And the wise midwives in their natural need, That the fair males immediately should kill, Hating $' abhorr'd and heathenish a deed, Check his harsh bruteness and rebellious will. That small effect perceiving by the same, Bids the men-children (greatly that abound) After that day into the world that came, Upon their birth should instantly be drown'd. And now the time came had been long foretold, He should be born unto the Hebrews' joy,

The morning comes, it is too early yet,
The day so fast not hast'ning on his date,
The gloomy evening murder best doth fit,
The evening come, and then it is too later
Her pretty infant lying on her lap
With his sweet eyes her threat'ning rage beguiles,
For yet he plays and dallies with his pap,
To mock her sorrows with his am'rous smiles,
And laugh'd, and chuck'd, and spread the pretty
hands,

As in short time all Egypt should destroy.
The execution which more strongly forc'd,
And every where so generally done,
As in small time unnaturally divorc'd
Many a dear mother and as dear a son.
Though her chaste bosom that fair altar were,
Where love's pure vows he dutifully paid,
His arms to her a sanctuary dear,
Yet they so much his tyranny obey'd,
By free consent to separate their bed,
Better at all no children yet to have,

Than their dear love should procreate the dead,
Untimely issue for a timeless grave.
When in a vision whilst he slept by night,
God bids him so not Jacobed to leave,
The man that Egypt did so much affright,
Her pregnant womb should happily conceive.
Soon after finding that she was with child,
The same conceals by all the means she can,
Lest by th' appearance she might be beguil'd,
If in the birth it prov'd to be a man.
The time she goes till her account was nigh,
Her swelling belly no conception shows,
Nor at the time of her delivery,

As other women panged in her throes.
When lo the fair fruit of that prospering womb
Wounds the kind parents in the prime of joy,
Whose birth pronounceth his too timeless doom,
Accus'd by nature forming it a boy :
Yet 'tis so sweet, so amiably fair,

That their pleas'd eyes with rapture it behold,
The glad sad parents full of joy and care
Fain would reserve their infant if they could;
And still they tempt the sundry varying hours,
Hopes and despairs together strangely mixt,
Distasting sweets with many cordial sours,
Opposed interchangeably betwixt,
If ought it ail'd or haplessly it cry'd,
Unheard of any that she might it keep,
With one short breath she did entreat and chide,
And in a moment she did sing and weep.
Three lab'ring months them flatterer-like beguil'd,
And danger still redoubling as it lasts,
Suspecting most the safety of the child,
Thus the kind mother carefully forecasts:
(For at three months a scrutiny was held,
And searchers then sent every where about,
That in that time if any were conceal'd,
They should make proof and straightly bring them
To Pharoah's will she awfully must bow,
And therefore hastens to abridge these fears,
And to the flood determines it should go,
Yet ere it went she'll drown it with her tears.
This afternoon love bids a little stay,
And yet these pauses do but lengthen sorrow,
But for one night although she make delay,
She vows to go unto his death to-morrow.

! Joseph.

[out)

(This little creature yet not understands
The woeful language mother's tears did speak.)
Wherewith surpris'd, and with a parent's love
From his fair eyes she doth fresh courage take,
And nature's laws allowing, doth reprove
The frail edicts that mortal princes make,
It shall not die, she'll keep her child unknown,
And come the worst in spite of Pharoah's rage,
As it is hers, she will dispose her own,
And if't must, it must die at riper age.
And thus revolving of her frailties care,

