THE HISTORY OF SVSANNA. Compiled according to the Prophet Daniel, amplified with convenient Meditations; sung by the devoted honourer of the divine Muses, GEORGE BALLARD.
Conscia [...]ens rectiridet mendacia fame.
LONDON, Printed by Thomas Harper for William Hope, at the Vnicorne in Cornhill neere the Royall Exchange. 1638.
The contents of the whole.
OLd Scripture-blessings Heav'n confirmeth on
A Saintly Hebrew-dame in Babylon:
Her bright triumphant Vertue tramples down
Mens lust assaulting, winnes the Daphnean Crown
Of glory, over seeming shame. Two foes
To her renown, implunge themselves in woes
Which folly brings. Who would this summe behold
In speciall, it the sequell shall unfold,
With ample satisfaction in the same,
To all, that beare good will to Susan's name.
The Authour's Petition; To the fairest of all Beauties, the King of Glory, the everlasting Sunne of righteousnesse, and the consolation of Men and Angels, who raignes and shines for ever in Trinitie and Vnitie.
ETernall glorious Lord Triumphant on
Thy pure Celestiall firy burning thron,
Whose locks, and garment's brightnesse far out-goes
The shining whitenesse of Mount-Salmon-snowes:
[Page]One portion of whose beauty mortalls can
Not comprehend, if not in forme of man.
Most amiable Helion faire, from whom
Continuall streames of heav'nly [...]lames do come
Into our boldned brests: whose lightsome rayes
Illumine infant-babes to chaunt thy prayse.
Vouchsafe that from above the splendent Pole,
Thy beames divine may luminate my soule.
O thou that learnd'st old Isay's sonne to sing
The songs of Sion run'd on silver-string:
(Great God of Moses ▪ God of Muses too)
Teach me to sing, as thou taught'st him to do;
While I doe represent Susanna's story,
Which Daniel penn'd unto thy pristine glory.
Fill me with Sions fountain streames, to chant
Thy prayse (O God) in praysing such a Saint.
Furnish my lines, with secret pow'r to kill
Unjust revenge, and carnall fires to chill;
That that immortall chastity, and honour,
May (with thy blessed gifts conferr'd upon her)
All Readers move to studious admiration
Of Susan's goodnesse, in her imitation;
That babes unborn, while World endures may dread
Thy s [...]cred Lawes, in hope of bounteous meed;
[Page]And Vice (when her unseemly selfe is seen,
Unstript from vestments of so faire a Queen,
As Vertue, peering in deformed hew
Of Viper-spots, unto the publike view)
May be abandon'd from the soules of men,
Unto the place of torment Satans den.
So (if so blest) these lines in time to come,
(Bearing thy glory) shall not find a tombe,
But (fraught with Susan's lively honour) vie
With during Annals of Eternity.
To the right Honourable ANNE, Countesse of Northumberland, all prosperity here, and in the World to come sempiternall welfare.
Excellent MADAME,
BEing assured, that your Ladiship very wel- [...] there is no ornamen [...] [...] eminent vertues, [...] sublime [...] emboldned to [...] [Page] into the Sanctuary of your protection, renowned Susanna's History: which to your Honour may challenge worthy relation, for manifold respects; worth your gracious acceptance, and leisurefull meditation. To speake a little in her payses: Susanna was a Lady Princely descended from the royall bloud of the loynes of Iudah, whence our [...]iour pleased to derive his happy incarnation. Her vertues to her birth in highnesse were paralell. Her very infancie gave divine presaging promises to the world, of her future goodnesse. Her countenance in the cradle, manifested infallible tokens, to character succeeding honour. Her riper wisdome was discreet to preserve the honour of her soule immaculate. Her elevated cogitations enspheared themselves in [Page] the first Move [...] (a higher Orb [...]e, the [...] [...] Circles of frailty) He [...] intaminate affection devoted her best service to the glory of her Maker, knowing it the end of her Creation. Her modesty was the exact modell of all her actions. A good conscience she held the most inestimable flower, that grew within the border of Time: farre sweeter then the Roses of England, more fragrant then Iudaean Balmes, or the Cynamons of Egypt; for the same shall be transplanted into the Garden of Paradise. The Temple of her heart she soly dedicated to her Redeemers service; that neither the attractive allurements, nor menacing reproaches of monstrous Magistrates, nor obloquy, nor ignominious death (which shee accounted as a pleasant object (in comparison) or a haven [Page] of harbour to flie unto, [...]o her Creators presence, against the assaults of the swelling waters of wickednesse) rather then to pollute her Nobility with dishonourable [...]: or to defile the Sanctum Sanctorum of her soule▪ (the receptacle of the holy Tri [...]y) with uncleannesse: the rougher her [...]rosse, the richer was her Diadem: the more her malignant Adversaries powerfull oppression, the more her patience in a const [...] resolution, is laudable with all Posteritie. She perceived her conflict could be but momentany, [...]ncooth; her triumph everlastingly glorious: impalled about with crowns of continuance. Her teares, suspi [...]tions, and orizons were as the former & later raine, and winds of Heaven, to foster those diviner seeds, which the Almighty [Page] had sowne in the Eden furrowes of her bosome, unto a joyfull harvesting. In her affliction she found variety of Soule-solacing dainties, wherewith she repasted her spirit in supernaturall contemplations Her Chastity, her Charity, her Hospitality were remarkable. Finally, whatsoever vertues, whatsoever comelinesse, whatsoever proportion, what endowments, and rare qualities of body and mind soever, can commend women were wonderfully compleat, and conspicuous in Susanna. For which her soule hath never-ending felicity; her name immortality. Shee was undoubtedly a Darling of the Omnipotent Deity: who miraculously raised a little Daniel by heavenly power to vindicate her injuries, in bringing down the mightinesse, [Page] [...]nd esteeme of ancient cunningly combi [...]d Senators, to sudden cōfusion. In coun [...]cing therefore Susanna's story ( [...]) for Susanna's sake, your Ladiship shall perpetuate through all Generations your name, living in a like sympathy of your own true Nobility's blessings; and shall demonstrate your clemency herein, in pardoning the errours of a boldnesse in affe [...]ion of him, that cannot be an Alien, nor [...] Infidell to your worthy perfections; neither thinketh now, that he over-presumeth [...]pon, or any way insinuateth, but voluntarily, according to your merit, confirmeth [...] Dedication upon your Honour,
Rem [...]yning at your Honours service to be commanded, G. B.
THE PROPOSITION Apologicall to the Learned Readers.
NO Storie of transformed Dames (of old)
By Poets changed into stars of gold,
Into cleere Fountains, Birds, and branches green;
Nor of the Pagan-prays'd Ephesian Queen,
Who (naked) bath'd with Virgin-Nymphs of Wood
In bubling streame; whose Nymphs about her stood,
Like Iv'ry pales (in vain) to hide their Dame,
From Cadmus Kinsman, that a Hart became:
[Page]No laud of her; but I Encomiums sing,
Of new Titania bathing in a Spring;
More constant, chast, more beautifull divine:
Of whom Diana was a former signe.
Who weare's of glory an unchanging crowne,
(A starre which never falls from Heaven down)
Had she been known Thessalian Bards among,
Her stories true had in their times been sung;
Not one, but two Acteons found her, laving
Her dainty limbs in Fountains ever-waving.
Who unattended (by her Virgin-train)
To beastly Monsters chang'd the lustfull twain.
Her peerlesse forme, and vertues do inspire
My bosome with a holy warming fire:
Emboldning me (whom Fortune barr'd to climbe
The Muses Mountains in my Sylvan-rime,
To sing her prayses, which will du [...]e even
Longer on Earth then shining Lamps in Heaven.
And I admire her Legend hath (so long
Poets so plenteous) never yet been sung.
Susanna that eternall Saintly thing,
Merits a worthier Muse than mine to sing
[Page]Her honour'd Fame, my boldnesse should be dumbe,
In this attempt; saving in dayes to come,
My mean untutor'd pains (perchance) may call
More learned men to come and mend it all.
Sect. I.
ARGUMENT▪
In Babylon liv's Ioachim,
Blessings God showrs downe on him▪
Living single▪ Noble Lords
Would w [...]e him, he dislikes their words.
ON Shinar [...]plains, where haughty Ninus would
His Babel-tow'r to heaven should be extoll'd,
Stands scitua [...] within a wall of stone▪
Bitumenate the City Babylon ▪
Where dwell'd an Hebrew Lord of [...]aintlesse fame▪
And high descent, Lord Ioachim by name▪
A man to whom the Governour of heav [...] ▪
Vertue and riches bounteously had given;
[...]
[Page]Slighted their profer'd Virgins; nor did he [...]
Regard their portions, nor their pedigree;
Hearing his wise forewarning parents say,
How many perils, in such wedding lay;
He vow'd to marry, but to marry one
Of Iudah's Tribe, and not of Babylon.
MEDIT. I. Res est solliciti plena timoris amor.
PRide, and Idolatry are Babel's sinnes,
Whence all the woe of Sion still beginnes.
He, that from Babylon, a good wife take's,
Snatcheth an Eeele out of a bag of Snakes.
Before the floud good Fathers (by divine
Instinct of goodnesse) did their sonnes confine
By marriage, not to mingle with the straine,
Of feminines sprung from condemned Caine:
Who tempted men to fall from God above,
Insteed of him unliving Gods to love.
[Page]The man, that wives, with an Idolatresse,
Marries temptation, never wants distresse.
Curst is such wedding; to declare how foule,
Such wedding render's man's eternall soule.
God made men's wives a monstrous brood bring forth
Of ugly Giants, to amaze the Earth.
Who for their pride, and cruell acts remov'd
'Mongst men, with men of the old world were drownd.
And who have so been married since the flood,
Begotten have a Gigantean brood:
Such Nimrod was, such were his workers on
The lucklesse Towre of confusion.
Of whom old Bards ingeniously did faine,
To warre with Heaven, fals-thirsting thereto raigne,
Heaping huge hils on hils, and chambring on,
To pull Iove downe from his supernall throne.
Cruell Idolatry, and Pride are Twins,
Which God abhorres, too seldome pardon'd sins;
Th'one banisht Angels from the Courts of Heaven,
T'other hath Kings of Diadems bereaven:
Both making children of the holy lands,
Distressed bondmen in Chaldean bands.
How happen's then, that any captive-lord
In Babylon, with blessings should be stor'd?
[Page]He, that from heaven, sent hels infernal [...] slashes,
On sinne-blind Sodome burn'd to dust and ashes▪
For unrepented crimes, hath also given
To penitents, 'midst earthly hell, a heaven.
He is the true God, when his people turnes,
Doth raine downe blessings, and his scourges burnes.
Else Ioachim had knowne no day of mirth
In Babylon, nor no such heav'n on earth.
God thinks on kindnesse when for sinnes he scatters
The sonnes of Sion, among many waters.
Rods for amendment sending upon those
Which sleepe in sinne, he wakens them with woes.
When sinners turne to him, they doe not want,
Vineyards he gives, which they did never plant,
And corne-full acres, which they have not sowne,
And townes of strangers giv'n them for their owne.
Let no man trust in sinne, nor though sinne-driven,
From mans societie, despaire in heaven:
For God, on a sinne banisht man put on
A Crowne imperiall in great Babylon.
Making him after (for presumptuous ills)
Graze among Cattell on a thousand hills:
And after that, gave him his Crowne againe,
To make him know, a King of Kings doth raigne.
Se [...]. II.
ARGUMENT.
Babel Ladies try their [...] ▪
To g [...]ine L [...]rd Ioachims good will▪
Susan (who deserves the Bay [...]s▪)
Winnes his love, her beauties praise.
NOw, when the Babylonian Lords could not
Tangle Lord Io [...]chim in Loves Gordian knot;
When they perceiv'd 'twould be in vaine for them
To turne unto their be [...]t his passion-streame:
They all su [...]ceast their hopelesse suits to moue,
Leaving him freedome to select his love;
But now some Feminines of Babylon
To gaine his love, did gay adornments d'on.
They went apparrell'd in the Hebrew fashion,
Swelling their minds with vaine imagination.
[...]
Wherin his Love should know his loving mind.
The youthfull Lady, marriageable growne,
Vertue and Beauty gaind her such [...]downe,
That ev'ry man (informed of her Name)
Farre in the Orient, spred her new-borne fame;
For unto her, this attribute was given:
Susan the faire, who feares the God of heaven.
Her forme and vertue (interblending raies)
Transplended theirs, that liv'd before her daies.
Before her, such a beauty was not seene
Within the City of King Ninus Queene;
Cleerely in whose complexion glory shone,
Like Titan in serenest Horizon,
Beyond expression beautifull, her Nation
Admir'd her forme, with more than admiration.
Some paralell her by the fond compare
Of mundane things, some call her Phoenix faire;
Some said her front seem'd like an Iv'rie hill,
Whereon some god did Nard and Amber spill:
Her lovely cheeks resembling summer-fields,
Which damaske-rose, and silver lilly yeelds:
Her haires the golden threads; or in the skien,
Like bright Apollo's morning-beames; hereyn
[Page]Sparkling like Diamonds, or stars that shone
With influence, to comfort lookers on.
Others affirme, her head's a little heaven
Imperiall, where blessed Angels liven,
Her breathing like perfumed wind, which moves
In balmy sweet Aegyptian autumne-groves.
Her teeth like orient pearle, whose comly rows,
Her lips (like Rubie) very seldome showes
In her discourse▪ whose voyce to st [...]nders by,
Soom'd like supernal seav'n-spheer'd harmony.
Some said her necke a turret seem'd of one
Smooth pollisht snow-white Alablaster-stone:
And that the same (for evermore) inzon'd
A Carquenet of costly diamond.
Her paps two Swan-down worlds, that each containes
Like Rivolets, bright Azure branched veines.
Such kinde of commendation did but staine
Her holy count'nance in a purer graine,
Then blushing rose, then Vespers crimson skie,
Then snow-bals tincted with vermilion dye.
