
●m Farthingale to Farthingale, he flies  
〈◊〉 brave Lieutenant, lest He him surprise.  
〈◊〉 see, at last (to act one Manly thing)  
〈◊〉 burns himself, not to outlive a King.  
●e, here an Infant sucking of a Bitch  
●er a Hedge, and in a shallow Ditch;  
〈◊〉, grown a Man, here musters in his Train  
〈◊〉 bond and free, the Soldier and the Swain;  
●ues the East, and into Persia draws  
〈◊〉 Medes proud Sceptre; & he gives them Laws.  
〈◊〉, who's That marches so dis-figurd there,  
●re an Army, without Nose, and Ear?  
〈◊〉 that good Servant, who reduced, alone,  
●er Darins, Rebel Babylon.  
●hile, with these Shows sad JUDITH entertained  
Eyes, but not her heart (too-inly-paind)  
In comes the Duke: & with right courteous che●●●  
Kindly salutes her, hands her hand; and near  
Causing her sit in a rich ●asie Chair,  
Himself, at ease, views & reviewes her Fair▪  
Than, seeing him so nigh his wished Pleasure,  
His heart's a fire: nor hath he longer leisure  
To stay for Venus, till, Star-crowned bright,  
On their Horizon She bring back the Night.   

The Widow, knowing Time & Place, as yet,  
For God's Decree, and her Deseign, unfit;  
Finds still Delays: and, to delude his Love,  
She (wily) still Speech upon Speech doth move   

My Lord, pray tell me, What so great Offence  
So grievously your Fury could incense?  
What? When? Where? Why? How? & by Whom  
Can so the Wrath of such a Prince provoke, (〈◊〉  
So separate, in Language, Land, and Law;  
Who never Us, and Whom we never saw?   

uncivil were He (Sweet) replies the Prince,  
Can ●ught deny to such an Excellence.  
Than: ●s the heavens cannot Two Suns sustain▪  
N● more can Earth Two Kings at once contain,  
O● equal Power and State: for sovereignty  
Brooks no Copartner, no Equality.   

●es my Sovereign: who, offended at  
〈◊〉 Power & Pomp of mighty Arphaxat,  
〈◊〉, high aspire, and far to spread began;  
●to the Clouds had built his Ecbatane,  
●ve's●'s Shame, and dread of Babylon:  
●ely endeavours to supplant, His Throne,  
●aue his Sceptre, sack, raze, ruinated,  
〈◊〉 ●oodly Cities, and himself dis-State.   

●t Arphaxat, as valorous as sage,  
〈◊〉 both, right worthy of his Crown & Age)  
●ld rather venture Media's Royal Rings,  
●n vail to Any. So between Two Kings,  
〈◊〉 stout, & stirring Spirits (whereof, the one  
●d brook no Peer, th' other, Superior none)  
●n a dreadful and right deadly War,  
●ng (alas!) too-long, spreading too-far.  
●●phaxat arms Those, where the Flower of Greece  
●t, not the Locks of an old Golden Fleece,  
●assie Ingots, which do richly pave  
●appy Plains great Phasis Streams belave:  
Harmastans, th' Albanians, wont to mow  
●e times a year, where only once they sow:  
●m Oxus boundeth with his swelling Tide:  
●m Anti-Taurus double Horns divide:  
Those on the Mountain, whose high-lowely back  
Bowed to the Vessel which preserved from wrack  
The World's Abridgement: Those along the 〈◊〉  
Where proud jaxartes rapid Current rores:  
In short, besides his Medes he had in Pay  
All, near the Pontic and the Caspian Sea.  
So that, already, This great King-Commander,  
Had Hopes as high as ever ALEXANDER.   

My Prince, resolved to conquer, or to die,  
Omits no point of Opportunity  
For his Affairs: He armeth Sittacene,  
Levies the Archers of all Osrohene:  
Those, whose rich Plains hundred for one repay,  
From Euphrates and Tigris march away:  
Fish-fed Carmanians (who with Seal-skin jacks,  
In stead of Iron, arm their warlike Backs)  
Gold-sanded Hytan's native Shores forego:  
You, Parthians, Cossians, and Arabians too,  
By your sage Magi's deep prophetic Charms  
Sacredly counselled, take you all to Arms:  
And Thou, Chaldéa, turn'st to Swords & Spears  
And Shields, Thy Rules, Squires, Compasses & 〈◊〉  
For, of his Subjects spares he not a man  
That bear a Lance, or Pike, or Crossbow can:  
●es, Beldames, Babes, Gray-heads (& Sickly, some)  
●ough all his Countries only kept at home.  
●e also sends for Persians and Phoenicians;  
●oft Egyptians, Hebrews, and Cilicians,  
●ckly to come, and kindly take his Part:  
Neuters, They (more Friends in face, than heart)  
●ct his earnest Suit, Himself neglect;  
●vse his Legates but with small respect.  
●y Lord dissembles for a while This wrong,  
●auing tryumpht of a Foe more strong,  
〈◊〉 may with more ease, and with danger less,  
●r Sacrilege and surly Pride repress.  
〈◊〉 Ragau's ample Plain, one Morning, met  
●e Royal Armies, of two Kings, as great  
●er Mars with steel and Fury armed:  
〈◊〉 and Pride so Either Soldier warmed,  
〈◊〉 hardly could they stay till Trumpets shrill  
●ounce the Battle, & give leave to kill:  
〈◊〉 with stern Looks, & braving Threats, afar;  
●nd, with Blows; they had begun to war;  
●anging wounds. Two thousand Perduz first  
●e bravely th' Onset: and not much dispersed,  
〈◊〉 sudden whirlwind of their nimble Slings,  
●ick a storm of humming Pebbles sings  
So sad a Dirge of Deaths, that they suppose,  
That not one Troop, but All, had been at Blows.  
To second Those, then, in good ordinance,  
With waving Ensigns, thousand Troops advance▪  
Both Armies join. Now fiercely fall they to it,  
Mede upon Chaldé, pressing foot to foot;  
Incount'ring felly with a furious noise  
Of clashing Arms, and Angry-braving Voice:  
louder then Nile, rushing from Rocky-Coomb;  
Or than Encélade, when he shakes his tomb.   

Here lies one headless: footlesse there (alas!)  
Another crawls among the gory Grass:  
One's shoulder hangs: another hangs his Bowels  
About his neck (but new bound up in towels):  
This, in the Face, That in the Flank is hurt:  
This, as he dies, a Flood of Blood doth spurt:  
That, neither lives nor dies; but sees at once  
Both upper Jove's and neather's divers Thrones;  
Because, some little spirit (too-stubborn-stout)  
Still, in the Body, will not yet come out.   

Erewhile the ground was yellow, green, & bl●  
Now only covered with a Crimson hue:  
While one doth (hee●) another deadly thrill,  
Another Him, Another Him doth kill:  
〈◊〉 Rage increases: still doth Fury spread,  
〈◊〉 all the Field be but a Heap of Dead.  
One-while the Syrians by the Medes are chased;  
●n the Medes by Syrians are re-chased:  
●ne-while, from the Sea unto the Shore,  
●ge after Surge, Wave after Wave doth roar;  
●ther-while, from Shore to Sea they ply  
●e after Wave, Surge after Surge to fly:  
●s (we see) the Flowery Ears, in May,  
●hen Zephyrus with gentle Puffs doth play)  
●y to and fro; forward and backward bend;  
●w stoop a little; and now, stand an end.  
●oth King's thewhile, whose Force & Fortitude  
〈◊〉 past their Subjects, so their Blades imbrued  
●loud & Slaughter, that an open Glade  
●ere-e're they came, in either Camp they made;  
●hat, nor Casks, Cuirets, nor Shields could save  
●n mighty Strokes their massy Weapons gave:  
●h like two Torrents, which with headlong fall  
●n two opposed Hills, downe-bearing all,  
●s▪ Bridges, Trees, Corn, cattle; seem to vie  
●ether of either shall most damnify.  
●cially, the Medes King thundered so  
●n our Battles, that our Bravest tho,  
Begun to shrink, & with that shameful sight,  
Our Host disord'red, fell to shameful flight:  
The Foe pursues, slays, slashes (swift as wind)  
Million of wounds, and every one behind.   

In brief, that Day had Niniué been down,  
Her King undone (dead, and deprived of Crown)  
Had not I (full of Force and Fury) quick,  
Like Lightning, rushed where deadly Blows were th●  
Mails, Morions, Corselets, Iron, Steel & Brass,  
Before My Sword were brittle all, as Glass.  
And only I, My hand alone, which lent  
Moore deaths than blows, brought more astonish●  
Unto Their Camp, than all Our Camp beside.   

Their Foot no longer could my Brunt abide:  
Their Horsemen, fainting, in their Saddles shake;  
Arms on their Backs, hearts in their Bellies quake.  
Heer, with a downright Blow, from top to twist,  
I cleave in sunder one that dared resist:  
There, I so deep dive in Another's mind,  
That near two handfuls peers my Sword, behind  
So, that the Medes, now more than wavering,  
In th' heat of Fight, abandon All their King.  
Who, seeing him so betrayed, his Tresses tore,  
Re●●'d to Ragau, all besmeared with gore:  
●re, over-taen by Ours, He bravely fought;  
〈◊〉 thickest Darts a glorious Death he sought;  
●wes, thunders, thrills, & of his Manly blows  
〈◊〉 one in vain, not one amiss bestows:  
〈◊〉 year He die, with quick, keen, Falchion fell,  
●ends before, thousand stout Souls to Hell:  
●e fierce Tiger, compassed everywhere  
〈◊〉 Men & Dogs, to Fury turns his Fear;  
●ts where he finds the greatest danger lie;  
●s, tosses, kills; not, unrevenged to die.  
●at, at the last, the vainly Valiant King,  
●rie of kill, and of conquering,  
●illd with a thousand Darts, and wounded rife,  
●ed at once his lofty Rage and Life:  
〈◊〉, falling, fares as doth a mighty Oak,  
●ch, planted high upon a massy Rock,  
housand times hath felt the Winds to beaten,  
〈◊〉 thousand Axes, it a Fall to threat;  
●at the Root groaned, & the Valley nigh  
●o'd the noise unto the steepest Sky,  
●le that the Top still reeling to and fro,  
〈◊〉, These; now, Those, threatens with overthrow:  
〈◊〉 still it stands, in spite of all their spite,  
〈◊〉 at the last, all under-mined quite  
With million strokes, it falls, and with the Fall,  
Bear's to the ground, Trees, Rocks, Corn, cattle▪   

For, Arphaxat extinct, extinct withal  
Was Median's glory: and, My Lord of All  
Razed Ecbatane; and now grow Weeds & Grass  
Where, late, His lofty, rare-rich Palace was:  
Where, late, the Lute, & the loud Cornets noise  
In curious Consort warbled sweet their voice:  
The voice of Scriechowles, & Night-Ravens is 〈◊〉  
And every fatal and affrighting Bird.   

My King-God, weary of Wars tedious toil,  
In NINIVE the great, for four months-while  
Made Public Feasts: and, when the Feast was 〈◊〉  
Commands Me leavy a huge Host, anon,  
Of chiefest Men; to go & chastise Those  
That had disdaignd him Aid against his Foes:  
And that, on All that dared His Hests infrenge,  
With Fire & Sword his Honour I avenge;  
And that with speed. But, Madam, see (alas!)  
How far I am from bringing This too-passe:  
For, coming here, your Nation to subdue,  
Myself am conquered and subdued by You:  
So that (alas!) Death's draddest Tyrannies  
In endless Night will soon siel-up mine eyes,  
●t the powerful sole Preservative  
●y sweet Kisses keep me yet alive.  
〈◊〉 good My Lord, said She, Tellon (I pray)  
〈◊〉 good Success and Service, by the Way.  
●en HOLOFERNES, where he left, began  
●g Narration how He played the Man;  
〈◊〉 Truth, half Tales: For, 'tis great soldiers guise  
●ibast often their Own Exploits with Lies.  
●e Host all mustered & together brought,  
●lame their hearts with martial Heat I sought:  
●es (said I) if ever Your Desire's  
〈◊〉 thirsted Fame, to live when Life expires;  
〈◊〉 ' now, to punish that presumptuous Crew  
●h rudely (late) our sacred Legates slew:  
〈◊〉 ', to avenge our drad-deer Sovereign Liege  
●at fell Outrage, nay, foul Sacrilege  
inst the Greatest GOD came eves down  
〈◊〉 Heavenly Spheres to sway an Earthly Crown:  
〈◊〉, arm you, brave Bloods, arm your either hand;  
〈◊〉, with a Blade; That, with a Firebrand,  
〈◊〉 Fire and Sword to overrun the West,  
●ay it waste, to bear away the best:  
●nk it all under a Crimson Flood;  
●ake (at lest) your Horses swim in blood:  
Go ', take possession of Your valours due,  
The whole World's Crown, which yields it all to you▪  
Take you This Honour; which, in Time-to-come,  
Shall keep your brave Names from th' oblivious Tomb:  
Take, take your pleasures of the richest spoils  
Of richest Cities in a hundred Soils  
Which you shall sack. So, may you once in Health  
Come laden home with Honour & with Wealth.   

I ceased: and soon they second, All, my voice  
With Caps castup, with clapped hands; & noise  
Of general joy, to have Me GENERAL.   

Some sixscore Thousand was Mine Host in all,  
Or som-what-more: with which from NINIVE,  
But three-days march I made to Bectileh;  
Thence passed I forward by Hierapolis,  
Than by Amida, then by Nisibis.  
And thence to Charan (at the length) I came,  
Once happy seat of your great Abraham.  
Than wan● th' Hill, whose obliqne Horns divide  
All Asia near, and limit far and wide  
Many large Empires: Where, I sack, I slay,  
I burn, I raze, whatever in my way:  
My Soldiers seem so many Mowers, right,  
Which in a Mead leave not a blade upright;  
●t, by long Swaths of their degraded Grass,  
●ell show the way their sweeping Sythes did pass:  
●his, Phul, and Tharsis, and all Lydia knows,  
〈◊〉 whose waste Fields now only Bramble grows.  
〈◊〉 come near the Strait which serves for Wall & Fort  
●o soft Phoenicians, and Thief Issians Port:  
●he Rosians, Soleans, Mopsians, Tharsians, Issia,  
●nchials, Aegoeans; briefly, all Cilicia;  
●ake-vp this Gate, with all their Power; in hope  
●o stay my Passage, and my Course to stop.  
〈◊〉 Should I here tell the dangerous Enterprises  
●raue Charges, Rescues, Sallies, Shocks, Surprises,  
●hich there befell, the day would fail (I fear)  
●efore my Speech: for, the Cilicians were  
●o fortified by favour of the Place,  
That little could we there provaile, a space:  
Nay, all mine Host, which had so often chased  
So many greater Hosts; now stood aghast;  
Till in despite, and full of desperate rage,  
In thickest dangers, I myself engage;  
Where, round assailed, and wounded in all parts,  
My Shield thick bristled with a Grove of Darts,  
I never shrunk: but so bestirred me round,  
That I alone made All their Host give ground.   

Mine Army then, follows the way amain  
Mine Arm had made, and paved thick with Slain:  
Now our most Cowards (late) for Fear, adying;  
Wound most, kill most, and most pursue them flying  
Cydnus▪ year while, for his pure silver Flood,  
Caldoro King of Waters, wallows now in blood:  
And rapid Pyr●m (past his wont Toll)  
To Neptune, Shields, Helms, Horse & Men doth ro●  
In brief, as here your Mo●mur, stopped a while  
By some new Bridge, or some unusual Pile;  
Roars, riseth, foams, fumes, threats, beats, rages, 〈◊〉  
Against his new Bank; and with weighty Waves,  
Weighty and strong, bears down at last the B●y,  
And, for a time, outlashing every-way▪  
Tears, overturns, and undermines, much worse  
Than when he freely hath his native Course:  
Even so, my Force, having the Force repelled,  
Which in these Straitss the struggling Passage held  
Burns, kills, confounds, what meets it most and lest.   

ASIA▪ laid was●e: returning to the East,  
I conquered Coelé, spoiling, pitiless,  
The fruitful Verge of famous Euphrates:  
Rapsis ●●az'd; and Agraea▪ overthrow'n,  
The Virtue of my mighty Arm hath known.  
Thence, keeping still by the Sea coast, I spoil,  
●e Madianites: then, marching North awhile;  
ewards double Liban, I Damascus race,  
●h her near Towns, G●ane, Abyl●, Hypaepas:  
●ence came I (curious) to that Hill, from whence  
●e Sun, by Night, is seen; and seen from thence  
●o to R●se: Thence, towards the Western Realms  
continual beaten with Phoenician Streams.   

Than, Those of Gaze, tire, Sydon, Ascalon,  
●otus, Byblus, joppa, every-one,  
●r'd with my Fame; in greatest humbleness,  
●spatch their Legates to My Mightiness.  
●e come not here with Force and Arms (say They)  
●o bid thee Battle, or to bar thy Way:  
●t rather, Mightiest Price, in humblest awe,  
●o yield us Thy, to accept Thy Will for Law;  
●f Life, or Death. Thy are our Fields & Forts;  
●hine are our Cities; Thy our Ships, our Ports,  
Our Lands, our Goods▪ our Cattail, Corn, & Wine;  
Thy are our Children, and ourselves are Thy:  
Only be pleased (Sir) to accept us so▪  
And so esteem us: and right happy th●  
●hall we esteem ourselves, to have a Lord  
Can wield so well the Sceptre and the Sword,  
The Lance and Balance; and, beside, excels  
Men, equals Gods in every Virtue else.   

Nor did their People, nor their States disprove  
Their Embassies; but by all signs of Love  
Both Young and Old, crowned all with Flora's Favour▪  
Of hundred Colours and of hundred Savours;  
Came Dancing out with Musiks' cheerful Moods,  
To offer Me their Bodies and their Goods.   

Nor did I then a Victor's Right abuse;  
But with all Kindness them as Friends I use:  
Leave them their Land: but first, their Forts I mao●  
With some of Mine; with some of There's, my Band.  
For (Madam) still the farther that I go,  
My Camp, in Bands; my Bands in Soldiers grow:  
Even as Danubius, first, beginning small  
Through Raurak Plains with shallow course to crawl,  
Still swelling more & more, with threescore Rivers,  
To th' Euxine Sea his Sealike Self delivers.   

I hoped, as These, so also Israel  
Would yield themselves; & not at all compel  
My just Revenge to threat Extremities:  
But, when I came here to S●ythopolis  
(The tomb of Her whose happy Milk had yerst  
The twice-born Dennis in his Cradle nourc't)  
●as advertised of this stubborn Folly;  
●hich will, no doubt, undo the Hebrews wholly.   
The end of the fift Book.   

BETHULIANS' Rescue. THE sixth BOOK.  

Year that the Pagan could his Story end,  
Fron highest Hills did dusky Night descend:  
And now the Steward full the Table f●aights  
With all, most precious, most delicious Meats;  
As if the Viceroy, to This jovial Feast,  
Had bid the Kings both of the West and East.   

OH greedy-guts! OH Gulfs insatiate!  
A thousand Worlds, with all their delicate  
And various Cates devised by th' Abderite,  
Cannot su●●ize your bound-less Appetite.  
OH Belly-gods! for You (at any price)  
To the Moluques, must we trudge for Spice;  
To the Canaries, for your Sugars fine;  
To (Io●es-Crete) Candy for your choicest Wine.  
To please your Tastes, your Palates to content,  
Seas sacred Bosom is profanely rend;  
Aieris dispeopled; yea, right hardly can  
The only Phoenix scape the jaws of Man.   

OH Poison! worse than Plague to Martial states,  
Which bravest minds basely effeminates.  
While Rome, for Heads, had Curios and Fabricios,  
Whom Roots sufficed for dainties most delicious:  
While Persia was with Salads sole content;  
They flourished Both, admired and Eminent;  
And Either's Arms triumphing everywhere,  
Filled all the Earth with Trophies and with Fear:  
But, since that This, from soft Assyrians took  
His vast Excess of Kitchen and of Cook;  
And, since that That fell under the Dispose  
Of Galba's, Nero's, and Vitellios'  
(Moore glorying to exceed Others Excess,  
Than conquer Pyrrhus or Mithridates)  
Both have been often and justly sacked and spoiled  
By petty Nations, whom they often had foiled.  
Nature 's sufficed with Little: Ouerful  
Deadeth the Courage, & the Wits doth dull.   

Each being set; anon, full filled-out  
In massy Bowls the Malmsey walks about:  
One drinks devoutly in an Ostrich Egg;  
One in a Lute, another in a Leg;  
One in a Ship, another in a Shell;  
Another takes a broad deep silver Bell,  
To ring his Pea● but so his hand doth sway  
And shake, that half he sheds it, by the way.   

But, above all, the Prince him so behaved,  
That, now, the more he drank the more he craved:  
Much like the Sea; which, though it take this-while  
Twin-named Ister, and Seaven-mouthed Nile;  
Never increases, nor is full therefore;  
But ever ready for as many more.  
Cup calls for Cup; and when the Skinker ween●  
TO have done his Service, he afresh gins  
To fill them Liquor: for, till Midnight past,  
Among the Guests this Tippling game did last.  
And then away, with much ado, they went  
(Feeling, and reeling) Each unto his Tent;  
By th'▪ amorous Tyrant often urged before,  
Who thought each minute now a year and more.   

When they were gone, He began embrace and buss  
The trembling Lady; who besoothes him Thus:  
Nay: leave (my Lord): such haste what need you make  
To reap the Fruit which from you none can take?  
Get you to bed: and, if you leave me room,  
I will not fail you by and by to come,  
So soon as I have but disburdened  
My Load of clothes, and made me fit for Bed.  
If suttlest Wits, and if the sobrest Brains,  
●ue hardly scaped women's wily Trains,  
marvel not, Reader, if One, fooled atonce  
〈◊〉 Semele's and Cytheréa's Sons,  
〈◊〉 thus beguiled: sith Either of the Two  
●reaues the body's and the Minds Force, too.  
〈◊〉 Than, letting her slide from his arms away,  
●e goes about himself to disarray:  
●ow he unbuttons, now pulls-off his hose;  
●ut, his heat hinders, and his haste foreslows;  
●or (sleep-awake, blinde-seeing) while he plies  
〈◊〉 ' untruss his Points, them (fumbling) faster ties:  
●ill, overcome with Rage, and Longing, more,  
He cuts his knots, and off his clothes he tore;  
And then to Bed. Where (as the Crosse-bow-man,  
Who, for his pleasure, watcheth now and than  
By some Crosspath, some Coney, or some Hare;  
At every Noise, on every side doth stare  
Where stirs a Leaf; and levels thitherward,  
At the lest Wren, or the lest Worm that stirred  
Near where he stands, still in a Hopefull-Doubt  
Turning his Body and his Bow about)  
The lustful Tyrant, if he hear a Mouse  
Never so little stir about the house;  
Shivering for joy, he thinks his Mistress there:  
Nay, though he nothing hear, his flattering Ear  
Thinks it hears something, which can nothing be  
But his admired most desired She:  
Lifts-up, layes-down, and up again re-lifts  
His heavy Noule: from side to side he shifts;  
Casting the Distance, counting, in his head,  
Howmany steps will bring her to his Bed,  
The which thewhile he full of Thorns doth think.   

But, now the Fume of his abundant Drink,  
Drouzing his Brain, beginneth to deface  
The sweet Remembrance of her lovely Face:  
Already wheels his Bed, already shine  
A thousand Rays before his slumbering Eyes:  
Already in his Ears (now waxed numb)  
A thousand Drones with buzzing Noise do hum:  
He sees Chiméras, Gorgon's, Minotaures.  
Medusa's, hags, Allecto's, Semitaures.   

But IVDITH's heart still beating thick within,  
Felt a fell Combat in itself begin:  
Now, causing Fear her sacred Fervour quash;  
Anon, her Fervour her faint Fear to dash.   

JUDITH, said She, Thy jacob to deliver,  
Now, is the Time; Now toit. Do-it never.  
O! Yes. O! No. I will. I will not, I:  
Shall I profane kind Hospitality?  
●ay, rather shall I sanctifieed the more,  
●hen by the same I shall the Saints restore.  
But, Traitors ever bear Dishonours brand.  
traitor's be Those betray; not save, their Land.  
But, Murderers Heavens righteous judge abhors.  
Why? all Mankillers are not Murderers.  
But, he's a Murderer who his Prince hath slain.  
●his is a Tyrant; not My Sovereign.  
But, GOD hath now bequeathed Him us for Lord  
●ee's not of GOD that wars against his Word.  
Why, then, may All, their Tyrants kill and rid?  
●o Ahod, jahel, and so jehu did.  
Yea, but from Heaven had They authentic Warrant.  
●o hath my Soul (approved and apparent.)  
But, ah! how weak art Thou, this Work to act!  
Whom GOD assisted, never strength hath lacked.  
But, hadst thou done; the Sequel's more to doubt.  
GOD brought me in: & GOD will bring me out.  
What, if He please leave thee in Heathens hands?  
Their Chieftain dead, I fear nor Death, nor Bands.  
But, to their Lust thou shalt be left a Prey.  
Never my Mind; my Body force they may.   

Than, in this point thus sacredly confirmed;  
With hands heaved up, her eyes on Heaven she firmed▪  
And softly, Thus pours to the Lord her Prayer:   

OH gracious GOD, who with paternal Care  
Hast ever kept thine Israel, strengthen Thou  
Mine Arm with Thy, that it may nimbly now  
Cutoff this Tyrant, who thus dares presume,  
To scale the heavens; Thy Sceptre to assume.  
And, sith thy grace, through thousand storms & more▪  
Hath brought my Bark in sight of wished shore,  
OH, let it land: with Poppie's sleepiest sap  
This Tyrant's sense benumb in end-less Nap;  
That I may raise this Siege, Thy Thralls release;  
Return Thee Praise; and, to thy ZION, Peace.   

Her Prayer done, the Drunken Prince she hears  
Snorting aloud. Than fair and soft She neeres  
His Pallets side, and quickly takes the Sword  
Which had so often the groaning Earth begored.   

But, even about the fatal Blow to give;  
Fear, from her hand did the fell Weapon reave:  
Her ha●t did faint, her strength did fail her quite.  
OH GOD (than said She) strengthen by Thy Might  
My timorous heart's, and trembling hand's Consent▪  
Than on the Duke so stiff a stroke she lent,  
〈◊〉 happily, tri-parted (at the paul)  
〈◊〉 ' Head from the Body, Body from the Soul.  
〈◊〉 Soul to Hell: his Body on the Bed:  
IVDITH's hand his grim and ghastly Head;  
●ich soon her Handmaid in her Night-bag hid.  
Than speeding thence, suspect-less, or unspied;  
without Impeach the Pagan Host they passed.  
●r, if that any saw them trip so fast,  
●av'n-blinde, they thought She went but (as before)  
●o the Vale, bright Diane to adore.  
Now, when chaste JUDITH came to th' Hebrews Tower,  
●e, open (said She): for the GOD of Power,  
〈◊〉 ' Assyrian Force's hath this Night forlorn,  
●d lifted up his chosen Iacobs Horn.  
The Town, amazed at her Return vn-hoped,  
●esse to the Port; which instantly they oped,  
wronging about her: who a Terrace mounts,  
●d her Exploit from point to point recounts.  
●en, from her Bag, for Proof of what she said,  
●e pulls thewhile the dreadful Pagans' Head.  
The Citizens, when in her hand they saw  
●h' Assyrian's Head's Head; full of humble Awe,  
●toll th' Almighty, who so mighty Foe  
〈◊〉 a weak Woman had subdued so.   

But, most of all did Ammon's Prince admire  
GOD's dreadful judgement: and to scape His ire,  
Who Israel thus, of vanquished, victorized;  
His Flesh and Heart he sudden circumcised.   

How sweetly, Lord, Thy sacred Providence,  
Mens suttlest Wisdom, in their Plots, prevents!  
For, thine Elected unto Life, to guide  
Into thy Fold (when most they seem beside)  
Good out of Ill thou drawest: making their Sin,  
Means ('gainst their minds) their Goodness to b●gi●   

Lord! foul Desire of Murder and of Spoil  
Brought this (late) Pagan to th' Isacian Soil;  
Where, meaning (first) Thy People's blood to spi●●  
Now, spend his Own for their dear sakes he will:  
Thy mercy so from his malign Affect,  
Maugre his mind, brought forth a good Effect.   

So, near Damascus, mad'st thou, by thy Call,  
Of Wolf a Shepherd, of a Saul a Paul;  
Of Persecutor, an Apostle; (brief)  
Of Chief of Sinners, among Saints the Chief:  
So suddenly, that all the Saints about  
Admired his Doctrine; Yet, his Deeds did doubt.   

So, the Saint-Thief, which suffered with our Sa●●  
Was led to Life by his Death-dew Behaviour:  
〈◊〉, when no longer Earth could bear his Sin,  
〈◊〉, in a Moment, made heavens Citizen.  
●eareful-hopeful Precedent of Grace!  
〈◊〉 as, but One, GOD's holy Books embrace:  
〈◊〉 that None (humbled) should despair of Pardon:  
One, that None presume in Sin to harden.)  
●o, turn, good Lord, OH turn the hearts of Princes,  
●ose Rage their realms with S ●●. dear blood berinses:  
〈◊〉 let the Sword, Thou in their hand hast put,  
●ne but Thy Foes, none but Those Tyrant's cut,  
●o cursedly Thee, or Thy CHRIST blaspheme  
〈◊〉 surping JUDA and JERUSALEM,  
●d all Thy Golden Candlesticks beside;  
●reating the West, too, with their Power & Pride):  
●t Those, who humbly, only, evermore,  
●e, TRINITY in UNITY, adore.  
Than, as the brave Virago ordered,  
Soldier takes th' Assyrian Tyrant's Head;  
●d, for the Hebrews more Encouragement,  
●ad sets it up upon the Battlement.  
There, Parents, Children, Maids, & Widows sad,  
●hom Pagan Swords but new bereaved had  
●f Children, Parents, Lovers, Husband's deer,  
●ixt Grief and Anger, as distracted near,  
Pull-off his Beard, pull out his hateful Tongue,  
(Which had blasphemed Heaven & Earth so long)  
Spit in his Face, scratch & poach-out his Eyes;  
And all, that Hate and Fury can devise.  
For, live Remembrings of their wrongs, them 〈◊〉  
On his dead Head, this dead Revenge to take.   

Aurora, weary of the cold Embrace  
Of her old Spouse, began in Ind apace  
To paint her Portal of an Opal hue;  
When, of Bethulians' all the bravest Crew  
Issue in Arms: and such a Noise withal,  
(Such Shouts and Cries) as if, in th' antic Brawl,  
All th' Elements, breaking the bands of Order,  
Were by the Ears; and in their old Disorder.   

The Court of Guard (that night unusual strong,  
Towards the Town) hearing such Noise, so long,  
Start from their Sleep▪ and crying Arm, arm, arm,  
Give suddenly to all their Host Alarm.   

One, for his own, his fellows Helm puts-on:  
One, his right Vantbras on left arm doth done:  
One, on his neck, for Lance, a Libbet takes:  
One speeds him quick: another scarce awakes:  
One mounts his Horse, year he be curbed, or girt;  
And, without Spurs: Others, to show more heart,  
●ld make a Stand: some neither wake nor sleep:  
●e, brave in Word; in Deed, as faint as Sheep.  
●ow, by degrees, this Noise comes to the Ears  
Holosernez Household Officers:  
●hat sad Bagos hies him in all haste  
●o the Tent where th' Ethnic slept his last.  
●h trembling hand, once, twice, or thrice he knocked:  
●an eternal Sleep the Doors had locked  
●his Lord's ears; who had already crossed  
●e Stygian Ferry, not to be recrost.  
●hen, hearing still th' Isacians louder shout,  
〈◊〉 makes the Door fly-open with his Foot;  
●d, entering, finds, in gory Bed, low shrunk,  
●t Holofernez, but his Head-less Trunk.  
●en did he tear his hair, and rend his Clotheses▪  
●d to the Clouds roars out in yelling Oaths:  
●ecially, when JUDITH there he missed,  
●om now the Murderess of his Lord he witted.  
●en, rageful rushing from the bloody Tent,  
●is hideous Cry through all the Camp he sent:  
Woe, woe to us! Alas! this cursed Night  
●ursed Captive hath confounded quite  
●r awful Army, and undone us All,  
〈◊〉 treacherous slaughter of our GENERAL.   

This new Affright redoubled on the first,  
The stoutest hearts doth so dis-hart and burst;  
That All (atonce abandoning their Arms,  
Pikes, Swords, & Shields, Darts, Arrows, all) by swa●  
Be take them to their heels; o'er Hill & Dale,  
Flying from one death, on a worse to fall.   

Than the Besieged, in great Troops descend,  
And on their backs revenging Bows they bend.  
Both run apace: Those fly; These follow fast:  
But those that fly, make less good speed then haste.  
For, without loss of Man, th' Hebrews, at will,  
The flying Pagan's slaughter, thrash, and thrill:  
Even as a Lion, in Getulian Lawns,  
Bestreawes the soil with fearful Kids and Fawns▪  
Where, not a Beast his Fury dares abide,  
Nor lift a horn against his awful pride.   

One, from a Rock himself doth headlong dash,  
And all to pieces all his parts doth pash:  
Other, forgetting that in deepest depth  
Fate finds us out, into a River leap'th.  
But, if by speed, or some good hap, perhaps  
This Mornings first fell Fury any 'scapes,  
He escapes not though those Hebrews outrages,  
Who kept (about) the Straitss & Passages:  
●hat at scarce one of such a Rout could bring,  
〈◊〉 Niniué, the News unto the King.  
The Battle (rather, th' Execution) done,  
●t of the City flocked every-one  
●om Sex or Age had hitherto restrained;  
〈◊〉 see the dread Revenge the Lord had reigned  
〈◊〉 suddenly, and past all Expectation,  
〈◊〉 those fell Foes of His deer Holy Nation.  
One, full of Wounds, yet gasping, calls in vain  
〈◊〉 lazy Death, to end his linger pain:  
●e, grinning ghastly, in his visage grim,  
●owes, dead, the Rage that living swelled in him:  
●me mangled here, some there, some round about:  
●d every Soul a sundry way went out:  
accordingly as Valour, Sleight, or Chance,  
●d the dead-doing Sword, or Dart, or Lance.  
〈◊〉 short, This sight so truly tragic was,  
●at even the Victors would have sighed, alas,  
●d they so vanquished any Foe but This.  
But rifling long, among the Carcases,  
〈◊〉 last the Body of the Duke they found  
though head-less, known best, by that only wound).  
●hither they throng; That, every blade must thrill,  
●nd every one that Corpse again would kill:  
A hundred Swords, a hundred Pikes, and Darts,  
Are every moment goring all his parts;  
And every Nerve, Vein, Muscle, joint they hack;  
Till room (at last) their Vulgar Rage doth lack.  
For, were his Bulk as big as Atlases,  
His Limbs as many as Encélades,  
And strong Briar●us; yet, yet think I, all,  
Their dire Revenge would still, still think too small  
For, of the jews, none so base Clown there is  
But would a Gobbet of that Flesh of His.   

Give, Tyrant, give thy Right hand to Cilicians,  
Thy Left to Medes: give one Arm to P●●●nicians,  
The other to Ishmael: and divide thy Feet  
Between th' Egyptian and the Coelianit●:  
That every Nation, whom Thy Arms offenced,  
May, by some Part, be partly recompensed.  
Alas! I err: for, all in Atoms  
Wert Thou divided, all would not suffice.   

But JUDITH, nor forgetful, nor ingrate,  
Would neither bury, nor Selfe-arrogate  
The sacred honour for Assistance given  
In This great Work, by th' All-work hand of Heav'●  
But, tyming meet her Feet to Timbrels noise,  
This Hymns she sings with glad-sad warbling voice;  
●low'd by all the Flower of Hebrew Dames  
●aids, Widows, Wives) of faultless Forms & Fames.   

●ude, laud we, loud, with verse, with voice & strings,  
〈◊〉 GOD of Gods', the glorious King of Kings:  
●ese Power alone, pulls Tyrants down, & reareth  
●ek in their Room, who HIM ay-faithfull feareth.   

●or, who would think, one City, in one Day,  
suddenly could such an Host dismay,  
●ose high Exploits had all the World astounded,  
●d, from the Indeses, to japheths' Inns resounded?   

Lord! who would think, that HOLOFERNES, late  
●ud Conqueror of many a Potentate,  
●uld loose his Life (for all his Selfe-affiance)  
〈◊〉 one weak Woman, not a Troop of Giants?   

Who, who would think, that HE, who late possessed  
●t least, had power) from farthest East to West;  
●om Pole to Pole stretching his arms allover,  
●uld not have, left, one Inch of Turf, for Cover?   

That stately Prince, so thick attended-on,  
●w dead, (alas!) lies, above ground, alone.  
●t, not alone: for, Those that served him, living;  
●nsort him, dead; Propose of their Duties giving:   

Nor yet, above ground; for, the Ravens become  
His mangled body's better-worthy tomb,  
Than precious Marble, let, and jacynth gilded;  
Which, for his Bones Himself had proudly builded.   

So, so (good Lord) from Henceforth, let us find  
Thee, not our judge, but as our Father kind;  
And so, Henceforth, the Foes of ZION rather  
Feel Thee their judge, than their propitious Father.   

Heer JUDITH ends: Here also end will I,  
With thanks to GOD; and to Your Majesty.  
To GOD, for bringing This my Work about:  
To You, for deigning to have read it out.   
FINIS.   

LITTLE BARTAS: OR Brief Meditations, ON The Power, Providence, Greatness, & Goodness of GOD, In the CREATION; of the World, for Man: Of Man, For HIMSELF.  
Translated; & Dedicated To the most Royal Lady ELIZABETH.  
by JOSVAH SYLVESTER.   

HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE  royal blazon or coat of arms   

TO The most Royal Lady ELIZABETH, Infanta of England; Princess PALATINE of Rhine.  

Sweet Grace of GRACES, Glory of Your Age,  
Lustre of virtues (Moral and Divine)  
Whose Sacred Rays (already) far outshine  
Your Princely State, Your Royal Parentage;   

●eer, to your HIGHNESS (with all Good-Presage,  
Congratuling Your little PALATINE)  
I consecrated This LITTLE-One of Mine  
To serve Yourself, first; then, Your Son, for Page.   

●●ur gracious Favours to my former Brood,  
So bind my Thoughts, so bolden my Desires,  
To show Me grateful, as I know You good;   

●hat Thus to YOU, This LITTLE Mine aspires:  
Little in Growth; yet of so great a Spirit,  
As (happily) Your Grace's grace may merit.   
To Your highness Service, Duly and Truly devoted, josuah Sylvester.   

Souhaits Royaux & Loyaux.  

Au Roy.  

●Insi, l' Ancien des Temps, d' Ans, d'Honneurs, & Bonhe●  
Comblant ce Chef Royal; couronne voz Labeurs:  
Qui. pour le Droict des Roys, d'vn Glaive tout divin,  
Combattez l' Antichrist, & son grand BELLARMIN.    

Au Prince Charles.  

asile Tout-puissant, de sa main de PANDORE,  
Face d'vn Charle-moindre, un Charlemagne encore;  
Qui, suivant Voz Vertuz, derive, perennel,  
Saincts-Sages-Preux STVARTS au Sceptre paternel.    

Aux Princes Palatins.  

●nsi, le Ciel benin de ses Tresors benisse,  
L'Hymen heureux & saint de FREDRIC & d'ELIZE▪  
De sort, que d'Iceux, leurs Filz, & leurs Neveuz,  
Nous naissent desormais des EMPEREVRS heureux.    

Aux Anglois & Allemans.  

●insi, Lions ANGLOIS & Aigles d'ALLEMAGNE  
(Triumphants, pour la Foy, de ROME & de l'ESPAGN  
Terrassent coup a coup les Lunes du TURQVOIS,  
Pour planter tour par tout les Lauriers de la CROIX.     

LITTLE BARTAS.  

〈◊〉 wanton Lovers so delight to gaze  
●n mortal Beauties brittle little Blaze;  
●t not content, with (almost) daily sight  
Those dear Idols of their Appetite;  
●r, with th' Idëas which th' Idalian Dart  
●h deep imprinted in their yielding heart;  
〈◊〉, with Their Pictures (with precisest charge)  
●e by Decreets, Marcus, or Peake, at large  
●nd hanged of purpose, where they most frequent,  
〈◊〉 some fair Chamber's choicest Ornament)  
●ey must have Heliard, Isaac, or His Son,  
〈◊〉 do in Little, what in Large was done;  
●at they may ever, ever bear about  
〈◊〉 Pictures Picture (for the most, I doubt).  
〈◊〉 Much more should Those, whose Souls, in Sacred Love,  
●re rapt with Beautie's-Prototype above  
(Sigh, here, they cannot see th' ORIGINAL;  
Nor, in themselves, now, find His Principal)  
Thirst for Their Object; and [much less content  
With th' ample Table of the Firmament,  
And various Visage of this goodly Globe,  
Wherein, they see but (as it were) His rob,  
Embroidered rich, and with Great Works embossed,  
Of Power, of Prudence, & of Goodness, most;  
Yet, so far-off, so massy, so immense,  
As overswaies Their weak Intelligence:  
Or with that lesser Tablet of their Own  
(The Little-World, wherein the Great is shown)  
Which, near & dear, though still about they bear,  
Such Clouds of Passion are still crowding there,  
That seld or never can they aught perceive  
Of those pure Rays it did at first receive]  
Long for Their Longhome, past the Gates of Grace,  
To see Their Love, in Glory, face to face.   

Till when; awhile to entertain them here  
With Prospects fittest Their faint Thoughts to cheer  
(Instead of That Great Universal Table,  
Made in Six Days, with Art so admirable;  
And, by My BARTAS, in His Weeks divine,  
So large and lively drawn in every line)  
●VAL, and I (too short of Isaac's Art)  
●e Thus Essaid to play the Limners part,  
●d draw in little (like a Quintessence)  
●t goodly Labours glorious Excellence;  
●ease of Such, whom Public Charge denies  
●sure to view so large Varieties:  
●d Such, whose Means may not afford their Minds  
●o●tly Pleasures, of so Gain-less kinds:  
●d (last) Such, as, loving BARTAS best,  
●uld glad and feign still bear Him in their breast,  
〈◊〉 in their Bosom, were He Pocket-fit,  
〈◊〉 well He might; would Printers Gain permit:  
Now therefore, Thou, All-forming ONLY-TRINE,  
〈◊〉, in the Large, Thou ledst His hand & Mine;  
●nd likewise here Thy gracious Help again,  
〈◊〉 guide aright my Pencil and my Pen;  
〈◊〉 suit my Colours, sweet my Shadows, so,  
●at This my Little, Thy Great Works may show.  
And, grant, thewhile, I be not like the Hand  
●hich at S. Albon, in the Street doth stand  
directing Others in the ready Way;  
●ut, voided of mind, itself behind doth stay:  
●or, like a Buoy, which warneth from a Shelf;  
●ut lies still wallowing in the Sea, itself.   

SVpernall Lord, eternal King of Kings;  
Maker, Maintainer, Mover of all things:  
How infinite! how excellently-rare!  
How absolute Thy wondrous Works they are!  
How much their Knowledge is to be desired!  
And Thou, in All, to be of All admired!   

