GIrt in bright flames, rapt frō celestiall fire,
That our vnwearied faculties refine,
By zeale transported boldly we aspire
To sing a subiect gloriouslie diuine:
Him that of mortalls only had the grace,
(On whō the Spirit did in such power descend)
To talke with God face opposite to face,
Euen as a man with his familiar frend.
Muse I inuoke the vtmost of thy might,
That with an armed and auspitious wing,
Thou be obsequious in his doubtlesse right
Gainst the vile Athiests vituperious sting:
Where thou that gate industriously mai'st flie,
Which Nature striues but fainedlie to goe,
Borne by a power so eminent and hie,
As in his course leaues reason farre belowe,
To shew how Poesie (simplie hath her praise)
That from full
Joue takes her celestiall birth,
And quicke as fire, her glorious selfe can raise
Aboue this base and euitable earth.
O if that
Time haue happily reseru'd,
(Besides that sacred and canonicke writ,
What once in slates & barks of trees was keru'd)
Thing that our
Muses grauitie may sit,
Vnclasp the worlds great Register to mee,
That smokie rust hath verie neere defac'd,
That I in those dim Characters may see,
From common eyes that hath aside beene cast.
And thou Translator of that faithfull Muse
This ALLS creation that diuinely song,
Bartas.
From Courtly
French (no trauaile do'st refuse)
To make him Maister of thy
Genuin tong,
Salust to thee and
Siluester thy frend,
Comes my high Poem peaceable and chaste,
Your hallow'd labours humblie to attend
That wrackfull
Time shall not haue power to waste.
A gallant Hebrew (in the height of life)
Amram a Leuite honourablie bred,
Of the same offspring wan a beautious wife,
And no lesse vertuous, goodly
Jacobed:
So fitlie pair'd that (without all ostent)
Euen of the wise it hardly could be said
Which of the two was most preheminent,
Or he more honour'd, or she more obayd,
In both was found that liuelihood and meetnes,
By which affection any way was mou'd:
In him that shape, in her there was that sweetnes,
Might make him lik'd or her to be belou'd:
As this commixtion, so their maried mind
Their good corrected, or their ill releeu'd,
As trulie louing as discreetlie kinde,
Mutuallie ioy'd, as mutuallie greeu'd:
Their nuptiall bed by abstinence maintain'd,
Yet still gaue fewell to Loues sacred fire,
And when fruition plentifulli'st gain'd,
Yet were they chaste in fulnes of desire.
Now grieued
Jsrael manie a wofull day,
That at their vile seruilitie repin'd,
Press'd with the burdens of rude boist'rous clay,
By sterne Egyptian tyrannie assign'd:
Yet still the more the Hebrewes are opprest
Like the Frim seede they fructifie the more
That by th'eternall prouidence fore-blest,
Goshen giues roomth but scantly to their store.
And the wise Midwiues in their naturall neede,
That the faire males immediatly should kill,
Hating s'abhord, and Heathenish a deede,
Check his harsh brutenes and rebellious will
That small effect perceauing by the same,
Bids the men-children (greatly that abound)
After that day into the world that came,
Vpon their birth should instantly be drownd.
And now the time come had bin long foretold,
He should be borne vnto the Hebrewes ioy,
Iosephus
de. Ant. Iud.
VVhose puissant hand such fatall power should hold,
As in short time all
Egipt should destroy.
The execution which more strongly forc'd,
And euery where so generally done,
As in small time vnnaturally diuorc'd,
Many a deare Mother and as deare a sonne.
Though her chast bosom that faire Altar weare,
Where Loues pure vowes he dutifully pay'd,
His Armes to her a Sanctuarie deare,
Yet they so much his tyrannie obay'd,
By free consent to separate their bed,
Better at all no Children yet to haue,
Thā their deare loue should procreate the dead,
Vntimely issue for a timelesse graue.
When in a vision whil'st he slept by night,
God bids him so not
Jacobed to leaue,
The man that
Egipt did so much affright,
Her pregnant womb should happily conceaue.
Soone after finding that she was with child,
The same conceales by all the meanes she can,
Lest by th'apparance she might be beguild,
If in the birth it prou'd to be a man.
The time she goes till her accompt was nie,
Her swelling bellie no conception showes,
Nor at the time of her deliuerie,
Ioseph.