A thousand strange thoughts throng her troubled

mind,

Sounding the dangers deeply what they are, Betwixt the laws of cruelty and kind. But it must die, and better yet to part, Since pre-ordain'd to his disastrous fate, His want will sit the nearer to the heart In riper and more flourishing estate. The perfect husband whose impressive soul Took true proportion of each pensive throe, Yet had such power his passion to controul, As not the same immediately to show; With carriage full of comeliness and grace, As grief not felt nor sorrow seem'd to lack, Courage and fear so temper'd in his face, Thus his beloved Jacobed bespake: "Dear heart be patient, stay these timeless tears, Death of thy son shall never quite bereave thee, My soul with thine that equal burthen bears, As what he takes, my love again shall give thee: For Israel's sin if Israel's seed must suffer, And we of mere necessity must leave him, Please yet to grace me with this gentle offer, Give him to me by whom thou did'st conceive him. So though thou with so dear a jewel part, This yet remaineth lastly to relieve thee, Thou hast impos'd this hindrance on my heart, Another's loss shall need the less to grieve thee; Nor are we Hebrews abject by our name, Though thus in Egypt hatefully despis'd, That we that blessing fruitlessly should claim Once in that holy covenant compris'd. It is not fit mortality should know What his eternal providence decreed, That unto Abraham ratify'd the vow In happy Sarah and her hallowed seed. Nor shall the wrong to godly Joseph done In his remembrance ever be enroll'd, By Jacob's sighs for his lost little son A captiv'd slave to the Egyptians sold: Reason sets limits to the longest grief, Sorrow scarce past when comfort is returning, He sends affliction that can lend relief, Best that is pleas'd with measure in our mourning.” Lost in herself, her spirits are so distracted, All hopes dissolv'd might fortify her further, Her mind seems now of misery compacted, That must consent unto so dear a murder.

Of slime and twigs she makes a simple shred
(The poor last duty to her child she owes,
This pretty martyr, this yet living dead)
Wherein she doth his living corpse enclose:
And means to bear it presently away,
And in some water secretly bestow it,
But yet a while bethinks herself to stay,
Some little kindness she doth further owe it:
Nor will she in this cruelty persevere,
That by her means his timeless blood be spilt,
If of her own she doth herself deliver,
Let other hands be 'nocent of the guilt:
Yet if she keep it from the ruthless flood
That is by Pharaoh's tyranny assign'd it,
What boots that wretched miserable good,
If so dispos'd where none do come to find it ;
For better yet the homicide should kill it,
Or by some beast in pieces to be rent,
Than lingering famine cruelly should spill it,
That it endure a double languishment:
And neighbouring near to the Egyptian court,
She knows a place that near the river side
Was oft frequented by the worthier sort,
For now the spring was newly in her pride.
Thither she hastes but with a painful speed
The nearest way she possibly could get,

And by the clear brim 'mongst the flags and reed,
Her little coffin carefully she set;
Her little girl (her mother following near)
As of her brother that her leave would take,
Which the sad woman unexpecting there,
Yet it to help her kindly thus bespake :
Quoth she, "Sweet Miriam, secretly attend,
And for his death see who approacheth hither,
That once for all assured of his end,

His days and mine be consummate together;
It is some comfort to a wretch to die,
(If there be comfort in the way of death)
To have some friend or kind alliance by,
To be officious at the parting breath."
Thus she departs, oft stays, oft turneth back,
Looking about lest any one espy'd her,
Fain would she leave, that leaving she doth lack,
That in this sort so strangely doth divide her.
Unto what dame (participating kind)
My verse her sad perplexity shall show,
That in a soft'ned and relenting mind
Finds not a true touch of that mother's woe?
Yet all this while full quietly it slept,
(Poor little brat incapable of care)
Which by that powerful Providence is kept,
Who doth this child for better days prepare.
See here an object utterly forlorn,
Left to destruction as a violent prey,
• Whom man might judge accursed to be born,
To dark oblivion moulded up in clay,
That man of might in after-times should be
(The bounds of frail mortality that brake)
Which that Almighty gloriously should see,
When he in thunder on mount Sinai spake. [fair,
Now Pharaoh's daughter, Termuth, young and
With such choice maidens as she favour'd most,
Needs would abroad to take the gentle air,
Whilst the rich year his braveries seem'd to boast;
Softly she walks down to the secret flood,
Through the calm shades most peaceable and quiet,
In the cool streams to check the pamper'd blood,
Stirr'd with strong youth and their delicious diet;
Such as the princess, such the day addrest,
As though provided equally to pair her,

