The Leuites reuenge containing poeticall meditations vpon the 19. and 20. chapters of Iudges. By R. Gomersall.

The Leuites reuenge containing poeticall meditations vpon the 19. and 20. chapters of Iudges. By R. Gomersall.

Table of contents

The explanation of the Frontispice.

§

Title page

TO HIS VVORTHILY RESPECTED FRIEND, MASTER BARTEN HOLYDAY ARCH-DEACON OF OXFORD.

To the Reader.

To my learned and highly esteemed Friend, Mr. ROBERT GOMERSALL.

§

Epitaphium Concubinae.

Englished thus.

§

THE LEVITES REVENGE.

Canto I.

Canto II.

Canto III.

A Thanksgiuing for a recouery from a burning Feauer.

Ʋpon our vaine flattery of our selues, that the succeeding times will be better then the former.

The explanation of the Frontispice.

[Page]

A Leuite in his iourney goes

To wicked Gibeah for repose,

Which is deny'd, but hauing found

Another lodging then the ground,

(Such is th'vnkindnesse of their sinne)

They make a prison of his Inne.

From whence he shall not issue free,

But by his wifes Adultery;

So when from thence to hast he minds,

Her dead before the doore he finds,

When to expresse their crime, and make

The villaines at their owne guilt quake,

Into twelue pieces hee diuides

The body that was once his Brides,

Now Gibeah is besieg'd, and though

They twice haue giu'n the ouerthrow

Vnto thier betters, yet at length

They find Vice hath no lasting strength:

For now their town's as hot as their Desire

And as they burnt in Lust, so that in fire.

§

§

[Page]

[Page]

THE LEVITES REVENGE. by Robert Gomersall.

LONDON. Printed for Iohn Marriott 1628.

§

§

[Page]

THE LEVITES REVENGE: Containing POETICALL MEDITATIONS VPON The 19. and 20. Chapters of IVDGES.

BY R. GOMERSALL.

Imprinted at London in the yeare M. DC. XXVIII.

TO HIS VVORTHILY RESPECTED FRIEND, MASTER BARTEN HOLYDAY ARCH-DEACON OF OXFORD.

[Page]

[Page]

WOrthy Sir; Whilest others are ambitious of an honourable Dedication, I am thankfull for a friendly one, this in the meane time being mine happy aduantage ouer them, that they expect, but I inioy a Patron. And yet I haue not such a scarcity of great names, to whom I might pretend with as good a confidence as the greatest part of Writers, but that some of the higher [...]nke (to whom for their frequent courte [...]ies I must confesse my selfe an vnequall debtor) might haue expected, others almost challenged my Dedication: to whom [Page] I know no other answer of more respect and satisfaction then this, that I concluded the worke to bee below their notice, how much more their protection; and that I would haue others to take notice more of my Friendship, then of my Ambition: But it may be that some will conceiue an Ambition in this Friendship, when I of such an infancy in study shall boast the fauours of so growne a vertue, and intrude vpon his fame. If this be an offence, I must professe I glory in it, this accusation I confesse and am proud of: such is the ambition of him that is enamoured on vertue, of the man who would be indeared to heauen; whose desires would not be so good, were they not so high, and the Angels might still haue stood, had theye neuer knowne another Pride. But not to insist on that (which neuerthelesse I can neuer too much insist on, the remembrance of our friendship) to whom could I more fitly dedicate a Poem, then to him that hath shewed such excellency? or a Diuine Poem, then to him that hath shewed such Religion in his composures? Of this truth Persius is a witnesse, whom you haue taught to speake English with such a grace, that wee can vnderstand when we heare him, and find no [Page] one syllable in his Dialect offensiue either to the Elegant, or to the Chast Eare. Of this truth Iuvenall may bee a witnesse, whom though we doe not yet heare in publike bettering his expressions by your exact rendring him, yet they that haue inioy'd the happinesse of your neerer friendship, confidently and vpon the hazard of their vnderstanding affirme, that hee is farre vnworthy of such an imprisonment, that he should bee obscured by that hand which cleared him. But it is Diuinity that is the subiect of these verses, and it is Diuinity which is the exercise, and glory of your studies, which makes you an inhabitant of the Pulpit, nay which makes euery place where you will vouchsafe to discourse, to be a pulpit, for such is the bounty of your religious conuersation, that howsoeuer the place may be changed, the Sermon is perpetuall. Sermons that at the same time make vs deuout and witty, which by first winning the Preacher, haue the easier Conquest of the Auditory: who are neuer with lesse difficulty intreated to their happinesse, then when they see they doe not goe alone. So that now when I consider what I present, and to whom, I beginne to suspect the lightnesse of my worke, and thinke I haue [Page] some reason to feare the censure of such a Friend, to whom if I shall bee excus'd, I expect some glory from others, not because the Leuite, but because He was mine; to whom, hauing thus farre tryed his patience, I haue nothing more to adde but this, that I am his,

In all the duties of Affection, ROBERT GOMERSALL.

To the Reader.

[Page]

REader, I must first intreat thy Patience, afterward thy Ingenuity; thy Patience, that thou wilt read somewhat before my verses: thy Ingenuity, that thou wilt not censure the worse of them, because thou shalt find them censur'd to thy hand. The purpose of this Poem is Religious Delight, which if thou shalt find in any place wanting, or disjoynd, vnderstand, that it was either not my intent, or mine Error. And yet I dare affirme no man shall be the worse by it, and that if there be any want, it is more of the Delight then of the Religion: If I intended excuses I could tell you, and that truely too, that these Verses were not now first made, although they are now first published, and the Composure was a yonger mans, though the Edition be a Diuines. This I could say, if I thought Poetry incompatible with Diuinity, if it were a serious truth, that God could bee onely magnified in Prose: But when I consider that Nazianzen could be both a Poet, and a Saint, and that it was heresie that cast Tertullian out of the Church, and not his Verses. I dare acknowledge these for mine owne [Page] and feare not to suffer in that cause, wherein those Worthies were so magnify'd: Especially, since these Essayes (which I feare their weakenesse will too strongly testifie) were not my study, but my Recreation when in the vacations hauing for a time intermitted my more serious affaires I chose Poetry before Idlenesse; yet I haue not chose Poetry with the hazard of my Conscience, and so in stead of a Diuine haue writ a superstitious worke; howsoeuer Malice or Ignorance may wrest a passage vnto Popery; I meane that, where Abraham prayes for the victory of the Israelites: But besides that the Intercession is generall for the Church, which no iudicious Diuine but will allow for Orthodox, it is made by him, whom a Popish Diuine will deny at that time to be able to intercede: there was no solliciting of him they saw not, and God they did not see (as they would tell you) till after the Ascension: I haue the more fully exprest my selfe in this, because I would not be esteem'd as one of them (whereof there is now too great an haruest) who play the wantons with Religion, that will halt betweene two parties, and in spite of the Prophet, at the same time scrue God and Baal▪ who like not Orthodoxe truth, vnlesse deliuered in hereticall termes, and so by a notable new trick of Iuggling, call that Pacification, which is [Page] Conspiracy; of whose proficiency in Religion I can speake little; but this I may most confidently affirme, that (perhaps not after the Apostles mind, yet certainely in his words) they goe on from Faith, to Faith. Of this crime, and of the suspition of it, I trust I am sufficiently acquitted: for other errors which Malice and Curiosity will aboundantly multiply, I onely referre my selfe to the truely Iudicious, who know that a good Poem is as a good Life, not wherein there are none, but wherein there are the fewest faults.

To my learned and highly esteemed Friend, Mr. ROBERT GOMERSALL.

[Page]

[Page]

HAd such a Labour in this iugling age

Sought after Greatnesse for its patronage,

Not after Goodnesse, I had then beene free

To loue they worke, though not to fancy thee;

But thou hast wonne me: since I see thy booke

Aymes at a iudging eye, no smiling looke.

Greatnesse doth well to shelter errours, thou

Not hauing any, fearest no frowning brow,

But wisely crau'st a view of his, that can

Not onely praise, but censure of a man.

Thou needst not doubt seuerer eies, if he

Adde but applause vnto thy Poetry.

His workes such monuments of fame doe raise,

That none will Censure, if he once but Praise.

Commend I would, but what? here's nothing knowne

Can be call'd thine, when each hath claim'd his owne.

Ioue-bred-Minerua challengeth the wit,

Mercury flyes, and sweares he languag'd it.

Thy Arts the Muses claime; the History

Sauours of nothing but Diuinity,

Transcrib'd from Gods records; Then nothing's thine

(But griefe for the Leuites sinne) since th'yse is mine.

But now deare Friend, though this sufficient be

To raise vp Trophees, and eternize thee:

Giue leaue to him that loues thee, to desire

To serue thee friendlike, though in meane attire.

[Page] The glittering starre that darts a glorious light

Were lost if not commended by the night:

So stands it with thy verse; I writing set

Their beauty off, as Chrystall is by lett.

Nor doth it trouble me; since that my end

Is not to be a Poet, but a friend.

And yet perhaps these looser lines of mine

May proue eternall; cause they vsher thine.

Midd. Temp. C. L. I C.

§

§

[Page]

Epitaphium Concubinae.

Quae tristis ignes, Gibeah, passa est tuos,

Cultrumquè sponsi, cuius amplexum peti [...]

Non vnus ardor, ecce in amplexu perit,

Non vna facta victima & multus rogus.

Discant puellae formasit quantum Nihil,

Virtus venusta est, pulchramens solus decor.

Englished thus.

Who suffer'd Gibeahs Lust, and her Lords knife,

Whom not one Suitor would haue had to wise;

By many Suitors perishing, here lyes,

A not-one Course, and many sacrifice.

O who would trust in formes, that houres impayre

Vertue's true shape, and onely Goodnesse fayre:

§

§

[Page]

‘PSAL. 9. 2. I will be glad and reioyce in thee, yea my Songs will I make of thy name, O thou most High.’

FAther of Lights, whose praises to rehearse

Would pose the boldnesse of the ablest verse;

Who art so far aboue what we can say,

That what we leaue is greatest: shew the way

To my weake Muse, that being full of thee

She iudge Deuotion the best Poesie,

Teach her to shunne those ordinary wayes

Wherein the greater sort seeke shamefull prayse

By witty sinne, which ill affections stirres,

Whose pennes at leastwise are Adulterers.

O teach me Modesty: let it not be

My care to keepe my verse from harshnes free

And not from lightnesse; let me censure thus,

That what is Bad, that too is Barbarous.

Then shall my soule warm'd with thy sacred fire,

Aduance her thoughts, and without Pride aspire;

Then shall I shew the glory of my King,

Then shall I hate the faults which now I Sing.

THE LEVITES REVENGE.

[Page]

Canto I.

The Argument.

The Leuites loue, her flight, and then,

His fetching of her home agen:

Gibeahs harsh vsage, with the free,

Vnlookt for old mans courtesie,

Their base attempt, her wretched fate

This song to Time doth consecrate.

VVHilst Israels gouernement was yet but rude,

And Multitudes did sway the Multitude,

Whilst all the Nation were so many Kings,

Or else but one great Anarchy. Fame sings

That there a Leuite was (Leuites may erre)

Who had a Concubine, and doubted her.

[Page] Durst Lust, and Iealousie so high aspire

To one that onely knew the Altars fire?

Must he feele other Flames? to wanton eyes

Must eu'n the Priest be made a sacrifice?

Or hath he offerd incense so long time

For Iudah's fault, that he hath gain'd their crime?

Appeas'd for sinnes to learne them? in times past

Whilst yet the ancient innocence did last,

Leuy could kill a Rauisher, but now

Leuies base off-spring does not disauow

To be a Ravisher. Perhaps to show

His Grandsires rashnesse, who would headlong goe

To punish that crime, which ere long might be

His owne, at least in his Posterity.

For so 'twas now: the Leuite loues, and more,

Suspects at last, whom he did first adore:

For Fame speakes hardly of her: but poore man

What other hope couldst thou imagine? can

One that hath broke with honesty, be true

To him that made her breake? or else are you

The onely Tempter? does there no blood boyle

Besides the Leuites? can they onely toyle

In sinnes, that preach against them? if they can,

Yet such as she are made for euery man.

What none can challenge his, is due to all,

Lust should not imitate a Nuptiall.

She now suspects her Leuites iealousie,

And hasts home to her fathers house: ô why

Left's thou that house? or why return'st thou euer?

Where thou shouldst alwayes stay, or returne neuer.

Was then a Father to be visited

When thou wert made a Mother? what hope bred

That madnesse in thee, that vnto a mild

Father, thou shouldst be welcome for a child?

Or vnto whom wouldst thou haue welcome been?

A Father? 'tis the nature of thy sinne

[Page] To make them doubtfull: they that liue like thee,

Asham'd of nothing but of Modesty,

Banish themselues from all, but their deare sinne;

And loose at once their vertue, and their kinne.

But when the Leuite saw that she was gone,

That she was lost, whom he so dored on,

Reason almost forsooke him too, to proue

Anger can blind a man as well as loue:

It may be Israel was holy then

And sacrifices for the guilty men

Came slowly in, this might increase his griefe,

And be an accessory, if not chiefe:

This might confirme him in his angry sinne,

Rob'd of his profit and his concubine.

But hee'l not loose her: wilt thou seeke her then

That does fly thee? that to an host of men

Hath giv'n thy due? as if she meant to try

Which were the most vnvanquisht luxury

Of Priest or people: whom if thou should finde,

Thou hast not yet recouered her lost mind,

That wanders still, and wilt thou fetch her thence

To try, or else to teach thee Patience?

Can she teach any vertue? can there be

Ought learnt from her besides immodesty?

All that this iourney can effect, that thou

Can'st promise to thy selfe, if thou speed'st now,

Is, that shee'l loose the bashfulnesse she had,

And onely proue more confidently bad.

You now may thinke him neere his iourneyes end;

Where long before his thoughts had met his friend,

Scorning his bodies sluggish company,

And now both are arriu'd, where to his eye

[...]he first appear'd, for whom alone, I find,

Be thank'd the heav'n that did not make him blind,

For which he should haue thank'd them: he had been

Then nor a Louer, nor a Priest: no sinne

[Page] Had crept in with the light, nor euer made

In that good Darkenesse, an vnhallowed shade.

But who had seene him when he first descry'd

Who 'twas that met them, how he slipt beside

The wearyed beast, and with full speed did run

As if he meant to tempt temptation;

He would haue iudg'd that women strongest were,

And men obiect the weakenesse which they are.

Thus when he should wisely haue vnderstood,

And thank'd the kinder heau'ns, who made him good

Against his will almost, hauing remou'd

That which did hinder him from being belou'd

Of God, and goodnesse, not vnlike the Fish

Which seemes to be desirous of the dish,

(As if for his deliuery he did waite,

And therefore were ambitious of the baite:)

Into a knowne snare, he does gladly run,

And foolishly pursues, what he should shun.

And is not this, Ide know, the readiest way

To make God thinke, we mocke him when we pray

When we pretend desire, that we may bee,

As from the Fault, so the Temptation free:

Whilst (as we had not knowne what we had said

Or hop'd that God obseru'd not how we praid)

Lest that we should receiue our hurt from farre,

We both the Tempted, and the Tempters are,

And thus the holyest name we take in vaine,

Praying as neuer meaning to obtaine.

And now her father comes, who after words

As kind and Elegant as that place affords,

Intreats her pardon: but alas, good Age,

Who shall intreat thy pardon, or asswage

The Leuites passion now? who does auerre,

That he alone does sinne, who taxes her:

With this he smiles on her, and yet does feare

Lest she should thinke that this a Pardon were,

[Page] Or reconcilement: without much adoe,

You might perswade him now he came to wooe,

And not to fetch her backe; but by the hast

Of carrying her from thence, fearing the wast

Of the least minute, she might well descry,

What ere his words, his deeds spoke Iealousie.

Hardly he condiscends to one nights stay

Though t'were with her, but how he spent the day,

How his desires were speedier then the Sunne,

(VVhom then he thought to creep, and not to runne)

Twere tedious to relate, though the old man

VVith all the Art, and all the Cheare he can,

Detaines him three daies longer, which appeare

As long as fancy can extend a yeare.

Minutes are Ages with him, and he deemes

He hath out-lingred grave Methusalems

Nine hundred yeare by such a stay, and feares

That she may once more shunne him for his yeares.

Sure such accounts the wise Aegyptians made

VVho added wings to Time, as if he had

Mou'd on too slowly, or as if they meant

To take his fore-top from him, with intent

To make him bald before too, whose records

Had very neere as many yeares as words.

Making full forty thousand ere the fall,

And pu'ny Adam of no age at all.

The fifth day dawnes, but ere the rising Sunne

Had shew'd the victory which he had wonne

Of cloudy night, before the sleepy Cocke

Had prou'd himselfe to be the Country Clocke

Shewing the mornings houre, when now wee might

Haue spoke no falshood had we call'd it Night.

Our Leuite for his iourney does prepare,

And his are drest, ere Phoebus horses are:

To whom the Father comes, and gently chides

[...]is earely sonne-in-law, who, forst, abides

[Page] Till afternoone with him, and then he goes

Not from the house so fast, as to his woes.

Sure the old man did prophecy the harme,

Which would insue, when he did seeke to charme

Our Leuite to a longer stay: but O

Tis double misery before hand to know

We shall be miserable! then why hath man

That curst ability, that well he can

Prognosticate mishapps, when they are neere?

And all his knowledge teaches but to feare.

Which yet our Leuite hath not learnt, who rides

Doubting no danger: now the worlds eye glides

To his west Inne, when Iebus he espies,

Whom he counts his, because Gods enemies.

Hearken ye Gallants that will crosse the seas,

And are industrious for a new disease,

If you will needs be gadding, and despise

For forraine toyes, our home-bred rarities,

Take this example with you, if you goe

Trauell not from Religion: why, although

You neuer touch at Rome, or else perchance

You scarce see Spaine, and gleane but part of France▪

You may be weary, thinke your trauell great,

And spare at once your conscience, and your sweat▪

You see our Leuite though the night draw neere,

His loue be weary, and no towne appeare

Where she may rest herselfe, although the way

Were troublesome enough ev'n in the day,

Yet she resolues gladly to vndergoe

More miseries then Night and danger know,

Ere he will venture there to make his stay

From whence the Idols had droue God away.

O farre vnworthy of thy future Fate

By this best Action! miserable state

Of too great vertue ill-imploy'd! to be

Punish't, when he did shunne Iniquitie

[Page] As he did Iebus. How he spurs, how rates

His tardy beast! how his owne slacknesse hates

Which forc't him by his trauelling so late

If not to stay, yet to deliberate.

Within the Center of the Earth there stands

Neere to the fiery streames, and ashy sands,

A dreadfull pallace, of such vncouth frame

Each part so shap't as if twere built to shame

All Architecture, that if one did see

The vastnesse of it, and deformity,

He would not make the least demurre to tell

That t'was a lodging for the Prince of Hell.

What ere does beautifie a house, here wants,

The walls are blacke as the Inhabitants,

Made out of Iett, into such figures fram'd

That Nature dare not owne them, nor be blam'd

With so much Monster: wee in doubt may call

Whether the trimming, or materiall,

Had the more horror. No birds here are heard,

But such whose harsher accents would haue seard

The most resolu'd: they punish in their rimes,

And all their ditty does consist of crimes.

The fly Praecisian that could gull the eye

Of the most sharpe, by close hypocrisie,

Whose mischiefes onely he that did, could tell,

Who, we may thinke might eu'n haue cheated Hell

VVith such dissembling, sees his vices bare,

Naked, and foule, as when they acted were:

One layes oppression to his charge, another

His sisters incest, murther of his brother.

They shew his zeale was onely to contend,

And all his reformation not to mend

But to confound the State, that his knitt brow

(Which lookt so sterne as it would disallow

The most indifferent act, and like of none

But such as did pretend perfection)

[Page] VVas but an easie Vizor, such as Rage

Can giue it selfe, and must receiue from Age.

That he did onely know externall Grace,

And all his holinesse was in his face.

Is goodnesse in a wrinckle? can we find

That what does cloud the face, does cleanse the mind?

To me it is a tricke of rarest art

That hollow browes should haue the soundest heart.

These are the sounds, but then the smells are worse,

Enough to make that Harmony no Curse.

Vnder the walles there runnes a brimstone flood

The top of flames, the bottome was of mud:

Of such grosse vapour, that to smell was Death,

Prisons are sweet, compar'd vnto that breath.

And to maintaine the fire and stench at once,

The fewell is prepar'd of vsurers bones.

Loose Madams lockes, the feathers of their Fanne,

VVith the foule inside of a Puritan.

In this sweet place as sweet a Prince doth dwell,

The cheife of fiends, the Emperor of Hell

Grand Lucifer, whom if I should relate

In the worst figure that the eye doth hate:

I should but faintly his foule selfe expresse,

Nor reach to his vnpattern'd vglinesse.

Death keepes the entrance, a tall sturdy groome,

Who emptying all places fills no roome.

But like the fond Idolater of pelfe

Denyes men, what he cannot haue himselfe:

Here does this shade send challenges to all,

Who would h [...]ue entrance first to try a fall,

They try, and they are throwne ther's none so great

But yeelds to him, who knew but one defeat

And that long after, but his prime was now,

His bones some marrow had, some grace his brow.

No plagues as yet, no famines had beene knowne

The sword was thrifty, making few to groane

[Page] Vnder his edges. Death yet had lusty thighes,

Nor spent himselfe with too much exercise.

Here there stand numbers, which exceed all summes

(For they refuse none here, who euer comes)

The murtherer first, and without much adoe,

Sometime he will admit the murtherd too.

Then the incontinent, but if that he

Be knowne by Incest or Adultery,

His seat is chiefe: nor haue they a low place,

Who with an open and alluring face,

Delude their trusting friends, till they haue woon

Their deeper proiects, which they built vpon.

The rest of lower crimes, whom we may call,

Downe-right offenders, such as after all

Their time of trespasse, haue not gain'd the skill,

And onely know the taint, not art of Ill:

Haue no distinguisht roomes, but venture in,

As headlong to their paines, as to their sinne.

But now some other enter; for a charge

Past from the Prince of shadowes, to inlarge

Th'imprison'd Crimes, that all might now conferre

(Such is his will) with their Lord Lucifer.

What noyse there was? what striuing at the doore?

This would be first, and that would goe before:

Pride claimes precedency, and cryes who ere

Ventures to make a step before her there

Is impudently foolish, that the place

Is hers by due, and onely theirs by grace,

When she would yeeld it: vnlesse first they would

Bring more conuincing reasons then she could:

For who should to the Prince of Hell first goe

To visit him, but she that made him so?

And who had made him so, shee'd know, but she,

When with his God he claim'd Aequality?

Peace, Wrath exclaimes, and with so deepe an oath

As all those fiends, with Hell to boot, were loath

[Page] To heare another such, he vowes no more

To beare the brauings of that scarlet whore,

Hee'l first a Rebell, first a Vertue be,

And no more VVrath, but Magnanimity.

She smil'd, and bid him be so but whilst they

Were hot in this contention, Enuy lay

Gnawing her breasts: faine would she haue bin higher

Had but her spirit equall'd her desire.

But since she cannot be reueng'd of them,

She vseth an vnheard of stratagem,

Teares her owne haires, and her grimme face beslimes

Thus punishing herselfe for others crimes.

By this time Idlenesse comes in the reare,

As proud, though not as actiue, as they were;

He scarce would take the paines to speake, but loth

To loose his dignity by too much Sloth,

He giues them these few words, VVhy striue you so

About the place which all to mee doe owe?

Doe not ye know, I am the raigning Crime,

Most generall, and most lofty of the time?

I make the Lawyer silent, though he see

His clyent full; I am beyond a Fee:

When Lawes doe not, I make the Preacher dumbe

Eu'n when the Tyger, or the Wolfe doe come:

But aboue all, I in the Court doe grow,

Beggars are proud, but Emperors are slow.

Drunkennesse could not answere, but does thinke

Twas fit that Idlenesse should yeeld to drinke:

And reeling to encounter him, does fall

Iust in the entrance, and excludes them all.

Now is the skirmish hotter then before,

Now Pride begins to scratch, and VVrath to roare;

Drunkennesse lyes vnmou'd, and Sloths intent

Is to sit still, and to expect th'euent.

But in this ciuill broyle, at last comes Craft

Of whom no Painter ere could take a draft,

[Page] He had such change of shapes, who when he saw

These tumbling warriours, and that no awe,

No feare of Lucifer could teach them peace,

Hee'l try his skill to make these broyles to cease.

Fie Pride, sayes he, What? giue your selfe the fall?

And Wrath, are you no more discreet withall

Then quarrell with a woman? Come agree,

If not for feare of Hell, for loue of me.

But out alas, you doe too well agree,

When VVrath is Proud, and Pride will Wrathfull be.

Goe hand in hand (thus friendly Craft decides)

Onely the vpper hand let that be Prides.

They enter the great hall, where they doe see

The Hellish Monarch in his Maiesty,

VVhere hauing made obeysance, he beginnes,

Thus to breake silence, and vpbraid the Sinnes.

The reason why I call'd you (not to dwell

On an vnnecessary praeamble)

Is to informe you, that we find of late

You haue not beene officious to the State:

Tis true, you bring me daily what's mine owne,

And plentifully reape what I haue sowne.

In the grosse Heathen you doe hourely cause

Vices, which neuer were forbid by Lawes,

Because ne're thought of: but what's this to me,

VVhether that Lust or Infidelity

Fill Hell with those, nay and oppresse it too,

VVhich must come thither, whatsoere they doe?

You doe like those, who in the other life

Buy their owne lands, and wooe againe their wife.

A goodly act, and wherein's danger store,

You giue me that, which was mine owne before.

VVhilst Iudah all this while hath me withstood,

And dares, when I forbid them, to be good.

They honor Parents with a zealous strife,

And with their goodnesse doe prolong their life.

[Page] In them no malice nor no rancor lyes,

Nor shed they bloud, but for a sacrifice:

Adultery's scarce heard of in a life,

And they are men only vnto their owne wife.

In such a lou'd community they liue,

None need to steale, all are so apt to giue.

While you suppose that highly you deserue,

If you can say that you haue made them swarue

From goodnesse that ne're had it: well y'aue done

If that Semiramis once doate vpon

Her wondring issue, and begin to swell

With such a birth, that would pose vs to tell

How she should call it; and what she did beare

If it her daughter, or her grandchild were.

You haue discharg'd your office, if you make

Some bloudy Nations their owne issue take

And offer vnto me; or if you draw

Some to the practice of that wicked Law

That after fifty they their parents kill,

And not that onely, but suppose that ill

To be their duty. O fond thought! and thence

Doe estimate their childs obedience?

Hence truant Crimes, auant, no more appeare

In my dread presence, no more let me heare

Those petty actions, if you doe not straight

Reuenge my wrongs, and ease me of this waight,

VVhich thus oppresseth me, if Israel still

Shall dare to crosse what I shall call my will;

By Hell Ile doe—but what? I say no more,

If you are wise, preuent, if not, deplore.

This said he star'd so fiercely that they fear'd

He would performe much more then they had heard,

Nor know they wel how they their tongues should vse,

VVhether twere best to promise or excuse.

At last Lust rises, and becalmes him thus,

VVhy doe you loose your wrath, great Prince, on vs?

[Page] Vs your sworne vassals? who nor thinke nor doe

But what your will is their command vnto.

What though w'aue spent our paines not the right way?

Yet they were paines nor can an enemy say

But we were actiue Furies, and haue done

VVhat lesser feinds durst not haue thought vpon.

And yet (if that I may haue leaue to tell

From your dread grace) preciser Israel

Hath not escap'd vs wholly, nor hath bin

More noted for their Law, then for their Sinne▪

VVas that a Vertue too, when being led

By Gods owne hand, and fill'd with Angels bread,

They did, (I ioy to caus't, but blush to tell,)

They did repine eu'n at that miracle.

Fasting and full they murmure, nor are lesse

Angry with Manna then with Emptinesse.

I could speake more, and truely: but in summe,

To proue my past acts by my acts to come;

If by your gracious leaue, I haue the fate

To haue a ioynt commission with Debate,

Ile make a fire within their blood to burne,

Shall their proud Cities into ashes turne:

And they shall know how foolishly they erre,

VVho are not willing slaues to Lucifer.

Lucifer nods, and Lust does swiftly runne

VVith his vnlimited Commission:

VVhich with what Art, what mischiefe he did vse,

Is now the griefe and bus'nesse of my Muse.

But now she must to our sad Leuite hast

VVhom we left trau'lling, when the day was past.

The sunne sets ouer Gibeah; when that he

Drawes neerer thither ward, but then to see

The blush of Heau'n, with what a red it shin'd,

(As if the Sunne his office had resign'd

Vnto those clouds) to all that vnderstood,

It would haue shew'd that it did figure blood.

[Page] And now our Leuite is arriu'd, but finds

The walls more courteous then the peoples minds:

For these had gates which let him in, but they

Were mercilesse, and rougher then the way:

Men that had onely studied to oppresse,

Whose minds were shut against the harbourlesse:

And yet he sees large houses, some so high

As if they learn't acquaintance with the sky,

What euer pleas'd their fathers now growes stale,

Their buildings to the hills exalt the vale:

And such thicke palaces the mountaines fill,

As if the quarry grew without the hill.

Some are of that circumference, you'd guesse,

They had beene built for him, who had no lesse

Then the whole world his Family. But when

Our Leuite was inquisitiue, what men

Fill'd vp that Princely dwelling? and if there

Might be found hope of rest for them that were

But two more then the Family? they tell

That two are the whole Family, 'twas well,

And stately too (as state is at this day)

So might they liue at home, and yet away.

O the great folly of Magnificence!

Houses are little Cities, and from thence

Cities are lesser worlds, that man may haue

Roome enough here that cannot fill a graue.

He must haue Halls, and Parlors, and beside

Chambers inuented, but not nam'd by pride:

And all this for one man, as if he sought

To haue a seuerall lodging for each thought,

But none for any stranger: this truth seemes

Too certaine to our Leuite, who esteemes

That pris'ners are in better state then he;

Nay, eu'n the pris'ners of mortality,

Such as are fast immur'd within the graue

Who though they want a life, a lodging haue:

[Page] Inhumane wretches! haue you then forgot

That you were sometime strangers? Were you not

In Aegypt once? where the Propheticke land

Did iustly scourge your basenesse before hand,

Knowing you would be barbarous, and so

Made you to reele the harshnesse which you show?

O [...]uelly forgetful [...] that indure

To act, or else out-doe the Epicure,

Whilst he feeds on the Ayre; that thinke it meet

To lye in Downe, while he lyes in the street!

An old man thought not thus, but to his house

Intrea [...]s the strangers: 'tis malicious

To lay the imputation vpon Age

That it is couetous (as if the sage

Haires of the Ancient were therefore white

To signifie their siluer Appetite.)

Peace you blasphemers, see an aged man

Couetous onely of a Guest, who can

Repay him nothing, but his Prayer, and be

Indebted once more for his Piety;

But if my Muse haue any power o're time

And sinne haue more mortality then rime,

Old man thou shalt be euer old, and haue

No entertainment in the silent graue

For this thy entertainment: here a while

Let me admire how that a towne so vile,

Which we would thinke with stangers had decreed

To shut out Vertue too, should rarely breed

Such a strange Vertue? quietly we heare

Of courtesies in Rome; of kindnesse there

Where Greece is nam'd, who counted it a sinne

Not to haue made each noble house an Inne

For worthy strangers: but when one shall fall

In commendation of the Canniball,

Shall say that they, who on their guests doe gnaw

And entertaine their strangers in their maw,

[Page] Are hospitably minded, that eu'n there

May be a mouth which is no Sepulcher.

VVe stand agast, as if we did conspire

Not to beleeue the good we did desire.

VVhence sprung this Singularity? whence came

This worth which so deserues and conquers Fame?

Our Vertues are not borne with vs, and they

Which will innoble man till times last day

Liue after them they make to liue, what we

Call goodnesse is the gift of Company.

Our study not our Nature, and could these

Teach any other thing besides disease

In manners? it is fit then we confesse

Mercy is learn't amongst the mercilesse,

And rather then a Leuite shall want rest

Auarice selfe shall entertaine a Guest.

But now the Leuite hath forgot that he

Had felt the hard streets hospitality;

He finds such kindnesse, that he does suppose

Courtesie wore no other haires then those

To grieue the honest world, who now might feare,

That she was hasting to her sepulcher.

Into an anticke roome he leads him first.

Where one would guesse that Abraham had been nurs:

Or a more ancient Patriarch, the walles

Compos'd of that which from a wett shooe falles

In weeping winter, which a man would thinke

Their age had now dry'd vp into one Chinke.

Yet such a roome one comfort does afford,

It was not built to ruine its sad Lord.

For who will begge a Cottage? who would make

A guilty wretch, that he his rags might take?

To that whence nothing comes is no regard:

None would be vicious too but for reward.

No, let them feare who dwell in arched vaults,

Who in much roome doe seeke to hide their faults.

[Page] Where hundred columnes rise to mate the skie,

And mocke their Lords with false Diuinity.

Enuie is proud, nor strikes at what is low,

And they shall onely feele who scorne her blow:

She on no base aduantage will insist,

Nor striue with any but that can resist.

Now is the table spred, and now the meat

Be'ing set, each takes him his appointed seat:

No courtship here is shew'd, no caruing grace,

The entertainment (homely as the place)

Spoke onely hearty, and that plaine intent

Which greater entertainers complement.

So Abraham feasted heau'nly guests, as when

He made the Angels eate the bread of men:

Soon the like guests hospitable Lot,

Bestow'd the diet which they wanted not;

In this ours differs, nay in this exceeds,

That he bestowes his kindnesse where it needs.

One would haue thought so, when he heard the noise,

Of confus'd multitudes, men mixt with boyes,

All ages in the cry, as if they meant

That now the Babes should not be innocent:

Bees doe not murmure so, and angry hounds

In their full rage send forth but easy sounds,

Compar'd to this: their inland Sea stood still,

Wondring to heare himselfe out-scar'd, and till

This time, that noise hath such a silence bred,

That euen since it hath beene styl'd the Dead.

Now they besiege the house, and one would feare

That their loud tongues so many engines were

To batter it: downe with the Gate, cryes one,

Another laughes at that, and with a stone

Threatens to force a Gate, and deepely swore

To giue them entrance, all the House was Doore.

But then another that would needs be wise,

And counted cheife in this great enterprise,

[Page] Exhorts them to a Parly: Why, my friends,

Make you such hast, sayes he, to loose your ends?

Haue you indented with the stones you throw

To misse the Leuite? Doe you thinke no blow

Can fasten on him, or d'ye meane to proue

If that the stones are riualls in your Loue?

Stones and not men! with that the hands were still,

But all the noyse, the Hubbub, with an ill

Consent, cries for the Leuite, whom they faine

Would onely know, and so returne againe.

And could you see him in the street so long,

As farre from beeing laid, as this your wrong

Shall be from after-Ages, when he had

No couer, but the kinder heau'ns, (whose sad

Compassion hindred them from shedding teares,

Lest such a griefe should make th'vnkindnesse theirs)

Had you so full a view of him, and yet

Doe you desire to know him? No, forget

That euer there was such an one, and then

Posterity may thinke that you were men:

How will they wonder else, when they shall heare

You lou'd him in the house, whom you did feare

To bring into your house; that you were mad,

In the pursuit of that you might haue had?

You aim'd another, a worse way, and iust

His answere is, that calls your Knowledge, Lust.

But how were they so long time innocent?

How was this Prodigy of Desire eu'n spent

Before it was exprest? here we may see

In impudence there was some Modesty:

They would not sinne at home, the worst abhor'd

To be a Beast, where he should be a Lord.

And it seem'd better to the vilest breast

Not to receiue, then to abuse a Guest.

Now the Old-man not fearing any harme

That might ensue, whether he hop'd the warme

[Page] Lust of their Youth, would by his Age bequelld,

And that those flames would to such winter yeeld:

Or whether he was then rather addrest

To offer vp himselfe before his Guest

Vnto their Fury, forth he goes: they thought

That now they should obtaine what they had sought,

Whom thus he does bespeake, Haue patience

My friends, I come, not to intreat you hence,

But to fulfill your pleasure, onely change

The Se [...] I haue a daughter and what's strange

In this not towne a Virgin [...] at your sure

I am content to make her prostitute.

So that my stranger may nor iniur'd [...]e

Nature shall yeeld to Hospitality.

O constant goodnesse! O best act, which can

Conclude the Vertue, older then the Man▪

How I could [...] my selfe in praysing thee,

Man not of Age, but of Aeternity!

Who didst respect thy guest beyond thy blood,

And knew'st the difference betwixt Fond, and Good.

Henceforth scorne all comparisons below,

Onely thy Maker, thy Superiour know:

Such was his Mercy that he did bestow

His onely Sonne a ransome for his Foe;

(This was a patterne fit for the most High)

Yet next this Mercy, was thy Charitie:

Thy Act at least is second to the best,

Who wouldst not spare thy Daughter for thy Guest

But they'l not be prescrib'd in their desire,

Who thinke to alter, were to quench their fire:

They must the Leuite or his Sister know,

(For Sister they interpret her) to show

Our sawcy Lay-men how they should expound

Their Preachers actions, not to be profound

To search their faults, but well and wisely too,

Doe what they speake, and not speake what they doe.

[Page] This they exclaime, and this our Leuite heares,

Who now hath spent his Reason, and his Fares,

Such a Confusion he is falne into,

He knowes not what to shunne, nor what to doe,

So in rais'd Seas, when that the angry wind

Threatens destruction to that daring kind,

Who to a flying house themselues commit,

(Seeming at once to flye too from their wit.)

The well-stor'd passenger, (when he does find

That all this fury of the waue and wind

Is for this Treasure) now resolues to dye:

(Death is not so much fear'd as Pouerty)

And now resolues that he will venture on

More losse before that Resolution:

He does from this vnto that purpose skip,

And now his mind more totters then his ship.

Till after all this tedious, foolish strife,

Which he shall saue, his treasure, or his Life,

He shall saue neither; and thus being loath

To hazard either, he does forfeit both.

And now she shall be Passiue. O Fates sport!

Hee'l now betray, that should defend the Fort.

Such Revolution did you euer see?

Who earst was Iealous, will a Pander be.

O Life, thou most desir'd, and wretched thing!

Thy loue betrayd his loue, from thee did spring

This Contradiction of crosse Faults. O why

Chose he not rather to doe well, and Dye?

Why did he so desire to shunne his Friend,

And call that Misery, which was an End?

The Dead doe feare no Rauisher, no Lust

Was ere so hot, to dote vpon cold dust,

Were he once dead he should feare no crimes then,

Neither his owne, nor those of other men:

And could he wish a longer life? let those

Who doe not know (but by inflicting) wees

[Page] Hugg that desire, but hee who wisely wayes

What many miseries are in many dayes,

Let not him be so mad to wish his feares,

And onely proue his Dotage by his Yeares.

Neuer did Morning blush so much as that

Which next appear'd; when vp our Leuite gat,

And running nimbly to the doore, he sees

His loue before the doore with her faire knees

Growne to the Earth, so close, that one would seare,

She tooke a measure of her Sepulcher,

With hands outstretch'd, as if, fearing to faile,

She meant to make a Sexton of her naile

To dig her graue: or else (for who can tell?)

Suspecting by her iniuries an Hell

Not to be farre, where such sinnes had a birth,

She lay so close, to feele if it were Earth.

He wonders at the posture, nor knowes why

She had not chose to rest more easily.

And now he will be satisfy'd, but she

Had lost her tongue too, with her Chastity.

He thinkes she sleepes, and therefore louder cryes,

Why doe we dally here? Wake, and Arise.

But let him cry on, she hath heard her last,

Deafe to all sounds now, but the latest blast.

And art thou dead, he cryes? what dead? with that

You'd wonder which had beene aliue, as flat

He lay, and speechlesse, glad of the same death,

But that thicke sighes betray that he had breath:

Which onely serues his Anger: now he hyes

Home to mount Ephraim, all his ielousies

Are dead with her, and now he meanes to make

Her common after death: each Tribe shall take

A peice of her; O the obdurate mind

That so could part, what God had so combin'd!

I faint in the relating it, nor well

What he durst act, dare vndertake to tell.

[Page] Twelue made of one? O who would not be mad,

To thinke vpon that madnesse? if she had

But such another griefe, with both opprest,

My Muse would then be dumbe, which now doth rest.

Canto II.

The Argument.

The twelue peices of his wife

Cut out by the Leuites knife,

To the field to doe him right,

Draw the neiled Israelite.

Abrahams Prayer, Heau'ns decree,

Beniamins glad victory

Twice repeated, make the summe

Of the booke which is to come.

SVch crimes amongst the Israelites? I feare

Incredulous posterity will sweare

Mine was the fault, and when they muse hereon

They'l iudge the Crime was in my Fiction.

When Vice exceeds a Probability

It gaines excuse, so that to sinne on high

Is politicke offence, for he that shall

Sinne so, is thought not to haue sinn'd at all.

'Tis the corruption of the minds of men

To iudge the worst of actions, but 'tis when

The fault is frequent, when the daily vse

Giues it at once, the guilt, and the excuse:

But if a crime swell to the height of this,

Murder, or Incest, or if any is

Of fowler name; when man will man abuse,

We doe absolue more gladly then accuse,

[Page] Can it be possibly presum'd that they

To whom the God of Iacob shew'd the way,

Both of their feet and manners, who had seene

His frequent Miracles, nay who had been

Part of the wonder too, so to haue fell

As to commit a greater Miracle?

Sodome in Iudah? now the Fable winnes

Credit, and is out-acted by true sinnes:

Report hath made Pygmalion to haue lou'd

That which he made, who by his Art was mou'd

To palpable Idolatry, yet so

At least he lou'd a woman in the show:

Hee's fixt on his faire Image, so that one

Would wonder which had beene the truer stone.

Yet 'twas a Womans Image, so that I

Wonder at's lucke, more them his vanity,

A Painted Woman will cause loue: i'me mou'd

More, how he did obtaine, then why he lou'd.

These doe affect what to obtaine is worst,

What in the very thinking is accurst:

In other loues the wife may barren proue,

In this the barrennesse is in the Loue,

In other faults there haue excuses beene,

This hath no other Motiue then the Sinne.

And can this sinne be theirs? Yes know it can,

Man forsakes God, and then he doates on man.

But who did tutor them to this offence?

For, though we find it in each conscience

That we are naturally vicious,

That ther's no true good in the best of vs,

That we pursue our ill, as drawne by Fate,

Yet 'tis example does specificate,

That teacheth vs This sinne: 'tis mine owne Vice,

But that I am more lost in Auarice,

That I doe choose Adultery, or preferre

The lustfull man before the Murtherer,

[Page] I haue from Praesident: and thus our ill

Comes from the Patterne too, as from the Will.

Aegypt denyes to haue an hand herein,

(Aegypt the house of bondage, not of sinne.)

Their cruelty I heare, and which is odd,

I read that their chiefe sinne, is their chiefe god.

They make their gardens heau'ns, and in each plant

They find a Deity: If that any want

Be in their fields, if thence they doe not gaine,

It is their gods they want, and not their graine.

Their superstition yet might issue hence,

The Calfe, on which they plac'd their confidence,

Which act this glory to them doth afford,

They make themselues the beast which they ador'd.

Or did the Desart make them thus to stray,

And cause them loose their Manners with the Way?

Did those vast places, which wise Nature fram'd,

Wherein wild man should by his feare be tam'd,

His feare of wilder beasts, instruct these men,

That there are beasts which are not in the Denne:

And that when euer we neglect, or scanne

The Lords commands, the Monster is the Man?

No, these suspitions may suspected bee,

As farre from Truth, as they from Honesty:

Aegypt was free from this fault, and much lesse

Can we impose it on the Wildernesse.

They had no King: as well the fooles as wise

Did all what did seeme right in their owne Eyes.

And Sodomes crime seem'd right to some to see

When euery man will his owne Monarch bee,

When all subiection is [...]one quite away,

And the same man does gouerne and obey,

How there is no obedience nor rule,

How euery man like to the Horse and Mule,

Which want the vnderstanding of their bit,

And neither haue their owne, nor Riders wit,

[Page] Make a swift pace to Ruine. Giue me then

Leaue to admire, and pitty those poore men,

Who thinke that Man should his owne Ruler be,

And exercise Home-principality:

Who in one speedy minute strangely doe

What Alexander but aspir'd vnto,

Conquer all Kingdomes, which they'affirme to be,

No better then a well-nam'd Tyranny.

Let me inquire of these, if they haue read

Any such crimes where people had an head?

Let me inquire of men, as yet not wild,

Whether they thinke themselues Lords of their child?

Whether their seruants Masters? whether they

Suppose that God did not make some t'obey.

In Innocence there was Dominion,

And the first man was the first Lord: that one

King of the Creatures, whom for this none blames,

He prou'd his Soueraignty by their Names.

That he was his wiues Soueraigne, in the Fall

He fell not from his Monarchy, when all

His Righteousnesse was vanish't, that remain'd

And so a knowledge of this truth he gain'd,

(A truth he could not know had hee still stood)

We can be longer Powerfull then Good.

Nay let vs looke on Hell, and we shall see

That there's a Prince of that obscurity.

It is a torment such as Hell hath none,

To want that order in confusion:

That is the best, we may conclude from hence,

That is in Hell, and was in Innocence.

But I doe wonder at the fault so long

That I deferre the punishment: my song

Must to the Leuite turne, or rather be

No more a Song, but a sad Elegy.

He hauing caru'd his Loue, as you haue heard,

And done that act, which Hell and Furies fear'd;

[Page] Sends a choice piece to euery Tribe, to plead

Their iniuries, and tell why she is dead:

Beniamin shall haue one of them, lest hee

Might dare commit a crime, he durst not see.

A seuerall messenger to each Tribe is sent:

But he that vnto Princely Iudah went,

Carying the head of the dismembred coarse,

With such a voice which sorrow had made hoarse,

(Least he should raue too highly) thus beginnes,

Is there an Heau'n? and can there be such sinnes!

Stands the Earth still? me thinkes I hardly stand,

Feeling the Seas inconstancy on Land.

After this Act, why flowes the water more?

Why does't not staine, which alwaies clear'd before?

It is not Ayre we draw now, 'tis a breath

Sent to infect vs from the Land of Death:

The Fire, whose office 'tis to warme and shine,

Growes blacke and downewards, as it did repine

To see the fact, and sheds a kinde of teares,

Quenching his heat, because he cannot theirs.

Can you behold these eyes without a teare?

Can you with patience longer thinke they were,

And are not the worlds wonder? yet I erre,

It is Reuenge, and not a Teare fits her:

Let women weepe for women, then you shall

Shew you haue sorrow'd heartily, if all

Doe sorrow which haue iniur'd her, and be

Examples, as of Crimes so Misery.

Gibeah 'twas (O 'twas not Gibeah)

Credit me not, beleeue not what I say,

I scarce dare trust my selfe, and yet agen,

Gibeah 'twas, that did this Fact: and then

He tells them all, what I before haue wept;

Now Iudah stormes, and as a Riuer kept

From its owne course by Weares, and Milles, if once

It force a passage, hurryes or'e the stones,

[Page] Sweepes all along with it, and so alone

Without stormes makes an Inundation:

Such was the peoples fury, they're so hot

That they will punish what we credit not,

And be as speedy as seuere: but some

Who loath'd the bloudy accents of the Drumme,

Who thought no mischiefes of that foulnesse are,

But that they gaine excuse, compar'd with warre,

And warre with brethren; these, I say, of age

The chiefe amongst them, doe oppose their rage,

Exhort them to a temper: Stay, sayes one,

And be aduis'd before you be vndone.

Whence is this fury? why d'yee make such hast

To doe that act which you'l repent as fast?

Are any glad to fight? or can ought be

Mother of warre, beside Necessity?

Be not mistaken, brethren, take good heed,

It is not Physicke frequently to bleed.

He that for petty griefes incision makes

Cannot be cur'd so often as he akes.

Are then your sisters, daughters, wifes too chast?

Or are you sorry that as yet no wast

Deformes your richer grounds? or does it stirre

An anger in you, that the souldier

Mowes not your Fields? Poore men, doe you lament

That still you are as safe as innocent?

We yet haue Cities proudly situate,

We yet haue people: be it not in fate

That your esteeme of both should be so cheape

To wish those carcasses and these an Heape.

Me thinkes our Iordan hath an happier pace,

And flowes with greater maiesty and grace

In his owne naturall waue, then if the sword

Should higher colour to his streames afford;

Should paint and so deforme it: to mine eye

A Riuer's better then a Prodigy.

[Page] But I desire, deere Countrymen, to know,

VVhose is the blood that we must lauish so?

Perhaps the Philistins ambition

VVould to our Shilob bring their Ascalon,

And these you would encounter: or t'may be

Aegypt still enuying that you are free

Intends a second bondage: or perchance

Your daily conquer'd Enemies aduance

Their often flying ensignes, those at hand

Possessors and destroyers of the Land;

VVhom God reseruing for our future Pride,

Left to our eyes as thornes, prickes to our side.

No none of these, but all your swords intend

I grieue to speak't, the ruine of a friend:

And all the sonnes of Israel doe presse

That Israel may haue a sonne the lesse.

Ioseph I'ue read suffer'd his brothers hate,

(Joseph of neere acquaintance vnto fate

The mouth of Destiny,) they would kill him first,

But after sell him, to try which was worst:

And yet no reason for this spleene appeares,

But that his glory was beyond his yeares:

To hate the yonger still is too much sinne,

And after Ioseph to spoile Beniamin.

Hath twelue no mystery? doe ye ascribe

Meerely to Chance, that there is no odd Tribe.

Trust me my brethren, they doe iniure God,

VVho say that he delights in what is odd:

I thinke 'tis parity best pleaseth heau'n;

And what is most iust, loues what is most eu'n.

Doe I excuse them then to please the time,

And onely make an error of a Crime?

Am I sinnes Aduocate? farre be't from mee

To thinke so ill of Warre as Sodomy:

For Sodomy I tearme it, Iustice calls

That, fact; which neuer into action falls,

[Page] If it hath past the license of the will:

And their intent reacht to that height of ill;

But whose intent? O pardon me, there bee

Beniamites spotlesse of that Infamy.

Shall these be ioyn'd in punishment? a sinne

You'd warre against, O doe not then beginne

To act a greater, as if you would see

VVhether Iniustice aequall'd Luxury?

This madnesse was from Gibeah, 'tis true,

Yet some doe more distast the crime, then you,

Euen in that City: heare then my aduice,

And God shall prosper what you enterprize.

Exhort them to doe iustice, if that then

They still be partiall to these guilty men,

Their guilt is greatest, let them perish all

And equall their offences with their fall.

Thicke acclamations breake off his discourse,

Theyle heare no more because they like't: Remorse

Ceizeth each conscience, they already hate

The ciuill warre, which they so wisht of late.

Embassadors by generall voice are sent:

But Beniamin conceits that to repent

VVere the worse sinne, and that who ere will doe

A wicked act, he ought defend it too.

But are not we true Beniamites in this,

And aggrauate what ere we doe amisse

By a new act? as if the second deed

Excus'd the former, if it did exceed.

Did we not thus, an end were come to warre;

Did we not thus, no more should priuate iarre

Molest our peace; Kings might put vp their swords,

And euery quarrell might conclude in words:

One conference would root out all debate,

And they might then most loue, who now most hate,

The most sworne foes: for shew me, where is he

VVould seeke Reuenge, without an Iniury?

[Page] A wrong receiu'd, or thought one? then no need

But to deny, to excuse the deed,

Why is Defence? O what doe they intend

Who iustifie those acts, which they should mend!

O Pride! O folly! O extreame disease!

O Fact, which he condemnes who practises!

Who in his soule confesseth he offends

And yet doubles his guilt when he not ends.

Great crimes find greater patrons: impudence

Followes each fault, to make vs thinke that sense

Hath fled vs with our Vertue, and that men

By such an hardnesse are turn'd stones agen.

So wifes of Entertainment (who doe know

More then one Husband) in the publicke, shew

As vertuous as the best whilst vndescry'd,

Whilst they haue this good left, that they will hide

And veile ore their offences: but if once

Either their husbands iust suspicions,

Or their security betray their fact,

No more doe blush to answere, then to act,

As if 'twere meritorious, and so, did

Appeare no sinne no longer then 'twas hid.

Why should the bad be bold? why should there be

Audaciousnesse ioyn'd to impiety?

Whence is this daring? Sinne was child to Night,

How dares he then approach and blast the light?

How dares he stand th'examining, and try

If men can find out his deformity.

I haue the reason, we are flatterers all,

And to our selues the most; if any fall

Into grosse errors, still he thinkes hee's free,

And Pride supplies the place of honesty.

He thinkes tis good to haue a vertuous name

And cares not for the goodnesse, but the fame.

Which makes the Beniamites reply: we'admire

(To say no more) at your so strange desire.

[Page] And at the craft on't most, that you pretend

Loue and aduice, when you subiection send:

Are we so stupid, and so senslesse growne

As to be thought not fit to rule our owne?

Beniamin was the yongest we confesse

Of Iacobs sonnes, and yet a sonne, no lesse

Then Leuy, or proud Iudah: he that gaue

Life to each Tribe, intended none a slaue,

Nor shall you make vs. But youle say, that you

Out of a generall loue to goodnesse sue

For iustice 'gainst her Enemies. Tis poore

If what we would we cannot couer o're

With specious pretences: tis an ill

Physitians part so to betray his pill,

That children may perceiue it want of dresse,

And chuse disease before seene bitternesse;

But let me tell you who so ere do's deale,

In the affaires of a strange common-weale,

Is tyrannous or mad: he would be knowne

Either anothers Lord, or's not his owne.

Yet what is't your graue Masters doe aduice

Our sleepy Councell of? whose duller Eyes

See onely open vices: we haue heard

The Leuite and his Concubine, we feard

You'd haue vs punish him: then you relate

That comming vnto Gibeah something late,

And willing to depart the earlier thence,

He found his Chast one dead: O dire offence!

She had the punishment she deseru'd, and iust

It was, that who had liu'd should dye by Lust.

And yet for feare Leuites in time to come

Might want such easie fauourites, and some

Would leaue their courteous trade, if there be found

No cure, no remedy for such a wound:

We are content to be seuere: but then

We doe expect, you name those guilty men.

[Page] Out's the more hard and thanklesse task I trow,

For we will punish those whom you but show.

These mockes doe whet the Isra'elites so farre,

Nothing remaines now but a ciuill warre:

Now all the Tribes haue vnto Mispah ran,

With such consent you'd thinke they were one man.

If warre had euer reason, or if men

Had ere authority to kill others, then

Certainely these, in so diuine a cause,

Twas not the peoples quarrell, but the Lawes.

Here no ambition, no vntam'd desire

Of Principalitie, of growing higher,

Put on these Armes, nor was it fault enough

That Beniamin was rich, to raise these rough

Spirits of Mars, nor is't a true surmise

That priuate wrongs did cause these Enemies:

These fight the battel of the Lord, herein

Iustice on one side fights, on th'other Sinne:

So that in height of blood, heat of the warres,

They rather Iudges are, then Souldiers.

The Israelites if they now spare, are shent,

The more they kill, the more they're innocent.

Our Age makes vs againe these actions see

An Age of warre, though not of victory.

For 'tis not victory to winne the Field,

Vnlesse we make our Enemies to yeeld

More to our Iustice, then our Force, and so

As well instruct as ouercome our Foe.

Call you that Conquest, or a Theft of State,

When in a Stranger region of late,

The Eagle built his nest, hauing expell'd

(Vpon a meere pretence that he rebell'd)

The former Ayry, for no other cause,

But that his bill was strong, and sharpe his clawes:

To see the malice, and the power of hate,

That made eu'n the Elector Reprobate.

[Page] When Caesar did not sticke, nor blush to doe

What they detested, who aduis'd him too,

When that all lawes their ancient force might loose,

He made a Choyce of him that was to Choose.

Now all occasions can perswade to sight,

When Power is misinterpreted for Right.

There is a Lust of killing men▪ so great,

Riuers of bloud can scarce asswage the heat:

Our liues are cheaper then the liues of beasts,

Then those whose very being is for feasts;

Who haue no vse but for the throat: hard plight!

Anger not kills them, but our appetite,

If we haue eaten once, we spare: and then

If we are full are kind: but to kill men

We haue a lasting appetite, shedding blood,

Our famine is increas'd eu'n by our food:

Such Erisichthons are we, they that haue

Vnlimited desires, Death and the Graue

But shadow this affection, and to it

Compar'd, the Horse-leach wants an Appetite:

It may be weighing mans high faculties

(Which make him claime a kinred with the skies)

They seeme to doubt of his mortality

And onely striue to know if he can dye.

Nor doe they care on what pretence (lest ought

Should make their crime the lesse) no reason's sought

To mitigate their fault, and they are thus

So farre from good, they scarce are cautelous.

But 'tis a sore will fester, if you touch,

Away my Muse, sometime a truth's too much

For Honour, or for safety: he alone

Prospers who flatters. But if any one

Shall aske a Probabilitie for this

How such a multitude, such a swarme is

Assembled of the Israelites (for then

There met at once foure hundred thousand men

[Page] Against their brother Beniamin,) whilst yet

They had not dispossest the Canaanite,

(There was a mixture not a Conquest made)

How durst they then so foolishly inuade

Their brethrens Countrey, when they left their owne

Subiect to imminent destruction?

Or when was this inuasion made? To me

The Number hath a more Facility

For credit, then the Time; doe we not finde,

That Israel wanting Iudges was assignde

To bondage, as to Anarchy? they groane

Vnder a forraine yoake, wanting their owne.

Carries it any likelyhood; or can

It sinke into the fancy of a man,

That when they were opprest, they should oppresse?

As full of folly as of sauagenesse:

This were to perfect Eglons victory,

And act what Iabin but desir'd should be.

And yet it might be, Ioshua being dead,

Then was the time, the people lack'd an head:

Who taking no care for posterity,

Twas the worst act of Ioshua to dye.

Moses deputed him, and if that he

Had left another Gouernor, it might be

Our Leuite had beene chast: and Beniamin

Beene noted for his vertue, not his sinne.

Then were these multitudes no miracle,

And Canaan so oft beat by Israel,

In likelihood would rest quiet, and expect

If these would doe what they could not effect.

Besides, their dwellings in the Valleyes be

So that their seat teaches humilitie:

And then to climbe the mountaines was such paine

As that the labour did exceed the gaine.

And thus you see, that they may fight: but ere

Their enemies Countries by them wasted were,

[Page] They to the Oracle repaire, to know

If victory shall grace them, or their Foe?

Yet pardon me, I erre, they are so strong

As that they would imagine it a wrong

Done to their valor, it we should suppose,

That they intreated conquest of their foes;

No, being sure of Victory, they aske

Which of the Tribes shall vndertake the taske

Of the first onset, and the Tribes refus'd,

Enuy at Iudahs choyce, as if abus'd,

And iniur'd they esteem'd themselues, that they

Should loose the dangerous honor of the day.

Such was their pride, such thoughts their Nūbers brod

Numbers, whose feare, might strike the Enemy dead:

Whose hands deseru'd a fiercer Enemy,

And matter of an harder victory.

With these they thinke, they might to Memphis passe,

And make the Aegyptians know, what bondage was.

With these they thought with ease to force a Way

(Though nature did oppose) to India.

And in a sawcy victory out-runne,

The primitiue vprising of the Sunne.

How large are our desires? and yet how few

Euents are answerable? So the dew

Which earely on the top of mountaines stood

(Meaning at least to imitate a flood)

When once the Sunne appeares, appeares no more,

And leaues that parch'd, which was too moist before.

That we are neuer wholly good! that still

Mixt with our Vertue, is some spice of ill!

The Israelites are Iust, but they are Proud,

As if a lesser fault might be allowd

For punishing the greater: yet I'de know

Whilst yet they might suffer an ouerthrow,

Why they reioyce as if th'ad wonne! or why

They haue a Pride ere they haue Certainty?

[Page] Their numbers are incredible, 'tis true,

Yet multitudes haue beene orecome by few:

Their army is compleat, tis right, but then

We know it is an army but of men,

Of future carkasses, so quickly some

They haue no time to thinke of death to come:

To whom no starre a certainty does giue,

That they at least to the next Field should liue.

Foure hundred thousand carkasses; enough

To giue the beasts a surfet, and allow

Fertility which Nature had deny'd

Vnto those Lands: So that their height of pride,

Of hope, of glory, and of all their toyle

Is to inrich the Land which they would spoile.

So thought the Beniamites, who though they saw

That Pow'r too was against them with the Law,

Yet resolutely they intend to die,

And such despaire giues them the victory.

They are not Cowards, yet, though they are bad,

They slay more numbers then wee'd thinke they had.

Whence comes this Courage to the Desperate?

The bad me thinkes should be effeminate,

And as the Bees (the subiect or the King)

Hauing abus'd it once, doe loose their sting:

And to inforce a Stoick vnto laughter,

Being once too fierce, they are alwaies sluggish after

Conuerted vnto Droanes, so it seemes fit

(And not so much heauens Iustice, as its wit)

That who hath lost his Vertue once, should straight

Loose courage too, opprest with his owne waight.

The Israelites though amaz'd at this defeat,

Yet gather head, and to their campe retreat;

There might you see Sorrow and Anger ioyn'd,

Nor doe they grieue so much as they repin'd.

Here fathers weepe their onely sonnes, and there

Brothers for as deare losses dropp a teare,

[Page] Accompany'd with threatnings, they are mad

Till they bestow the sorrow which they had.

Once more to Shiloh they repaire, to heare

If God at last will aide them, and for feare

That it was pride did frustrate their first sute,

They're now as humble, as then resolute:

In stead of fighting they now weepe a day,

Sighes they doe thinke and teares can make a way

Where swords are vselesse, they'l gaine victory

No longer by their hand, but by their Eye.

Great and iust God, sayes one, we doe confesse

That all this heauy anger is farre lesse

Then our deseruings: should'st thou fully waigh

Our sinnes enormity, tis not a day

Lost to the Foe, can expiate: did we feele

What ere we saw in Aegypt, did the steele

Peirce deeper in our bowells, should the skyes

Shed those hot showers in which Gomorrah fryes,

We could not taxe the Iustice of our King,

But after all, owe still a suffering.

Yet thou hast ancient mercies, we'aue beene told

Of all thy courtesies, which were of old

Shew'd to our Fathers; O vouchsafe them still,

And make vs heires of those: we haue done ill,

Prodigiously ill, ther's no offence

Which we are guiltlesse of, each conscience

Accuseth, and amazeth vs: yet now

Our flinty hearts to a repentance bow:

Yet now at last vouchsafe thy fauour to vs,

And as thy rod hath scourg'd, let mercy wooe vs;

We dare not looke for victory: O no,

Giue vs at leastwise a more vertuous Foe.

Thy wrath is iust great God, and tis our sute

Onely iust men thy wrath may execute.

We beg not for our liues, they are thy loane,

Which when thou wilt, receiue, yet as thine owne,

[Page] Let not their swords bereaue vs of our breath,

And we shall find a benefit in death.

Yet what a glory can it be to thee

That we are dead? and that the Heathen see

Thy anger on thy Children? that thy wrath

In stead of being felt, is told in Gath,

And publisht in fierce Ascalon; spare vs then

If not for vs, yet for thy selfe; and when

Thou think'st of plaguing vs, thy selfe exempt,

Since that our Ruine will breed thy contempt:

Let then thy mercy aboue iustice shine;

If we are bad, consider we are thine.

Thus grumbled they a pray'r: and he that sees

Councells vnhatchd, and what he will, decrees,

(Yet euer iustly) does perceiue that they

What ere they faine, doe murmure, and not pray.

Which he decrees to punish: they would know

Whether that once more they shall fight▪ or no?

Once more he grants that they shall fight and thus

They're not so crauing, as he Courteous,

If they but aske him, he will not deny,

Fight's their desire, and then his answere's I.

Had they but ask'd the victorie as well

He would haue heard his troubled Israel:

He that deliuer'd them from forraine armes,

And taught their weake hands to repaire their harmes

With admirable victory. He I say

Would haue bestow'd the honor of the day

On them, had they desir'd it; they haue knowne

How he hath warr'd for them from heauen, & showne

Such miracles in their defence, they fright

Those whom they saue, as when the wondring night

Thought herselfe banisht from the world (the Sunne

Standing vnmou'd, forgetting how to runne.)

If they now loose the day the fault is theirs,

God does no mercy want, they want right prayers.

[Page] But they suppose it too too fond to stand

Begging of that which is in their owne hand.

This they conceiue were to mocke God, to craue

That to be giu'n which they already haue,

A pow'r to vse their armes: No, if once more

They may haue field-roome, may but fight it o're

Though Heau'n doe not fight for them; they suppose

They cannot loose, if Heau'n doe not oppose.

They thinke no chance can possibly bestow,

The foile on them, the Lawrell on the foe.

What though they lost the praise of the first day,

And fought as though they came to runne-away:

Twas not for want of courage sure, but either

The foe had got aduantage of the weather,

Or else the wind had rays'd the dust so high

That they suppos'd fresh enemies to be nigh,

And fear'd to be enuiron'd round: what ere

Occasion'd their first ouerthrow, no feare,

No chance, shall cause another; and the slaues

That now triumph, shall find their trenches, graues.

Is this their Crime alone, or doe not all

Partake as of their fault, so of their fall?

Israel is not onely mad, there be

Some vices which we giue posterity,

And this is one of them: O how vaine is man!

O how his Reason too is but a spanne,

And not his stature or his Age! we haue long

Iniur'd the beasts, and done them too much wrong,

By calling them Irrationall; could they speake

Thus in rough language, they would fiercely breake

Their mind vnto vs: O you onely wise

To whom kind Nature hath imparted Eyes,

Leauing all other blind; pardon if we

Doe tell you where you haue forgot to see,

Where we are clearer sighted: can you show

Where euer beasts did to that madnesse grow,

[Page] As to pronounce of that, which is to come,

Of that which onely seemes in Chances doome?

Yet thus you doe; and doing thus haue showne,

Reason's your title, our Possession.

The Israelites had to their cost of late

Found confidence to be vnfortunate;

(Their confidence in Numbers) and yet still

(Though now contain'd in smaller roome) they will

Forespeake their victory: why, because they see

That they are many yet; poore vanity!

When they were more, they were o'recome, yet dare

Conceiue a Conquest when they fewer are;

Because still some are to be kill'd: as though

Successe to Multitudes did homage owe,

And multitudes impair'd: as if the way

To winne another were to loose one day.

But had we seene the City now! what ioy

Raign'd in those streetes, sufficient to destroy

Those whom it comforted (for pleasure too

Can find a way to death, and strangely doe

The worke of heauinesse and griefe) I say

Had we but seene the glory of that day:

The whooping, dancing, and the generall noyse

To which the sea and thunder are but toyes;

We should haue thought it (so the sounds agree.)

No noise of Triumph, but Captiuity.

At last they doe repose themselues, and one

Of highest iudgement and discretion,

Instructs them thus: My dearest Countrymen,

Who ere intends his priuate ends, does pen

A speech vnto the Eare, his study is

Which words sound well, and which are thought amisse:

He tryes all wayes, he layes all colours on

To cheat the Iudgement, sooth the Passion,

So that he hopes at last that it must hit

Either the subiect, or the clothing it:

[Page] But I whose end is Publike good, intend

Nothing but that which caryes to that end:

Pardon me then if I am harsh and round,

If that I am not Plausible, but sound.

We wonne a victory last day, so great

We hardly dare beleeue we were not beat:

Our conquest easier was then our beleife;

And with great reason too: for tell, what chiefe,

What petty captaine is so vaine, so mad

As to ascribe to his conduct the glad

Euent of last dayes hazard? to my sense

The Conqueror was onely Prouidence,

And we but instruments: then I'de aduice

That as you haue beene happy, you'd be wise:

That man does still in greatest glory stand,

Whose braine is better thought of then his hand▪

And so I wish that yours should be: we know

That what is gain'd by Fortune is lost so,

She hath no constant Fauorite, then now

Whilst yet our victory does meanes allow

To purchase peace at our owne rate, and thriue

By Couenant more then Battle: let vs driue

All thought of warre farre from vs, tis in vaine

To get that hardly, which we may obtaine

By easier meanes, and he does more then raue

Who hazards that which he may certaine haue.

More was he speaking, when a thousand tongues

Made his be silent, one would thinke their lungs

To be vnequall to that noyse, so fierce

Their clamor is, such sounds the heauens doe peirce.

So haue I oft heard in our Theater

(When that a daintier passage wan the Eare)

A thousand tongues, a thousand hands rebound,

(As if the Plaudite were in the sound,

And most noise were most pleasing:) they expresse

Their liking so, as these their frowardnesse.

[Page] Who raue from noise to action, one stoopes downe,

To reach a stone, another fiercer clowne

Shakes a steel'd Tauelin at him, all the hands,

Against which Israel but weakely stands,

Ayme now at one; who dreadlesse, vnimpair'd

In courage, neither wisht life, nor despair'd.

At last a serious Counceller stood vp;

Much had he tasted of the liberall Cup,

And thankefully exprest it in his face,

To which a larger wound would be a grace

By hiding his rich pimples: This braue man

Raises himselfe, and with what speed he can

Stutters thus to them; Cease my noble boyes,

Quiet your threatnings now, and stint your noyse.

Tis a iust anger you haue showne, but yet

The time in which you shew it is vnfit.

Now should we dance, my blouds, now should we sing,

And make the wondring firmament to ring

With ioyfull acclamations; now braue spirits

To shew the most ioy, is to shew most merits.

Sadnesse is onely Capitall: in fine,

Now should we shed no bloud but of the vine.

For you Sir whom we doubly guilty see,

Of Treason first, and then Philosophy

If these doe please, thus we pronounce: to shew

How little we doe feare you, or the Foe,

Wee'l send you first vnto their campe, and then

Wee'l fetch you by our conquest home agen.

This is a mercy if well vnderstood,

You shall inioy the fortune you thinke good.

Here his breath failes: when all the people cry

He hath spoke nobly, none this day shall dye.

And yet the Traitor shall not scape at last

Whose execution is deferr'd, not past.

Twas neither peace, nor warre now, either side

Hauing sufficiently their forces try'd,

[Page] Take breath a while: O happy men, if still

This mind continue in them! If they kill

Their appetite of killing! if this rest

Can at the last informe them what is best!

To bury their slaine friends▪ both sides agree

Vnto a two dayes truce: Stupiditie

Nor to be borne with! had they knowne the vse

At first of that which they now call a truce,

This truce had beene vnnecessary, then

They might haue spar'd, whilst now they bury men.

And that they now may bury, they intreat

Respite a while from warre: thus all their heat

Is buried for the time: good heau'n to see

Th' Omnipotency of Necessity,

Whom all the neerest ties of Neighbourhood,

Religion, Language, nay of the same Bloud

Could not containe from fight, but that they would

(To see if it were theirs) shed their owne bloud,

These are intreated to a forme of peace,

Their fury for a day or two can cease,

Commanded by Necessity: they feare

Lest th' Ayre by so much carcasse poysoned were:

Lest to reuenge the bloud which they had shed,

They now might feele the valour of the dead,

Of strong corruption: these thoughts hold their mind

These thoughts a while inforce them to be kind

On both sides (for they doe not iarre in all)

Nature preuailes not, but a Funerall.

Nor doth this long preuaile, for when they had

Interr'd some carcasses, they yet are mad

Till they haue made some more, till they haue done

A second fault, as not content with one.

They see their Error, and commit it, thus

Who are not eminently vertuous,

Are easily entrapp'd in vices snares,

And want the poore excuse, that vnawares

[Page] They were ingag'd, we greedily runne on

Offending with Deliberation.

And can you call this but Infirmity?

Nick-name a Vice? O call it Prodigy.

Call it—O what? What name can well expresse

The miracle of humane guiltinesse?

Could he pretend an ignorance at least

And be in Nature as in Fact a beast,

He were not worse then they, then he might be

Both from the Vse and Fault of Reason free.

But what new horror ceizeth me? what fire

Raignes in my thoughts, and prompts me to rise higher?

Hence you low soules who groueling on the Earth

Basely deiect your selues below your birth,

Sold to your senses: I intend to tell

What none can know but in whose breasts doe dwell

Coelestiall fires, and vnto whom 'tis giu'n

To haue a neerer intercourse with Heau'n.

Yet pardon you pure soules, whom no one dares

Eas'd of our flesh, to trouble with our cares:

Pardon I once more aske, if my weake pen

Fitting it selfe to ordinary men,

Attaine not to your height (to vs vnknowne)

And giue you those words which you shame to owne.

The Lawgiuer, who saw as in a glasse

All in the Word, what euer 'twas did passe

In these neer enmities, as farre as Man

Perfectly happy knowes a griefe, began

To feele Compassion: Haue I then said he

Deliuer'd Israel for this misery?

And did I free them from th' Aegyptian

Onely to find them graues in Canaan?

I did foretell their Land should ouerflow,

But neuer thought to be expounded so;

Neuer with bloud: I meant that they should haue

More blessings then the couetous can craue.

[Page] The flowing Vdder, and the vntyr'd Bee,

An happy Deluge of Fertility.

O how would now proud Pharaoh reioyce!

How would he haue a Ioy beyond a voyce,

Beyond his tyranny, could he but know

VVhat Israel does indure without a Foe!

VVas it for this I did so oft repeat

VVonders before him, wonders of so great

Exuberance of powre, so highly done,

That they contemne all admiration?

How wert thou Nilus bloudy'd into Red,

Thy waters as vnknowne as is thy Head?

VVhen all thy finny progeny did find

That to destroy now, which did breed their kind,

VVhen by a nimble death they vnderstand,

The Riuer as discourteous as the Land?

Can I forget that when I did bestow

A liberty as heretofore to flow

Vnto thy now pale waters, there did passe

An issue stranger then his Colour was

From the too fertil riuer? Frogges are found

VVith such a multitude to hide the ground

That ther's no grasse appeares, no corne is seen.

The spring does blush because he lookes not greene.

Their numbers and their noyse equally harsh

Make Aegypt not a Region but a Marsh.

VVhat a small portion of my acts were these?

How scarcely to be counted passages

In my large story? Dust is chang'd to Lice

And now beginnes to creepe, which the most nice

And curious eye before could neuer find

To moue at all, vnlesse 'twere by the wind:

VVhich could not scatter those thicke clouds of Flyes,

That would not let them, no, not see the skyes.

VVhen I but threaten all the cattle dye,

And Aegypts Gods find a Mortality.

[Page] But lest the men should thinke that they were free

From the fault too, if the Calamity [...]:

I taught their bodies with blacke goare to runne,

And imitate their soules corruption.

What was a Face is now a Pimple growne,

And in each part is plentifully sowne

A store of blaines, so vgly, that to me

It was a kind of Iudgement but to see.

And if this were but little, was't not I

That call'd those candy'd pellets from the sky,

Which in a moment ouerwhelming all

Did badly change their colour in their fall:

And by the murthering euery one they found

Within their reach came red vnto the ground?

When to repaire the numbers they had slaine

(Beasts of all sorts) the land is fill'd againe,

But tis with Locusts, such a swarme they see

Made for the shame of all their Husbandry,

That they could wish, so they were rid of these

The former Murrein, ere this new increase.

But who can tell the following Prodigy?

Last day the Earth was hid, but now the sky

Chaos returnes, the Sunne hath lost his rayes

And Nights obscurity is turn'd to Dayes.

Who could a greater miracle afford?

God made the Light, I Darknesse by a Word.

Which had it lasted, had it ne're been spent,

They would haue call'd it a kind punishment,

They had not seen then their first borne to dy,

To challenge death by their Natiuity:

All [...], but why? was it to see

[...] suffer fuller misery?

To gaine the Country which they could not hold,

From which their owne armes ignorantly bold

Expell their owne selues: O let no man tell

That Israel did banish Israel.

[Page] My prayers forbid, nor let it ere be said

That Moses was vnkind since he was dead,

That in the graue I left my goodnesse too;

And could not pity when not feele a woe.

Hauing said this, with all the speed he may

He seekes out holy Abraham, who that day,

By his deere Isaac seconded, did sing

The ancient mercies of their heauenly King.

One tells how hauing now worne out a life

And so being fitter for his Graue then VVife,

Nay then when she had liu'd vnto those yeares,

To be accounted with the Grandmothers,

When Sara now was so vnweildy growne,

Her legges could scarcely beare her selfe alone,

She beares another burthen, and does swell

Not with a child, but with a Miracle.

This said, he stops; and then againe goes on

No more with story, but Deuotion.

O prayse the Lord my soule, let me not find

My body was more fruitfull then my mind.

O let that teeme with thankefulnesse, and be

Made sweetly pregnant by my memory.

Father, sayes Isaac, I haue often heard

That we doe tell with Ioy what we haue Feard,

And what in suffring terrifies our sense,

Does in relating please: what violence

Of blisse possesseth me, when I compare

My dangers past with ioyes that present are!

Methinkes I yet carry that fatall wood

(A burden which I hardly vnderstood

Should carry me) methinkes I still enquire

VVhere is the sacrifice, and where the fire?

How little did I thinke, or feare till then

That God commanded sacrifice of men!

How little could I guesse in any part

That God in such sort did desire the Heart?

[Page] Yet pardon Father, if you now must know,

Your silence seem'd more cruell then your blow:

Could I oppose my mind against your will,

Or wish him spar'd, whom you decreed to kill?

Wherefore was all this circumstance? what need

But first to tell, and then to act the deed?

I neuer knew what disobedience meant,

And your distrust was my worst punishment.

I must confesse I was amaz'd, my bloud

Congeal'd within me, and my faint haires stood

Yet not for feare of death (Death was my profit)

But for the manner and the Author of it.

Was this the heau'nly promise? and must I

So strangely borne, somewhat more strangely dye?

What should I say now? or what shall I doe?

That frustrate by my death Gods promise too.

Should I inuoke Heau'ns ayde? alas, from thence

Came the iniunction for this violence:

Should I implore my fathers helpe? why, he

Would sooner hearken vnto heau'n then me.

And so he did: for when the trembling sword

As if he knew the temper of his Lord

Threatned a death, most fortunately then

He that did arme you did disarme agen;

Shewing your will was all he did require,

Commanding you to that you most desire,

To be againe a Father: O the power

And mercy of our God! who in an houre,

Who in a minute, can make all things well,

Can bring and then deliuer out of Hell.

These were their Accents, when that Moses sayes,

It is an holy businesse to praise,

To magnifie our Lord, so to goe on

In the intent of our Creation.

To this all times, all reasons doe obey,

And we may praise as often as we pray.

[Page] But now let's change these tones, let vs be mute

In all discourses now, but in a suite;

Let vs at once conioyne our prayers, and see

If our one God will hearken vnto three.

Your issue, and my charge, whom I haue led

Thorow those paths that neuer man did tred,

(As if they fear'd a scarcity of foes)

Doe their owne selues against themselues oppose;

And their destruction (vnlesse we repaire

Sooner to ayde them) will preuent our pray'r.

It was a place aboue the Ayre, the Sky,

Whither Man cannot reach, not with his Eye,

Nay if th' exactnesse of the height be sought,

Whither Man cannot reach, not with his thought.

Beyond the place where haile, and raine doe grow,

Aboue the chill-white treasures of the snow;

To which compar'd the starry heau'n is fell

Vnto a neerer neighbourhood with Hell.

And when I shall of Gods abode intreat

It does become his prospect, not his seat.

To which compar'd, the Chrystall heau'n does meet

With Earth, to be a stoole vnto his feet.

This was the Place (yet pardon 'twas not so,

Places are things which onely bodies know,

Our bounds of Ayre, from which the heau'ns are free

As from Corruption and Mortality)

But heere it was His sacred throne did stand,

Who with a word created Sea and Land:

Who with a word was Maker of his Throne,

Who till he made it neuer wanted one.

Bring me the richest goldsmiths treasuries

(Those baites that doe allure our hearts and eies)

The dusky Sapphire, the Pearle richly white,

The sparkling Diamond, yellow Chrysolite,

Or if there be a gemme Nature hath fram'd,

Of so high price that Art hath neuer nam'd.

[Page] Ransacke the Inga's tombes, where there doth lye

With their corrupted dust their treasury:

(Who to that pretty bounty doe attaine

That they bestow their gold on earth againe.)

Search me their graues, or if you fearfull be

Of treasure guarded by Mortality,

Rob all the mines fenc't with so many barres,

(Where Nature in the Earth hath fancy'd starres,

Whose luster least our weaknesse cannot beare

Her kinder wisedome made her store vp there)

Bring these vnto the view, to an exact

Figure, which Phidias durst call his Act:

Yet to this throne compar'd, it will appeare

So farre from shining, it will scarce looke cleare.

Here does the Ancient of dayes disclose

The glory of his Maiesty to those

To whom he daynes his presence, who enioy

At full, what would a weaker eye destroy:

Whose blisse shall neuer haue a period,

Who therefore liue because they see their God.

How could I euer linger, euer dwell

In this so blest Relation! O how well

Should I esteeme my selfe entranc'd, if I

By staying here should lose my History!

Here thousand thousands wait vpon his call

Of humane seruants, and Angelicall,

And such a multitude inuest his throne

(Millions of Spirits waiting vpon One,)

That it may be we should not say amisse,

Their Number stranger then their Nature is:

Here sound the Halleluiah's, here the Quire

Of Heau'n is high, and full as their desire:

No voice is here vntun'd, they doe not find

Aiarre, more in the sound, then in the mind.

Their power of singing growes on with their song,

And they can longer sing, because thus long;

[Page] Thus here themselues they fully strengthned fee,

To a melodious eternitie.

Here Abraham presents himselfe, and sayes

O thou aboue the iniury of Dayes;

Who making Times art subiect vnto none,

Who giu'st all knowledge, and art neuer knowne;

Who in my dayes of flesh didst gladly lend

An eare vnto my sute, and wouldst not bend

Thy plagues against thine enemies, vntill

I knew th'intent, and thou hadst askt my will,

The will of me poore mortall, nay farre worse

Of me a sinner then, the ancient curse

Stucke deepely in me, that I might haue feard

My faults, and not my pray'r should haue beene heard:

Could I speake then, and am I silent now?

Did Sodome moue, and cannot Israel bow?

O pardon me if I bewaile their state,

If I their Father proue their Aduocate.

Didst not thou promise when I had giu'n ore

All hope of Father, when I wisht no more

Then a contented Graue, that then from me,

Should come so numerous a progeny:

That all the cleerer army of the sky,

And the thicke sands which still vnnumbred lye

Should come within account before my seed,

Which not my Sara, but thy truth should breed?

How oft I thought that promise did include

Their lasting too as well as multitude;

That their continuance should be as sure,

As long as either sands or starres indure.

If they haue sinn'd, thou know'st they may repent

And be the better by a punishment,

Neuer by Ruine: O then vse thy rod

Thinke that they are thy People, thou their God.

And if they are so, O then let not be

Any more strife, but who shall most serue thee,

[Page] If they are so, let Abraham once more

Receiue those children which thou gau'st before.

Now they haue left their heau'nly ecchoing,

Now all the Quire does wonder and not sing,

When from th'eternall Maiesty are heard

Speeches, which all but the dread Speaker fear'd.

Am I as Man that I should change? or like

The sonne of man to threaten and not strike?

If I pronounce my wrath against a Land

Shall that continue, and my word not stand?

If I doe whet a sword, shall it be blunt,

And haue no direr sharpenesse then t'was wont?

Beniamins crime h'as such an horror in't,

(Who haue confirm'd their faces like a flint

Against all dye of modesty) that till

Their bloud (which now their too hot veines doe fill)

Flow in their fields, till that their Numbers be

Of as small note as is their Chastity,

It shall not be remitted: yet to show

That I can pay that which I doe not owe,

A remnant shall escape: but for the rest,

(Those other Tribes which boast they are the best,)

And yet to verifie their goodnesse, lesse

Speake, as if they were iniur'd by successe,

So making the fault mine, who therefore haue

Beene lib'rall benefactors to the graue

By their thicke deaths) vntill that I doe see

A confirm'd truth of their humility,

They shall not see a victory: Ile make

Beniamin punish these, and after take

Vengeance on the Reuengers, till they see

My mercy hath not spent mine Aequity.

This I pronounce, this is my constant will.

Now all the holy company doe fill

The heau'ns with shouts of prayse, and loudly cry

All Honor, Glory, Power to the most High.

[Page] But now the Israelites once more haue brought

Their troopes into the field, once more haue fought,

And whether 'twas the fault of them that led,

Or of the souldier, once more they haue fled:

And now because their battle was not long

I will not be more tedious in my Song.

Canto III.

The Argument.

The Leuites vision, Phineah's Prayer,

The Israelites late caus'd despaire

Now turn'd to courage, when by them

A new inuenned stratagem

Drawes the enemy from the walls,

Ʋntill within their net he falls,

With the full righting of the wrong

Does both conclude, and crowne my Song.

VVHen will Vice faile? whē shall we see th' euēt

Of wicked acts as bad as the Intent?

As yet the worst are prosperous, and worse,

The good as yet haue neuer miss'd their curse:

Reuiew the Leuites wife, and you shall see

When she had forfeited her honesty,

Her father entertain'd her; but once more

When she was come to what she left before,

Her Lord and Vertue, when that all her strife

Shall be to gaine the name of a good wife,

Gibeah will not harbour her; O poore!

Gibeah were guiltlesse had it done no more:

But Gibeah will murder her; and now

Returne we to the Campe, and there see how

[Page] They proue this fatall truth, twice had they try'd

The valour of their enemies, and twice dy'd

The fields with their best bloud, so hardly crost

That they haue fought no oftner then th'aue lost:

And yet their cause was best: neither were they

The onely people which haue lost the day

Which they deseru'd to winne: search the records

Of euery Age, and euery Age affords

Examples of like strangenesse: who can tell

What the Assyrian did to Israel?

How in despite of all their lofty towers,

(Which hop'd a standing to the last of houres)

He made one houre their last: vnlucky howre,

Where vice shew'd what 't could do when it had power.

The sword did sport with lifes, nor were they such

VVhose losse or preseruation did not much

Pertaine vnto the state: but the Kings sonnes

In the same time, the same Pauilions,

By the same tyrant are inforc'd to dye,

And which exceeds all, in their fathers eye.

Poore Zedekiahs kingdome first is gone

And then his heyres, O harsh inversion!

If he had lost them first, it might be thought

His kingdomes losse would not haue mou'd him ought,

He would haue made the best of th'other crosse

Esteeming it an easing, not a losse.

As he might now to be depriu'd of sight

VVhen he should couet the kind screene of Night

Betweene his woes and him: if in his mind

He saw, it was a blessing to be blind:

That then he should be forc't to see no more

VVhen he could not see what he saw before.

This Israel suffer'd, and his Ashur did,

And yet I dare affirme it was not hid

Not from th' Assyrian eu'n in his owne doome

That they were better who were ouercome.

[Page] Or if the goodnesse to his side he drawes,

Tis that his sword was better, not his cause.

I could goe on in presidents as true,

Actions betweene the Heathen and the Iew,

Betweene the Turke and Christian: but what need

To shew there is no birth without a seed?

No speech without a tongue? or if there be

More truths of such knowne perspicuity.

How doe they doate then, who would tye the Lord

To be so ayding to his childrens sword,

As that he ne're should vse his owne, nor doe

Any one act, but what they wish him too?

Are they so good? or is his loue so fond,

As of a courtesie to make a bond?

Shall they indent with him? and say thus farre

Thou mayst correct, but if thy iudgements are

Of longer date, they are vniust? for shame

(All ye that glory in a purer Name,)

Hence those blaspehemous thoughts, far hence remoue,

Lest they deserue the plagues they would reproue.

Is it iniustice to suppresse our pride,

To bring vnto our eyes what we would hide,

Eu'n from our selues, our close deformities?

Or, may not God, to shew how he does prize

His seruants labours, make them thus appeare,

As does the Sunne after a cloud, more cleare?

His iudgement certainly wee'l say's too quicke,

VVho'l proue one bad because he sees him sicke;

These iudgements are discases, and bestowd

At pleasure, and not where they most are owd:

Yet due they are where euer they are found,

Since there are none so Catholikely sound,

But in a word, but in a thought haue strayd,

Perhaps in those Afflictions, when th'aue wayd

Their deeds and suffrings which they thinke to be

Of farre more rigor then Aequality.

[Page] Then courage noble Countrymen, nor feare

Though you should want successe a while to [...]eare

Your names vp to your ancestors, (who did

Those acts which now were better to be hid:

Lest that they should vpbraid vs) doe not feare

That Spaine is neerer the Almighties Eare

Then our deuotions: he that could bestow

A victory after a second blow

Vpon the doubting Israelites, can still

Create our better hopes eu'n out of ill.

Or if he doe not, if he haue decreed

That our iust plague shall be their vniust deed:

That Israel shall be once more ouercome,

And Dauid flie away from Absalom:

Yet let this glad vs in our chiefest woe,

Man may be good and yet vnhappy too.

Now are they truely humbled, now although

No curious eye could guesse their ouerthrow

When he had seene their numbers, yet at length

They will rely vpon another strength,

Or if to numbers they will trust agen,

'Tis to Gods numerous mercies, not their men.

He can deliuer (they haue seene) by few,

And they doe thinke it possible and true

That he can helpe by many too, they find

Without him all their actions full of wind,

Of emptinesse, and with him they not doubt

To be as well victorious as deuout.

Now Pride hath left them, now they goodnesse yeeld,

Now haue they lost their vices with the field.

Such holy lessons doe misfortunes teach,

Which make our once bad thoughts brauely to reach

At Heau'n and glory: if you marke it well

Whilst yet it was a num'rous Israel

It was a proud one too, but when that now

God lookes vpon them with an angry brow,

[Page] When all their troopes halfe weary and halfe sicke,

Are growne to easier Arithmeticke,

Th'are truly penitent▪ hence we may see

The pow'r, the good pow'r of Aduersitie,

W'are bad if we are happy, if it please

Heau'n to indow vs with a little ease,

If riches doe increase, vntill our store

Meet our desires, till we can wish no more,

If that our garners swell (vntill they feare

Ruine from that with which they furnisht were)

We but abuse these benefits: our Peace

Brings forth but factions, if that strangers cease

To giue vs the affront; our selues will be

Both the defendant, and the Enemy.

Our riches are our snares, which being giu'n

To man, to make a purchase of the heau'n,

We buy our ruine with them, the abuse

Is double, in the getting, and the vse,

So that our summes vnto such heapes are growne

When Auarice succeeds Oppression.

In briefe, our garners so well stuff'd, so cramm'd,

Detaine our Corne, as if that it were damn'd

To euerlasting prison, none appeares,

And thus we giue dearth to the fruitfull yeares:

Being to such a proud rebellion growne,

Famine is not heau'ns iudgement but our owne.

So wretched are we, so we skilfull grow

In crimes, the which the heathen doe not know.

We wrong God for his blessings, as if thus

We then were thankfull, if iniurious.

Why should not mercy winne vs? why should we

Be worse by that, whence we should betterd be?

Blessings were ne're intended for our harme,

Why doe we hearken then to the fond charme

Of such temptations? O how base is man!

How foolish Irreligion has wanne

[Page] Vpon his reason too! Doe we not call

Whom onely stripes can master, bestiall?

O what is man then! who ne're heares his Lord,

Till that the famine call him, or the sword.

Who (as he meant to tyre his patient God)

Yeelds not vnto his fauours, but his rod.

And can we yet intreat him to be kind,

To alter his, when wee'l not change our mind?

If we are heard, we will offend agen,

And all our pray'r does but intreat a Sinne.

Thus pray'd the Israelites, but if th'are heard

If he that made them scorn'd, will make them feard:

It is in chance, no, tis as sure as fate,

Hauing forgot their misery of late

They will rebell againe: like those good hearts

Who though they know the paines, the many smarts

Which fruitfulnesse is fruitfull with, still giue

Death to themselues, to make their issue liue:

And if they scape this death, they try againe,

And boldly venture for a second paine,

As if twere pleasure, or as if they meant

Rather to dye, then to be continent.

Thus haue we seene a barren, sandy soyle

(Made onely for the husbandmans sad toyle

And not his profit) when the full heau'n powres

His moisture downe, easing himselfe by showres:

Drown'd with the drops, to make vs vnderstand

A figure of the Sea vpon the Land,

VVhen once those drops are spent, when that the sky

Smiles with his new restor'd ferenitie,

Swifter then thought, before that we can say

This was the place; the water's gone away,

Theres a low Ebbe, againe we see the Land

Changing its moisture for its ancient sand.

Yet he that knowes this their infirmity,

At last will pitty it, and from on high,

[Page] (When now their thoughts of warre they will adiourne

When there's no talke now, but of their returne)

Hee'l hinder it by victory: with that

(About the time that pitchy night had gat

The conquest of the day, of which being proud

He wrapt himselfe within his thickest cloud,

Thinking perhaps his conquest to be voyd,

If any saw the triumphs he inioyd)

Vnto our Leuite he a vision sends

Clad in her dearest shape, in whom he ends

All thoughts of Fancy: Whom when he had seene

(And quickly he had spy'd her) Fairest Queene

Of heau'n, he sayes, what is there here on earth

That could perswade thee to a second birth,

Thus to appeare agen? needs must thou know

(For ignorance belongs to vs below

Excluded out of heau'n) that our sad stare

Is for its goodnes prou'd vnfortunate;

That Beniamin is conqueror, and that we

Could not reuenge, but onely follow thee:

Nor was't one losse, one petty ouerthrow

Hath daunted vs, but (as if fate would show

All her choyce malice on vs) we haue try'd

How many wayes 'twas possible t'aue dy'd.

Beleeue it, heauenly one, no cowardise

(Which heretofore being base, is now tearmd wise)

Lost vs the day, no prouidence, no zeale

Nor that (which can the maymes of actions heale)

Councell, and graue aduice was wanting to vs:

Only the heau'ns, which we had thought would wooe vs

To prosecute thy vengeance, and from whence

We look'd for daies, like a good conscience

Shining and cleere, with cruelty vnheard

Giue vs an ouerthrow for a reward;

That we can onely (such our wretched fate)

Deplore the losse, which we should vindicate.

[Page] Is this your Iustice heau'ns? nay I would know

If it at least be wisedome, thus to shew.

Your wrath vpon you followers? if there be

Such a desire in you to make vs see

What powre you haue, wherefore d'ye not vse

That powre on those, who impiously abuse

Vs and your selues? O there are heathen still,

People that neither feare, nor know your will,

If you will ruine these, or any wise

But lessen, y'aue the fewer Enemies:

On these be powerfull; but if you doubt

Whether such nations may be singled out,

That sinne hath fled the world, then here begin,

For all the Heathen are in Beniamin.

Are we the onely faulty? or am I

Pickt out for eminent Iniquity?

All lights on me, twas I that rays'd these warres,

Twas I that this thicke people like to starres

Haue lessend into Number; I alone

Merit both peoples curses ioynd in one.

Beniamin does detest me, and I guesse

Israels hatred is more close, not lesse.

What shall I doe, what course is to be tryde

When safe I cannot goe, nor safe abide?

No more sayes she, nor foolishly conclude

To giue complaints in stead of gratitude.

Wee'are heard my deare, and he at whose command

The earth will learne to moue, the heau'n to stand

Fast as the Center, who brings downe to hell,

And out of deeper mercies (which to tell

Would pose them that they blesse) brings backe againe,

Making the pleasure greater by the paine,)

Hath crown'd our wishes. O ioyfully good!

Not to be had on earth, nor vnderstood:

Heau'ns high superlatiue, for vnto me

Reuenge is better then Aeternity.

[Page] Reuenge vpon Gods enemies: know my deare

(And know that thou must doe what thou shalt heare)

It is the will of heau'n, when once the skye

Is proud of the next mornings liuery,

All Israel should meet, where what shall fall

Iust with wishes, or exceed them all,

I must not now discouer, yet thus much

I care deliuer (my affection's such)

A truth, that is confest as soone as heard,

That he who knew to plague, knowes to reward.

Our Leuite wakes, but stretching out an arme

He feeles no body, no, nor no place warme

To proue she had been there, he thinkes 'tmay be

No vision, but a birth of Phantasie:

An issue of a troubled braine that fram'd

Formes to it selfe which Nature hath not nam'd.

Haue I not slaine enough he sayes, but still

Is it my office and my curse to kill?

Twas but a dreame inioyn'd me to be bad,

A dreame, a vapour, and am I so mad

For nothing to bee monstrous, and commit

A crime, that men shall feare to dreame of it!

But can I disobey what it hath pleas'd

Heau'n to command me? O how I am ceaz'd

VVith strange extreames! nor readily can tell

Whether this Reuelation should dwell

Clos'd in my brest? or whether I goe on

As counting it a Reuelation?

There may be guilty silence, if we feare

In the affaire of heauen to wound an eare

With threatning Rheroricke; this will not bee

Excus'd by a pretence of modesty:

Rather twill proue the iudgement of iust heau'n,

VVe shall receiue the doome we should haue giu'n.

Now all the people know what he hath heard,

Now they haue all their forwardnesse declar'd

[Page] In sacrifice, when Phineas appeares,

One that had liued vnto so many yeares;

He knew not how to count them, and that knew

The Desert wonders, and could proue them true

By his owne sight, that could the more ingage

Men to beleeue, not by his tongue, but age.

Nay I haue heard some hauing duely way'd

How long in that high office he had stayd,

Conceiue they may affirme without a checke,

Him of the order of Melchisedec;

And proue (as onely iudging what they see)

Their Priesthoods, by their Priests eternity.

Who hauing enter'd, all the people bow'd:

(For 'twas not yet as perfect zeale allow'd

To be irreuerent to their Priest, that name

Which now is prou'd a title but of shame,

Then was the badge of glory) he indeares

Himselfe, more by his office, then his yeares

To those, who thinke these two can ne're agree,

To scorne the Priest, and serue the Deitie.

Before the Altar his weake knees he bends,

Which age before, but now deuotion sends

Vnto the ground, where with a voyce so low,

That he could onely heare it, who could know

What it would haue before it spake, he thus

Whisper'd a prayer;

King of Heauen, of Earth, of Seas,

And of men exceeding these:

Thou, that when thy people ranne

From the proud Egyptian,

Ledst them through a liquid path

Safe, and scarce wet, when thy wrath

Wonderfully made them know,

Twas a Sea vnto the foe.

Thou that when the heat, the sand

Of a barren thirsty land,

[Page] Made our tongues be so confin'd

To our roofes, they scarce repin'd,

But in secret, so that we

Onely fear'd a blasphemy.

Thou then by a powerfull knocke

Mad'st a Sea within a Rocke,

And gau'st Israel to know

For them drought should ouerflow:

Thou art still the same, and we

Stand in the same need of thee.

Pardon then if we presume

To an hope, and so assume

Courage to vs, when we ioyne

Our wants to that powre of thine.

Yes our wants, for we can find

None of merit, w'aue declin'd

Eu'ry good way, and haue still

Beene ambitious of ill,

So that when we are exact,

And haue all our good deeds rackt

To the highest rate, ther's none

Dares appeare before thy throne:

Onely this desert we see,

Continuance of aduersity.

Nay such monsters haue we bin,

Such proficients in each sinne,

That we durst not looke on heau'n,

Nor intreat to be forgiu'n.

Hadst not thou vouchsaf'd to doe

What our wishes reacht not too:

Hadst not thou vouchsaf'd to be

Tutor to our Infancy:

And bestow'd when we were mute

Both our prayer and our sute.

O the Courteous

Respect heau'ns beares vs! Scarcely had hee done,

Scarce finisht his impos'd deuotion,

[Page] VVhen on the sudden, ere you could haue said

The Priest had sacrific'd, or he had pray'd,

Through all the Campe a light was spread, to this

Compar'd, the Sunne but a darke body is:

And in respect of so diuine a light

Our day is honor'd, if he be tearmd night,

Nor this alone, but that they there might see

And feare their God in his full Maiesty,

Such voyces and such thunders fright the Ayre,

That they suppose they want another prayer

To be assur'd from them; so they declar'd

They were afraid to heare, that they were heard.

Downe on the pauement euery knee is fixt,

Some groueling on their faces, when betwixt

Astonishment and hope, whilst yet they doubt

VVhat all this preface meanes, and whilst the rout

Fear'd iudgments which they merited, they heare

A voyce, for which they wish a larger care,

It was so sweetly mercifull: Once more

Goe vp (it sayes) and though that heretofore

Y'aue had the worst. yet thus my sentence stands

Ile now deliuer them into your hands.

Haue you beheld how some condemn'd to dy,

VVhen they were fitted for Aeternity,

VVhen life they did despise, and all below,

Receiu'd a pardon, when they fear'd the blow

That should vnman them, haue you seene them then

Almost forgetting that they were but men;

How to expresse their mind they want a word,

Ioy hauing done the office of the sword,

And made them speechlesse? then you may in part

Conceiue the wonder of their ioy; which Art

Confesseth it exceeds her power to show

At full, which onely they that haue can know.

Thus braue Corvinus, then whom fame nere knew

Any that to an higher vertue grew,

[Page] When once it pleas'd Fortune to leaue her frowne,

Made an exchange of Fetters for a Crowne.

Thus, not to seeke a forreine president,

Our Henry, whom the Heau'ns courteously sent

To set a period to our Ciuill broyles,

To ioyne both Roses: after many foyles

Receiu'd and conquer'd, after he had seene

Himselfe an Exile, who a Prince had beene,

When banishment was enuy'd him, when nought

Would please his Enemy, vnlesse he bought

His death of him that harbour'd him; eu'n then,

To foole the proiects of the cunningst men,

This wither'd root begins afresh to spring,

And from a banisht coarse reuiues a King.

Thus (not to seeke out a stale president,

Mentioning mercies after they are spent

And lost in story) Englands present Ioy

(Whom Fate can onely threaten, not annoy,)

How hath he try'd variety of griefe!

How beene in dangers, as in Rule our Chiefe;

That when there is a speech of suffering,

He is no lesse our Patterne, then our King.

The Seas spoke loud, yet if we rightly poyse,

There was more danger, where there was lesse noyse:

Yet was he freed from both, when in mans eye,

Successe had seem'd to smile on Treachery.

These are your wonders, Heau'n, and not so much

Fauours (although the Fauour too be such,

That it does pose our gratitude, and so

Onely proclaimes that we are made to owe,

Our pouerty of merit) to be short,

Th'are not so much your Fauours, as your Sport.

You in an instant rayse, whom we would sweare

Nayl'd to the Earth, him that had left to feare

More then he suffer'd, that had beene so long

Acquainted with ill lucke, with such a throng

[Page] Of misaduentures, that hee does not know

What it is to be free from them, and so

This courteous intermission he expounds

Rather a Change then Cure of his neer wounds:

You in an vnthought Minute can depresse,

Whom we beleeue in league with Happinesse.

And as vpon the Stage we oft haue seene

Him act a Beggar, who a King hath beene:

For no default, but that the Poets art

Thought at that time he best would fit that part?

So in our serious Theaters, when you please

Kings are as varying persons as are these,

Onely in this their disaduantage lyes;

That they may fall, but cannot hope to rise.

They, whom the bands that make a kingdome strong,

Succession to the Crowne both right and long

From worthy Ancestors, obedience

At home, and lastly sure intelligence

Abroad hath fortifyed, those that suppos'd

True ioy to be wholly in them inclos'd:

If you but please to frowne, in one short day

(When they not thinke their Enemies on their way)

Are conquer'd by them, and at last retaine

This comfort onely to allay their paine,

That their misfortunes (if the heauens decree)

May be the portion of their Enemy.

Why then doe trifling miseries so grate

Our minds, and make vs more vnfortunate

Then heau'n intended? if out of a summe

Of mony (not so rich as troublesome

By the large roome it occupies,) some one

Willing to teach vs moderation,

Nibble a little, how we fret! we raue!

How for our treasure wee distraction haue!

As if we did beleeue (to say no more)

Heau'n onely had the powre to make vs poore,

[Page] But Israel thought not thus, but does prepare

All things that for the Action needfull are:

He thinkes now double diligence is due,

That he may be victorious, and God true.

On the Eastside of Gibeah there stood

An ouergrowne and vnfrequented wood;

The trees so thickly plac'd, that you would guesse,

(Had you beheld that horrid wildernesse:

How darkenesse all the Mastery had wonne,)

Twas made for the discredit of the Sunne;

Neuer did any raye pierce through those leaues,

And if at any time it light receiues

Tis onely when the heauens doe misse their stroke,

And passing wicked men, murder an Oke.

So that the brightnesse that adornes the same

Serues not so much to inlighten, as inflame.

Here neuer did the nimble Fairy tread,

Nor euer any of the Wood-nymphes bred

Within this groue, but it was singled out

For Pluto's regiment, for that bad rout

Of Hell-borne furies, there you might haue seene

Alecto stretch'd at her full length betweene

Two fatall Yughs, where while her rest she takes,

She giues an intermission to her Snakes,

Who in a thousand curles there hissing lye,

And she sleepes sweeter by their harmony.

Here had the Canaanite in former times

(Whilest that Religion did consist in crimes,)

Offer'd his sonnes in sacrifice, as though

He meant to pay backe heau'n all he did owe

Or did conceiue, (that which he should despaire)

To be without sinne, when without an heire.

This horrid place till now had emptie stood,

But now the Israelites conclude it good

To plant an ambush there: for thus they plot

That when the skirmish shall be growing hot,

[Page] They will draw backe, to make the Beniamite

Conceiue that stratagem to be a flight,

And leaue the towne for the pursuit; when straight

Vpon a signe giu'n, they that lie in waite

Shall ceize vpon the City, and so force

Their Enemy to such a desp'rate course,

That being pursu'd by those he put to flight,

He shall not know, whether to flie or fight.

Hearken ye silly ones that doe suppose

You ought not to beare Armes against your foes:

Who hauing cast off ordinary sense,

Affirme that they doe warre with Prouidence,

Who prouidently warre, that they distrust

The powre, or care of heau'n, who will be iust

To their owne cause, which you will noyse to be

A spice of wiser Infidelity.

To these I need no other answer find:

Shall we be foolish because heau'n is kind?

And when your industry might doe as well,

Will ye inforce God to a Miracle?

It is a truth I grant, which you pretend

That God hath destin'd all things to their end,

Which stands immoueable: nor is't in Fate

To alter what he will praeordinate:

Yet neuer any did so farre proceed

In folly, to affirme that he decreed

Onely the end, that 'twas in Gods intents,

Whilest we did sleepe, to blesse vs with euents

We dreame not of: Such fondnes cannot find

Any excuse (vnlesse they were design'd

Ineuitably to't:) for I would know

(If they suppose it possible to shew

Their mind in these affaires, or if they bee

Not hindred from an answer by Decree)

Why they doe eate? and why they doe not hence

Conclude rebellion against Prouidence?

[Page] Why they doe cloath themselues? and why desire

When cold oppresseth them to choose a fire?

Haue you forgot that for his holy ones,

God can at [...]ase produce e'ne out of stones

As solid sustenance? or is it lost

In your fraile memory, that when Israel crost

The Desert out of Egypt, forty yeares

Nor Taylors they imploy'd, nor Shoomakers?

Trust me if you your selues thinke your selues true,

Your care does vilify Gods care of you;

And euery dish that to your board is brought

Vpbraides him to his face, as if you sought

To mend his purpose; and by this odd feat,

You doe blaspheme as often as you eate.

The Israelites are wiser farre, although

They haue that vnknowne happinesse, to know

Their victory aforehand, though they heare

This truth from him, from whom they cannot feare

Any deceit, (whose powerfull word alone

Makes that a truth which he resolues vpon,)

Although they will allow his Act for chiefe,

Yet they will doe their part too: to be briefe,

Euery souldier to himselfe sayes thus;

God will bestow the victory, but by vs.

The night they spend in prayer, but when the morne

Had dimm'd the pride of Cynthiah's cleerest horne

By higher luster, being call'd away

Not by the Cocke, the Trumpetter of Day;

But by an earlier trumpet, then you might

By her vnwilling and yet hasting light,

Discerne, and seeing, almost rightly poyse

Whether were more, their number, or their noyse,

And vnto which more feare was to be giu'n,

Who fill the Earth with Numbers, with Noyse Heau'n.

Beniamin takes th'alarme, and hauing chose

One in whose faithfulnesse they might repose

[Page] A wary confidence; they quit the wall

And to the wider field issue out all,

Lest if they stay'd within, and did oppose

Rampiers and ditches onely to their foes,

They might haue bragg'd, (as if that they had won)

Making a prison of their garrison.

Now both the Hoasts themselues so neere doe find,

That it would aske more labour t'haue declin'd

The field, then to haue wonne it, yet they stay

Hoping that innocence is in delay,

If they are slowly guilty: now speares flye

Shiuer'd in thousand fitters to the skye;

And whether it reuenge or fortune were,

Euery peece becomes a Murtherer,

And from their bodies frees a many soule,

Doing that broken, which they could not whole.

Could Xerxes here haue sate vpon an hill,

To see these warriors, hee would not still

Fondly lament, nor lauish out a teare

Because they could not liue an hundred yeere,

But melt into iust passion away,

Because they could not liue out all that day.

Now might you haue beheld the fiery horse

Proud of his owne, and of his Masters force,

Robb'd of his Master, whom you now might see

Running, as if twere after Liberty.

Or you'de conceiue, had you but seene the race

That 'twas no more a battle, but a chase.

No stroke falls idle, nay they are so neere;

They need not strike at all: death is caus'd here

By their bad neighbourhood, the whole and sound

You might haue seene here dead without a wound.

To saue the guilt and labour of the sword,

Bodies to bodies their owne ends afford.

Now nothing but the dust is to be seene

Which like so many Emblemes flyes betweene

[Page] The mingled armies, which in silence sayes,

They are no better then the motes they raise,

Then those poore Atomes: but they thinke to shrowde

Their acts from sight of heau'n vnder that cloud,

And therefore did their vtmost: yet as though

These hands were slugglish, or this fury slow,

The trumpets chid them to a lustier guilt

And the lowd drummes proclaim'd, you haue not spilt

Blood enough yet: O what were they that found

Out first the vse and malice of that sound?

Which makes vs kill with greedinesse, and when

Tis the Corrupted Nature of most men

Hardly to yeeld vnto the destitute,

These will not suffer vs to heare their suite.

This drownes the groanes: but now both armies reele,

Now this giues backe some ground, now that doth feele

That it is prest too hardly. Thus the seas

When euer it the angry winds does please

To exercise their fury, doe not know

What course to take, nor whither they should flow:

This waue breakes that, and then another blast

Makes that the conqueror, which was conquerd last.

At length the Israelites giue backe indeed,

And though in order, yet with such a speed,

Beniamin calls it Flight, all's ours they cry,

If we can runne we haue the victory:

With that what euer men the towne affords,

Skilfull to vse their fingers or their swords,

For spoyle or for pursuite, issue out thence

With such a noyse, they giue intelligence

That they haue left it emptie: O the vaine

Attempts of foolish man! O deseru'd paine!

Th'are made the spoile, that they intend to make,

So wisely can iust heau'ns their vengeance take

On bad attempts, so all heate asswage,

And make our Ruine greater then our Rage.

[Page] It neuer entred into their proud thought,

They should receiue the dammage which they sought

To giue vnto their brethren: who hauing left

Their woody couert, and the friendly cleft,

VVhich entertain'd them, by a quicke surprize,

Take the vnguarded towne: O who can prize

Those losses to the full? or who rehearse

Those misaduentures in an equall verse?

They spare no age, but (cruell) take away

From the old men, the solitary day

They could expect to liue: now Infants dye,

Eu'n those, who yet within their mothers lye,

Finding a Night before they see the Morne,

Being buri'd thus, before that they were borne,

For whom their murtherers no crime could choose,

But that they were, and had a life to loose.

Nor does the weaker sex escape the rage

Of these intruders, and as euery Age,

So euery Person suffers, onely here

May be the difference, (if that any were)

Either they're killd out-right, or which is worse,

They thinke their life to be the greater curse.

Here mothers see their daughters whom they bred

As Votaries vnto their Maidenhead,

Vn-virgin'd in their sight, where hauing lost

That peerelesse iewell, which they valewd most,

They doe receiue to vindicate their name

A death from them, from whom they had their shame.

Auarice followes Lust, now they haue leisure

To ransacke all those Mineralls of treasure

Long peace and thrift had hoarded vp, at last

As children when their Appetite is past

Spoyle what they cannot eate, and badly kind

Pamper their dogs with that they leaue behind:

So these, as surfeiting with such a store,

(VVhich made them lose all feare of being poore)

[Page] VVhat is not ready spoyle, giue to the fire,

VVhose conqu'ring flames vnto the heau'ns aspire,

As boasting of their seruice: through the towne,

Swifter then any thing that has renowne

For speedinesse, they runne, one houre does spoile

(Vnlucky houre) what was an Ages toyle

Now cracke the houses, now the Temples fry,

Now the poore Citizens resolu'd to dye,

Doubt of what death: and know not which to try,

The fire, the downefalls, or the Enemy.

Had this misfortune hapned in the Night

(Though Nature had oppos'd) such a full light

Had made a day, and so againe had wonne

A Conquest of the towne, and of the Sunne.

Neuer did Sailor with such ioy behold

Castor and Pollux when his ship was roll'd

Vpon the angry Ocean, (whose proud waues

Made the most haughty minds freeze into slaues

VVith a base feare,) as Israel does view

Those flames, which he does feare not to be true,

They are so great, and yet he hopes to see

These flames to light him to a victory.

Now all the face of things is chang'd anew,

Now those which earst seem'd vanquish'd doe pursue:

The Israelites confirming by their Fight

That they could cause as well as act a Flight.

Beniamin growes amaz'd, and does not know

VVhat he should doe, nor on what grounds to goe,

VVhich probably seem safe: if he should flye

He runnes away vnto the Enemy:

And shall he fight? alas! but he will find

It is impossible to fight behind,

VVhere he shall be assay'ld: yet he shifts ground,

And figures out his battle in a round.

And since he hath no hope to scape away,

Hee'l nobly sell, not giue away the day.

[Page] They neuer fought till now, all the whole day

Before, was onely somewhat fiercer Play,

Murder in iest, but now they are so fierce

As if they would inforce their swords to pierce

Beyond the body; this a while, at length

Despaire does yeeld the victory to strength;

And Fortune (that the world henceforth might find

That they had iniur'd her who call'd her blind)

Crownes the best side, and prouidently tryes

At once to proue their Conquest, and her Eyes.

The Parellell is easie; was't not thus,

When Heau'n was pleas'd to be as kind to vs?

We felt the prickles first, but then our Nose

Suckt in the sweeter vertue of the Rose.

We had successe, as it were chose, and pickt,

And what we feard to suffer did inflict.

When Brett and Burrowes (that I speake their due)

Reuiu'd to France, Talbot and Montague.

(O too like Montague, that lost thy breath,

By the same fatall Engine of quicke death.)

When the choyce valour of each rancke, and fyle

Made vp a double Sea within the Isle

Of blood and teares, O giue vs thankes, kind heau'n,

And adde a vertue to our Fortune giu'n,

That we may all acknowledge his desert,

Who nobly gain'd a conquest of the heart

Of them, whose bodies he had conquer'd first,

To whom he then discouer'd, what he durst,

And after what his Nature was, when he

In the sad field had spent his Cruelty,

For when they offer'd to redeeme their dead,

Summes which another would haue vanquished,

He freely yeelds vnto the sutors breath,

And giues the Graue, as easily as the Death.

Whilst they doe giue—O how I blush to tell,

A poison'd knife, a poison that will dwell

[Page] And eate into their fame till earth be gone,

Till poyson haue no more to worke vpon.

Teach vs our right to him, but then to you

What shall we giue? and yet what not leaue due?

Then, O kind Heau'n, for this let me be pleader,

May we still sing your prayse, who led our Leader.

And now I hast vnto my songs conclusion,

Israels conquest, Bentamins confusion

On all that valiant number which but now

Made treble numbers to their valor bow:

Onely sixe hundred scape away, so few,

They were scarce able to commit a new

The Crime for which they suffer'd; had not Night

Became their vmpire and forbad the Fight,

Those few had perisht too; then at the last

Let future Ages learne of Ages past

How vice rewards her seruants! Let them be

Afraid at leastwise of the misery,

Who slight the sinne: why should a beauteous face

Make my soule foule? and an externall grace

Bereaue me of my inward? O despaire!

Shall I be bad because another's faire?

Hence that poore folly, rather let vs winne

A conquest by the losse of Beniamin.

To know that those bely'd, and stolne delights

Are not of so long lasting as the Nights,

In which we did inioy them, how the Day

Takes both their darknesse, and our sweets away:

To vnderstand that tardy heau'n is iust,

That Ruine is the consequent of Lust.

And now O Father, once more I repaire,

To thy great presence, O thou onely faire!

(Who dwelling in the light that none comes neere

Canst not be seene of vs, because too cleere;

To whom created beauties if compar'd,

Ruin such as haue the wisest eyes ensnar'd,

[Page] Are nothing but Deformity at best,

Durt somewhat better colourd then the rest)

Instruct my youth, O teach that I may know,

What mischiefes lurke vnder a seemely show;

What a sweet danger woman is: O thou

To whom the knees that doe not loue, doe bow,

Whom all obey, eu'n such as haue no sense,

Who doe not know their owne obedience;

Whom all obey, eu'n such as doe goe on

In a perpetuall Rebellion,

The Spirits accurst: Grant me, that chastly wife

I enter into Couenant with mine eyes,

Neuer to looke on Woman, not to see

What would perswade my soule to forsake thee,

To make a God of flesh: But if that I

Forc'd by Temptation, or Necessity,

Must see my Ruine, yet thus much, O thou

Whom my soule loues, and would more, knew she how,

(For his deare sake and worth, in whom was found

Onely a place, no reason for a wound)

If I must haue the sight, yet I require

I may at leastwise not haue the desire.

If I must see, let it be to despise

So shall my heart be chast, if not mine eyes.

FINIS.

A Thanksgiuing for a recouery from a burning Feauer.

[Page]

I Burne againe, methinkes an holy fire

Kindles my dull deuotion, and farre higher

Raiseth my spirit, then my hot disease

Inf [...]am'd my blood: how with a sacred case

Feele I these flames through my glad soule to rush!

Life those, which made a Chappell of the bush

VVhen God did tutor Moses; would 'twere found

That this place too were such an holy ground:

Then should I boldly vent my Gratitude,

And being Godly, not be counted Rude.

The Night approacht, when by my paines I might

Suspect it would haue been my lasting Night:

I had a griefe beyond a Cowards feares,

And such a griefe, it robb'd me of my teares.

I was all Fire, the greedy element

Left no one part vnsing'd, as if it meant

To crosse the vulgar notions of our birth,

And proue that man was not compos'd of Earth,

That he was made of Flames, that past all doubt

To dye was nothing, but to be put out.

And yet the truth of this, this truth denyes,

Man is not made of that by which he dyes.

And had I dy'd thus, they had beene vniust

VVho had pronounc'd, we giue dust vnto dust.

Ashes they well might tearme me, and so turne

My Christian buriall to a Pagan vine.

VVithout a tedious pilgrimage to Rome,

(If that the torment make the Martyrdome)

I might be Canoniz'd, and sooner farre

Then some whose names in the gulld Calender

Burne in red letters, of whom none can tell

VVhether they onely felt a Fire in Hell.

O heat! O drought! O am I quencht as yet,

Or is not this Remembrance a new fit!

[Page] Yet in my fiercest fit how oft I thought

(Whil'st yet there was some moisture left, which fought

With my hot Enemy) how durst liberall men

Giue vs a freedome of our wills, that when

Euer we list we may be good, and so

Owe to our selues as well the Cure as Blow?

Who gaue vs this strange power, can any tell,

Not to be Bad, and yet not to be Well?

Can we command our sinnes so easily,

And faint at a poore Feauer? tell me why

You will consent to dye? and wherefore still

You plead not then a liberty of will?

My God cry'd I, though I must needs confesse

Vnto my shame, that all my paines are lesse

Then my demerits, yet I grant as free

That they exceed all possibility

Of mine owne cure, and yet I sooner can

(Spite of Disease) turne my Physitian

Then my Redeemer, thou alone canst doe

A powerfull cure on soule and body too.

With that I felt recouery: my flame

Was kindly lessen'd to a lower name,

To moderate heat. Sleepe did my senses charme,

And I that burnt before, was now but warme,

Health and Deuotion ceize on me, my fire

Had lest my bones to liue in my Desire,

And I was sicke of thankfulnesse: then now

Teach me O Lord not why to prayse, but how:

Bow my stiffe knees, that they may beg a powr'e

Of full thanksgiuing to my Sauiour.

Some praise for lesse: Iu'e read of Ionab's arke

(Which was of surer cariage then his Barke)

Th'inhabitable Fish, and yet we see

That he giues thankes for his Deliuery,)

From his Preseruer; and shall retchlesse I

Deliuer'd from a neerer death, now dye

[Page] In the Remembrance? first, O Lord returne

My tutor-torment, let me againe burne.

And now great God, I doe intreat, and change

My prayse into a pray'r, (for tis not strange

That benefits shou'd make a suppliant,

Since courtesies cause pray'r as well as want)

Twas thy great mercy made my body whole,

O let me find that mercy to my soule,

Then shall I boldly hasten to the graue,

And wanting Life, not want what I would haue.

Ʋpon our vaine flattery of our selues, that the succeeding times will be better then the former.

HOw we daily out our dayes!

How we seeke a thousand wayes

To find Death! the which if none

We sought out, would shew vs one.

Why then doe we iniure Fate,

When we will impute the date

And expiring of our time,

To be hers, which is our Crime?

Wish we not our End? and worse,

Mak't a Pray'r which is a Curse?

Does there not in each breast lye

Both our soule and Enemy?

Neuer was there Morning yet

(Sweet as is the Violet)

Which mans folly did not soone

Wish to be expir'd in Noone;

As though such an hast did tend

To our blisse, and not our End.

Nay the yong ones in the nest

Sucke this folly from the breast,

And no stamm'ring ape but can

Spoyle a prayer to be a Man.

But suppose that he is heard,

By the sprouting of his beard,

[Page] And he hath what he doth seek

The soft cloathing of the Cheeke:

Yet would he stay here? or bee

Fixt in this Maturity?

Sooner shall the wandring starre

Learne what rest and quiet are:

Sooner shall the slippery Rill,

Leaue his motion and stand still.

Be it Ioy, or be it Sorrow,

We referre all to the Morrow:

That we thinke will ease our paine,

That we doe suppose againe

Will increase or Ioy, and so

Euents, the which we cannot know

We magnifie, and are (in summe)

Enamor'd of the time to come.

Well, the next day comes, and then,

Another next, and so to ten,

To twenty we arriue, and find

No more before vs then behind

Of solid ioy, and yet hast on

To our Consummation:

Till the baldnesse of the Crowne,

Till that all the face doe frowne,

Till the Forehead often haue

The remembrance of a Graue;

Till the eyes looke in, to find

If that they can see the mind.

Till the sharpnesse of the Nose,

Till that we haue liu'd to pose

Sharper eyes who cannot know

Whether we are men or no.

Till the tallow of the Cheeke

Till we know not what we seeke;

And at last of life bereau'd,

Dye vnhappy, and deceiu'd.

FINIS.

[Page]

Information about this book

Title statement

The Leuites reuenge containing poeticall meditations vpon the 19. and 20. chapters of Iudges. By R. Gomersall.

Gomersall, Robert, 1602-1646?

Edition statement

1628

Publication

Publisher

Text Creation Partnership,

Place of publication

Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) :

Date

2008-09 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A01850

ID [STC]

STC 11992

ID [STC]

ESTC S103307

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

99839064

ID [PROQUEST]

99839064

ID [VID]

3460

Availability

This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal. The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission.

Series

Early English books online.

Notes

(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A01850)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 3460)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 1068:06)

Source

— The Leuites reuenge containing poeticall meditations vpon the 19. and 20. chapters of Iudges. By R. Gomersall., Gomersall, Robert, 1602-1646?, Cecil, Thomas, fl. 1630, engraver..

Extent

[18], 76, [4] p.

[By Miles Flesher for John Marriott],. Imprinted at London :: in the yeare M.DC.XXVIII. [1628]. (In verse.) (Printer's name from STC.) (With an additional title page, engraved, signed "Tho Cecill sculp", with imprint: London. Printed for Iohn Marriott 1628.) ("A thanksgiuing for a recouery from a burning feauer", [4] p. at end.) (Reproduction of the original in the British Library.)

Creation

Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford.

Editorial practices

EEBO-TCP is a partnership between the Universities of Michigan and Oxford and the publisher ProQuest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by ProQuest via their Early English Books Online (EEBO) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). The general aim of EEBO-TCP is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic English-language title published between 1473 and 1700 available in EEBO.

EEBO-TCP aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the Text Encoding Initiative (http://www.tei-c.org).

The EEBO-TCP project was divided into two phases. The 25,363 texts created during Phase 1 of the project have been released into the public domain as of 1 January 2015. Anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source.

Users should be aware of the process of creating the TCP texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data.

Text selection was based on the New Cambridge Bibliography of English Literature (NCBEL). If an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in NCBEL, then their works are eligible for inclusion. Selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. In general, first editions of a works in English were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably Latin and Welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so.

Image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. Quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in Oxford and Michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet QA standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. After proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. Any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. Understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of TCP data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. Users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a TCP editor.

The texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the TEI in Libraries guidelines.

Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements).

Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site.