Thy glorious Power so suits thy gracious Will:  
Thy sovereign Wisdom meets thy Goodness still:  
Thy Word effects thy Work; and, voided of Pain,  
Turns round the heavens, & doth the Earth sustain   

Thy Spirit, infallible and infinite,  
Filling the World (yet not contained in it)  
By Power and Presence, all, in All things dwells;  
In Essence though, the Heaven of heavens excels.   

Eternally, before All Form began,  
Thou, only GOD, wert in Thyself, even than,  
As absolute, as after all the Term  
Of All thy Works: They, Changefull All; Tho● firm.   

The Revolution of This ample All,  
heavens height, Star's light, the Ocean's flood & f●  
To all Mankind, in some kind, make Thee kno●  
But add not Thee more Glory to Thy Own.  
●o make a World, or mar it, Thou art free.  
●omes & goes, by Thy divine Decree.  
●u, at Thy pleasure, hast made All of Naught:  
●at Thy pleasure, shall to Naught be brought.  
●hy Name is (right) I AM: for, without Thee,  
●one: all Beings of Thy BEING be.  
perfect Unity, proper Existence,  
only found in Thy own sacred Essence.  
although the World a goodly Piece appear,  
〈◊〉 hath, to Thy Greatness, no Proportion near:  
〈◊〉 but a Point, to Thy immense infinity.  
●en, what (alas!) is Man, to Thy DIVINITY?  
Yet, hast thou Him a Tongue & Reason given;  
●d Eyes erected towards Thy glittering Heaven,  
〈◊〉 read & ruminate Thy Wonders there;  
●d afterwards proclaim them everywhere.  
The heavens declare thy Glory, & they preach  
●o Man, Thy Works, Thy Excellence in Each:  
●he Elements accorded Discords sound  
●ow good for us thy goodly Works are found.  
The radiant Stars, in their eternal Sway,  
●h' alternate Changes of the Night & Day,  
●he birth of Beasts, the growth of Plants, each hour,  
●each everywhere Thy Providence & Power.   

From THEE, the Sun receives his Beauty brig●●  
And Sovereign Rule of Each celestial Light;  
Whose Yearly Course, in certain Circuiting,  
Makes Winter, summer, Autumn, & the Spring.   

Be't cloudy, clear, Eclipse, or Night, or Day;  
Hi● lovely brows are equi-lucent aye:  
And, whether swift or soft He seem to wend,  
His Speed is such, We cannot comprehend.   

Though us He Warm, yet is Himself not hot:  
Though read, or pale, He seem, yet is He not:  
Though small to us; His Orb is eight-score times  
And six, as big as All our Earthly climes.   

Did not He draw moist Vapours from below  
To drench our Fields; here, nothing green would grow●  
Did not He dry excessive Showers again,  
We could not sow, nor mow; our grass, nor Grai●   

Thou Lord, by Him, workest all this Alteration;  
And causest so All Creatures generation:  
Prankest the Earth in diverse-Flowred hue;  
And Yearly, almost, makest the World anew.   

Thou hast disposed His obliqne Body so,  
That Rise he, Set he; be he High, or Low;  
His Noon's perpetual: & he makes atonce  
Day, Night; Summer; Winter; frying, freezing Zones.  
●hen low to Us, he is to Others high;  
●n Others see not, We behold his Eye;  
●n here he Sets, he Rises otherwhere;  
●n here direct, he looketh glancing there.  
●hen some, in Summer, hear sweet Nightingales,  
●n some, in Winter, hear but blustering Gales:  
●e, see but Buds, when some supply their Granges,  
●h-where, the Sun thus Seasons conter-changes.  
●hen here, there springs both leaf & grass together,  
〈◊〉 where the Meads do hung their heads & whither:  
〈◊〉 in their turns, so in their times, he measures  
〈◊〉 Gifts to all; and all partake his Treasures.  
●n brief: each change of short, long; Day & Night;  
〈◊〉 Seasons, Times, Turns, & returns of Light;  
●hich, in a whole Year, everywhere he forms;  
●hat, in the whole World, daily He performs.  
〈◊〉 So that, dread Lord, were not Thy sacred Lore,  
●an, above All, would likely Him adore  
As some have done); but Supreme Reason shows  
●hat all His Glory unto Thy he owes.   

Things finite have Beginning, & Beginner:  
●hings moved, a Mover (as the wheel, the Spinner)  
●ffects, their Cause final; and (formally)  
●lder then Time, Nature, or Faculty.   

Even THEE, the Cause of Causes: Source of 〈◊〉  
First, and Last, Mover; Prime, and Principal.  
Infallible, involuble, insensible;  
All Selfe-comprising, else incomprehensible:   

Immense, Immortal, absolute infinity,  
Omnipotent, Omniscient DIVINITY.  
Even THEE, in Whom only gins all Good,  
And all returns into Thy boundless Flood.   

By Order then of thy Decrees divine,  
The hast set the Sun o'er All the World to shine;  
And (as the Subjects lightly suit their King)  
With His fair Light, t' enlighten every thing.   

His goodly Face, th' ungodly ever fly,  
Seeking for Night's black horrid Canopy,  
To cover Theft, Rape, Incest, Murder too,  
And all foul Sins; which in the Dark, they do●   

By Him, We see Thy Works, in their Propriety;  
Discern their Beauties, learn their vast variety:  
Where, without Him, the World would all return  
To th' old first CHAOS, or in Blindness mourn.   

By Him, We calculate our Grandsire's Dates,  
The Increase of Kingdoms, & Decay of States:  
By Him, Thou measur'st, Lord, to Us & Ours,  
Years, Ages, Seasons, Months, Days, minutes, Ho●   

●l Wits admire th' immense and wondrous way  
〈◊〉 great bright Body circuits every Day:  
〈◊〉 more his Orb is from the Centre far,  
〈◊〉 longer Daily his great journeys are.  
●esides his Daily Course, his Coursers drive  
●e of three hundred threescore Days and siue,  
●e Hours, three-quarterss: of which overplus,  
●uery fourth Year, grows a Day with us.  
Yet, whoso would the Year exactly rate,  
●iue-score-fiue Years, must one Leap abate;  
●d, in threescore, for th' Error ready past,  
●ould no Bissextile in our Books be placed.  
But, though We err, He never errs at all:  
●or, since Thou didst Him in his State install,  
●th He missed Moment of the Task he aught;  
●hough he have seen Men fail and fall so often.  
Above all Creatures, He retains, of Thee,  
●me-thing conform to Thy Eternity:  
●r, though He see our hourly Changes here,  
●is Light and Beauty still the same appear.  
How many Changes hath He seen on Earth!  
●ings, Kingdoms, States; their Burial & their Birth;  
rising and Falling of triumphant Races;  
raising and razing of renowned Places.   

How often hath Heseen Empress reversed?  
Rich Cities sacked? Rare commonweals dispersed  
Fields turned to Floods, & Seas returned to Sands?  
While steadfast He between his Tropiks stands?   

Him, just betwixt Six Wanderers hast thou pla●  
Which prance about Him with unequal haste:  
All which, without Him, could no Light reflect,  
As is apparent by the moons Defect.   

By His Aspect, her Own she daily makes;  
She, Wax-less, Waen-less, doth both waen & wa●●  
And though to Us, She seem a Semi-Ray,  
Her Full round Face doth never fall away.   

By His fair Beams, as well by Day as Night,  
The full whole Half of Her thick Orb is bright:  
And, as She draws near, or far off from Him;  
So, more, or less Our Half is clear or dim.   

Her upper Half is full, in her Coition,  
Her lower Half is in her Opposition:  
Her other Quarters, other Forms express;  
And up, or downward, show Her, more or less.   

When We see little, than the heavens have store  
When heavens see little, then have We thee more  
Nearer the Sun, the less She seems in sight;  
Turning her Horn still to her Opposite.   

At Even Increasing, She the Sun succeeds;  
Morn, Decreasing, She his Car precedes:  
〈◊〉 that, each Month, the Sun environs Her,  
〈◊〉 every side His Splendour to confer.   

Her silver Light then only faileth her  
●hen th' Earth's between Them (in Diameter)  
●hich Masks her Beauty with a sable Cloud,  
●om Sight of Him, her Brother Golden-browd.   

Good Lord, what changes dost Thou work by These  
●ieties; in Air, in Earth, & Seas!  
●re, or foul Wether; Wind, or Wet, or Thunder;  
〈◊〉 dry, or drip; or cool, or warm Heerunder.   

●f She but smile the fourth day, it will be fair:  
●hen She blush, we shall have blustering air:  
●hen her brows be muffled with a Frown,  
●ost of that Month shall sad Tears trickle down.   

Thus doth the Vigour of the Signs superior  
●le in the Virtues of these things inferior:  
●t Allured are governed by Thy sovereign Might:  
〈◊〉! happy He who understands it right.   

Thrice happy He, who sees Thee everywhere,  
〈◊〉 Heaven & Earth, in Water, Fire, and Air:  
●ho, due admiring Thy wise Works (of Yore)  
●hee above All, Thee only, doth adore.   

Who knows Thee so, so needs must love Thee  
And, with his Will, Thy sacred Will would do▪  
Still lifts his Eyes to Heav'n-ward, to contemp●●  
The stately Wonders of Thy starry Temple.   

Admires the set & measured Dance of Thin●  
All-clasping Palace, azure-crystalline,  
Rare-rich-imbost with glittering studs of Gold;  
And, more admires, the more he doth behold.   

'T's a wondrous thing to see That mighty M●  
Hindge-less & Ax-less, turn so swiftly round; (〈◊〉  
And th'heavy Earth, propless (though downward  
Selfe-counter-poized, mid the soft Air suspending   

On th'ample Surface of whose massy Ball,  
Men (round about) do trample over-all,  
Foot against Foot, though still (o strange Effect)  
Their Faces all be towards Heaven erect.   

Those dwelling under th' Equinoctial, they  
Have, all the Year long, equal Night and Day:  
Those near the Tropiks, have them more vn-eue●  
The more, the more that they are Nor-ward dri●   

But Those, whose Tents to either Pole are ne●  
Have but One Night, & One Day in a year.  
Yet All well compassed by due ruled Rite,  
Neither then other, hath more Dark, or Light.   

Thus have thy Works, o All-Disposing Deity,  
●me-what conform, for all their great variety:  
●ich Harmony, amid so divers things,  
All, aloud Thy wondrous Wisdom rings.   

But, specially, we wonder at the Place  
●hich here thou hast bestowed on Adam's race:  
〈◊〉 see ourselves set on so Round a Ball,  
〈◊〉 firmly hanged just in the midst of All.   

●or, This our Globe hangs Prop-less in the Air;  
〈◊〉, but thy Self, can nothing shake or sway-her:  
〈◊〉 roaring Storm, nor rumbling violence,  
〈◊〉 move the Centre's sad Circumference.   

Which, whoso should oppose in Disputation,  
●ght be convinced by easy Demonstration;  
〈◊〉 evident, from Sense and Reason err,  
●o think the heavens stand, & the Earth doth stir.   

The Parts & Whole, of samekind bodies, have  
●me or like Motions; be they light, or grave;  
〈◊〉- ward or downward; round, or overthwart:  
●eds must the Total move as doth his Part.   

So, if we see the Sun & Moon to veer;  
●eir ample heavens have even the like Career:  
●t, who hath seen a Selflie-turning Stone?  
●w than should Earth turn her whole lump alone?   

Let's therefore, boldly, with old Truth, affirm,  
That th' Earth remains unmovable & firm:  
And (if we credit the Geometer)  
Three thousand leagues is her Diameter:   

This Measure of her vast thick Depth, is found  
By th' admirable Compass of her Round;  
Which hath, by test of Arts Experiments,  
Moore than nine thousand leagues Circumference.   

Yet, learned Mappists, on a Paper small,  
Draw (in Abridgement) the whole Type of All;  
And in their Chamber (paineless, peril-less)  
See, in an hour, & circuit, Land and Seas.   

This mighty Globe is but a Point, compared  
With th' upper Globe: yet on This Point are sh●  
Million of millions of Mankind, which plough  
With Keel & Coultar its Twin Back and Brow.   

Man, placed thus, in This Mid-Point, so even,  
Seas always Half of God's great Hall of Heaven:  
The other's beneath him; yet abides not there,  
But in a Day doth to him all appear.   

Ah, Sovereign Artist! o how few of us  
Know right the Place where Thou hast placed us th●  
Alas! howmany know not, to What end  
Thy gracious Wisdom did them hither sand!   

●t, giving Man a quick Intelligence,  
●u sett'st him just in the World's Midst; that thence  
●g thy Wonders round about him so,  
●wing himself, he might Thee better know.   

〈◊〉 th' usual Circuit of the Heavenly Ball,  
〈◊〉 Stars appear unto us (almost) all:  
〈◊〉 We, in time, observing all their Figures,  
aht contemplate their Courses, Natures, Vigors.   

●o view the Stars, is honest Recreation:  
●earch their Course, deserveth Commendation;  
●ee beware, with some presuming Sects  
●ick things future out of their Aspects.   

●e must renounce That Errors patronage,  
●t what some Dreamers, by our Births, presage,  
●t needs betid us: tying to their laws  
〈◊〉 nature; governed by a Higher Cause.   

perhaps the Signs some inclination bring,  
icing hearts to some Affectioning:  
〈◊〉 by God's grace, well may we vary that;  
〈◊〉 never forced by necessary Fate.   

●or, sure if Man, by strong Necessity,  
●o any Ill, ill meriteth not He:  
〈◊〉 Stars constrain us; neither Virtue, then,  
〈◊〉 Vice, were worth Praise, or Reproof, in Men.   

If any way the Will of Man be free,  
On These Effects what judgements ground can b●  
What Certainty can from the Stars be known,  
Of Weal or Woe; Life, Death; or Thrall, or Thre●   

When Kings are born, be many born beside:  
Must all be Destined to be Kings, that tide?  
Often, many atonce are hanged, or drowned, or slain:  
Did all, atonce, their groaning Mother's pain?   

Who can conceive, that such or such Aspect,  
Is good, or bad; bodes Life, or Death's Effect?  
Who can produce so sure Prognostications  
Of our frail Life, so full of Alterations?   

Certain 's that Art, which shows the daily Coarse  
Of restless Stars, their influence & force:  
But, Divination 's an uncertain Skill,  
Full of fond Error, false, and failing still.   

What booted, Lord, our humblest Vows to Thee,  
Were their Conclusions certain Verity?  
Disastrous Fate would mate us with Despair,  
And frustrate all religious Faith and Prayer.   

Were it their Say were right certain true,  
Than, of necessity must all ensue:  
But, if Events their Verdicts often thwart,  
False is their Aim, & fallible their Art   

Observe the Works those subtle Authors writ,  
●re so ambiguous, or so false outright;  
〈◊〉 if, sometimes, some Truth they chance to hit,  
●y'll counterpoise a hundred lies for it.   

●o-busie-bold, with Thee, they, Lord, presume;  
〈◊〉 to themselves Thy Office they assume,  
〈◊〉, by Stargazing, or aught else below,  
〈◊〉 arrogate the Future to foreknowe.   

●ee hardly see what hangeth at our Eyes:  
〈◊〉 should we read the Secrets of the Skies?  
●e knows, Tomorrow what betid him shall:  
〈◊〉 then foretell Years Fortune's year they fall?   

●hen leave we All to GOD's high Providence;  
〈◊〉 listening for To-morrow-Dayes Events:  
●er than We, He knows what's meet to sand.  
●en, fear we nothing, but Him to offend.   

O! Thou All-knower! Nothing more hath thrust  
●ud Man from Thee, than This Ambitious-lust  
〈◊〉 knowing All: for, by that Arrogance,  
stead of Knowledge, got He Ignorance:   

Man nothing knows, nor nothing comprehends,  
〈◊〉 by the Power which Thy pure Spirit him lends:  
〈◊〉 then, Thy Wisdom have so bounded His;  
●hy would He hold more than His Measure is?   

Let's humbly stoop our Wits, with all Sincerity,  
Unto Thy Word: there let us seek the Verity.  
And all Predictions that arise not Thence,  
Let us reject for impious Insolence.   

Let us repute all Divination vain  
Which is derived from man's fuming brain,  
By Lots, by Characters, or Chiromancy;  
By Birds, or Beasts; or damned Necromancy.   

Let's also fly the furious-curious Spell  
Of those Black-Artists that consult with Hell  
To find things lost; and Pluto's help invoke  
For hoardward Gold, where often they found but smoke.   

He's fond that thinks Fiends in his Ring to coop,  
Or in a knife them by a Charm to hoop.  
Such as have tried those Courses, for the most,  
Have felt in fine Their malice, to their cost.   

Woe, woe to Them that leave the living GOD,  
To follow Fiends, and Montibanks abroad;  
Seeking, for Light, dark, dreaming Sorceries;  
And, for the Truth, th' erroneous Prince of Lies.   

Condemning therefore all pernicious Arts,  
Let's be contented with our proper Parts:  
Let's meekly seek what may be safely known;  
Without usurping GOD's peculiar own.   

〈◊〉 ' have Stuffynough (besides) our time to spend;  
Our short life can hardly comprehend  
〈◊〉 half of half the Wonders, licensed us  
〈◊〉 search, & know, and soberly discuss.   

●he smallest Garden usually contains  
●ts, Fruits, & Flowers, sufficient for the pains  
●one man's life, their natures to descry:  
●en will he know all Creatures property?   

●arth's but a Point, compared to th' upper Globe:  
〈◊〉 who hath seen, but half her utter rob,  
●itting All her Innardss, All her Water?  
●en shall we then see All this vast Theatre?   

What here we see, weesee is Exquisite:  
●at's This, to That so far above our Sight?  
●elling fair, what to our Eye is sensible:  
●n to our Soul, the rest's incomprehensible.   

●ho then can vaunt himself Omni-scient,  
●re, then All-sin-less, pure, and Innocent?  
●one's all-guiltlesse, in thy glorious Eyes,  
●ere's none all-knowing thy high Mysteries.   

Yet must we praise & glorify thee fit,  
〈◊〉 that we know; and for our good by it:  
●ere is no Pleasure can be comparable  
〈◊〉 Contemplation of Thy Wondrous Table.   

There-on the more we muse, the more we 〈◊〉  
So our Delight Desire increases aye  
Of finding Thee: and that divine Desire,  
Calming our Cares, quencheth our fleshly Fire.   

All other Pleasures have displeasures mixed:  
joys meet Annoys, & Smiles have Tears betwi●●  
Yea, all Delights of Earth have ever been  
Fellowed, or followed, with some tragic Teen.   

But, Who of Thee, & Thy, contemplates ever  
Scapes all the Fits of th' hot-cold, cruel Fever  
Of Fear, of Love, of Avarice, Ambition,  
Which haunts all others, with small Intermission.   

Man, laborlesse, receives a rare Delight,  
When he observes the settled Order right,  
Whereby all Creatures (with, or wanting, Sense)  
Subsist, through thine Unchanging Providence.   

What more Content can We have here below,  
Moore high, more happy; then, but This to know  
(This certain Sum) That when This World beg●●  
Thou mad'st Man for Thyself; & All for Man.   

The Horse was not made to glorify thy Name,  
Nor th' Elephant to magnify the same:  
Man only hath voice, memory, and wit  
To sing thy Praise, & sound thy Glory, fit.   

●nd, to serve Thee, as He is sole ordained;  
●o serve Him, thou hast the rest darraind:  
●hings that fly, that walk, that crawl, or swim,  
〈◊〉 Heaven & Earth, & All are vowed to Him.   

●r Him, the Earth yields Herbs, Trees, Fruits, and Flowers,  
〈◊〉 sundry purpose, & of sundry powers)  
●e of all kinds, in Valleys far and wide  
〈◊〉 Bread & Drink) & dainty Vines beside.   

●or Him the Rocks a thousand Rivers gush:  
●r rolling Brooks, There silver Torrents rush;  
●nting Meads & Pastures, a● they pass,  
●ose smile Pride peeps in their liquid Glass.   

●or Him, the Mountains, Downs & Forests breed  
●s, beeves, Sheep, Venison; & the lusty Steed  
〈◊〉 bear him bravely through thick and thin;  
●d silly Worms, his Silken Robes to spin.   

●or Him, the Bullock bears his painful Yoke:  
〈◊〉 Him, the Wether wears his cursed Cloak:  
〈◊〉 Him, the Birds their brooding chambers build:  
●or Him, the Bees their Wax and Honey yield.   

For Him, the Sea doth many millions nurse;  
●th whom, the Air helps both his panel● & purse:  
●e Fire's his Cook, to dress th' abundant Cheer  
●hich Air, & Sea, and Earth, do furnish here.   

Yea, Dragons, Serpents, Viper's venomous,  
Have Fel, Fat, Blood; or somewhat good for us;  
In Leprosy, or Lunacy, applied:  
And treacle is also hence supplied.   

He (briefly) He hath use of all that is;  
Wins the most savage of the Savages:  
None so fierce Lion, but to tame he wonts,  
Nor Elephant so high but that he mounts;   

And makes, beside, of his huge Bones, & Teeth  
Hafts, Boxes, Combs; & more than many see ' th'  
Nay, more: for Him, the fell Monocerote,  
Bears on his Brow a sovereign Antidote.   

Yea, many sovereign Remedies He finds,  
For sundry Griefs, in Creatures of All kinds.  
All (in a word) Wild & Domestic too,  
Some way or other, Him some service do.   

For Food, He hath the Flesh of Beasts & Birds:  
For Clotheses, the Fleece, the Hair & Hide of Hea●  
For House, each Quarr, & every Forest, offers:  
For Metal, Ours furnish his Camp & Coffers.   

For Him, the jarring Elements agreed:  
Fire clears the Air; air sweeps the Earth, we see;  
Earth bears the Water; Water (moistly mild)  
Cools Fire, calms Air, & gets the Earth with-child   

〈◊〉, All is made for Man; and Man, for Thee:  
●oue, and serve, and laud Thy Majesty;  
●e above All: Thee only to obey;  
〈◊〉 Thankful Soul walking Thy sacred Way.   

●his doth He well, that yields his Will to Thy;  
〈◊〉 of Desires, if not of Deeds, divine:  
●ing to stoop under the Spirits Awe,  
〈◊〉 members stubborn & rebellious Law.   

●or, Man consists of discordant accords  
●at the great World, the little-World affords.  
●ere Heaven & Earth; Here Heaven & Earth there (are;  
●ere War & Peace; Here also Peace & War).   

He hath a Heavenly Soul, an Earthly Sheath:  
●at sores above: This ever pores beneath:  
●at, lightly-wingd, All Creatures comprehends;  
●is, leaden heeled, but to Corruption tends.   

The Spirit, often against the Flesh doth fight;  
●d sometimes, vanquished by his Opposite,  
●arried Captive with the most Dishonour,  
erer his Foe; & forced to wait upon-her;   

Till roused again, & raised by Thy Grace,  
●s striving Will recovers wont place:  
●ith better Watch, & braver Resolution,  
●o stand it out, until His Dissolution.   

Surveying then both Heaven & Earth about,  
He bringeth in, what he hath seen without;  
And, marking well th' Effects of natures visible,  
Ascends by those unto their Cause invisible.   

For, but two Organs hath our Soul, whereby  
To find and know th' eternal Majesty:  
Faith, which believes the sacred Word of GOD;  
And Reason, reading all His Works abroad.   

Those Wonders sand us, to their Author, over▪  
Those certain Motions, to their certain Mover:  
Than Faith conducts us, where our Reason leaves  
And what th' Eye sees not, That our Faith conces   

Faith, firm and lively, doth our Souls perswad●  
That, Thy high Power, of Nothing, All hath ma●  
Thy ESSENCE is Eternally-Divine:  
The World Beginning had, & shall have Fine.   

We must not say, Of Naught, is form Naught  
(Although to Man it may be justly brought).  
The eternal Spirit can All of Naught produce;  
And instantly, to Nothing All reduce.   

Nor may we ask, What th' E●iternall-One,  
That space-lesse Space, could find to do alone.  
His THREE-ONE-Selfe to know & to partake,  
Is (Countless) more than Thousand Worlds to ma●   

〈◊〉 passing Artist is no less Complete,  
●n in Composure, in his rare Conceit:  
〈◊〉 in the Knowledge Art's perfection lies;  
〈◊〉, Works deferred, vail not the Work-man's Prize.   

●he Mind's not idle, though the hand awhile  
〈◊〉 neither Pen, Pencil, nor Gouge, nor File.  
●e Mind's before the Work; & works within,  
●n th' Idea, yer the Deed begin.   

●ould we not say, the World were God indeed,  
●om no other it did first proceed?  
anal, only is GOD's proper term;  
●ne preceding Time, exceeding Term.   

●he World supports not Thee, nor Thee supplies:  
●ou dost Thyself sustain, Thyself suffice:  
●d grossly errs whoever shall suppose,  
●ee, Infinite, within a World to close.   

And, as we may not match the heavens Extense  
●to Thy Circle, infinite, immense:  
●o more may We, to Thy Eternal-Age,  
compare the World's short, brittle Little-Age.   

Before All Time, Thou, Everlasting-One,  
●ecreedst in time, to make the Sun & Moon.  
●he Worlds few Days & ill (with little cumber)  
●hy sacred Book will teach us soon to number.   

What Book, what Brass, what Marble, aught 〈◊〉  
But of an hundred-thousand years ago?  
Had Man been Here, from an eternal Ligne,  
Heer must have been (sure) some perpetual 〈◊〉   

Million of Million of Years must have p●  
From th'endless Clue of th'eviternal-Vast:  
In all these Years, of all that did survive,  
Of all their Acts, could None to Us arrive?   

We hear (and often) of the Babylonians,  
Medes, Persians', Grecians, Romans, Macedonians:  
But, Where's the Nation, Whose Renowned G●  
Hath lived a hundred-thousand years in Story?   

Seek All (Greeke, Latin, Hebrew) Authors, 〈◊〉  
Of All, will MOSES be the Senior found.  
Who (to His Times) in express terms hath ca●●  
Th'age of the World, with the Descents that past,   

Now, from His Days to Ours, what years amo●  
We may with ease within few Hours accounted;  
And adding Both, soon by the Total, find  
Th'age of the WORLD, & of Our crooked 〈◊〉   

Five thousand years, five hundred, forty One,  
This year are past; since This vast World began. 
1613.   
Since all the heavens; Fire, Water, air, & Earth,  
Had, by thy WORD, their being, & their Birth.   

●n was the heavens azure Panilion spread,  
●ith Spur-Royalls spangled over head:  
〈◊〉 those Twin- Princess with their Train of Light,  
〈◊〉 their Kingdoms, over Day, and Night.   

●n was the Air, the Earth, and Sea, replete  
Birds, and Beasts, and Fish; small & great:  
〈◊〉 Plants, and Trees, & Fruits; each yielding seed,  
●opagate their Kind's that should succeed.   

●en (last) Man, thy Masterpiece of Art,  
〈◊〉 didst appoint to His Imperial Part:  
●ling Him with Sense and Reason's Light,  
●n his Soul, graving Thy Image right:   

●'st Him Possession of this Earthly Throne,  
〈◊〉 gracious Promise of the Heavenly one:  
●ortall Soul, thou daign'dst him to inspire,  
●l (almost) to thine Own Heau'oly-Quire.   

●d, as Thy Spirit, all other Spirits excels  
●gel, or other that in Body dwells):  
●oth His Body all else Bodies pass,  
●comely Form, and for maiestik Face.   

●l Creatures else, low on the ground do poor,  
〈◊〉 groveling feed: but (as was touched before)  
〈◊〉 hath an Upright and a stately Stature,  
●h head aloft, agreeing to his nature;   

Which, properly, is to behold the Skies,  
To lift to Thee, his heart, his hand, and Eyes:  
And by his soul's discursive power to peize  
Things past, and present, and of future days.   

For, only Man can measure, number, weigh;  
True, False, Good, Evil; know, cast, sound, 〈◊〉  
Man only, hath an in-reflecting Knowledge  
Of his own Self (from Nature's only College)   

Knows his own fact, his form, his load, his streng●●  
Knows that he lives, knows he must die at leng●●  
And, that a ruled sober life, and sage,  
Preserves his Health, and may prolong his Age▪   

Knows how to find ●ase in his own Disease▪  
And, if need be, his Neighbour to appease:  
And for himself and others, make, of Flowers  
Fruits, Herbs, & Roots, Unguents of passing 〈◊〉   

But, none so powerful (when their Term is sp●  
As can his Own or others Death prevent:  
For, Our short Date; Childe-age, or Wilde-age, 〈◊〉  
And now but seldom to Old-age extends.   

Yet, What is Old-Age to ETERNITY?  
To Man, expecting IMMORTALITY,  
What is't to live some Three, or Four score Year●  
Or, Yet Ten more (in Languor) linger here?   

●all our Time-Past, underneath the Sun,  
●ng remains, save Good or Evil done:  
●reds of Years, once past, are lesle (in Sum)  
〈◊〉 a few Days, or a few Hours to-come.   

〈◊〉, to say Truth, of Time's three-pointed Powers,  
〈◊〉 the Present (instant) Point is ours.  
●ue, of the Past, but vain Imagination;  
●at To-come, but doubtful Expectation.   

●t, to th'eternal, are All Times, alike  
●ot; and present, Dead as well as Quick:  
●s Today with Thee: Lord, in Thy Sight,  
〈◊〉 Past and Future are even equal bright.   

though, in Time's Terms the heavens revolved be;  
●housand Years are but One Day with Thee:  
〈◊〉 shortest Moment of one only Day  
〈◊〉 Thee is as a Thousand Years (for aye).   

●ut, Our set Days, to us, are long, or short;  
●hem, good Accidents, or bad, consort:  
●rietie and Peace prolong our Life:  
●ich is abridged by Surfait and by Strife.   

●xcess, or Cares, now, so cut-off our lives,  
●at of a thousand not a man arrives  
●er to the Tithe of the admired Age  
〈◊〉 those that lived in Nature's Pupillage;   

Eight hundred Years, 9 hundred some, some more;  
In Mind and Body, full of Nature's store;  
To stock the Earth with Issue rational,  
And learn the Course of heavens Star-spangled Ball:   

Which, first of all, Their long observance found,  
Than, by degrees, they taught their Heirs the ground;  
And We, from Them (so eased of endless pain)  
Derive that Art, We could not else attain.   

In Their long Age they learned heavens full Careers  
(Not to be compassed, in our Span of Years)  
Whence, One of them might in his life know more,  
Than, in our Days, successively, a Score.   

Of Their so long age, whoso doubtful is,  
Let him but look in sacred Genesis;  
Where Moses mentions divers famous men  
So old; and shows their Years as ours were then.   

The All-drowning Flood-year did 12. Months contain,  
And every Month did his due Days retain:  
Which made up one Year of that Patriarch,  
Who lived seven fifties, having left the Ark;   

And was Six hundred when he came aboard:  
Teaching his Sons his wondrous Skill, by word.  
See, see, alas! how our unhappy Life  
Is now abridged, and charged with Mischief's rife.   

Had we not pleasure in thy Works, o GOD,  
Soon must we sink under the heavy Load  
Of Cares and Crosses (in a thousand things)  
Which this, our wretched, sad, short, Way-fare brings.   

O! let us therefore bend our best and most  
To magnify Thee, Lord, in All thine Host:  
And so, contempling all thy Goodness given,  
With true Content, begin (in Earth) our Heaven.   

Man, knowing Thee, knows all that can be known:  
And having Thee, hath all that is, his Own:  
To long for Thee, is endless joy, internal;  
Disposed to Thee, to Die, is Life Eternal.   

Not knowing Thee; to live, is daily Dying:  
To rest, without Thee, is continual Flying:  
But all extremes of Torments passing measure,  
In Thee, and for Thee, are exceeding Pleasure.   

Yet, no man aught to off●r wilful Force  
To his own Self; nor his own Soul divorce:  
But patiently attend Thy cheerful Cal;  
Than, to Thy hands gladly surrender all.   

Nor may We ween our Souls (as Beasts) to Die;  
And with our Bodies Vanish utterly:  
Death's but a Passage from a Life of Pains,  
Unto a Life where death-loss joy remains.   

W' have, after Death, another Life to see:  
As, after Storms, a calm & quiet Lee:  
As, after Sickness, Health: as after Durance,  
Sweet Liberty; with Safety and Assurance.   

Two Contraries, opposed, in their Extreme,  
Have This unfailing Property in them;  
That th' One's Privation is the others Ens:  
So, Death, concluding, doth our Life commence.   

For, on each-other Contraries depend,  
Chained (as it were) unto each others End:  
Day after Night: Atonement after Strife:  
And after mortal Death, immortal Life,   

Our soul's immortal then (we must infer it)  
Having beginning of th' Immortal Spirit:  
And they are brute (as Beasts) that do contend,  
That with our Bodies, Souls for ever end.   

If there be GOD immortal, All-scient,  
Almighty, just, benign, benevolent;  
Where were his Wisdom, Goodness, justice, Power,  
If Vice He damn not, nor give Virtue Dower?   

Hear, for the most, the Godly suffer still:  
The Ungodly, here have most the Wind at Will:  
Shall they not, oneday, change their Difference;  
And one▪ day look for diverse Recompense?   

Heer, Proud, Rich, Mighty; Meek, Poor, Weak, oppress  
●ons kill Lambs; Fox strips the Fatherless:  
〈◊〉! is there not another Life imperible,  
●eet, to the Guiltless; to the Guilty, Terrible?   

Who, for Thy sake, their lives have sacrifixed,  
〈◊〉 all the Torments Tyrants have devised;  
〈◊〉! how unhappy were They, were there not  
●rownes kept with Thee, for their Eternal Lot!   

Than were We Beasts, or worse than Beasts, indeed:  
●or He were best that could the worst exceed.  
●hen, Let us eat, drink, dally, might We say:  
●f, after This, there were no Shot to pay.   

But leaving now that Song of Sensuality,  
●elieue we firm our blessed Immortality;  
●lessed for Those, that, in Perseverance,  
●o Thee alone (Lord) their whole Hopes advance.   

Blessed for Those, who, in sincere Humility,  
Acknowledging, as knowing their debility;  
Through th'old Corruption of all Adam's race:  
themselves distrusting, only trust Thy Grace.   

Thou, Lord (alas!) know'st all our Imperfections,  
Our vain Desires, our mutable Affections,  
How prove we are to fall; how Wild, how Wood,  
Pursuing Evil, and eschewing Good.   

The incessant Sway of our continual Ill,  
Requires the Grace of thy prevention still;  
And th' odious Fruits our Nature wonts to breed,  
Lord, of Thy Mercies have continual need.   

Of frailty therefore, when our foot shall slip,  
Or sway, or stray, or turne-awry, or trip;  
Year flat We fall, vouchsafe thy helping hand,  
To raise us then; and make us, after, stand.   

For, without Thee, our Force is Feebleness;  
Our Wisdom Folly; Will is Waywardness:  
Our Knowledge, Ignorance; our Hope Despair?  
Our Faith but Fancy, and our All but air.   

Without Thee, Lord, mere Idols are we all:  
W' have Eyes, but see not: feet, but cannot crawl:  
Ears, but we hear not: Senses without Sense:  
Souls without Soul, without Intelligence.   

Without Thee, all our Counsels & Designs  
Are but as Chaff before the boisterous Winds;  
Our Preparations quickly come to naught;  
Our Enterprises vanish with a Thought.   

Without Thee, boot neither our Foot, nor Horse;  
From Thee alone all things derive their Force;  
Thou only givest Virtue, Wisdom, Wealth,  
Peace, Honour, Courage, Victory, and Health.   

Thou hold'st the hearts of Princes in thy hand:  
Their Strength and State is all at thy Command:  
Not Chance of War, no Power, no Policy;  
But, Changeless, Thou giv'st Loss, or Victory.   

By Thee Kings reign; bound, equally to all  
To weigh just justice, both to Great and Small;  
To reach the good their Sceptre's helpful Vigour;  
And teach the Lewd their Swords severest Rigour.   

Who Them reject, or Their just Laws repugn;  
Thy Honour, and Thy Ordinance impugn.  
They own their Subjects, justice and Defence;  
Their Subjects Them, Honour, Obedience.   

Each aught to pay Them (in degree, & manner)  
Tribute, where Tribute; Honour, to whom Honour;  
And, to their People, They their best Protection,  
And Each his Own; without mis-fond Affection:   

And think themselves (the while) Thy subjects too,  
And bound the more thy sacred Lore to do:  
To show the more Their virtues Excellence,  
The more their Charge is, & their Eminence.   

justice due Dooms slackly to execute,  
Makes some Disloyal, others Dissolute:  
Some too-outrageous, in Wrongs greediness,  
Others (on th' other side) in all Excess   

TO hath often been seen (& in Our Times & Climes)  
Good Princes smart for wicked People's Crimes:  
And sometimes also for their Prince's Sin,  
Subjects are plagued outward and within.   

But, O! how highly happy is the Land  
Where a just Prince doth prudently command!  
And where the People in a Love-bred Awe,  
Pay willing Service, and Obey the Law.   

OH happy! both, People and Prince (in fine)  
Where both obey Thy sacred Laws divine:  
Who grately using Blessings great and small;  
Acknowledge Thee Owner and Lord of All.   

Of Thee, in Fee, all Princes of the Earth  
Hold their Estates, Goods, Honours, Being, Birth:  
And, without Thee, can neither keep, nor get,  
Lest point of Honour, nor of Earth lest bit.   

Their Arcenals, without Thee are but vai●,  
Th●ir Hoards of Treasure, and their Heaps of Grain:  
'Tis vainr, without Thee, to a●●e in Force  
Of Men, Munition, Champions, charets, Horse.   

Without Thee Order is disordered soon,  
Valour soon vanquished, Policy undone:  
Num●●●●● Cumber: and a Multitude  
Of beaten Soldiers, be●●●n by few rude.   

Thou, at thy pleasure, makest the deepest Sea  
Divide itself, to give Thy servants Way:  
And suddenly, again itself to close,  
To over-whelm Thy and Their stubborn Foes.   

Thou, from the Rock makest plenteous rivers spout.  
For Thy to drink, in sandy Deserts drought.  
And, there, from Heaven send'st them exceeding store  
Of Quails, for meat, till they can eat no more.   

Thou fedst them there, with Angel's bread (a while)  
And gav'st them then a Milk-&-Hony Soil.  
There, without stroke to conquer in the Field;  
And, Mine-less make their tumbling Walls to yield.   

To show the use and power of humble Prayer;  
And How to Thee behooves us still repair:  
While heart and hands Moses to Heaven doth strain,  
Renowned JOSVAH Conquers in the Plain.   

Thou, at thy pleasure, makest the Sun to stay;  
And, without Night, to make one Double Day:  
To give thy Servants complete Victory;  
And ever-raze their Foes foul memory.   

Thou, to express thy Power (in Gedeons' Reign)  
Hast by Three hundred, Sixscore Thousand slain:  
And, by One man, one Goad-groom (Silly Sangar)  
Destroyed Six hundred, in religious anger.   

Thou canst in One a Thousand strength compress  
And place it strangely in his slender Tress:  
Which, cut, he lost; and then re-grown, regained;  
And dying, more than living, Foes he brained.   

Thou turnedst to grass, a King of Babylon:  
And setst a Shepherd on a Regal Throne.  
Thou slew'st a Giant, by a gentle Lad,  
Who, for a Pistol, but a Pibble had.   

Howmany Troubles had that Prophet-Prince!  
For happy Service, hateful Recompense;  
Through Hill & Dale, hunted from place to place:  
Yet, still preserved by Thy assisting grace;   

And set, at last, upon his Master's Throne,  
Subduing all civil and foreign Foes:  
Than, in Thy Honour warbles many a Psalm;  
And, hoary, leaves his Son, his Kingdom calm.   

By Thee, His Son, renowned Solomon,  
Obtained the Name of Wisdoms Paragon:  
For, ask only That; Thou gav'st Him Wealth,  
Honour and Peace withal, and Power and Health.   

And, as good Princes thus Thou dost advance;  
So bringst thou down fell Tyrant's Arrogance;  
Such as, transported in their Pride extreme,  
Dare wrong Thy Saints, or Thy dread Self blaspheme.   

Sen●cherib must This confess, and new,  
●ith nine-score-Thousand which Thy Angel slew,  
●f His proud Host; besides th'unkindly Slaughter  
●f his own Self, by his own Sons, soon after,   

So, That Baal-blinded, blood-soild, Sin-sold payer,  
●n whose sad Days the Zealful Thesbits Prayer,  
●or seven Six-Months, seald-up thy heavenly dews)  
●hy Power, Truth, justice, in Their judgement shows.   

●ft-times thy Hook hales moody Tyrants back;  
●ft-times themselves by their own Swords to wrack:  
sometimes, by women's weak unwarlike hands,  
●hou conquer'st Captains, & confoundst their Bands.   

Yea, Lord, at all times, in extremest Straitss,  
●hy sacred Arm, or Secret Army, waits,  
●o secure Thy (from Famine, Sword, and Fire;  
●nd all the Plots that Foes, or Fiends, conspire)   

And them, so daily, to supply, support  
〈◊〉 Their Wants, their Weakness) in so various sort,  
●hat, all thy Wonders of this kind, to count,  
●uen past Examples, past all Numbers mount.   

But, All thy Mercies, unto All, and Each  
Of thine Elect; What Words, what Thoughts can reach!  
●hat Thou hast said, and doubt unto Thy Vine,  
●hy Love, Thy Dove, that little Flock of Thy!   

To whom Thou spakest divers ways of old  
In Visions, Dreams, Types, Figures manifold;  
By Priests and Prophets; sealing often thine Oracles  
Of Wrath, or Mercy; with respective Miracles.   

And last of all, when Times full Term was ●un,  
Sentest us from Heaven Thy Own and only SON;  
Whom co●teroal GOD Thou didst ingendor,  
Thy own graven Image, Thy own Glories splendour.   

The Eternal Word, by Whom, when All began,  
Thou madest All; and since, re-madest Man:  
The Mediator, and the Umpire, given.  
To reconcile revolted Earth to Heaven.   

Who, to impart to us His Immortality,  
Taken part with Us in this our frail Mortality;  
And, in all things (except all Sin alone)  
A perfect Man, put all our Nature on.   

Born in the World, to make Us Born-anew:  
In poverty, Us richly to endew:  
Humbling himself, that we might raised be:  
In Servant's Form, to make us ever Free.   

Came down to Earth, Us up to Heaven to mount:  
Was tempted here; our Tempter to surmount:  
Died to destroy the Strength of Death and Sin:  
And Risen again, our Righteousness to win.   

How often did He visit the Poor and Sick?  
Cure the Distracted, and Paralitique;  
Restore the Blind, Deaf, Dumb; and Dead revive;  
And Satan's Captives from his rage reprieve!   

How many Idiots did He make excel  
The Wisest Masters in all Israel!  
How many rude, plain, silly Fishermen,  
Rare powerful Preachers; Fishers (then) of Men.   

Howmany Sin-sick did he inly cure;  
And deep Soule-wounded binde-up, and assure!  
Howmany Proud, Lose, Cruel, Covetous,  
Made He Meek, Modest, Gentle, Bounteous.   

By Him, dear Father, come we Thee to know,  
Thy Word, thy Will; to frame our own Wills so:  
By Him alone Wisdom we seek and find;  
In Cares and Crosses, to confirm our mind.   

By Him alone Thy sacred Truth we learn  
From suttlest Errors clearly to discern:  
By Him all Clouds of Darkness are dispelled;  
Idolatry and Heresy refelled.   