What man soe're Susanna's praise would sing,
Had need carouse the Helliconian spring;
Had need Arion's silver Harpe, and voice,
Or of King Davids, a diviner choice;
[Page]Else, he can never truly blazon forth,
Sufficient praises of Susanna's worth.
MEDIT. II. Auri sacra fames.
WHen men on plenti's swelling Ocean saile,
Attended on with honour's windy gale;
Worldlings will be their servants: earthly treasure,
Attracteth friends, and momentany pleasure.
Women to wealthy men conjoyne alone,
Like steele unto Septentrionall stone▪
If pleased Fortune's Sunny beamlings shine,
Serenely on some boon estate of thine:
If bounteous heavens builder daine to [...]hrow
His left-hand-blessings on thy crowned brow;
Thou shalt not want sufficient friends, that will
Augment the portion of thy plenty still.
Then (Iove-like) thou in welcome-golden showre,
May'st o'recome Danae, in her brazen towre.
Nations in blinded times of old bare love
To Heaven, when they de [...]sied Iove:
For (in all lands) Pluto a god is [...]
And through the Christian world in moder [...] times,
In female-hearts, god Mammo [...] highly climbes.
Gold is a Load-starre to their loves, it can
Draw them to fancy any wealthy man.
To winne a golden Husband, some devise,
To cover all Natures informities:
If fairnesse dwindles in their cheekes, they will
Water't with Clarets, and bestow their skill.
Lest Titan's kisses staine their painted skin,
Their fannes, and veiles shall mew their beauties in▪
If they have bouncing limbs▪ the same are pennd
In leatherne prisons, proportion to amend:
If they want grace (by art) in fac [...] they bring
Of white and red a second beauty's Spring:
Such when I see (Lord) how compleatly vaine,
(Thinke I) is all god Mammon's following traine.
Such yeeld's this world, affording other some,
Contemning gold, which covet wealth to come.
Not in this world: whose parents that did breed them,
With blessed food Helcias-like did feed them.
And they (not worldly minded) never marry;
But where they find the feare of Heaven tarry.
[Page]Slighting Earth-treasures, they will not approve
Mortals for mortall riches worthy love.
They with Susannan vertues are endi [...]ae,
Of them, i [...] but a slender multitude.
Who haply train'd in faintly education,
Can joyne their love with Christian moderation.
With so much comelinesse as their complexions,
A man would deeme full of divine perfections.
And such (like Capharean Lanternes) give
Them light, which in nocturnall darknesse live.
Such when I see;▪ I seeme to see the graces
Of heav'nly Angels, shrin'd in human [...] faces;
And then I thinke, if such perfection dwels
With Saints abiding in terrestriall cell.
In mortall mansions of flesh, what stories
Can shew the heav'nly ones supernall glories?
Sect▪ III.
ARGUMENT.
Ioachim to Helcias [...]oes,
His love unto Susanna showes
Her Sire assents; his speeches [...]ines
Her heart, and marriage-day obtaines▪
NOw when Susanna's beauty through the towne,
And Provinces was b [...]azon'd up and downe,
Some Noble Lords (who liv'd in Babylon)
Sought her in marriage, [...] her Paragon
Of fairest beauties (so all tongues agreed)
Who, her in wooing, had as haplesse speed,
As those gay Dames, that (whilome but in vaine)
Suppos'd the yong Lord Ioachims love to gaine;
For old Hel [...]ias (though his daughter could
Not fancy them, fearing in time she would)
[...]
[Page] Susanna listning to her constant Lover,
Her whisp'ring friends (in corners) do discover
A glorious combat in her countenance,
By all the Graces fought in puissance:
A pleasant battle, none of them would yeild,
To lose the glory of that honour'd field.
Aurora's blush of ruby countenance,
Nor Maiden-Cynthia's silver-radiance,
Nor deawly Vesper's Crimson-colour'd skie,
Nor via lactea's heavenly milken die▪
Nor Doves, nor Roses, could such colours show,
As in her countenance did come, and goe.
It seems her judgment wisely did approve
His Courtly learning in the schoole of Love:
For yer Titania, with her horned brow,
Wādred on high 12 heav'nly mansions through,
She was affianc'd, at her father's boo [...]d,
To Ioachim her overjoyfull Lord.
Glad, as our Lovers, were their friends, and they
Prefixt the wedding's ceremoniall day,
Which soon expires; and in his nuptiall bands,
The mariage-god conjoyns them heart & hands.
Glad Io-Peans Hymen then did sing,
And to their wedding pompe, and glory bring.
[Page]What shall I say? such mariage (unbereaven
Of happinesse) was forecontriv'd in heaven.
To tell the Bride, and Bridegroom's going forth,
With various musick, quaintest songs of mirth,
When spangled anadems bedeckt the brow
Of Madam Bride, time scanteth me to show.
Suffice it you, she was attended on,
By all the stately trains of Babylon:
And through that town, to honour Susan's name
Loud Cymbals ring out: Naptha bonfires flame:
Tilts, Tournaments, and great triumphant sport,
Honour'd her Nuptials in great Babels Court.
MEDIT. III. Verus amor odit moras.
THe best love-potion is, whoever prove
Vertuous affection; it obtaineth love▪
True love resembling unction powr'd upon
The Crown of Aaron, thence descending on
[Page]His beard, and garment-skirts▪ that left behind
Odours, which to devotion mov'd the mind.
'Tis like the fine dew of Hermoni [...]-fountains,
Gently distilling upon Sion-mountains.
'Tis purest fire, extracted from the Pole,
Surpassing that, that fond Prometheus stole
It (being enkindled by Celestiall breath)
Burns till extinguisht by the hand of death
In vertuous soules of men. Beauty alone,
[...]n [...]ends it not, it dures when beauty's gone
[...] profit▪ not on pleasure it depend's,
Pleasure and profit on true love attends:
True love disdaineth all ignoble ends:
It [...] hearts in that contentive chai [...] ▪
Which World's great builder did for man ordain▪
Not in the earth; where bloud and wrong abounds,
But in the bosome of Elizian grounds.
By love and wedlock, highest God (who then
Made two of one) made them two one agen:
Leaving the same for signals to abide
Of Heavens bridegroome, and his holy bride.
Could men of such a Theme no verses make:
Mountains, and Rocks would warblings undertake,
[Page]Lowd eccho answ'ring them again) would sing,
And shame upon unthankfull men would bring:
Our soules Redeemer by his [...] divine,
To honour these turn'd water into wine,
At Galilean Canaan ▪ God declar'd
Heav'n-joyes unto a wedding feast compar'd.
But for true-love, and marriage-propagation,
The World had still remain'd in desolation.
O love and wedlock (chasing wanton fires,
Which in our soules the Paphian god inspires)
In you the poore man's joyes [...] abound:
As his, whose browes with fined gold are [...]
You empty dwellings fill, and are a signe
Of Sions bridegroome, and his love divi [...]
Your praise (alas) my Muse too saintly sings.
Let some good Angell spread his shining wings,
Descending on them from supernall Quire,
And bring with him some sempiternall Lyre.
To strike with aires of Heav'n the eares of men,
And shew how much indebted mortals been
To Heav'n for these, let duller worldlings be
Ravisht, to heare celestiall melody▪
When he shall strike his more than Orphean string,
Stones, streames, and woods will dance about, and sing.
Sect. IV.
ARGUMENT.
Ioachim, and Susann's love
Crown'd with blessings from above:
They have beauteous children, faire
Mansions, and Gardens rare.
OVr married Lovers, full of high content,
Live merry, lives in Fortune's blandishment:
God showr's abundant blessings on them down
Giving them children, wedlock joyes to crown,
In whose composure, Elements conspire,
To turn themselves into eternall fire.
The vertuous Of-spring of the patient Ioh,
(For beauty famous in this earthen Globe,
Whose fairnes sham'd the finest flowres of May)
Were not more amiably faire then they.
Lord Ioachim, and Lady Susan were,
(When ever nam'd) Musick to ev'ry eare.
[Page]Their joy abound's on earth, & Fortune's Sunne,
With golden-beames, on them serenely shone
No sadning want, no sorrow-bringing strife,
Was known to burthen their good mariage-life:
But in their bosome, dwell'd a purer love,
Then what the Tur [...]le beare [...]s his fellow-dove.
Their dwellings for the years bine seazōs stand,
Like little Temples in a holy Land,
Within adorn'd, with polisht Iv'ry posts.
And with refined gold of Ophir-coasts.
Gardens, and Orchards they had many a one,
(And such, as then, were parallel'd by none)
Surrounded with Bitumen'd walls of stone.
Gardens they had, in ev'ry moneth were green,
Where trees, and herbs were still in glory seen.
Where Nightingales continuall songs did sing,
Because they found there, a continuall spring.
There you, in winter-gardens, might behold
Swee [...] Marjorams, some green, & some like gold.
There Lavender, and full-blown Daffadill,
Purple-vein'd Vi'lets, Couslips, Cammomill,
There verdant herbs, there blossom'd Rosemary
Flourisht, with the immortall Daphnean tree.
[Page]In Winter-moneths, there might you gather posies
Of Gillow [...]w is, and pretty Prime- [...]oses:
There plushen-pasies, woodbine-double flowers,
And brables sweet, deckt Flora's winter-bowers.
There Periwincles, Germander, and Lillies,
With Flags aspir'd behind Nardiss [...] Dillies:
There lofty Firre-trees, Pink like leaved Pine,
Pomecitron-trees, and trees which Iv [...]es twine,
There berr [...]d Hollyes, Iuniper, and Ew,
With never [...]more decaying Boxtrees grew.
There Orenge, Limon, Palm, Pomeg [...]anad [...],
Cypresse, and shady Mirtle-trees were seen.
There many plants (bearing no fruit but flowres)
By art were chang'd to eye contenting bowres,
There Labyrinths, and many Mazes were,
A little Wildernesse of trees was there:
All which in Winter-gardens seemed gay,
As greenest Elme-trees in the moneth of May.
There the Mezerion-plants on high did bloome,
From plants and hearbs, such spicy winds would come▪
That you would think (had you been there) there moves
Autumnall ayres of blest Arabian groves.
[Page]To say what hearbs, what plants, and odours fill
Their Summer-grounds, [...] my weaker
The Graci [...] [...] of the glories (skil.
Within those places) wrote Elizian stories:
Where Pleiades celestiall influences,
Bred orient colour'd flowres to cheer the sences,
And to content the Spirits; there did stand
The owner's study; on a knowle of land:
Where the desilience of argentine-streames
Enlightned it, with Sols reniding beames.
Thrice happy man he did enjoy the pleasure
Of (almost) Eden, in the highest measure,
That any man (since Adam fell) obtein'd
In Regions where E [...]an Monarchs raign'd.
Faire Stillatories he had builded there:
Where Flora's vertuall powers did appeare;
But beautifull Susanna (Io chi [...] Erde)
More pleasant was then all the flowr's beside.
His Olive-orchards, Parks, and Vineyards all.
His bleating slocks, which came at shepherds cal,
His corn, his wine, his plenteous Bahns & Mirrh,
Were slender blessings all compar'd with her [...]
For my Vrania in Queen Flora's bowres,
Dares sing, Susanna fairer then earthly flowres.
MEDIT. IV. Bonis bona singula.
THus righteous soules are blest: their God, who guides
The flouds of Heaven, and the Ocean tydes,
Who fils the world with plenteousnesse, and roules,
The rapid Spheeres on their unmoving Poles)
Doth send them comforts from his holy hill,
And the desires of their soules fulfill.
Their wives resemble Vine-trees on the house:
Their youthfull sonnes, those pleasant Olive-boughes,
Abounding with the fattest dewes of Sion;
Their furnisht tables round about environ
Their daughters faire (of Vertue faire ensamples)
Like polisht pillars in the holy Temples.
Their eyes behold their childrens children in
The land of grace, when peace is crowned Queen.
[Page]On their inher [...]tance, Heaven sendeth downe
All promis'd blessings, their desires to crowne
With joyes beyond their wish: no hail-stones shall,
No mildewes harme, on their corn-acres fall.
Their land (unlike unto Aegyptian grounds,
Which watring Nylus, often, starve's and drownd's)
Th' eternall send's from his round running thron,
The former with the latter rain upon.
Their mountains, vales, and dales of corne shall bring,
With fruitfulnesse, that they shall laugh and sing.
Their fertile Vines (with clusters heauy loaden)
Shall (almost) burst before they can be trodden
Into the painfull wine-presse, they shall leave
Behind enough for strangers to receive.
Their Garners shall with wheat be over-heel'd
Their casks with wine, with milk, and oile be fill'd,
Their cattell fruitfull, where the same abide,
Grasse shall up-spring like that on Iordan side,
Aspiring in the kindly moneth of May.
Butter, and Honey shall their stomacks stay:
Rivers anammell all their virid plaines,
Where milk, and mel, and Maja still remayn's;
Whose motley medow's pomp shall be maintain'd,
By Iris riches, when the Heav'ns have rain'd:
[Page]Fishes shall multiplying, fill their floods,
As greenest leaves replenish Summer- [...].
Blessings shall streame unto them, unto them,
Belong the joyes of new Hierusalem.
In terrene troubles, wheresoe're they fall,
God (their protector) bring's them out of all.
Confirm'd by God, and man, they stand belov'd
Like Sion-mountains, which are never mov'd
These are their earthly blessings; these in summe▪
Fore type mans better heav'nly blisse t [...] come.
Sect. V.
ARGUMENT.
Ioachim's frequented Feasts,
Princely fare for Princely guests:
Two lewd Elders (most unjust)
To lie with Susan burne in lust.
LOrd Ioachim, and his beloved Spouse,
To honest commers kept a bounteous house:
Unto their Lordly Palace ev'ry day,
Their Kinsmen came to banish dole away.
Somtime they spent their time in harmles mirth,
Sometimes in games the pleasures of the earth
Lord Ioachim was niggard unto none;
His greatest comfort underneath the Sunne,
Was to bid strangers welcome to his table;
His pilgrimage of life was honorable.