Either in other fortunately blest,
She by the day, the day by her made fairer,
Both in the height and fulness of their pleasure,
As to them both some future good divining,
Holding a steady and accomplish'd measure,
This in her perfect clearness, that in shining;
The very air to emulate her meekness,
Strove to be bright and peaceable as she,
That it grew jealous of that sudden sleekness,
Fearing it ofter otherwise might be.
And if the fleet wind by some vigorous gale
Seem'd to be mov'd, and patiently to chide her,
It was as angry with her lawny veil,
That from his sight it enviously should hide her:
And now approaching to the flowery mead
Where the rich summer curiously had dight her,
Which seem'd in all her jollity arrayd,
With nature's cost and pleasures to delight her:
See this most blessed! this unusual hap!
She the small basket sooner should espy,
That the child wak'd, and missing of his pap,
As for her succour instantly did cry;
Forth of the flags she caus'd it to be taken,
Calling her maids this orphanet to see,
Much did she joy an innocent forsaken
By her from peril privileg'd might be:
This most sweet princess, pitiful and mild,
Soon on her knee unswathes it as her own,
Found for a man, so beautiful a child,
Might for an Hebrew easily be known:
Noting the care in dressing it bestow'd,
Each thing that fitted gentleness to wear,
Judg'd the sad parents this lost infant ow'd,
Were as invulgar as their fruit was fair.
Saith she, "My mind not any way suggests
An unchaste womb these lineaments hath bred,
For thy fair brow apparently contests
The current stamp of a clean nuptial bed :"
She nam'd it Moses, which in time might tell
(For names do many mysteries expound)
When it was young the chance that it befel,
How by the water strangely it was found.
Calling milch-women that Egyptians were,
Once to the teat his lips he would not lay,
As though offended with her sullied lear,
Seeming as still to turn his head away.

The little girl that near at hand did lurk,
(Thinking this while she tarried but too long)
Finding these things so happily to work,
Kindly being crafty, wise as she was young,
"Madam," saith she, "will't please you I provide
A nurse to breed the infant you did find,
There is an Hebrew dwelling here beside,
I know can do it fitly to your mind:
For a right Hebrew if the infant be,
(As well produce you instances I can,
And by this child as partly you may see)
It will not suck of an Egyptian."
The courteous princess offered now so fair,
That which before she earnestly desir'd,
That of her foundling had a special care,
The girl to fetch her instantly requir'd.
Away the girl goes, doth her mother tell
What favour God hath to her brother shown,
And what else in this accident befel,
That she might now be nurse unto her own.
Little it boots to bid the wench to ply her,
Nor the kind mother hearken to her son,
Nor to provoke her to the place to hie her,
Which seem'd not now on earthly feet to run:

Slow to herself yet hasting as she flew,
(So fast affection forward did her bear)

As though forewafted with the breath she drew,
Borne by the force of nature and of fear,
Little the time, and little is the way,
And for her business either's speed doth crave,
Yet in her haste bethinks her what to say,
And how Herself in presence to behave:
Slack she'll not seem, lest to another's trust
Her hopeful charge were happily directed,
Nor yet too forward show herself she must,
Lest her sweet fraud thereby might be suspected:
Com'n she doth bow her humbly to the ground,
And every joint incessantly doth tremble,
Gladness and fear each other so confound,
So hard a thing for mothers to dissemble.
Saith this sweet Termuth, "Well I like thy beauty,
Nurse me this child (if it thy state behove)
Although a prince I'll not enforce thy duty,
But pay thy labour, and reward thy love:
Though even as God's, is Pharoah's high command,
And as strong nature so precise and strict,
There rests that power yet in a princess' hand,
To free one Hebrew from this strong edict:
That shall in rich habiliments be dight,
Deck'd in the gems that admirablest shine,
Wearing our own robe gracious in our sight,
Free in our court, and nourished for mine:
Love him, dear Hebrew, as he were thine own;
Good nurse, be careful of my little boy,
In this to us thy kindness may be shown,
Some mother's grief is now a maiden's joy."
This while all mute, the poor astonish'd mother,
With admiration as transpierced stood,
One bursting joy doth so confound another,
Passion so powerful in her ravish'd blood,
Whisp'ring some soft words which deliver'd were,
As rather seem'd her silence to impart,
And being inforc'd from bashfulness and fear,
Came as true tokens of a graceful heart.
Thus she departs her husband to content,
With this dear present back to him she brought,
Making the time short, telling each event,
In all shapes joy presented to her thought.
Yet still his manly modesty was such,
(That his affections strongly so control'd)
As if joy seem'd his manly heart to touch,
It was her joy and gladness to behold;
When all rejoic'd unmov'd thereat the whiles,
In his grave face such constancy appears,
As now scarce showing comfort in his smiles,
Nor then revealing sorrow in his tears:
Yet oft beheld it with that stedfast eye,
Which though it 'sdain'd the pleas'dness to confess,
More in his looks in fulness there did lie,
Than all their words could any way express.