By Him, We pray to Thee; and what we crave  
In lively Faith, we are assured to have:  
heavens Kingdom first, Souls Feast, & Body's Food,  
Grace, Comfort, Peace, & every needful Good.   

By Him, be We Thy Children of Adoption,  
coheirs of Heaven, and Vessels of Election:  
Becoming Man, He is become our Brother;  
So, happy We have also Thee our Father.   

By Him, of Thee, Thy Holy Spirit we have;  
Which in our hearts thy Law doth lively grave;  
The Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, of Love,  
Of Power, of Peace, of Wisdom from above:   

The Spirit, which stays us, when in Storms we ride;  
And steers us steady, in our Calmer Tide:  
Which kills the Flesh, and chills infatuate Fires;  
To quicken Souls, and kindle Heav'ns-Desires:   

Which brings the Strays home to Thy holy Fold,  
Gives Stutters Tongues, and makes the bashful bold;  
Opens the Sense of Sacred Mysteries;  
Gives Form, or Life to every thing that is.   

In Him, Thou built'st Thy Heaven of heavens excelling  
Thy Court prepared for Saints eternal Dwelling:  
In Him, Thou mad'st the World and All to move  
In every Part as doth it best behove.   

He, to the fainting heart new heart procures,  
Confirms the feeble, fearful Souls assures:  
Gives Faith, and Hope, Love, Grace & godly zeal.  
Happy the Souls where He delights to dwell.   

For, Those He fills with his abundant Treasures,  
●n divers manners, and in divers measures;  
●s diversly befits Thy Church's state,  
To Plant, or Pr●ne, or Prop, or Propagate.   

To some he gi●es a clear, quick Apprehension;  
To some, deep judgement; some, Divine Invention:  
To some, the door of graceful Eloquence;  
To some, the store of Wisdoms Excellence:   

Some, to interpret with Divine Dexterity  
The sacred Secrets of th'eternal Verity:  
●ome (School-less Scholars; Learned, study-less)  
●o understand and speak all Languages.   

Some (to confirm their Office, and Thy Oracles)  
To work strange Wonders, great & many Miracles;  
Revive the dead, recover native Evils,  
Cure all Diseases; and even cast out Devils.   

Such are th'Effects, Works, Virtues, gifts & graces,  
Which, by degrees, in divers times and places,  
Thy Holy Spirit to silly Men hath given;  
From Them, to Thee, to raise our hearts to Heaven.   

And, as in our frail Bodies (through variety  
Of Members, fitted into One Society)  
One very Soul doth actions different,  
●ome more, Some less, Noble, or Excellent:   

So, in the mystic Body of Thy Son  
(Where many Members Love unites in One)  
Thy Own, One Spirit, works actions admirable  
Among themselves more or less honourable.   

Yet, orderly, Each his own Rank observes;  
And properly, Each his own Office serves:  
Nor boasteth any, other not to need:  
For often the lest, the most of all doth steed.   

Therefore the stronger must the weak support:  
The safe and sound, cheer the afflicted sort:  
The Rich and mighty, not despise Inferiors;  
Neither the mean envy or hate Superiors.   

Were All a Head, in This fair Frame of Man;  
Where were the Foot, the Hand, the Stomach then▪  
Were All a Tongue, where should the Eye become▪  
Were All an Eye, where should the Ear have room,   

OH Spirit Eternal! which hast All composed;  
In number, measure, Order, All disposed;  
Make Charity Us (mutual Members) move;  
Unite our Spirits in thy perpetual love.   

Quench all Contentions, Errors, Heresies,  
Which, both our Minds and Bodies tyrannize:  
Quench all Concupiscence, and foul Desire,  
Which, both our Bodies and Souls Death conspire.   

Vouchsafe our Souls, Rest; without Schismik strife;  
Our Body's Health, through chaste and sober Life.  
What could we ask? what should we rather crave,  
Than in sound Bodies as sound Souls to have?   

Sound is the Body kept, by keeping Chaste,  
With moderate Exercise, and mean repast:  
Sound is the Soul, which resteth (sober-wise)  
Content in Thee; unvexed in Vanities.   

Sound is the Soul, free from all Self-Sedition  
Of Pride, Hate, Envy, Avarice, Ambition,  
And all the Crowd of Man's Concupiscence;  
Binding His Will, to Thy Obedience.   

Who is so bound (Thy Servant) is most Free:  
Most Rich, who leaves all Richeses else, for Thee:  
Most easy rests, who most for Thee endures:  
Most Self-distrusting, most Thy Strength assures.   

So Thee to Serve, is even to Reign: in brief,  
So to Obey, is to Command in Chief.  
To walk Thy Ways, in only Liberty.  
To learn Thy Learning, ENCYCLOPAEDIE:   

O! happy Those that stand in such a state;  
And in Thy Statutes always meditate:  
Or, if they slip, or trip, or fail, or fall,  
Return betimes, and for Thy Mercy call.   

For, though thy Law, in Fiery Thunder-giv'n,  
Threat still the Stubborn, with Revenge from Heaven,  
Thy gracious Gospel offers Pardon free,  
To humbled Souls that Sigh, in Faith, to Thee.   

And Thou, who wilt not, Sinners die, but live;  
Hast promised, All, so suing, to forgive.  
Thy Word is Truth: Thy Promise to fulfil,  
Thou (God of Truth) hast ever Power and William.   

O! bounteous Thou, which dost so often repair  
Our broken Souls, and keep'st them from Despair▪  
And, blessed We, whose Faith in Love's Physician,  
Assures our Hope, of all our Sins Remission.   

Whoso hath Sorrow for his Sinfulness,  
Purpose to mend, Desire of Holiness,  
Trust in Thy Mercy; hath no need to doubt  
But, by Thy Grace, his Sins are wiped out.   

OH Cordial Word! OH Comfortable breath!  
reviving Souls, even in the Gates of Death!  
From jaws of Hell, raising our Hopes to Heaven!  
Therefore, dear Lord, To thou all Praise be given.   

Who shall accuse us now, if Thou acquight?  
God being with us, what can us affright?  
Our Faith in Thee (o!) What can shake, or shock;  
So surely fixed upon so firm a Rock?   

What shall divide us, Lord, from Love of Thee?  
Shall Shame? shall Sorrow? shall Adversity?  
●hal Famine? Plague? War? Wealth, or Want? (In sum)  
●hall Life? shall Death? things Present, or to-Come?   

Stay, stay, us Lord, and steel our feeble hearts,  
Against the sting of temporary Smarts:  
Draw, draw our Souls near to thyself, o Lord,  
With powerful Touches of Thy Spirit & Word.   

Guide, guide our Steps still in thy Gracious Way,  
During our Durance in This house of Clay:  
That, when This Prison shall be broken down,  
We may with Thee receive a Glorious Crown.   

So shall We ever, with a voice Divine,  
●ing Haleluiahs' to th'ETERNAL TRINE;  
Record thy Mercies, which all Thoughts Surmount;  
And Thus the Glory of Thy Deeds recount:   

SVpernall Lord, Eternal King of Kings,  
Maker, Maintainer, Mover of All things,  
How infinite! How excellently-rare!  
How absolute! Thy Works, Thy Wonder are!  
How-much Their Knowledge is to be desired!  
How, THOU, in All, to be of All admired!   
FINIS.   

MICRO-COSMO-GRAPHIA; The Little-Worlds Description: OR, THE MAP OF MAN (From Latin Saphiks of that Famous, late, Preacher in London, Mr. HEN. SMITH) Translated; & Dedicated To the Right Honourable, HONORIA, Lady HAY.  
By JOSVAH SYLVESTER.   

To the right-Right Honourable, HONORIA, Wife of JAMES, Lord HAY, Sole Daughter and Heir of EDWARD Lord DENNY.  

EQually bound, in humble Gratitude,  
To Two dear Equals (to You equal Deer);  
Unable (yet) with Both at once to clear,  
Unwilling yet, with Either to be rude:  
●ine would I crave to have my Bond renewed,  
For a more Happy, or more Hopeful Year,  
When gracious Heaven shall deign to set me freer  
From old cold Cares, which keep my Muse vnmewed.  
●uld You be pleased (Madam) to interpose  
Your gentle breath, I would not doubt to speed:  
Such virtue hath Your Virtue still with Those.  
herefore in Hope of Your kind Help (at need)  
This simple Pledge I Offer at Your Feet;  
Altar of Love, Where both Their Vows do meet.   
Yo ●. Honourable virtue's humble Votary, josuah Sylvester.   

THE MAP OF MAN.  

●ing not, but (in Sighs abrupt)  
●ob the State of MAN, corrupt  
●y th' old Serpent's baneful Breath;  
●se strong Contagion still extends  
●uery Creature that descends  
from th' old Little World of Death.   

●d-deer Creator, new-create  
〈◊〉 Creature: Saviour, expiate  
Th●●, and all our Own Addition:  
sacred Spirit, Our Spirits renew:  
●orme, reform, and tune Me true,  
●o condole Our sad Condition.   

Earth, Man wanders (Pilgrimwise)  
●pes, doubts; desires, faints, freexes, fries;  
Crossed, tossed to and fro:  
●turns, he winds; he finds no good:  
●ay complains that Euill's Flood  
(far and wide) doth ouer-flowe.   

〈◊〉 Birth (in Sin) begins in Tears:  
〈◊〉 Life is rife in Pains and Fears;  
Will-He, nill-He, spoiling sport:  
〈◊〉 Death with groans, in doubtful case,  
●ds him, God knows, unto what place:  
Blessed none rest, but in the Port.   

The Flesh against the Spirit rebels:  
The Spirit again the Flesh repels;  
Ever striving, never still:  
And suddenly, while these contend,  
Their common Foe, the cursed Fiend,  
Finds advantage Both to kill.   

Earth (Step-dam-like) sharp rods doth yield,  
To scourge her Sons: the Sea is filled  
(Both above and under too)  
With hideous Horrors, past report:  
Th'air, whirling in Tempestuous sort,  
Beats, and threats All to undo.   

The country's rude, and foe to Fame;  
The Courtmore brave, and more to blame;  
Painted Faces, graces feigned:  
The City (There, O! bad's the best)  
Seat of Deceit, and Miser's nest;  
Gold their God, ungodly gained.   

jarrat the Bar: Stews at the Stage;  
In Way-fare, thieves: in warfare, Rage:  
Noise abroad: Annoys at home:  
In Churches, Purchase, Profanation,  
Fiends seeming Saints; Abomination:  
Everywhere, no Fear of Doom.   

●e Throne's not given unto the Just:  
〈◊〉 Faithful is not put in Trust:  
prophet's are not held for true:  
●r loyal loved, nor learned graced,  
●r weary eased, nor Worthy placed:  
●or hath any here his dew.   

〈◊〉 impudent, the insolent,  
●e Fool, the Friend in compliment,  
And the sly, we see (by proof)  
●d eloquent, magnanimous,  
aht pleasant, kind, ingenious;  
And the Wealthy, wise enough.   

●ward is heard: words are but wind:  
●h Art is long; Life short confined:  
Might makes Right in every Cause.  
●sicke is vile, and vilely used;  
●inity, disdained, abused:  
Under foot men tread the Laws.   

●e Rich with rage, the Poor with plaints,  
●th hate the Wise, with scorn the Saints,  
〈◊〉 Evermore are curstly crossed:  
●th painful toil the Private-man,  
●e Nobler states with F●●y wan,  
〈◊〉 Without end are torn and tossed.   

If good, he fares no better for it;  
If bad, no worse they him support;  
Fortune serveth all alike:  
Though she simper, though she smile,  
Though she laugh outright awhile,  
She is always slippery-sleeke.   

Who lately served, Lords-it now:  
Who lately becked, now doth bow:  
Valleys swell, and Mountains sink:  
Who lately flourished, now doth fade:  
Who late was strong, now feeble made,  
Feeding Worms, in Dust doth stink.   

So, Lowly rests: so, Lofty rues.  
Say that one might his fortune choose,  
Under Heaven to have his will;  
'Twould be a Doubt, among the Wise,  
Whether it better were to Rise  
To High state, or to Sat still.   

Phantasy conceives, Reason receives,  
Passion repugns (and Patience reaves).  
What I wish, What I desire,  
I see: and Sense importunes so,  
I cover, I commend it too:  
Than again it doth retire.   

●se, whither now? 'tis grief to see  
●at flits so fast, so suddenly.  
Reason, whither roams thy reach?  
●at hurts, were better still be hid,  
●d still unknown: O! ill-bestid!  
Poor in store, in Wealth a wretch.   

●en Fortune comes, she means our Wrack;  
●d when she goes, she breaks our back:  
Coming, going, all is one.  
〈◊〉, What she gives she takes away,  
skinned, and blind, inconstant aye;  
Frank to few, and firm to none.   

●t have I canvased, whethers Case  
Worst; the Fallen, or th'ever-base:  
Yet, scarce can I it decide.  
●e Fall proves plainly for the first:  
●ant Pleads, that ever-want is Worst;  
〈◊〉 Partial to their proper side.   

●rks the Fallen to have been High:  
●h' ay-Poor could wish he had been By:  
〈◊〉 Either other's state would glad.  
●euen in gladness sadness grow,  
●ere not I somewhat glad also,  
〈◊〉 How extreme should I be sad!   

If Care We take, i● Health impairs:  
If not, it takes Us un-awares:  
Whether should we seek or shun?  
Whether (to pass unto the next)  
The good or bad be most perplexed,  
Is another Question.   

The Guilty suffers for his Fault:  
The Guilt-less doubts no lesle assault  
By Missfortune: both desire  
To live on Earth, to draw this breath:  
Both fear to Die; and, after Death,  
Torment of eternal Fire.   

Hence, slow days labour wears us thin:  
Hence, lightly, Nightly fears begin:  
Hence, rather Rising and late Rest:  
Hence, toughest storms, and roughest streams:  
Hence, gripping Cares, and ghastly Dreams,  
Waking, sleeping, do molest.   

Winter's too-colde: Summer's too-hot;  
Autumn too-moist (which breeds the Rot)  
All the hope is in the Spring.  
The lively Spring is lovely fair:  
B●t, if keen Ice then i'll the Air,  
Little pleasure doth it bring.   

●as drown the Vales: the Winds do heave  
●he Hills to Heaven; the Rocks they cleave.  
〈◊〉 Bold Ambition stands amazed,  
●pecting where to build a Fort  
〈◊〉 strong, and rampyred in such sort,  
That it never may be razed.   

●ace is too-drowned in Lust and Sloth:  
●arre is too-drunk with Blood and Wrath:  
That, too-gawdie; this, too-grim.  
●ens minds are all so delicate,  
〈◊〉 soft, and so effeminate,  
Small things, all things, grievous seem.   

●her the Head doth always ache,  
〈◊〉 Palate sleep, or Palsy shake,  
Or our Belly roars within:  
〈◊〉 else with Choler we abound,  
〈◊〉 else with Phlegm, or else (unsound)  
Tumour's humours scald our skin.   

●hat dread of Death, What greedy Lust,  
●at Surfait, Sloth, and Deeds unjust,  
Daily plunge in Perils rife;  
●hat Sword consumeth every hour,  
●d what the Plague doth quick devour,  
Lengthens Physic, shortens Life.   

Where's now AEneas? where's his Son?  
Where's Hercules? Where's Solomon?  
Where is David? Where is Saul?  
Where's Cyrus, Caesar, and the rest?  
Ah! He and They are all deceased:  
I must follow: so must all.   

Hark: Thou, whom most the People hails;  
The wisest errs: the justest fails:  
Strongest limpeth now ●nd than:  
The humblest swells: the sobrest sips:  
The holiest sins: the wariest slips:  
God is faultless: never, Man.   

Too-curious or too-carelesly,  
Too-lavish or too-slavishly,  
By the Fool or by the Knave;  
Too-craking, or too-cravenly,  
Too-hatefull, or too-gratefully,  
Haste or waste mars all we have.   

Ambition's end is Rule and Reign:  
Cruelties, Conquest: Guiles, is Gain,  
To grow Rich by hook or crook:  
juggling, and struggling, strife in all:  
Not Triumph without Fight will fall;  
Warr-less, none for Peace may look.   

●e think, but never can intent,  
●od thoughts well to begin; or end  
〈◊〉 perhaps they be begun:  
〈◊〉 if we end them, never find  
●w-euer rare, in any kind)  
recompense when we have done.   

〈◊〉 heart it hath an inborn Guest,  
〈◊〉 Ill (it bite): it posteth priest  
●o the Tongue, ill Words to vent:  
●re, then, rushes to ill Deeds:  
●geance anon the Fact succeeds.  
●hus comes Ill to Punishment.   

●e, this Snake we choke or charm;  
●hin, again We hug it Warm:  
●aring, doubting, up and down;  
Lust, as lighter, up doth surge;  
〈◊〉 th' horror of the fearful Scourge,  
●ll, as heavier, to the ground.   

●e Flesh, be frolic, take delight,  
〈◊〉 revel now: it will once be night:  
●all a little Gout, or Colic,  
sudden Qualm, or sullen Care,  
addle Fit of idle Fear  
●ar thy Mirth? Come Flesh, be frolik.   

What seeks, we shun; What shuns, we seek:  
What helps, we loathe; What hurts, we like:  
Bird inhand we leave, for bush.  
For, What we Want we panting crave;  
And loosely lavish what We have:  
Brag, of that should make us blush.   

with-child with mirth, we bring-forth Scorn,  
We bring-up Fury; overborn  
(Moved and moving) either way;  
Too-sorrie, or too-merry-mad:  
The happy Mean is never had,  
While we Wretches here do stay.   

We reign and serve: we want and flow:  
We joy and mourn: we freeze and glow:  
Vows we make and break (together):  
We build and batter; join and jar:  
We heap and scatter; make and mar:  
And we flourish, and we whither.   

We look to Heaven, and leap to Hell:  
Our Hope and Fear (by turns) rebel;  
Plunging down, or puffing-up:  
Please would we feign, but find demur;  
Please might we well, did Will concur:  
Sloth doth stay, and Lust doth stop.   

〈◊〉 still we stand, and whine the while;  
●ught Labour boots, nor love, nor wile:  
●ll is lost, when 'tis too-late.  
●lls to th'▪ evil and the good  
〈◊〉 daily sent: and if withstood,  
We but faster foster Fate.   

●ll at once give-over quite  
●h to be Wicked and Upright;  
●o do either Right, or Wrong:  
〈◊〉, Goods well-gotten, grow but thin,  
〈◊〉 hardly up, come slowly in:  
And th'ill-gotten last last not long.   

●at shall I do? If I forbear  
〈◊〉 Cause-less Foe, I blush, I fear  
●is Despite, and my disparaged.  
●o revenge me, I resolve;  
●tisfies, when I revolve  
●one's all-Fault-less, in all Carriage.   

●en I have spared, I wish t'have spoke:  
●d when I speak, I would revoke;  
●etter pleased t'have held my peace:  
●uld God I could (as Wiser-ones)  
●h speak and hold my peace at once;  
●o to live at Quietness.   

Dear Mind, how dost Thou? Frail & sick,  
My Flesh implores thy Succour quick:  
Canst? O! canst Thou cure her grief?  
O! deign (I prithee) then with speed  
To help thy Servant now at need;  
Sand her Reason for relief.   

For, Faithful mind's firm Resolution  
Cures oftentimes th'ill Constitution  
Of a Body sick-inclyned:  
But, than the Body (late deplored  
For weak estate) to Health restored,  
Grows a Burden to the Mind.   

OH Sin-bred Hurt! OH inbred Hell!  
Nor full, nor fasting, never well?  
Never sound? What shall I say?  
Once all was well, and would be now  
Better then ever, if that Thou  
Cursed Sin wert quite away.   

But Now (●las!) all Mischiefe●lies  
In Ambush with all Miserics,  
Man's Confusion to conspire:  
Desire and Fear atonce torment:  
Fear is a Tyrant; Mal-Content,  
And insatiate is Desire.   

●ho fears? who mourns? who wants? who wanders?  
〈◊〉! only Men (Wills ill-Commanders).  
● Man alone abounds therein.  
owed Lamentations, lasting Terrors,  
●rt-wounding Wants, and wilful Errors,  
Had not been, had Man not been.   

●eere Pestilence, there Hunger's jaw,  
●eer Drink, there Duel, there the Law,  
Snatches one or other hence,  
●er Cross, there Care: or (better blessed)  
●ho hap These Haps to scape the best,  
Age devours without Dispense.   

●rpending This in mind perplexed,  
●e Miserable (Envie-vext)  
Cries, OH Beasts, OH Foules, OH Fish!  
●u happy, harm-less, storm-less things,  
decise in Nature's Lessonings,  
Live You long: You Life may wish.   

〈◊〉, I think, better not be born;  
〈◊〉, born, hence quickly to return  
To our Mother's dusty Lap;  
●en living, daily here to die,  
Cates, and Fears, and Misery,  
By Miss-heed, or by Misshap.   

While Hunger gripes me gut and gall,  
While burning Thirst for Drink doth call,  
While for Cold I quake: alas!  
In languor long I linger-on.  
O! happy Those, whose Woes, whose Moon,  
Ridding quick doth quickly pass.   

The Stout, the Coward, and the Meek,  
All skirmish under Fortune like,  
Striking all with Mischiefs ay;  
The Stout repugns, the Patient prays,  
The Harelike Coward runs his ways;  
Fortune differs not, but They.   

●oo-peeuish This, too-pleasant That,  
(Too-sierce, or too-effeminate)  
Golden Mean can hardly stand  
Betwixt these Two Extremes, upright,  
'Tis worn so weak, and weighed so light:  
Error plays on either hand.   

Wedlock, with Wife and Children clogs:  
The Single-Life, Lust's heavier Logs,  
(Rare's the Gift of Continence).  
The Youngman stalks, the Old-man stoops,  
That over-dares, This ever droops:  
The Infant crawls through Impotence.   

●isters tax Servants, proud, slut, slow;  
●uants, Churl Master, Mistress Shrew:  
Either Others Fault can find.  
●e Daughter thinks her Mother froward;  
●other her Daughter deems un-toward:  
Kit (they say) will after Kind.   

●nces do envy subjects Wealth:  
●biects do envy Prince's Health:  
Each doth envy Others Good:  
〈◊〉 all do envy Learning's Honour  
〈◊〉 any be conferred upon her)  
O! o wicked, wretched Mood!   

●e Soldier likes the Rustics Calm;  
●e Clown affects the soldiers Palm;  
Thus doth Envy inly fret-her:  
●r Pastures parch, our Herds be poor▪  
●r Neighbour thrives in every store:  
Others Crop is ever better.   

●d Lovers languish at their Eyes:  
●e Wrathful fosters and defies  
frenzies, Furies, (wayward Elves):  
●at need we call for Whip or Scourge?  
●eir punishment what need we urge?  
●heir Selves Errors scourge themselves.   

Fear hunts the Coward at the heel;  
The Cruel, still Revenging steel;  
Ruin Him that Ruin seeks;  
Heavy Revenge on heinous Crimes:  
Yea, in the Sin, the Plague sometimes;  
Heavens just hand so justly strikes.   

Sorrow and Shame, for what is past;  
Care, of the present; Fear (forecast)  
Of the danger yet to-come;  
Make all false Pleasure's shorter seem,  
And sharper too in pain extreme,  
Than even Pain itself to some.   

If I be merry, I am mad  
(Say the Severe): if Sober-sad,  
Merry Greeks me Meacock call.  
Is't possible for anyman,  
Atonce to please (do what he can)  
God, Himself, the World, and all?   

Who Greatness haultily affects,  
Who Great Things happily effects;  
That is hated, This envied:  
But, hoping Greatness, who so haps  
To fail (or fall in Afterclaps)  
Him the Vulgar dare deride.   

●RTVE is vanquished by her Foes,  
●hose Triumph even their Forehead shows,  
〈◊〉 'Tis a shame to be ashamed.  
●t shall I tell (and tell thee true)  
●y Fate (the Fruit that shall ensue  
Shame-less shameful life untamed)?   

●is Fate then falls to be Thy own,  
●th shalt thou reap as thou hast sown:  
Wages like thy Work expect.  
●ho here their Days in Evil spend,  
●ll suffer Evils, without End;  
Such is Ours Doom direct.   

●en, swagger, stagger, spend and spoil;  
●ale and conceal, and keep a coil;  
Quickly shalt thou all forego:  
●l, conquer, triumph; down again  
●lt thou be cast: bouz, beaten, disdaign;  
The End's at hand, and comes not slow.   

●e Wise bewail Man's Follies rife,  
●d feign would cure their Vicious life  
●ith Receipts of heavenly Skill:  
〈◊〉 Sin-sick Fools (whatever prick,  
numbed by Custom) lethargike,  
Care not, fear not, feel no ill.   

Who knoweth much, much ill he knows:  
Who little reaks, much good foregoes.  
Hence, perplexed Doubts he casts;  
What is great Knowledge? What so much  
Of Learning? or of Book-Skill such?  
But great Blazes, and light Blasts?   

While Plato, sportive, doth despise,  
The sullen Cyniks' Sloven-guise;  
He, as fast (on th' other side)  
Doth Plato's Pomp as much condemn  
And trample-on: Were both of them  
(Who can tell me?) Wise, or Wide?   

Democritus here laughs a-good:  
Heraclitus there weeps a Flood.  
Glad and sad would mend us feign:  
But now, so stubborn-stiffe is Man,  
That Tears, nor Tunes, nor Aught else can  
Faults restore, nor Fates restrain.   

Sloth never wanteth Want, for Mate;  
Thrift, Sweat and Labour macerate;  
Either in their issue languish:  
So, Health is never without Sin,  
Nor Sickness without Pain within:  
Outward Ache, or inward Anguish.   

Service is to the Lofty mind  
〈◊〉 Curb, a Spur to th' abject Hind;  
〈◊〉 Seld or never stoops the Will:  
●he Vulgar voice, the Common Cry  
〈◊〉, Welcome, Welcome LIBERTY:  
〈◊〉 Good for good, but ill for ill.   

〈◊〉 Grief it is alone to be;  
●ut more, to have ill company:  
〈◊〉 Moore or less (alas!) by This,  
appears plain, when all is done,  
As Proof hath found) that under Sun,  
〈◊〉 here's no full, no perfect Bliss.   

●ho never yet himself could please,  
●hat can content? Whatuse? What Ease?  
〈◊〉 What availeth Wealth at will?  
●eedy and naked here I live:  
●o die, it doth me nothing gricue;  
〈◊〉 But to perish, and live still.   

〈◊〉 look to Heaven, and there (alas!)  
●ith Fear I see my judges Face,  
〈◊〉 Auditing my Sums of Sin:  
〈◊〉 think of Hell, and then I burn  
●ike AEtna: then to Earth return.  
〈◊〉 Cares and Fears there never lin.   

This ●eele I, thus I justly far:  
OH Man! learn quickly, and have care  
Sacred Duties to observe.  
This Life is rife in Troubles sore:  
But yet (alas!) a Million more  
Our Rebellion doth deserve.   

Much like, or worse than former Age,  
The sutures Face we may presage:  
Better seldom comes, they say.  
Now Right, now Wrong; now Good, now Ill;  
Now Fiend, now Friend; now God, now Will,  
Seem to have alternate Sway.   

Nothing is gratis given nor got:  
Each labours more or less (God wots)  
With the hand or with the head:  
None without Art or Virtue thrive;  
Nor Art, nor Virtue all achieve:  
Only, These, not always sped.   

What should I seek or sue for much,  
To live at Rest? Content is Rich.  
Fortune often is too-free,  
And often kills where she's too-kinde:  
But, had we once an equal Mind,  
We should all Contented be.   

●r, every one is too-secure  
● sunny Days; and in obscure,  
Too-deiected in Desire:  
●nce, over-faint, or over-full;  
●o-pyned, or too-plentifull,  
●ry we all with inward Fire.   

●w, Dust her dusty Brood expects:  
●e, Earth to Earth (of either Sex).  
pleasure trembles at her Call;  
●es-out of Haste, complains of Heaven:  
〈◊〉 Pain and Sorrow (narrow-driven)  
●re well pleased, and eased withal.   

●o gives me grace to gushout Tears,  
〈◊〉 lends me space to pour forth Prayers;  
●et, both seeming to neglect?  
〈◊〉 God the dreadful, Sinners Scourge;  
〈◊〉 gracious God, which often doth purge  
●s with Pills, in his Elect.   

●old me, Thou that didst bestow  
〈◊〉 Son on Me: Forgive me, Thou  
●hat didst suffer for my Sin:  
●t and stay me evermore  
●u, Thou that here so often before,  
〈◊〉 my breast a Guest hast been.   

Regard us, Lord, unworthy though;  
Thy Glory seek, thy Mercy show;  
Enemies approach apace:  
We fail, we fall, we cannot stand,  
Our Foes will have the upper hand,  
But Thou help us with thy Grace.   

Witness myself that here lie slain,  
But, by Thy Touch reviv'd again;  
Glad to hue, to live to Thee:  
And yet desire to be dissolved  
(When my due Date shall be revolved)  
As more happy far for Me.   

Show me the Holy Land, which flows  
With Milk and Honey (Saints Repose).  
Train me in the new Commerce,  
In the New Art of Better Life:  
Than farewell Muses, farewell Strife:  
In Thy Courts I will converse.   

I cannot strike Apollo's string,  
Study for Heaven and timely ring  
Sacred Aaron's golden Bell;  
Nor sing atonce the Thespian Songs,  
And s●rue my Country, as belongs:  
Theresore, MUSES, beer Farewell.   
FINIS.   

CERTAIN EPIGRAMMS of the same Mr. H. S. Translated; & Dedicated To my deer-affected, due-respected, Dr. HALL., & Dr. HILL.  

Own You Each a larger Sum:  
Why bring I then to Both a Crumm?  
ishew you Both, My Shifts, to live;  
●en feign to Borrow what I give:  
●t better so, then (blushless) steal  
●hers Conceits; or Debts conceal.   

Till more my Might, divide this Mite.  
Lark (they say) is worth a Kite:  
●me Greater, greater things presént,  
blesser Worth, or worse meant.  
●OD measures not our Work, but Will:  
●o You the like: and love me still.   
I S.   

EPIGRAMMS.  

1. Of a King.  
EXtirp 1, extol 2; know 3, keep 4; love 5, learn 6 (from 〈◊〉)  
Bade 1, Good 2; Thyself 3, The Laws 4 -path; Peace 5, to Dy● ●   

Live just (justinian) still: shield 1, shun 2, suppress 3;  
Goodmen's Good 1 Cause, Bribes 2, Brawling 3 -Pee● 〈◊〉   

3. Of a Physician.  
He that can Cure the Sick, and Keep the Sound,  
Shall be My Leech (Whether He Kill, or Wound).   

4. Of a Divine.  
Know GOD; known, teach Him; as thou teachest 〈◊〉  
So shall thy Flock be as well taught, as fed.   

5. Of a Judge.  
Both blind and lame Liudge Thee best to make;  
Lest that thine Eyes miss-give, thy Hands miss- 〈◊〉   

6. Of a Husbandman.  
Good-morrow bids the Cock, th'owl bids Good-night  
To Countrie-Cares: I bid, GOD speed them right.   

7. Of a Captain.  
In War and Peace, CHRIST is the sole Command  
To lead to Godward: follow still His Standard.   

Of all the Seven.  
So Rule 1, Pled 2, Practise 3, Preach 4, Doom 5, Delve 6, 〈◊〉 ●  
Climes 1, Causes 2, Cures 3, CHRIST 4, Crimes 5, Turns 6, 〈◊〉 ●   
FINIS.   

●ACHRYMAE LACHRYMARUM: or The Spirit of Tears, Distilled For the un-timely Death of The incomparable PRINCE, HENRY (Late) PRINCE of WALES.  
By JOSVAH SYLVESTER.   

HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE  royal blazon or coat of arms   

A CHRYMAE LACHRYMARUM.  
A Funeral Elegy.  
The Argument, in an EPITAPH.  

〈◊〉 Erelyes (Dry Eyes, read not This EPITAPH.)  
〈◊〉 Heer lies Great-britans' Stay, Great Iacob's Staff:  
〈◊〉 stately Top-bough of Imperial Stem,  
●d's richest jewel, Nature's rarest Gem,  
aror of Princes, Miracle of Youth,  
virtues Pattern, Patron of all Truth;  
●ge of Arms, ample Reward of Arts,  
●rth's Comforter, mild Conqueror of Hearts:  
Church's Tower, the Terror of the Pope,  
●ik HENRY, Atlas of our Hope.   

However, short of Others Art and Wit,  
I know my powers for such a Part unfit;  
●d shall but light my Candle in the Sun,  
〈◊〉 do a work shall be so better Down:  
●ld Tears and Fears give my Distractions leave,  
〈◊〉 sobbing words a sable Web to weave;  
●uld Sorrow's Fullness give my voice a vent;  
●w would, how should, my saddest Verse lament,  
〈◊〉 deepest Sighs (in stead of sweetest Songs)  
〈◊〉 Loss (alas!) which unto All belongs!  
To All, alas! though chief to the Chief;  
His royal Parents, Principals in grief:  
To All the Peers, to all Confederate,  
To All the CHURCH, to all the CHRISTIAN State:  
To all the Godly now, and future, far:  
To all the WORLD; except S. P. Q. R.  
To All together, and to Each apart,  
That lives, and loves Religion, Arms, or Art:  
To all abroad; but, to Us most of all  
That nearest stood to my High Cedars fall:  
But, more than most, to Me, that had no Prop  
But HENRY'S Hand; and, but in Him, no Hope:  
In Whom, with Nature, Grace and Fortune met,  
To consummate a PRINCE, as Good as Great:  
In Whom, the Heavn's were pleased to show the Earth,  
A richer jewel than the World was worth,  
Or worthy of: therefore, no more to make  
So rare a Piece, His precious Mould they broke.   

O soudain Change! OH sad Vicissitude!  
O! how the heavens our Earthly Hopes delude!  
O! what is firm beneath the Firmament!  
O! what is constant here that gives Content!  
What Trust in Princes! O! what Help in Man,  
Whose dying Life is but in length a spann!  
Melting, as Snow before the Midday Sun;  
Past, as a Post, that speedy by doth run;  
Swift, as the Current of the quickest Stream;  
Vain, as a Thought; forgotten, as a Dream.   

OH Dearest HENRY, Heaven and Earth's Delight!  
OH clearest Beam of Virtues, Rising bright!  
OH purest Spark of Pious Princely Zeal!  
OH surest Ark of justice sacred weal!  
OH gravest Presage of a Prudent Kind!  
OH bravest Message of a Valiant Mind!  
OH All-admired, Benign and Hountious!  
OH All-desired (right) PANARETUS!  
PANARETUS (All-vertuous) was thy Name;  
Thy Nature such: such ever be thy Fame.   

OH dearest! clearest! purest! surest Prop!  
OH gravest! bravest! highest! nighest Hope!  
O! how untimely is this Sun gonn down!  
This Spark put-out! This Ark (as) overthrown!  
This Presage crossed! This Message lost and left!  
This Prop displaced! This Hope of All, bereft!  
O! How, unkind! How, graceless! How, ingrate!  
Have We cut-off Thy likely longer Date!   

For, were This Stroke from heavens immediate hand;  
Or (by heavens leave) from Hell's suborned Band  
Of ROMULIDES (What dare not They presume?  
If this, That Sea a Sulphury Sea consume.)  
Howe'er it were, We were the Moving Cause  
That sweet Prince HENRY breath no longer draws.  
We all (alas!) have had our hands herein:  
And Each of us hath, by some cord of Sin,  
Haled down from Heaven, from justice awful Seat,  
This Heavy judgement (which yet more doth threat)   

We Clergy first, who too-too-oft have stood  
Moore for the church-good, them the Churches good▪  
We Nobles next, whose Title, ever strong,  
Can hardly offer Right, or suffer Wrong:  
We Magistrates, who, mostly, weak of sight,  
Are rather feign to feel then see the Right:  
We Officers, whose Price of every Place  
Keeps Virtue out, and bringeth Vice in grace:  
We Gentry then, who rack, and sack, and cell,  
To swim like Sea-Crabs, in a foure-wheeld Shell:  
We Courtiers, next, who French-Italianate,  
Change (with the Moon) our Fashion, Faith, & Fate.  
We Lawyers then, who Dedalizing LAW,  
And deadding Conscience, like the Horseleech draw:  
We Citizens, who seeming Pure and Plain,  
Beguile our Brother, make our God our gain:  
We Countrymen, who slander Heaven and Earth  
As Authors of Our Artificial Dearth:  
We Pourueyors, last, who taking ten for two,  
Rob both at once, our Prince and People too:   

All, briefly all; all Ages, Sexes, Sorts,  
In Countries, Cities, Benches, Churches, Courts,  
(All Epicures, Witt-Wantons, Atheists,  
Mach'-aretines', Momes, Tap-To-Bacchonists,  
bats, Harpies, Sirens, Centaurs, Bib-all-nights,  
Sice-sink-ap-Asses, Hags, Hermaphrodites)  
And We poor Nothings (fixed in no Sphere,  
Right wandering Tapers, Erring everywhere)  
Scorn of the Vulgar, Scandal of the Gown,  
Have pulled this weight of Wrath, This Vengeance down.  
All, All are guilty, in a high Degree,  
Of This High-Treason and Conspiracy;  
Moore brute than Brutus▪ stabbing more than CAESAR,  
With Two-hand-SINNES, of Profit and of Pleasure:  
And (th' odious Engine, which doth all include)  
Our Many-pointed proud INGRATITUDE.   

For, for the People's Sins, for subjects crimes,  
God takes-away good Princes oftentimes.  
So, good JOSIAH (HENRY'S parallel)  
Was soon bereft from Sinful Israel:  
So, our good EDWARD (HENRY'S Pre-cedent)  
For ENGLAND'S Sins was hence untimely hent.  
So, here, good HENRY is new taken hence,  
For now Great BRITAN'S, great sins Confluence.   

We see th' Effect: we have the Cause confessed:  
O! Turn we then, with speed, to Save the rest:  
O! Turn us, Lord; turn to us, turn away  
Thy Frowns, our Fears, with humblest Tears we pray.  
OH save our SOVEREIGN; save his Royal seed;  
That still his Own may on his Throne succeed.   

Let Each of us make privy Search within;  
And having found, bring forth the Traitor SIN:  
To Execution, with all Execration  
Henceforth renouncing such In-Sin-newation.   

Let Each of us (as Each hath thrown a Dart,  
A Dart of Sin, at HENRY'S princely heart)  
Send-up in Sighs our Souls devoutest breath,  
To Shield our JAMES, ANNE, CHARLES, ELIZABETH,  
And HIMULCO whose Love shall tender HER her Brother,  
And make Her soon a happy Prince's Mother.   

Let Each of us cease to lament (in vain)  
Prince HENRY'S Loss: Death is to HIM a Gain.  
For Sauoy'● Dukelings, or the Florentine,  
He Weds his Saviour, of a Regal Ligne;  
Glory, for Gold; for Hope, Possession (there)  
Of Crowns so Rich as never entered Ear,  
Eye never saw, nor ever Heart conceived;  
So strong Assured, as cannot be bereft.   

Wail not his death: His Virtues cannot Die;  
Immortal Issue of ETERNITY.  
His Soul in Bliss beholds her Maker's Eyes:  
His goodly Body shall more glorious Rise.  
Weep not for HIM: weep for ourselves, alas!  
(Not for our Private, or Peculiar case:  
As, for our son's, Brother's, or Master's lack,  
Or Prince's loss (our Expectations wrack)  
Our Places, Graces, Profits, Pensions lost,  
Our present Fortunes cast, our future crossed)   

Weep for our Sins, our Wicked-provocations,  
Our heinous, horrid, high ABOMINATIONS;  
Both seen and secret; both in High and Low:  
Weep, weep for These; and stripped, from Top to Toe,  
Of guiddie-Gaudes, Top-gallant Tire and Towers,  
Of Face-pride, Case-pride, Shin-pride, Shoo-pride, ours  
(Like NINIVITES so near Their threatened Fall)  
In blackest Sack and Cinders shrouded All:  
Not like a Bulrush, for a day or two,  
To stoop, and droop, and seem as others do,  
(AS ACHAB yerst, and PHARAOH, in Distress)  
And then return unto our old Excess  
(As Dogs unto their Mewte, Hogs to their Mire)  
But, day by day, until our last expire,  
With bended Knees, but more with broken hearts,  
And th' inward rest of right Repentant Parts,  
Prostrate our Souls in Fasting and in Prayer,  
Before the Footstool of th' Empyreal chair:  
That So, Whatever bloody DELUGE float  
From th'old Read Dragon's wide-wide-yawning Thr●●●,  
We, Humbled MOURNERS may be Heavenly 〈◊〉,  
In MERCIE'S Vessel to be All imb ARKT.   
FINIS.   

AN EPITAPH.  

WHen Great French HENRY Fates bereft,  
His Name & Fame to OURS He left;  
As ablest ATLAS Than, to prop  
The Weight of WORTH, the World of HOPE:  
But, ENGLAND's Sins (a heavier Load)  
So overlaid His Shoulders broad,  
That, crushed down, Here lies HE dead.  
So, HOPE is fallen, and WORTH is fled.    

ANOTHER.  

WHom All admired, whom Allured (almost) adored,  
For all the Parts of all PANDORA's Treasure;  
The Hope of all, to have all Good restored;  
HIM, All our Ills have slain, by heavens Displeasure.   
By HIS (late) HIGHNE'S First Worst & Poet Pensione josuah Sylvester.   

HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE  royal blazon or coat of arms   

AN ELEGIAC-EPISTLE consolatory, Against Immoderate Sorrow for th' immature Decease of St. WILLIAM SIDNEY Knight, Son and Heir apparent To The Right Honourable ROBERT, LORD SIDNEY, L. Viscount Lisle; L. Chamberlain to the Queen, & L. Governor of His majesties Cautionary Town of VLUSHING.  
by JOSVAH SYLVESTER.   

  

To the right Honourable, the Lord Viscount LISLE, and his most virtuous Lady: To Sir Robert SIDNEY, Knight, their Hopeful Son: To the most Worthy Lady WROTH, with the rest of their right virtuous Daughters: & To all the Noble SIDNEY'S & SEMI-SIDNEYS.  

ALthough I know None, but a Sidney's Muse,  
Worthy to sing a Sidney's Worthyness:  
None but Your Own 
* LA: WROTH.  AL-WORTH, Sidnëides,  
In whom, Her uncle's noble V●●ne renews:   

And though I know (sad Nobles) to infuse  
My fore-spent Drops into the boundless Seas  
Of Your deep Griefs, for your dear joy's Decease; 
●●Anagram.   
To Your full Ocean naught atall accrues:   

Yet, as (the Floods Queen) Amphitrité daignes  
To take the Tribute of small Brooks and Bournes;  
Which to Her Bounty (that Their Streams maintains)   

The humble Homage of Their Thanks returns;  
Accept These Sighs and these few Tears of Ours.  
Which have their Course but from the Source of Yours.   
Yr Noble Name's & virtue's most Observant, JOSVAH SYLVESTER.   

An ELEGIAC EPISTLE.  

WHat Object, lesle than our Great HENRY's Hearse,  
Can so have seized the voice of every Verse?  
What Subject else could have engrossed so  
The public Store and private Stock of Woe?  
What Sea, but th' Ocean of His virtues Fame,  
Can drink all Tears, or drown a SIDNEY's Na●●  
(As buried quick) so quickly (though so young)  
So un-bewayled, so vn-sighed, un-sung?   