[Page]Pilgrims about the World, report his fame,
As Sidney's lines one Lord Kalander's name.
Princes, and judges to their sumptuous Palace,
Would often journey for their better solace:
Where feasting dayes (save Players made no sport
Resembled grand dayes in a Princes court.
The captive Hebrewes, that had long been sorry,
Without abuse, would there be often merry.
To welcome them, who thither would repaire,
The dainties of the Ocean, Earth, and Aire
He wanted not: of junckettings no dearth,
Hesperian gardens such things brought not forth.
The Manna, that on Thisbe's tree distil's
In Summer-mornings, on Calabrian hils,
He counted but a drug; his plenteous wines
Equall'd the red juyce of Engeddian Vines.
He had Ambrozian junckets, men did thinke
Supernall Nectar had been there for drinke.
Abusive Bacchanalians, which doe marre
The blisse of man, from him were banisht farre▪
But if in Babylon, liv'd any poore,
They were releev'd by his abundant store.
The Hebrew-Elders earnestly intreat,
Within his hall, to build their judgment seat.
[Page]He granted their petition; all, and some,
Who had to doe in law, did thither come.
Now were not any in more honour there,
Then Ioachim, and his Susanna were:
Now Fortune's Sun, as never 't would decline,
Upon Susanna smilingly did shine:
She found a Heav'n on Earth, living a life
Most Princesse like, most worthy Io [...]chim's wife;
But mundane pleasures, which doe flatter soules,
May in one moment, all be turn'd to doles.
Behold (you that beheld the splendent light
Of Susan's vertue with your mentall sight)
What Hel-born darknes would defile her fame,
And with reproach intombe her honor'd name.
In Babylon an annuall custome was,
To change their Iudges, as the yeares did passe:
Iudicious Princes once a yeare did chuse
A paire of Elders, fit to doome the Iewes.
Who now, mistaken, had selected forth,
Two sonnes of Belial, men of seeming worth,
Dissembling Lawyers, such as, all their lives,
Had been familiar with their neighbour's wives:
[Page]Such wicked children, and the same, of whom,
Th'eternall said; Iniquity is come
From Babylon: and plainly doth appeare
In breasts of Ancients, that doe govern there.
These haunt the Mansion of Lord Ioachim,
And crept in estimation with him:
Where (often) both of them in doubtfull cause,
Passe partiall judgement of impartiall Lawes.
Their heads were wilefull; for a golden fee,
Saints they cōdemn'd, bold sinner's lives to free.
These (gazing on the Sun of Susan's beauty)
Were strucken blinde, they could not ken their duty:
Their hasty feet in paths infernall trod,
And they forgat the glorious lawes of God:
When Time's cold Winter chang'd their beards like wools
Of whitest Lambs, and baldned both their sculs,
They burn'd in lust towards her; and ev'ry day,
Court being ended, there did loyt'ring stay:
Their bloud reboil'd, like that in Aeson-veins,
They were as jocund as the yonger swains.
To dinner (sent-for) each returneth home,
Whither again, they (having din'd) would come,
[Page]So in apparell, chang'd that men (whilere)
Who [...] were.
Though they, by interparlance, were unjust,
Yet did they not communicate their lust;
T'ill wondring at their frequent meeting there,
Each tell's his fellow, without shame, or feare,
And then these Devils in a humane shape,
Cohasten faire Susanna to intrap:
Though Charon, hel's infernall Boat-man, stood
Waiting to waft them ore the Stygian flood:
They doted on Venerian sport, as though
They had creation only to doe so:
So (waxen old) they both again begin
To serve another pren [...]ship to sin:
Mispending their most precious heav'n lent leasure,
Not in repentance, but in carnall pleasure.
MEDIT. V. Voluptas dulce venenum.
COuld judges (having honour to be stil'd
Gods upon earth) then Devils prove more vil'd?
Could they (who often had condemn'd to die,
Adulterers) commit adulterie?
Could Elders burn in lust? could old men wander
In flames, like the Serpentine Salamander?
Did they (when crooked, old, and bald, and rivell)
D'on youthfull rayments, to allure to evill?
Had the seducing Div'll no yonger men
In Babylon, to be his factors then?
Vain-glorious fooles to think apparell could,
Intice a Saint, though wrought with Indian gold.
Had they contemn'd the Lawes, and taken leisure,
To fall from God, to make a god of pleasure?
Pleasure what is it, 'tis an Amphisben,
Biting at both ends, it soon endeth men.
[Page]Pleasure what is it? is it not a trap,
To ruine Anthony in Fortune's lap?
To humble Hanibal, who marched farre,
Renownedly unharm'd by Roman warre?
This is a hand of Mischiefe: thi [...] could rim
Proud Olophernes traitors head from him.
It could demolish skie-aspiring Troy,
And her bright glory in dark embers lay.
The soules of men are oftentimes betraid
By carnall pleasure, to infernall shade.
'Tis like a blind worm [...] in our paths, it is
A stinging Adder of the land of Dis:
'Tis like Medusa's tresse; and if it be
T [...] wound in the body of man's living tree,
Man's heart of flesh convert's (if he have one)
By secret vigour, to unliving stone.
It steeleth o're the maiden-blushing soule,
Past sence of sinne, make's royall David foule.
(Alas) the Lebanon of God hath never,
Such Cedars nourisht, but this storme could shiver.
This is a blast could tumble to the ground
World-wondred Samson when he liv'd renown'd.
Could make the wisest mortall King bow down,
With foolish congies, to the gods unknown.
[Page]Pleasure's a monstrous Witch, that can transforme
Proud men into Harpeian-birds of harme.
Embrace her in your bosomes, you that list
To houle in darknesse of Chimeria [...] mist:
For this pollutes man's soule, and [...]an vndoe
The strongest men consenting thereunto▪
Plebeans should beware; and Prin [...]es then,
Be vigilant in choosing soundest men
For Magistrates, such whose example shoo'd,
Shining in goodnesse, do their Con [...]i [...]e good.
Kings, that so carefull are, shall ever find
Confirmed peace, and leave renown behind.
Which Pharoh knew, when he to Ioseph's hands▪
Committed ruledome of Aegyptian-lands:
Wherefore let Christian Kings observe the same,
And they shall gaine an everlasting Name.
Sect. VI.
ARGUMENT.
The Elders thinke mens spirits [...]n [...]w,
[...]fter death, no weal [...], nor woe:
Of sin, and Susan's destoration,
Consisteth all their consultation.
THese Elders, when together on a day,
Between themselves, these following words did say:
Such wordes renowned Salomon foretould,
In counsell speak our Saviour's Iudges would.
Mankind is born to live, and die in sin,
Death makes a man as he had never bin:
Let's laugh our time to nothing: after death
Comes neither joy, nor pain, our vitall breath
[Page]Smoak-like ascendeth from our nostrils; all
Our words, like fiery dying sparkles, fall
Unto the ground, our bodies turn to clay,
Our spirits vanish like the aires of May:
Our lives consume, like empty clouds of heaven,
Which winds beyond the ken of man have driven,
Or like to dewly mists, that soon are done
Upon the rising of the Summer's Sun.
Our names and fames (in time) will be forgotten:
Our memory (like dead men's bones) be rotten.
Time hastens, man decay's, compleats his Urn,
And 'tis decre'd: from death can none return.
Come let us fall unto our wonted games,
Let us be blith, and nourish wanton flames,
On silver-trenchers, let us frankly ear.
The finest fat of lust-provoking meat;
T'will make us young though we be waxen old,
And let us drink (in burnisht bowles of gold)
The sparkling ancient strong Falernian Wines:
And look about, for youthfull Concubines.
Sad cogitations jolly soules oppresse:
Let us ascend our thrones in pleasantnesse.
Let Nard, and Amber on our garments smell,
Like Flora's Bow'rs, where Maja's Nymphs do dwell.
[Page]Roses will wither (being fully blown)
But while they bud, wee'le weare a Rosie crown.
What Lyncean eye discern's our lewd delight,
Cover'd with darknesse of the cloudy night?
Why should we censures feare, or idle sound
Of humane words, that are inviron'd round
With marble-wals? the wit of mortals can
Not find our wiles past finding out of man:
And Heav'n regardeth not the workes of men;
Come let us boldly feast, and frollick then;
Let vs not care though heav [...]ns bright eie espies,
For danger comes not from serened skies.
That men to heav'n ascend, is but a fable:
Heav'n for mankind is not inhabitable.
Faire women be our heaven: Venus treasures
Our happinesse: some token of our pleasures,
In ev'ery place, wherby the world may mind us
In future time, now let us leave behind us.
To swell our borders, let us never spare
To injure Orphans: never let us care
To estimate men's white sen [...]ed haires,
The open Index of their doting yeares.
But to our pleasure, let us bend Susanna;
Whom fame reporteth chaster then Diana.
[Page]Fame is mistaken, she is fairer farre.
Shall we but gaze on this admired starre,
To pine with Tartalus? let's mount and teare
Her glory down, and stain her silver spheare
If Susan be a Comet in the aire,
She doth portend Elders shall soon enjoy her.
Dedalian plumes, let us ascend upon:
And shuf [...]le Phoebus from his burning throne.
But if with wax-wings we our mounty make,
Doubtlesse we tumble in Icarian lake
Of common shame, and folly bars our blisse.
Remember we our novell case in this:
We have imparadis'd our best affection,
Within the Eden of her best complexion.
Let us be prudent still: and we shall find
A mooting time, to new informe her mind.
What if Susanna be so seeming chast,
So carefull to conserve fond honours blast,
That she about the town will never rome:
But in her Palace live immur'd at home?
What if she walke but in her gardens, we
Have leave to walke in them aswell as she▪
What if a seeming Angell, we shall prove
Her woman, by obtaining of her love.
[Page]Boldnesse beseemeth lovers best, and fortune
[...]
Then [...]et us watch her Gardens, 'tis a common
Custome observ'd among the Hebrew women,
To bath her Iv'ry limbs, if we out-find
Her bathing there, there she discerns our mind.
Though Iudges, we'll turn Sentinels for love:
This noble passion oft transformed Iove.
In her white Conscience-book, we'll register
Our warme affections: we deserve not her
If we delay this houre let us begin:
Demurres in love, are more the mortall sin.
Doubtlesse (Diana-like) she [...]aves her limbes,
In yonder Fountain: on whose floury brims,
May we surprize her, and possesse our pleasure,
In rifling up dame Venus hidden treasure.
If in our aidance, Heav'n Gods will not bow;
Help us, you Acharontish gods below,
We can beguile, if holpen but by you,
Daughters of Iacob, and of Iudah too.
MEDIT. VI. Heu vivunt homines tanquam mors nulla sequatur.
BElial, and all his babes are busie still,
In darksome earth, to do their pranks of ill:
And what the Dev'll dare scan [...] presume to doe,
That ev'll he tempts ungodly men unto.
The glorious Angels dare not p [...]wsing stand:
But what God will's performe it out of hand:
The whirling spheares, with armies of the heaven,
Observe the statutes God to them hath given.
The Skie, the Earth, the Ocean, ev'ry thing;
Nay fiends themselves, obey th' eternall King.
Dumbe creatures of this world fulfill the word,
And will of man, their dominering Lord:
The brutish cattell do what them behove;
But sinfull men most disobedient prove:
[Page]They (worse then all things else) disdain to follow,
The Lord of all things, all his Lawes unhallow;
And (but for nothing in an angry mood)
They sometimes swim in streames of Abel's blood:
And for base lucre, germane brothers slay:
The Devils have more feare, and faith than they.
[...]ome of them make a god of gold, and some
(With giddy cups of Atheisme overcome)
Beleeve blind Fortune wrought this goodly frame,
That all contains, and governeth the same.
Another kind remayn befool'd in evils,
Supposing neither Deity nor Devils,
Counting Religion, and the holy Law,
But wiles to keep the wilfull world in awe.
Some others deeme death naturally came
To ev'ry thing, beneath the Cynthian flame;
Yet living so (as they should never drink,
The cup of death, nor sleep on Lethe-brink.
They fearelesse sin, untill by death th' are sent
Vnto infernall vales, where Dathan went,
With his companions, there's no wrath to come,
(As they beleeve) soule's blisse, nor day of doome;
But ev'ry nullifidian, which denies
The resurrection, from the dead shall rise▪
[Page]And lastly, heareth Archangel' [...] trumpet summon
To heav'ns chiefe ses [...]ions all the world in common▪
Platonian wisemen (when the world is done)
Shall come in judgment of the Virgins sonne:
At which great day, the round enflaming earth,
The boyling Sea, and burning hell beneath,
Shall vomit up their dead, whose spirits shall
In quickned corps, be re-invested all.
All Na [...]ions shall at heav'ns throne appeare,
To yeeld account how they have lived here.
The King of glories (at whose dexter-hand,
Thousands of thousands Saints and Angels stand [...]
Shall bend the shining heavens downe, and come,
To render to the live, and dead men doome.
Then righteous soules shall evermore be blest
With Eulog [...]es to everlasting rest.
May I beleeve (while I have life and breath,
That our dead bodies doe but sleep in death,
Vntill that glorious day, that after then,
God's Parad [...]se, just ones obtain agen:
For, for the righteous, Sions Lambe was kill'd,
Yer God foundations of the world did build:
But woe to them, and many woes remayn,
That are miswandred in the wayes of Cain.
[Page]That by deceitfulnesse of Balam's hire,
Are tumbled down to Hel's Gehinn [...]-fire;
That in gainsayings of rebellious Core,
Are falne down, and lost for evermore:
For they are stones in hospitable feasts,
Abominable, more than any beasts.
Roaring like waves, which Satan puts in [...]tion,
To foame out shame on sin's bloud-colour'd Ocean.
And like to errant Stars bereav'n of light,
Reserv'd in darknesse, for the darkest night.
Sect VII.
ARGUMENT.
Susanna bathes her in a Spring
Of her Gardens, where birds sing:
Neere which, enamour'd Elders were
Enambusht; they surprise her there.
