A tragedie of Abrahams sacrifice, written in french by Theodore Beza, and translated into Inglish, by A.G. Finished at Povvles Belchamp in Essex, the xj. of August. 1575 — Abraham sacrifiant. English.

A tragedie of Abrahams sacrifice, written in french by Theodore Beza, and translated into Inglish, by A.G. Finished at Povvles Belchamp in Essex, the xj. of August. 1575 — Abraham sacrifiant. English.

Table of contents

Title page

THEODORE BEZA TO THE READERS, GREEting in the Lord.

THE ARGVMENT OF THIS TRAGEDIE TAKEN OVT OF THE TVVO AND twentith chapter of Genesis.

§

THE PROLOGE.

Abrahams Sacrifice.

THE CONCLVSION.

§

§

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A TRAGEDIE OF ABRAHAMS SACRIFICE, Written in french by Theodore Beza, and translated into Inglish, by A. G. Finished at Povvles Belchamp in Essex, the xj. of August. 1575.

GEN. 15. ROM. 4. Abraham beleued God, and it was imputed to him for righteousnes.

Imprinted at London by Thomas Vautroullier dwelling in the Blacke Friers. 1577.

THEODORE BEZA TO THE READERS, GREEting in the Lord.

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IT is now a two yeares, since God graunted me the grace to forsake the contrie where he is persecuted, to serue him accordinge to his holy will. During which time, because that in my aduersity many fancies ranne in my head, I resorted to Gods word, where I founde two thinges that comforted me maruelously. The one is the infinite number of promises vttered by the mouth of him which is the truth it selfe, whose sayinges are alwayes matched with effect. The other is the multitude of examples, whereof [Page] euen the least are able enough, not only to encourage and harten the weakest & fayntest harted in the worlde, but also to make them inuincible. Which thing we must needes see to haue come to passe, if we consider by what meanes Gods truth hath bene mayntayned to this present time. Howebeit among all them that are set afore vs for example in the olde testament. I finde three persons, in whome (to my seeming) the Lorde ment to set forth his greatest wonders: namely, Abraham, Moises, and Dauid: in the liues of whome if men would nowe a dayes looke vppon them selues, they should knowe thē selues better then they doe. Therefore as I redd those holy stories with wonderfull pleasure and singular profit: there came a desire vppon me to exercise my selfe in writing such matters in verse, not onely of intēt to consider & remēber thē the better, but also to praise God by all the meanes I could deuise. For I confesse, that euen of [Page] nature I haue delighted in poetrie, & I can not yet repent me of it: neuerthelesse it greueth me right sore, that the litle grace which God gaue me in that behalfe, was imployed by me in such things, as the very remembrance of them irketh me now at the hart. Therefore I gaue my selfe as then to more holy matters, hoping to go forwarde in them afterwarde, specially in the translating of the Psalmes which I am now in hand with. And woulde God that the great number of good witts which I know in Fraunce, would in steede of buzying them selues about vnhappy inuentions or imitations of vaine and vnhonest fancies, (for so they be, if a mā iudge them according to truth) rather set their minds to the magnifying of the great God, of whom they haue receiued those so great giftes, then to the flattering of their Idols, that is to say, of their Lordes and Ladies, whom they vphold in their vices by their fainings & flatterings. Of a truth it would [Page] become thē better to sing a song of God, then to counterfet a ballet of Petrarks, & to make amorous dities, worthy to haue the garlande of sonnetts, or to counterfet the furies of the auncient Poets, to blase abroad the glory of this world, or to consecrate this man or that woman to immortalitie, thinges which beare the readers on hande that the authors of them not only are mounted vp to the toppe of their Pernassus, but also are come to the very circle of the Moone. Othersome (of which number I my selfe haue bene, to my great greefe as now) write twoedged Epigrams cutting on both sides or sharppointed & pricking at both endes. Others buzie them selues rather in ouerturning then in turning of thinges: & othersome intending to inrich our tongue, do powder it with Greeke and Latine tearmes. But how now wil some man say: I looked for a tragedie, and thou giuest vs a Satyre. I cōfesse that in thinking vpon such madnes, [Page] I was caried away and ouershot my selfe. Neuerthelesse I ment not to rayle vpon good witts, but onely to discouer to them so plainly the open wronge which they doe both to God and to them selues, as they might through a certeine enuie, take vpon them to passe me in the description of such matters as I haue taken tast of to their handes, according as I knowe that it shall be very easie for them, if the meanest of them will giue him selfe therto. But to come to the matter that I haue in hand, it is partly tragical and partly comicall: & therefore I haue separated the prologue, & diuided the whole into pawses, after the maner of actes in comedies, howbeit without binding of my self therto. And because it holdeth more of the one then of the other: I thought best to name it a tragedie. As touching the maner of dealing, I haue altered some small circumstances of the storie, to apply my selfe to the companye. Moreouer I haue [Page] followed the ground as neare the text as I could, according to such coniectures as I thought most conuenient for the matter and persons. And although the affections be very great, yet haue I absteined frō wordes and speeches to farre estraunged from the common ordinarie, notwithstā ding that I know it was the maner of the Greekes and Latines so to doe, specially in their chorusses, as they termed them. But I passed so litle of imitating them, that contrariwise me thinkes nothing is more vnseemely, than those forced translations and speeches drawne out of such a lēgth, as they can neuer come to the pith of the matter: whereof I report me to Aristophanes, who iustly rebuketh the Poets of his time for it so often times. Verily I haue made a songe without a chorus, nother haue I vsed the termes of Strophies, Antistrophies, Epirrhemes, Parecbases, and other such wordes, which serue to no purpose but to amase simple folke, seeing the vse [Page] of such thinges is worne away, & they be not so commendable of them selues, that a man should trouble him selfe to bringe them vp again. As touching the ortographie, I haue willed the Printer to followe the common order, notwithstanding the fond fancies that haue ben set forth within these three or fower yeares in that behalfe. And I would gladly counsel the forwardest of them that haue altered it, (if they were men that would take any other bodies counsell then their owne) that sith they will needes reduce it to the pronoū cing, that is to say, make as many fashiōs of writinge, not onely as there are countries, but also as ther are persōs in Fraūce: they should first learne to pronounce, before they teach mē to write. For to speake & write after their fashion, he is not worthye to giue rules of the writinge of our tongue, which is not able to speake it. Which thinge I speake not to blame all those that haue set downe their dowts in [Page] that behalf, which I graunt are very needfull to be reformed: but for such as sette forth their dotages as certeine rules for al the world to follow. Furthermore, as touching the profit that may be taken of this singular storie, besides the things that are treated of it in insinite places of the Scripture, I wil refer it to him that shal speake of it in the conclusion: praying you whosoeuer you be to accept this my small labour with as good will as I offer it you.