As other women panged in her throwes.
Whē lo the faire fruit of that prospering wombe
Wounds the kinde parents in their prime of ioy,
VVhose birth pronounceth his too timelesse doombe
Accus'd by Nature, forming it a boy:
Yet tis so sweet, so amiably faire,
That their pleas'd eies with rapture it behold,
The glad-sad parents full of ioy and care
Faine would reserue their Infant if they could,
And still they tempt the sundrie varying howers,
Hopes and despaires together strangely mixt,
Distasting sweets with many cordiall sowers,
Opposed interchangeably betwixt.
If ought it ayl'd or hapleslie it cride,
Vnheard of any that she might it keepe,
With one short breath she did intreate & chide,
And in a moment she did sing and weepe.
Three lab'ring monthes them flatterer-like beguild,
And danger still redoubling as it lasts,
Suspecting most the safety of the Child,
Thus the kinde Mother carefully forecasts:
(For at three monthes a scrutinie was held,
And serchers then sent euery where about,
That in that time if any were conceal'd,
They should make proofe & straitly bring them out.
To
Pharoes will she awfullie must bowe,
And therefore hastens to abridge these feares,
And to the flood determines it shall goe,
Yet e're it went shee'll drowne it with her teares.
This afternoone Loue bids a little stay,
And yet these pauses doe but lengthen sorrowe,
But for one night although she make delay,
She vowes to goe vnto his death to morrowe.
The morning come, it is too early yet,
The day so fast not hast'ning on his date,
The gloomie Euening murther best doth fit,
The Euening come and then it is too late.
Her prettie Infant lying on her lap
With his sweet eies her thretning rage beguiles,
For yet he playes, and dallies with his pap,
To mocke her sorrowes with his am'rous smiles,
And laugh'd, & chuck'd, & spred the prety hands
When her full hart was at the point to breake,
(This little Creature yet not vnderstands
The woful language mothers teares did speake.)
Wherewith surpriz'd and with a parents loue,
From his faire eies she doth fresh courage take,
And Natures lawes alowing doth reproue,
The fraile Edicts that mortall Princes make.
It shal not die, she'll keepe her Child vnknowne
And come the worst in spight of
Pharoes rage,
As it is hers, she will dispose her owne,
And if't must, it'st die at riper age.
And thus reuoluing of her frailties care,
A thousand strāge thoughts throug her troubled minde,
Sounding the dangers deeply what they are,
Betwixt the lawes of crueltie and kinde.
But it must die, and better yet to part,
Since preordain'd to this disast'rous fate,
His want will sit the neerer to the hart
In riper and more flourishing estate.
The perfect husband whose impressiue soule,
Tooke true proportion of each pensiue throw,
Yet had such power his passion to controule,
As not the same immediatly to show.
With carriage full of comlines and grace,
As griefe not felt nor sorrowe seem'd to lacke,
Courage and feare so temp'red in his face,
Thus his beloued
Jacobed bespake.
Dere hart be patient, stay these timelesse teares,
Death of thy Son shal neuer quite bereaue thee,
My soule with thine, that equall burthen beares,
As what he takes, my Loue again shal giue thee:
For
Jsraels sinne if
Jsraels seed must suffer,
And we of meere necessitie must leaue him,
Please yet to grace me with this gentle offer,
Giue him to me by whō thou didst cōceaue him.
So though thou with so deare a iewell part,
This yet remaineth lastly to relieue thee,
Thou hast impos'd this hind'rance on my hart,
Anothers losse shal need the lesse to grieue thee,
Nor are we Hebrewes abiect by our name,
Though thus in
Egipt hatefully despised,
That we that blessing fruitleslie should claime
Once in that holy Couenant comprised,
It is not fit Mortalitie should knowe
What his eternall prouidence decreed,
That vnto
Abraham ratifi'd the vowe
In happie
Sara and her hallowed seed,
Nor shall the wrong to godly
Joseph done
In his remembrance euer be enrould,
By
Iacobs sighes for his lost little sonne
A Captiu'd slaue to the Egiptians soul'd:
Reason sets limmets to the longest griefe,
Sorrowe scarse past when comfort is returning,
He sends affliction that can lend reliefe,
Best that is pleas'd with measure in our mourning.