VPon a day Susanna walkt alone,
(Save two yong damsels her attending on)
Into her gardens shady woods, and bowers,
T'enjoy the blisse of vacant ev'ning houres,
To heare the Quiristers of Nature sing
Their dulcet-tunes unto the dancing spring,
To heare the shrill sweet Philomel of May,
Warble forth sweet notes on a thorny spray:
Which birds (she listening to them) ran on still
In various quav'rings of unmated skill,
[Page]Chanting their silver-ditties more and more,
And sweetlier sang, than they had sung before:
Tuning through their winde-instrumentall throats,
Quaint diapasons of well sounding notes.
Which Musicke (repercust by rocks, and rils)
Sported nymph-Eccho in the boschy hils.
In her peramble; loe the blossom'd trees,
With hony-dews, imploy the humming bees,
And painted trouts in clearest fish-ponds play
Above the water, in a shining day.
There softer aires (perfum'd by many flowers,
Which flourished through May as mid-night-showres)
Sweetned the bowers of her sweet meditation,
Pleasing her soule in heavenly contemplation:
Where lustfull Elders cunningly lay hidden,
To theeve away the onely fruit forbidden.
Now when she had perambulated round,
(As she accustom'd) her small Eden-ground,
She (most unhappily) came down to coole
Her curious body in a chrystall poole;
(The sultry time inviting to the same)
Lest purest bloud within her veines inflame.
[Page]She little weening what bold serpents lay
Lurking to venter on so boon a pray)
Sent both her maidens, that untir'd her, in
To fetch sweet washbals for her silken skinne,
Who brought the same, returning in, they barr'd
Her garden doores, as she had given word.
And then in veils, with linnen-syndons dight,
(Whose perfect hew out-shone the milken white)
Gently she waded from the fountaine brimmes,
Where water nymphs embrac'd her Iv'ry limbs,
The day was cleere, and radiant Titans e [...]'n
Did scantly through o'reshading arbors shine.
No eye she deem'd, but heav'ns immortall one,
Discernd her in that secret fount alone.
She upright standing whe [...] false Elders ey'd her,
Like faire Diana, when Act [...]on spi'd her.
Who wont (while bathing in the silver, spring)
This sequent Psalme most frequently to sing.
PSAL. 137. Psalmus comes optimus.
WHen by the flouds of Babylon,
We sate us downe, did flow
Flouds from our eyes, to pender [...]n
Our mother Sion's [...]
As for our Harps we hanged them
On willowes to remain:
Which crowned Perah's winding streame,
In midst of Shinar-plain.
Then our Captivors mockt our mone,
Thus taunting with their tongues:
Come tune your Harps, and sing us one
Of Sions holy songs.
Lord, how can we our songs commend▪
To our great God, and King▪
Can we be glad! within a land
Of strangers, can we sing?
Hierusalem if I doe let
From my remembrance slide▪
Then let my dexter-hand forget
My warbling Harpe to guide.
And if I thee remember not,
Cleaue to my mouth (O tongue)
Hierusalem [...]f I preferre
Not thee within my song.
Forget not Edom's sonnes (O Lord)
When thou did'st Sion wound:
How they against thy Sion roar'd,
Down, down with't to the ground.
(O daughter Babel) thou shalt be
Quite overturned thus:
He shall be blest, rewardeth thee▪
As thou hast served us.
They shall be blessed, that shall take
The children of thy sonnes:
And for thy fornications sake,
Dash them against the stones.
Before she was in middle of her song,
Lust-boldned elders through the thickets flung.
And rudely a blacke Psalme began to sing,
Unto molested Susan in the Spring.
To her, asham'd they, unconfounded, plead,
Whose lustfull language, nothing stands instead:
For where Heav'n winnes; that fortresse of renown
Is too much strong, for fiends to batter down.
MEDIT. VII. Aetas aurea prima.
IT was a golden age, yer sin began
Strange fires to kindle in the soule of man:
For man (an Angel's fellow then) could sing
Heav'n-tuned lauds to heav'ns eternall King,
Could then converse with God, could psalme his praise
Commingling sweet songs with Archangel's layes.
Like Truth did man go naked then, and blesse
The God of truth without abashfulnesse.
[Page]He had no charmes, like Sirens, to entise
The gentler Virgins of the world to vice:
His body did a heav'n-born soule eashrine,
And (like the same) was deathlesse and divine.
All humane thoughts were perfect: Belial then
Had not a sonne among the sonnes of men.
Then fairest women (naked though they went)
Did never feare inhumane ravishment:
For their illustrious ever-during beauty,
Inchanted not men to forget their duty.
Sorrowes and shames (which since have overflown
The earth) in earth were utterly unknown.
Enormous crimes dwell'd with infernall Devils,
And man's sweet heart was undistain'd with evils;
A mansion 'twas, where Vertues did remayne.
'Twas then a throne, where Helion did raigne:
But, sinfull, now become a noysome stie
Of all pollution, where Fiend-legiens-lie.
And (since this worser Iron-age is come)
Vertues retire unto coelestiall home
That Vertue, Chastity (which God regard's
To crown from Heav'n, with undefil'd rewards)
By painted Vice, is injur'd ev'ry [...]ower:
Almost is lost her mayden-blushing flower.
[Page]Vice counterfeit's her colours, she proclaimes
[...]
[...]
Ever to dwell in insubstantiall wind.
Fair Chastity, which vice cannot infring.
Nor the great Engineere of Hell unhing:
O Favourite of th'Eternall, where art thou?
What happy place doth entertain thee now?
Didst thou relinquish this vain World below,
When other Goddesses of old did so?
Abandoning the earth of blisse bereaven,
To wander in the milky way of heaven?
Or staidst behind alone, to raigne and rest
In Princely throne of faire Susanna's brest?
Thou art but seldome seen on earth [...]
Shall almost sooner find a sable [...]
Where may the Daphnes of the [...]
Themselves in safety from assaulting [...]
Sith Sinne (that wandring Iew) [...] fast [...]
Through earthly kingdoms: Heav'n [...] the chast.
[...]
[...]
Sect. VIII.
ARGUMENT.
The Elders sue to chast Susan,
Who doth their obscene suit disdain:
Threatning her, they offer rape,
Which (she by calling loud) doth scape.
TO holy-thoughted Susan in the Spring,
These Goatish Elders thus began to sing;
Susanna fairest of all blessed creatures,
Susanna, quintessence of blessed features,
With whom the faire dames of the world compar'd,
Would Morians seeme, unworthy man's regard,
[Page]World's living wonder, rare Susanna, know,
We unto thee, are humble Suppliants now,
In such a suit, as once supernall Iove
Motion'd unto his metamorphos'd Love.
Uncloud the Sun-beams of thy Beautie's shine:
Let no misseemly frowne, nor teares of brine
Unglorifie that happy forme of thine:
Grant us thy love, becalme thy countenance;
In Lethe-streames, drench the rememberance
Of nuptiall vowes: let folly not forestall
Thy soule of blessings: take the golden ball
Of lovely Venus, whiles youth's flower lasts,
Gather the same, before the flower blasts,
By us old blades: whose mettle backs are steele:
The approbation thou, anon, shalt feele.
We are no Scouts thy jealous Husband sends
To tempt, and tell; by heav'n we are thy friends▪
And German-kinsmen of the Royall line
Of Iudah-Kings, as thou mayst well divine.
Our complements must not be tedious, we
This many a day, have long'd to lie with thee.
We are love-martyrs, and to dust shall turn,
Unlesse thou quench the fires wherein wee burn.
[Page]The Planet now, which bringeth love's delight,
Comes in conjunction with the Queen of night.
Heav'n on the action smile's: thy doores are fast:
Come, in thy Paradise of joy repast
Our warme desires: let us fal quickly to it,
Lest Gods themselves trans [...]orme themselves, and do it.
Susanna be not coyous; we do know,
Women, who take good turns, will answere no.
Why seemest thou compos'd of snowy stone?
Turn like the Image to Pigma [...]ion:
Be not flint-hearted; from this fountain come,
Have pity on us, and be pleasuresome.
Hast thou not heard of Iacob's princely sonne,
Thy grand forefather's lovely actions, done
In holy Regions to a dainty dame,
For pawned ring▪ it savours not of shame;
Were to thy husband such occasion lent,
He would persue the self-same merriment,
As he hath often done, in wisdome then
Reciprocall, come forth, and pleasure men:
That we (thy servants) wilt thou but infold
Us in thy armes! may give thee bags of gold:
[Page]Which unto thee, we (consecrating) prove
Like men of Lemnos to the Queen of Love.
Scorn not affection: love, disdained, will
In little time, convert to mortall ill.
Th'amazed Lady oftentimes, afraid,
Div'd under stream, not harkning what they said.
When she up-heav'd her beauty, ten times more
They gan to woo, and threaten then before:
Like David, she desired Dove-like wings;
Or (to deferre them from her holy springs)
Such sounds, as frightned sonnes of Aram from
Besieg'd Samaria, in their eares might come.
Within her Saintly countenance, there stood
Abundance of abasht Vermilion-blood;
But then she frown'd upon these evill doers,
And thus admonisht her old wanton woers.
Her deniall.
You that are more lascivious far, then either
Sea-Sargons, or the Land-goats when together,
Know, that mine Honour (not receiu'd in vain)
Abhor's the tincture of foule whoredomes stain.
[Page]Were you both young as David, when he kill'd
The monstrous Giant in Philistian field,
More beautifull then Absolon: and could
To be, unchast, you give me seas of gold;
I would contemne you both, and rather fall
Into your wrath then to infernall thrall.
Men shall not stain for gold, nor orient stone
The faire white robe Heav'n gave my soule to d'on.
Iudges go doom your selves; masters of Lawes,
Who learn'd you plead in such a crimefull cause▪
Go mourn in sackcloth for your sins for shame:
But if such madnes you disdaine to ta'ne;
Depart from hence: seek Babylonian Whores,
Who, signe-post like, stand painted at the dores.
In their white bosomes, they will you enfold,
And welcome bid for bags of yellow gold.
By courting me, you gain your wils, as soon
As Syrian Wolves, by barking at the Moon.
You flie, me seem's, with idle Bees of Inde,
Against rough weather, and the stormy wind;
Fierce Euphrates, quoth she, to yonder mountains
Shall backwards run, and hide him in his fountains;
[Page]Leaving the deep pools of his channell dry:
Swart leathern Swains shall plough-turmoile the sky;
Sodom's dead lake revive, and entertain
Leviathan, and Neptune's hungry train:
Fishes shall flouds forsake, and foules of heaven
Be deckt with scales, and in the Ocean driven:
Babell shall know no heat, nor Pontus cold,
Fire and water shall one dwelling hold:
The brightest flame of Heaven shine by night,
And horned Cynthia give diurnall light.
Before I change my setled constant mind,
To damne my selfe, that you may count me kind.
Depart, and say you have a woman known,
Preserv'd your honour, saving of her own.
Their Reply.
Proud scornfull dame, what faire means cannot doe,
Be certain, foule means shall compell thee to.
Our wronged Honours suddenly shall rain
A storm of vengeance on thee for disdain.
[Page]Repent, proud woman, we shall make thee glad
To lie with us: or we will make thee mad.
Ten thousand times thy betters have agreed,
To pleasure us ten thousand times at need,
Nor need they to repent it such behavours
Obtein'd them ours▪ and all their husband's favours,
If thou refuse, false witnes we will beare
To stain thy reputation; we will sweare
To end thy life, we found a yongman here,
With thee, in Venus action, we will say,
Therefore thy Maidens thou did'st send away;
So we'll take vengeance, dooming thee to death:
And, after, when thou wantest vitall breath,
Have thy supposed trespasse sung in rimes,
By errant Scundrils in succeeding times.
Drunkards, and Mimicall Pantomini,
Shall make pastime to act thine infamy:
Pointing the horns at Ioachim: and cleep
Thy children bastards, he's constrain'd to keep.
As bug words children, thy misbranded name,
Shall frighten strumpets from the acts of shame.
Wherefore for honour of thy name, agree
To condiscend that we may humble thee.
[Page]Concluding so, they offred rape: and fear'd her,
That she cry'd out, and all her servants heard her.
But, as she call'd pure rivolets of teares,
Stream'd from her eyes: which in the spring appeare's peares
Cleerer then morning-dew; and did divide
Themselves in droplings swimming tow'rds the side.
Which holy Well, where Saintly Susan wept,
This strange memoriall of her teares hath kept;
That ever-since, her fluid waters shine,
Brighter then silver, brackt with siluer-brine▪
Which, waxing colder, do for cures, excell
Saint Winifrid's waters in the Cambrian Well.
MEDIT. VIII. De Daemone dira libido.
THe Devill want's no Orators in time
Of old, he could make Serpents plead for him
In wily arguments; all kind of evill
Comes from, and is ov'rgilded by the Devill.
[Page]There's Love a vertue of vnvalued price,
And Lust (misnamed love) a brutish vice.
And this infernall thing wants neither tongues,
Nor tunes, to warble forth inchanting songs.
Lust is a subtile Siren, ever training
Soules to destruction, by her secret faining:
She is the prince of darknesse eldest daughter,
Wanting no craft: her cunning Sire hath taught her
Profound dissimulation: she hath skill
To speak all Languages, when-ere she will:
Wandring this earthen world, all carnall men
To her doe homage; they her servants been.
This strumpet (clad in Peacock-plumes) doth ride
Both day and night, in painted carres of pride:
Her handmaid Lying Pander's, and suborn's
Lovers enough, to serve her lustfull turns.
Guilt, Sorrow, Shame, Horrour attend her still:
But she can maske them, and go where she will.
Bulwarks of brasse, condensed walls of stone,
Cannot debarre her: she can walk alone
Vnseen, in private Gardens ev'ry day:
Within the darknesse, find-out Venus way.
And where her power cannot throughly pester,
She planteth Envie her Gorgonian sister;
[Page]But these (assisted by the fiends of Hell,
Where all Serpentine monstrous legions dwell)
Can never change the Saints firme resolution;
Though they procure them bodily confusion.