From Lausan the first of October. 1550.

THE ARGVMENT OF THIS TRAGEDIE TAKEN OVT OF THE TVVO AND twentith chapter of Genesis.

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AFtervvard God tryed Abrahā, and sayd vnto him: Abraham. And he aunsvvered, Here I am. Then sayd he to him, take thyne onely sonne out of hande, euen Isaac vvhome thou louest, & goe into the country of Morea, & there offer him vp for a burnt sacrifice vppon one of the hills that I vvill shevve thee.

Abraham therefore rising earely, sadled his asse & tooke tvvo seruants vvith him, & Isaac his sonne. And vvhen he had cut vvood for the burnt sacrifice, he arose and vvent to the place that God had told him of. The third day, Abraham loking vp, savv the place a farre of, and sayd to his seruaunts, tarry you here vvith the Asse, for I and the ladde vvil goe yonder, and vvhen vve haue [...] [Page] vve vvill come to you againe. Then Abraham tooke the vvood for the burnt sacrifice, & layd it vpon Isaac his sonne, & tooke the fire and a knife in his ovvne hand, and so they vvent forth togither. Then sayd Isaac to Abraham his father. My father. Abraham aunsvvered, here I am my sonne. And he said, Beholde here is fire and vvood, but vvhere is the Lambe for burnt sacrifice. Abraham aunsvvered, my sonne, God vvill prouide him a lambe for burnt sacrifice. And they vvent on both togither. And vvhen they came to the place that God had spoken of, he builded an altar there, and layd the vvood in order vppon it, and then bound Isaac his sonne & laid him vpon the altar aboue the vvood, and putting forth his hand cavvght the knife to stryke of his sonnes necke. Then an Angell of the Lord cryed vnto him from heauen, saying Abrahā, Abraham. VVho aunsvvered, loe here I am. And he sayd vnto him, lay not thy hand vpon the child, nother doe anything vnto him. For novv I knovve thou fearest God, seeing thou [Page] hast not spared thine only sōne for my sake. &▪ Abrahā loked vp & savv, & behold a sheep vvas cavvght behind him in a bush by the hornes. Then Abraham vvent and tooke the sheepe, and offered it vp for a burnt offering in steede of his sonne. And Abraham called the name of the place, The Lord shall see. VVhereof it is sayd at this day of that mounteyne, The Lord shal be seene. And the Angell of the Lord called vnto Abraham from out of heauen the second tyme, saying: I haue svvorne by my selfe sayth the Lorde, for as much as thou hast done this thing, & not spared thyne onely sonne, I vvill blesse thee and multiply thy seede as the starres of the sky, & as the sand on the seas shore, and thy seede shall possesse the gates of thyne enemies. And all nations of the earth shall be blessed in thy seede, because thou hast obeyed my voyce.

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The speakers.

The Prologue.

Abraham.

Sara.

Isaac.

A companie of shepherds of Abrahams ovvne house diuided in tvvo partes.

The Angell.

Satan.

THE PROLOGE.

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GOd saue you euery chone both great and small

Of all degrees: right welcom by you all.

It is now long, at least as seemes to me,

Since here such preace togither I did see.

VVould God we might each weeke through all the yeare

See such refort in Churches as is here.

Ye Gentlemen and Ladies, I ye pray

Giue eare and harken what I haue to say.

To hold your peace alonly I require.

VVhat weene you (some wil say) by that desire

VVe nother can nor will away with that.

But yit you must, or else I tell you flat,

That both of vs our labour lose togither,

In speaking I, and you in comming hither.

VVherefore I craue but silence at your hand,

My wordes with patience for to vnderstand.

Both great and small, alonly doe but heare,

And I will tel you straunge & wondrous geere.

VVherefore now harken: for the thing is great

VVhereof I mind this present time to treate.

You thinke your selues ꝑchaūce to be in place,

VVhere as you be not, now as standes the case.

For Lausan is not here, it is farre hence.

But yit when neede requires, I will dispence

VVith all of you, that hence within an hower

Eche one may safely be within his bowre.

[Page]As now this is the land of Palestine.

VVhat? do you wōder at these words of myne?

I say yit further to you, see you well

Yon place? It is the house wherein doth dwell

A seruaunt of the liuing Gods, whose name

Hight Abraham the righteous man, the same

VVhose liuely faith hath wō him endles fame.

Anon you shall him tempted see and tryde,

& toucht to quicke with grefs that shal betide.

And lastly you shall see him iustified

By faith, for killing (in a certeine wise)

Isaac his dearest sonne in sacrifice.

And shortly, you shall see straunge passions:

The flesh, the world his owne affections

Not onely shall be shewed in liuely hew,

But, (which more is) his faith shal them subdue

And that it is so, many a faithfull wight,

Anon shall beare me record in your sight.

First Abraham, and Sara you shall see,

And Isaac eke shall with them both agree.

Now are not these sufficient witnessings?

VVho minds therfore to see so wōdrous thīgs,

VVe pray him onely talking to forbeare

And vnto vs to giue attentiue eare,

Assuring him that he shall see and heare

No trifling toyes, but graue & wōdrous geere,

And that we will his eares to him restore,

to vse them as he listeth as before.

Abrahams Sacrifice.

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Abraham commeth out of his house & sayth.

[figure]

ALas my God, and was there euer any,

That hath indurde of cōbrāces so many,

As I haue done by fleeting too and fro,

Since I my natiue countrie did forgo?

Or is there any liuing on the ground,

Of benefits that hath such plenty found?

Loe how thou makest mortall men to see,

Thy passing goodnes by calamitie.

And as of nought thou madest euery thing:

So out of ill thou causest good to spring.

Was neuer wight so blessed at thy hand,

That could thy greatnes fully Vnderstand.

[Page]Full threescore yeares and thereto fifteene mo,

My life had lasted now in weale and woe.

According to the course in sundry wise

Appointed by thy heauenly destinies,

Whose will it was I should be bred and borne

Of parents rich in catell, coyne, and corne.

But vnto him that richest is in fee,

What ioy or comfort could his riches be,

When he compeld, compelled was (I say)

To see, to serue, and worship euery day,

A thowsand forged gods in steede of thee,

Which madst ye heauen & earth which we do see?

Thou then eftsoones didst will me to conuey

My selfe from those same places quite away.

And I immediatly vpon thy call,

Left Parents, countrie, goods with gods & all.

Yea Lord, thou knowest I wist not whither thē

Thou wouldst me lead, nor where me stay agen:

But he that followeth thee, full well may say,

He goeth right: and while he holds that way

He neuer needes to feare that he shall stray.

Sara comming out of the same house sayth.

In thinking and bethinking me what store

Of benefits I haue had erst heretofore,

Of thee my God which euer hast prouided

To keepe my mind and bodie vndefiled,

[Page]And furthermore according to thy word

(Which I tooke then as spoken but in boord)

Hast blist mine aged time aboue all other,

By giuing me the happy name of mother.