OH, glorious HENRY! though alone to Thee,  
I own my all, and more than all of Me;  
And though (alas!) the best and most of mine  
Reach not the lest, the lowest Deuce of Thy:  
Yet, wouldst thou, couldst Thou hear (as heretofore)  
And grant a Boon; I only would implore  
Thy leave a little, for a SIDNEY's Death  
To sigh a little of my Mournful breath:  
The rather, that, as Yerst He served You here,  
And, in His End attended Yours so near;  
Throughout all A●es subsequent to Ours,  
His Name and Fame may ever wait on YOURS:  
Sigh ●ll the MUSES own That Name alone,  
A Dia pason of each sad-sweet Groan:   

But, more peculiar, and precisely, Mine;  
Lineally bound unto That Noble Ligne.   

ARCADIANS know no Other, for APOLLO,  
Not other MARS (in Arms or Arts to follow  
As DEMI-GODS, as well of War as Wit)  
Than SIDNEY'S yerst, or SEMI-SIDNEYS, yet.  
Yet, fit I said: for, of This dear Descent,  
Nature (of late) too-lavishly hath spent.  
(L●ke My Ill-huswives which at once do burn  
Two or three lights, where One would serve the turn)  
Not her Own only, but more orient Gems,  
Moore rich, more rare; more fitting Diadems.   

As, first, th' old Father, famous-fortunate,  
The prime firm Founder of our IRISH State:  
Next, His Son PHILIP (More than PHILIP's Son)  
Whose World of Worth, a World of Honour won:  
Than, His sole Heir (sole VENUS-IUNO-PALLAS)  
All Beauty's Pattern, and All virtues Palace;  
Whose memory, on MUSES Fairest Hill  
●s Canonised, by a Phoenix Quill).  
These Three, the which Three Ages might have graced,  
●ll These and more in My short Age have passed:  
●esides This new SWEET-WILLIAM now deceased  
The Epitomè and Sum of All the rest)  
The Flower of Youth, of Honour, Beauty, Blood,  
The Apparent Heir of All the SIDNEY'S Good;  
For Mind, for Mould, for Spirit, Strength, & Stature,  
A Miracle, a Masterpiece of Nature.   

Alas! How grossly do our Painters err  
In drawing Death's grim Visage (everywhere)  
With hollow holes, as wholly dark and blind!  
Ah! See we not, how still He sees to find  
The fairest Mark, the rarest and the best  
Of Virtues buds, and lets alone the rest?  
Ravens, Brambles, Bandogs, Sirens, here he leaves;  
Swans, Roses, Lions, Diane's, hence he reaves:  
Nay; th' only PHOENIX hath he newly slain  
(But, maugre Death, That Bird revives again).  
No marvel then, if SIDNEY'S fall so fast.  
So early ripe are seldom apt to last:  
So Eminent are imminent to die;  
Malicious Death doth Such so easily spy.   

But, why of Death and Nature, rave I Thus;  
Another Style (my LISLE) befitteth us.  
Another Hand, another Eye, directs  
Both Death and Nature in These high Effects;  
The Eye of PROVIDENCE, the Hand of POWER,  
Disposing All in Order and in Hour;  
So working in, so waking over All,  
That but by Those doth Nothing here befall.   

Than, not (as Curs) the stone or staff to bite,  
Vn-heeding why, or who doth hurl or smite;  
Unto That Eye let us erect our own;  
And humble us under That Hand alone,  
Which (as the Potter his own Work controls)  
Dissolveth Bodies, and absolveth Souls:  
Unpartial ever, Vn-preposterous;  
However Other it may seem to us.   

For, ever since first WOMAN teemed Twin,  
And at a Birth brought forth both Death & Sin  
(Sin, as her Heir; Death, as an Heritage  
●ustly derived down from Age to Age)  
It is Decreed (by a more Chang-lesse Law  
Than ever yet the Medes and Persians' saw)  
That All men once (as well as Low, the High.  
Of Either Sex, of Every Sort) must die.  
Yea, th' INNOCENT, for Our imputed ill  
Who came, not Laws to break, but to fulfil)  
The Son of GOD (The Son of MAN become)  
●h' Immortal yielded to This mortal Doom.  
●o that (for Sin) no Son of MAN hath breath  
●ut once must dye. Wages of SIN is Death.   

As for the reason, Why it comes to pass  
Sometimes, that Age seems to have turned his Glass▪  
While oftentimes Youth's, year it seem begun,  
Is cracked, or broken, or already run:  
Why Lilies, Roses, Gillie-flowers, be reft;  
When Nettles, Thistles, Hemlocks here be left:  
Why cedars, Okes, Vines, Olives, rather fall,  
Than Brush and Briars (good for naught at all)  
Let Flesh and Blood, let Dust, be rather mute,  
Than with His MAKER saucily dispute.   

Yet here (me thinks) but little Question needs.  
Do not We rather gather Herbs than Weeds?  
Do not We take the timber for our turn,  
And leave the Dottr●lls, in their time to burn?  
And, in the Shambleses, who is it but would  
Be rather sped of young Flesh then of old?  
And yet in Season, when we see it good,  
We weed our Gardens, fell our Underwood;  
And kill old cattle, lest they gore the young,  
Or fall away, or mix some Mange among.   

Much like the Lord: who knoweth best all Season,  
And best observes. But, will we urge his Reason?  
His Reason is His WIL: His Will is just,  
Or rather justice; which His Power must  
In Wisdom execute (right understood)  
To His Own Glory, and His children's Good;  
Where in His Goodness through His Mercy shines,  
To clear and cheer devout and humble minds.  
For, to the Godly (in despite of Hell)  
Heaven maketh all things to re-issue well.   

Heer, here's a Harbour; here's a quiet Shore  
From Sorrow's Surges, & all Storms that roar.  
This is Cap Comfort (a high Promontory,  
Of richer Store than here is room to story).  
Here let us bide, and ride-out all Events,  
With Anchor Hope, and Cable Patience;  
Until our Bark some happy Gale shall drive  
Home to the Haven where we would All arrive.   

Come, Noble Viscount, put into This Bay,  
Where (with a Light) our A'M'RAL leads the way,  
Though deepest laden, & the most distressed,  
The greatest Ship of Burden, and the best.  
HIM boldly follow: & though here, as CHIEF  
In Grief, as Greatness, His must drown your Grief,  
Count it an Honour, to be called to try  
Your virtue's Valour, in your Soveraine's eye.  
We All partake His Cross; His Loss is Ours:  
But His Affections (to the life) are Yours.  
The nearer than You match His mournful fate,  
His royal Patience nearer imitate.   

And you, sad Lady, Mother of annoy  
For having lost the prime Son of your joy;  
Ah! see, the Sovereign of your Sex hath so.  
Some think it ease, to have some peer in Woe:  
But, such a PEER, and such a Pattern too,  
Should much (me thinks) confirm & comfort You  
To beare-up hard into this happy Road,  
And lighten somewhat of Your heavy Load:   

The rather, sith (besides the Happiness,  
Which now, above, your Darling doth possess;  
The Crown, the Kingdom, and the Company,  
Of All the holy, heavenly HIERARCHY:  
Besides your Mess of goodly GRACES left  
(Whose WORTH, from All, the Prize of Worth hath rest  
Four lovely Nymphs, four Rivers, as it were,  
Your veins of Virtue through the Land to bear)  
You have another Model of The same,  
To propagate renowned SIDNEY'S Name;  
Another, like in every part to prove  
As worthy of our Honour, and your Love;  
In whom (if now, You, IOB-like, bear this Cross)  
Heaven may restore you manifold, your Loss.   
FINIS.   

THE SECOND SESSION of the PARLIAMENT of virtues Real (Continued by Prorogation) For better Propagation of all true Piëtie, & Viter Extirpation of  

ATHEISM, & HYPOCRISY;  
AVARICE, & CRUELTY;  
PRIDE, & LUXURIE.   
(From th' Original) Transcribed, & Inscribed To the High-Hopefull CHARLES, Prince of Great Britain, By JOSVAH SYLVESTER.   

A DIVINE & TRUE TRAGICOMEDY; JOB TRIUMPHANT in his Trial: OR THE HISTORY OF His Heroical Patience, In A measured METAPHRASE.   


To ARTHUR'S CASTLE (called by ART'S CHASTE LURE) My Hope Hear Hasteth, For My HART'S LAST CVR●.  
Sir, YOU have seen In my PANARETUS, A SWEET IDEA Of— Our hopes in You: A REAL ACT of That Ideall VIEW●, In My St. LEWI● Royal Virtuous▪ Heer (more HEROIK and more HOLY-True) I bring Your Highness Yet A Higher Piece (Passed all the Patterns of old Rome & Greece) Faith's PATIENTED Champion, in His Triumph due far be His Crosses Fron my Prince, I pray: Near be His Courses (As the most Complete In sacred GRACES that beseem The GREAT) Towards God and Man; in Clear or Cloudy Day; So much Moore needful In This Sinful Age, By How Much Satan (near his end) doth rage: With Whom and His, the better Ay to wrestle, Great Michael guard & strengthen ARTHUR'S CASTLE; prays Prostrate josuah Sylvester.    


To the Right Reverend & Honourable FAther, GEORGE ABBOT, Lord Archbishop OF CANTERBURY.  
IN Grateful HONOUR Of Your MANY Gifts of GRACE. & NATURE (Apted to Your Place) This DORIC Pillar My DEVOTION lifts; To show Hear— After, what We own your Grace: B, for Your Prudence, And Your Pious Zeal; Learning, And Labour In Your Double Charge; Swaying The CHURCH, Staying the commonweal; Most STUDIOUS Ever EITHER to Enlarge: And Last (not lest) of all, For CONSTANT standing On Right's weak Side, Against the tide of wrong: When PHILISTINES And Daliladies banding, With Arms or Charms Would bind or blind the Strong: In Honour of these Honours, this I bring To Reverend ABBOT, & His Second; KING. VESTER— SYL— VESTER Deditissim●●.    

TO The Right Honourable, The Lord ELESMORE, L. High Chancellor of England.  

* THOMAS EGERTONUS: (Anagramma)  
* NESTOR THEOMAGUS.   

Grave, * GOD-WISE NESTOR; Never did a Name  
(Save A JUST MASTER) better speak a man  
(As Court & Council, with Me, witness can)  
Than doth Your Own, in This Your Anagram.   

Should I A Volume of Your virtues frame,  
Broad as my Breast, & Thicker than my Span;  
Can I say Moore, more True, more Duly, than  
The Character concluded in This same?   

For, * PIOVS-Prudence cannot but be Just:  
And justice cannot but be Temperate:  
And Temperance from Courage issue must.   

So that Your Name doth Your whole Life relate,  
So NESTOR-Like, for graceful, * Godly-Sage,  
That Nothing wants, but (what we wish) His Age.   
Ex Animo exoptat josuah Sylvester.   

To the Right Honourable, Sir EDWARD COKE, Knight; Lord Chief justice of England, and one of his majesties most Honourable Privy Council.  

* EDVARDUS COCUS: (Anagramma)  
* SUCCEDO, ARDWS.   

HArdy and Happy may You long Succeed,  
In all the Courses of your Christian Zeal,  
To scourge Abuse; and purge the Publike-Weale,  
Of vicious Humours, with auspicious Speed.   

Hardy and Happy Never more did need,  
To meet with Malice, and with Might to deal;  
And sift the Drift the Serpent would conceal.  
How happy, Heaven You for These times decreed!   

Hardy and Happy may you still proceed,  
Until You find, confounded, and suffocate,  
The Viperous Vermin that destroy the State.   

Hardy, and Happy, be your Mind, and Meed  
With GOD and Men: applauded and approved,  
Of Prince and People; of All Good, beloved:   
Ex Animo Expot●● josuah Sylvester.   

To The Right Honourable Lords Spiritual & Temporal; The Knights and Burgesses of the Lower-House; & To all generous and ingenuous Readers.  

YOur priest assistance & Assistance, past,  
Vouchsafed, Heer, when you were summoned last,  
Bind & imbold me once more to present  
My humble Briefs, in form of PARLIAMENT;  
Hoping no less Consent of Your Good-wills  
●n passing These, then of Our former Bills;  
too-much more Needful in this Weed-full Time,  
By How-much Vice doth over Virtue clime.   

An Act against Atheism & Irreligion. Page. 4. 7  
An Act of pious and humble PATIENCE. 7  
An Act conformable to the former. 9  
An Act confirming Both. 9 67  
An Act of human Frailty, to teach the Best, Humility. 10. 18. 29  
An Act of the Weaker Vessel. 9  
An Act of Imitation, with better Application. 13  
An Act (of many Branches) concerning the justice of GOD in his judgements 14 89  
An Act of Exhortation to Repentance and Humiliation. 16. 23. 31. 60. 90  
An Act against Presumption of ourselves. 30. 40. 91  
An Act touching GOD's Omnipotence, Omniscience, Al-Regencie, Alsufficiencie. 33. 89. 93  
An Act against rash and erroneous Censures. 35  
An Act against Partiality in judgement, false Witness, Suborned Evidence. ibid.  
An Act, intimating the Comfort and Confidence of a good Conscience. 36. 67  
An Act, averring the Shortness of Life, and uncertain Certainty of Death. 37  
An Act against Saducees and Epicures. 3●  
An Act against Puritisme. 41. 65  
An Act intimating the effects of an evil Conscience. 41  
An Act against the Security & Insolence of fat & Easeful Epicures and Oppressors. 4●  
An Act against Hypocrites. 43. 67. 93  
An Act against Bribrie, Brokery, Usury. 4●  
An Act against uncivil Indiscretion in visiting of Frind● Especially against Aggravation of Griefs. 4●  
An Act for our Imitation. 45. 72. 76. 77. 82. 10  
An Act against Plattery. 46. ●●  
An Act of Terror to the Wicked in their sudden & ●●●●full Fall. 47. 64.  
(Anno. 16 15  
An Act against Ambition conformable to the former. ●●  
An Act against Unkindness of Kinsmen, Neighbo●● Friends, Servants, Wives, etc. ●●  
An Act of lively FAITH, against all Saducees, Epicures, Atheists. 51.  
An Act of Animadversion, that we stumble not at the Prosperity of the Wicked. 55  
An Act, for the Last Assize, and final Sentence and Execution of the Ungodly. 57  
An Act against Merit of Works. 58. 91. 98  
An Act against Works of Supererogation. 58. 91  
An Act against the Children of Darkness; Murderers, Adulterers, Burglers, etc. 64  
An Act against all greedy Wringers, wronger's, usurers, & Oppressors. 62. 68  
An Act of Meditation on the manifold Manifest Works of GOD, mighty and marvelous 66. 96. 98  
An Act of Invincible Faith and PATIENCE. 67  
An Act against Tyrants, Extortioners, Rackers, and all Unrighteous and unrelenting Rich. 62. 68  
An Act, limiting Man's Wit and Industry from th' illimitable Wisdom & inimitable Works of God. 70. 83  
An Act against lose and idle Education of Youth. 74  
An Act against wandering & Wanton Eyes. 77  
An Act against Pride & Vanity of all kinds. 77  
An Act against Cozenage, Concupiscence, Cruelty, Bribery. 77  
An Act against Adultery. 77  
An Act against impious and imperious Masters & Mistresses. 78  
An Act against dilatory A●●ners and solitary Nabal●. 78  
An Act against th' Vncharitie of our Days, suffering so many Poor to die without Doors. 78  
An Act against all Injury, Inhumanity, etc. 79  
An Act against Avarice & Infidelity, Superstition & Idolatry, Sacrilege & Surcuidry. 79  
An Act against insulting over Misery. 80  
An Act against all manner of Extortion & Cruelty. 81  
An Act touching the right use and happy issue of Afflictions. 86. 92. 93. 109.  
An Act of the proveness of Mercy toward the Penitent. 87  
An Act against empty & idle FAITH. 88  
An Act (by implication) against the Pope's depriving & depraving of Princes. 89  
An Act containing a Divine Lecture of Natural Phisophy. 98.  
To the last Chapter: which is the Last Act of This Holy PARLIAMENT:   

WHose several Acts, of sweet and sovereign Use  
To cherish Virtue, and to check Abuse  
(Too rough transcribed, by too rude a hand,  
For so high Statutes of the HOLY-LAND)  
Are here presented, as sit Precedents  
Of sacred Rules for your High Parliaments;  
By (the once, lest Moat in th' Vpper-Houses Sun)   
Your Vader-Clarke, Unworthily Undone (By over-trusting to a starting Bow●●r while too-strong, to my poor Wrong & Woe) JOSVAH SYLVESTER.   

JOB TRIUMPHANT in his Trial.  

The Proëm.  

A Solid Rock, farre-seated in the Sea  
(Where many Vessels have been cast away)  
Though blackest Storms of blustering Winds do threat,  
Though boisterous Rage of roaring Billows beaten;  
Though it be raakt with Lightning, & with Thunder;  
Though all at once assault, and Each asunder;  
With massy Bulk of itself's Marble Tower,  
●till, still repels th' inevitable Stower;  
And seems still firmer, and more permanent,  
●he more the Tempest hath been violent:  
●ight so the Faithful; in whose humble Breast  
religious sear of GOD is deep impressed;  
whatever Streak of Fortune threat his State,  
whatever Danger him discommodate,  
whatever Mischief that betid him shall,  
whatever Loss, whatever Cross befall;  
●flexible, invincible, pursues  
●e sacred Footings he did ever use:  
And ay more constant, and confirmed is He,  
The more extreme that his Afflictions be.   

If any spirit, inspired with Holy-mood,  
Carefully-●urious of the Public Good,  
Would lively limn th' immortal Excellence  
Of such a Pattern of such PATIENCE;  
As neither Elements displaced quite,  
Nor envious Stars, nor angry Foes despite,  
Nor all the Fiends insatiate Fury fell  
(By fraud or force) could ever quail or quell:  
'Twere labour lost, to fable (Homer-like)  
The strange long Voyage of a wily Greek;  
The Pains, the Perils, and extreme Disease  
That he endured, both by Land and Seas;  
Sigh sacred Truthe's Heaven prompted Books present  
In Constant ●OB a worthier Argument.   

Thou then, Urania, to whom right belongs  
The sacred Consort of Celestial Songs,  
Tune Thou my Voice. Thou teach me to record  
Wh● did in●ite, what did invite the Lord,  
With Misery's so rueful and so rife,  
So to disturb his quiet happy Life;  
What heinous Sin, what ●orrid high Offence.  
The almighty's Vengeance might so deep incense:  
●or else what Cause, what Object el●e might stir-it.  
Boils there such Wrath in an impassive Spirit?   

But, o Presumption! Why have I begun  
(Alas! no Prophet, neither Prophet's Son;  
No Priest, no Levite; ndy, no Israelite  
(Such as Nathanael) but a Cananite  
Full of Corruption, foul of hand and heart)  
To touch the ARK● to under-take This Part?   

Ah! pardon Lord; O! purify me● all  
From all Profaneness; from sin's bitter Gall:  
And as erewhile it pleased thee to infuse  
●n mine unschooled and unskilful Muse  
By virtue of Thy All-sufficing Grac●)  
immediate power dubartas Track to trac●;  
●o as (however weak and Art-l●ss●, I,)  
That Work● finds Welcome with the grais●st Eyes  
Now more, good Lord, my Wies & Words refine,  
●● treat divinely Matter ●o Divine:  
〈◊〉! sacred Spirit now sanctify my Style;  
●t not my Sensual thy pure Sense defile:  
●ut tune me, right, to Echo, as belongs.  
●● HVSSIAN'S S●gh● & then Thy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  
●nd to that end, vouchsafe me at Thy 〈◊〉  
●esse Needful Life, in a less● Careful leisure    

Cap. 1.  

Near where Idumè's dry and sandy Soil  
Spreads Palmful Forests, dwelled a Man erewhile,  
Of life unblotted, and unspotted Fame;  
God-fearing, just, Sin-flying, JOB by Name.   

With due respect to heaven's & Nature's Law,  
In Wedlock's sweet Yoke did he seemly draw:  
Whence, by that Bounty, whose all Blessings be,  
Seaun Sons he had, and lovely Daughters Three.  
Great was his Substance: for of fleecy Sheep  
Upon the Downs seaun Thousand did he keep;  
Five hundred yoke of Oxen did he own;  
Five hundred Ass-shees, Camels six times so:  
Great Train within doors, & great Train without,  
Made him esteemed through all the East about.   

His Sons, by turns, their Sisters did invite  
And feast each other, in a Daily Rite:  
JOB blest them every Even; and every Morn  
When first Aurora's rosy beams return,  
The good Old-man, to GOD, in humblewise,  
For each of them did offer Sacrifice:  
Jest They might have m●s●don, mis-said, mis-thought,  
Or (in their Feasts) offended GOD by aught.   

While happy JOB thus brought the year about,  
It came to pass one day when all the Rout  
Of Lightfull Angels did themselves present  
Before the Footstool of th' Omnipotent,  
There also came the Executioner,  
Th'ambitious Prince, Malicious Lucifer:  
With whom the LORD expostulating, Thus  
●aid; Satan, say, Whence comest Thou to us?  
●come, said He, from walking in and out,  
●nd compassing the Earthly Ball about.  
●ast thou not then surveyed my Servant JOB  
Replied the LORD) whose like in all the Globe  
●here is not found; so full of loving-feare,  
●o faithful, fruitful, rightful, and sincere?  
〈◊〉 Is it for Nothing, said the subtle Foe,  
●hat JOB adores, and loves, and fears Thee so?  
●ast thou not hedged him safe on every side?  
●ast thou not heaped him Blessings far and wide?  
●t, for a while withhold thy favour's stream,  
withdraw thy hand, and hide thy Bounty's beam,  
●hen shalt thou see (or double my Disgrace)  
●e will anon blaspheme thee to thy Face.  
Lo, said th' Eternal, from this instant hour  
●l that he hath is in thy hand and power;  
〈◊〉, but Himself, Himself I sole exempt.  
●han eftsoons assumes his bold Attempt.   

As all his Children were together met,  
Th●●● elder Brothers hearty Cheer to eat,  
Came one to ●OB▪ running, & breathless nigh,  
Sca●ce could he speak, yet weakly thus did cry,  
Ah! woe ●● me to be the Messenger  
Of so sad News as now I bring you, Sir:  
As all your Oxen under painful yoke,  
Their pointed journeys in your Fallows broke;  
And ●s your Asses in the Meads did feed,  
Sabéan hieves came forth with furious speed  
And took them all, and all your Servants slew,  
I only caped, to come and tell it you.   

While He yet spoke, there came Another in,  
Hared and hot, and Thus did He begin:  
Sir, from the heavens a sudden Fire did fall  
Among your Sheep, & hath consumed them all,  
And stain your servants year they could eschew;  
I only 'scaped, to come and tell it You.   

While He yet spoke, Another came, amazed,  
And sadly said; Sir, while your Camels grazed  
In your own Pastures up and down the Lands,  
The proud Chaldéans, in three armed Bands,  
Surprised them all, and all your Servants slew;  
I only scaped, to come and tell it you.   

While He yet spoke, Another came and cried  
In piteous Fright (as if himself beside)  
OH, Sir! your Sons & Daughters (all the rest)  
Were met to day at my young Master's Feast,  
Where, from beyond the Wilderness anon  
A sudden Whirlwind rose, and rushed upon  
The corners of the House, and shook it so  
That instantly it f●ll from Top to Toe,  
And with the Fall them altogether slew;  
I only 'scaped, to come and tell it you.   

Than starting up, JOB 'gan his clotheses to rend,  
Sh●ues his hoar hair, his head with ashes sprent;  
As in a swoon falls to the ground with groans,  
And semi sighing Thus himself bemoans:  
Ah! Naked came I from my Mother's womb,  
Naked I shall return unto my Tomb:  
The LORD hath taken what himself hath given:  
Blessed be GOD, th'Almighty LORD of Heaven.   

Yet did not JOB, for all that him mis-fell,  
Murmur at GOD, nor inly sink or swell;  
Nor sin against th'eternal Providence,  
But suffered all with humble Patience.    

Cap. 2.  

ANother day, when all the sacred Bands  
Came all attending their high King's commands,  
Came also He, whose Envy (since He fell  
Fron Heavn) hath striu'n to hale down Man to Hell;  
With whom the LORD expostulateth Thus:  
Now Satan, say, Whence comest Thou to Us?  
I come ●aid He, from walking in and out,  
And compassing the Earthly Ball about.  
Than, Hast thou found, replies th' Omnipotent,  
In all thy Circuit, Man more confident,  
Or mind more Constant, or more faithful Soul,  
Than JOB my Servant: whom thine Envy foul,  
Late, urged my Leave by sharp Assaults to try?  
How hast thou sped? What hast thou got thereby?   

Alas, said He, I reft him but the things  
That fly from Men with transitory wings;  
And therefore he regards his loss the less:  
But would thy Power him somewhat nearer press,  
Wouldst thou permit me touch him to the quick,  
I yield me conquered, if he do not kick;  
If more he serve, trust, pray, or praise thy Grace,  
If he, in fine, blaspheme not to thy Face.  
Pinch but his Body, and then, Skin for Skin,  
he'll wince without, and sudden flinch within.   

Go Fiend, said GOD; sith th' art so obstinate,  
Fall on my JOB, him felly cruciate:  
Touch not his Soul; his Body only touch.  
Hence Satan hies, glad that he might so much.  
Without Delay then, with the most Despite,  
He sets on JOB; and in most piteous Plight,  
With ulcerous Anguish fills his body so,  
That crusted all in Scabs from top to toe,  
Amid the Ashes, sad and desolate,  
Scraping his Sores with shells (or sherds) he sat;  
Yet Constant still, still calmly Patiented,  
Without a word of grudging Discontent.   

Than said his Wife, What helps Integrity?  
What boots it, Man? alas! curse GOD, and die.  
Go, foolish Woman, the good man replied,  
Thy rebel heart doth thy rash tongue misguide:  
Shall we, from GOD, of Good receive our Fill;  
And, at his pleasure, not partake of Ill?  
So JOB as yet, for all that him mis-fell,  
Displeased not GOD, but bore it wondrous well.   

By This, the lightfoot, fether-tongued Dame  
Had far and wide spread and dispersed the fame  
Of job's Misfortunes (from the first begun)  
That He was half dead, and was whole undone.   

His Friends then, Eliphas the Themanite,  
●ildad the Shuite, the Naamathite▪  
Zophar (as others) hearing this report,  
As soon as might be towards him resort;  
Resolved with Comforts, to relieve in part  
Their Friend's Affliction, & assuage his Smart.   

But, there arrived, at the very sight  
Of his so woeful and so wretched Plight.  
They all amazed, their Garments sadly tore,  
Their heads with Ashes all besprinkled o'er;  
And for seaun days and nights in Sorrow drowned,  
Lay grieving, by him, groveling on the ground,  
Without word speaking, jest untimely trouble  
Amid his Anguish should his Dolours double.    

●ap. 3.  

JOB therefore straining his obstructed voice,  
Begun Thus, sadly with a shivering noise:   

O! Woe be to the Day when I was born:  
O! be it ever of the Light forlorn:  
O! may it ever under Darkness lie,  
And never Sun vouchsafe it cheerful eye;  
No● GOD regard it: let a deadly Shade  
O'●●-clowde it ay, as ever Dismal made.   

O! woe be also to the Night wherein  
My Mother my Conception did begin:  
Lightning & Thunder thrill it evermore,  
Whirlwind & Tempest may it ever roar:  
Of Fogs, of Frosts, of Showers, of snows, of hail,  
Of Mists▪ of Mildeawes may it never fail:  
May it no more in Calendar be placed,  
But, from the Role of Months and Years be raced:  
May th' Evening Stars be dark: Not light returning:  
May it no more see th' Eyelids of the Morning,  
Because it closed not, at my wretched Birth,  
The fruitful Door that brought me weeping forth;  
But let me pass into this woeful Light,  
To undergo so miserable Plight.   

O! Why, when shapeless in my Mother's Womb  
I lay as dead, Why did not Death strike home?  
Why not (alas!) amid the bearing Throes,  
When I began to feel Man's feeble Woes?  
Why did the knees support me? Why the Breast  
Supply me suck? Why was I swathed and dressed?  
Sigh else (alas!) I had now lain at ease,  
Had been at rest, h●d slept in quietness,  
Among the high and mighty Potentates,  
King's, Counsellors, gre●t Lords, and Magistrates,  
Who in the World to leave their Names Renown,  
Have built them Bowers which others shall pul-downe:  
And those rich Princes that have heaped of-old  
Their houses full of Silver and of Gold.  
Or, Why (alas!) as an Abortive Birth,  
Was I not hid and buried in the Earth?  
There, Tyrants cease from their imperious Pride:  
There, Virtuous Workers at their rest abide:  
There, Prisoners rest from their Oppressors Brawl:  
There, Slaves are free from their fell Master's Thrall:  
There, High and low (without Disdain, or Dread)  
Rest all together in one Common bed.   

O! wished Death (more to be wished then Life)  
Thou breakest the Force of envies Engines rife:  
Thou cuttest-off our Travails Tediousness:  
Thou kill'st our Cares, Thou calmest our most Distress  
O! to the wretched why is Light imparted?  
Why Life (alas!) unto the heavie-hearted?  
[Who longs for Death: and if it linger long,  
Would feigner seek it then even Gold (among)  
And gladder found it (as of joys the Chief)  
Within their Grave to bury all their Grief]  
Especially, to Him whose Way is hid:  
Whom GOD hath shut-vp, stopped & straightened?  
Sigh, year I eat, My Sighs refill my Food,  
My Roar gush out like a raging Flood.   

For (though my Plenty, never made me proud;  
My Power, imperious; nor to pleasure bowed:)  
What most I doubted I endure, (alas!)  
And what I feared is even comn to pass.  
For Care and Fear, I had no rest before;  
Yet Trouble's come, and trebles more and more.    

Cap. ●  

JOB ceasing so; began the Themanit●,  
july perplexed, an Answer thus to dight:  
If We presume to comfort thee, dear Friend,  
Will our Discourse (I fear it will.) offend?  
Will thy Disease our kind Good-wills disdain?  
But, in this Case (alas!) Who can refrain?  
Who so hardhearted, or uncivill-bred,  
That can unmoved see thee thus bestead?  
To see and hear Thee in this deep Distress,  
Who can keep silence? Who can hold his peace?   

Why! Thou wert wont, in thy Prosperities,  
To stay weak hands, and strengthen feeble knees;  
To counsel those that in their Course had strayed,  
To comfort those whom Crosses ouer-layed:  
Now that Mishap on thine own head hath hit,  
Now that the Storm hath thine own vessel smit,  
Now that the Case is Thy, How art thou sunk  
From thine own Succour! From thyself how shrunk!   

Where is, alas! Where is thy Confidence,  
Thy Constancy, thy Hope, thy Patience,  
Thy Piety, thy Faith, thy Fear of God,  
And th' upright Path which Thou hast ever trod?   

O! ponder this: Who ever Innocent  
Hath perished? Hath the Omnipotent  
Eternal justice ever plagued the Just;  
Destroyed the Righteous who Himulco only trust:  
As I have seen Those that have ploughed and sown  
Iniquity, reap suddenly their own;  
When with the Blast of GOD they blasted fall,  
And with his Breath are quick consumed all?  
GOD, in his Fury starueth in distress  
The roaring Lion and the Lioness;  
Their ravening Whelps are scattered far away,  
Their Teeth are broken, and they pine for Prey.   

I'll tell! thee more: Once, in a certain Night,  
Silent, I heard a Voice, and saw a Sight,  
(About the time when Sleep gins to se●ze  
Our drowsy Lids, our Daily Loads to ease)  
Amazed with Fear my hair began to heave,  
My heart to tremble, every part to leave  
His proper Part; When to mine eyes a-space  
Appeerd the Image of an unknown Face:  
One stood before me, Whence (yet more dismayed)  
I heard a Voice, and Thus (me thought) it said:   

Shall Man be juster than his GOD (said He)?  
The Creature purer than his Maker be?  
Behold, he found not in his Angels bright  
Firm Fealty, but Folly in his sight:  
How much more then, in Those whose habitation  
Is but of Clay, but Dust their best Foundation?  
Whose brittle Vessels here so little last,  
That year they know them they are often past:  
Whose fickle Garment (how-so-ever loathe)  
●hall be destroyed and done, before the Mo●th:  
Whose doubtful Days, year they begin, be gone▪:  
●ut down by Death, when lest they think thereon:  
Whose Dignities (however graced, or Great)  
●hall die with them, and Them the Worms shall eat.    

Cap. ●  

NOw call thou loud, if any will reply:  
Among the Saints where wilt thou turn thine eye?  
too sorts of Fool●s (th' Idiot and Envious) die;  
〈◊〉 Anger th' one, th' other of jealousy.  
〈◊〉 beheld the Fool fair rooted yerst:  
●●t have I soon his Habitation cursed;  
because his Children succour-less shall suffer  
〈◊〉 justice Doom, and none shall Pity offer:  
●m Self withal confounded▪ voided of Hope,  
●o gather-in his long expected Crop,  
Which th'hunger-starved from the Thorns shall snatch;  
The Thirsty shall his substance all dispatch;  
A Misery, which GOD doth often permit:  
For, th'Earth itself is not the Cause of it;  
Sigh, were not Sin, it should not barren be:  
But, Man, for Sin, must toil him seruilelie,  
In Sweatfull Labour, borne for Labours end  
As properly as Sparkles to ascend.   

But were My Case, as Thy; in this Distress,  
Rather to GOD would I myself address:  
Himulco would I seek, of Him would I inquire,  
Whose Works are great, whose Wonders all admire●  
Vnspiable, Unspeakable by Man;  
Immutable, Inscrutable to scan:  
Who on the Earth the rain at pleasure pours,  
And in the Streets distilleth the liquid Showers:  
Who lifts the Lowly up, brings down the Lofty;  
And rears sad Mourners unto Health and Safety:  
Who dissipates the craftiest Policies;  
And disappoints the Counsels of the Wise:  
Who takes the wariest in their proper Wiles;  
And Wicked ones in their own Guile beguiles;  
So that they meet with Darkness in the Day,  
And, as at Midnight, grope at Noon their way:  
But, He preserves the Poor, from sword & tongue,  
And cruel hands of Tyrants, prove to wrong:  
So that the Poor shall have their blessed Hope:  
But Wicked ones their cursed mouths ●ha● stop.   

Lo, then, how happy he whom GOD correcteth!  
Repined not therefore that he Thee afflicteth.  
He wounds, & heals; he strikes, & he restores:  
He sendeth Plagues, & Plasters for the Sores:  
He, in six Troubles, shall deliver thee;  
●nd in the seventh, thou shalt be danger free.  
●e will preserve thee from fell Famines rage;  
●nd from the Sword of War thee disengage:  
●hou shalt be safe from scourging ●ungs of Momes,  
●or shalt thou fear Destruction when it comes:  
●ay, thou shalt laugh at it, and Dearth deride;  
●ot dreading Beasts of fellest Paws and Pride.  
●ones, thorns, & thistles shall be friends with thee:  
●ith thee the Beasts in constant league shall be.  
●od, as without, thou shalt have Peace within  
●hy house; thou shalt be hold it, and not sin.  
●hou shalt perceive thy Seeds seeds seed to spread  
〈◊〉 Grass in Fields, & Flowers in every Me●d.  
〈◊〉 a full Age to thine own Grave shalt Thou,  
〈◊〉 in due time, Corn to the Barn or Mow.  
Lo, This is Truth; and Thus we daily tryit:  
Consider it, and to thyself applyit.    

Cap. 6.  

JOB then replied: o! were my Sorrows weighed,  
And with my Sufferings in just Balance laid,  
They would exceed the Sea● wet Sands in poise:  
Therefore (alas!) they swallow up my voice:  
For th'arrows of th'almighty, keen and quick,  
Have thrilled me, & still within me stick;  
Their Anguish makes my spirits faint & quail me.  
Alas! the Terrors of the LORD assail me.   

Braies the wild Ass if he have grass his fill?  
Or allows the Ox if he have fodder still?  
unsavoury things who without Salt can eat?  
In whites of Eggs is there a taste of meat?  
Yet am I feign, alas! and forced (indeed)  
Of what my Soul abhorred most to feed.   

O! that the LORD would deign me my desire,  
Grant me my Lo●ging, grant what I require:  
Which is but This; that He would end my days,  
Let go his hand, and let me go my ways.  
So should I yet have Comfort (though I burn  
In bitter pangs of Death, I will not spurn.  
Let him not spare me) for yet do not I  
The holy Word of th' Holy-One deny.  
●ut, o! What Power have I to persist?  
●hat may ensue, if I shall long subsist?  
●m I as hard, as tough, as strong (alas!)  
〈◊〉 strongest Stones? or is my Flesh of Brass?  
●y, am I not already Impotent,  
●y spirits consumed, & my strength all spent?  
●n Crosses, Comforts should Friends most afford:  
〈◊〉 men (alas!) have left to fear the LORD.  
〈◊〉 Brethrens have deceived me, as a Brook.  
●rising Floods, they have me soon forsook;  
●ich, foul and deep, in Winter all o'er flow,  
●crusted thick with Ice, no moisture show;  
celse, in Summer, by Sol's thirsty Ray  
〈◊〉 licked-up, and quickly dried away,  
●le travailers to Thaema, and Saba thought  
●ater there, & for their succour sought;  
●failing quite, and frustrate of the same,  
●y are confounded, & they blush for shame:  
〈◊〉 such are you, you see me ill apaid  
〈◊〉 small Plight, and ●ou are all dismayed:  
〈◊〉 are ye so? When have I bid you bring,  
●ut of yours supply me any thing?  
●av'd of you auxiliary Bands  
askew me from Foes, or Tyrant's hands?  
Show me mine Error, where I have go wrong:  
Tell me my Fault, and I will hold my tongue.  
But, bold and free's the speech of Innocence:  
Which of you can reprove; and what Offence?  
Think You advantage of my words to have,  
As if Affliction made me wildly rave?  
Than on the Orphan doth your fury fall;  
You dig a Pit to catch your Friend withal.   

Therefore, vouchsafe me better to revise;  
Wrong me no more: My words be neither lies.  
Neither my deeds (as you shall found, I trust,  
If you return) in that behalf unjust.  
Complain I causeless? Do I counterfeit?  
Is not my mouth with Anguish all replete?    

Cap. 7.  

HAth not Man's warfare his set limits here,  
As hath the Hireling (by the day, or year)▪  
As toiled Servants for the Night attend;  
And weary Taskers for their Labours end;  
So have I looked, but (alas!) in vain,  
For end of Sorrows, & for ease of Pain.  
Perpetually my fruitless Months proceed;  
My tedious Nights incessantly succeed:  
Not sooner laid down but I long to r●se,  
Tired with toffing, till the Morning spies.  
●y Flesh is clad with Worms; with excrement  
●f loathsome dust, my Skin doth rot and rend:  
●y Days flit faster than the Shuttles slide  
●om weavers hands, whipping from side to side.  
Consider, Lord, my Life is but a Blast:  
●ne eye no more shall see the Goodness past:  
●o now beholds me, shall no more, anon:  
Thou look-on Me, I e●t-soones am gone.  
Clouds do pass, & quite away do flit,  
●oso descends, ascends not from the Pit;  
●ither returns unto his wont own;  
●t of his place is any more be-known.  
Therefore (alas!) I will not spare to speak;  
cannot hold, needs must I silence break,  
●id the anguish of my Spirits distress,  
●d in the depth of my Souls bitterness.  
●m I a Sea? or Whale? that with a Guard  
●ou g●rtest me, & keep'st me in so hard?  
● have said; In silence of the Night  
●hen drowsy Humour siels-up every Sight;  
●en All, above, in, under, Air; Earth, Seas;  
quiet Slumber seem to take their Ease)  
●ay be that my painful Pangs shall cease:  
●ay be that my Passions shall have peace:  
With fearful Visions than thou dost affray me,  
With Dreams & Fancies dreadfully dismay me:  
So that my Soul had rather choose (at once)  
To die then live in Durance of my Bones.  
Weary of life, live always shall I not;  
Than leave me, Lord, alas! my days are naught.   

O! What is Man that thou extoll'st him so?  
That Thou on Him dost even thy heart bestow?  
That every Morning Him thou visitest?  
And every Moment Himulco examinest?  
How is it that Thou leav'st me not a little?  
Alas! nor lettest me swallow-in my spittle?   

O! Thou Preserver of Mankind, I know,  
And I acknowledge I have sinned: but, O!  
What shall I say? What shall I do to Thee?  
Why, in thy Wrath dost Thou encounter Me?  
Why makest Thou Me (alas!) the Mark & White  
To thy Displeasure, in my self's despite?  
Remit, OH Lord, what I have ill omitted:  
Remove (alas!) what I have miss-committed.  
For, now I go down to the dust, to lie:  
And, if Thou seek, to morrow, none am I    

Cap. 8.  

But Bildad then (loath longer to refrain)  
Said: JOB, How long wilt thou this Plea mai●  
With words, as high, as Tempest's vehemence,  
Blown by the breath of thine Impatience?  
Darest Thou, avert, that GOD doth Right subvert?  
Or that th'Almighty, judgement doth pervert?   

Though, sith thy Sons had sinned, them he sent  
To the due Place of their sins punishment;  
Yet, if Thou early unto GOD repair,  
●nd to th'Almighty make thi●e humble Prayer,  
●f Thou be pure, and in his sight sincere;  
●e will again awake to Thee: and rear  
●hy ruin'd State; thy righteous House restore  
●ith Peace & Plenty, manifoldly more.  
〈◊〉 Ark of the Ages past: inquire (I pray)  
●f th'Ancient Fathers (for, of yesterday  
●e Novices know nothing in effect;  
●ur days are but a Shadow in respect)  
●ill not They teach thee (without wiles of Art)  
●d truly speak the language of their heart?  
〈◊〉 Can Rushes spring? are Sedges seen to grow,  
●here is no moisture; where no waters flow?  
●y that they should: yet would they sooner whither,  
●hough never cut, than all else grass together.  
●ch is the way of all that GOD forget:  
〈◊〉 fails the Hope of th'holy-counterfeit:  
His Hope shall be cut off: his Confidence  
Like busy Spider's brittle Residence:  
He shall be leaning on his House, but it  
Shall not be able to support him; yet  
He shall hold fast, & thereon fix him sure;  
But that (alas!) shall never long endure:  
As d●th the Tree, which growing in the Sun,  
O'respreads an Orchard with fresh Boughs, anon,  
His happy Roots among the Fountains winding,  
And round about the rocky banks them binding:  
If from his Place to pluck it any ween,  
It will deny; as safe, as if not seen:  
Lo, by this means it will rejoice, the while  
That it may prospero in another Soil:  
So, GOD will never the Sincere reject.  
Neither the wicked by the hand erect.  
Till he have filled thy mouth with merriment,  
Thy hps with triumph (in entire content)  
Thy Foes shall all be with confusion clothed,  
Wrapped in shame, dispersed, despised & loathed;  
The ungodly shall be razed to the ground,  
Their Tabernacle shall no more be found.    