In time the princess playing with the child2,
In whom she seem'd her chief delight to take,
With whom she oft the weary time beguil'd,
That as her own did of this Hebrew make:
It so fell out as Pharoah was in place,
Seeing his daughter in the child to joy,
To please the princess, and to do it grace,
Himself vouchsafes to entertain the boy:
Whose shape and beauty when he did behold,
With much content his princely eye that fed,
Giving to please it any thing it would,
Set his own crown upon the infant's head,

? Josephus. Pet. Comestor.

Which this weak child regarding not at alf
(As such a baby carelessly is meet)
Unto the ground the diadem let fall,
Spurning it from him with neglectful feet.
Which as the priests beheld this ominous thing,
(That else had pass'd unnoted as a toy)
As from their skill report unto the king,
This was the man that Egypt should destroy.
Told by the Magi that were learn'd and wise,
Which might full well the jealous king inflame,
Said by th' Egyptian ancient prophecies
That might give credit eas❜lier to the same.
She as discreet as she was chaste and fair,
With princely gesture, and with countenance mild,
By things that hurtful and most dangerous were,
Shows to the king the weakness of the child:
Hot burning coals doth to his mouth present,
Which he to handle simply doth not stick,
This little fool, this retchless innocent
The burning gleed with his soft tongue doth lick:
Which though in Pharaoh her desire it wrought,
His babish imbecility to see,

To the child's speech impediment it brought,
From which he never after could be free.

The child grew up, when in his manly face
Beauty was seen in an unusual chear,
Such mixtures sweet of comeliness and grace,
Likely apparel'd in complexion clear.
The part of Earth contends with that of Heaven,
Both in their proper purity excelling,
To whether more preheminence was given,
Which should excel, the dweller or the dwelling.
Men's usual stature he did far exceed,
And every part proportioned so well,
The more the eye upon his shape did feed,
The more it long'd upon the same to dwell:
Each joint such perfect harmony did bear,
That curious judgment taking any limb,
Searching might miss to match it any where,
Nature so fail'd in parallelling him:
His hair bright yellow, on an arched brow
Sat all the beauties kind could ever frame,
And did them there so orderly bestow,
As such a seat of majesty became.
As time made perfect each exterior part,
So still his honour with his years increas'd,
That he sat lord in many a tender heart:
With such high favours his fair youth was bless'd
So fell it out that Æthiop war began,
Invading Egypt with their armed powers,
And taking spoils, the country over-ran
To where as Memphis vaunts her climbing towers;
Wherefore they with their oracles confer
About th' event, which do this answer make:
That if they would transport this civil war,
They to their captain must an Hebrew take.
And for fair Moses happily was grown
Of so great towardness and especial hope,
Him they do choose as absolutest known,
To lead their power against the Æthiope.
Which they of Termuth hardly can obtain,
Though on their altars by their gods they vow
Him to deliver safe to her again,
(Once the war ended) safe as he was now.
Who for the way the army was to pass,
That by th' Egyptians only was intended,
Most part by water, more prolixious was
Than present peril any whit commended:
To intercept the Ethiopians wrought
A way far nearer who their legions led,

Which till that time impassable was thought,
Such store of serpents in that place was bred :
Devis'd by birds this danger to eschew,
Whereof in Egypt be exceeding store,
The stork, and ibis, which he wisely knew,
All kinds of serpents naturally abhor.
Which he in baskets of Egyptian reed,
Borne with his carriage easily doth convey,
And where incampeth sets them forth to feed,
Which drive the serpents presently away.
Thus them preventing by this subtle course,
That all their succour suddenly bereft,
When Ethiop flies before th' Egyptian force,
Shut up in Saba their last refuge left. [long,
Which whilst with strait siege they beleagued
The king's fair daughter haps him to behold,
And became fetter'd with affection strong,
Which in short time could hardly be control'd.
Tarbis that kindled this rebellious rage,
That they to Egypt tributary were,
When the old king decrepit now with age,
She in his stead the sovereignty did bear.
Up to his tower where she the camp might see,
To look her new love every day she went,
And when he happen'd from the field to be,
She thought her blest beholding but his tent;
And oftentimes doth modestly inveigh
'Gainst him the city walled first about,
That the strong sight should churlishly deny
Him to come in, or her for passing out,
Had the gates been but soften'd as her breast
(That to behold her loved enemy stands)
He had ere this of Saba been possess'd,
And therein planted the Egyptian bands:
Oft from a place as secretly she might
(That from her palace look'd unto his tent)
When she came forth appearing in his sight,
Showing by signs the love to him she meant.
For in what arms it pleas'd him to be dight,
After the Hebrew or th' Egyptian guise:
He was the bravest, the most goodly wight
That ever graced Æthiop with his eyes.
And finding means to parley from a place
By night, her passion doth to him discover,
To yield the city if he would embrace
Her a true princess, as a faithful lover.
The features of so delicate a dame
Motives sufficient to his youth had been,
But to be lord of kingdoms by the same,
And of so great and absolute a queen,
Soon gently stole him from himself away,
That doth to him such rarities partake,
Off'ring so rich, so excellent a prey,
Loving the treason for the traytor's sake.