Pleasures, nor pains, which wicked mortals plod,
Prevaile not to pull righteous soules from God.
Gemonian staires, Phalarian Buls, nor all
Torments, that flow from cruell Tyrants gall,
Tarpejan Mountains, Altars of Busire,
Nor furnaces of Babylonian fire,
Rewards, nor tortures have not powre to cause
The Saints on Earth, t'abandon heav'nly lawes.
Camelions change their colour, Guile her game:
But in both fortunes, Vertue is the same.
Nor hath a Planet's influence pow'r to make
Resolved soules their chastity forsake.
The subcelestiall armour Saints do weare,
Is resolution; soul-distracting feare
Never can pierce it; it defend's the heart,
Better then Coats of maile, and can retort
More keen, and fiercer flying shafts then those,
That (singing) come from ful-bent Russian bowes.
Those valiant ones, that weare it, can be bold
When others tremble, unappal'd, behold
[Page]The sternest looks of Death, can smile upon
Cocytus waves, and burning Phlegiton.
Though foule Erinnis in the world do's raign,
They (Titan-like) do constant still remayn.
Th'ungodly World can vomit up no gall
On them, but they can (dauntlesse) scorn it all.
(Lord) grant us resolution still, to trust
In thy defence, from undermining lust:
Support us by thy pow'r; and then we shall
Like Sion-mountayns stand, and never fall.
Sect. IX.
ARGUMENT.
Chast Susanna to her Lord
Falsly accus'd, and sent toward:
Tongues of taunting people stirre,
All her friends lament for her.
SVsanna call's, the Elders loudly roare,
To drown her cryings, o'pe her Garden dore,
Returning, with a recareering pace,
As if some Rebell they had held in chase.
So greedy Huntsmen, on the Pontick downes,
With whoopings, cheer their game pursuing hounds,
Their voices they uplifted to the skie,
With hubbubs, raising wofull hue on crie.
Her clamour-hearing servants running came,
To tender aydance to their tender Dame,
[Page]And as, in post, through postern dores they run,
Th'abominable Elders both begun,
(Purboild in breathlesse sweatings) to amort
Her men, and Maydens with obscene report.
Untill that time, did never cloudy shame
Obnubilate the Glory of her Name.
Her monefull Virgins dutifully run,
To comfort her: her vestments they put on:
The clothed Lady comes before the Lords
Whom Elders prepossest with lying words:
Which made their eares to tingle, and their haire
Ascend, as if some Stygian fiends were there.
But Susan, better meditating on't,
Bedri'd her eye-lids cleer'd her mournfull front,
"As doth the Delian Princesse, when her Grace
"In Thetis wavy streames hath washt her face:
And, gaining strength, did presently begin
To cleer her selfe, from that suggested sinne.
Before her husband she the guilt did rem
From her, imputing haynous crime on them:
Which they, denying, call'd her impious dame,
Her greived Lord beleeved not the same:
Wherefore the Elders doe confine his Spouse,
(That night) close pris'ner to her father's house:
[Page]Commanding upon pain of fines, that none
Should speak with her, til morning Phoebus shone,
Where she, good heart, lie's pickled up in teares,
While to her parents she her conscience cleeres.
The vulgar people these aspersions cast,
Susanna is more beautifull, then chast,
And as Diana kist with loving skill
Shepheard Endimion upon Latmos hill:
Susanna so in wanton-bowers did spend
Her houres, in dalliance with a nimble friend.
These torrents of unjust defame, and wrongs
Of derogating vulgar-taunting tongues,
Like swelling flouds, that to the Ocean roule,
Adde fresher troubles to her vexed soule.
Some men of Babylon begin to scorn
Lord Ioachim, pointing at him the horn:
But his true friends cōjoyn'd with him in prayer,
Knowing Susanna chast, as she is faire.
They in compassion of this Innocent,
A silver-sea in brinish showers spent:
Till sable night had with her Ebon-robe,
Darkned the surface of this earthen Globe:
And drowsie Morpheus, with his leaden key,
Had lockt the doores of many a mortall eye.
[Page]Night, being waxen old, and drunk with teares,
No golden star was seen to gild the Spheares,
Titan to their Antipodites being gone,
To luminate another Horizon.
Now did these Elders hold a parolment,
To practise mischiefe 'gainst this innocent:
Where they determin'd, when the morning came,
They would condemne this good distressed dame:
So they departed bed-wards: guilty feares
Ringing like larums, in their frightned eares,
In them, the terrours of th' internall worme,
Ten thousand kinds of living deaths did forme:
Dissembling Satan tempting them, 'till day;
To have them take Susannas life away:
Which they resolv'd, yet did their bosomes quake,
Fearing of men, whom they afraid should make.
MEDIT. IX. Ludit in humanis divina potentia rebus.
WHat shall I laugh, that Fortune like a ball,
Bandies the Globe of this inconstant All?
Shall loud Abderian laughter fill my tongue,
Or shall I sing Ephesian mourning song?
Because the world's a wel concordant jarre:
Like fained Perseus wedding bringing warre.
Nothing subsists beneath the Cynthian flame,
But somewhat live's to terrifie the same.
The Emperour and Peazant have their foes,
Aswell as friends; world's Epidemick woee,
And casuall joyes denoting; great men know
Few reall friends, from friends in fained show
Too day unconstant worldlings will dispraise
Whom they to morrow, to the Heavens raise;
And, presently, their judgements will condemne
The persons (whilome) in esteeme of them.
[Page]'Tis necessary, that offences come:
But woe, and many woes to them by whom:
'Twere better they (with milstones heavy tied
About their necks) had in the Ocean died.
'Tis necessary, that offences come,
To make us mindfull of supernall home;
Should be continuall Summer, all things faire,
And plentifull, few soules for heav'n would care.
Should Fortune cheere us with still smiling eye,
We should condoat on this vain world, and die▪
Therefore all things beneath-expansed Heaven,
God hath to change, and revolution given.
The Sun (attain'd to his Meridian throne)
Declines again, till he from thence be gone.
The gentle calmes bring rougher stormes, and all
Hot gleames of Titan cause cold showers to fall.
Mild Zeph'ry Summer part [...]s; in Summers roome,
Chill Winter with Aeolian rufflers come.
Age follow's youth, death life, night followes day:
So vanisheth world's glory clean away.
Calamity, and comfort comes, and goes,
From man to man, like Neptune's ebbe and flowes.
Now caroll we like Nightingales of May,
Anon like Pellicans, we pine away.
[Page]In humane things, a pow'r divine doth play:
This changfull world attend's her changing day.
We prostrate lie on dunghils, and anon,
Ascend in triumph, upon Honour's throne.
Earth-joyes are false, they bid us soon adue,
Her during-sorrowes are most certain true.
Our wise forefathers doted not on this
Deceitfull round, where Satan's kingdome is;
Though living in the golden age of joy,
Hundreds of yeeres, they counted earth a toy;
But in these Iron-generations, some
Prize it, on whom world's worser ends are come.
My soule contemnes this world, which over flowes
Me, like a Sea, with tydes of briny woes.
Where griefe's Vorago's upon either hand,
Worser then Scylla, with Charybdis stand.
Lord, daigne we may by trouble-stormes [...]
Hence, to our soule-contenting rest in heaven.
Sith we to Eden, must through Bochim goe,
Thy will be done (deere God) that wil's it so:
For one sweet day within the Courts of Heaven,
Will recompence all torts on earth receiven.
Sect. X.
ARGUMENT.
Susan (arraign'd the Bench before)
Falsly accus'd to be a whore:
Iudgment against her rashly given,
She prayes unto the Iudge of Heaven.
WHen day had, with his early dawning light,
Earth uninvelopt, from the cloudy night;
And rising Titan gloriously had shon,
Upon the golden Tow'rs of Babylon:
Firing the pine-trees on the Eastern Mountains,
Dancing a while on warme Eoan Fountains;
These scarlet-judges, with their purple-brothers,
With swarmes of Babylonians, Iewes; and others,
Assemble in Lord Ioachim's great Hall,
Where to the Bar Susanna they do call.
[Page]Who thither comes, and on her train attends
[...] friends.
[...] in that place to wrong
That places Owner: whose mild kindnesse long
There suffred them to make a Senat-roome,
O Devillish, to pronounce a murdrous doome,
A sentence there, to rifle her of Fame,
And in the Scroll of death describe her name,
Which in life's golden roll, Angels, on high,
Fore-registred above the shining skie.
Hence gentle eyes, your teares again will drown
Her story, teer-already overflown.
The veile, which modest Hebrew-women weare,
They gave command should be ta'ne from her there:
Forgetting all humanity and duty,
To glut their wicked eyes upon her beauty:
The sight whereof transpierced soules so deep,
All her spectators could not choose but weep:
The most obdurate Hinds in all that Nation,
Shed plenteous teares in this collachrimation.
Such sighes, and grones came from her kindred pale,
As once were heard in Hadadeimmon-vale,
When as (she heav'nwards looking) Elders lai'd
Their cursed hands upon her head, and said.
Her accusation and condemnation.
AS we two were in Ioachim's garden-places,
One to another putting doubtfull cases:
Susanna with two Damsels, yesterday,
Came there to walk, sending her Maids away.
Who shut her Garden-dores, and inwards went:
Then came a young man from enambushment
Unto Susanna; we beheld them in
The Goatish action of Venerian sinne:
Which thing perceiving, gently we drew neere,
If possibly to apprehend him there:
But the young Ruffian (spying us) forsook
His Paramour, and to his heels betook
Him suddenly: whom we persu'd a main,
With loudest hubbubs, that he might be tane.
For he was lusty, nimbler far then we,
And from us through the upper doore went he.
So he escapt; this apprehended woman
Deni'd the Fact, affirming there was no man;
[Page]And, urg'd by us, disdained to confesse
The runnaway's Name: unto which wickednes
She multiplieth more, saying to wit,
We two with her Adult'ry would commit.
Thus scandall bringing on us: but (my Lords)
As there's a powre divine discerning words,
And deeds of Mortals, we prolate no lies:
T'is true, so doom us he that fram'd the skies.
Here at the over-credent bench, and all
Assembled Senators in the sabled hall,
(With teares in their impartiall eyes that came)
Past dismall doom on this unguilty dame.
Susanna heare's which sentence of her doome:
Yet no cold faintnesse in her heart doth come,
Till when her friends (like Conduits) standing by
Water'd their garments, that no thread was dry,
Then Susan most abundantly did steep
Her selfe in teares, and Mirrha-like did weep,
Her teare-besprinkled countenance did shew,
Like Damask-roses deckt with morning-dew.
Her faith was firme in heaven; thus she praid,
That scant might speak to mortall men, and said,
Eternall Iudge, Discerner of all things,
That shelter under gloomy darknesse wings,
[Page]Who rightly dooming, from supernall throne,
The dwellers of this world dost look upon:
Who, yer they come to passe, dost truly know,
All thoughts, and actions, that are done below,
Know'st thy wrong'd handmaid's innocence, and how
These sinfull Elders seek mine overthrow,
Without my fault, how, wanting heav'nly grace,
They forge untrue tales on the judgment-place.
(Lord) that defended'st me reposing trust
In thy protection, from undoing lust,
To me be gracious, from thine holy hill:
Protect me, with paternall kindnesse still,
From malice and confusion; so may I
Survive my foes thy name to magnifie.
MEDIT. X. An terras Astraea reliquit?
IS faire Susanna so condemn'd? will none
Paroll in her defence in Babylon?
[Page]Must she expire according to her doome?
Return (grim Death) into the silent tombs,
Or charnel house: unto thy dusty dwelling,
Reduce poore chained bondmen, ever yelling
In recent pains, whose bones fell Tyrants grinde.
Fetch them away, that are with famine pinde.
Take sickly people to thee, which endure
Torments, that Aesculapius cannot cure:
But (meager death) if thou wilt feed thy fill
On brawny hearts, a slender while be still:
(Death) spare the innocent: and let thy frowne
(Divine Astraea) hurle delinquents downe.
But what! is sin-confounding Iustice gone
From Earth, and seated in Syderian throne,
Among the number of imagin'd signes!
Or is she blinded in terrene designes?
Where is becomming Mercie that should rest,
Aswell as judgement, in the Iudges brest?
Is Mercie (counted but a foolish pittie)
For ever banisht from the sinfull Citie?
Where are the Wisemen telling things to come,
And by-past secrets) to reverse a doome?
If they could guesse by countenance-guessing skill,
And artfull rules, she was unguilty still.
[Page]But wisdome never dwelt on Shinar-plains,
Where nothing but unrighteousnesse remayns.
How long (almighty Lord) shall Iudah dwell
In Babylon, the sonnes of Israel
(Heires of thy promis'd Canaan) be a scorn
To Katife-Nations? shall thine eldest born,
Thy sole-begotten, thy most ardent lover,
Abandon'd be for ever? bounden over
Into the hands of Infidels? how long
Shall they complain, yer thou avenge their wrong?
How long shall Foxes of the Deserts prove,
To spill the spirit of thy Turtle-dove,
How long shall wicked men, like Palme-trees flourish?
Shall them the land with fatnesse ever nourish?
Shall wronged Hebrewes pine away, and die
(From Aegypt quit) by Babel's tyranny.
Are thy sweet mercie's golden Fountains poore?
Or faileth (Lord) thy promise evermore?
Hast thou forgotten to be gracious? hath
Thy wonted favour lost it selfe in wrath?
Harken'st thou not unto the fervent prayers
Of injur'd pris'ners? pittiest not their teares?
How long shall Babylonian tyrants say,
The Lord regard's not what his servants pray?
[Page]Shall in the tombe thy faithfulnesse be known,
Thy loving kindnesse in destruction shown?
Shall sinners triumph, Saints by sinner's doome
Against thy promise, to confusion come?
Shall sooner hils and bulky Mountains fly,
Like Atomies, about the shining sky.
Sooner the Earth and Heaven melt away,
Then shall one title of thy words decay.
I know petitions of the faithfull break
The doores of Heaven, and in thy presence speake.
I know thy mercies, and thy judgments will
Be ever certain (as they have been still,)
And wicked men, before they die, shall know,
Thou, from on high, govern'st the World below.
Sect. XI.
ARGUMENT.
By leave, Susanna speaks to both
Her enemies, and after doth
In open Court, traverse th'offence▪
She glories in her innocence.
GOd heard those holy pray'rs Susanna praide;
And (at the Barre) shee to her Iudges said.
O you mistaken Lords, grant Susan leave,
To answere them, your judgments who deceive.
Though silence in a woman, vertue be:
'T would, at this time, confirme a crime in me;
Now let a woman speak, sith innocent,
From what these men of emnitie invent.
[Page]She (licenc'd) speaks; the Senat lend their eares:
The guilty twain shed crafty union-teares,
With smilings inter-mingled oftentimes;
While thus Susanna cleer's her self from crimes.
You my allurers yerst, with oily words,
Whose tongues convulnerate like Drusian swords,
Your conscience knowes, & heaven at that time,
No young man in my Gardens acted crime:
But you, whose bosomes are infectious roomes
Of noysome Feinds, whose throats opprobrious tombes,
Thought to defile my body, to have stole
(By violence) a jewell from my soule:
Which you suppos'd t' have purchased with gold,
Or rifled that, that never would be sold.
Me think's your cheeks should (knowing you too blame)
Out-blush the Crimson of your gowns for shame
You are more cruell then the Crocodile,
That mangle's Memphians on the banks of Nile,
That kil's with weeping teares for hungers need:
But you can smile, and murder for no meed:
[Page]Goat's bloud dissolveth Adamantine stones,
My heart-bloud breaks not your hearts harder on [...].
Her speech to the Princes.
Although mistaken, yet impartiall Lords,
You may doe well to listen to my words:
Sith untill now, no vapour of defame
Clouded the little splendour of my Name,
I cannot but your sudden sentence blame:
But Elders witnesse, you presume, is true,
As I my selfe would, if I a Iudge like you▪
By justest law, I am adoom'd to be
The child of death in your unjust decree.
But mine eternall portion stands in God,
Whose judgment breaks, and burns the wicked rod:
Whose eye transpierceth, like his lightning da [...]s
The darkest corners of dissembling hearts▪
Discerning innocence; when I do make
Complaint to him, he doth me not forsake.
Now I implore my God of Light, in Time,
Bring to detection, my accusers crime:
For by the slender'st means, he can defend
Out of your pow'r, me from untimely end:
[Page]But otherwise, if pleaseth him, that I
By shortest pain, shall winne eternall joy;
His blessed will be done, whose mercy still
Remayn's for ever, and for ever 'twill.
For (as I am) to his tribunall throne,
I have appeal'd from your polluted one.
When my profu [...]ed bloud (like Abel's) crie's
To Heaven▪ my glory like the Sun shall rise
Above false Elder's carnall shame, and then
Shall their memoriall clean depart from men.
No Nilus, Tanais, Rhene, nor Tagus- [...]oud,
Where men of Spain allay their burning bloud,
Nor the whole Ocean (drained from her sands)
Can swil my bloud frō their bloud-guilty hands.
My soule forgives me, they can never come
To prosp'rous ends nor stain a peacefull tombe;
But grant (when they expire their lives and lust)
Men could up [...]reare on their dissolved dust,
Mausolean Monuments of Iasper-stone,
High as Olympian Mountains: thereupon
Engrave them golden Epitaphs, with Fames,
Such as would deifie mortals in their names,
While time cōtinues; those white marble stones
(Wherewith Lord Io'chim crown's my urned bones.)
[Page]Shall farre transplend it. Heav'n will send my prayse
Among the Gentiles in succeeding dayes.
Though I by your adviselesse judgment, must
My Tragedy selfe-act in death and dust;
My comfort is, my spirit will be receiven
To Abraham's bosome in the joyes of Heaven;
White innocence will be my winding sheet:
Vertues embalming to my Name, and sweet
Arabian Odours o', reckned up with them,
Will sent like Hemlocks on the ditches brim.
More had she spoken, but her Iudges than,
Impatiently to frown on her began.
Anger no longer suffring them to gaze,
Against th'unmated beauty of her face.
Sentence was given: men should convey her thence,
To die next morning for suppos'd offence.
MEDIT. XI. Ejurant, fingunt Mendacia multa tyranni.
THere is an all-discerning Iudge above;
Will tyran-judges from the earth remove.
The boldest whores (up-train'd in Stewes at Rome,
In their unblushing prostitution) whom
Custome hath nat'ralliz'd in beastlike sin,
Are not so bad as tyrant-minded men:
Who whensoe're their lewdnesse is withstood,
Shame not to paddle in their Kindred's blood,
And in their impudent Venerian play,
Sargons, and Goats be not so foule as they.
When (by their own provokement) they sometimes
Heare publication of their private-crimes;
What sudden Iron-vizars they put on;
What simick smiles? what quaint derision,
With gestures fain'd to mock the fawning world?
Which deem's it scandall, out of Envy hurl'd
[Page]To stain the glory of their names; and then
[...]
The Iudg [...] of Heaven seldome thinking on,
Who ken's all actions from supernall throne.
They flatter men, men flatter them, untill
They their too-weak opponents bloud can spill.
O heavy burdens of the groning ground,
Men that in peace, more then in warre can wound.
African Panthers, Hircan Tygers fierce,
Cleonian Lions, and Pannonian Beares,
The Syrian empty Wolves, the Crocadile,
Haunting the sedge-banks of Aegyptian Nile;
The Indian Griffon, seazing on her prey,
And wild beasts all, are not so wilde as they.
They doe but ravine for their bellies, then
Return to rest, ceasing to injure men;
But Leachers fasting, feasting, sleeping, still
Are bloudy minded, doing, dreaming ill.
Yet such men prosper in this world of clay;
They flourish like King David's spreaden Bay.
The cattell of their fields cannot be told,
Their coffers all abound with coined gold;
Their loynes are fruitfull: they have friends enough.
Their honours spring-tides highly overflow.
[Page]They want no temp'rall things; on their designes,
[...]
[...]
Vngodly men in earth's felicitie:
For their abridgment come's from Heavens breath:
They perish like unfruitfull Sun-burn'd heath
On Africk sandy grounds: they are out-driven,
Like clouds of dust before the winds of Heaven,
To utter banishment, their following train▪
The earth up-swallow's like thin-flying rain▪
Wormes surfet on their sweetnesse, when (alas)
They to infernall land of darknesse passe:
Dissolving like to winter-Ice before.
The Summers Sun-beams, they are seen no more.
And who (to seek them) travels earth around,
Shall find, in earth they shall no more be found▪
Sect. XII.
ARGUMENT.
Susanna reimprison'd; friends
Her visit: she her suit commends:
She no earthly comfort finds:
Her countenance transplendent shines.
COmmand was giv'n Centurions did not faile,
To bring Susanna to an Iron-jayle;
Insteed of palace, with a Princely Chamber,
Perfum'd with Nard, and Aromatick Amber,
They prison'd her in stinking cubs of stone;
There might no maidens her attend upon.
[Page]Her Musick was exchang'd to sobs, and grones,
Clanking of chains, friend is lamentable mones;
Her Iewell'd plate converted into one
Vile earthen dish▪ her bowles of gold were gone:
Her wine to water turn'd: her finest fare
To brownest crums (such feeding she did spare)
With frequent teares, her thirst, and hunger staying,
She (wakefull) spent her precious time in praying.
Her Parents, Husband, Children, Kindred all,
Moan'd her suppos'd inevitable fall:
There Marble-wals lament; rivers of brine
Seem'd to descend from stubborne Iaylor's [...]yn.
There symbolizing Ecchoes in the Vaults
Moan her▪ out-railing upon Elders faults.
Some certain hour's in sorrow's complement,
She with her parents, Lord, and Children spent.
Such blessed counsell, streaming from her hart,
Unto her children, Susan did impart,
As ravisht all her hearers with desire,
To warme their soules hands at her vertues fire;
All speeches passing from her, would be long:
These words in pris'n, came latest from her tongue.
[Page]Farewell my parents, and my Lord, I must
Yours, and my Children to your cares entru [...].
Let me intreat you, to informe them so,
As they themselves, and Abraham's God may know:
So tutour them, as they may stand in aw,
And due obedience, of th'eternall Law.
Teach them (my parents) in their parent's stead:
Breed them (my Lord) as you my Lord are bred;
While you survive, remember to improve
These living pledges of our mutuall love:
'Tis Susans last petition: Heav'n doth know
Mine innocence: unto the Tombes I goe
A Matron chast, as I a Virgin came
Into the World: though I proclaime the same:
Wherefore beleeve not I am blemisht so,
As mortall Envy seemes to make me show.
This is my comfort, though my body dies,
My soule immortall mounts above the Skies;
For my etern Redeemer lives, in whom
I shall be happy in a World to come.
Come, noble friends, take a departing kisse,
Before I enter everlasting blisse.
[Page]Blessings of God descend upon you all▪
[...]
Gather my bones into their quiet Urn,
That when our captive-children shall return
To Canaan Kingdomes, they (at length) may build
My bones a tombe in blessed Abraham's field.
Adiew (my parents) husband, children sweet,
Kindred, and friends, till we in Heaven meet:
Where, after death, repose our soules; and then
And there we'll meet, and never partagen.
While standers by, suppos'd her countenance cleare,
As the bright glory of the morning [...]spheare;
All men beholding her accusers stand,
Deem'd they were men of Mauritanian Land.
MEDIT. XII. Non est, è terris, mollis ad astra via.
THat Angell fairnesse, that of old did shine
So faire, that it bedaz'led carnall eyne,
In Moses face, in Steven's countenance,
(Which was their soule's diviner radiance,
Through clouds of flesh, which (one day) in Heav'n-storie,
Shall (glorifi'd) shine like the Sun in glorie)
Teacheth our soules, that God's Elect obtain
A place, where Henoch, and Elias remain;
But that abhorred guilty blacknesse, seen
In Haman's face, yer he had veiled been,
Shew's, that the spirits of wicked mortals goe,
Vnto the dungeon of infernall woe,
Through fatall caverns: contumelious Core,
So with companions (long since) went before.
Heav'ns new Hierusalem is built upon
Glorious foundations; those abutting on
[Page]Faire Regions, better then Elizian fields:
Which fruitfull dainties, in all season-y [...]elds;
Where joyes abound, with comforts, such as can
Not enter in the best conceits of man:
But ev'ry soule, which thither comes, must go
Through thorny troubles of the world below:
Because but one conducent entrance bring's
Vnto the Palace of the King of Kings:
And that an Alpine, not an Appian-way;
Whereof on one hand, seas of fire slay
The falling passenger, on t'other side,
A watry Ocean with a swelling tide.
The sins of Adam made which entrance narrow,
And Nature's progresse fill'd with plenteous sorrow.
Though righteous men find very slender pleasure
In cursed earth, they are Iehovah's treasure:
Though Saints in prisons be compell'd to eat
Reversions of wealthy foemen's meat:
Though (from distressed Sion, led in chains
Of captive thraldome, unto Shinar-plains)
They (sitting on way-crossing t [...]rrent's brink)
Constrain'd by thirst▪ the running streames do drink,
They are God's children, heires unto a Crown,
In new Hierusalem, Heav'ns eternall town,
[Page]How long shall tyrants triumph (mighty God)
While Sion's children under foot be [...] ▪
How long shall they suspend their Harps upon
The willowes of the brooks of Babylon ▪
They mourn (like dolefull Pellicans) and houle
In desart-places, like Minerva's foule
As solitary Sparrowes (sate alone▪
On houses tops) thy drooping servants mone.
Their enemies are mighty men, combin'd
To their destruction▪ Lord hast thou confin'd
Thy sonnes unto affliction fires to see
How fine a sort of holy gold they be?
Refine them from earth d [...]o [...]fulnesse, and soon,
Their splendour shall shine like the radiant noon.
In gloomy darknesse, though y'have mourned long,
Though (fainty) layne Aegyptian pots among,
Though ye, by madnesse of a tyrants [...],
Abjected were in Babylonian fire;
You shall in triumph ride like soc [...]d Kings;
Your rayment shall surpasse the snowy wings
Of silver-doves: whose garland feathers would
'Gainst Titan's beames, out-shine refulgent gold.
(Lord) thy corrections ever (taken rightly)
Are cordials to make our soules more sprightly.
[Page]Our Saviours Crosse [...]nto the Saints, becomes
A ladder leading to Heav'n glorious [...].
Sect XIII.
ARGUMENT.
Mournfull Susan (all bemon'd)
Led from prison to be ston'd:
The Heavens lowre, a Prophetling
Speak's, from danger her to bring.
WHen short appointed time, by Elders doome,
Was to an end, for execution come,
Of this most amiable L [...]dy; th [...]
She was produced by Centurion's men▪
Scaffolds upbuilded were▪ from Regions nigh,
Came sundry people to behold [...] ▪
And Forreiners, possest w [...]th honour'd [...]ame,
Among them spreaded of Susanna's name,
[Page]Thither repair'd to be inform'd, how brave
Habiliments the Hebrew-women have.
But Susans wealthy garments by were thrown▪
[...]
Veiling herselfe in Cypr [...]sse, she [...],
Her gorgeous Ruffs, a Cambrick band she wore:
A piece of whitest Lawn upon her head,
With sable silken veilings overspred,
Wherein the lovely tresses of her haire,
In decent manner, all intrammell'd were.
'Tis said, her Cypresse-veiles did embleme dole;
Her Lawn the whitenesse of her heav'n-born soule.
Her trickling teares, that on her trappings flow'd,
Unto the day, like Orient Pearl- [...]
Through whose transparent films
Moving to admiration lookers on.
Death's ready Scaffold, dauntlesse,
While round about her flock assembled friends
The people (like Lepanthus shore) was still
In silence, as before a storm it will.
Till she her solemne dying speeches spent;
But then the whole assembly did relent.