Lost in her selfe, her spirits are so distracted,
All hopes dissolu'd might fortifie her further,
Her minde seemes now of miserie compacted,
That must consent vnto so deere a murther.
Of slime and twigs she makes a simple shread
(The poore last dutie to her Childe she owes
This prettie martyr, this yet liuing dead)
Wherein shee doth his little corps enclose:
And meanes to beare it presently away,
And in some water secretly bestowe it,
But yet a while bethinks her selfe to stay,
Some little kindnes she doth further owe it:
Nor will she in this crueltie perseuer,
That by her meanes his timelesse blood be spilt,
If of her owne she doth her selfe deliuer,
Let others hands be nocent of the guilt:
Yet if she keepe it from the ruthlesse flood
That is by
Pharo's tyrannie assign'd it,
What bootes that wretched miserable good,
If so dispos'd where none do come to finde it,
For better yet the Homicyde should kill it,
Or by some beast in peeces to be rent,
Than lingering famine cruellie should spill it
That it endure a double languishment:
And neighbouring neere to the
Egiptian Court,
She knowes a place that neere the riuer side
Was oft frequented by the worthier sort,
For now the spring was newly in her pride.
Thither she hasts but with a painfull speede
The nearest way she possibly could get,
And by the cleare brim mongst the flags & reede,
Her little Coffin carefully she set:
Her little Girle (the Mother following neere)
As of her Brother that her leaue would take,
Which the sad woman vnexpecting there,
Yet it to helpe her kindly thus bespake:
(Quoth she) sweet
Miriam secretly attend,
And for his death see who approcheth hether,
That once for all assured of his end,
His dayes and mine be consummate together,
It is some comfort to a wretch to die
(If there be comfort in the way of death)
To haue some friend or kinde Alliance by,
To be officious at the parting breath:
Thus she departs, oft stayes, oft turneth back,
Looking about lest any one espi'd her,
Faine would she leaue, that leauing she doth lack,
That in this sort so strangely doth diuide her.
Vnto what Dame (participating kinde)
My verse her sad perplexitie shall showe,
That in a softned and relenting minde
Findes not a true tuch of that Mothers woe.
Yet all this while full quietly it slept,
(Poore little Brat incapable of care)
Which by that powerfull prouidence is kept,
Who doth this childe for better daies prepare.
See here an abiect vtterly forlorne,
Left to destruction as a violent pray,
Whom man might iudge accursed to be borne,
To darke obliuion moulded vp in clay,
That man of might in after times should bee
(The bounds of fraile mortality that brake)
Which that Almighty gloriously should see,
When he in thunder on mount
Sina spake.
Now
Pharo's Daughter
Termuth young and faire,
With such choyce Maydens as she fauour'd most,
Needes would abroade to take the gentle ayre,
Whilst the rich yeere his braueries seem'd to boast:
Softly she walkes downe to the secret flood,
Through the calme shades most peaceable & quiet,
In the coole streames to check the pampred blood,
Stir'd with strong youth and their delicious diet;
Such as the Princesse, such the day addressed,
As though prouided equally to paire her,
Either in other fortunatly blessed
Shee by the day, the day by her made fairer,
Both in the height and fulnes of their pleasure,
As to them both some future good diuining,
Holding a steadie an accomplish'd measure,
This in her perfect clearenes, that in shining.