Cap. 9  

JOB than replied: I know, I grant you This;  
In GOD'S respect, that No Man righteous is.  
Not: if He argue, if He question;  
O! Who can answer of a Thousand, one?  
What heart so constant! O! what soul so clear,  
That dares dares for Just before that judge appear?  
He is All-prudent, and all-powerful too:  
Who thrives, that strives with what he minds to do?  
He mounts the Valleys, and he veils the Mountains:  
He shakes the Earth; he opes & stops the Fountains:  
He bids the Sun shine, and forbids it soon:  
He seals the Stars up; he conceals the Moon:  
He spreads alone the heavens large Canapey:  
He treads upon the boundless groundless Sea:  
He makes Arcturus Star, the 
* Or●  Stormy youth,  
The Pleiadés, and Climits of the South:  
He worketh mighty things and manifold,  
Miraculous, and more than can be told:  
He passeth by me, and repasseth so,  
●nseen of me, and unperceived tho:  
He, when him pleaseth, if a Prey he take,  
Who can compel him to restore it back?  
Nay: who so bold into his Acts to pry?  
Or, Who dares question What he doth, or Why?  
His Anger is not stopped, nor stooped a whit;  
But strongest helps are feign to stoop to it.  
Than, how-much-less; O! how-much-less am I  
Able (alas!) with Him my Case to try?  
Not: were I just, I were not absolute;  
But, to my judge would I make humble Suit;  
And, to my Cry if he reply, yet hard  
Can I believe that He my voice hath heard.  
For, with a Tempest he destroys me stern;  
And wounds me Cause less (for aught I discern);  
Nor suffers me so much as breath at all;  
But fills me still with Bitterness and Gall.   

If Srength we speak of; Who is strong but He?  
If judgement; then, Who shall mine Umpire be?  
If I would justify myself (with Him)  
He by mine own Mouth will me soon condemn;  
If I would pled me perfect and upright,  
He, He would judge me wicked, in his sight;  
Though I were perfect (to myself) from Sin;  
Alas! I know not mine own Soul within.  
Therefore (Thus vexed and perplexed rife)  
I loathe alas! and I abhor my life.   

Yet, grant I not; but that the Lord doth smite  
(Which you deny) both Wicked and Upright.  
Else, when He strikes a People (old and young)  
Would He seem smile at Good men's Stripes among?  
Would He bestow upon th' Vogodly-most  
Earth's sovereignty, and let them rule the Roast?  
Would He permit profane Bribe-blinded once  
With blunted Sword to fit on justice Thrones?  
While that the Virtuous to the wall are thrust?  
While th' Innocent are trodden in the Dust?  
For, Who, but He, directs, acts, orders All  
In all the World, what ever doth befall?   

My Days far swifter than a Post have past;  
Past without sight of any Good (to-last):  
As swiftest Ships, so have they flid-away;  
Or as the Eagle basting to her Prey.  
If that I say, I will forget my Grief,  
forego my Wrath, and yet re-hope Relief:  
Ah! than my Torments all afresh affright,  
With Terrors, lest Thou wilt not quit me quite.  
For, if I be Ungodly all in vain  
I cry to Thee, and to no end I plain:  
Or, if Unguilty, Clean, and White as Snow  
(In mine own sight) in Thy I am not so;  
But in the sight of Thy pure Eyes, as soiled,  
And with the Garment that I wear defiled.   

GOD is not Man, as I (in equal Suit)  
That I with Him should argue or dispute:  
Nor is there (should we meet) a Moderator,  
TWIXT Him and Me to arbitrate the Matter.  
Let him leave-off his hold, take-off his Rod,  
Lay-ost his Awful Majesty, as GOD;  
Than will I speak, and freely, void of Fear:  
But, as it is, I must, I will forbear.    


AS dead a●●ue; upon myself I'll lay  
My sad Complaint; and in mine Anguish pray  
Thus to the Lord: OH Lord, condemn me not;  
But show me, why thou huntest me so hot.  
Lord! art Thou pleased to oppress me Thus?  
O! dost Thou judge as doth ' V●righteous  
(Unheard, untried, and unsuspect) to trip  
And castaway thine own hands Workmanship?  
Scest Thou, as Man? or hast Thou carnal Eyes?  
Years as Man's Years? Days as Man's Days, who dies;  
That thus Thou rackest Me, and protractst Me still,  
Searching and sifting to found out mine Ill?  
I cannot sin, Thou know'st, but Thou must see:  
For, from Thy hands can None deliver Me.   

Thy hands have made Me, all, and every part:  
And wilt thou now thine own hands Work subvert?  
Remember, Lord, how frail and brittle stuff  
Thou mad'st me of (than use me not so rough)  
Even of the Clay, as is the Potter's Crust:  
And wilt Thou then re-crush me into Dust?   

Thou pourd'st me out as Milk (within the womb)  
Thou mad'st me there, as Cheese, a Crud become;  
With Skin and Flesh Thou cloth'dst me fair and fit,  
With Bones and Sinews fast together knit:  
Inspir'dst me Life and Soul, Reason and Sense;  
And still preseru'dst me by thy Providence.  
These Things as hidden in thy Bosom be:  
But well I know, that it is so with Thee.   

If I have sinned, Thou wilt sift me near;  
And of my Gild Thou wilt not hold me clear.  
If Wicked I have been; then Woe to Me:  
If Righteous; Yet still will I humble be;  
Though deep confounded, and amazed much,  
To see, and feel, my sad Affliction Such.   

But, be it more: come, Lion-like set on-me▪  
Return and show Thee maruclous upon-me:  
And so (indeed) Thou dost: for, Thou renewest  
Thy plagues on me; and me more fierce pursewest:  
Changes of Woes, Armies of Pains extreme,  
Afresh iwade me, and me round behem.   

Than, Why (alas!) Why didst thou bring me forth  
From fruitful Womb (being no better worth)?  
O! that I there had perished, unseen:  
And that I were as if I had not been,  
Brought from the Womb (one Tomb, unto Another)  
To Earth my Mother from my Earthly Mother.   

Is not my Glass near out? My Date near done?  
O! let him cease, and leave-off laying-on;  
That I may take a little Comforts breath,  
Year quite I go to the dark Land of Death;  
A Land of Darkness, Darkness Self (I say)  
And Shade of Death: where is no Light, no Day.    

〈◊〉 11  

THen answered Zophar, the Naamathite;  
Should words prevail? Shall prating pass for right?  
Should all be mute? Shall no man dare reply,  
To mock thy Mocks, and give thy Lie the Lie?   

For, Thou hast said (and that, too-vehment)  
My Words, and Deeds, and thoughts, are innocent;  
Pure in Thy eyes. But O! that GOD would speak;  
That He would once His sacred Silence break;  
To show thee Wisdome's Secrets: Thou mightst see,  
Thou meritest double what he lays on Thee;  
And surely know that (in his justice strict)  
After thy Sins, He doth not Sores inflict▪  
But seems to have forgotten, or forgiven  
Thy Trespasses against Himself and heaven.  
Canst Thou, by searching, GOD's deep Counsel found?  
Conceive th' Almighty? Comprehend His mind?  
Reach His perfection? It doth Heaven excel  
In Height; in Depth exceeds the lowest Hell:  
Longer than Earth: larger than all the Seas.  
O! What? When? Where? How wilt Thou measure These?   

If He cut-off, shut-vp, collect, reject;  
Who can divert Him? Who his Course correct?  
He knows vain Men: He sees their hearts that heard them  
In Guiles and Wiles; and will not He regard them?  
That foolish man, made wise, may be reclaimed;  
Born bruit and dull, as an Ass Colt, untamed.   

If therefore, by Repentance, thou prepare  
Thy humbled heart. if that, in hearty Prayer,  
Thou stretch thine hands unto his Throne above:  
Though thou have sinned; if Thou thy Sin remove:  
If Thou remove it, and permit no more  
Iniquity to devil within thy Door:  
Than shalt Thou, doubtless, free from Fault & Fear,  
Settled and safe, thy Face again uprear:  
Than shalt thou sure forget thy Misery;  
Or, but esteem is as a Stream passed by:  
Than shall thy Days be, than the Noon more bright;  
And Thou shall shine, as Morning after Night:  
Than shalt thou rest secure and confident,  
Hopeful, and Happy, in thy proper Tent,  
In thine own Dwelling: where, for Eminence,  
Suitors shall flock, with seemly Reverence.   

But, as for stubborn, wilful Wickedones,  
That still run-on in their Rebellions,  
Their Helps shall fail, and all their Hap shall fall;  
And as a Ghasp, their Hopes shall vanish all.    

●●p. 12  

THen said the Hussian: You, undoubtedly,  
You are the Men: Wisdom with you must die:  
Yet (would ye knew it) somewhat know I, too;  
I understand perhaps as well as you. 
11   
Nor will I yield you in this larre a lot:  
What you have urged I know: and Who doth not?   

Ye say, I lie; ye tell me, that I mock:  
But I am made my fellows Laughingstock:  
Who calls on GOD, and whom He heareth priest,  
The Upright and Just (indeed) is made a jest:  
And He that's going down (in state forlorn)  
Like dying Lamp, is to the Rich a Scorn;  
While (for the most) Oppressors prospero, sure;  
And God-provokers, safely and secure,  
Have in their hand (GOD in their hand hath put)  
The Horn of Plenty, them at will to glut.   

Ask but the Beasts: inquire of Earth, or Seas;  
Or Fowls, or Fish: for, which is it of These,  
But knows, and shows, & plainly tells thee This;  
That GOD's their Maker: and of All that is:  
That in His hand's the Life of all that lives▪  
That He alone, to All Men, ●●●athing gives.   

Doth not the Ear try Speeches (bad o● good)▪  
And, for itself, the Palate taste the food?  
So, Wisdom should be to the Many-yeared;  
And Understanding to the Hoary-baited.   

With Him it is (with th' Ancient of Days)  
With Him is Counsel, Wisdom, Power, & Prai●●▪  
Lo, He destroys, and no man can restore:  
Whom He shuts-up, can be les our no more:  
He stops the Streams; then dry they up and shrink;  
He sends them forth; then all the Earth they sink.   

With Him is Strength: with Him is All that is:  
Who erreth, & Who maketh err, are His:  
He doth distracted the Counsellors of State:  
He makes the judges as infatuate:  
He breaks the Bonds of Kings Imporiall Awe;  
And brings Them bounden under Others Law:  
He leads the Princes as a Captive prey:  
Dismounts the Mighty; and, with strange dis●●tay,  
He dulls the Learned, dumb's the Eloquent,  
And reaves the judgement of the Ancient:  
He pours contempt upon the Noble-born:  
He strips the Strong: He leaves the Stout forlorn:  
He deepest Secrets soon discovereth:  
He brings to light the darkest shades of Death:  
He multiplieth People; and He mows  
Them down again (by Famine, Plague, or Blows):  
He sends them forth in Colonies to spread;  
And brings them back (by wrack, lack, sack, or dread):  
He reaves the hearts of those that rule the Earth,  
And makes them roam through Desert sands of Dearth, 
11   
Where None go by; They grope as in the Dark;  
They have no Light, no Sight; no certain Mark;  
They stray; they stumble; to & fro they wheel:  
And He▪ He makes Them, Drunkard-like, to reel.    

●●p. 13.  

ALL This mine eyes have s●en, mine ears have heard:  
All This my heart hath weighed, & well conferred.  
So that, in This, what you have known, I knew;  
And am not Herein to gi●e place to You.   

But, as You wish, I also wish: O! would  
The Almighty pleased that I might be so bold  
(In his own Presence, at ●●● Bar to stand)  
To pled with Him the Cause I have in hand.   

●or, You, indeed, are too Sophistical:  
●ly Physicians, for my Sickness, all.  
〈◊〉! that you therefore had still held you mute:  
●o might you still have held a wise Repute.  
●t, list you now unto my Arguing:  
●ark well my Reasons, & the Proofs I bring.  
〈◊〉 Will You speak falsely for th' Almighty Lord?  
●ill you for Him pronounce a Guileful word?  
●Vill you be partial for His persons sake?  
●ill you for Him, with Cavils under-take?  
●all it avail you? will He con you Thank  
●t his great Audit, for this double Prank?  
Or, w●en you, smoothing, these Deceits to smother?  
●r, bu● to mock Him, as one Man another)?  
No● you shall know, He will not brook, nor bear it,  
●t chide you sharp; however secret were it.  
●all not the brightness of His Face affray you?  
●is Majesty with awful Rays dismay you,  
●eer Earth & Ashes (daring thus to play)  
●our Best but Dust: your rest but Dirt & Clay?  
●old you your tongues: no more your silence break:  
●ut (at my Peril) give Meleave to speak.   

Why should I tear me (as one out of Sense)  
●ith mine own Teeth? or do Selfe-Violence?  
Not: should He slay me, I would hope again  
(Though in his sight I still my right maintain)  
For, He himself will save and do me right;  
And clear me from your doom of Hypocrite:  
Sigh, in His presence Such can have no place,  
Nor hope such help of His assisting Grace.  
Give therefore ear unto my words; & weigh  
With due regard what I shall truly say.   

Lo, here I stand, as ready to be tried  
(And well I know I shall be justified)  
Come, who will charge me, & oppose my Pleas 
11   
(Alas! I die, if now I hold my peace)  
Only, but spare me in Two things: withdraw  
Thy heavy hand; withhold thy glorious Awe  
From frighting me: then, from before thy face  
I shall not hide me; nor betray my Case:  
Than, at thy choice, be in this Cause dependent  
(I am indifferent) plaintiff, or Defendant.   

What? and Howmany are my Sins (pretended)?  
Show me Wherein, and How, I have offended,  
That Thou shouldst shun, & turn thee from me so;  
And handle me as thy most hated Foe.  
Dost Thou vouchsafe a withered Leaf to crush?  
Against dry Stubble dost Thou deign to rush?  
That in so bitter and severe a style  
Thou dost indight me: and recite (the while)  
My sins of Youth (them re-recording fresh,  
With th' Heritage inherent unto Flesh):  
And puttest my feet into the Stocks so straight;  
Watchest my Ways, and at my heels dost wait,  
To find some hole in my foreacted Life  
(Scourging mine Errors with thy Terrors rife)  
While, rotten-like, it wasteth, as a Cloth  
●rown full of holes, & eaten by the Moth.    

Cap. 14.  

MAn, born of Man's & Woman's loins, alas!  
Hath but few days, & those full sad, to pass:  
Much like a Flower he shooteth up; and fades,  
Quickly cut down: he vanisheth, as Shades;  
Of no continuance [here]. Yet, dost Thou deign  
To frown at Such? & strive with Me, so vain?   

Who, from Pollution, can pure thing extract?  
●! there is None; none that is so exact.  
●ith than his days Thou hast determined;  
●ith that his Months with thee be numbered;  
●ith Thou hast set the certain Time he has  
To Him uncertain) which He cannot pass:  
forbear a while, & from him look away,  
Till (as the Hireling) he hath done his Day.   

For, though a Tree be felled; from the Root,  
Yet is there hope that Branches will re-shoot;  
Though in the Earth the Root be old and dry,  
Though on the Earth the Trunk as dead do lie;  
Yet by the Scent of the neer-winding Flood,  
It will revive, and as a Plant, re-bud:  
But Man (man's Body from his Soul bereft)  
Man down & dead; O! what of Him is left?  
Sigh, as Sea-waters past, repass no more;  
As Rivers, dried, return not to their Shore:  
Man, Dead-asleep, shall never wake again;  
Nor never rise, till Heaven no more remain. 
11    

O! wert thou pleased, me in my Grave to hide,  
Until thy Wrath were past and pacified!  
Or that there were some Time, or Term assigned 〈◊〉  
When Thou wilt cease; & in thy Mercy mind me!  
Or, shall a Man near dead, here live again;  
Still living-dying in continual Pain?  
And shall I still, in this distressed state,  
Wait, all the Days of mine appointed Date,  
Until my Change (my Renovation) come?  
When Thou shalt call me: nor shall I be dumb,  
But answer thee: Than, than Thou wilt approve  
That Thou the Works of thine own hands dost lou●  
Though now my steps thou numbrest so exact;  
Notest all my Sins, & seem'st them to have packed  
As in a Bag, safe sealed; yea, to add  
New Trespasses unto the old, I had.   

So that, as Mountains, mouldering, down do sink;  
As from their places shivered Rocks do shrink:  
As waters break the Stones; as Showers surround  
The dusty Earth; Thou dost Man's hope confounded;  
And tryumph'st ever over Him, dejected;  
Transformed in Face, as from thy Face rejected.  
Nor knoweth He, whether his dear Posterity  
Shall poorly far, or flourish in Prosperity:  
But, while his Soul his Body bears about,  
That, shall have Woe within; & This, without.     

The second Book.  



●●p. 15.  TO This of His (so hot and vehement)  
Thus Eliphas (in the same Element):  
Should one so wise (as thou dost vaunt thee he●re)  
Discourse so vainly? bring such idle gear?  
Vent from the Centre of a swelling breast  
As noisome Gales as the unwholesome East?  
Trifle the Time [about I wot not what]  
In idle and unprofitable chat?  
Nay: nullify Religious Fear and Piety,  
Not praying to, but pleading with the Deity? 
11   
Which thine own mouth hath witnessed too-too-far,  
With subtle Cavils of a Sophister.  
Yea, thine own mouth (not mine) shall thee convince:  
Against thyself thy lips give Evidence.   

Why Man! wert Thou the first man on the earth?  
Or, wert Thou born before the Hills had birth?  
Hast Thou alone GOD's Secret understood?  
And hast Thou only Wisdom, in thy Hood?  
What is't Thou knowest, that We have not kend?  
What understandest Thou, but We comprehend?  
There are of Us as old as Thou; or rather,  
Some (I suppose) more ancient than Thy Father:  
And dost Thou slight our Comforts (godly scent)?  
Or hast Thou of thine Own more excellent?  
Why doth thy heart, and whither, thee transport?  
Why dost thou close thine eyes? that in this sort  
Thy Spirit turns (shall I say spurns?) at GOD:  
And from thy Lips spits words so bold and broad?   

O! What is Man, that He should clean exist?  
Or Woman's Son, that He should Just persist?  
Behold, He found, his Angels stood not sure:  
Neither, the Heavens, in His pure sight, are pure:  
Than, How-much-more, before Him, filthy stinks  
Stock-stained Man, who Sin, as Water, drinks?   

I'll therefore show the (hark, and mark me well)  
What I have seen; I will declare and ●ell  
What, from their Elders, Sages yerst have known,  
And to their Heirs successively have shown.  
Such as, indeed, have had the Helm in hand,  
To steer their Own, and Strangers to withstand.   

The Wicked Man's in-labour, all his Life;  
In bitter Pains, in Pangs, and Passions rife:  
Number of years are seldom His, to sum:  
A Sound of Fears still in His ●ares doth hum:  
Or, if at all He s●●m in ease to swim;  
The swift Destroyer shall soon seize on him,  
Hap-less, and Hope-less ever to recover:  
Seeing the Sword, him ever hanging over.   

Needy, indeed; or greedy still of more  
(Pining in Plenty, starving in his Store)  
He wanders, seeking of his Bread about;  
In dread of Want; of a Black Day, in doubt:  
Trouble and Anguish shall him deep affright;  
As royal Armies ready for the Fight.   

For, He hath stretched his proud hand at Heaven;  
And stubbornly hath with th' Almighty striv'n,  
Running at Him, ●ushing upon his Neck;  
Yea, on the Bosses of his Shield so thick: 
11   
Because his Fat, his full broad Face doth cover;  
And lardie Collops on his sides hung over;  
And dwells in Houses, rather Towns of late,  
(By Him) dis-patroned and depopulate;  
By Him, rebuilt, re-gilt, re-glost, re-glased;  
By Him, renamed (ready to be razed).   

Yet, shall not He be Rich; nor in Prosperity  
Persist; nor leave Possession to Posterity:  
Nor, out of Darkness ever get shall He;  
Nor ever other then inglorious ●e:  
His Branch shall whither, and with Flame be wasted:  
Himself shall, sudden, with GOD's Breath be blasted   

Than, let not (hard-beleeving haut Humanity)  
O! let not the Deceived trust in Vanity.  
For, Vanity shall be his Recompense:  
Before his Time shall he be snatched hence:  
His Spring shall never sprout, his Flowers shall fall,  
His Fruit, yer ripe, shall be off-shaken all  
(As Grapes and Olives, with untimely Frost)  
The Lord shall shake them, and they shall be lost.   

For, th' Hypocrites Dissembling Congregation,  
Shall be dispersed, and brought to Desolation:  
And suddenly shall Fire consume the Tents  
Of Bribery, with all their Instruments.  
For, They conceive but Mischief; breed but Guile,  
And bring forth vain Iniquity the while.    

Cap. ●●  

HE pausing here, JOB Thus replies him, sad:  
Yet more of This? This have we often had.  
You are indeed a sort of visitors;  
A Crew of cold and wretched Comforters.  
Shall idle, addle, airy, Words surcease?  
Or what doth make thee dare to dwell on these?   

Can I, as you, if you were in my Case,  
And I in yours; your Soul in my Souls place:  
Can I, against you, words have multipl'ed?  
Insulted on you? at you, shook my head?  
Not: I should rather have reached you Relief,  
And with my speeches have assuaged your Grief.   

But, though I plain, my grief's not mitigated;  
Either, forbear I, What is it abated?  
For, He hath wearied me: Yea, Lord, Thou hast  
spoiled me of All: and laid me wholly waste:  
The wrinkled Furrows, on my Brow and Back  
(Bore skin and bone) bear witness of my Wrack.   

My Foe's fell wrath hath raakt and rend me sore:  
He strives against me; and still angry more,  
Moore eager still, gnasheth his Teeth upon me;  
And with his eyes keen flashing frowneth on-me. 
11    

My Friends (alas!) they laugh at me the while,  
They buffet me, and bitterly revile;  
They gape upon me, and together gather.  
Not to relieve me, but to grieve me, rather.  
Thus hath GOD hemmed me with ungodly Bands,  
And turned me over into Wicked hands.   

I was at ●ase; When by the Neck he took-me,  
Broke me asunder, and to shivers shook me:  
And (whether for Disport or for Despite)  
Made me his Butt, and set me as his White.  
His cunning Archers do beset me round:  
He cleaves my Reins; and ruth lesle, on the ground  
Poures-out my Gall: with doubled Blows he crushes,  
And Giantlike, upon me fiercely rushes.   

I have in Sackcloth sadly sowed my Skin,  
●n Dust and Ashes have I humbled been,  
I have (alas!) besmeared my Face with Tears,  
On mine Eyelids Death's Shade hath swom, in Fears:  
For no foul Sin; neither, for Fashions sake,  
To seem a Saint: pure Prayers did I make,  
Pure and Sincere: else, never may they come  
In Heaven, to have either regard or room.  
Neither, O! Earth! if ever Blood I shed,  
O! let it not by Thee be covered.   

But, lo, my Witness is in Heaven above;  
My Record there, my Conscience to approve.  
My Friends contemn me, and condemn me too:  
But, drowned in Tears, to GOD appeal I do.  
O! that one might (as Man with Man, in Suit)  
That Neighbor-like, one might with GOD dispute.  
For, the few Days of my set Number go,  
〈◊〉 go the Way, from whence Return is none.    

Cap. 1●  

MY Spirit's spent: my Days are done (& leave me)  
The Graue's already ready to receive me.  
Yet are there with me none but those that mock me:  
Doth not mine eye still see them still provoke me▪   

But, put me in a Surety, give me Pledge,  
To answer me what I shall then allege.  
Who'll undertake it? Who will give his hand,  
That to the Trial Thou wilt deign to stand?  
Sigh Thou, OH Lord, Their hearts hast hidden quite,  
From Understanding, and from judging right;  
And therefore wilt not, for their Arrogance,  
Admit of them, nor them so high advance.   

Not, that I would, they should have soothed me neither:  
For such shall perish, and their Seed together.  
But, to the Vulgar I am made a Song, 
11   
A Tale, a Tabret unto every Tongue  
(Through grief whereof, mine Eye decay & dims;  
And as a Shadow are my other Limbs):  
The better sort, amazed at my Plight,  
The Innocent, judge me an Hypocrite.  
Yet, shall the Righteous still hold on his Course;   

Therefore, my Friends, return, recant, recall  
Your hard Opinions, and miscensures, all:  
For, of you all, not one Wise man I find;  
Not fit Physician for a troubled mind.   

My Days are past; and my designs undone;  
Yea, even my Hopes (my hearts Possessions) gone:  
●y Noon (alas!) is changed into Night;  
●allods there is twixt Darkness and my Light.  
●hat can I look for, but among the Dead  
●o make my House? to have my Grave for Bed?  
●r, to Corruption, thus aloud I call;  
●hou art my Father: to the Worms that crawl,  
●u are my Mother, and my Sisters, all.   

Where's then my Hope? How shall that Hap appear,  
●hich you erewhile did so re-promise, here?  
●hose things, with me, shall down into the Deep;  
●d, with my Dust, amid the Dust shall sleep.    

Cap. 18  

●Hen said the Sh●hite: Will you never cease  
Your tedious Talking? Never hold your peace?  
cheer a while; give ear a little now:  
observe our Speech, and we will answer you.  
●t, why, as Beasts are we upbraided thus?  
●d why so basely do you count of us?  
〈◊〉, rather seems to be beside his sense,  
●at wounds himself in his Impatience.  
Why? Shall the Earth, for ●hy sake be forsaken?  
●e Rocks removed? and solid Hills be shaken?  
●o, no: The Light of Wickedones shall out:  
●s Fi●ry Sparkle shall not shine about:  
●th●n his Doors shall Darkness be for Light:  
●ith Him, his Candle shall be quenched quite:  
His Strength shall fail him (or be fatal tohim)▪  
His Counsels cast him; His own Wit undoo-him:  
For, his own Feet shall bring him to the Net;  
And willingly upon the Gin shall jet:  
Him, by the heel the subtle Snare shall catch:  
Him, shall the thieves and Robbers overmatch;  
For him are laid the Meshes of Mishap;  
Trains on the ground, and in his ways a Trap:  
Himulco, on all sides, sad Terrors shall affright;  
And sudden drive him to his Feet, to flight:  
His plenteous Store shall Famine soon devour: 
11   
Destruction's Sword shall hunt-him every-hower,  
Consume his Sinews, and un-bar his Skin:  
And Pestilence (Death's Heir) shall rage's within.  
His Hope shall hop without his expectation:  
His Confidence shall from his Habitation  
Be rooted out, and razed (as it were)  
And bring him down to the dread King of Fear;  
Who ay shall devil within His Tabernacle,  
(Because not His, not his own Habitacle):  
Some secret Flame, some Flash, some Sulphury showe●,  
Shall sudden spread amid his cursed Bower:  
His Roots below shall ●ot amid the Clay;  
His Boughs above be cut and cast away:  
His Memory shall perish from the Earth;  
His Name here nameless (as before his Birth)  
He shall be driven to Darkness, from the Light:  
And forth the World he shall be hunted quite.  
Nor Son, nor Nephew shall be leave behind;  
Nor in his Houses any of his Kind.  
So that, the Ages, present, and to come,  
Shall stand amazed at his dismal Doom.  
And This is sure the Lot, the heavy Load  
Of Wickedones, that fear not, know not, God.    

Cap. 1●  

JOB then replied: Alas! how long will Ye  
Torment my Soul, with words; & torture Me?  
●en times ye have, with too obdurate mind,  
●●proacht me This: uncivil and unkind.   

But, put the Case, that I have sinned, indeed:  
●ust not I bear it? Than (alas!) what need  
●ou load me more; and magnify your wit,  
●o amplify my Gild, and Grief of it?  
●eeing you see that GOD hath cast me down,  
●nd with his Net hath compassed me round.   

Lo, I cry-out of wrong & violence;  
●oud I cry; yet have no Audience,  
●or Ease at all: He hath so hedged my Way,  
cannot pass: My Paths, in stead of Day,  
Are Dark beset: He hath my glory reft;  
And from my head He hath the Crown bereft:  
He hath destroyed me, every-way undone:  
My Hope, removed (as a Tree) is go:  
And more, His Wrath against me fiercely fries;  
He reckons Me among his Enemies:  
His Troops assembled, march against Me, eager;  
And, ●ound about, my feeble Tent beleguer:  
He ha●h dispersed my Brethrens from me far;  
To Me, my Kindred as mere St●angers are;  
My Neighbours fly me; my Familiar Friend  
Hath now forgot me (as if never kend): 
11   
Nay: mine own Household; Men, Maidservants, all▪  
Count me a Stranger, care not for my Call,  
Nor will come at me; though I speak them fair:  
Nay: to mine own Wife (for the noisome air)  
My Breath is strange, though I beseech her, sad,  
By tho●e dear Pledges we together had.  
The Balest sco●● me; and when up I ●●se,  
They ●p●t their Spite in bitter Obloquys.  
〈…〉 most, Those that I loved best,  
Abhor me All, and me the most molest.  
My B●n●s, in stead of Fl●sh, cleave to my skin;  
And that not sound, save what my Teeth grow in.   

Than pity me, o pity me, my Friends;  
Sigh GOD on me his heavy hand extends:  
Ah! Why do you yet persecute me, rough.  
As GOD? Alas! hath not my Flesh enough?   

O! that my words (the words I now ass●uer)  
Were writ, were printed, & (to last forever)  
Were g●av'n in Marble with an Iron pen  
With Lead in-yoated (to fill up again).   

I surely know that my Redeemer liveth:  
And that He shall (This firm my Faith believeth.)  
In th' End of Time, return▪ & rise from Dust  
(The First & Last) to judge and save the Just:  
And, that I shall when worms have eat This Clod,  
I shal● awake, & in my flesh see GOD:  
Yea: I shall see him with These ●yes of mine.  
And with none els●: though Now in Pains I pine.   

The rather, therefore should you now 〈◊〉,  
And Thus Yourselves discreetly now correct:  
Why persecute We H●m? Why hate Him, We?  
●ith This Foundation is thus fix● in Me.  
Than, be you warned: beware, & fea● the Sword:  
●or Wickedness & Cruelty [in word]  
●ncenseth Wrath: Know, there shall judgement come,  
To doom them right, who Other▪ (●ash) misdoom.    

20  

SCarce had He done, when the Naamathite  
Replies him Thus: Therefore my thoughts in-@@ci●e  
My sudden Answer: therefore, am I spurred  
(Regarding light thy sharp and shameful Guird)  
With speed to speak unto the Point in hand,  
What I conceive, & rightly understand.   

Knowest thou not This of old, through every Ag●  
Since first on Earth began Man's Pilgrimage;  
That the triumphing of the Wicked Sort,  
The joy of th' Hypocrite is ever short.  
Although to Heaven he mount his glorious Top 
11   
Though to the Clouds his head be lifted up;  
Yet shall he perish, as his dung, for ay:  
And who hath seen them, shall ask, Where are they?  
As Dreams forgotten, shall be take his flight;  
Yea, chased away, as Visions of the Night:  
The Eye that hath seen him, shall not see him twice,  
Nor shall his Places him again revise.  
His Children shall be fawning on the Poor;  
And His Extortions shall to them restore:  
His Bones are full of his Youth's sins (his Lust)  
Which shall not leave him till he lie in dust:  
Though to his Taste his Sin be passing sweet,  
Though underneath his Tongue he cover it,  
Though there he spare it, and not spit it out,  
Though on his Palate still it roll about;  
Yet is his Meat turned, in his Bowels, all;  
And is, within him, as the Aspic's Gall:  
HE hath swallowed Wealth, but GOD shall make him feign  
To spew it out to cast it up again:  
He shall the Aspic's direful Poison suck:  
With Viper's tongues he shall be deadly stuck:  
He shall not see the Oily rivers Currents,  
Nor Brooks of Butter, nor the Honey Torrents:  
His Labour never shall regain his Loss:  
He shall restore whom he before did cross;  
The Restitution shall be all his state;  
He never shall digest, nor joy thereat:  
Because the Poor he crushed, and forsook;  
And Others Houses violently took.  
Sure he shall have no quiet Calm within;  
Without, no Store of what he joyeth in.  
There shallbe no Remainder of his meat;  
And his Reversions none shall wait to eat:  
Nay: in his Ruff, and at his Greatest Height,  
He shall be stocked in full many a Straight:  
Continual Hazards shall him round enring;  
Each spiteful hand shall have at him a fling:  
When he is r●a●i● for his rich Repast,  
On Him will GOD his fiery Fury cast;  
Amid his Feasts his lead. Displeasure thrilling.  
In stead of Food, his b●est with horror filling.  
If he escape the Sword; from Bows of steel  
Steel-headed Arrows shall him through thrill:  
The naked Sword bright-shining terror shall  
Peep through his Bosom ●●eep through guts & gall.  
Horrors shall haunt him: and so, hard-bestid,  
From ●iding him, all Darkness shall be hid.  
A Fire vnblow'n him sudden shall consume: 
11   
And woe to them that tarry in his Room:  
Heaven shall discover his Iniquities,  
And Earth for witness shall against him rise;  
All his Revenues, all his state, and stay,  
Shall flow to Others, in his Wrathful Day.  
This i● the Por●ion of the Wicked: This  
His Heritage by GOD appointed is.    

●●p. 2●  

SO, Zophar ceased. Than JOB replied: I pray  
Hear heedfully what Now I have to say:  
B● this the Comfort you vouchsafe, alone;  
Let Me but speak; and afterwards, mock on.   

Do I complain, or make my moan to Man?  
Why do you cross, or interrupt me, than?  
●f I have cause of Grief, should not my spirit  
●e moved withal? Can Flesh & Blood forbear it?  
behold me well; & be withal dismayed:  
●nd let your hand upon your mouth be laid.  
Thought of the like (elsewhere) would me affright,  
And daunt my Flesh: How then, my present fight?   

How comes it, that the Wicked live, live long;  
Grow Rich, grow Great; wax Eminent, & Strong?  
They see their Children, & grandchildren, rife  
Settled about them: In their House, no Strife;  
No Fear; no Foe: They feel not any Rod,  
No stripe no stroke, of the dread hand of God.  
Their Bullock genders, and proves ever fit:  
Their Heifer calves, & never casteth it:  
Their Little ones, like Lambkins sand they out;  
Their striplings play & skip, & dance about;  
They tune their Voice to sweetest Instruments,  
Harp, Pipe & Tabre●; to delight their sense:  
In Wealth & Health They live; scarce, ever, sick  
Of long Disease; but to their Graves go quick.   

Yet These are Those, that to th'Almighty say;  
Departed from us; we will not learn thy W●y:  
Who is the Lord? that we should Him obey.  
What should we profit, if to Him we pray?   

They have not sure the power in their Own hand,  
To get and keep their Wealth at their Command.  
Be therefore fa●re, be ever far from Me,  
Their Works, & Words, & Thought's Impiety▪  
Fa●re be their Counsels: far be all their Ways:  
And far the Peace of their so prosperous Days.   

And yet, how often, is their Lamp put-out?  
How often, are They compassed about  
With swift Destruction? In his Fury strict,  
How often, doth GOD Their Payment here inflict?  
How often, as Straw before the wind, are They,  
And as the Chaff with Tempest whift away? 
11   
How often, doth GOD, in the Vngodly's sight,  
For Their own Gild their own dear Issue smite?  
Or, let Themselves here see themselves undone;  
Drinking the hot Wrath of th'Almighty-one?  
For, what is it to Them? or what care They  
(Their Months cut off; Their mouths once stopped with (clay)  
What hap their house, what hazard follow shall:  
What Weal or Woe, unto their Heirs befall?   

But herein, who GOD'S Wisdom shall impeach?  
Or, who shall, Him, that rules the highest, teach?  
One dies at ease▪ in Strength's perfection growing;  
His Breasts with Milk, his Bones with Marrow flowing   

Another dies in Anguish of his Spirit;  
And never did good Day or Night inherit:  
Both, are, alike, laid in the Dust together;  
And Worms, alike, do case and cover Either.   

Lo, I conceive your misconceipts, from hence;  
Your mis-collections, and your wrested Sense:  
For, Where (say ye) Where's now the Prince's Court?  
And Where the Palace of the wicked sort?  
Have ye not asked those that travail by?  
And do ye yet, can ye, Their Marks deny?  
That (for the most) the Wicked most are spared,  
reprieved here, till That dread Day prepared  
For dire Destruction: and then (for their Errors)  
Shall be broughtforth, in That great Day of Terrors.   

For, Here so Mighty and so Great they are;  
Who, to their face shall their Offence declare?  
Who dares disclose it? Who shall prosecute?  
And their due Sentence Who shall execute?   

Nay (notwithstanding) to their Grave in peace  
They pass, with Pomp of solemn Obsequys;  
Accompanied, attended (in their kind)  
With Mourning Troops, before them and behind:  
Entombed among their Ancestors: and rest  
In gloomy Vales, as happy as the Best:   

How do You, then, Me comfort, or confute;  
While vainly thus, and falsely you dispute?     

The third Book.  

●●p. 22  

T●● old Thaemanite, as moved withal, replies:  
Can Man, to GOD (●● to Himself, the Wise)  
Be profitable? Any ple●●ure ●●'t  
Unto the Lord, if Righteous Thou persist?  
If Thou be just, if perfect, and upright;  
Is GOD the better? gaineth th'almightyalmighty by't? 
1●   
For fear of Thee, will He reprove thee (strict)  
Enter in judgement, and thee thus afflict?  
Is not thy Sin great and thy Wickedness;  
And infinite thy foul unrighteousness?   

Yes: ●hou hast ta'en thy Brothers Pledge for nothing,  
And stripped even the Naked of their Clothing:  
Thou hast not given the weary Drink, at need;  
Nor to the Hungry, wherewith all to feed:  
The Eminent and Mighty had their fill:  
They held the Earth, and swayed thee at their will:  
But silly Widows hast thou empty packed;  
And th' arms of Orphans have been crushed and cracked.  
Thence is it, now, that Snares beset thee round,  
And sudden Fears thee trouble and confounded:  
Or a black Darkness that thou canst not see;  
And a huge Deluge that ore-whelmeth thee.   

Is not the Lord in th'High Empyreal Bliss?  
behold the Stars, how high their Distance is:  
And then (sayst Thou) What can th' Almighty mark?  
How judgeth He? What sees he through the Dark?  
Clouds cover Him from spying so far hence:  
He walketh in the heavens Circumference.   

But, hast not Thou observed the ancient Track  
The Wicked trod, to their untimely Wrack;  
Who, quick cut down, supplanted where they stood,  
Had their Foundations swallowed with the Flood?  
Who said to GOD, Departed from us; and thought,  
What can th' Almighty do to us, in aught.  
●et, with good things He filled their habitations.  
●ut, far from me be their Inmaginations.   

This see the Righteous; safe the while, and glad:  
●nd laugh at them, in their Destruction sad.  
●or. We shall stand; our Substance not decay:  
●ut their Remainder shall the Fire destroy.   

Therefore, acquaint thee (and that quickly too)  
With GOD; make peace: & Thou right well shalt do  
Receive (I pray thee) from lais mouth Direction;  
And in thy heart, lay-up his Words instruction.   

If, to th' Almighty, Thou atonce return;  
Thou shalt be built-up: and shalt bravely spurns  
Iniquity far from thyself away;  
And from thy Dwellings put it far, for ay.  
Than, as the Dust thou shalt have Gold, at will;  
Pure Ophir Gold, as Pebbles of the Rill:  
Yea, the Almighty Thy defence shall be:  
And store of Silver shall be still with Thee.  
For, in the Lord thy Pleasure shalt thou place▪  
And unto Him shalt thou lift up thy Face: 
11   
Him shalt Thou pray-to; He shall hear thy Lays,  
And grant thy Suit; and Thou return him Praise:  
Thou shalt decree, and He shall make it good,  
(So thy good Purpose shall not be withstood):  
And on Thy Ways, and in all Works of Thy,  
His Light of Grace (and glory too) shall shine.  
Nay: whenas Others (as thyself art now)  
Shall be cast down; re-comfort them shalt Thou,  
And Thus re-cheer them: Yet, yet may you rise;  
For, GOD will save such as have humbled eyes.  
Yea: on the Noxious will he pity take,  
For th' Innocent; and spare them for thy sake.    

Cap. ●●  

THen answered JOB: Thomas to this Day my moans  
Right bitter be, my Grief exceeds my Groans:  
How is it then, that I, as yet, am held,  
For having plained, as if I had rebelled?   

O! that I knew, that some would show me, Where  
〈◊〉 might go found my Sovereign Arbitrer.  
●hat I might speedy unto him repair;  
●nd even approach to His Tribunal Chair.  
〈◊〉 would before Him ple●d my just Defence,  
●nd fill my Mouth with pregnant Arguments.  
●hen would I know what should His Answer be:  
●nd understand what He would say to me.  
●ould He oppose me with His Power divine?  
●o: rather would He steel and strengthen mine.  
●here might the Just in his just Plea proceed:  
●nd I should ever from my judge be freed.   

But, Whether to the West I take my way;  
●r, to the pearly portal of the Day;  
●r, to the Norward, where he worketh rife;  
●r, to the South, the Cell of blustering-strifes  
●hether I look before me, or behind;  
On This, or That side: Him I cannot found.   

Yet, knows He well my Way: and hath me tried  
And I, like Gold, shall come forth purified.  
My Foot hath walked in His steps: His Way  
Have I observed; and not gone astray:  
Nor have I started from His Precepts set,  
But prized them more than my appointed Meat.   

Yet, He persisteth in one purpose still.  
Who can divert him? He doth what he will;  
And will perform what is of me decreed.  
And many such things are with Him, indeed.   

Therefore, before Him, am I wonder-smit;  
Afraid of Him, when I consider it.  
For, GOD hath suppled and made soft my heart,  
And deep perplexed me in my inward part; 
11   
Because my Languors neither end, nor I:  
Nor can I see, not sound the Reason, Why.    

●●p. 24  

But, can it be (How can it other be?)  
But that the Times of the Divine Decree,  
(Concerning judgements more or less severe;  
When, Why, and Who, and How, & What, & Where  
Hidden with GOD, and hidden from his Own;  
Should to the World, and wicked be unknown?   

They shifted the Landmarks from their ancient seat●  
They take by force men's Flocks, to feed, or eat:  
They drive away the silly Orphan's Ass:  
They take for Pledge the widows Ox (alas!):  
●hey turn the Needy from their nearest Way:  
●hey make the Poor together hide them ay:  
●o, Like wild Asses in the Wilderness,  
●hey ramp about their brutish Business:  
rising betimes for Boot (like Freebooters):  
●he Desert Field yields Food for them and theirs.  
●hey reap them Each a Crop, from Others Crop:  
●hey gather Each a wicked Vintage up:  
●hey cause the Naked without Clotheses to lie,  
quivering for Cold, no Covering but the Sky;  
dashed with the Showers that from the Mountains shed;  
●mbracing Cliffs, for Shelter; Rocks for Bed:  
●hey Pluck the Pupil from the tender Breast:  
●hey take from Poor a Pawn of all their best:  
●hey leave them Naked; Nay, the Hungry soul  
●en of his Sheaf, and gleaned handfuls paul:  
●ea; Labourers that in Their service toil;  
●hat tread thei● Winepress, & that make their Oil,  
●hat trudge and drudge in their Affairs; in fine  
●hey let them starve, and even for thirst to pine.  
The City groans under their Wicked Thr●ll:  
●h' oppressed, slain, and wounded, cry, and call:  
●et, 'tis apparent (as the Sun is clear)  
●OD doth not always smite (nor cite) them ●eer.   