[Page]Her deeming innocent back-byting binds
Concerning her, chang'd their uncivill minds,
Her holy prayers arm'd her constant sp'rit
With fervent faith for a [...] heav'n mounting flight,
Her harmlesse body was expos'd to dy,
Her purer soule with Dove-like wings would fly
Unto the Rock of sempiternall rest,
In heav'nly Canaan, to compose her nest.
She spoken had, Vain mortall world adue.
And taken leave of ev'ry one she knew,
Expecting sudden speeding blowes that should
Repose her limbs in quiet beds of mould
But now her trembling Deaths-men could notstir
Their barb'rous hands to fling a stone at her
Titan behind a cloud of pitch withdrew
His countenance, as if asham'd to view
Her tragick-murder: Heav'n could not refrain
To show'r down sorrow in a silve [...] rain;
The clouds disburst and lightning from the skie's
Umbratilous obnubilation flies;
Heav'n thundred loudly, earth did, ecchoing make,
The stubborn hearts of trembling Pagans quake,
Then did astunn'd Chaldean Swains adore
The God of Heav'n, who never did before;
[Page]Many suppos'd, supernall Gods were come,
To change [...] sentence of Susanna's doome.
They wondred all: Heav'n sent an Angell down
Whom mortals saw no [...] ▪ Susan's brows to crown▪
With palmes of triumph: shee must winne renown,
And glory from the darkest den of shame:
All gazing Heathens must confesse the same.
Then wisdomes spirit possest a tender childe,
Whom Daniel, the men of Iudah stilde;
And he, inspir'd, his voice advanc'd on high,
Thus prophesing: Susanna must not die;
A lowdly crying (no man him withstood)
I am unguilty of this woman's bloud.
Destroy not her, who never hath done ill:
Whose soule is white as snow on Salmon-hill.
Up (taintlesse Susan) rise: I now resummon
Thy former glory: let sweet comfort come on▪
And dwell with thee for ever: 'tis a day,
To banish mourning: hurle despaire away:
Abstain from sighing: let the stormes of dole,
Be over-blown from thy becalmed soule;
Be dry thine eye-lids: let thy teares no more,
Like blessed streames from holy wels run o're▪
[Page]God will secure thee from false witnest crime,
Thy fame shall last, till God dissolveth time.
And (but I see thy sorrow [...]stormes are gone)
For thee my sorrowes would be never done.
MEDIT. XIII. Dei de parvi [...], magne [...].
THough Saints descend to desperations dore,
'Tis good to trust in God for evermore:
When men are [...]ounden in affliction-bands▪
'Tis God can ransome out of f [...]en's hands.
When worldlings think us past redemption quite.
His hand can shield from cruell tyrants might.
His staffe of providence ( [...]girt with power)
Is to the Saints an Adamantine towre.
His providence prote [...]ts his people from
All dangers, which threaten on them to come.
When Iacob's sonnes were (at E [...]thian deep)
Impent with climblesse Rocks, and Mountayns steep:
[Page]When Seas before them billow'd, when behind,
The fierce Aegyptians (like the stormy wind)
Menac'd confusion to them: when Despaire
Within their bosomes, mounted on a chaire;
When death's cold Image did their hearts benumme;
[...]
For God's al [...] actions do abound with wonder:
He govern's Heav'n and all remayning under.
His words are puissant: if he but say,
To feeble things be strong; how strong are they?
The slender flies, and bees (at his command)
Drave armed Giants out of Canaan land.
His providence can (by an Infant's breath,
Or weaker means) save dying Saints from death.
When potent tyrants practice weakling's wrong,
Gods saves the weak ones to confound the strong.
His might preserv'd within a reeden cage
Young Moses from bloud-thirsty Pharoah's rage,
To drench with bloud, and finally ov'rthrow
In the Red-sea, his cruell minded foe
Making an Asse-bone in bound Samson's hands,
Confound the proud force of Philistine bands
Allotting to a simple woman, power
To brain Abim'lech, and defend a tower.
[Page]Weak Iudith's hand to kill, and unrenown,
[...]
[...]
Th' unfamin'd Prophet▪ in the time of [...] ▪
A stripling child ordayning to become
A learned judge; and learned Iudges dumbe:
An infant to save Susan's life from harme,
And Senators, in wisdome to informe.
Grave understanding hath not ever sate
In sentences fram'd in an old man's pate:
"To suckling babes, God's quickning sp [...]rit reveales
"What from their doting Grandsires he conceales.
His wisdome, providence, his pow'r, and love,
The weakest creatures in the world can prove,
Are we implunged in profounds of griefe▪
And in them sunken farre beyond reliefe
Of wisest mortals? let our faith depend
In God alone, who will deliv'rance send▪
For he (whose never-slumbring eyes have shone
Brighter then many thousand Suns in one)
Beholdeth all things, and will open lay
The deeds of darknesse to the open day.
His floud of Mercy overflowes the brim,
God never failing Saints, that trust in him.
Sect. XIV.
ARGUMENT.
Daniel's speech: the Elders (brought
Into the judgement-hall) are caught
By contradictious evidence:
They are condemn'd for their offence.
NOw, as in trouble's highest storming tyde,
Susanna's Barke of Fortune, still did ride:
As little Daniel in its desp'rate sterne,
Had stifly fixed his Remorean horne,
To stay her life from ruine; divers men
Of Babylon, began an uproare then.
So that the Princes of the people came,
To know the cause, and to reforme the same.
[Page]When they demanded: answ'ring, Daniel said
To the chiefe Princes, silence being made:
You Sion's children, Princes of holy Nation,
Are you such fooles, without examination,
Whereby the cognizance of truth doth come;
To passe the sentence of a finall doome
Upon Susanna (whose sweet vertues passe
The sacred sweetnesse of her Angel face)
Upon a righteous dame, who any-where,
Among Iudean women finds no peere?
Made you such expedition? were not any
Presumptions violent▪ were there not many
Faire circumstances to be pondred on?
Must such a bus'nesse hastily be done?
Now therefore into judgement yet return:
For they false witnesse have against [...] born:
Whereof I shall convict them both, and you
By their confession, find my sayings true▪
So (reassembled in the Iudgement-hall)
Unto the Barre, the Elders they doe call;
Placing the Prophet in the throne of doome:
For God on him bestow'd an Elders [...]oome.
He was promoted upon Iustice-chaire,
And at the Barre, arraigned Elders were.
[Page]With milde demeanour, said the Prophet the [...]
Put one a part of these pernicious men:
That I (apart) may question them by poll,
And they shall find I have a Prophet's soule.
Thus he commanded; he was soon obey'd:
And in this manner to the foremost said.
O thou whose long injurious dealing hath
From heaven drawn the Iudge of Iudges wrath
Upon thy sinfull pate: thy quondam spight,
And darker actions shall approch the light,
Come therefore tell (if ever thou didst find
Fairest Susanna in dishonest kind)
Under what gloomy Arbor 'twas quoth he
(Presumptuous stripling) faire Susanna we
Found under Thisbe's trees umbration, in
The [...] action of Venerian sinne:
To whom emboldned Daniel thus replied:
Against thy life, thou verily hast lied.
Therefore an Angell of th' eternall Lord
Attends to kill thee with a two edg'd sword.
So he was cast, (casten aside as nought)
The while his fellow to the [...]arre was brought;
And Daniel said to him; thou of the breed
Of cursed Cham: but not of Iudah's seed:
[Page]Fairnesse hath fool'd thee▪ Cupids wanton dart
Hath canker-eaten thy contamin'd heart
Daughters of Israel ye have wrong'd indeed,
Whom feare o'recame: they to your wils agreed:
But Iudah's royall daughter would not yeild▪
By faire, nor foule means▪ to be so defil'd
The gold of Ophir, nor the Pearles of Inde,
Could ballance not the jewell of her mind▪
Come tell me where (if thou at all hast seen
A man in carnall sport with Susan been)
Under what boschy cover? he replyed:
Her under a Pomegranad-tree we spied.
To whom the Prophet answer'd (false replyer)
Thy own confession monstrates thee a lyer sword▪
Wherfore an Angell of th'eternall Lord
Will right her wrongs with Iustice sharpned
His weapons drawn, and he attendeth time,
To render you the wages of your crime.
Consider (now said Daniel) have not they
False witnesse born, to take her life away▪
Are not convicted envious Elders caught
In snares of mischiefe, which themselves have wrought
So to the Princes, it appeared plain:
They were delinquent, Susan void of stain▪
[Page]Whereat the people made a joyfull cry▪
Of shouting sound to pierce the Marble-sky:
Praysing the God of Heav'n, who failes not them,
With constant faith, that do depend on him.
The Elders (when examin'd) did confesse
Their luxury-begot maliciousnesse:
Cursing their traitrous ignorance, insteed
Of being sorry for so foule a deed:
Thy folly hath undone me (said the one)
T'other reply'd I am by thine undone.
Their waxen pinions of aspiring pride,
Were now consum'd; into th'Icarian tide
Of open ruine, they came tumbling down,
Their sinfull selves to overwhelme and drown.
The Infant-prophet shew'd the Princes further,
Th' Elder's adulteries, their hidden murder:
Who righteously condemned were to have,
By Moses Law, like punishment they gave
Unto their neighbours. Susan's life, and name▪
Were so preserv'd from pow'r of death and shame.
And thence-forth men in estimation, take
The Prophet-Daniel for Susanna's sake.
MEDIT. XIV. Findit Astraea nefandos.
GOd's Law is like a Lion in our way,
Presumpteous minded sinfull men to slay.
And 'tis a fable, that Astraea's blinde:
For I perceive, she can perceive, and finde
Faults of delinquents; facts in darknesse done,
Espie's, as if committed in the Sun.
Her hands are ambidexters, her brigh [...]eyne
Can by a blind man, be discern'd to shine▪
Iustice from heav'n to earth by God's command
Descends: her scepter govern's ev'ry land.
The eminent advanc'd ungodly wight,
She trampl's down to everlasting night,
Never deferring to bring sinners down,
When their misdeeds are unto fulnesse grown.
She is not partiall: she did never spare,
The persons of the Lordliest men, that are.
[...]
[...]
[Page] [...]
[...]
Perverted Iudges of the world may bo [...]ow
A sword like hers, to cause unrightfull sorrow
Among the simple: by a Lawyer's feat,
May make a bribe-shop of a judgment-seat:
And (falsly colouring of most lawfull things)
Make Saints disturbants of the peace of Kings;
They may connive at wickednesse, and think
Iustice is blinde, because themselves do wink;
But (in conclusion) Iustice will confound
Vnrighteous Iudges, with a shamefull wound.
Let Iudges be ascertain'd, they shall come▪
Before the world's eternall Iudge to doome;
Before whose great Tribunall throne of Heaven,
False witnesse oathes will never be receiven.
No wrangling Gown-man (double feed in hand)
Before his presence, dares in pleading stand.
Th'all-knowing Iudge, whom Heav'n and Earth doth awe,
Disdaineth Bribes: there is no common Law
In new Hierusalem: there truth shall flourish
When all the enemies of truth shall perish▪
Iudgment shall there be perfect, Mercy shall
Above God's works, be supermounted all.
[Page]O dreadfull Iustice (wanting thee) men could,
[...]
[...]
And by thy smiter keepes the world in aw.
(Stern beauteous dame,) thy prayses man may story,
But who can blazon thy mild sisters glory?
Like two Latonian twins conjoyn'd in one,
You sit with Helion in his heav'nly thr [...]e,
And round about this [...]
A gallop, till these dayes of [...]
Sect. XV.
ARGUMENT.
Condemned Elders put in Iayle,
Foolishly in Fortune raile,
Come to stake, and (unbemon'd)
Are by mad-brain'd people ston'd.
THese Belial-children, at whose dexter-hand
Fortune their foe, did (whilome) smiling stand:
These who (but late) unjustly doom'd the just,
Iustly are now condemn'd, and die they must.
No follower of theirs, but nimbly flees
Away from them, as Cattell flie from trees,
[Page]Strucken by stones of thunder's potent [...]
Which splinter tallest [...]
Now are they prison'd in a common Iayle,
Where they, accusing stars of heav'n▪ raile
On one another: Fortune they do ban:
Blaming themselves, cursing the foe of man▪
Dog-like, they grin, and grovell on the ground▪
U [...]-lockt in chains, in darkest dungeons bound.
Their friends forsook them not the gentlest eye
One dropling spill'd at their just misery▪
Soon they became a scorning block of men▪
Th'out-scouring refuse of all Nations th [...].
Ballads were soon compos'd of them, and sung
By squallid Rag-men in the vulgar-th [...]ong.
Drunkards, with M [...]call Pantamini,
Begot pastime, to act [...] [...]famy▪
They were entangled in the private [...],
Which for Susanna's soule they did prepare:
And unto desperation, busie Devils
Tormented them with their internall evils.
Iaylors, of ornaments did quite deprive them,
Out-bringing them for hangmen to unlive them.
The vulgar multitudes unpave the streets,
Arming their fury with what e're it meets:
[Page]They raye with vengeance running to and fro▪
[...] Wolves and [...]gers wont to do:
Rending the Purple garments from their backs,
They drag them to the execution stakes:
Where their high fury soon descend's upon
Their spightfull Mu [...]ians, in a storm of stone.
Which battred them to pieces flesh and bones:
Their b [...]o [...]d and marrow did besmear the stones
[...] of their dismemberd limbes were thrown,
For portion to the Dogs of Babylon.
So di [...]de these men, in never dying [...]hame,
Yeelding their soules to never-ending [...]lame;
Leaving behind abominable stories
Of barb'rous actions, and foolisht glories.
And frends [...] do haunt (they say)
The lodging chambers where those Elders lay,
MEDIT. XV. Par nulla figura Gehennae.
HEll and her torment is no fained thing:
Though some suppose it but a conscience-sting.
Aegypt (where plagues, and darknesse cover'd all)
Was but a shadow of infernall vale:
Which Tophet is (of old) ordain'd for them,
That shall be banisht new Hierusalem.