I am so rauisht in my thought and mind,

That (as I would full fayne) no meane I find

The least of all the benefits to commend,

Which thou my God doest daily still me send.

Yit sith alone with thee Lord here I am,

I will thee thanke at least wise as I can.

But is not yuu my husband whom I see?

I thought he had bin further of from me.

Abraham.

Sara Sara, thy mind I well allow,

Nought hast thou sayd but I the same auow.

Come on, and let vs both giue thankes togither

For Gods great mercy since our cōming hither

The frute thereof as both of vs hath found:

Let prayse & thankes from both of us resownd.

Sara.

Contented Sir, how might I better doe,

Than you to please in all you set me too?

And euen therefore hath God ordeyned me.

Agein, wherein can time spent better be,

Than in the setting forth of Gods dew praise,

Whose maiestie doth shew it selfe alwayes,

Aboue and eke beneath before our eyes?

[Page]Abraham.

Of truth no better can a man deuise,

Than of the Lord to sing the excellence,

For none can pay him other recompence

For all his giftes which daily he doth send,

Than in the same, his goodnes to commend.

The Song of Abraham and Sara.

Come on then, let vs now begin to sing

with hartes in one accord,

The prayses of the souerein heauenly king

our onely God and Lord.

His onely hand doth giue vs whatsoeuer

We haue, or shall hereafter haue for euer.

It is alonly he that doth mainteine

the he auen that is so hie,

So large in compasse and in space so mayne:

and eke the starrie skie,

The course whereof he stablisht hath so sure,

That ay withouten fayle it doth endure.

The skorching heate of sommer he doth make,

the haruest and the spring:

And winters cold that maketh folke to quake,

in season he doth bring.

Both wethers, faire, and fowle, both sea & land,

Both night and day be ruled by his hand.

Alas good Lord! and what are we that thou

[Page]didst choose and enterteyne

Alonly vs of all the world, and now

doth safely vs mainteine

So long a time from all the wicked rowtes

In towne & coūtry where we come throughouts

Thou of thy goodnes drewest us away

from places that are giuen

To serue false gods: and at this present day

hast wandringly vs driuen,

To trauell still among a thowsand daungers,

In nacions vnto whom we be but straungers.

The land of Egypt in our chiefest neede

thou madst to haue a care,

Thy seruants bodies to mainteine and feede

with fine and wholsom fare,

And in the ende compelledst pharao,

Full sore against his will, to let vs goe.

Foure mightie Kinges that were already gon

away with victorie,

I ouertooke and put to flight anon

before they could me spie.

And so I saw the feeldes all stained red

With blud of those which through my sword lay dead.

From God receiued well this benefite:

For he doth mind vs still,

As his deere freendes in whom he doth delight,

[Page]and we be sure he will,

Performe vs all thinges in dew time and place,

As he hath promist of his owne free grace.

To vs and vnto our posteritie

this land belongs of right,

To hold in honor and felicitie

as God it hath behight,

And we beleue it surely shall be so,

For from his promise God will neuer goe.

Now tremble you ye wicked wights therefore,

which sowed are so thicke

Throughout ye world, & worship now such store

of gods of stone and sticke,

which you your selues wt wicked hāds do carue,

To call vpon and vainly for to serue.

And thou O Lord whom we doe know to be

the true and liuing God,

Come from thy place, that we may one day see

the vengeance of thy roode

Upon thy foes, that they may come to nowght

With all their gods deuizd through wicked thowght.

Abraham.

Go to my Sara, that great God of ours

Hath blist vs, to thintent that we all howres

Should for his giftes which he alone doth giue,

[Page]Him serue and prayse as long as we doe liue.

Now let vs hence and chiefly take good heede,

We hazard not our sonne to much in deede,

By suffering him to haunt the company

Of wicked folke, with whom you see we be.

A new made vessell holdeth long the sent

Of that that first of all is in it pent.

A child by nature nere so well dispozed,

By bringing vp is quite and cleane transpozed.

Sara.

Sir, I doe hope my dewtie for to doe,

Therefore the thing that we must looke vnto,

Is that Gods will may be fulfild in him.

Right sure I am we shall him weeld so trim,

And that the Lord will blisse him so: as all

Shall in the ende to his high honor fall.

Satan in the habit of a Monke.

I goe, I come, I trauell night and day,

I beate my braynes, that by no kind of way

My labour be in any wise misspent.

Reigne God aloft aboue the firmament,

The earth at least to me doth wholly draw,

And that mislikes not God nor yet his lawe.

As God by his in heauen is honored:

So I on earth by myne am worshipped.

God dwells in heauen, and I on earth likewize:

[Page]God maketh peace, and I doe warres deuize.

God reignes aboue, and I doe reigne belowe:

God causeth loue, and I doe hatred sowe.

God made the starrie skies and earthy clodds:

I made much more: for I did make ye godds.

God serued is by Angells full of light:

And doe not my faire Angells glister bright?

I trow there is not one of all my swine,

Whose grooyn I make not goldlike for to shine

These lechours, drunkards, gluttons ouerfedd,

Whose noses shine faire tipt with brazell redd,

Which weare fine precious stones vppon their

Are my vpholders & my Cherubins. (skinnes,

God neuer made a thing so perfect yit,

That could the makers full perfection hit.

But I haue made, (whereof I glory may)

A thowsand worser then my selfe farre way.

For I beleue and know it in my thought,

therz but one God, & that my self am nowght.

But yit I know there are whose foolish mind

I haue so turned quite against the kind,

That some (which now is commō long agone)

Had leuer serue a thowsand gods than one▪

And others haue conceiued in their brayne,

That for to thinke there is a God is vayne.

Thus since ye time ye man on mowld was made,

With happy lucke I followed haue this trade

[Page]And follow wil (come losse or come there gain)

So long as I this habit may mainteine,

I say this habit wherewithall as now

The world is vnacquainted: but I vow

The day shall come it shall be knowne so rife,

Of euery wight, both child, yea man, and wife,

That nother towne nor village shall scape free

From seeing it to their great miserie.

O cowle, o cowle, such mischef thou shalt wurk,

And such abuse shall vnderneath thee lurke

At high noone daies: O Cowle, o Cowle I say,

Such mischief to the world thou shalt conuey,

That if it were not for the spitefulnesse,

Wherewith my hart is frawghted in excesse:

Euen I my selfe the wretched world shall rew,

To see ye things that shall through thee insew.

For I, than who, of all none worse can be,

Am made yit worse by putting on of thee.

These thinges shall in their time wtout all faile

Be brought to passe. As now I will assaile

One Abraham, who onely with his race

Withstands me, and defies me to my face.

In deede I haue him often times assailed:

But euer of my purpose I haue failed.

I neuer saw olde fellow hold such tack.

But I will lay such loade vpon his backe,

That (as I hope) ere long I shall him make

[Page]A sonne of myne. I know that he doth take

The true Creator for his onely hold

To trust vnto: and that doth make him bold.

In deede he hath alliance with the trew

Creator, who hath promist him a new

Right wondrous thinges, according whereunto

He hath already done, and still will doe.

But what for that? If stedfastnes him faile

To hold out still: what shall his hope auaile?

I trow I will so many blowes him giue,

That from his hold at length I shall him driue.

His elder sonne I feare not: and the other

Shal hardly scape these hands of mine: ye mother

Is but a woman: as for all the meynie

That serue him, they be simple sowles as enie

Can lightly be: there is a ragged stowt

Of sillie shepherds, nother skild nor stowt

Ynough against my wily sleights to stand.

But hence I will and worke so out of hand,

To haue them, that vnlesse I misse my marke,

Anon I will deceiue their greatest Clarke.

Abraham comming out of his house agein sayth.

What euer thing I doe or say,

I weery am thereof streit way,

How meete so euer that it bee,

[Page]So wicked nature reignes in me.

But most of all it me mislikes,

And to the hart with sorrow strikes,

That seeing God is neuer tyrde

In helping me, yea vndezyrde:

I also likewise doe not streyne

My selfe, vnweerie to remayne,

In dew and trew acknowledgment

Of his great mercie to me sent,

As well with mouth as with my hart.

The Angell.

Abraham, Abraham.

Abraham.

Lord here I am.

Angell.

Goe take thyne onely deerebeloued sonne,

Euen Isaac, and bring him to the place

which hight ye myrrh of God: which being done,

Slea him in sacrifice before my face:

And burne him whole vpon a hill which I

Will shew thee there, goe hye thee by and by.

Abraham.

What! burne him! burne him! wel I wil do so:

But yit my God, the thing thou putst me to

Seemes very straunge and irksom for to be:

Lord, I beseech thee, wilt thou pardon me?

[Page]Alas, I pray thee giue me strength and power,

To doe that thou commaundest me this howre.

I well perceiue and plainly now doe find,

That thou art angrie with me in thy mind.

Alas my Lord I haue offended thee.

O God by whom both heauen & earth made be,

With whom intendest thou to be at warre?

And wilt thou cast thy seruaunt downe so farre?

Alas my sonne, alas, what shall I doe?

This matter as kes aduised looking too.

A companie of Shepherdes comming out of Abrahams house.

The one halfe of them.

Hie time it is Sirs as I trow

We hie vs packing on a row

To our companions where they be.

The other halfe.

Euen so thinkes me.

For if we all togither were

We should the lesser neede to feare.

Isaac.

How Sirs, I pray you tary. Will

You leaue me so behind you still?

Shepherds.

Good child abide you there,

[Page]Or else our maister your father

And our mistresse your mother may,

Be angrie for your going away:

The time will come by Gods good grace,

That you shall grow and proue a pace:

And then ye shall perceiue the charge,

Of keeping flocks in feelds at large,

What daungers come from hill and dale,

By rauening beasts that lye in stale,

Among the couerts of the woode,

To kill our cattell for their foodd.

Isaac.

And doe ye thinke I would,

Goe with you though I could,

Before I knew my fathers mind?

Shepherds.

In deede a child of honest kind,

And well brought vp, ought euermore

His fathers and his mothers lore

In all his doings to obey.

Isaac.

I will not fayle it (if I may)

To die therefore: but will ye stay

A while vntill I ronne and know

My fathers will?

Shep.

Yea, therefore goe.

[Page]

The song of the Shepherds.

O happy is the wight

That grounds him selfe aright

On God, and maketh him his shield:

And lets the worldly wize,

Which looke aboue the skies,

Goe wander where they list in field.

No rich, ne poore estate,

Can puffe or yit abate,

The godly and the faithfull hart:

The faithfull goeth free

Although he martred be

A thowsand times with woe and smart.

The mighty God him leeds,

In chiefest of his needes,

And hath of him a speciall care,

To make him to abide,

Euen at the poynt to slide,

When worst of all he seemes to fare.

Whereof a proofe we see

Our maister well may be:

For why, the more him men assayle

And urge on euery side:

Lesse feare in him is spyde,

And lesse his courage doth him fayle.

He left his natiue soyle,

[Page]Hard famin did him foyle,

Which draue him into Egypt land,

And there a king of might,

Tooke Sara from his sight,

Uniustly euen by force of hand.

But streit on sute to God,

The King through Gods sharp rod,

Did yeeld to him his wife streit way,

And abraham neuer stayd,

But as the King him prayd,

Departed thence without delay.

And during this his flight,

He grew to so good plight,

That Loth to part away was faine:

Bycause, as stoode the case,

To litle was the place,

To keepe the flockes of both them twayne.

There fell a sodeyn iarre

Betweene nine Kings through warre,

Wherein fiue kings were put to flight,

And Loth him selfe, with all

His goods both great and small,

Away was caried cleane and quite.

Our faithfull Maister streit,

On newes of this conceit,

Made fresh pursute immediatly:

[Page]And hauing but as then

Three hundred eighteene men,

Did make the enmies all to fly.

And of the reskewd pray

The tenth to the preest did pay.

And hauing done ech man his right,

Returned home anon,

With commendacion,

For putting so his foes to flight.

But nother sonne he had,

Nor daughter him to glad.

Which thing when Sara did perceiue,

She put her maid in bed,

To serue her husbands sted,

Bycause her selfe could not conceiue.

So Agar bare a sonne

A thirteene yeares outronne,

Whose name is called Ismael.

And to this present day,

Our maisters goods are ay

Increaced passing wondrous well.

Then for the couenants sake

Which God him selfe did make,

Betwene him and our maister deere,

Our maister and we all,

As well the great as small,

At once all circumcized were.

[Page]Isaac.

My fellowes: God hath shewed himselfe to vs,

So good, so louing and so gracious,

That I can neuer any thing yit craue

Ne small ne great, but that I much more haue,

Than I desire. I would haue gone with you

(As you doe know) to see full fayne: but now

Behold my father commeth here at hand.

Abraham and Sara.

But it behoueth vs to vnderstand,

That if God will vs any thing to doe,

We must streyt wayes obedient be thereto,

And nother striue nor speake against his will.

Sara.

In deede Sir so I thinke and purpose still.

But yit I pray you thinke not straunge, that I

Doe take this matter som what heauily.

Abraham.

A good hart (wife) doth shew it self at neede▪

Sara.

Thats trew: ▪ therfore lets be sure in deede,

It is Gods will and mind we should doe so.

We haue but this child onely and no mo

Who yit is weake: in him stands all the trust

Of all our hope, with him it falls to dust.

[Page]Abraham.

Nay rather in God.

Sara.

But giue me leaue to say.

Abraham.

Can euer God his word once sayd vnsay▪

No no, and therefore be you out of dowt,

That God wil keepe ▪ prosper him throughout.

Sara.

Yea, but will God haue vs to hazard him?

Abraham.

No hazarding it is where God doth gard him.

Sara.

My hart misgiueth some mishappe

Abraham.

I nother dread nor dowt of any hap.

Sara.

There is in hand some secret enterpryze.

Abraham.

What ere it be, it doth from God aryze,

Sara.

At least, if what it were you wist.

Abraham.

I shall ere long, if God so list.

Sara.

[Page]So long away the child will neare abide.

Abraham.

For that our God will well ynough prouide.

Sara.

Yea but the wayes now full of daungers are.

Abraham.

Who dyes in following God needs neuer care.

Sara.

If he should dyeth, ē farewel our good dayes.

Abraham.

God doth foresett mens dying times alwayes.

Sara.

It were much better here to sacrifyze.

Abraham.

What euer you thinke, God thinks otherwise▪

Sara.

Well then Sir, sith it must be so

The grace of God with both you goe.

Adiew my sonne.

Isaac.

Good mother eke adieu.

Sara.

My sonne obey thy father still,

And God thee saue: that if it be his will

Thou mayst in health returne right soone agein.

[Page]My child I can not me refreyne

But that I needes must kisse the now.

Isaac.

Good mother, if it should not trouble you,

I would desire you one thing ere I went.

[figure]

Sara.

Say on my sonne: for I am well content

To graunt thee thy request.

Isaac.

I humbly doe you pray

To put this greef away.

These teares of yours refreyne,

I shall returne ageine

(I hope) in better plyght,

[Page]Than now I am in syght:

And therefore stay this greef and wo.

Abraham.

My fellowes: we haue now to goe

Good six daies iorney ere we rest:

See that your cariages be prest

And all the things that we shall neede.

The Companie.

Sir, as for that let vs take heede.

Doe you no more but onely shew your will.

Abraham.

On then: and God be with you still.

The mightie God who of his goodnesse ay,

From time to time euen to this present day,

So kind and gracious vnto vs hath be,

Be helpfull still both vnto you and mee.

Deale wisely howsoeuer that you fare:

I hope this iorney which we going are

Shall be performed happily.

Sara.

Alas alas full litle wote I

When I shall see you all ageine.

The Lord now with you all remayne.

Isaac.

Good mother God you guyde.

[Page]Abraham.

Farewell.

The Company.

God guide, and keepe you through his grace.

Abraham.

Gowe on Sirs, let vs hence apace.

Satan.

But is not this ynough to make me mad,

That whereas I make euery man to gad,

And all the world to follow after me,

If they my finger doe but hild vp see,

And ther withall set all thinges on a rore:

Yit for all that I neuer could the more

This false olde fellow bring vnto my lure,

For any thing that yit I can procure?

Behold he is departed from this place

Gods will full bent tobey in euery cace,

Although the matter neuer be so straunge.

But yit it may be that his mind will chaunge,

Or that he shall him sacrifyze in deede,

And so he shall if I may help him speede.

For if he doe, then Isaac shall be dead,

Whereby my hart shall be deliuered

Of that same feare least God in him fulfill,

The threate whereby he promist me to spill.

And if he chaunge his mind, then may I say

[Page]The gold is wonne. for may I once so play

My part, as for to make him disobey

Almighty Gods commaundment, or repyne:

Then were he banisht from the grace diuine.

That is the marke whereat I alwayes shoote,

Now hye thee Cowle, set forth the better foote:

Lets ronne apace, and by some cunning drift

Foyle him in feeld, or put him to his shift.

A Pavvze.

Abraham.

My children: this is now the third day

That we haue traueld making litle stay.

Here must you tarry: as for me, I will

With Isaac goe yit further onward still,

Unto a place from hence yet distant more

Which God almighty shewed me before,

Where I must pray and offer sacrifyze

As he requires. Wherefore in any wyze

Abide you here, and stirre not hence. But thou

Sonne Isaac shalt goe with me as now:

For God requires in this behalfe thy presence.

The Shepherds.

Sir, sith you forbid vs we will not hence.

Abraham.

This bundle vnto him betake,

And I the fire and knife will take.

[Page]We shal (God willing) come agein right soone

But in the meane while, wot ye what to doone?

Pray ye to God both for your selues and vs.

Alas, alas, was neuer wyght, ywus.

Shepherds.

We will not fayle.

Abraham.

That had such neede as I.

Well Sirs, I say no more but God be wy.

Shepherds

And with yow too.

Halfe the Shepherds.

It greatly mazeth me,

Halfe the Shepherds.

And me likewyze.

Halfe the Shepherds.

And me too, for too see

Him so dismayd which hath so stowtly borne

All haps that haue befalne him heretooforne.

Halfe the Shepherds.

To say he is afrayd of warre

Debate, or strife, or any iarre

It were no reason: for we knowe,

Abimelech the king did showe

Such honor to our maisterward,

That he not onely had regard

[Page]To visit him, but eke did knit

A leage with him which lasteth yit,

And as for howshold matters, what

Can he desire which he hath nat?

Halfe the Shepherds.

He liues in outward peace and rest:

But age perchaunce doth woork vnrest.

Halfe the Shepherds.

Of zunnes he hath but onely one

But in the world mo such are none.

His cattel thryue in such great store,

As God doth seeme to giue him more,

Than he him selfe can wish or craue.

Halfe the Shepherds.

Nothing ye can so perfect haue,

But alwaies sumwhat is amisse.

I pray to God him so to blisse,

As soone to cure this his disease.

Halfe the Shepherds.

Amen, say I, if it him please.

Halfe the Shepherds.

Sure I suppoze how ere the cace doth stand

He hath this time some weightie thing in hand.

The song of the Shepherds.

As howge as is the world we see

With all the things that in it be,

[Page]Yet nothing is so strong and sure,

That can for euer here endure.

Almighty God which all mainteynes,

Can nothing spie that ay remaynes,

Except him selfe: all else ech one

Indure short time, and soone are gone.

The sunne with bright and burning beames

Goes casting forth his cheerefull gleames,

As long as day in skie doth last.

Then darksom night doth ouer cast,

All kind of thinges both fowle and fayre,

With coleblacke winges aloft in ayre.

And of the moone what shall we say,

Which neuer keepeth at a stay?

Sometimes with hornes she doth appeere:

Sometime halfe [...]: now thicke, now cleere:

Anon with rownd and fulsom face

The night she fro the skie doth chace.