Yet, These are Those that ay the Light abhor:  
Know not her Way, nor keep, nor care it for:  
The Murderer risen (early) yet the Light;  
To kill the Poor: and robbeth (late) at Night:  
The Adulterer's Eye doth for the Twilight wai●;  
And, muffled, thinks, none sees my acquaint Deceit:  
They (Burglars) dig through houses in the Dar●  
Which, in the Day, they for their own did mark:  
But, Light they loathe: Morning to Them is D●●●●▪  
Death's Terror, Day; which all discovereth:  
On Waters swim they light and swift, for Fear:  
On Earth, as Vagrants, fly they here and there, 
11   
(Their cursed portion) everywhere undone:  
by-ways they seek, and the Highways they sh●●.   

As Heat and Drought, dissolve & drink the Sno●  
The wickedone the Grave shall swallow so.  
The Womb that bore him, shall him quite forget;  
And, to the Worm he shall be welcome Meat.  
He shall with Men, no more remembered be:  
But broken-off, as is a withered Tree.  
He weds the Barren that brings never forth;  
And, if a Widow, leaves her nothingworth.  
Yet, by his power, He drags the Mighty down;  
And none is safe, if He, in Fury frown:  
●o; thoug●h, with Presents, they his Patience buy,  
●nd build on it; on Them he casts an eye.  
Such, for a little, are aloft: Anon  
〈◊〉 low as Others; as All others, go:  
●one taken hence, shut-vp, cut-off, & shorn  
〈◊〉 (with the Hail) the tufted ears of Corn.  
Thus it be not: Who will (I desire)  
disprove my Speech; and prove me now a Liar.    

Cap. 2●  

TO This, the Shuhit● answered shortly Thus:  
He is Almighty, Dradly-Glorious;  
●hose Power imperial, & All-humbling Awe,  
●ules his High Places in most peaceful Law.  
〈◊〉 any number of His Armies known?  
●hat Light so bright, but His hath overshone?  
●ow, then, may Man, with GOD, be just defined?  
〈◊〉, He be Clean, that's born of Womankind?  
●hold, the Moon, before Him, is not bright:  
●arres are not pure in his (All-piercing) sight.  
●hen, How-much-lesse? How-much-less Man (alas!)  
The Son of Man: a Worm, a Worthless Mass?    

Cap. 26  

●OB, hereunto replies incontinent:  
Well have ye said; but, How impertinent!  
●ow hast Thou holp the weak & feeble wight?  
●ow fit descended him that hath no might?  
How sweetly taught the simple and unwise?  
How full declared the Matter, as it lies?  
To Whom dost Thou this Speech of thine direct▪  
What moves thee to it? & to what effect?   

For, I (for My part) know, that, Not alone,  
The Eternal rules, on his supernal Throne  
The things above, in their harmonious Course;  
But here below, the Better and the Worse.   

Beneath the Waters, dead things form been;  
And, dumb (their own Inhabitants) within:  
Hell is not hid from Him: Destructions Cave,  
From His inspection, can no Covering have. 
11   
He, th' ample heavens over the Voided extends:  
He, upon Nothing the sad Earth suspends:  
Within his Clouds He bottles up the Rain,  
Which with it weight tears not the Clouds in twai●  
He hath in-bowd the forefront of his Throne,  
And spread his cloudy Canapey thereon:  
He hath begirt the Waters with a List  
Shall ever last, till Day and Night desist.  
The massy Pillars of the Pole do shake  
If He but chide; & at His check they quake.  
He, by his Pow●r, doth the deep Sea divide:  
His Prudence smites her in her fellest pride:  
〈◊〉, by his Spirit, the spangled heavens hath dressed  
●th glittering Signs; the Serpent, & the rest.  
●o, These are parcels of his Ways suprem:  
〈◊〉, o! How little do We hear of Him!  
●o can conceive? Who understands the Thunder's  
〈◊〉 His more secret, & most sacred Wonders?    

Cap. 27  

while none replied, JOB gravely Thus goes on:  
As lives the Lord, th' Almighty Holy-One,  
●ho seems a space my Verdict to suppress,  
●●ding my Soul with brunts of Bitterness;  
●bile Breath is in me; till my Spirit, inspired  
〈◊〉 GOD, be gone, & from me quite expired;  
〈◊〉 Lips shall speak no wickedness, no wile;  
●r shall my Tongue deliver any guile.  
Not; GOD forbidden that I should justify  
●ur rash miss-Iudgement. Mine Integrity  
〈◊〉 not abandon, to my Dying-day:  
●ne Innocence I never will betray:  
〈◊〉 Righteousness still will I fast retain;  
●d, my clear Conscience while I live, maintain.  
●t, as the Wicked, be mine Enemies:  
●ose, as Unrighteous, that against me rise.  
For, what's the Hope of th' hollow Hypocrite  
●hough He have heaped Treasures infinite)  
When GOD shall take (in a disastrous Day)  
His Land (his Life) his Goods (his Gods) away?  
Will GOD regard, or hear his howling Cry,  
When He is compassed with Calamity?  
Or, in th' Almighty can He comfort take?  
Will He to GOD continual Prayer make?   

I'll show you, how th' Almighty hand doth deal:  
God's wont Course I will not now conceal:  
Nay; you yourselves, you all have seen it too.  
Why talk ye then thus vainly as ye do?   

This is, with GOD, the Portion & the Part 
11   
Of the Ungodly & the Cruel heart:  
This heritage shall impious Tyrants have  
From the Almighty, This they shall receive:   

If many Children he shall leave behind,  
As many shall the Sword or Famine found:  
Or, if that any in Remain be left;  
Th●y, by the Plague, shall, vnbewayled, be re●t.   

If H● h●u● heaped Silver, as the Dust;  
And Clotheses, as Clay; he may: but sure the just  
Shall joy his Silver, & his Treasures share;  
And wear his Wardrobe, how-so rich & rare.   

If brave he build; it is but like the Moth  
(On others ground, as that in other's Cloth)  
Soon dispossessed: or, like a Watch-house, soon  
●o be set up, and suddenly pull'd-down.  
〈◊〉 Such Rich, shall die; and lie without regard,  
●ga hered to his Father's tomb prepared:  
●othing of Him remains in Memory:  
●e vanisheth in Twinkling of an eye.  
horror's shall seize him, as a Flood, with Fright;  
●d as a Tempest, hurry him in the night.  
●n Eastern Storm him quite away shall chase;  
●nd, as a Whirlwind, hurl him from his place.  
〈◊〉 pitiless, in wrathful jealousy,  
while glad & feign he would his fingers fly)  
〈◊〉 GOD pursue him; & Good men shall smile,  
●d clap their hands, & hiss at him, the while.    

Cap. 2●  

sure, there are Ours & veiolings (under ground)  
Whence Silver's fetched, & wherein Gold is found:  
●on out of Earth, and out of Stone the Brass  
smelted down (into a purer mass).  
〈◊〉 Beyond the bounds of Darkness Man hath pried,  
●nd th' Excellence of underground descried:  
●he rarest Stones, & richest Minerals,  
●om deadly Damps & horrid Darkly hales:  
●nd, if some Torrent come there rushing in  
●uch as no Foot hath felt, no Eye hath seen)  
He can revert it, or divert it, soon,  
Without Impeachment to his Work begun.   

Earth's surface yields him Corn & Fruits, for food;  
Her under-folds, some burning Sulphury flood:  
Amid the Quarrs of Stone are sapphires store:  
Among the Dust, the precious Golden Ore  
(Where never Bird, before did Path descry,  
Where never Vulture cast her greedy Eye,  
Where savage Whelps had never never traced;  
Nor furious Lion ever by had past):  
On Cliffs of Adamant He lays his hands;  
Their height & hardness He at will commands; 
11   
Slents them with Sledges, crops their cloudy crow●  
He, by the roots turns Mountains upside down:  
To let out Rills, He cleaveth Rocks insunder:  
His Eye perceives all that is precious, under:  
He binds the Waters, that they shall not weep;  
And dives for Richeses in the deepest Deep.   

All This, & more, hath Man. But where is found  
That sovereign Wisdom, sacred & profound?  
That Understanding of the Ways divine,  
Of GOD'S supreme and secret Discipline?   

Man knows it not; nor kenns the worth of it:  
It is not found in any living Wit.  
The Deeps confess, the Sea acknowledgeth;  
●is not in Me; nor with Me; th'other saith.   

Nor Gold, nor Silver, nor all Gems that are,  
●n purchase it, nor equal it by far:  
●o wedge of Ophir, never so refined:  
●o Aethiopian Topaz, Pearl of Ind,  
●o precious Onyx, neither sapphire pure  
●orall and Crystal pass I, as obscure)  
●o Carbuncle, no Diamant so rare;  
●o One, nor All, with Wisdom may compare.  
But, Whence is then, & Where is to be found  
●hat sacred Wisdom, secret & profound?  
●h it is hidden from all human Eyes;  
●d from the fight of every Fowl that flies.  
●each & Destruction; say; We of the same  
●ue with our ears but only heard the Fame?  
GOD, GOD alone, doth understand it Way;  
●d knows the place where it abideth ay.  
●r, He, at once beholdeth All that is  
●all the World: All under Heaven he sees,  
〈◊〉 poise the Winds, & portion (at his pleasure)  
●to the Waters their due weight & measure.  
When for the Rain he stablished a Decree,  
●d for the Thunder's Lightning Mutiny;  
●en did He see it, and foresee it fit:  
●e numbered, pondered, & prepared it:  
And unto Man This Maxim did apply;  
GOD's Fear is Wisdom & from Sin to fly.    

●ap. 29  

JOB yet proceeded, & said further more,  
O! were it with me, as it was of yore,  
In my forepassed Months, my former Days,  
When GOD preserved me; when with gracious ra●●●  
His Lightfull Lamp reflected on my head,  
Whereby I walked through Darkness, voided of Dread:  
As in my younger times, when yet the Lord  
Vouchlafed me Blessings of my Bed & Board;  
When yet the Lord was with me in my Tents, 
11   
And showered there his hidden Providence.   

When, where I went, my ways were bathed in Butt●●,  
And Rocks about me Rills of Oil did gutter:  
When I had gone unto the public Gate  
To take my place where all our Senate sat,  
At sight of Me, would Young men hide them thence  
And th'Elder sort stand up, for reverence:  
Nobles were silent, if I present were;  
And, if I spoke, they turned their Tongue to Ear:  
And th'ear that heard me blessed me: & the Eye  
That saw me, witnessed mine Integrity.   

For, I delivered every Poor oppressed,  
The Orphan & the Helpless I redressed:  
He blessed me that was well-near undone:  
The widows heart I cheered: I put-on,  
● put-on justice, as a seemly Gown;  
It was unto me as a rob and Crown.  
I, as an Eye unto the Blind become;  
And as a Foot, unto the Halt and Lame:  
A Father was I to the Poor: and where  
The Case was Dark, I would discuss it Clear.  
I also broke th' Oppressors greedy jaws,  
And took the Prey out of his Teeth and Paws.   

Than thought I, sure, to die at home, in rest:  
And said, I shall with long good Days be blest.  
For, by the Waters was my Root out-spred:  
Upon my Top heavens nightly Dew was shed:  
My Wealth increased, mine Honour daily grew,  
My Bow of Health (my Strength) did still renew.   

When I had spoken, every Ear was priest  
To give me ear, and in my Counsel's rest,  
Without Reply: and as the latter Rain  
The thirsty Earth, my Words they entertain.  
If I had laughed, or smiled on any, near,  
They took no notice, nor would change my Cheer.  
I sat as Chief, I only ruled the roast,  
Dwelled as a King amid an armed Host;  
And, as a Man, amid a mourning Rout,  
That, from his lips, pours lively Comforts out.    

〈◊〉. 30  

But now (alas!) My Puisnès Me deride:  
The meanest mock me; Yea, and Those (beside)  
Whose ragged Fathers I refused, to keep  
My shepherds Curs (much more to cure my Sheep)  
For, to say truth, what Service could they do,  
So idle bred (both Young and Elder too)  
Weakened with Sloth, and wicked Conversation;  
And waxed old, in wretched Desolation:  
For Cold and Hunger wandering here and there,  
With Mallows fed, and roots of juniper: 
11   
Pursewd as thieves, hunted from place to place  
With Hue and Cries; and ever had in Chase;  
And therefore feign, for Shelter's sake to creep  
In Cliffs and Caves; in Rocks and Dungeons deep:  
Among the Thorns and Thickets roaring rife;  
Wild Outlaws, leading a most Bestial life:  
The Breed of Fools, the Fry of basest birth,  
Of nameless Men: indeed the Scums of   

And yet, to Such am I now made a Song,  
A Ballad and a Byword on their tongue:  
Yea, These despise me, and despite me too:  
Spit in my Face, and make no more ado.  
because the Lord my Bowstring hath unbent,  
●nd slacked my Cord, therefore these insolent  
insulter's Now lose and let-go the Rains  
●f all Respect, unto their lewd Disdaigns.   

Now, very Boys do take the Wall of me,  
●rip at my Feet; and (in their jollity)  
●is-iudge my Life, and of me Rumours raise,  
●fter their own cruel and cursed Ways:  
●hey mar my Path that I have walked in,  
●urther my Woes, and have no help therein:  
●s a wide Flood-breach they have rushed on-me,  
●nd with the Ruins have roul'd-in upon-me.  
terrors are turned upon me, and pursue  
●ly Life as Wind; my Weal, as Vapours flew:  
●herefore my Soul, in sore Afflictions vexed,  
●s poured out, and inly deep perplexed.   

Days dark and irksome have upon me seized:  
●nd in the Night (when Others most are cased)  
●y very Bones within me are oppressed,  
●ay, pierced through; my Sinews take no rest:  
●y strange Disease, with angry Violence  
Of th' hot Impostumes loathsome Virulence,  
Hath stained my Garments: &, with straining Dolour,  
About my Neck it gripes me as a collar.  
Laid in the Dust. I roll the Mire among,  
Becom'n, indeed, like Ashes, Dirt, and Dung.   

To Thee I cry, to Thee the while I call;  
But, Lord, Thou hearest not, nor dost heed at all.  
Nay, Thou art also Cruel turned, to me;  
With hot Aslaults, as on an Enemle:  
Thou lift'st me up, (as in a Storm, the Stubble)  
To ride a Whirlwind, while (with Fear & Trouble)  
I f●int, and fall (dissolved, as it were)  
In deadly ●wound, hurried I wots not where:  
But well I wots. Thou soon wilt bring me home  
To Death, the House where all that live shall come; 
11   
Wither, thy H●nd thou wilt no longer strerch;  
And Whence, no Prayers boot, nor need, to fe●ch.   

Did not I weep for Others woefulness?  
Was not my Soul grieved at the Poors Distress?  
When Good I looked for, Evil came: when Light,  
A dismal Darkness, worse than blackest Night.  
My bowels boiled with continual heat;  
A troublous Time upon me sudden set:  
Not with the Sun, but Sorrow, black I turned:  
Amid th' Assembly loud I cried and mourned.  
With hideous Noise (for horrid Anguishes)  
As kin to Dragons and to Ostriges.  
●y Harp is tuned to a heavy Tone;  
●y Music turned to the voice of Moon.    

Cap. ●●  

● Made a Covenant with my constant Eyes,  
● From gazing out on blazing Vanities:  
Having my Choice, whereon my thoughts were stayed)  
〈◊〉 by should I once misthink upon ● Maid?  
●or, O! for such what Part, what Portion is  
●ith GOD above in th'Heritage of Bi●s●e?  
●ay: is there not Destruction still behind,  
●●range Punishment, for Wicked (of this kind)?  
● Are not my Paths apparent unto GOD?  
●●●h not He see and sum the Steps I trod?  
It I have walked in Vanity and Pride:  
● unto Fraud my Foot have ever byed:  
〈◊〉 his just Balance let him weigh me right,  
●nd he shall found me by his Beam upright.  
● If that my Steps have strayed, or trod awry:  
●f that my Heart have hearkened to mine Eye:  
●f to my Hand have cleaved any Spot:  
●f Blood or Brihes the same did ever Blot;  
●hen let me Sow, and Others eat my Crop;  
●ea, let my Plant be ever plucked-up.   

If ever Woman have my heart beguiled;  
●r I laid wait t'have other's Wife defiled:  
Let mine again unto Another grind,  
And me be punished in my Sins own kind.  
For This is sure a high and heinous Crime,  
To be condemned and punished in the prime:  
Yea, 'tis a Fire, whose Fury would not cease,  
But ruin all, and root out my Increase.   

If ever I despised my Man, or Maid,  
Debating with me, and them over-waid;  
What shall I do? What Answer shall I make,  
When GOD, as judge, their Cause shall undertake?  
Did not one Maker them and me created, 
11   
Of Matter like, in Manner like, and Fate?   

If ever I delayed the Poor's desire:  
Or let the widows longing Hopes to tyre:  
Or ever eat my Morsels all alone,  
And gave the Orphan and the needy none:  
(He hath been with me from my Childhood bred  
As with a Father: She, in Husband's stead,  
Hath ever had my Counsel for her Guide,  
My Power for Guard; my Purse her Want supplied.)   

If I have seen or suffered any Poor  
To lie and die, Naked, or out of Door:  
Nay, if his Loins be-blest not me from harm,  
Because my Fleece and Cottage kept them warm:   

If ever I, against the Impotent,  
●oore, Fatherless, or Friendless Innocent  
For Fear or Favour, of a Friend or Foe,  
●or Gain, or Grudge (that I did ever own)  
●aue lift my hand, or Him in right withstood;  
●r, when I might have, have not done him good:  
●hen let mine Arm off from my Shoulder fall,  
●nd from the bone be pashed to powder all.  
●or, GOD'S dread judgements did I always fear:  
●hose Highness Wrath I could nor balk nor bear.   

If I on Gold have fixed my Hope, or Heart;  
●r, to the Wedge have said: My Trust thou art:  
●f I have joyed for being grown so Rich;  
Or for my Hands had gotten me so much:   

If, when I saw the Sun or Moon to shine,  
My heart (enticed) in secret did incline  
●o th' idle Orgies of an idolist;  
Or (Heathen-like) my Mouth my Hand hath kissed:  
Or, if, in Summer of my golden Days,  
Or silver Nights shining with prosperous Rays;  
●y heart in private hath been puffed too-high,  
ascribing all to mine own Industry  
Which had been impious Sacrilege and Pride:  
●or, then had I the GOD of Heaven denied):   

If I rejoiced at Ruin of my Foes,  
Or have triumphed in their Overthrows;  
Or have so much as let my Tongue to roll,  
Or Heart to wish a curse unto their Soul:  
Though often, my Servants, in their rage extreme,  
Would feign have beaten, nay, have eaten them.   

If I have shut the Stranger out of Door;  
Or let-not in the weary Pilgrim poor:  
If I (like ADAM) have concealed my Sin,  
And closely cloaked my Wickedness within:  
(Although I could have overborne, with Awe, 
11   
Whole multitudes; the meanest Groom I saw,  
I feared so, I durst not wring, nor wrong,  
Nor wrangle with: but kept my Tent and Tongue)   

O! that I had an equal Arbitrer,  
(To hear, and weigh, consider, and confer).  
Behold my Aim: th' Almighty I desire  
(A certain Sign of mine Intent entire)  
For, He, I know, would sentence on My side;  
And witness for me, that I have not lied.  
Than, though against me, (in his fell Despi●e)  
Mine Adversary should a Volume writ,  
It, as a rob, I on my back would bear,  
And as a Garland on my head it wear:  
〈◊〉 would, by piece-meal, show my Conversation,  
●l so unlike to all his Accusation,  
●hat clearing Me, it should him more convince,  
●o come and ask me Pardon, as a Prince,  
But, If my Land against me pled or plain;  
●r, If my Furrows cry-out, or complain●:  
〈◊〉 Tithe-lesse, Taxlesse, Wage-lesse, Rightlesse, I  
●aue eat the Crop; or caused the Owners die;  
〈◊〉 stead of Barley, and the best of Corn,  
●row nothing there, but Thistles, Weeds & Thorn.   
Hear JOB surceased.    

The fourth Book.  

〈◊〉 32  

Here also ceased the Three forenamed Friends  
From farther Speech (as hopeless of their ends)  
Sigh JOB so stiffly still maintained his right  
Of Righteousness, in his own proper sight.   

Than angry Zeal began to swelled and swell  
In Elihú the son of Barachel,  
The Buzite borne, and of the Race of Ram:  
Both against JOB began his wrath to flame,  
(Because, as tenor of his words implied, 
11   
Rather Himself, than GOD, he justified)  
And also Those his Foe-friends, for so strict  
Condemning JOB, untried, and unconvict.   

His modesty him hitherto withheld,  
As giving place to others of more Eld:  
But, seeing JOB to a full Period come;  
And th'other ●hree without Reply, as dumb;  
His Zeal burst out, and Thus in brief began.   

I must confess, I am too young a man  
TO have interrupted you (so old) before  
In This Dispute; and therefore I forbore:  
I was in doubt; I durst not speak (till now)  
My weak Opinion, and present it you.  
For, Days (thought I) & Years can farther reach:  
And long Experience Wisdom best can teach.   

Men have a Soul, & Reason's light inherit:  
●ut, Wisdom is inspired by th' Holy-Spirit  
Which bloweth where it will, & worketh free,  
Not tied to Age, not to Authority):  
●or, Great men always are not wisest found,  
Nor the most Ancient still the most profound.  
Therefore awhile to Me give ear, I pray;  
●nd let Me also mine Opinion say.   

I well observed your words, with diligence  
scanned your Reasons, marked your Arguments:  
●ea, near and narrow have I watched & weighed  
What Each of you, and All of you have said:  
●et is there None of you (apart, or joint)  
Convinces JOB; or answers to the Point.  
●est You should say; We Wisdom compass can,  
GOD will evince him; not the Wit of Man.  
●or Me, Me yet he never did gainsay:  
Nor do I mean to answer him, your way.   

Here-with amazed, they still continuing mute  
Without Reply, or show of more Dispute  
For I expected yet some Speech from some:  
waited still: and when as none would come)  
I will, said I, now prosecute my Part.  
To give my Censure from a single heart:  
For, I am full of matter to the top;  
My Spirit within me, strains me, stirs me up:  
My Breast is like a Wine-Butt, wanting Vent,  
Ready to burst; or Bottles, like to slent.  
I'll therefore speak, that I may yet respire;  
And open my mouth▪ to fan mine inward fire.   

Yet None, I pray, from Me the while expect  
Smooth, soothing Titles; personal Respect:  
For, soothing Titles know not I to give; 
11   
Nor▪ should I, would my Maker let me live.    

〈◊〉 33.  

NOw therefore, JOB, hark with attentive heed  
To all the Words that from me shall proceed:  
For, what I speak, premeditated is;  
Not out of Passion, or of Prejudice:  
But most sincere, and from a single heart,  
Out of clear Knowledge (without Clouds of Art).   

One & the same, of the same Mass of Mire,  
Made Me, as Thee; & did my Spirit inspire:  
Fear not therefore, if Thou have aught to say;  
Oppose and answer: put thy Words in ray:  
I am (according to thy wish) to pled  
And parley with thee, in th'Almighties stead;  
And yet, a Man: My Terrors shall not fright thee,  
Neither my hand with heavy Tortures smite thee.   

Lo, Thou hast said (I heard & marked it well)  
In Me, there none Iniquity doth devil:  
I am Upright, and Clean, and Innocent:  
Yet, as a Foe, He is against me bend:  
He picks occasions to inflict me Strokes;  
Sifts all my Ways, and sets me in the Stocks.  
And lo, in This, even in This saying so,  
Thou art not Just: for (if thou know'st not) know,  
That GOD is Greater than All Men: then, Why  
Strivest Thou with Him? whose supreme Sovereignty  
Yields us no Reason, nor Accounted at all,  
Of His high Counsels; Why, or How, they fall.   

For once, yea twice, to Man th'Almighty speaks;  
Yet Man perceives not (or it little reaks)  
By Dream, or Vision of the Night, in Sleep  
Upon his Bed; or in some Slumber deep:  
Than opens He Man's cares, & him revealeth,  
And sweetly there their meet Instruction sealeth;  
To turn a Man from his intended Ill,  
And hide the Pride of his ambitious Will:  
To keep his Soul back from the brink of Hell;  
And save his Life from Death & Dangers fell.   

Sometimes, He's also chastened on his Bed,  
With grievous Sickness, from the foot to head;  
Incessant bu●ning in his Bones and Blood:  
So that he loatheth the most dainty Food.  
His Flesh consumed, & his Bones so high  
That they appear (as an Anatomy):  
His Life and Soul draw near unto the Pit,  
(The Grave doth gape, & Worms do wait for it).   

If with Him be a holy Messenger  
(One of a Thousand) an Interpreter,  
To show to Man the justice of his GOD,  
In his Correction, with his sharpest Rod; 
11   
And, rightly humbled, readvance the Meek,  
By Faith, above his Righteousness to seek,  
And pray to Him; He will propitious stand,  
And to his Servant He will Thus command,  
Deliver him from going to the Grave,  
I am appea●'d: a Ransom found I have.   

Than, than a Child shall fresher be his Flesh,  
He shall return unto his Youth afresh:  
Than shall he call on GOD, and GOD shall be  
Right gracious to him: He with joy shall see  
His glorious Face. For, He will tender than  
(He will impute) His Righteousness to Ma●.   

He visits Men; and if that any say,  
〈◊〉 have offended: I have go astray:  
〈◊〉 have missdone: I have perverted Right:  
●h! I have sinned, & had no profit by it;  
●e will deliver, from Infernal Doom,  
●is Soul; his Life from an untimely tomb▪   

Lo, all These things doth GOD do twice or thricé  
Often and again) to Man (too prove to Vice)  
●o re-reduce his Soul from Death's dark Night;  
●o be enlightened with the living Light.  
JOB, mark it well, And hearken farther yet  
●hat I shall speak: save, when thou seest it fit,  
●ought thou have to answer, or object,  
●eak on, in GOD's Name (for I much affect  
●o justify and clear thee (if I may):  
〈◊〉 otherwise, if naught thou have to say;  
●st, and observe with silence, I beseech;  
●nd I shall teach thee Wisdom, by my Speech.    

Cap. 3●  

So, he proceeded, and said furthermore:  
Hear Me, ye Sages; Men of Skilful lore:  
●or, as the Palate doth discern of Food,  
th'earEare trieth Words (how they be bad, or good).  
●t's then debate This Matter, among us;  
examine it, and what is right, discuss.   

For, JOB hath said: O! I am Just, ●●rig●●;  
And yet (saith He) GOD hath ●●r●st my ●ight.  
Should I bolye my Cause? My thrilled Wound  
Is passed all Cure; and y●t ●●● Crime is found.   

What man, like JOB, himself so ouer-think●?  
Who (wilfully) Contempt, like Water, drinks:  
Who, with the Wicked & Ungodly walks,  
jumps just with Them, & in their language talks.  
For, he hath said; Man hath no profit by't  
To walk with GOD, ●nd in Him to delight.   

But, hear me now, all ye that understand;  
O! be it far from the All-ruling hand 
11   
Of justice Self (th'Almighty GOD, most High)  
To do Injustice, or Iniquity.   

Not: He to Each man his own Work repays;  
And makes him find according to his Ways.  
Undoubtedly, the Lord of Hosts, the Strong,  
Nor hath, nor doth, nor will, nor can, do wrong.   

Who hath to Him charge of the Earth imposed▪  
And, Who but He, hath the whole World disposed▪  
If He but please on Man to set his mind,  
To reassume hi● Spirit, his Breath, his Wind;  
All Flesh at once (if He but hold his breath)  
Shall turn to Dust; and perish all, in Death.   

Now note Thou this, if so thou hast a heart  
●o understand; list what ●ny Words impart▪  
●al He have Rule, that judgement loathes (& lacks)▪  
●nd for unjust, wilt Thou the justest tax?  
●●seems it Any to a King to say,  
〈◊〉! Thou art Wicked (in thy partial Sway)▪  
●r unto Princes (to upbraid them) Thus  
〈◊〉 are Ungodly, you are Impious?  
●hen, how-much less to Him that puts no Odds  
●ouching the People of those Earthly Gods;  
●or twixt the Rich and Poor, the Great and Small;  
●r, they (alike) are his own Hands-work, all.   

They (at His will) shall in a moment die;  
●ea, even at Midnight (unexpectedly)  
●he People shall be troubled and transported;  
●d even the Princes, without hands subverted.  
●r, evermore His eyes are open wide  
●n all Man's Ways, on every Step & Stride.  
●here is no Darkness, nor no Shade of Death,  
●r Wickedones to hide them underneath:  
●or, will he, though, Any▪ so over-load,  
●hat they may justly grudge, or pled with God.   

By Heaps, will He to pieces grind the Great,  
●nd (in their st●●d) set Others in their seat:  
For, unto Him, their Works are manifest;  
Night turned to Light: and they shall be suppressed.  
Them, as most Wicked, smites he (as it were,  
In all men's sight, in open Theatre)  
Because from Him they did revolt and swerver;  
And would not any of his Ways observe:  
But caused the loud Cries of the Poor ascend  
To Him, who always doth their Cries attend.   

When He gives Quiet, who dares be so bold  
To 'cause Disturbance? And, if He withhold  
His Countenance, who then behold Him can;  
Whether a People, or a Private man? 
11   
That th' Hypocrite no more may Reign (as King)  
Norfolk, under him, the snared People wring.   

Us therefore Thus beseems, to say to GOD:  
I bear with Patience thy correcting Rod:  
I will not murmur, nor burst out therefore;  
But sigh in silence, and offend no more:  
Show me my Sins I see not, nor perceive;  
And, Henceforth will I all Injustice leave.   

Or, should it be after Thy pleasure aye?  
Not: will-thou-nill, He will (not I) repay.  
Now, therefore speak thy Conscience seriously;  
And let the prudent mark and testify,  
●at, voided of Knowledge, JOB hath mis-auerred;  
●d, wide of Wisdom, his Discourse hath erred.  
Would therefore (Father) he might yet be tried:  
●h for the Wicked he hath so replied;  
●r, to his Sin he doth Rebellion ad:  
●ps hands at us, as He the Better had:  
●d (too-too-pure in his too-prudent Eyes)  
cam'st th' Almighty, Words he multiplies.    

Cap. 3●  

〈◊〉 〈◊〉, proceeding▪ Thus moreover said:  
〈◊〉 Thinkest Thou this right (if it be rightly weighed)  
●ch thou hast spoken (or thy Speech implied)  
〈◊〉 Righteousness is more than GOD's (OH Pride!).  
〈◊〉, Thou hast said, What will it vantage thee,  
〈◊〉 shall I gain, if I from Sin be free?  
●'ll answer thee; and with Thee, All so dreaming:  
●ok-vp, and see the heavens above thee gleaming▪  
●old, how high: if therefore thou transgress,  
●d multiply thy Sin and Wickedness;  
●at hurt dost Thou to GOD? What Detriment▪  
〈◊〉 th' other side, if Thou be innocent,  
●ust; What dost Thou to his Goodness give?  
〈◊〉 from Thy hand, What, What doth He receive?  
●y Wickedness may hurt a Man (like thee):  
●y righteousness, to Man may helpful be.   

For manifold and frequent Tyranny,  
Oppressors make oppressed-ones to cry;  
Yea, to cry-out for cruel Violence  
Of Mightie-ones, of Men of Eminence:  
But, there is None that saith (as due belongs)  
Where's GOD, my Maker (Who by Night gives Song▪  
Who teacheth us, hath us more Wisdom given,  
Than Beasts of Earth, or to the Fowls of Heaven)▪  
There cry they often; but none doth hear or heed,  
For th' Evils sake (who in all Ills exceed):  
For, Vanity, GOD doth not, hath not heard;  
Nor ever will th' Almighty it regard.   

Now, though Thou sayst, thou seest Him not, He▪ Just:  
With Him is judgement; therefore in Him trust:  
For want whereof, his Wrath hath visited;  
Yet not so hot as Thou hast merited.  
Therefore doth JOB open his Mouth in vain:  
And voided of Knowledge, yet, yet, mis-complain.    

Cap. 36  

ELih● yet said: A little suffer me;  
For I have yet more to allege to Thee,  
On GOD's behalf. I'll fetch mine Arguments  
From far (confirmed by long Experience)  
To justify my Maker's Holiness,  
Give Him his own, and right his Righteousness.  
I'll speak no Falsehood, nor no Fraud propound:  
All my Discourse shall be sincere and sound.   

Lo, GOD is Mighty; yet doth none despise:  
Omnipotent, Omniscient▪ Strong and Wise.  
He spareth not the Life of Wicked wights;  
But, the Oppressed in their wrongs he rights.  
His Eyes are never of the Righteous sort:  
Them on the Throne He doth with King's consort:  
Them He advances; and beyond all Term  
Doth them establish, and them fast confirm.   

Or, if that ever Fetters them befall,  
Or, they be holden in Afflictions Thrall;  
He lets them see their Works, their Wickedness,  
Their wandering by-ways, and their bold Excess;  
And opens then their Ear to Discipline,  
Commanding quick, that they return from Sin.  
If they return, to serve and Him obey,  
Their Days & Years right happy spend shall They:  
If not; the Sword shall smite them suddenly:  
And in their wilful Folly shall they die.   

But, Hypocrites, the Men of double heart,  
They heap-up Wrath: they cry not when they smart.  
They die in Youth; their Life among th' 〈◊〉,  
Most 〈◊〉, most 〈◊〉, 〈◊〉.   

He th' humble Poor in his Affliction frees:  
Their Ears he opens, in Calamities:  
So would He, thou from thy Distress have freed,  
And brought thee forth far from the straights of Need,  
To spacious Plenty; and thenceforth thy Board,  
Should with the best and fairest have been stored  
But, Thou, too-wicked-like, too-stifie haste stood;  
As their presumptions seeming to make good;  
Not stooped, but strutted in Contesting Pride.  
Therefore, on Thee doth judgement yet abide.   

Sigh wroth he is, beware to tempt him more;  
Jest with his Stroke, he sudden smite thee over:  
Or hiss thee hence with his almighty Breath:  
Than can no Ransom thee redeem from Death.  
Will He regard thy Goods? or reak thy Gold?  
Thy Stat●, or Srength (how much, or manifold)?   

Nor wish Thou (hope-less) for the (hap-less) Night,  
When from their place People are taken quite:  
Beware, regard not Thou Iniquity;  
Neither (alas!) through faint Infirmity,  
Choose rather That, than thine Affliction's Part,  
With humble Patience of a Constant heart.   

Behold, the Lord is, for his Power, suprem:  
And, for his Prudence, Who doth teach like Him?  
Who hath appointed unto Him his way?  
Or, Who can tell him, Thou hast gone astray?   

Rather, remember that thou magnify  
His public Works, apparent to our eye;  
So visible, that both the young and old,  
Them from a far do bright and brim behold.   

Lo, GOD is Greater than We comprehend:  
Nor can the Number of his years be kend.  
He makes the thick exhaled Vapours thin,  
That down again in silver Deaws they spin,  
From strutting Clouds abundantly distilling  
For th'use of Man, the Plains with Plenty filling.   

Also, can Any understand th' Extent  
Of Clouds, or know the Rattling of his Tent?  
Behold, He spreadeth out his Light there-over,  
And even the bottom of the Sea doth cover.  
For, by the same He worketh diversways,  
Both to his justice and his mercy's Praise:  
That, through excess causing a fearful Flood;  
This, temperate, producing store of Food.  
He veils the Light with Clouds that come between,  
Forbids it shine, and lets it not be seen:  
Boding a Shower, or Storms approaching rage;  
Which often, even cattle of the Field presage.    

●●p. 37  

HEre-at, my Heart trembles for inward Fe●●,  
As if removed from it own place it were:  
Hark, hark with heed unto the hideous Noise,  
The horrid Rumbling of his dreadful Voice,  
Which, with his Lightning, he directeth forth,  
Under whole Heaven, and over all the Earth.  
After the Flash, a Clash there roareth high;  
He thunders-out his Voice of Majesty:  
And then no longer will He keep them back,  
When that is heard over our heads to crack.   

GOD▪ with his Voice, doth thunder wondrously,  
And works great things that we cannot descry:  
He bids the Snow to cover Hill and Plain;  
So, drizzling Showers; and so, his Mighty Rain;  
Whereby, From Field-works He seals-up men's hands,  
That they may know His works; how He cōma●●●.  
Than, to their De● the Savage Herds do high;  
And for a season intheir Co●crt li●.   

From Southern Chamber● the hot Whirlwind co●●●  
From Northern Cel●▪ That which with Cold 〈◊〉▪  
The ●rost is given us, by the breath D●uine;  
When Crusts of Crystal 〈◊〉 Fl●●d● confine.  
The bl●c●●st Cloud He doth 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 (〈◊〉▪  
And, his bright Cloud (the Lightning's shroud ●e) 〈◊〉▪  
And (by the Counsel of his Providence)  
All This, by Turns, in round Circumference  
Is turned about: and ready at his Call,  
Throughout the World, to do his will, in all.  
For, He commands them come, for Punishment;  
Or Love to His; or else Indifferent.   

hearken to This, ● IO●; stand still, & ponder  
The Works of GOD, so full of weight & wonder.  
Knowest Thou (alas!) when He disposed them;  
Or caused the Light out of his Lump to beam?  
Knowest Thou the Clowd's just Poizes (the high or lower,  
And wondrous works of the All-perfect Knower?  
How, when He calms the Earth with Southern puff,  
Thy thinnest Clotheses thou findest warm enough.  
Hast Thou, with Him, spread forth the spangled Sky▪  
That (liquid Crystall-like) strong Canopy?   

If so; then show us, what to say to Him:  
For, what to say, we are (alas!) too dim.  
Should I mis-speak, needs any Him inform?  
Nay, should I not be swallowed up (in storm)?   

None fixly can (when clouds be cleared away)  
Behold the bright & shining Lamp of Day:  
From out the North stream goodly Beams of gold:  
With GOD is Light more bright by manifold,  
Moore pure, more piercing, past a mortal Eye;  
Moore dreadful far. His glorious Majesty  
(Dwelling above, in Splendours inaccessible)  
For us to found, out is a Point impossible.  
he's excellent in Prudence: passing Strong:  
Plenteous in justice: and doth No man wrong.  
Therefore Men fear him: Yet, for Their desert,  
Regards not He those that are Wise of heart.    

〈◊〉 38.  

THen, dread jehovah from a Whirlwind spoke  
In sacred terms; & Thus with JOB he broke:  
Where? Who is He, that (to Himself so holy)  
Darkens my Counsels, with contentious Folly?  
Come, gird thy loins, prepare thee, play the Man;  
I will oppose thee: answer, if thou can.   

Why! Where wert▪ Thou, tell (if thou know'st, dismayed  
When the Foundations of the Earth I laid?  
Who marked first the Measure of it out?  
Or (canst Thou tell) Who stretched the Line about?  
What Bases had it; and fixed whereupon?  
Or, Who, thereof laid the first Cornerstone,  
When Morning-Starrs for loy together sang,  
And all GOD's Children cheerful echo rang?  
Or, Who, with Doors, shutin the Sea so straight;  
When from the Womb it rushed with such weight?  
When as I made the Cloud a Clout for it,  
And blackest Darkness as a Swathe-band fit:  
And cradled it, in mine appointed place;  
With bars about, & Doors at every pace:  
And said unto it; Hitherto extend;  
And farther, not: Here, thy proud Waves be penned.   

Hadst Thou the Morning from thy birth, at beck?  
Mad'st Thou the Dawn in his due place to break;  
That it might reach the Earth's Circumference,  
And that the Wicked might be shaken thence:  
To stamp it (various, as the Potter's Clay)  
With many Forms, in manifold array,  
When as th'▪ Ungodly shall be all descried;  
That justice hand may break the arms of Pride?   

Hast Thou gone down into the Sea itself;  
Walked in the Bottom; searched every Shelf;  
Survaid the Springs? Or have the Gates of Death  
Been opened to Thee; and those Doors beneath  
Death's ghastly shadows? Knowest Thou (to conclude)  
(●ell, if thou know'st) the Earth's just Latitude?   

Which is the way where lovely Light doth devil?  
And as for Darkness, where hath She her Cell;  
That Thou shouldst Both, in both their bound● comprise;  
And know their dwellings, & their Paths, precise?  
Needs must Thou know them: Thou wert born year than:  
Not doubt Thou wert, Thou art so old a man.   

Hast Thou the Treasures of the Snow surveyed?  
Or seen the Storehouse of my Hail (uplaid  
And hid in heaps, against a time of need)  
For Warlike Battery, where I have decreed?   

Which is the way whence Lightning flasheth out,  
Scattering th'▪ unhealthy Eastern Gales about?  
Who hath disposed the upper Spouts & Gutters,  
Whereby the Air his overburthen utters?  
Or given the Lightning & the Thunder way,  
To 'cause it rain on places parched away;  
On thirsty Deserts, where no People pass;  
On barren Mountains, to revive the Grass?   

Had Rain a Father? Or, begot by whom  
Was pearly Dew? Or, from what pregnant Womb  
Came crystal Ice? Or, canst Thou rightly tender,  
Who did the hard & hoary Frosts engender,  
When Waters creep under a Stone-like cover,  
And th'ocean's surface is thick-glased over?   

Canst Thou restrain the pleasant Influing  
Of Pleiades (the Ushers of the Spring)?  
Or, canst Thou loose Orion's Icy Bands  
(Who rules the Winter with his i'll Commands)?  
Canst Thou bring forth (the sultry Sūmer● Guide)  
Bright Mazaroth (or Dog-star) in his Tide?  
Or canst Thou lead Arcturus (& his Train,  
The Autumnal Signs) his Sons (or Charles his Wain)?   

Knowest Thou the Statutes of the heavens above?  
Or canst Thou (here) them in their order move?  
Will't Thou command the Clouds, & Rain shall fall?  
Will Lightning come, & answer, at thy call?   

Who hath infused Wisdom in th'inner part?  
Or Understanding who hath given the har●?  
Who can sum-up the Clouds, or clear the Sky?  
Or open heavens bottles, when the Earth is dry?  
To steep the Dust, & knead the clotted Clay,  
Yerst overbaked with too-hot a Ray?    


Will't Thou go hunt, th'old Lioness to help;  
Or fetching prey to fill her greedy whelp,  
When they are couchant in their Den, or watch  
For passant Herds, their wont Boot to catch?   

Who, for the Raven, provideth timely Food;  
When as her hungry greedy-gaping Brood,  
wandering about, & wanting what to eat,  
Do (croaking) call, & cry to Me for meat.   

Knowest Thou the time when mountain Goats & Hinds  
Do yean and calf (according to their Kind's)?  
Canst Thou keep reckoning of the Months they go,  
And how their Burdens to their Birth-time grow;  
When they but bow them, and forthwith let fall  
Their tender Fruit, and all their Pains withal.   

Who hath sent out the Wild Ass, free to feed;  
Or let him lose (from serving human need)  
Whose house & haunt I have ordained express  
Within the brackie barren Wilderness.  
He scorns the City's multitude and noise:  
He reaks not of the yawning Drivers voice:  
The craggy Cliffs his shaggy Pastures been;  
Where, off he croppeth what he findeth green.   

Will th' Unicorn thee willingly obey?  
Or, will he come unto thy C●b, for Hay?  
Will he be brought to harrow or to blow?  
Or, will he bring thy Corn unto thy Mow?  
Will't Thou presume of Him, for strength in fight?  
Or leave, to him, thy Labour to acquit?   

Didst Thou bestow the Peacocks' goodly Fan?  
Or, gav'st Thou Feathers to the Stork (or Swan)?  
Or▪ to the Ostrich her delicious Tress  
(Th'ambitious Badge as well of War as Peace)  
Who lays her eggs, & leaves them in the Dust,  
To hatch them there, with radiant Heat adust,  
Without her help, or heed; jest Tread or Track,  
Of Man or Beast them all to pieces crack:  
Unkindest Dam, the labour of her womb  
That dares annul; while Hers not Hers become:  
So voided I made her of Intelligence,  
And kind instinct of Nature's Influence:  
Yet, with her Wings & Feet so fast she skips,  
That She the Horse & Rider both outstrips.   

Hast Thou endued the Horse with strengthful wonder  
And clothed his crest, & filled his breast with thunder?  
Canst Thou affright Him, as a Grass-hopper;  
Whose nostrils pride snorts Terrors every where?  
He paws the Plain, he stately stamps, & neighs,  
And glad goes-on against the armed Arrays,  
Disdaining Fear. For, for the Sword & Shield,  
Dart, P●ke, & Lance, He'll not forsake the Field,  
Nor turn his back (however thick they shiver)  
Nor for the Cross-bow, & the rattling Quiver.  
He swallowes-up the Earth in furious heat;  
Nor will believe the Sound of the Retreat.  
Among the Trumpets, sounds his cheerful Laugh,  
Haha ha' ha': he smelleth a far-off  
The wished Battle; hears the thundering Call  
Of proud Commanders; & loud Shouts of all.   

Is't by thy wisdom that the Hawk doth mew,  
And to the Southward spreads her winged Clew?  
Doth th'Eagle mount so high at thy Behest,  
And build aloft (so near the clouds) her Nest?  
She dwells upon the Rock & ragged Cliff,  
And craggy places the most steep & stiff:  
From whence, about to seek her prey she flies;  
Which, from afar, her quick keen Sight espies:  
Her young ones also, only Blood do suck:  
And where the Slain are, thither do they ruck.    

●●p. 40.  

Moreover, yet, The LORD, proceeding, said  
To JOB: shall He that dares with GOD to pled,  
Teach Him His part? Let him (who GOD doth tax)  
Here let me hear the Answer that he makes.   

JOB sadly then Thus humbly did reply:  
O! LORD, behold; o! most-most Vile am I  
What shall I answer Thee? What shall I say?  
Only, my hand upon my mouth I'll lay.  
Once have I spoke, & twice; & tootoo bold:  
But now, for ever I my Tongue will hold.   

Again, the LORD out of the Whirlwind spoke,  
And said to JOB: Yes, yes; thy Theme re-take:  
Gird up thy loins again, and play the Man:  
I'll question thee: now answer, if Thou can.   

Will't Thou make voided my judgements (just & hic)  
Condemning Me, thyself to justify?  
Hast thou an Arm like to the Arm divine?  
Or is Thy Voice as Thunderlike as Mine?   

Put-on thy Robes of Majesty and Might:  
Deck Thee with Glory, and with Beauty bright,  
Dart forth the Lightnings of thy wrathful Frown;  
Against the Proud, and bring them tumbling down:  
Behold Thou all and every one that's Proud,  
And down with Them, and all the Wicked Crowd:  
Trample upon them, in their very Place:  
Hid them in Dust at once; there bind their Face:  
Than will I grant (what Thou hast urged so brave)  
That thine own Self thine own right hand can save.   

But, Now, behold (thy Fellow) BEHEMOTH,  
Thy fellow Creature; for, I made you Both.  
He, like an Ox amid the Field doth graze:  
In's Loins and Navel his most Strength he has:  
He whisks his sinewy Tail, stiff as a Cedar;  
His Stones (within) with Nerves are wreathd together.  
His Bones and Ribs be strong as Brazen Bars,  
And as unyielding as the Iron-Spars:  
he's of the Masterpieces of the LORD,  
Who also armed him with a ready Sword.  
The Mountains yield him meat; where night & day,  
All other Beasts do fearless feed and play.  
Beneath the broad-leaved shady Trees he lodges  
Amid the Fens, among the Reeds and Sedges,  
Compassed with Willows of the Brook about;  
Where, when he enters (in the time of Drought)  
The massy bulk of his huge body bays  
The Torrents course, and even the Current stays:  
There, year he go, the River dry he drinks;  
And in his Thirst to swallow jordan thinks.  
Dare any come, before him, Him to take,  
Or ●ore his snout, of Him a Slave to make?    

●●●. 41  

CAnst Thou hale up the huge LEVIATHAN,  
With hook and line amid the Ocean?  
Canst Thou his tongue with steely Crotchets thril;  
O● with a Thorn his snuffing Nose, or Guilford?  
Will He come sue, by Supplications, to-thee?  
Will He with smooth & soothing Speeches woo-thee?  
Will He by Covenant, serve thee, at thy beck?  
Or be thy Slave, for ever at thy Check?  
Will't Thou with Him, as with a Sparrow, play;  
And give him tied, unto thy Girls, away?  
Shall Fishermen of Him a Feast prepare?  
Shall They his flesh among the merchants share?  
Canst Thou his Skin with barbed pheons pierce?  
Or plant his Head with groves of Otter-speares?   

Lay hold on Him: set on him: but, before  
Think on the Battle, and come there no more.  
For, 'tis so far from hope of Victory,  
That even His sight would rather make thee fly.  
There's None so fierce that dares Him rouse or hunt.   

[Than, Who shall safely Me myself affront?  
Who hath prevented Me? To Whom have I  
Been first beholding for a Courtesy,  
Or bound at all for any Benefit  
Bestowed on Me, that I should guerdon it?  
Why? is not All Earth's ample arms confine,  
All under Heaven, All in the Ocean, Mine?]   

I will not hide his Parts and Properties;  
Neither his Strength, nor seemly Symmetries.  
Who shall unhood him? Who with double Rain  
Shall bridle him, with Snaffle, Trench, or Chain?  
Or put the Bit between his laws (his portal)  
Impaled with Terror of his Teeth so mortal?  
His Shield-like Scales, he chief glories in,  
So close compact, glued, sealed; that, between,  
No Air can enter, nor no Engine pierce,  
Nor any Point disjoin them or disperse.   

His Sneesing 'cause a Light, as brightly burning;  
His Eyes are like the Eyelids of the Morning;  
Out of his Mouth flow blazing Lamps, and fly  
Quick Sparks of Fire, ascending (wift and high:  
Out of his Nostrils, smoke, as from a Pot,  
Kettle or Cauldron when it boileth hot:  
His Breath doth kindle Coals, when with the same  
He whirleth-out a Storm of Fume and Flame:  
Strength dwelleth in his Neck; so that he joys  
In saddest Storms, and triumphs of Annoics:  
His Flakes of Flesh are solid to his Bone;  
His Heart's as hard as Windmills neather-stone.   

To see Him rise, and how he breaks withal;  
The stoutest stoop, and to their Prayers fall.  
Not Weapons of Defence, or of Offence,  
Can Him offend, or from Him be Defence:  
Iron and Brass He weighs as Sticks and Straw:  
Sling-stones and Arrows Him do never awe:    

Cap. ●●  

Darts daunt him not, more than they Stubble were:  
He laugheth at the shaking of a Spear:  
Sharp ragged Stones, Keen-pointed Sherds & Shells,  
He resteth on, amid his muddy Cels.  
He makes the deep Sea like a Pot to boil,  
A Pot of Ointment (casting scummie Soil):  
Where He hath past, he leaves upon the streams  
A shining Path, and th'Ocean hoary seems.   

In Earth is Nothing like Him to be seen;  
So Fearless made, so full of haughty Spleen;  
Despising all High things, Himself beside.  
He is the King of all the Sons of Pride.    

Cap. 43.  

JOB, prostrate then, Thus to the LORD professed:  
Dread GOD, I know, and I acknowledge priest,  
That All Thou canst; and All Thou kennest too:  
Our Thoughts not hid; Thy own not hard to do.  
● am the Man, Who (to myself too-Holy)  
●arkned thy Counsels, with Contentious Folly.  
For, I have spoken what I understood not,  
Of wondrous things which comprehend I could not.   

Yet, LORD, vouchsafe, vouchsafe, I thee beseech,  
●n Ear, and Answer to my humble Speech.  
Till now, mine Ear had only heard of Thee:  
●ut, now, mine Eye thy Gracious Self doth see.  
Therefore, Myself I loathe, as too-too-bad;  
●nd here repent in Dust and Ashes, sad.   

Now, after This with JOB; it came to pass,  
The LORD did also speak to Eliphaz  
The Thaemanite; and Thus to him said He:  
●y wrath is kindled with thy Friends and Thee:  
For None of You have spoken of My Path,  
So right and just as JOB my Servant hath.   

Therefore, go take you Rams and Bullocks fair,  
seven of a sort; and to my JOB repair;  
Bring for yourselves your Burned Oblations due,  
And JOB my Servant He shall pray for you  
(For, Him will I accept) jest, justly-strict,  
After your Folly I revenge inflict;  
Because You have not spoken of my Path,  
So right and just as JOB my Servant hath.   

So Eliphaz, the ancient Thaemanite,  
Bildad the Shuhite, the Naamathite  
Zophar, (together) them prepared and went  
And did according GOD's Commandment.   

Also the LORD accepted JOB, and stayed  
His Thralfull State (when for his Friends he prayed)  
And turned it to Solace-full, from sad;  
And gave him double all the Goods he had.   

Than all his brethren, Sisters all, and Kin;  
And all that had of his acquaintance been,  
Came flocking to his House, with him to feast;  
To wail his Woes, and comfort him their best,  
For all the Evil which the LORD (of late)  
Had brought upon his Person and his state.  
●d Each man gave him (as best bear they could)  
●peece of Money and Earring of Gold.  
〈◊〉 So, that the LORD blessed job's later Time,  
●th more abundance than his flowery Prime.  
●or, Fourteen Thousand Sheep were now his flock;  
smells six Thousand; Steers a Thousand yoke;  
●ee-Asses twice five Hundred; Family  
●st as before: Seven Sons, and Daughters Three.  
〈◊〉 The Elder jemima, Kezia the Next.  
〈◊〉 Kerenhappuch (saith my sacred Text)  
●e Third he named (Names of goodly Sense,  
●uding to some Graceful Excellence:  
●he first, as much as Lustre of the Morn;  
〈◊〉, the Next; last, Alabastrine Horn)  
〈◊〉 In all the Country were no Women found  
〈◊〉 fair as These. JOB, of his Goods and Ground,  
●mong their Brethrens gave them Heritage.  
〈◊〉 Yet, after This, JOB lived a goodly age,  
twice seventy years, & saw his Sons Sons Sons,  
●cessiuely, Four Generations:  
●nd then He died, Ancient and Full of Days.  
〈◊〉 GOD, for Him, and all his Saints, be Praise,  
●nd for His Succour in These sacred Lays.    
AMEN.   

EPITAPHIUM JOBI.  

Qui Se, qui Sêclum vicit; qui saeva Suorum Funera, Amicorum iurgia, Pauperiem; Vlcera qui carnis, qui Coniugis impia verba;  
Qui Coelum iratum, ment tulit placida:  
Inuictum virtute JOBUM, Patientia Virgo,  
Nunc vidua, hoc Sponsum condidit in Tumulo.   

Who, SELF, The World, & Satan, triumphto're;  
Who, Wealth's, & Healths, & Child's rueful▪ Loss;  
Who, Friends Rebuke, Foes rage, Wife's cursing Cross;  
Hevn● Frown, Earth's force, Hell's Fury, Calmly bore:   

The Invincible in Virtue, JOB, Her Fere,  
The Virgin Patience (Widow now) toombed Here.    

MEMORIAL of MORTALITY: Written ●n Tablets, or Quatrains, BY By PIER MATHIEV.  
The first century.  
Translated, & Dedicated To the Right Honourable HENRY Earl of Southampton.  
By josuah Sylvester.   

TO The Right Honourable, HENRY WRIOTHESLEY, Earl of Southampton, etc.  

●Hall it be said (I shame, it should be thought)  
When afterages shall record Thy Worth;  
My sacred Muse hath left SOVTH-HAMPTON forth  
Of Her Record; to Whom so Much she aught?  
●h from Thy Town (where My Saravia taught)  
Her slender Pinions had their tender Birth;  
And all, the little all she hath of worth,  
Under heavens Blessing, only Thence she brought.  
●r lack, therefore, of fit Argument;  
And loather Now, it longer to delay;  
Here (while the Part of PHILIPS Page I play)  
consecrated This little Monument  
Of grateful Homage, to Thy noble Bounty;  
And Thankful love to (My dear Nurse) Thy County.   
Humbly devoted josuah Sylvester.   

MEMORIAL of Mortality.  

1  
LEt whoso list, think Death a dreadful thing,  
And hold The Grave in horror & in hate:  
● think them, I, most worth the welcomming;  
Where, end our Woes; our joys initiate.   

2  
Man, Death abhors, repines, & murmurs at-her,  
●lind in that Law which made her, good, for Him:  
●oth Birth & Death the daughters are of Nature;  
●n Whom is naught imperfect, strange, or grim.   

3  
Death's ugliness is but imagined;  
●nder foul Vizard a fair Face She wears:  
Her Vizard off, there is no more to dread;  
We laugh at Children whom a Vizard fears.   

4  
Death, in strange Postures daily is disguised,  
With Darts & Sythes in hand, Beers on her back:  
As Angels are with wings & locks denised;  
So, Her a Body of bore Bones they make.   

5  
Who fears this Death, is more than deadly sick;  
In midst of Life he seems even dead for dread;  
Death in his breast he bears, as buried Quick:  
For, fear of Death is worse than Death indeed.   

6  
Each fears this Death: & with an equal Dread,  
The Young as from a hideous Monster hie-them.  
The Old, at her sight shrink down into their Bed;  
All shun her ay, the more She draweth nigh-them.   

7  
What Good, or Bad, bodes Life or Death, to give;  
To be so fond of That, & This so flying?  
Thou wouldst not die, yet know'st not how to li●e;  
Not knowing, Life to be a living-dying.   

8  
One loves this Life, Another loathes it wholly:  
Some look for Ease, Promotion some, some Profit:  
To love it, for the Pleasures here, is Folly;  
Weakness, to hate it, for the Trouble's ofit.   

9  
The Storm at Sea under a Calm is bred:  
Within Good-hap, Ill-hap hath life included;  
Begun in Tears, in Toils continued;  
And, without Dolour cannot be concluded.   

10  
Life, like a Taper, with the weakest Blasts  
Is waved, wasted, melted, puffed out:  
In some, sometimes, even to the Snuff it lasts;  
In others hardly to the half holds-out.   

11  
Fruit on the Trees first blooms, them buds, them grows,  
Than ripes, then rots: Such Our condition just;  
begotten, born, bred, live, die; so roundly goes  
●imes Wheel, to whirl our Bodies back to Dust.   

12  
This Life's a Tree, whose goodly Fruits are Men;  
●ne falls, Himself; Another's beaten down:  
●'s ftript at last of Leans and Apples then,  
●y Time's same hand which had them first bestown.   

13  
This Life's a Table, where, in earnest-iest  
●oure Gamesters play: Time, eldest, vantage takes,  
●nd biddeth Pass: Love fond sets his Rest:  
Man needs will see it; but, Death sweeps the stakes.   

14  
This Life (indeed) is but a Comedy,  
Where This, the Kaiser plays, & That, the Clown●;  
But, Death still ends it in a Tragedy,  
Without distinction of the Lord from Loon.   

15  
This Life's a War, civil, & foreign too;  
Within, without, Man hath his Enemies:  
To keep the Fort, Death doth the T●wne undo;  
To save the Soul, the Body She destroys.   

16  
The World's a Sea, the Galley is this Life,  
The Master, Time; the Pole, Hope promiseth;  
Fortune the Wi●●e; the stormy Tempest, Strife;  
And Man the Rowe-slave, to the Port of Death.   

17  
The World (me thinks) is like our Parliaments,  
Where Right too often is overborne by Wrong;  
Where Quirks & Quidits are of Consequence;  
Where lastly naught Death's Sentence can prolong.   

18  
The World is much of a fair Mistress mood,  
Which, wily, makes more Fools than Favourites;  
Hugs These, hates Those; yet will of all be wooed:  
But never keeps the Promise that she plights.   

19  
Life's smoothest gloss is like the Sphere of Glass  
Archimedes framed, and filled with Stars;  
As frail as fair: for, the lest storm (alas!)  
That raps it, snaps it; and the Pleasure mars.   

20  
The Honour thou thirstest (as one Dropsie-sick)  
Weening to quaff it, often stops thy wind:  
't' a swelling Bladder; which when Death shall prick,  
(Thou wilt confess) thou but a Puff didst find.   

21  
And that Ambition which affords thee Wings,  
●o seek new Seas beyond Our Ocean's Arms,  
●or Mounts of Gold and Pearl, & precious things;  
●hal not preserve thy Carcase from the Worms.   

22  
That Pleasure too, which stops thy Reason's ears,  
besots thy Soul, intoxicate thy Sense;  
●nd sad Repentance still behind it bears;  
●or moment joys, leaves Sorrows Monuments.   

23  
Pleasure which tires thee, but contents thee never,  
Thy Body wearing more, than wearying:  
●ike Danaides Sieve-like Tub, a-filling ever,  
●ut never full, for all their bucketing.   

24  
Beauty, which makes the proudest Kings to crouch,  
Which serves the Soul as Letters in her favour;  
To see, delightful; Dangerous, to touch;  
From Death's dread Fury, may not, cannot save her.   

25  
But, Beauty, Grace-less, is a Saile-less Bark,  
A green-less Spring, a goodly light-less Room,  
A Sun-less Day, a Star-less Night and Dark;  
And yet this Grace cannot escape the tomb.   

26  
When body's Beauty with soul's Beauty dwells,  
there's a Perfection passing all the rest:  
Without This, beauty seems a Blemish else:  
Without That, Virtue seems not seemly dressed.   

27  
That Beauty, which the Air, Age, Ague quails;  
Which busies so our Eyes, Tongues, hands & hearts;  
At fifteen, buds; at twenty, flowers; and fails,  
Or falls, at thirty, and to Dust reverts.   

28  
Gold, the World's God, the Sun of Pluto●'s Son●;  
Whom Fire and Sword incessant serve so fell;  
Gold, virtue's Friend, and Vices Fort atonce,  
Serves often for Bridge to pass in post to Hell.   

29  
Man's Knowledge here, is but mere Ignorance:  
We see the wisest foully stumble often:  
Learning is puffed with Doubtful Arrogance:  
And Truth is lost while it is toomuch sought.   

30  
With Mysteries the Idiot meddles most;  
Peeps into Heaven, into King's Counsels pries:  
In Pulpit Phormio doth darrain an Host:  
Therfites prates of Arms and Policies.   

31  
The Assyrian's Empire is now seen no more:  
●he Medes and Persians' did the Greeks entomb:  
●reat Allexander's Kingdom kinged Four:  
●hose Crowns, in fine, stooped to the State of Rome.   

32  
Where are Those Monarches, mighty Conquerors,  
●hose brows erewhile the whole World's Laurel dressed,  
when Sea & Land could show no Land but There's?  
●ow, of it All, only Seven Hills do rest.   

33  
Where are Those Cities (great & goodly States)  
●f Ninive, with thrice five hundred Towers?  
●reat Babylon? Thebes, with a hundred Gates?  
berthage (Rome's Rival) Didoe's dearest Bowers?   

34  
All These huge Buildings, These proud Piles (alas!)  
which seemed to threaten, Heaven itself to seal;  
●aue now given place to Forests, Groves, & Grass;  
●nd Time hath changed their Names & Place withal.   

35  
Nay, wilt thou see, how-far Great Kings are foiled?  
●ee how sometime in Gold they swallow Poison:  
●ee Ptolomeus Cross't, Boleslas boiled,  
bajazeth in a Cage, Richard in Prison.   

See, see a Prince, near Cairo, flayed quick:  
See Sápores by his proud Victor trod:  
See Monk-like shav'n our Cloistered Chilperic:  
See Denis bear, for Sceptre, Pedant's Rod.   

37  
See Gordian there in his own Girdle hung:  
Se Phocas bones broken with furious Bats:  
See Dioméde to his own Horses fling:  
To Wolves Licáon, Popiel to Rats.   

36  
See, see proud Salmon sudden Thunder-slain:  
See Theódorick with horrid Terror thrilled:  
See Longuemare hanged in a golden Chain:  
See a fierce Courser dragging Brunechild.   

39  
See Attalus, having, for Court, a Forge:  
See Phalaris burnt in Perillus Bull:  
See Memprice left the greedy Wolves to gorge:  
Cambyses Sword sheathed in Himself too full.   

40  
Who but will fear amid the Frights of France;  
Seeing how Death Two Henry's reft of Life?  
The Sire, in Paris, with a splinterd Lance;  
The Son, before i●, with a poisoned Knife.   

41  
That Queen, whose Court was in a Castle cooped,  
A Prisoner, here; above, a Princess, hoped.)  
Whose royal Throne to a Tragic Scaffold stooped,  
●er Head she felt with whiffing steel off-chopt.   

42  
That King, who could within his Kingdoms dread,  
●ee Sol still shine, when hence he vanisheth;  
Who, past Our Seas, another Empire had,  
●or All he had, had but a lousy Death.   

43  
Who more his Garden of Salona prized  
Than ROME's great Empire & the World's Command,  
Known well the Cares from Corwnes inseparized;  
And Sceptres sad Weight in the strongest hand.   

44  
Towards our End insensibly we ●lip:  
For, speaking, sporting, laughing, s●oringdeep.  
Death still draws on-wards: as at Sea the Ship  
sails to her Hav'n-ward, though the Master sleep.   

45  
Death Each-where kills: in hunting, 〈◊〉;  
In's Cave, Calig●la; Aristobulus,  
In Bath; by th' Altar, Philip; 〈◊〉,  
In Camp; in Council, conquering JULIUS.   

46  
Death seeks th' ● Aemathian; & from Nero flies:  
One in a Shallow drowns, who Seas did scape:  
An Emperor in eating muhrooms dies:  
A Holy-Father in a Harlot's lap.   

47  
Not hand but serves Death's turn: Edric by's Mothe●  
Alboin by's Wife; Aristo by his Friends;  
By's own Son, Bajazeth; Conrade, by's Brother;  
Mustapha, by his Sire; Self, Cato ends.   

48  
Death diversly makes him familiar here:  
Henry the Black, a bit of Bread could fine;  
A King of Goth's died, in a Tub of Beer;  
Thalis, of Thirst; of Hunger Antonine.   

49  
Death, everywhere, in evenry thing distills  
Her fell Despite; Fire, Air, Earth, Ocean:  
Drusus, a Pear; a Fig Terpander kills;  
A Fly (in drinking) choketh Adrian.   

50  
As soon, a Sovereign, as a Shepherd's gone:  
Men dying here have but one equal Quality:  
By Birth and Death is Their Condition one;  
Their Stay, and State, between, make th' Inequality.   

51  
There's no Death Sudden to the godly- Wise:  
●is heart goes out to meet all haps before:  
when he embarks, he casts Wracks jeopardies;  
●nd when Wind serves not, He will row no more.   

52  
Not knowing then, When, Where, thy Death will (snatch;  
●t Sea, or Land; young, old; Morn, Noon, or Night:  
●ook for it ever, everywhere keep watch.  
●or, what we look-for, little can affright.   

53  
If Infants often, no sooner breath then die;  
〈◊〉 Goodmen little-last, and Wicked long:  
●e not too-curious in that Secrets Why?  
●h' are strokes of that hand which struck never wrong.   

54  
Why Good men go, and Why th'ungodly stay,  
dispute it not; GOD hath permitted so.  
●hose die, to live: These live, to die for ay:  
●hese, live at ease; Those in a World of Wo.   

55  
If from thy Days thou but thy Nights subtract;  
●hy Sleeps, thy Care's, thy Mawe's, thy Muse's waste,  
what thy Wife weareth, What thy Friends exact,  
●hy Griefs, thy Suits: How short a Life thou hast!   

56  
The Headache, Toothache, Gout, or Fever ●ise.  
Or Ulcer in the Leg, Stone, in the Reins,  
By lingering Drops strains out the tedious Life;  
Yet art thou loath that Death should rid thy Pains.   

57  
Thy Term expired, Thou put'st-off Payment yet,  
And weenst to win much by some Month's delay.  
Sigh pay thou must, were't not as good be quit?  
For, Death will be no gentler any Day.   

58  
The affairs of Parting post not to to-Morn.  
For, on Delay, Repentance waits with Woe:  
The Wind and Tide will in a Moment turn:  
All hours are good for Those resolved to go.   

59  
Grudging to die in flower of thine age,  
Thou grievest to be toosoon discharged from Prison's  
Repinest, toosoon to have done thy Pilgrimage,  
Loath to havein thy Harvest in due Season.   

60  
Make of thy Deeds, not of thy Days, account:  
Think not how far, but think how fair thou passe●●  
See to what Sum thy Virtues will amount;  
For, Life and Gold are chose by weight; the 〈◊〉   

61  
Life's valued by th' effect, not by the age;  
●he labour, not the lasting, praise it most:  
●ong hath he lived that liveth to be sage;  
●ood life (too-often) in long life is lost.   

62  
Long Acts commend not most a Comedy,  
'tis still esteemed as the Parts are played:  
〈◊〉, in our Lives, not Years considered be;  
●ut, worthy Actions by the Wise are weighed.   

63  
Who grieves because he lived not here, yet born,  
● hundred years; is double worthy laughter:  
●ut, treble He who at his Death doth mourn;  
●ure not to live a hundred years hereafter.   

64  
Man's not more Happy for long-living here,  
Number of Days do not more Blisses bring:  
Moore Compass makes not a more complete Sphe●●.  
●s round's a little, as a larger Ring.   

65  
And, if that Death wait on thee, & protract;  
With Usury, she'll make thee pay it double:  
Thy joys in Dream, thy Dolours still in act,  
To make long Life a long Repenting Trouble.   

66  
If He that here thee in his Vineyard hired,  
Pay thee at Noon thy Wages, full as much  
As Those that there all the whole Day have tired;  
Why murmur'st thou? why dost thou grieve & grutch   

67  
He casts his Work well, well his Workmen ken;  
Thy Slackness, Slowness, Weakness to hold out:  
Therefore, yer weary, he thy Way-fare ends;  
Jest, staying longer, thou mar all, 'tis doubt.   

68  
He gives our Task, & he again will take it;  
Who Him, unwilling; Him, unworthy serves:  
Before he call, 'tis folly to forsake it;  
And whoso leaves it, to be left deserves.   

69  
Or first, or last, on All this Stamp is set;  
Early or late, into This Port must We:  
Who gave the Charge, ordained the Retreat;  
One self-same Law did Life & Death decree.   

70  
The more the Body dures, Soul more endures;  
Never toosoon can She from thence exile:  
Pure, in she came; there living, She impures;  
And suffers there a thousand Woes the while.   

71  
The Soul is forced within the Flesh to devil;  
● danger there she lives, & sleeps in fear:  
●o hatch her Bird, she needs must break her Shell,  
●nd think It never can toosoon appear.   

72  
Soul blames the Body, Body blames the Soul;  
●t, Death surprising, ends their Quarrel priest:  
●own goes the Body, in the Dust to roll;  
●he faithful Soul, up to th' eternal Rest.   

73  
Death frees the Soul from Bodies wilful Errors;  
●om the Souls Vices, She the Body saves:  
●he soul's Annoys, are to the Body Terrors;  
●he Bodies Torments, to the Soul are Graves.   

74  
This Body is not Man: His Stuff's more fine;  
●is Beauty, with heavens Beauty hath Affinity:  
●he Body dead, That ever-lives, divine;  
●s even a Beam from the supreme Divinity.   

75  
If then the Soul, so long Heer languishing  
within the Body, do not gladly part;  
●e hath forgotten her own Source or Spring,  
●nd that She must, from whence she came, revart.   

76  
But, more than Death, Death's Pain appalleth the●▪  
That's but a Stream which swiftly vanisheth:  
there's, as no Pain, in that Extremity:  
For, th' Body, down, doth nothing feel in death.   

77  
Than quit those Fears that in thy Fancy stick:  
For, violent Evils have no permanence:  
If that Death's Pain be keen, 'tis also quick;  
And by the Quickness takes away the Sense.   

78  
To leave thy Babes behind, thy heart it gripes;  
In Whose Thou shalt revive, from lap to lap:  
Happy who hath them; for they are our Types:  
And often Who hath None, 's happy by mishap.   

79  
To leave thy Wife thou wail'st, well worth excusing  
't' a necessary Ill, Good strangerlike;  
Which, clearest Eyes (Self-wife) too-oft mischusing,  
In little Flesh find many Bones to pick.   

80  
thou'rt loath to leave the Court's Delights, Devices,  
Where None lives long vnbraued, or unabhorred:  
Where Treason's Prudence; where the virtues 〈◊〉  
Where some no Eyes, & where some have no Forehead.   

81  
The Mariner, that runs from Rock to Rock,  
From Wrack to Wrack, dwelling in dangers rife,  
Waucs Bal, Wind's Thrall, & Tempest's Shuttlecock,  
Would not exchange His for the Courtier's Life.   

82  
The Court beguiles thee, as black-Angel-Bands,  
In giving Leaves for Fruits to Circe's Sisters:  
Their brightest Torches are but funeral Brands:  
And, in the Court, All is not Gold that glisters.   

83  
Thou wouldst in Death revenge thy wronged Worth,  
Make known thy Love, have shown thy brave Ambition,  
Why framest thou not thy Death unto thy Birth,  
Which brought thee naked forth, & voided of Passion?   

84  
Feign wouldst thou see thy Learning's fruit (perhaps)  
Ripe, year Thou rot; that's but a vain Desire:  
Art nowadays may starve, while Ignorance  
Hath Shades for Summer; & for Winter, Fire.   

85  
All day thou trudgest through thick & thin,  
For that dull Bulk which doth thee daily brave:  
Phinice wreaths Ropes, which ay his Ass windes-in:  
The Soul that serves the Body, is a Slave.   

86  
As many steps in Death as Life we tread:  
Esteem, for Deaths, all Days since thou hadst breath:  
To comes not Thy; Present, is instant fled:  
And Time, in time, is overcome by Death.   

87  
When Man's embarked on th' Universal Deck,  
He neither can swiften his Course, nor slack it:  
Tide, Wind, and Wether, are not at his Beck;  
And, To put back, hath many often wracked.   

88  
Some, sometimes grieve for one that gladly dies:  
Socrates joys, sith wrong he suffereth:  
Xantippa melts in Tears; He laughs, She cries:  
diversly judging of these Darts of Death.   

89  
To run unto this Death, is Desperate rage:  
Wise Patience only waits it everywhere:  
Who scorns it, shows a Resolution sage;  
For, Cowards fly it, & the Idiot's fear.   

90  
When the last Sand of our last Glass goes out,  
Without recoiling, we must step our last:  
As, without grudge or noise, dislodge the Stout;  
And when they must go, stay not to be chased.   

91  
The Pilgrim longs to have his journey done;  
●he Mariner would feign be off the Seas:  
●he Workman joys to end his Work begun;  
●nd yet Man mourns to finish his Disease.   

92  
For a short time Thy Sun is overcast:  
●t, Thou shalt once re-seeed more bright than ever:  
●nd, that same Day, which here thou thinkest thy last,  
●a Newbirth Day, to be ended never.   

93  
What Wrong doth Death, I prithee Worldling  
●hen, losing (under hope of happier matches) (say,  
●●atting thy Life, he takes thy Card away;  
●●d when, to save thy Life, thy Light he snatches?   

94  
Fearest thou, Aint-heart, that narrow Plank to pass  
●hich GOD Himself hath go; which all Men must?  
●hat, like a Child, held by the sleeve (alas!)  
●ith Eye still glancing on the brim thou go'st?   

95  
Beyond it, thou shalt see those pleasant Plains,  
●hose boundless Beauty all Discourse transcendeth:  
●here Kings & subjects souls, have fellow Reigns,  
●n blessed Thrones, whose Glory never endeth.   

96  
What shalt thou see more, for more living heat?  
This Heaven, this Sun, thou often before hast seen:  
And shouldst thou live another Plato's Year,  
This World would be the same that it hath been.   

97  
Death's end of Ills, and only Sanctuary  
Of him that cannot scape the Grudge, the Gall  
Of a severe judge and proud Adversary:  
It is a Point which Heaven appoints to All.   

98  
At that Divorce sigh Bodies, Souls do solace;  
The Exile exulteth at his Home-Retreat:  
This body's but the jone, 'tis not the Palace:  
The immortal Soul, bath an immortal Seat.   

99  
DeathsDeaths as the Dawning of that happy Day,  
Where without Setting shines the eternal Sun,  
Wherein who walk, can never never stray:  
Nor Fear they Night who to the Day-ward r●●.   

100  
There's Rest eternal for thy Labours rife:  
There's for thy Bondage bound-less Liberty:  
There when Death endeth, she gins thy Life.  
And where's no more Time, there's Eternity.   
FINIS.   

MEMORIAL of MORTALITY: Written ●n Tablets, or Quatrains, BY PIER MATHIEV.  
The second century.  
Translated, & Dedicated To the Right Honourable, ROBERT, Earl of Essex.  
By josuah Sylvester.   

TO The Right Honourable, ROBERT DEUREUX, Earl of Essex & Ewe, etc.  

YOur double Title to My single heart,  
Both by your Purchase, and your Parents Right;  
Claims both a better and a greater Part  
Of grateful Service, than This slender Mite.   

Yet, sith (to profit, more than please) I writ  
Moore Sighs than Songs (less used to Smiles than Smart)  
Disdain not These Restrainers of Delight;  
Though bitter, fit, than the Soothing Art,   

To keep the Mind and Body both in Health;  
To cool the Fits of Lust, Ambition, Pride  
(Surfaits of Ease, Youth, Liberty, and Wealth)   

And cure All Sickness of the Soul, beside.  
Whence, Ever free; and full of Every Good  
From GOD and Men, be ESSEX Noble Bud.   
Ex Animo exoptat josuah Sylvester.   

MEMORIAL of Mortality.  

1  
●Hat height of Kings, Crowns Ho ●●●, Worthies Wonder,  
〈◊〉 Is now but wind, dust, shade. He whose Approach  
●all'd the Proudest: Whom; All trembled under;  
arsed base hand butchered in his Coach.   

2  
●ll Triumph, yesterday; today, all Terror:  
●y; the fair Morning overcast year Even:  
●y; one short Hour saw, live and dead, Wars Mirror,  
●ing Death's speed-stroak undiscerued given.   

3  
●n all This World, All's sickle; naught is Firm:  
〈◊〉 a Sea sanz, Safety, Calm, or Port:  
●es, Cities, Empires have but here their Term:  
●at ever 's born must under Death resort.   

4  
Time flits as Wind, and as a Torrent swifteth:  
●as●eth quick, and Naught can stop it flying:  
●ho knows what Ills it every Moment drifteth▪  
●ems, that To leave to live, is To leave dying.   

5  
Man in the Womb knows nothing of his State:  
〈◊〉 wile of 〈◊〉) for, there, had he Reason,  
●e should foreknow this World's too-wretched Fa●e;  
●d rather would intom be him in that Prison.   

6  
Our Birth gins our Beer; our Death, our Bre●●  
On that Condition Heer aboard we come:  
To be 's as not to be: Birth is but Death:  
There 's but a Sigh from Table to the Tomb.   

7  
Life 's but a Flash, a Fume, a Froth, a Fable,  
A Puff, a Picture in the Water seeming;  
A waking Dream, Dreams Shadow, Shadows Tab●●  
Troabling the Brain with idle Vapours steaming.   

8  
Life, to the life, The Chessboard lineats;  
Where Pawns and Kings have equal Portion:  
This leaps, that limps, this checks, that neks, that 〈◊〉  
Their Names are diverse; but, their Wood is one.   

9  
Death, Exile, Sorrow, Fear, Distraction, Strife,  
And all those Evils, seen before suspected;  
Are not the Pains, but Tributes of this Life;  
Whence, Kings no more than Carters are protected.   

10  
Not: Sacraments have been no Sanctuary  
From Death; Nor Altars, for King's offering-up:  
The Hell- hallowed Host poisons Imperial Harrie:  
Pope Victor dies drinking th' immortal Cup.   

11  
Thou ow'st thy Soul to Heaven; to pay that De●●  
〈◊〉 not compelled; Christians are willing Payers:  
●t, yet, thy Soul as a good Guest entreat;  
●om no good Host will tumble down the Stairs.   

12  
●Tis better fall, then still to fear a Fall:  
〈◊〉 better die, then to be still dying:  
●e End of Pain ends the Complaint withal:  
●d nothing grieves that comes but once, & flying.   

13  
This Life 's a Web, woven fine for some, some gross;  
●me Hemp, some Flax, some longer, shorter some:  
●od and Ill Haps are but the Threads across:  
●d first or last, Death cuts it from the Loom.   

14  
These Names, which make some blubber, some so brave  
●ames sprung from Injury, or from Ambition)  
● Death are equal: Earl, and Sir, and Slave,  
●der his Empire, are in one Condition.   

15  
For Friends Deceased, cease not Repast nor Sleep;  
●ch Sorrow suits not th' Intellectual part:  
●ho wails man's Death, that He was man doth weep:  
●nd, that He promised, coming, to departed.   

16  
The Young and old go not as equal pased:  
The one ambles swift, the other gallopeth:  
'tis good to die, yet we out Life distaste.  
A valiant Man should dare to feel his Death.   

17  
Happy who leave the World when first they co●●  
The A●er, at the best, is here contagious thick:  
Happy that Child, who issuing from the Womb  
Of's Spanish Mother, there returned quick.   

18  
The body's Torments are but Twigs to be●●  
And brush the Dust from virtues plights about;  
And make the Passions of the Soul more neat:  
As th' Aicr is purest when the Winds roar-out.   

19  
Grieving that Death shuts not thine Eyes at ho●●  
And where the heavens vouchfafed them first to op●●  
Thou fearest the Earth too-little for thy Tomb,  
And Heaven too-narrow for thy Corpses Cope.   

20  
heavens have no less Order, then at their Birth,  
Nor Influence: Sun, Moon, and Stars, as bright;  
All hold their own; Fire, Water, Air, & Earth:  
Man, Man alone's fallen from his pristine Plight.   

21  
Worldling, thou ●aist, 'Tis yet not time to mend;  
But, GOD hates Sinners that in Sin delight:  
To grossest Sinners doth 〈◊〉 Mercy sand;  
But, not to Sinners ●i●ning in despite.   

22  
Who, Morn & Even, doth of Himself demand  
Account of All that he hath done, said, thought;  
Shall found him much ●as'd, when he comes to stand  
To that Account where All shall once be brought.   

23  
For bitter Checks that make thy Checks to flame,  
And to thy Teeth tell Truths, thou hast no Action,  
To do the Evil, sith thou hadst no shame,  
Be not ashamed to sufferthy Correction.   

24  
Perhaps, this Child, shall Rich, or Poor, become▪  
Perhaps a Wretch, perhaps a Liberal:  
Perhaps a Wiseman, & perhaps a Mome:  
But, past perhaps, assured, die ●e shall.   

25  
When Wine runs low, it is not worth the sparing;  
The worst & least doth to the Bottom dive:  
Wrong not thy leisure (years vouchsafe) in daring:  
But sometimes look into thy Grave, alive.   

26  
Sinner, thy GOD is not inexorable;  
Not Rhadamant, Returning hearts to hate:  
There is no Sin, in Heaven unpardonable;  
Nor no Repentance, in this Life, too late.   

27  
The Eye that fixlie the Sunbeams beholds,  
Is sudden dazed: so, in GOD'S judgements high,  
Mens clearest judgements are as blind as Moulds:  
None, none but Aegle, can the Lightning eye.   

28  
OH wrecked Virtue! wretched is Thy state;  
For, Fortune hath the Fruit, Thou scarce the Flower:  
Thou art a Stranger at thy proper Gate,  
Thy Friends thence banished, & thy Foes in Bowe●.   

29  
Man, Knowledge still, to the last gasp, affecteth;  
In learning, Socrates lives, grays, and dies.  
Free from Death's Process Knowledge none protecteth:  
But, to learn Well to die, is to be Wise.   

30  
To live, is to b●gin One-Work, and end it,  
Life hath, with All, not same Repute, Report;  
't' an Exile, to the Sot; Sage, journey weened it:  
Wherein He walks, not as the Common-sort.   

31  
For having a good Prince, Peers just & wise,  
Obedient People, Peace concluded fast,  
● State 's not sure: Storms after Calms arise;  
●nd fairest Days have foulest overcast.   

32  
Man, though thou be from Heaven originary,  
Presume not yet to Peer thee with thy God:  
he's Sovereign King; Thou but his Tributary.  
he's every where; Thou but in one poor Clod.   

33  
Of Elephants, the biggest leads the Band;  
The strongest Bull over the Herd doth reign:  
But, Himulco behooves who will Mankind command,  
Not ablest Body, but the aptest Brain.   

34  
King's Majesty seems as eclipsed much,  
Unless great Servants in great Troops attend:  
●Tis sure an Honour to be served by Such;  
But, on Their Faith 'tis fearful to depend.   

35  
To build a Palace, rarest Stones are sought:  
To build a Ship, best Timber is selected:  
But, to instruct young Princes (as they aught)  
Aught all the Virtues to be there collected.   

36  
Art's nowadays a Desert desolate:  
Kings gracious Rays are there no more discerned:  
Philosophers wait at the Wealthies Gate,  
And rarely Rich men do regard the Learned.   

37  
The hand bindeth not except the heart with-go:  
What comes not thence, nor Thank nor Thought d●seru●  
He giveth All that doth Himself bestow;  
He Nothing gives who but his heart reserves.   

38  
That curious Thirst of Travail to and f●o,  
Yields not the Fruit it promised men in mind:  
Changing their Air, their Humours change not tho;  
But, many Lodgings, & few Friends they find.   

39  
In vain the Soul hath Reason's Attribute,  
Which unto Reason cannot Sense submit:  
For, Man (alas!) is bruiter than a Brutus,  
Unless that Reason bridle Appetit.   

40  
Self-swelling Knowledge, Wits own Over bearer,  
Proves Ignorance, & finds it Nothing knows:  
It flies the Truth to follow Lies and Error:  
And, when most ●ight it weens, most wry it goes.   

41  
The Vicious trembles, always in Alarms;  
〈◊〉 ' Eye of the Virtuous keeps him as at Bay:  
●hen All the World feared Rome's All-reaching Ar●●●,  
●ne virtuous Cato did all ROME dismay.   

42  
Vice blinds the Soul, & Understanding clogs,  
●akes good of ill, takes foul for fairest look,  
●a, Dirt for Dainties: ●o-liue loathsome Frogs,  
●ather in Puddles than in purest Brook.   

43  
In Greatest Houses Vice hath battered,  
●hose Honours though no lesle have shined bright:  
What are the Graceless to the Good▪ Not dead,  
●ut living Branches, in the Tree have Right.   

44  
If Men might freely take Essay of Court;  
None, having tasted, would return so near:  
The happiest there meets many a Spite in Sport,  
And knows too-well be buys his W●●l too-deer.   