The very aire to emulate her meekenes,
Stroue to be bright and peaceable as she,
That it grewe iealous of that sodaine sleekenes,
Fearing it after otherwise might be:
And if the fleet winde by some rigorous gale
Seem'd to be mou'd, and patiently to chide her,
It was as angrie with her lawnie vaile,
That from his sight it enuiouslie should hide her:
And now approching to the flow'rie meade
Where the rich Sommer curiouslie had dight her,
Which seem'd in all her iollitie arayde,
With Natures cost and pleasures to delight her:
See this most blessed, this vnusuall hap,
Shee the small basket sooner should espie,
That the Childe wak'd, and missing of his pap,
As for her succour instantly did crie;
Forth of the flagges she caus'd it to be taken,
Calling her Maids this Orphanet to see,
Much did shee ioy an Innocent forsaken
By her from perill priuiledg'd might bee:
This most sweete Princesse pittifull and milde,
Soone on her knee vnswathes it as her owne,
Found for a man, so beautifull a Childe,
Might for an Hebrew easily be knowne:
Noting the care in dressing it bestow'd,
Each thing that fitted gentlenes to weare,
Iudg'd the sad parents this lost Infant ow'd,
Were as invulgar as their fruit was faire,
(Saith shee) my minde not any way suggests
An vnchaste wombe these lineaments that bred,
For thy faire browe apparently contests
The currant stampe of a cleane nuptiall bed:
She nam'd it
Moyses which in time might tell
(For names doe many mysteries expound)
When it was young the chaunce that it befell,
How by the water strangely it was found,
Calling Melch-women that Egyptians were,
Once to the teat his lips he would not lay,
As though offended with their sullied leare,
Seeming as still to turne his head away:
The little Girle that neere at hand did lurke
(Thinking this while she taried but too long)
Finding these things so happily to worke,
Kindly being crafty, wise as she was yong,
Madame (saith she) wilt please you I prouide
A Nurse to breed the Infant you did finde,
There is an Hebrew dwelling here beside,
I know can doe it fitly to your minde:
For a right Hebrew if the Infant bee,
(As well produce you instances I can,
And by this Childe as partly you may see,)
It will not suck of an
Egiptian,
The curteous Princesse offered now so faire,
That which before she earnestly desir'd
That of her foundling had a speciall care,
The Girle to fetch her instantly requir'd.
Away the Girle goes, doth her Mother tell
What fauor God had to her brother showne,
And what else in this accident befell,
That she might now be Nurse vnto her owne.
Little it bootes to bid the wench to ply her,
Nor the kinde Mother hearken to her sonne,
Nor to prouoke her to the place to hie her,
Which seem'd not now on earthly feete to runne:
Slowe to her selfe yet hasting as she flewe,
(So fast affection forward did her beare)
As though forewafted with the breath she drewe,
Borne by the force of nature and of feare,
Little the time, and little is the way,
And for her busines eithers speede doth craue,
Yet in her hast bethinkes her what to say,
And how her selfe in presence to behaue,
Slack shee'll not seeme lest to anothers trust
Her hopefull charge were happily directed,
Nor yet too forward shew her selfe she must,
Lest her sweet fraud thereby might be suspected;
Com'n she doth bowe her humbly to the ground,
And euery ioynt incessantly doth tremble,
Gladnes and feare each other so confound,
So hard a thing for Mothers to dissemble.
Saith this sweet
Termuth well I like thy beautie,
Nurse me this Childe (if it thy state behooue)
Although a Prince ile not enforce thy dutie,
But pay thy labour, and reward thy loue:
Though euen as Gods is
Pharo's high command,
And as strong Nature so precise and strict,
There rests that power yet in a Princesse hand,
Too free on Hebrew from this strong edict:
That shall in rich abilliments bedight,
Deck'd in the Iems that admirabl'st shine,
Wearing our owne roabe gracious in our sight,
Free in our Court, and nourished for mine:
Loue him deare Hebrew as he were thine owne,
Good Nurse be carefull of my little Boy,
In this to vs thy kindnes may be showne,
Some Mothers griefe, is now a Maydens ioy.
This while all mute the poore astonish'd Mother,
With admiration as transpearced stood,
One bursting ioy doth so confound another,
Passion so powerfull in her rauish'd blood.
Whisp'ring some soft words which deliuered were,
As rather seem'd her silence to impart,
And being inforc'd from bashfulnes and feare,
Came as true tokens of a gracefull hart.
Thus she departs her husband to content,
With this deare present back to him she brought,
Making the time short, telling each euent,
In all shapes ioy presented to her thought.
Yet still his manly modestie was such
(That his affections strongly so controlde,)
As if ioy seem'd his manly hart to touch,
It was her ioy and gladnes to beholde:
When all reioyc'd vnmou'd thereat the whiles,
In his graue face such constancie appeares,
As now scarse shewing comfort in his smiles,
Nor then reuealing sorrowe in his teares:
Yet oft beheld it with that stedfast eye,
Which though it sdain'd the pleasdnes to confesse,
More in his lookes in fulnes there did lie,
Than all their words could any way expresse.
In time the Princesse playing with the Child,
Iosephus Pet. Comestor.