The twincling starres aboue on hye

Ronne rolling rownd about the skye,

One while with wether fayre and cleere,

Another while with lowring cheere.

Two dayes togither match, and ye

Them like in all poynts shall not see.

The one doth passe more swift away,

The other longer while doth stay.

The one, as though it did vs spyght,

[Page]Bereeues vs of the cheerfull lyght:

The other with his color bryght

Doth ioy our hart and dim our sight.

One burnes the world with heate from skyes,

With frost and cold another dyes.

With purple, greene, blew, white, and red

The earth earwhile is ouerspred.

Anon a blast of nipping cold

Maks freshest thinges looke seare and old.

The riuers with their waters moyst

Aboue their bankes are often hoyst,

And passe their bownds with rage so farre,

That they the plowmans hope doe marre.

And afterward they fall within

Their chanells, ronning lank and thin.

And therefore whoso doth him grownd,

On awght that in the world is fownd,

Beneath or in the starrie skyes,

I say I count him nothing wyze.

What then of him is to be sayd,

Whose hope on man is wholly stayd?

Ech liuing creature subiect is

To endlesse inconueniencis:

And yit among them all, the sunne,

In all his course which he doth runne,

Beholdeth not a feebler wyght,

Than man is in his cheefest plyght.

[Page]For he that is most wyze and stowt,

Is so beseeged rownd abowt,

And so assayld with vices strong,

That often he is throwen along.

What a foole is he, whose hart

Thinks to be free from wo and smart,

So long as he doth liue on mowld?

But if that any creature wowld

Be sure taccumplish that desire:

He must goe set his hart more higher.

Whereof our maister rightly may

A good example bee that way.

Halfe the Shepherds.

The best I thinke that can be now espyde,

Is for too draw vs one asyde,

That ech of vs may by him selfe alone

Pray God to send our maister which is gone,

A safe returne with gladnesse. gowe.

Halfe the Shepherds.

I will not be behind I trowe.

A pavvse.

Isaac.

My father.

Abraham.

Alas a poore father am I.

Isaac.

[Page]Sir here is woode, with fire, and knyfe redy:

But as for sheepe or lambe I see none here.

For you to offer.

Abraham.

O my sonne most deere,

God will prouide. Abide thou heere I say,

While I to God a litle whyle doo pray.

[figure]

Isaac.

Good father go: but yit I pray you showe

Me whereupon this greef of yours doth growe,

Which doth (I see) so greatly you appall.

Abraham.

At my returne, my sonne, thou shalt know all.

But in the meane tyme pray thy selfe heere too▪

[Page]Isaac.

It is good reason that I should so doe.

And therewithall I will ech thing addresse,

That first this wood may be in redinesse.

This billet first shall gin the order heere:

Then this, then that shall cloze togither neere.

Thus all these thinges are redie now and prest.

My father shall prouide for all the rest.

And now O God I will aside retyre,

To pray to thee, as reason doth requyre.

Sara.

The more we liue, the more we see, alas,

What life it is that in this world we passe.

Was neuer woman borne vpon the mowld,

That for hir husband or hir yssue could

Hirselfe with me in happinesse compare.

But yit I haue indurde such greefe and care

These last three dayes since they went hence, yt well

I am not able for my life to tell,

Which of the twayne hath greater to me beene,

The former ioy, or present peyne I meene

Which I haue felt these last 3. dayes, since they

Haue bin away: for nother night nor day

Haue I tane rest, bycause my mind doth ronne

On nothing but my husband and my sonne.

And of a truth I was to blame as tho,

In that I suffered them away to goe,

[Page]And went not with them. Of the six dayes three,

Alas but three my God, yit passed bee,

And yit three mo my patience still must proue.

Alas my God which seest me from aboue,

Both outwardly and inwardly alway,

Uowtsafe to shorten these three yeeres I say,

For were they much more shorter than they be,

They be not dayes, but moneths & yeeres to me

My God, thy promis putts me out of dowt:

But if thou long delay the falling out,

I feare I shall haue neede of greater strength,

To beare the peyne in holding out at length.

Wherefore my God, now graunt thou vnto me

I may with ioy right soone my husband see,

And eke mine Isaac in mine armes embrace

Returnd in helth and saftie to this place.

Abraham.

O God my God, thou seest my open hart,

And of my thowghts thou seest ech secret part,

So that my cace I neede not to declare.

Thou seest, alas thou seest my wofull care.

Thou onely canst me rid of my diseaze,

By graunting me (if that it might thee pleaze)

One onely thing the which I dare not craue.

Satan.

An other song then this yit must we haue▪

[Page]Abraham.

What? what? and is it possible that Gods

Behest and deede should euer be at oddes?

Can he deceiue? euen to this present day

He hath kept towche in all that he did say.

And can he now vnsay his word? no, no.

But yit it would ensew he should doe so,

If he my sonne should take away as now.

What say I? O my God, my God, sith thow

Doost bid me, I will doe it. Is it right

That I so sinfull and so wretched wight,

Should fall to scanning of the iudgements

Of thy most perfect pure commaundements?

Satan.

My cace goes ill. O Cowle we must yit find

Some other way tassault this hagards mind.

Abraham.

It maybe that I haue imagined

Amisse: the more it is examined,

The more the cace seemes straūge. It was perchaunce

Some dreame or wicked feend that at a glaunce

Did put this matter in my head for why,

So cruell offrings please not God perdye.

He cursed Cayne for killing of his brother:

And shall I kill myne Isaac and none other?

Satan.

[Page]No no. Neuer doe soe.

Abraham.

Alas alas what ment I so to sayne?

Forgiue me, Lord, and pluck me backe agein

From this leawd race wherin my sin gan go:

O Lord my God deliuer me from this wo.

This hand of mine shall certeinly him smight.

For sith it is thy will, it is good right

It should be doone. Wherfore I will obey.

Satan.

But I will keepe you from it if I may.

Abraham.

So doing I should make my God vntrew.

For he hath told me that there should insew,

So great a people out of this my sonne,

As ouer all the earth should spred and ronne.

And therefore if that Isaac once were kild,

I see not how this couenant could be hild.

Alas Lord, hast thou made him thē for nowght?

Alas Lord, is it vaine that thou so oft

Hast promist me such things in Isaake,

As thou wooldst neuer doo for others sake?

Alas and can the things repealed be,

Which thou so oft hast promist vnto me?

Alas and shall my hope haue such an end?

Wherto should then mans hope & trusting tēd?

[Page]The summe of all I minded to haue sayd,

Is that to thee I hartily haue prayd,

To giue me yssue: hoping that when thow

Hadst graunted it, I should haue liued now

In ioy and pleasure: but I see full well,

The contrary to my desire befell.

For of my sonns, which were no mo but twayn,

To put away the one my selfe was fayne:

And of the other (O hard extremitee)

Both father I, and tormenter must be,

Yea tormenter, yea tormenter, alas.

But art not thou the selfe same God, which was

Contented for too heere me patiently,

When I did pray to thee so instantly,

Euen in the midds of all thy wrath and yre,

When Sodom thou didst mind to burne wt fire?

Now then my God and King, wilt thou say nay,

When for my selfe I vnto thee doe pray?

Whom I begate him must I now deface.

O God, at leastwise graunt me yit this grace.

Satan.

Grace? in my book that word I neuer found.

Abraham.

Some other man my sonne to death may wownd

Alas my Lord, and must this hand of myne

To such a stroke against all kind declyne?

How will it towch his wofull mother neere,

[Page]Whē of his violent death she needes shal heere?

If I alledge thy will for my defence,

Who will beleue that thou wilt so dispence?

And if men doe not credit it: what fame

Will fly abrode to my perpetuall shame?

I shall be shund of all men more and lesse,

As paterne of extremest cruelnesse.

And as for thee, who will vnto thee pray,

Or on thy word and promise euer stay?

Alas, may these hore heares of myne abide

The sorrow that is likely to betide?

Haue I alredy past so many daungers,

Haue I so traueld countries that are straūgers,

In heate and cold, in thirst and hunger still,

Continewally obedient to thy will:

Haue I so long time liued lingringly,

Now in the end to dye vnhappily?

O hart of mine, clyue, clyue, asunder clyue:

And linger heere no longer time aliue.

The speedier death, the lesser is the greef.

Satan.

Now is he downe, if God send no releef.

Abraham.

What sayd I? what intend I? O my God

Which didst create and make me of a clod,

Thou art my Lord, and I thy seruant trew.

Out of my natiue countrie thou me drew.

[Page] [...][Page] [...]

[Page]How oftentimes hast thou assured me,

That vnto mine this land should lotted be?

And when thou gaue me Isaac, didst not thow

Most faithfully and constantly auow,

That out of him such ofspring should be bred,

As should this land throughout all ouerspred?

Then if thou wilt needs take him now away,

What should I thereunto ageinst thee say?

He is thine owne, I had him of thy gift.

Take him therfore. Thou knowest best how to

I know thou wilt to life him rayze againe,

Rather than that thy promis should be vaine.

Howbeit Lord, thou knowest I am a man,

No good at all or doo or thinke I can.

But yit thy power which ay is inuincible,

Doth to beleef make all things possible.

Hence flesh, hence fond affections euery chone:

Ye humane passions let me now alone.

Nothing to me is good or reasonable,

Which to Gods will is not agreeable.

Satan.

Well, well, then Isaac shall dye: and wee

What will insew therof shall after see.

O false old hag, thou makste me soft to grone.

Abraham.

See where my sonne walks vp & downe alone.

O silie child! O wretched men, death oft

[Page]Within our bosoms lodgeth him full soft,

When furthest of we take him for too be.

And therfore right great need alwaies haue we

To leade such life, as if we fayne would die.

But wotest thou my sonne (alas) what I

Intend to say?

Isaac.

What pleaseth you good father.

Abraham.

Alas, that word doth kill my hart the rather.

Yit must I better corage to me take.

Isaac my sonne: alas my hart doth quake.

Isaac.

Father, me thinks that feare hath you dismayd.

Abraham.

O my deere child: it is as thou hast sayd.

Alas my God.

Isaac.

Sir if it may you pleaze,

Be bold to tell me what doth you diseaze.

Abraham.

Ah my deere child, wist thou what thing it were

Mercie good Lord, thy mercie graunt vs here.

My sonne my sonne, beholdest thou this lyne.

This wood, this fire, and eke this knife of myne?

This geere my Isac serueth all for thee.

[Page]Satan.

Of God and nature enmie though I bee:

Yit is this thing so hard a cace to see,

That euen almost it is a greef to mee.

Abraham.

Alas my sonne.

Isaac.

Alas my father deere,

Uppon my knees I humbly pray you heere,

My youthfull yeeres to pitie, if you may.

Abraham.

O of mine age the only staffe and stay,

My derling, O my derling, faine would I

That I for thee a thowsand times might dye:

But God will haue it otherwise as now.

Isaac.

Alas my father, mercie I kry you.

Alas alas I want both tung and hand,

Ageinst you in mine owne defence to stand.

But see, but see my teares for natures sake,

None other fence I can or will now make

Ageinst you. I am Isaac, none other

But Isaac, your only by my mother.

I am your sonne that through your self hath life

And will you let it be bereft with knife?

Howbeit, if you do't to 'hey the Lord,

[Page]Then on my knees I humbly doe accord,

To suffer all that euer God and yow,

Shall think expedient for too doo as now.

But yit what deeds, what deeds of mine deserue

This death O God, my God my life preserue.

Abraham.

Alas my sonne, God hath commaunded me

To make an offring vnto him of thee,

To my great greef, to my great greef and pine,

And endlesse wo.

Isaac.

Alas poore mother mine▪

How many deathes shall my death giue to thee?

But tell me yit, my killer who shall be?

Abraham.

Who? my deere son! my God my God graunt grace,

That I may dy now presēt in this place.

Isaac.

O father mine.

Abraham.

Alas, no whit that name

Agrees to me. yit should we be to blame

If we obeyd not God.

Isaac.

Sir I am redy.

Satan.

Who would haue thought he would haue bin so stedie?

[Page]Isaac.

Now then my father, well I see in deede

That I must dye. Lord help me at my neede.

My God, my God, now strengthen thou my mind

And at thy hand such fauor let me find,

That of my selfe I may the vpper hand

Obteyne, ageinst this sodein death to stand.

Now bind me, kill me, burne me, I am prest

To suffer all, sith God so thinks it best.

Abraham.

Ah what a thing, a what a sight is heere!

Mercie good God, now for thy mercie deere.

Isaac.

Thou Lord hast made me and created me,

Thou Lord upon the earth hast lodged me,

Thou hast me giuen ye grace to knowledge thee:

Yit haue I not so well obeyed thee

My Lord and God as dewtie doth require:

Which me to pardon lowd I thee desire.

And whereas I to you my Lord and father

Haue not alwaies such honor yeelded rather,

As your great kindnesse did deserue to haue:

Therfore forgiuenesse humbly I doe craue.

My mother: she is now a great way hence,

Wherfore my God vowtsafe hir thy defence,

And so preserue hir through thy speciall grace,

[Page]As she no whit be trubbled at my cace.

Here Isaac is bovvnd.

Alas, I go to deepe and darksom night:

Farewell as now for ay all worldly light.

But sure I am I shall at Gods hand find

Farre better things than these I leaue behind.

Good father, I am redy at your will.

Satan.

Was neuer child that spake with better skil.

I am ashamde, and therfore take my flight.

Abraham.

Alas my sonne, before thou leaue this light

And that my hand doe giue thvnkindly blowe,

Upon thy mouth let me a kisse bestowe.

Isac my sonne, let this same arme of mine

Which must thee kil, imbrace this neck of thine

Isaac.

With right good will and hartie thankes.

Abraham.

Ye skyes the great gods woork ay glistring in our eyes

Which well haue seene how God (who still is trew)

Did me with frute by Isaac here indew:

And thou O land fiue times to me behight,

Beare witnesse that my fingers doo not smight

This child of mine for hatred or for vengance,

[Page]But only for to yeeld my dew obeysance,

To that great God which hath created me,

And all the thinges that liue or moue or be:

Who saues the good that put in him their trust,

And stroyes the bad that serue their wicked lust.

Beare witnesse that I faithfull Abraham,

Through gods great goodnes stil so stedfast am

As notwithstanding all that humane wit

Can say or think, to make me now to flit:

In one beleef I euer doo remaine,

That not one word of God doth happen vaine.

But now my hand, high time it is that thow

Doo gather strength to execute thy vow.

Heere the knife falles out of his hand.

That by thy killing of mine only sonne,

Thy deadly stroke may through my hart eke ronne,

Isaac.

What doe I heere?

Alas my father deere!

Abraham.

A, a, a, a.

Isaac.

I am at your will.

Am I now well? your pleasure then fulfill.

Abraham.

Did euer man so piteous cace yit find?

[Page]Was euer any frendship yit so kind?

And was there euer yit so piteous cace.

I dye my sonne, I dye before thy face.

Isaac.

Away with all this feare of yours I pray.

Will you from God yit longer time me stay?

Abraham.

Heere he intendeth to stryke him.

Alas who euer yit so stowt a mind

Within so weake a bodie erst did find?

Alas my sonne I prey thee me forgiue

Thy death. It kills me that thou may not liue.

[figure]

The Angell.

Abraham, Abraham.

[Page]Abraham.

My God heere I am.

Angell.

Into the sheath put vp thy knife,

And see thou doe not take his life,

Nor hurt the child in any wyse.

For now I see before mine eyes,

What loue thou bearest to the Lord,

And honor vnto him auord,

In that thou doost so willingly

Thy sonne thus offer euen to dye.

Abraham.

O God.

Isaac.

O God.

Abraham.

O Lord a man may see.

Heere he takes the sheepe.

How good it is obedient for to bee

To thee: the cace is fitly furnished.

I will go take him tyed by the head.

Angell.

O Abraham.

Abraham.

Lord heere I am.

Angell.

[Page]Thus sayth the Lord, I promis thee

By my eternall maiestie,

And by my Godhead: sith that thow

Hast shewed thy self so willing now,

Me to obey, as to forbeare

Thine only Isaks life: I sweare,

That mawgre Satan to his face,

I will thee blisse and all thy race.

Considrest thou the lighsom skye,

And on the shore the grauell drye?

I will increace thyne ofspring more,

Than starres in heauen, or sand on shore.

Their enmies they shall ouercome,

And of thy bodie one shall come,

By whom my blissing shall spred foorth

On all the nations of the earth.

By him the treasures of my loue

And mightie power, shall from aboue

Be sheaded downe on all mankind,

Bycause thou hast obeyd my mind.

THE CONCLVSION.

SEE here the mightie power of earnest faith,

And what reward the trew obedience payth

VVherfore ye Lords & Ladies I you pray▪

VVhen you from hence shall go agein away,

[Page]Let not this trew and noble storie part

Out of the mind and tables of your hart.

It is no lye, it is no peynted tale,

It is no feyned iest nor fable stale.

It is a deede, a deede right trew, of one

That was Gods faithfull seruant long agone.

VVherfore ye maisters and ye mistresses,

Ye Lords and Ladies all both more and lesse,

Ye rich and poore, ye sorie and ye sad,

And you also whose harts with mirth are glad,

Behold, and looke vpon your selues ech one,

In this so fayre example heere foregone.

Such are trew glasses, shewing to our sight,

The fayre, the fowle, the crooked, and the right.

For whoso doth vnfeynedly indeuer

(As Abraham) to keepe Gods sayings euer,

And (notwithstanding all the reasons which

His mind alledgeth backward him to twich)

Doth still referre him selfe and all his deedes

To God: with much more happy yssue speeds,

Than he can wish: for come there stormes or winds,

Come greef, come death, come cares of sūdry kinds,

Let earthquake come▪ let heauen & skyes downe fall,

Let dark confuzion ouercouet all:

The faithfull hart so stedfastly is grownded,

As it abideth euer vnconfownded.

Contrariwise the man that trust [...]

[Page]His owne selfwit, therafter for to doe,

And standeth in his owne conceyt shall find,

The more he goes, the more he comes behind.

And euery litle puffe and sodein blast

From his right course shal quite & cleane him cast

Agein, his owne selfwilled nature will

Him ouerthrowe and all his dooings spill.

Now thou great God which makest vs to knowe

The great abuses which doo plainly showe

The wretched world to be peruerted quite,

Make all of vs to take such warning by'te,

As ech of vs may fare the better by

The liuely faith set foorth before our eye

In Abraham that holy personage,

VVhose dooings haue bin playd vpon this stage.

Lo maisters heere the happie recompence

VVhich God doth giue you for your gentle silence.

FINIS.

All prayse and thanks bee giuen to God. Amen.

Information about this book

Title statement

A tragedie of Abrahams sacrifice, written in french by Theodore Beza, and translated into Inglish, by A.G. Finished at Povvles Belchamp in Essex, the xj. of August. 1575Abraham sacrifiant. English.

Bèze, Théodore de, 1519-1605.

Edition statement

1577

Publication

Publisher

Text Creation Partnership,

Place of publication

Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) :

Date

2003-03 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A10192

ID [STC]

STC 2047

ID [STC]

ESTC S109029

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

99844679

ID [PROQUEST]

99844679

ID [VID]

9513

Availability

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

Series

Early English books online.

Notes

(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A10192)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 9513)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 174:08)

Source

— A tragedie of Abrahams sacrifice, written in french by Theodore Beza, and translated into Inglish, by A.G. Finished at Povvles Belchamp in Essex, the xj. of August. 1575, Abraham sacrifiant. English., Bèze, Théodore de, 1519-1605., Golding, Arthur, 1536-1606..

Extent

[16], 45, [3] p. : ill.

By Thomas Vautroullier dwelling in the Blacke Friers,. Imprinted at London :: 1577.. (A translation, by Arthur Golding, of Théodore de Bèze: Abraham sacrifiant, tragédie franc̜oise.) (Some print show-through; date shaved on title page.) (Reproduction of the original in the Bodleian Library.)

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