But whilst he lived in this glorious vein,
Israel his conscience oftentimes doth move,
That all this while in Egypt did remain,
Virtue and grace o'er coming youth and love.
And though God knows unwilling to depart,
From so high empire wherein now he stood,
And her that sat so near unto his heart,
Such power hath Israel in his happy blood,
By skill to quit him forcibly he wrought,
As he was learn'd and traded in the stars,
Both by the Hebrews and th' Egyptians taught,
That were the first, the best astronomers,
Two sundry figures makes, whereof the one
Cause them that wear it all things past forget,
* Comester ex vet. script.

'Comester.

As th' other of all accidents foregone
The memory as eagerly do whet,
Which he insculped in two likely stones,
For rareness of invaluable price,
And cunningly contriv'd them for the nones
In likely rings of excellent device:
That of oblivion giving to his queen,
Which soon made show the violent effect,
Forgot him straight as he had never been,
And did her former kindnesses neglect.
The other (that doth memory assist)
Him with the love of Israel doth enflame;
Departing thence not how the princess wist,
In peace he leaves her as in war he came.
But all the pleasuses of the Egyptian court
Had not such power upon his springing years,
As had the sad and tragical report
Of the rude burdens captiv'd Israel bears:
Nor what regards he to be grac'd of kings?
Or flatter'd greatness idly to await?
Or what respects he the negotiating
Matters comporting emperie and state?
The bondage and servility that lay
On buried Israel (sunk in ordurous slime)
His grieved spirit down heavily doth weigh,
That to lean care oft lent the prosperous time.
A wretched Hebrew happen'd to behold,
Bruis'd with sad burdens without all remorse,
By an Egyptian barb'rously control'd,
Spurning his pin'd and miserable corse,
Which he beholding vexed as he stood,
His fair veins swelling with impatient fire,
Pity and rage so wrestled in his blood
To get free passage to conceived ire,
Rescuing the man th' Egyptian doth resist:
(Which from his vile hands forcibly he took)
And by a strong blow with bis valiant fist,
His hateful breath out of his nostrils struck,
Which though his courage boldly dare aver,
In the proud power of his imperious hand,
Yet from high honour deigneth to inter
The wretched carcase in the smould'ring sand;
Which then suppos'd in secret to be wrought,
Yet still hath envy such a jealous eye,
As forth the same incontinent it sought,
And to the king deliver'd by and by,
Which soon gave vent to Pharoah's cover'd wrath,
Which till this instant reason did confine,
Opening a straight way, and apparent path
Unto that great and terrible design:
Most for his safety forcing his retreat
When now affliction every day did breed,
And when revengeful tyranny did threat
The greatest horrour to the Hebrew seed;
To Midian now his pilgrimage he took,
Midian Earth's only paradise for pleasures,
Where many a soft rill, many a sliding brook,
Thro' the sweet vallies trip in wanton measures,
Where as the curl'd groves and the flow'ry fields
To his free soul so peaceable and quiet,
More true delight and choice contentment yields
Than Egypt's braveries and luxurious diet:
And wandering long he happen'd on a well,
Which he by paths frequented might espy,
Border'd with trees where pleasure seem'd to dwell,
Where to repose him, eas'ly down doth lie:
Where the soft winds did mutually embrace
In the cool arbours Nature there had made,
Fanning their sweet breath gently in his face,
Thro' the calm cincture of the am'rous shade: