THE CANTICLES, OR SONG OF SOLOMON, Reduced into a Decasyllable: Together, with the Song of MOSES In Meeter.
By R. K.
Printed in the yeare 1662.
To the Right Honourable, and my ever most Honoured Lady, the Lady DIANA Countesse of HOLLAND.
AS Providence, Right Honourable, made you Inheretrix of so Princelike a Mansion, as few of your Sex have ever been superior therein; so are you hardly to be parallel'd in those more estimable possessions treasur'd up in your mind, being as well familiar with other Tougues, as the owning Orator of that harmonious Lutetian Language, in the voluble, and elegant pronuntiation whereof so to be admired, and in all other gifts and endowments both of body and mind so transcendent, as if Urania seem'd onely in your person and presence to erect a second Parnassus for her learned sisters. But amongst your Honours matchlesse vertues, that of your Modesty, together with my owne insufficiency, would disallow the expatiating in a Panegyricall addresse; I shall therefore decline further prayses, which not to seeme flatteries where you are not knowne, would doubtlesse be thought detractions where you are. An obligation (most Honour'd Madam) under which a great and undeserved favour from your honour, having brought mee long since, (not only after my septennian travels, and returne into the Land of my nativity) in then admitting mee a servant in your most Noble Family and [Page] House of Kinsington, but also commending mee afterward as Secretary to King James (of Famous Memory) his Embassadour. And therefore being ignorant how I might give testimony of my bounden duty, I took upon mee the boldnesse to devote these few lines, onely to manifest I had a desire (though unable) to make expressions of a due engagement, and so be delivered of that most pregnant conception of my devoted service; not doubting but as the Persian Monarch kindly accepted the poore mans handfull of water, so your Honour will likewise admit this mite into the treasury of your Noble acceptation. As it hath pleased our Gracious God to give you patience (that precious and powerfull Panoplie) in all troubles, not onely in the most injurious deprivation of goods and lands, but also in the Martyrdome of the nearest relation: so that there may be, as with holy Job, a double restitution; as also that all the blessings on mount Gerizim in this life, and in the next all the blessings that Christ preached on the Mount, may be multiplyed in your Honourable Person and Posterity, shall be the daily prayers of
To the Reader.
IF any wonder at my presumption in publishing these lines, especially at such a time wherein so many learn'd productiōs are set forth, and so little regarded: I wish them to understand that I was induced hereunto by some, not of the meanest Quality, either for Vertue or Learning: and though for many late yeares we have heard the voyce as of Haddarimmon in the vallye of Megiddo, nothing but Lamentation and mourning in our Streets, we now (blessed be God) have cause to celebrate our deliverance in Songs of thanksgiving. Wherefore I have reduc'd into this Form of a Decasyllable, the Song of Solomon: The Subject as it proceeds from Royall (rather Divine) Authority, so it is no less Musicall, and therefore were it overmuch Boldness in me to deviate from the text: Wherefore so near as I could, I confind my self to the words themselves, as by a Comparative Perusall will appear. Else happily the Verse (as more delightfull to Curiosity) might have been invested in some Richer habit, and so Marched out in a more Poeticall Posture then now it seemeth to do. How any shall value the ensuing Lines I am Ignorant, though my Conscience beares me witness in these weak Endeavours, my only Aime was at Gods Glory, for that not seldome a verse moves such Delight and Attention as otherwise were not so easily obtain'd in the opinion of