In whom she seem'd her chiefe delight to take,
With whom she oft the wearie time beguild,
That as her ownë did of this Hebrew make:
It so fell out as
Pharo was in place,
Seeing his daughter in the Childe to ioy,
To please the Princesse, and to doe it grace,
Himselfe vouchsafes to entertaine the Boy:
Whose shape and beautie when he did behould
With much content his Princely eye that fed,
Giuing to please it, any thing it would,
Set his rich Crowne vpon the Infants head,
With this weake Childe regarding not at all
(As such a Babie careleslie is meete)
Vnto the ground the Diadem let fall
Spurning it from him with neglectfull feete.
Which as the Priests beheld this omenous thing
(That else had past vnnoted as a toy.)
As from their skill report vnto the King,
This was the man that
Egipt should destroy.
Tolde by the
magi that were learn'd and wise,
Which might full well the iealous King enflame,
Said by th'
Egiptian auncient prophecies
That might giue credite easlier to the same.
She as discreete as she was chaste and faire,
With Princely gesture and with count'nance milde
By things that hurtfull and most dangerous were
Showes to the King the weakenes of the Childe:
Hot burning coales doth to his mouth present,
Which he to handle simply doth not sticke,
This little foole, this retchlesse Innocent
The burning gleed with his soft tongue doth licke:
Which though in
Pharo her desire it wrought,
His babish imbecilitie to see,
To the Childes speach impediment it brought,
From which he after neuer could be free.
The Childe grew vp, when in his manly face
Beautie was seene in an vnusuall cheere,
Such mixtures sweet of comlines and grace
Likely apparell'd in complexion cleere.
The part of earth contends with that of Heauen,
Both in their proper puritie excelling,
To whether more preheminence was giuen,
Which should excell the dweller or the dwelling.
Mens vsuall stature he did farre exceede,
And euery part proportioned so well,
The more the eye vpon his shape did feede
The more it long'd vpon the same to dwell:
Each ioynt such perfect Harmonie did beare,
That eurious iudgement taking any lim
Searching might misse to match it any where,
Nature so fail'd in paralelling him:
His haire bright yellowe, on an arched browe
Sate all the beauties kinde could euer frame,
And did them there so orderly bestowe,
As such a seate of maiestie became.
As time made perfect each exteriour part,
So still his honour with his yeeres encreas'd,
That he sate Lord in many a tender hart,
With such high fauours his faire youth was bless'd.
So fell it out that
Aethiop warre began,
Inuading
Egipt with their Armed powers,
And taking spoiles, the Country ouer-ran
To where as
Memphis vaunts her climing Towers.
Wherefore they with their Oracles conferre
About th'euent, which doo this answere make,
That if they would transport this ciuill warre,
They to their Captaine must an Hebrew take.
And for faire
Moyses happily was growne
Of so great towardnes and especiall hope,
Him they doe choose as absolutest knowne
To leade their power against the
Aethiope.
Which they of
Termuth hardly can obtaine,
Though on their Altars by their Gods they vowe
Him to deliuer safe to her againe,
(Once the warre ended) safe as he was now.
Who for the way the Armie was to passe,
That by th'
Egiptians onely was intended,
Most part by water, more prolixious was
Than present perill any whit commended:
To intercept the
Aethtopians wrought
A way farre nearer who their Legions led,
Which till that time impassible was thought,
Such store of serpents in that place was bred:
Deuis'd by birds this danger to eschewe,
Whereof in
Egipt be exceeding store,
The Storke, and
Ibis, which he wisely knewe,
All kinds of Serpents naturally abhore.
Which he in Baskets of
Egiptian reede,
Borne with his caridge easely doth conuay,
And where incampeth sets them forth to feede,
Which driue the Serpents presently away.
Thus them preuenting by this subtill course,
That all their succour sodainly bereft,
When
Aethiop flies before th'
Egiptian force,
Shut vp in
Saba their last refuge left.
Which whilst with strait siedge they beleagred long,
The Kings faire Daughter haps him to beholde,
And became fettered with affection strong,
Which in short time could hardly be controlde.
Tarbis that kindled this rebellious rage,
[...]omestor
That they to
Egipt tributorie were,
When the olde King decrepit now with age,
Shee in his stead the souereigntie did beare.