45  
Tolove None; All to doubt; to 〈◊〉, to flatter;  
To form new Faces, & transform true hearts;  
To offer Service, & ●lie-off in Matter;  
Are Contiers Lessons, and their Ground of Art●.   

46  
Set not thy Rest on Court, Sea's barren sand;  
There grows no Goodness; good, there, evil grows:  
Rests Temple yerst did forth the City stand:  
Not scent's so sweet, as is the Country Rose.   

47  
Who weens in Court to thrive, will found him weak,  
Without two Aiders; Impudence, Immunity:  
For, first behooves him his own Brows to break,  
Year Others heads he break with Importunity.   

48  
Who is not sorry for Time's loss, in stay  
For Kings slow Favours, seems to have no sense:  
The loss of Goods a Prince may well repay,  
But loss of Time Kings cannot recompense.   

49  
Is't not the Top of Folly's Top, to note  
An Old Sir Tame-asse gallanting in Court,  
To play the Younker, & Swan-white to dote  
On Venus' Dovelings, in despite of Sport?   

50  
A mean Man hardly escapes the Mightie's Claws;  
he's as a Mouse play'ng by a sleeping Cat;  
Who lets it run, then locks it in her Paws:  
And all her sports boad but the Death of That.   

51  
World's Vanity is rife in every place,  
(Alas! that good Wits should be'witched so!)  
Masked in the Church, in Court with open Face.  
For, there's the place her perfectly to know.   

52  
By evil Manners is good Nature marred;  
None falls at once, all Virtue to de●ie.  
●ice, in the Soul is a strange Plant transferred:  
And wert not dressed, it would quickly die.   

53  
With By-Respects Impiety we cover:  
Earth more than Heaven is prized among us Now:  
At GOD's great Name we scarce our heads uncover;  
When Kings are named, every knee doth bow.   

54  
Disorder Order breeds: good Laws have sprung  
From Euill-lives: Would All keep justice line,  
In Westminster there would be soon less Throng,  
Lesle Work, lesle Wrack, lesle Words for Mine & Th●●●.   

55  
Law-Tricks now strip the People to their shirt:  
Shift is their Shield, Gold in their only God:  
Wasps break the Web, Flies are held fast & hurt:  
The Guilty quit, the Guiltless undertrod.   

56  
there's now no trust: Brother betrays his Brother:  
Faith's but a fancy, but by Fools esteemed:  
Friend's false to Friend; & All deceive each-other;  
The ●ui● pulls down the Wall by which it climbed.   

57  
Treasons be Trifles: Man's a Wolf to Man:  
Crimes be but Crumbs; Vice is for Virtue vaunted;  
Sodoms and Cypris Sins we suffer can:  
And Impious tricks in all their Tracks are haunted.   

58  
In perfectest Men some Imperfection's sound,  
Somewhat amiss among their good is seen:  
Gold, & pure Gold we dig not from the ground,  
There's Dust & Dross, & grosser stuff between.   

59  
Merit, of old did Friendship feed & six;  
Where now-adai●s 'tis founded all on Profit,  
With deep Dissembling & Deceitfull-tricks,  
And evermore the Poor is frustrate of it.   

60  
The Earth cannot fill thy hearts unequal Angles;  
Thy Hearts a Triangle, the Earth's a Round:  
A Triangle is filled but with Triangles:  
And th' infinite the finite cannot bond.   

61  
●T's a Death to die far from ones Native City:  
●t Death's not milder there, then else-about:  
●ath without ROME, did not Rutilius pity;  
●ither, within ROME, Him that ne'er went out.   

62  
When Man is come to th' old last Cast of Age,  
●●en Nature can no longer lend nor borrow;  
〈◊〉 thinks not yet to pack, and leave the Stage;  
●t still, still hopes to live until tomorrow.   

63  
Fain, wouldst thou fly love's wanton Luxury?  
●ut-off Occasions: speak far-off; fly Fitness:  
●un Solitude: live still in Company:  
●hey fall alone that would not fall with Witness.   

64  
Muse not, to see the Wicked prospero fair:  
●he Sun his Shine even unto thieves doth give:  
●hen of their Patient's Leeches do despair,  
●●ey give them over as they list to live.   

65  
Slander is worse than Hell's burning Torture,  
●he Force more fierce, the Heat more vehement:  
●ell, after Death, doth but the Guilty martyr;  
●ander, alive, torments the Innocent.   

66  
Affliction razes, and then raises hearts:  
As, under Weight, victorious Palms are wont:  
As, under Seals the Wax doth swell (in part);  
Under the Cross the Soul to Heaven doth mou●●.   

67  
Envy, in vain pure virtues Anuil bites,  
Breaking her Teeth: as on a Stone the Cur,  
That barks of Custom, rather than Despite,  
At every poor and harmless Passenger.   

68  
Enuies a Torture which doth Men molest;  
Even from their Birth; year they aught else can do:  
Behold Two Infants nursed at one Breast;  
They cannot brook their Teat for meat to Two.   

69  
This is the Odds twixt Honest men & Knaves;  
The one tells his Neighbour, All mine own is mine,  
And all Thy too: The other (voided of Braves)  
Says, Thine's not Mine; but, what I have is Thi●●   

70  
What Envy likes not, that she makes a Fault:  
joseph, with Ishmael, for his Dream, was bartered:  
Abel's pure Offering to his End him brought:  
And for the Truth the Innocent are martyred.   

71  
Flat-Cap, for whom, hoord'st thou thy heaped Treasures?  
●hy Bodies Sweated, thy Soul's dear Price (poor Sot!)?  
〈◊〉 Prodige-all (thine Heir) in Protean Pleasures,  
●ill waste, in one Day, All thine Age hath got.   

72  
True Liberality would be entire:  
●t not atonce, at all times, and to all.  
●ne may mis-give, to give yer one require:  
●et Gifts un-asked sweetest Gifts I call.   

73  
Content with Fruits from thine own Labour grown,  
forehand still, a set Revenue save:  
●●r, He's a Fool in more respects than one,  
●hat spends his Store, or more, before he have.   

74  
There is no Goodness in a groveling heart,  
●●nt on the World, bound to this Rock below:  
●Vere not the Moon so near this Nether part,  
●he would not, could not, be Eclipsed so.   

75  
Goods are great Ills to those that cannot use them:  
●isers mis-keep, and Prodigals mis-spend-them:  
hellhounds, to hasten toward Hell, abuse-them:  
●s Wings, to Heav'n-ward, heav'n-bent-Soules extend them.   

76  
Presumptuous Spirits spring not from right N●●●●y  
Courage, that comes from Pride, proves never true:  
Pride ruins hearts, whose Raiser is Humility:  
The humble Shepherd the proud Giant sl●w.   

77  
Pride glitters often under an humble Weed:  
Often lovely Names are given to loathed Effects;  
Men soothe them in the Cause, to ' excuse th' ill Deed:  
And blame Light, rather than then Sight's Defect.   

78  
A Prudent man is, for himself, sought-forth:  
He's more admired than what the World most vant●●  
Praises are due unto ones proper Worth:  
Not purest Gold adds Price to Diamonds.   

79  
The Humble, doth Others prize; himself depress▪  
Save against Pride he never bends his Brows:  
The more his Virtue mount●-him, counts-him lesle:  
God th' humble Sinner, not proud Just, allows.   

80  
O! Hypocrite, which hast but virtue's vail,  
Seem what thou art, and what thou seemest be:  
To hide thy Filth, all thy fig-leaves will fail:  
Thou canst not hide thee from thy God, nor Thee   

81  
Mock- Saints, whose Soul-weal on your Works you lay,  
●ith eyes & hands to Heaven, while heart's elsewhere:  
●or shame you durst not to the lest man say,  
●hat you (profane) dare whisper in God's ear.   

82  
Gold's fined in fire: Souls in Affliction better:  
●oths gnaw the Garment locked in the Chest:  
●ill water stinks, unwholesome, black, and bitter:  
●ords rust in Sheaths, and so do Souls in Rest.   

83  
Opening thy Soul to God, close Mouth from Men:  
●or let thy Thoughts roam from thy due Intent;  
●OD sees the hearts, his judgement soundeth them,  
●●d ●hem confounds whose Words & Deeds descent   

84  
Gamesters may well All to tomorrow post,  
●o see, or to be seen, th' have never leisure:  
●ith adverse Winds their Minds are ever ●ost;  
●●sse bringing Grief, more than the Gain brings Pleasure.   

85  
To shun Affairs, behoves exceeding heed:  
●roubles unsentfor, and unlookt-for, haste;  
onset, unsowen, too-early grows the Weed:  
●e meet toosoon the Care we hoped passed.   

86  
All Idleness, dis-natures Wit, dis-nerues-it;  
A moderate Travel makes it quick, addressed:  
Sloth quells and kills it; Exercise preserues-it:  
But, He's not Free that hath no time to rest.   

87  
Who seeketh Rest in troublous Managings,  
Thinks to found Calm amid Tempestuous Seas:  
The World & Rest are Two, two adverse things:  
Thick streams recleer when Storms & stir 〈◊〉   

88  
Fortune in Court, is fickle, apt to vary:  
Favours sort seldom to the Suitors mind:  
They many times even in the Port miscarry:  
The hotter Sun, the blacker shade they find.   

89  
Gifts, Honours, Office, Greatness, Grace of King's  
Are but the Ushers of Adversity:  
For their last mischief, have the Emmets wings:  
And height of Health betokens Sickness me.   

90  
Youth hath more Lures, more Traps, more 〈…〉  
Than Fouler Sins, or Baits the Fisherman:  
Age would, but cannot what it would, fulfil:  
Senex, thou leav'st not Sin: Sin leaves Thee, than.   

91  
●h'Eye tends to Beauty, as the Centre ofit:  
●r the Eyes, Heart and Affections draw:  
〈◊〉 hard to keep safe what so-many covet:  
〈◊〉 men's Desires Kings cannot keep in Awe.   

92  
Good or Ill-hap that here happens thee,  
●es from Opinion (which All-ruling seems).  
●ion makes us Other than we be:  
〈◊〉 not unhappy, who him happy deems.   

93  
from contrary Effects is form Sadness:  
●h Smoke & Smiles have made the Eyes to water.  
●o sow in Tears, shall one day reap in Gladness;  
●o sow in joys, shall reap Annoys hereafter.   

94  
●s leave out I, and Not, in Conversation:  
●rds now trans-posed, and wax-nosed, Both,  
ROME'S New Doctrine of Equivocation,  
●●ich gives a Lie the Credit of an Oath.   

95  
Friends, nowadays, wake at the noise of Gain.  
Bees to Flowers, as Crows to Carrion haste,  
Flies to Flesh, as Birds and Aunts to Grain;  
Friends to Profit thickly flock and fast.   

96  
Who reaves thine Honour, scoffs, if he pre●●●●  
TO have done thee favour, that thy life he left:  
Why should the Bird live, having lost her Pl●●●●?  
The rest is nothing whe● the Honour 's rest.   

97  
Little sufficeth Life, in th' un-delicious;  
The Sun for need may sometimes dress our Vi●  
I blame, alike, the Cynik and Apicius;  
This, for his tootoomuch; That's, tootoo- 〈◊〉   

98  
Too-oft is made too-ill Interpretation  
Of Words & Deeds best meant & built on Re●  
All's evil to the Evil, by Self-flation:  
Whence Bees their Honey, Spiders suck their Po●   

99  
Happy the People where just-gentle Prince-i●:  
Whose Sword is justice, and whose Shield is 〈◊〉  
For These Augustus Deified long-since-is:  
And without These, King's Sceptres maimed 〈◊〉   

100  
Good-hap, Good heart, Favour, and Labour 〈◊〉  
Bring Men to Richeses and to Honours here;  
But that's the Way about: To be born Great,  
Is great Advantage; Not to buy so dear.   
FINIS.   

HENRY THE GREAT, (The Fourth of that Name) LATE King of FRANCE & NAVARRE: HIS Trophies and Tragedy.  
Written By PIER MATHIEV.  
Translated, & Dedicated To the Right Honourable, WILLIAM Earl of Salisbury.  
By josuah Sylvester.   

To the Right Honourable WILLIAM CECIL, Earl of Salisbury.  

●Esides the Bonds which did most Vows engage  
To your dear Elders; and besides the Due  
Which to yourself might justly thence accrue;  
●apparant Virtues of Your April-age,  
●alleng'd of right This Poems Patronage:  
The rather, sith we first received from you,  
The speedy Notice (not less quick than true)  
HENRY'S Death, through Hell's dischained Rage.  
〈◊〉 saw this Sun, at his High-Noone-shine Set  
In sudden Cloud of his own Royal Blood.  
●O Horrid Hap! Who ever can forget  
●th Fate, such Hate; of one so Great, so Good:  
O! Just Revenge, root out th' Ignatian Pack,  
The Moules that moved in Faux and Ravaillac.   
jos. Syl.   

THE ●opheis of the Virtues and Fortune of HENRY the Great.  

●nce first Apollo lent the World his light,  
And Earth empregned with his heatfull might,  
●pe hath seen no Potentate, no Prince,  
Parallel Great HENRY's excellence.  
Term, no Time, his fresh Renown shall shed:  
●er was King more dear, never more dread.  
●hoenix of Kings, wonder of Christendom,  
●ing all past, and without Peer to come;  
Courage only matched His Clemency;  
〈◊〉 should his Tomb to These Two equal be,  
●h Spain & France, could not contain the same,  
●ich have so often seen his feats of Fame.  
●is Life's a lamp to Princes, and a line;  
trophy reared by Miracle divine:  
Theatre to all the Virtues built;  
goodly Garden with such plenty filled  
choicest fruits & flowers, that choosing, there  
boundance troubles more than Want elsewhere.   

The year that EDWARD in Great Britain died:  
That France (beyond the mountains) Spain de●●'d:  
That Therwin walls were thundered to the ground:  
That a fair flower our Royal Hymen Crowned:  
I'th' winter Solstice (wh●n the year is worn)  
Within Pau Castle This young▪ MARS was born.   

Born for the World's Good, as his Entrance  
Presaged him then the HERCULES of France;  
To readvance her Lilies long decayed:  
For as (by chance) barehead, abroad he played,  
At four years old, a Snake he finds & kills;  
At forty, foils the Hydra of our Ills.   

Nor was He bred in soft delicious wise  
(Which forms young Spirits into the form of Vice)  
His Grandsire used him to all Wethers Ire,  
His Sauce was Labour, Exercise his Fire,  
His noble Heart did never aught inflame,  
Save heavens desire, & th'Honour of the same.   

Scarce fourteen times had ●e beh●ld the birth  
Of th'happy Planet (which praesaged his Worth)  
Predominant in his Natitiall;  
When he become an Army's General,  
Whose hottest flame, without Him was but fume;  
Nor, but by Him, durst any good presume.   

He purchased Peace, the which eftsoons was stained  
●th His Friend's blood, & his young soul constrained  
〈◊〉 feign some Change of His Religion:  
Vinseine Castle He was seized upon,  
●d to the Court confined; where, discontent,  
●s Spirit droops, out of His Element.   

Escaped thence: with restless toil, He tends  
〈◊〉 save the Side of his Afflicted Fiend's;  
〈◊〉 peace again he bringeth all in ure:  
●d Mounsieurs death doth well his Hopes assure  
●f th'after Crown, who but between him stood;  
〈◊〉 now was He the first Prince of the Blood.   

Than from afar he doth new Storms descry,  
〈◊〉 threat his fortune, and his force to try:  
●e meets the danger with undaunted front,  
●d in four years bears ten brave Armies brunt,  
●l with the might of a great Monarch graced;  
●hereof, at Contras he defeats the last.   

At last, the King to extreme Straitss reduced,  
doubt of all, and daring none to trust,  
implores This Prince, who rescues him from Tours,  
●ith just Revenge; & had, yer many hours,  
〈◊〉- humbled Paris to her Prince's yoke,  
●t for Saint Clement's Paricidiall stro●ke.   

After which stroke (which all true Frenchmen ha●●  
France sadly falls in a most wretched state:  
Who hath lest Reason, hath most Insolence;  
Who hath most Power, hath lest Obedience.  
Nor Awe, nor Law; Disorder everywhere:  
Good, without hope, and Wicked without fear.   

Rebellion spaunes as fast as (in the Spring)  
Fruit-fretting vermin; it doth Discord bring  
In Families, dearth in Towns, death in Field:  
O! happy you who never deigned to yield  
Unto that Hag; but, Loyal to the Crown,  
Have left your Heirs, Heirs of a true renown.   

Who counts the Cares that on a Crown do wait,  
As well may number Autumns fruitful freight,  
And Flora's too. Yet this great spirit of man,  
'Mid th'ebbs and floods of This vast Ocean,  
Seems a tall Ship; which ma●gre Winds & Waves,  
In wished Haven her & her Burden saves.   

he's never idle, nor his Exercise  
Other than stands with princely offices:  
MARS, & DIANA, & CUPID wait on Him:  
Maugre his Loss, he always gains by Time.  
Unto Affairs his ears are open ay,  
Nor waits he lazying on his bed for day.   

●afts, Tigers, Torrents; not nor Lightning flies  
●e swift about, than This bold Eagle plies  
enid all perils) to preserve his State,  
●h Heed & Speed, from Rebel's Pride & Hate.  
●attells first, last in Retreats: in brief,  
Action, Soldier; in Direction, Chief.   

●iepe saw his Fortunes on a desperate Die:  
●e League presumed he needs must yield, or fly:  
〈◊〉, as a Brook the more we stop his Course,  
●aks down his Bay, and runs with swifter force,  
〈◊〉 foils his Foe● at Arques, and shows them plain,  
●hat Heavens just hand doth his dear Right sustain.   

'tis▪ buzzed in Paris, and believed in part,  
●hat he is taken; or constrained to start  
●om deep to Dover, to seek England's Aid;  
●nd, while Him coming Prisoner-wise, they said,  
●o the Bastile; He came and overcame  
●heir Suburbs soon, to their Suborners shame.   

Conquest attends Him, whether he encamps,  
●r marches on: again he takes Estampes:  
●izieux, Eureux, Man's, Meulan, Vandosme, Perch,  
●nd Honfleur, foremost in His Trophy march;  
●s earnest-pences of His recovered State,  
●nd Crown of Franc●, which well admits no Mate.   

Tiber and Iber then together flow  
(Too strong in wrong) his Right to overthrow▪  
There proudeth Power, Heer Prowess brighter shi●●●  
And daily shows us by a thousand Signs,  
How great Advantage a true Birthright brings  
(Against Usurpers) unto lawful Kings.   

In JURY Fields, he seems a Blazing Star;  
Seen in the Front of all his Host, afar:  
Majestic Fury in his Martial Face,  
The bravest Troops, doth in an instant Chase:  
And boldest Rebels, which the rest had led,  
Came Charging one way, and by forty Fled.   

Melun surrenders, to his Warlike Lot,  
Chartres is chastizd with his thundering Shot,  
Lowiers lies humbled at his Conquering Foot,  
Noyon lamenteth her Three Succours rout,  
Espernay yields her wholly to his hest,  
Dreux twice besieged, opens as the rest.   

The League that late so violently burned;  
To a Cold Fever now her Frenzy turned;  
And trusting still in Strange Physycians aid,  
Neglects her Cure till all her strength decayed:  
In dread of all, In doubt her own will quail;  
As a weak Ship afraid of every Sail.   

That (late) ACHILLES of the Spanish-Dutch,  
●uezean Parm● that achieved so much  
Anwerp's Siege, by matchless Stratagem;  
●d weaned the World had had no Peer to Him:  
●d here the heart, twice, to refuse to Fight;  
●d twice departed and bod none good-night.   

Fortune, for Him, no longer used her Wheel;  
●t, kind and constant, follows at his heel:  
●e's Happy every where, and over all  
●ring Palms and Laurels: only near A●male  
●murderous Bullet put him to some pain,  
●t hindered not His Rescue of his Train.   

Who weens to vanquish Him, makes Him invict;  
●lde to the Meek, to Proudlings stern and strict:  
●e loves the Laurels without blood be-sprent,  
Cruel Conquest He doth even lament.  
●is Thunder batters but Rebellious Walls:  
●nd who least fear him, on them first he falls.   

France, Self to slay, and her own Throat to Cut,  
●rms her own hands; & (in strange rage) doth put  
●he Knife to whet, in Spain's ambitious paws;  
●pain that would Spoil her Crowns primordial Laws,  
●nd would a Sceptre with a Distaff blind:  
●ut all in vain: The Lilies cannot Spin.   

Re-romanized, so (say They) Heaven conjures;  
His Errors at Saint Denis he abjures:  
This Change, in Court yet changed not one nor other;  
For, though his Subjects have not all one Mother,  
He holds them all his Sons, They him their Sire;  
And Christians all, all to one Heaven aspire.   

Within the Temple of The Mother-Maid,  
That bore her Son, her Sire, her God, her Aid,  
With Heav'n-sent Oil He is anointed King,  
Don's th' Order-Collar; and by every thing,  
To prove, in Him, Saint Lewis Faith and Zeal,  
The Sick he touches, and his Touch doth heal.   

By law of Arms, a City ta'en by Force,  
Should feel the Victor's rage, with small remorse;  
Paris so taken, is not treated so:  
Though well his justice might have razed low  
Those rebel Walls which bred and fed These Wars;  
To save the guilt-less, He the guilty spares.   

There, There's the Hope and Safety of His Side;  
If There he fail, then farewell all beside:  
The Spaniard therefore Thither speedy sends,  
A great strong Convoy to confirm His Friends.  
Which soon defeated, There began the End  
Of Civil Wars, and all to Union tend.   

The Honour of saving and restoring France,  
●s not alone due to His Valiance?  
His Clemency hath part; which lets him in  
To strooger Holds, than all his Arms could win:  
That, satisfied with Tears, makes from all parts,  
Repentant Rebels yield him up their Hearts.   

Lions, the Porter of one Part of France,  
Roven, that sees none like strong in Ordinance,  
Orleans, which England did undaunted prove,  
Marseillis, jealous of old Neptune's love,  
Aix, Bourges, Sens, Meaux, Poitiers, Troy, Thoulouse,  
And Reinss; of These, each to his Bounty bows.   

This gracious Prince excused the simpler sort,  
Whom (Malice-lesse,) blind Passions did transport,  
Against the Laws, with fury of the Time,  
Who self-affraid to fail in fouler Crime,  
Seduced by others sly seditious Lore,  
Followed (like Sheep) their Fellows strayed before.   

This heavenly-humane Clemency of His,  
Yet cannot shield Him from some Treacheries;  
One wounds him in the Mouth and breaks withal  
One of his Teeth, (OH Act unnatural!)  
And had not God in part put-by the blow,  
Even then in Paris had he perished so.   

But, having quenched the Civil Fires in France,  
'Gainst his ill Neighbours now his Arms advance;  
In Piedmont-Fields his Lilly-flowers he plants,  
Pills Bourgogn●e, and all Artois He daunts,  
And makes the great Castilian MARS to fly,  
With Fear within; without, with Infamy.   

Than, those great Warriors that had disobeyed  
(Whom not their Courage but their Cause betrayed  
Which came with shame and sorrow (as was meet)  
To cast their swords at his victorious Feet,  
Fearing his Rigour; He receives them (rather)  
With Kinglike grace, and kindness like a Father.   

Heaven daily works, for Him, some special Mira●●  
His Faith's an Altar, and his Word an Oracle:  
His greatest foes have never found him fail.  
And should Sincerity, in all men quail,  
Exiled from the World (as Moor from Spain)  
In This King's soul she had been found again.   

Spain by a train of many wiles well laid,  
Surpriseth Amiens, France is all afraid:  
The Spaniard, hence prouder than ever, swells,  
Undaunted HENRY Thence him soon repels,  
Regains his City, and constrains His foes,  
To beg their Peace, or to abide his blows.   

The Storms that long disturbed the state are vailed,  
●'ill Vapours now are from all hearts exhaled,  
●d France is now all French even all about:  
●ly the Breton stiffly yet stood out.  
●t, those white Ermines at the last must need,  
●th' only Scent of the fair Lilies feed.   

Old PHILIP longs to see the Waters calm,  
●ds all designs vain to supplant This Palm;  
●h the more shaken, it more fast doth grow:  
〈◊〉 seeketh Peace, the Pope solicits so,  
〈◊〉 doth treat it, Brussels swears it done,  
●nd PHILIP pleased departs the World anon.   

France yet retains one sensible Offence,  
●r which she vows Revenge or Recompense:  
among the Alpss her thundering Canons roar,  
●oud-browd 〈◊〉 flaunts & vaunts the more  
〈◊〉 stop her fury, but in fine is feign  
〈◊〉 rue her rashness and repent in vain.   

God hastens his own Work: This Monarch marries  
〈◊〉 lions Church, the choice, the Chief of Maries;  
●he heavens delight, our Lilies ornament:  
〈◊〉 in one heart two lovely Souls hath blended:  
●hence Peace is more confirmed, and Discord, dash:  
●r, by This knot many great Plots are quashed.   

At Fountainbleau (a Paradise for site)  
She brought him forth his Dolphin, his delight,  
Whose tender youth gives happy hopes of Worthy  
One Daughter also did she there bring forth,  
And two Sons more (Supporters of the Crown),  
Two daughters more, Paris for birth doth own.   

His Clemency hath conquered Rebels rage,  
Made of disloyal loyal Vaslalage;  
Yea forced Wills by Pardons and by Grace,  
The proof whereof is writ in every place;  
Through all the Towns of France both great & 〈◊〉  
Where, for Revenge, Reward was deigned to all;   

Once, only once, his Mercy admirable,  
Was deaf to Byron and inexorable;  
Sigh when he might, his bault despite would no●●  
I wonder not to see that Myrmidon,  
In the Bastile, a shameful death to bear:  
But This I wonder, that he would come there.   

Of factious spirits, of close deep hearts and 〈◊〉  
(Whose Life is strife, whose Rest is best in trouble)  
He knows the drifts, & know en dissolves the 〈◊〉  
As falst as fire melts Lead within the flame.  
His voice alone, as Dust cast up aloft,  
Breaks Hornets buzzing and their swarming, 〈…〉   

Discord disturbing holy Churches rest,  
betwixt Rome and Venice did debates suggest:  
ambition set in foot, fore-Iwald with hope,  
●o bridle both the S●nate and the Pope;  
●th priest to fight: His Prudence reconciled  
●heir Difference, and dad their minds remiled.   

He relished now the harmless Sweets of Peace,  
●illing his People should partake no less;  
●t yet somewhere be feels a Thorn to prick:  
●o pluck it out he arms and marches quick,  
●en to the Frontier: There 〈◊〉 his will,  
wisdom (so) fitly takes her Season still.   

You Nations, that for forty years have seen  
●ELLONA 's Tempests, & felt MARS his Teen;  
●hat for your Liberties have pawed your Lives:  
〈◊〉 freely now you joy your Wealth, your Wives:  
●now your Trades into the East you bring,  
●der heavens Kingdom) only thank This King.   

●hus heaped with Honours, This brave King is loathe  
●hat his bran Knights, 〈◊〉 by Sloth,  
●id Games & Damas', during so long a Peace,  
●●ould still lie still in cities pomp and ease:  
●herefore be 〈◊〉 an Army strongly dight,  
〈◊〉 Gulich's 〈◊〉 his wronged friends to right.   

A noble Prince, whose prows & Prudence, l●●●  
Buda admired, and Rome hath wondredat  
(The Honour of His Time) was General;  
So stored with Gold, with Guns, with Arms, with all,  
That neighbour Princes all were in alarm:  
Yet Them This Thunder brought more fear than harm.   

Fearless it marches; &, respectless, threats  
What— ever Log its ready Passage lets;  
Gesture and voice already skirmishing,  
And under Conduct of so brave a King,  
Great-britaines', Germans, Swissers, Belgians,  
Screw all the Greatness of the Crown of France.   

Elsewhere, the while, The Duke that rules the 〈◊〉  
Seemed t'have his heart no more beyond the Calpes;  
Brave noble heart, Saxonically-French.  
Fuentez, afraid, with shoulder-shrinking wrench,  
Doubts jest that Milan stoop to France again;  
And CHARLES provoked prove the Scourge of 〈◊〉   

Heavens now, to Crown his Trophies, had set down,  
That at Saint Denis he his Queen should Crown  
With royal Diadem; and in one Day  
The State, the Majesty of France display.  
Nothing but Great; but great Magnificence;  
But, MARY'S Grace excelled all Excellence.   


HEnce, hence false Pleasures, momentary joys;  
Mock us no more with your illuding Toys:  
●strange Mishap, hatched in Hell below,  
●th plunged us all in deepest Gulf of Woe,  
●●ught us, that all Worlds— hopes as Dreams do fly,  
●d made us all, Cry All is Vanity.   

Four hours from Noon, forth from the Lonure road  
●his mighty Prince (without his Guard) abroad,  
●o see His Arsenal: To his Caroche,  
〈◊〉 a straight Lane, a Hellhound durst approach;  
●nd with a Knife, twice stabbing, killed him quite,  
●urning that fairest Day to foulest Night.   

Twice did the Monster stab: for else, the first  
●nd not been mortal; but, the Knife, accursed,  
●hrilling his Lungs, cut at the second stroke  
●h' artereal vein, whose bloud-floud soon did choate  
●he peerless Prince; His dying Eyes & heart  
●●ploring Heaven, soon did his Soul departed.   

Fallen Tiger, tell us, tell us Why, or Whence,  
●hou durst (accursed) assault so Great a Prince?  
●herein had He to Thee or Thy done wrong?  
●hē once (yer this) Thou didst too near him throng▪  
●is Gardiner rebuked thee; but, He Them, for That:  
●aus'd That Thy Malice, & His Murderous fate?   

Fates ruthless Law allots his royal breast  
To die the death that CAESAR thought the best;  
Death without sense of death, a death so quick,  
It seldom leaves King's leisure to be sick;  
Nor gives Him leave of his sixth Decades date  
To fill the Roll; but seven six Months did bate.   

He, He that was the Hope, the Prop of His,  
He that restored France to what it is,  
He that confined the Power of Princes still,  
He that Commanded Victory, at will,  
That was the World's delight, King's glory sheen,  
He, He receives Death's treacherous stroke unseen.   

Th'unhappy street where This fell Hap felout,  
Where woeful Paris saw her Light put out,  
Where cursed Iron pierced her Prince's heart,  
In shall no more be cleped The Iron-mart:  
It shall be called The cursed Corner, still;  
The Hag-street, or The Hell-street: which you william.  
Lord! where wer● Thou! When That distoiall 〈◊〉  
With cruel hand did Thy Anointed reach;  
Quenching the Rays of Royal Majesty?  
No heart is hid from thine All-piercing Eye,  
It sees the Centre, knows the thoughts, yer thought;  
Can it see This, and suffer it be wrought?   

Hell often before, out of his black Abyss,  
●ad spewed up Monsters to have acted This:  
●ut, still thy hand from former wounds did ward.  
●nd had he not still trusted to Thy Guard,  
●is Own had waited Round about his Coach,  
●nd This fell Tiger never should approach.   

These Words, these rasher Words escaped my tongue;  
●hen I beheld That Monarch laid along  
●ead on his Bed; so dead, so butchered;  
yblamed Heavens, & Whispering soft, I said,  
because They stopped not This strange Hap before,  
●heir slumbering eyes now watch the World no more.   

But, are mine eyes mine own? Is This That Prince  
●hich might have made all Europa His, long since,  
●ad he not thought th'Empire of France enough;  
●hat Lion-heart, that Courage Cannon— proof,  
which did so often Impossibles atchicue?  
●ee 'tis He: yet scarce my sight believe.   

Is This That Mighty King, God's huely Image,  
●o whom the greatest in the World did Homage?  
〈◊〉 Peace a Dove, in War an Eagle quick,  
●ESTOR in Court, in Camp ACHILLES-like;  
●hat with a hundred horse, a thousand foiled:  
●hat from most Dangers never yet recoiled.   

Great Rome was strangely mazed and all a-mor●,  
When She beheld her CAESAR'S bloody shirt:  
And say, Great City, how wert Thou dismayed,  
When first thou saw'st Thy HENRY sadly laid  
Along his Coach, & covered with a Cloak?  
" I thought the Prop of all my Fortunes br●ak.   

Those that have seen in Towns surprised (while-yer)  
When to the Churches All have fled for fear,  
May well imagine Paris deep Affright.  
Nothing but shivering: Nobles armed bright,  
Clergy at Prayers, People weep and howl:  
And HENRY'S wound hath wounded every Soul.   

Paris in Honour of her peerless Queen,  
Had plotted Shows (more pompous never seen)  
As, rich to th'outward, rare to th'inward sense;  
But, all those Arches (Marks of Magnificence),  
Those Trophies, Terms, Statues, Colossuses, All,  
Make but more Mourners at the Funeral.   

I yield My Pencil: help APELLES, here,  
To Limn (to life) Her dying-living Cheer:  
Belief is hardly in Man's heart impressed,  
Her Grief more hard to be by Art expressed.  
Therefore o Queen! Great Stay, Great Star of Fr●●●●  
This Veil I draw before Thy Countenance.   

Heaven steeled Thy heart with Fortitude That Day,  
●hy Courage kept the Kingdom from Decay;  
●nd to the Throne Thy Son our Sovereign heft:  
●hough angry Fates of Father him bereft,  
●et Merciful, they left him such a Mother,  
●hat France could hardly have been ruled by other.   

The sudden Clap of This dread Thunder sounds,  
from Alexander's to Alcides Bounds:  
●he Kings and Princes stand amazed all,  
●ith horror of an Act so Tragical.  
●ome, Rest forsake: others, Repast forbear,  
●nd Each like Fortune to himself doth fear.   

So suddenly to see Day turned to Night,  
triumphant Palms, into Funereall Plight,  
The Royal Crown to a deep Mourning Vale,  
〈◊〉 living King, to a dead Corpse & pale,  
Our Flowers to Thorns; seem Tricks of Sorcery,  
Wherein, Conceit consents not with our Eye.   

Yes, He is dead: and his eyelids no more  
To view this Light shall open (as before);  
Those lovely Eyes, the Load-starrs of the Court,  
Whose gracious glances, on the Worthy sort,  
●aue Virtue vigour; and Whose awful frown  
Dis-dared Vice: are now Eclipsed and down.   

Where are those ready Battaile-ranging Hands?  
Those lightning Eyes whose wrath no wall with. stands  
That Voice so dreadful to the stoutest hearts?  
That Heart which wrought so many wondrous parts  
That piercing Wit, dispersing Clouds of Doubt?  
Where is that mighty King, so Famed about?   

Inexorable Death! inhuman, cruel,  
Thou shalt no more rea●e us so rare a jewel;  
Nature hath broke the Mould she made Him in.  
In all thy Triumph (trailing every Kin)  
Shall never march His March, nor worthier Prince,  
T'have been exempted from thine Insolence.   

Ah! poor, weak Virtue, zealous Love of Thee,  
Prolongs not Life, protracts not Death (I see):  
This Prince that gave Thee even his heart for Temple  
This Prince whose Reign shall serve for rare Exempl●  
To future Kings, in future Things dismayed,  
Should have come sooner, or have later stayed.   

His Piety, was neither Fond, nor Feigned;  
His Prowess, neither Fear, not Rashness stained;  
His Prudence cleared his councils, steered his State;  
His Temperance his Wrath did temperate;  
His justice with his Clemency did Yoke:  
Yet could not All free Him from Fatal stroke.   

●nuincible in all: only, the Dar●s,  
●hich have not spared the Gods immortal hearts,  
●ue often battered His: but, by your leaves,  
〈◊〉 fairest Beauties! (Beauty itself deceives)  
●on never were the Soverains of his breast:  
●e You (perhaps) You never Him possessed.   

●lu Arms-Art, what He knew not, none can know't,  
〈◊〉 either attempt what He attempted not,  
●eason was ay the Aim of His designs;  
●is brave Exploits (worthy immortal lines)  
●all furnish Theme to Thousand learned Clarks.  
●hose Works shall Honour Him, He more their Warks   

His Royal Gests are everywhere extolled,  
●rauen, Carved, Cast, in Marble, Wood, & Gold;  
●is Life alone's an History admired,  
●herein all Pens, all pencils shall be tired.  
〈◊〉 portraying all His valiant Feats to-forn,  
●hose Tables ever shall all Courts adorn.   

His Bounty's Temple had a hard Access.  
Not known to any but to Worthiness:  
That Gate (indeed) did seldom open quick.  
His Liberality, (coy Bewty-like)  
●ou'd to be wooed, priest, and importuned still;  
Yea, forced to give, what glad and feign she william.   

Yet, by th' effects to weigh his Clemency,  
Me thinks His Heart must more than human be,  
Methinks therein some higher Power did shine,  
It surely seemed celestial and divine,  
And but I saw him dying, pale and wan,  
I could have scarce believed This Prince a Man.   

He ever loved rather to save then spill,  
Not cementing his Throne with Blood, with Ill;  
Nor weened, by Fear his Diadem assured;  
With mildness rather, grieved minds he cured:  
His Memory did never wrongs retain;  
Beloved Kings, He thought, securest reign.   

Praise you his Bounty, you that, past the Poles,  
Bear heavens Embassage to Belief— lesle Souls:  
HENRY restored your Country, and your Credit,  
He gave you leave over all France to spread it;  
Restored you Bizance, and each pleasant part,  
Left you his Court, bequeathed to you his Heart.   

If France now flourish, pruning, round about,  
Olives within, and Laurels all without,  
If now, She give the Law to other States,  
If Peace and Plenty reign within her Gates,  
If now She fear no Civil Storms again,  
These are the fruits of This Great HENRY's Reign   

If now Her Schools with learned men abound,  
〈◊〉 Her rare wits be through the World renowned,  
〈◊〉 doubts of Faith be cleared and explored,  
〈◊〉 Learning be to her due Place restored,  
〈◊〉 now Desert the Charge in Church attain,  
●hese are the Fruits of This Great HENRY's Reign.   

If now her Buildings pass for beauty far  
●he World's old Wonders (which so famous are)  
〈◊〉 Paris Thou be peerless to behold,  
●or State, for Store, for People, Goods, & Gold,  
●f in thy City, Cities sprout again,  
●hese are the Fruits of This Great HENRY's Reign.   

If the French Sceptre be now Self-entire,  
●ear-less of Foreign or Domestic fire:  
●f France have Fellows of Achilles' Fame;  
●f now in France be nothing out of frame,  
●f now the Indieses her Bastile contain;  
●hese are the Fruits of this Great HENRY's Reign.   

If now we joy to see our Country free  
●rom Theenes and Rebels (which exiled be):  
●f justice now do keep the lewd in awe,  
●f Desperate Duels be now curbed by Law,  
●f now the Weak weigh not the Strongs' disdain,  
These are the Fruits of This Great HENRY's Reign.   

If Merchants rich, If Magistrates be sound,  
If Officers like Emperors abound,  
If Pursy Lawyers live Princelike at home,  
If now Inventions to their height be come,  
If now good wits found where them to sustains,  
These are the fruits of This Great HENRY's Reign   

Who loved not Him, never beheld his brows,  
Who knew his Fortunes, must admire his prows,  
Who feared him not, His greatness did offend,  
Who weaned Him to beguile, his Wisdom kend:  
Who durst displease Him, knew his mercy's store;  
Who durst not speak, his mildness did ignore.   

Who waileth not his Death, knew not his Life,  
Glory of His and Others Envy rife,  
Incomparable, Admirable Prince,  
Excelling all th' old Heroes' Excellence.  
For, His true Story shall their Fables shame:  
Inin●table Life, Illimitable Fame.   

OH Frenchmen, stop not yet your weeping flood:  
This Prince for you hath lavished often his blood.  
O! be not niggards of your Tears expense,  
(vail here, my Verse, do ANNE a reverence;  
Rare ANNE that shames the rarest wits of Ours,  
Her divine Stances furnish theethese Flowers).   

The Heavens may give us all Prosperities,  
estain our State, remove our miseries;  
〈◊〉 cannot dry up our Tears bitter stream:  
〈◊〉 extreme Evils remedies extreme.  
●●store our King, quick shall our joys recover:  
〈◊〉, never look our Sorrows should give-over.   

Eech-where our Grief finds matter to augment it,  
〈◊〉 Names remembrance doth each-where present it,  
〈◊〉 famous Gests do busy every Sort,  
●me tell his Wars, others his Works report.  
uther's his Favours past, glad-sad deplore;  
●en, not to monrn, is not to mind Him more.   

Ah! must we live, and see so sudden dead  
●e Life that late our Lives inspirited?  
●ike sail my Soul, let's put-into the Port,  
●hile HENRY lived 'twas good to live (in sort):  
●t let us after: sith he's reft of breath,  
●●sire of Life is now far worse than Death.   

Sorrow, with us doth both lie-downe and rise,  
●rinkles our Brows, withers our Cheeks & Bees:  
●e shun whatever might our Griefs alloy,  
●e wish the Night, w' are weary of the Day,  
●ight brings sad Silence with her horrid Shade,  
●nd even her Colour seems for Mourning made.   

Extremest Woes yet are with Time o'erpast,  
Rivers of Tears are dryed-up at last:  
But never Ours; Ours, ever fresh shall flow:  
We defy Comforts, We'll admit no more,  
Nor seek them, but as Alchemy profound  
Seeks that which is not, or which is not found   

Who, from the Ocean, Motion can recall,  
Heat from Fire, Voided from Air, Order from All,  
From Lines their Points, from IRIS all her dyes,  
Perils from Seas, from Number's Unities,  
Shadows from Bodies, Angles from the Square,  
May free our Hearts from Grief, our Minds from (C●   

He must be heartless that is smartles found:  
The Soul that is not wounded with This wound,  
Most brutish, hath no human Reason in't:  
There is no breast of Steel, no heart of Flint,  
But must bemoan so great a King, so slain.  
Who would not wail a Galleyslave so ta'en?   

Let us no more name HENRY●S, Kings of Fr●●●●  
Death with two Knives, & with one shivered Lance,  
Hath killed Three HENRYS: one at jousts (in jest);  
Th'other in's Closet; in's Caroche, the best:  
So, Three King RICHARDS, & Five Other, cry,  
Some fatal Secret in some Names doth lie.   

●hat worse Disaster can you have behind,  
threaten France? OH Destinies unkind!  
●t greater Mischief can your Malice bring?  
●ood a Father reft, so great a King?  
●t will you more? sith we no more can hope  
any Good that with This Ill may cope.   

●his noble Spirit doth to his Spring re-mount,  
●s Bounty's Flood retireth to his Fount,  
●s Atomie to's Unity unites,  
●s Star returns to the first Light of Lights,  
●s Ray reverts where first it light did take,  
●l mortal wounds, This Prince immortal make.   

●e-well sole Honour of all earthly Kings,  
●e-well rare Prince for All-kinde Managings,  
●e-well Great HENRY, heavens & Nature's Gem,  
●e-well bright Star of Kings, Glories great Beam,  
●e-well sole Mortal that I keep in mind:  
●e-well false Hope, Fortune, & Court unkind.   

●eer, jest Oblivion should usurp her room,  
●ME writes in Gold, These Lines upon thy tomb.  
●his Prince, un-peerd for Clemency and Courage  
●ly Surnamed, the Great, the Good, the Wise,  
aror of Future, Miracle of Fore-Age;  
●short Mishap forever Happi●ies.    
FINIS.