Out of whose torment, there is no exemption
Of soules condemn'd; in Hell is no redemption.
Some men of all vocations (barr'd from blisse
Of heav'n) descend unto the courts of Dis.
There mightiest tyrants with their vilest groomes
Keepe company: there are no changing roomes.
Iudges, and Catch-poles in infernall Iayle,
Conchain'd together thence expect no baile.
The complementall Courtier, with the Clown
In nakednesse, there wanders up and down.
[Page]There triple-crowned Popes, in sable Cell,
With shaveling Priests, and cowled Friers dwe [...] ▪
There Cardinals, and Bald-pate-Iesuits barke
In thickest darknesse, whose designes were darke.
There Politicians with Buffoones shake hands;
Rich money-mongers enter into bands
With broaking Scriv'nors: Mountebanks renown'd,
Who send old Charon soules in potions drown'd,
And law-concealers, with their client-clowns,
Compleat the cry with Dogs on Stygian downs.
The Prince, and peazant pomplesse there remayn,
The mightiest Monarch like the meanest swaine.
Ione, and her painted Lady, there may well
Be equall'd by comparison in Hell
Lais, and the low-priz'd Harlot (life being done)
Are there incloystred with the Roman Nun.
Where wicked people of what ere professions,
All in confusion, suffer for transgressions,
More horrid torments, then (as Poets faine)
Doth ever-pining Tantalus sustaine:
Or Ixion turn'd upon a running wheele,
(Whose giddy brain persues his flying heele.)
Or Sisyphus, though he etern'ly growne,
Vnder the burden of a falling stone:
Tortur'd by Furies in their Stygian regions.
O dreadfull Hell in thy Chimerian wombe,
Shall never true-repentant sinners come:
Nor into Limbo, nor in Purgatory:
For Sion's Lambe hath them redeem'd to glory.
Glory to him be giv'n, that will not make
The wicked innocent, nor Saints forsake:
Be blest th' eternall Shepheard, which doth keepe
From Wolves infernall, his elected sheepe:
And from this wildernesse of sin, them brings
To heav'nly Canaan's ever-living springs.
Sect XVI.
ARGUMENT.
For Susan's sake, a gen'rall joy:
In Babylon 'tis holy day:
The Nobles of the City come
To comfort her and bring her home.
THe Sun that whisome hid his shining face,
With gladning beames illumines, ev'ry place:
The noblest of the Babylonian trains,
Deck her with Orient stones, with golden chains,
With Gems and Iewels, that belong to honour:
Princes like servants did attend upon her;
And (as they went the goodly streets along)
The wondring people to behold her throng.
Such cheerfull vigour hath not since been seen
In eyes of mortals, nor before had been.
[Page]Her way with flowers joyfull Virgins strew:
Envy might burst at such a pompous crew.
From window-tops, and tops of houses came,
Glad acclamations to Susanna's name.
The people climb'd on high, and ev'ry thing
Seem'd chast Susanna's victory to sing.
All men for her deliverance gave glory
To him that raignes in heav'ns supernall story.
The gen'rall gladnesse of that day proclaime
Bonfires at ev'ry Townsman's doore, that flame.
They made the solemne-tuned Cymbals round
About the City give harmonious sound.
The Hebrewes did exult with Harpe and voice,
Rebecks and Timbrels ratifi'd their joyes.
The Provinces did of her honour ring,
The merry people tosse their caps, and sing.
The Princes vow'd to have her noble name,
Written in Books of sempiternall Fame.
The thrice three sisters of the holy Mountains
Were invocated from Hyantian Fountains,
To tune her laud, unto mellifluous strains
Of Dulcimer, and Viols twined veins.
Black Cypres from her fairnes frōt was thrown,
In place whereof, flourisht the Daphnean Crown.
[Page]Chaplets of conqu'ring palm she wore upon her
Temples, & Maidens caroll'd forth her honour.
The honour'd Crowns of Olive, Palme, & Bay,
Never more honour'd then upon that day.
The Hebrew-singing Damsels warbled forth,
Renowned songs of her triumphant worth▪
Upon Shosannim, they excell [...]d indeed,
And unto Susan's sweeter praise agreed.
Apollo's heires (with odour'd garlands drest)
In decent-maner, marcht before the rest,
Them leading on: and with their fluent tongues,
They chaunted forth Pierian maiden-songs.
Who in her Bay-strow'n circuit did bestrew
Her prayse in papers, for the world to view:
The best Musicians of those times did bring
Their better skill, Susanna's prayse to sing:
And her thanksgiving parents (full of mirth)
Triumphed in the Lord of heav'n, and earth.
Had I an hundred tongues, I could not tell
What joyfulnesse her noble friends befell.
Whose dancing hearts, and hands with gladnesse stir
When no dishonesty was found in her:
Her happy selfe (freed from inhumane wrongs)
Prays'd God in Psalmes, in Hymnes, in Saintly Songs.
MEDIT. XVI. Indomita virtus.
WIth crowns adorn'd, bedeckt with jewels rare?
Mocking Death-jawes, and conquering despaire?
Triumphing on her child-confounded foes?
Out-wearing Infamy, o'recomming woes?
Doth Susan so returning, mock the grave?
Such honour all the Saints of heaven have.
Earth's golden crowns, are earnest unto them
Of glorie's crowns, in new Hierusalem.
For unto Saints on earth is vertue given,
To be their conduct in the way of Heaven.
The deare memoriall of vertue sure,
Doth evermore immortally indure.
To God and man is vertue known; 'tis she
Obtain's gold-garlands, wreaths of victory.
Conqu'ring her fomen finally in fight,
She gaineth Fame by more then manly might.
[Page]Divine Astraea on her part doth bring
Armies of Angels from the heav'nly King.
Well is she known to God and man: her presence
Makes mortals muse on her immortall essence.
Like a Phoebeian Champion, in Heav'n stories,
She rides triumphant on a Coach of glories.
Her seat transcendeth stars; her high renown
Is heav'nly Lawrels in th'eternall Crown.
Those Diamonds, and glistring stones, that shine
In her rich Diadems, are all divine.
Vnmated pleasures ever tend upon
All her possessors in Iehovah's throne.
Before her feet (when she from heav'n came down)
Emperiall Crowns, Scepters and thrones were thrown.
Glory is her concomitant, that brings
Her unto view of ravisht earthly Kings:
Who covet (having seen her forme divine)
To be insould in such a Saintly shrine.
Vertue thou (darling of the King of Heaven)
Dost bring thy lovers into favour, even
With Helion, to winne eternall fame,
Conducting to the presence of that lambe,
Who takes the worlds sins clean away, on whom
Attend chast thousands, which from Rama come.
[Page]Thou (royall Comfortresse of Saints, while they
Sojourne in mortall Mansions of Clay,
Sad soules do'st solace, and (when e're distrest)
Procur'st to them a sweet internall rest.
Angels, and men shall see, and fiends agast,
Vertues true lovers all renown'd at last:
Because the God of goodnesse, that regards
Chast soules to crown with undefil'd rewards,
Is glorious Iudge of Heav'n, and earth, and he
Govern's the World with perfect equity.
Whose name be blest, that blesseth ev'ry thing,
To whom all powr's of heav'n and earth do sing.
Sect. XVII.
ARGUMENT.
Where, and how Susanna liv'd,
What poore people she releev'd:
Full of dayes departing she
Enjoyes heav'n-joyes eternally.
AFter that time, no Congregations came
To Susan's Court, to interrupt the same:
Iudges sate there no more; no more loud noise
Of loud-mouth'd gown-men did molest her joyes:
"But little Birds (chirping her sweet good-morrowes)
"With Nature's melody beguil'd her sorrowes.
After this trouble, Susan liv'd to see
Her children's children in felicity:
[Page]Still beautifull in yeeres, beheld them flourish,
Like noble Palme-trees, which calme rivers nourish,
Or like those Olive-plants to fairnes grown
On verdant Mountains neere King Davids town.
Her kindred, and herselfe with prosp'rous hand,
From Babylon return'd to Canaan land.
Her Lord, her children, with her selfe remayn'd
In Iudah borders; where they re-obtain'd
Lordships, which their fore-fathers had foregone,
At their departure into Babylon.
Their sacrifices, that the Levites took,
Made clensed Sion's hallow'd altars smoke.
Renown'd Susanna (after this) did never
Feele any fit of cold affliction's fever:
But all the quiet comfort earth could give
She did enjoy, while she on earth did live.
Her works of Charity (performed then)
Sweetned the sowre afflictions of men.
Houses, and lands (bestow'd on poor-men) prove
To future times, her hospitable love.
She holpe imprizon'd debters out of thrall,
(Paying their debts) them granted wherewithall
To live at liberty; her bread was given
To hungry Orphans; Beggars were releeven,
[Page]The naked pooremen clothed at her cost,
And many ransom'd that had long been lost.
Enfeebl'd sick-men gaining often health,
Through timely physick, purchas'd by her wealth.
Weak Orphanes, helplesse widowes, blinde, and lame,
Whom she releev'd to her eternall fame,
Pray'd for her (as in conscious duty bound)
That she in Heav'n and Earth might live renown'd.
The trophees of good actions done by her,
Transcend high Heav'ns, and are enrolled there.
Of whose cleere vertues, mortals did adore
The meer umbration; counting (heretofore)
Holy Susanna for a living shrine
Of heav'nly spirits gloriously divine.
When God determin'd, she should enter in
The happinesse, once lost by Adam's sinne,
Death (witnesse of our protoparent's crime)
Amputed her. As in Autumnall time,
Men gather Summer's rip'ned fruits into
Their garner's home: Heav'n took her spirit so.
Her righteous friends for her lamenting long;
Her corps (embalm'd in spicy Memphian gumme)
They sepulchred in whitest Marble-tombe.
Which Pilgrim-pleasing monument did stand,
Till time consum'd it in Iudaean land.
The world bemon'd her absence; God of Heaven
To this deere Saint, a better world hath given.
Faire flights of Angels sung her soule to rest,
Which evermore now triumphs with the blest.
Carminibus vives [...]empus in omne meis. MEDIT. ultima. Mors sceptra ligonibus aequat.
IT is a common theme; the best must die,
And passe through Nature to eternitie.
'Tis so decreed: the day of death and doome
Are two Pole-stars, whereby we Pilgrims rome.
The fairest Damsels drawing vitall breath,
Will not be favour'd by ill-favour'd death.
Both young and old, Ester, and Naomi,
Iudith, and faire Susanna too, must die;
Fate snatcheth amiable Queens (at once)
With Country women, eateth urned bones,
Spares neither Sexes, pardons no degrees,
Destroyes Physicians, scorneth golden fees:
[Page]A hel-born armed Fury mowing down,
The mounting Monarch with the mowing clown.
Impartiall Serjant, I presume to call
Thee by such titles, thou art nam'd withall.
Thou longest of all slumbers, dissolution
Of mortall bodies, wretched lifes effusion.
Wild Cormorant of mankind: rich mens feare,
Wish of the poore men, wrastler ev'ry-where.
A silent thiefe, a Caniball of Nations,
Robbing the whole world, swallowing generations.
Thou Pursuivant (riding without remorse,
For Adam's sinne, upon the pallid horse,
Bearing all soules in their long journey on,
Till they appeare at the Tribunall throne
Of Sion's Lambe) dost by appointment come,
And hurry hence, the good, and bad to doome.
Thou art a friend foe unto man; thou art
The good man's comfort, the ungodlies smart,
A gate of endlesse merriment to one,
Vnto another of eternall mone.
Thou fiendly creature of th'infernall Lord,
With cruell phangs, hadst made us all afeard,
Had not our heav'nly Captain conqu'rour been
Of Tophet's King, thy coward-selfe, and sinne.
[Page]Where is the venome of thy quondam-sting?
Where is the valiance of thy vanquisht King?
O pale-fac'd Catiffe, caught, and wrought, alas,
Like as in fables, the Cumanan Asse,
Apparell'd with a frightning Lion's skin;
Thou seem'st a Lion unto men of sin,
But Saints can smile upon thee: thou art fain
To beare their burthens, to exeme their pain.
Although our bodies thou unliv'st, our soules
Surviving, raigne with God above the Poles
Of whirling heav'n: just actions that we do,
Doe also live, and are eternall too.
Good works with faith, are better worth then gold;
For they conduct us to the wisht-for fold
Of our grand shepheard Iesus: they become
A milken way to our immortall home.
Where we shall dwell in everlasting day,
In better seasons, then our moneth of May:
Where Salomon's much wisdome would be poore,
Where Absolon would seem a tawny Moore:
Where, in comparison, bold Sampson's strength
Is infant-weaknesse: and unequall'd length
Of old Methus lem's life, a slender span
Of posting time: where mundane blisse of man
[Page]Would be accounted, but a painfull pleasure:
Where Croesus gold is poorest earthen treasure,
Where Alexander's prize, a certain losse,
And Neptune's rocks of Pearle & Diamond, drosse:
Where perfect wisdome, beauty, strength, and store
Of peerlesse pleasures, during evermore,
Saints soules possesse. To Sion's heav'nly home,
By faith in Iesus, Iesus daigne we come.
DEO Triu [...] in aeternum gloria.
Conclusion.
MOnuments of Marble-stone,
Tombs with golden writings on,
(Like mortall bodies balm'd in gūmes)
Last but a while, and time consume's.
Goodly Cities die like men,
Corn is sown, where such have been:
Niniveh and Babylon,
Old Troy, and strongest towns are gone.
Towns, and Towres, and Bulwarks fall,
Pyramid's of Nile, and all
Dian's Altars are uptore:
Delphian wonders are no more.
Monstrous Tyrants from renown,
In a moment, tumble down,
To the den of lasting shames;
And black Oblivion hath their names.
Gods of Egypt, Greece, and Rome,
To a [...]iriall end are come:
(Vain [...] they vanisht from the ground,
Their ruines can no more be found.
Age, and fate return'd them dust;
But (all ages) Vertue must
Live immortall; and her prayse
Must dure in ever-during dayes.