Vp to his Tower where she the Camp might see,
To looke her new Loue euery day she went,
And when he hap'ned from the field to bee,
Shee thought her blest beholding but his Tent,
And oftentimes doth modestly inuay
Gainst him the Citie walled first about,
That the strong site should churlishly denay
Him to come in, or her for passing out,
Had the gates beene but softned as her breast
(That to behold her loued enemie stands)
He had ere this of
Saba beene possest,
And therein planted the
Egiptian bands:
Oft from a place as secretly she might
(That from her Pallace look'd vnto his Tent)
When he came forth appearing in his sight,
Shewing by signes the loue to him she ment.
For in what armes it pleas'd him to be dight,
After the Hebrew or th'
Egiptian guise:
He was the brauest, the most goodly wight
That euer graced
Aethiop with his eies.
And finding meanes to parley from a place,
By night, her passion doth to him discouer,
To yeeld the Citie if he would embrace
Her a true Princesse, as a faithfull Louer.
The feature of so delicate a Dame
Motiues sufficient to his youth had beene,
But to be Lord of Kingdomes by the same,
And of so great and absolute a Queene,
Soone gently stole him from himselfe away.
That doth to him such rarities partake,
Off'ring so rich, so excellent a pray,
Louing the treason for the Traytors sake:
But whilst he liued in this glorious vaine,
Jsrael his conscience oftentimes doth moue,
That all this while in
Egipt did remaine
Vertue and grace o'recomming youth and loue.
And though God knowes vnwilling to depart,
From so high Empire wherein now he stood,
And her that sate so neere vnto his hart,
Such power hath
Jsrael in his happie blood,
By skill to quit him forcibly he wrought,
As he was learn'd and traded in the starres,
Both by the Hebrewes, and th'
Egiptians taught,
That were the first the best Astronomers,
Two sundrie figures makes,
Come
[...]tor
ex Vet. Script.
whereof the one
Cause them that weare it all things past forget.
As th'other of all accidents foregone
The memorie as eagerly doth whet.
Which he insculped in two likely stones,
For rarenes of inualuable price,
And cunningly contriu'd them for the nones
In likely rings of excellent deuise:
That of obliuion giuing to his Queene,
Which soone made showe the violent effect
Forgot him straight as he had neuer beene,
And all her former kindnesses neglect.
The other (that doth memorie assist)
Him with the loue of
Jsrael doth enflame,
Departing thence not how the Princesse wist,
In peace he leaues her as in warre he came.
But all the pleasures of th'
Egiptian Court,
Had not such power vpon his springing yeares,
As had the sad and tragicall report
Of the rude burdens captiu'd
Israel beares,
Nor what regards he to be grac'd of Kings?
Or flattered greatnes idely to awaite?
Or what respects he the negotiating
Matters comporting Emperie and state?
The bondage and seruilitie that lay
On buried
Jsrael (sunke in ordurous slime)
His greeued spirit downe heauily did way,
That to leane care oft lent the prosperous time.
A wretched Hebrew hap'ned to beholde
Brus'd with sad burdens without all remorse
By an
Egiptian barb'rously controlde,
Spurning his pin'd and miserable corse
Which he beholding vexed as he stood,
His faire veines swelling with impatient fire,
Pittie and rage so wrestled in his blood
To get free passage to conceaued ire,
Rescuing the man th'
Egiptian doth resist:
(Which frō his vile hands forcibly he tooke)
And by a strong blowe with his valiant fist.
His hatefull breath out of his nostrils strooke.
Which though his courage boldly dare auerre,
In the proud power of his Emperious hand,
Yet from high honour deigneth to interre,
The wretched carkasse in the smouldring sand.
Which then suppos'd in secret to be wrought,
Yet still hath Enuie such a iealous eie,
As forth the same incontinent it sought,
And to the King deliuered by and by,
Which soone gaue vent to
Pharoes couered wrath,
Which till this instant reason did confine,
Opening a straite way, an apparant path
Vnto that great and terrible designe:
Most for his safety forcing his retreate
When now affliction euery day did breed,
And when reuengefull tyrannie did threate
The greatest horrour to the Hebrew seed.
To
Midian now his Pilgrimage he tooke,
Midian earthes onely Paradice for pleasures,
Where many a soft Rill, many a sliding Brooke,
Through the sweet vallies trip in wanton measures,
Whereas the curl'd Groues and the flowrie fields,
To his free soule so peaceable and quiet
More true delight and choise contentment yields,
Than
Egipts braueries and luxurious diet:
And wand'ring long he hap'ned on a Well,
Which he by pathes frequented might espie,
Bordred with trees where pleasure seem'd to dwell,
Where to repose him, eas'ly downe doth lie:
Where the soft windes did mutually embrace,
In the coole Arbours Nature there had made,
Fanning their sweet breath gently in his face,
Through the calme cincture of the am'rous shade.
Till now it nigh'd the noon-stead of the day,
Whē scorching heat the gadding Heards do grieue.
When Shepheards now & Heardsmen euery way,
Their thirsting Cattell to the Fountaine driue:
Amongst the rest seuen Shepheardesses went
Along the way for watring of their Sheepe,
Whose eyes him seemed such reflection sent,
As made the Flocks euen white that they did keepe:
Girles that so goodly and delightfull were,
The fields were fresh and fragrant in their viewe,
Winter was as the Spring time of the yeare,
The grasse so proud that in their footsteps grewe:
Daughters they were vnto a holy man,
(And worthy too of such a Sire to be)
Jethro the Priest of fertile
Midian,
Fewe found so iust, so righteous men as he.
But see the rude Swaine, the vntutour'd slaue,
Without respect or reu'rence to their kinde,
Away their faire flocks from the water draue,
Such is the nature of the barb'rous Hinde:
The Maides (perceauing where a stranger sat)
Of whom those Clownes so basely did esteeme,
Were in his presence discontent thereat,
Whom he perhaps improuident might deeme.
Which he perceauing kindly doth entreate,
Reproues the Rustickes for that off'red wrong,
Auerring it an iniurie too great,
To such (of right) all kindnes did belong.
But finding well his Oratorie faile,
His fists about him frankly he bestowes,
That where perswasion could not late preuaile,
He yet compelleth quickly by his blowes.
Entreates the Dam'sels their aboade to make,
(With Courtly semblance and a manly grace,)
At their faire pleasures quietly to take,
What might be had by freedome of the place.
Whose beautie, shape, and courage they admire,
Exceeding these, the honour of his minde,
For what in mortall could their harts desire,
That in this man they did not richly finde?
Returning sooner than their vsuall hower,
All that had hapned to their Father tould,
That such a man relieu'd them by his power,
As one all ciuill curtesie that could:
VVho full of bountie hospitably meeke
Of his behauiour greatly pleas'd to heare,
Forthwith commaunds his seruants him to seeke,
To honour him by whom his honour'd were:
Gently receaues him to his goodly seate,
Feasts him his friends and families among,
And him with all those offices entreate,
That to his place and vertues might belong.
VVhilst in the beautie of those goodly Dames,
vvherein wise Nature her owne skill admires,
He feeds those secret and impiercing flames,
Nurs'd in fresh youth, and gotten in desires:
VVonne with this man this Princely Priest to dwell,
For greater hire than bountie could deuise,
For her whose praise makes praise it selfe excell,
Fairer than fairenes, and as wisedome wise.
In her, her Sisters seuerally were seene,
Of euery one she was the rarest part,
vvho in her presence any time had beene,
Her Angell eye transpierced not his hart.
For
Zipora a Shepheards life he leades,
And in her sight deceaues the subtill howres,
And for her sake oft robes the flowrie meades.
With those sweet spoiles t'enrich her rurall bowres,
Vp to mount
Horeb with his flocke he tooke,
The flocke wise
Jethro willed him to keepe,
Which well he garded with his Shepheards crooke,
Goodly the Sheepheard, goodly were the Sheepe;
To feede and folde full warily he knewe,
From Foxe and Wolfe his wandring flocks to free,
The goodli'st flower that in the meadowes grewe
Were not more fresh and beautifull than hee.
Gently his faire flocks lessow'd he along,
Through the Frim pastures freely at his leasure,
Now on the hills, the vallies then among,
Which seeme themselues to offer to his pleasure.
Whilst feathered
Siluans from each blooming spray,
With murm'ring waters wistly as they creepe,
Make him such musicke (to abridge the way,)
As fits a Shepheard companie to keepe.
When loe that great and fearefull God of might
To that faire Hebrew strangely doth appeare,
In a bush burning visible and bright
Yet vnconsuming as no fire there were:
With haire erected and vpturned eies,
Whilst he with great astonishment admires,
Loe that eternall Rector of the skies,
Thus breathes to
Moyses from those quickning fires,
Shake off thy sandals (saith the thund'ring God,
With humbled feete my wondrous power to see.
For that the soile where thou hast boldly troad,
Is most select and hallow'd vnto mee:
The righteous
Abraham for his God we knewe,
Jsack and
Jacob trusted in mine Name,
And did beleeue my Couenant was true,
Which to their seed shall propogate the same:
My folke that long in
Egipt had beene bard,
Whose cries haue entred Heauens eternall gate
Our zealous mercie openly hath heard,
Kneeling in teares at our eternall state.
And am come downe, them in the Land to see,
where streames of milk through batfull vallies flow,
And lushious hony dropping from the tree,
Loade the full flow'rs that in the shadowes grow:
By thee my power am purposed to trie,
That frō rough bondage shalt the Hebrewes bring,
Bearing that great and fearefull Embassie,
To that Monarchall and Emperious King.
And on this mountaine (standing in thy sight,)
vvhen thou returnest from that conquered Land,
Thou hallow'd Altars vnto me shalt light,
This for a token certainly shall stand.
O who am I? this wondring man replies,
A wretched mortall that I should be sent,
And stand so cleere in thine eternall eies,
To doe a worke of such astonishment:
And trembling now with a transfixed hart,
Humbling himselfe before the Lord (quoth hee)
vvho shall I tell the Hebrewes that thou art,
That giu'st this large commission vnto mee?
Say (quoth the Spirit from that impetuous flame)
Vnto the Hebrewes asking thee of this,
That t'was: I AM: which onely is my Name,
God of their Fathers, so my Title is:
Diuert thy course to
Goshen then againe,
And to divulge it constantly be bolde,
And their glad eares attractiuely retaine,
vvith what at
Sina Abrahams God hath tolde:
And tell great
Pharo that the Hebrewes God,
Commaunds from
Egipt that he set you free,
Three iournies thence in Desarts farre abroad,
To offer hallow'd sacrifice to mee.
But he refusing to dismisse you so
On that proud King i'le execute such force,
As neuer yet came from the sling, the bowe,
The keen-edg'd Curt'lax, or the puisant horse,
But if th'afflicted miserable sort
To idle incredulitie enclin'd,
Shall not (quoth
Moyses) credit my report,
That thou to me hast so great power assign'd.
Cast downe (saith God) thy wand vnto the ground,
Which he obaying fearefully, beholde
The same a Serpent so dainly was found,
It selfe contorting into many a folde.
With such amazement
Moyses doth surprise
With colde convulsions shrinking euery vaine,
That his affrighted and vplifted eyes
Euen shot with horrour, sinke into his braine.
But being encourag'd by the Lord to take,
The vgly taile into his trembling hand,
As from a dreame he sodainly doth wake,
When at the instant it became a wand.
By the same hand into his bosome shut,
Whose eyes his withered leprosie abhor'd,
When forth he drewe it secondly be'ng put,
Vnto the former puritie restor'd.
These signes he giues this sad admiring man,
Which he the weake incredulous should showe,
When this fraile mortall freshly now began
To forge new causes, why vnfit to goe?
Egipt accusing to haue done him wrong,
Scantling that bountie Nature had bestow'd,
Which had welnere depriu'd him of his tong,
Which to this office chiefly had beene ow'd.
When he whose wisedome Nature must obay,
In whose resistance reason weakely failes,
To whom all humane instances giue way,
Gainst whom not subtill Argument preuailes
Thus doth reproue this idle vaine excuse,
Who made the mouth? who th'eie? or who the eare?
Or who depriues those organs of their vse?
That thou thy imbecilitie should'st feare?
Thy Brother
Aaron commeth vnto thee,
Which as thy Speaker purposely I bring,
To whom thy selfe euen as a God shalt bee,
And he interpret to th'
Egiptian King.
That when he at thy myracles shall wonder,
And wan with feare shall tremble at thy rod,
To feele his power that swayes the dreadfull thunder,
That is a iealous and a fearefull God.
Then shall mine owne selfe purchase me renowne,
And win me honour by my glorious deede
On all the
Pharo's on th'
Egiptian throne,
That this proud mortall euer shall succeede.