Michael Drayton- Collected Poetical Works

by Michael Drayton

  So busie is the gen’rall heart of moane,

  So strange confusion sits in euery eare,

  As wanteth power to entertaine his owne.

  Imparted woe (the heauie hearts reliefe)

  When it hath done the vtmost that it may,

  Outright is murth’red with a second griefe,

  To see one mute tell more than it can say:

  The greatest blessing that the heart could giue,

  The ioy of Children in the married state,

  To see his curse the parent now doth liue,

  And none be happy but th infortunate.

  Whilst some for buriall of their Children stay,

  Others passe by with theirs vpon the Beere,

  Which from the Church meet Mourners by the way,

  Others they finde that yet are burying there.

  Afflicted London, in sixe bundred three,

  When God thy finne so did strike,

  And from th’ infection that did spring from thee,

  The spacious Ile was patient the like.

  That sickly season, when I undertooke

  This compositton faintly to supply,

  When thy affliction seru’d me for a booke,

  Whereby to modell Egypts miserie,

  When pallid horrour did possesse thy streete,

  Nor knew thy Children refuge where to haue,

  Death them so soone in euery place did meete,

  houses to possesse the graue.

  When wosull Egypt with a wounded heart

  So many plagues that suffered for their stay,

  Now on their knees entreate them to depart,

  And euen impatient of their long delay.

  Sixe hundred thousand Israolites depart,

  Besides the Nations that they thence releas’d,

  And Hebrew Babes the ioy of many a heart,

  That Sarahs happie promises had bless’d.

  After soure hundred thirtie yeeres expir’d,

  (Measuring by minutes many a wofoll houre)

  That day they came they thence againe depart,

  By his eternall prouidence and power.

  With all the iewels Egypt could afford

  With them away that wisely they did beare,

  Th’ Egyptians aske not to haue backe restor’d,

  All then so busie at their burials were:

  And Iosephs bones precisely thence conuay,

  Whose Tombe by oft Inundations drown’d,

  (Yet the deceased straitlie to obay)

  By Moyses was miraculously found.

  Who did in gold that powerfull word ingraue,

  By which th’ Almighty fully is exprest,

  Which bare the mettall floting on the waue,

  Till o’r his Coffin lastly it did rest.

  As by a sheepe that shew’d them to the same,

  To make them mindfull of the reuerent dead,

  Which Beast thence-forth they called by name,

  And when they went from Egypt with them led.

  But that he thus did finde his burying place,

  As we tradition wisely may suspect,

  We onely this as Historie embrace.

  But else in faith as fabulous neglect.

  MOSES’ BIRTH AND MIRACLES: THE THIRD BOOKE.

  The Argument.

  God drownes th’ Egyptians in his ire,

  Doth march before his host in fire,

  From the hard rocks strikes springs,

  Raines Quailes and Manna, conguers Kings,

  And searefull plagues on them doth trie,

  For murm’ring and idolatrie:

  Vnto the promis’d Land them brought,

  When it they yeeres had fought;

  Balaam to blesse them he doth send,

  Their good successe, milde Moyses end.

  THOSE which at home scorn’d and his force,

  And whose departure he did humbly pray,

  He now pursues with his Egyptian horse

  And warlike foote to spoile them on the way.

  Where his choice people strongly to protect,

  The onely God of Emperie and might,

  Before his host his standard doth erect,

  A glorious pillar in a field of light,

  Which he by day in sable doth vnfolde,

  To dare the Sonne his Ardour to forbeare,

  By night conuerts it into flaming golde,

  Away the coldnesse of the same to feare.

  Not by Philistia he his force will leade,

  Though the farre nearer and the happier way,

  His men of warre a glorious march shall tread

  On the vast bowels of the bloudie Sea.

  And sends the windes as Currers forth before

  To make them way from Pharaohs power to flie,

  And to conuay them to a safer shore,

  Such is his might that can make Oceans drie.

  Which by the stroke of that commanding wand,

  Shouldred the rough seas forcibly together,

  Raised as Rampiers by that glorious hand,

  (Twixt which they march) that did conduct them thither.

  The surly waues their Rulers will obay’d

  By him made vp in this confused masse,

  Like as an Ambush secretly were laid,

  To set on Pharaoh as his power should passe.

  Which soone with wombes insatiably wide,

  Loos’d from their late bounds by th’ Almighties power,

  Come raging in, enclosing euery side,

  And the Egyptians instantly deuoure.

  The Sling, the stiffe and the sharpned Launce,

  Floting confusdly on the waters rude,

  They which these weapons lately did aduance,

  Perish in sight of them that they pursude.

  Clashing of Armours, and the rumorous sound

  Of the sterne billowes in contention stood,

  Which to the shores doe euery way rebound,

  As doth affright the Monsters of the flood.

  Death is discern’d triumphantly in Armes

  On the rough Seas his slaughtery to keepe,

  And his colde selfe in breath of mortals warmes,

  Vpon the dimpled bosome of the deepe.

  There might you see a Checkquer’d Ensigne swim

  About the bodie of the enui’d dead,

  Serue for a hearse or couerture to him,

  Ere while did wast it proudly ‘bout his head.

  The warlike Chariot turn’d vpon the backe

  With the dead horses in their oraces tide,

  Drags their sat carkasse through the fomie bracke

  That drew it late vndauntedly in pride.

  There floats the bard Steed with his Rider drownd,

  Whose foot in his caparison is cast,

  Who late with sharpe spurs did his Courser wound,

  Himselfe now ridden with his strangled beast.

  The waters conquer (without helpe of hand)

  For them to take for which they neuer toile,

  And like a Quarrie cast them on the land,

  As those they slew they left to them to spoile.

  In eightie eight at Douer that had beene,

  To view that Nauie (like a mighty wood)

  Whose swept Heauen, might eas’lie there haue seene,

  How puissant Pharaoh perish’d in the floud.

  What a conquest strictiy they did keepe,

  Into the channell presently was pour’d

  Castilian riches scattered on the deepe,

  That Spaines long hopes had deuour’d.

  Th’ afflicted English rang’d along the Strand

  To waste what would this threatning power betide,

  Now when the Lord with a victorious hand

  In his high iustice scourg’d th’Iberian pride.

  Hence three dayes march to Mara leades them on,

  Where Surs wilde Desarts as the Armie past

  Seemed as from their presence to haue flowne,

  T
he mountaines stood so miserably agast.

  Where for with drought they hardly are bested,

  And the soule waters bitter as the gall,

  That they should through this wildernesse be led

  To thanklesse murm’ring presently they fall.

  God pointeth Moyses to a precious tree,

  Whose medc’nall branches cast into the lake,

  Of that rare vertue he approu’d to be,

  The waters sweet and delicate to make.

  Not that his hand stands any way in neede

  Of mediate meanes his purposes to bring,

  But that in state his wisedome will proceede

  To shew his power in euery little thing.

  Nor Metaphysickes fully him confine,

  All measuring so immeasurably great,

  That doth in Nature euery cause combine,

  This ALL in him so amply hath receate.

  Which might haue learn’d them in this helpelesse case,

  With tribulations willingly to meete,

  When men with patience troubles doe embrace

  How oftentimes it makes affliction sweete.

  And his free bountie fully now they found,

  As they from Mara for mount Sina made,

  Pitching in Elim in that plenteous ground

  Of pleasant fountaines and delicious shade.

  But as at Sur, so they againe at Sin,

  Before of thirst, of hunger now complaine,

  Wishing they might in Egypt still haue bin,

  Where neuer famine all their time did raigne.

  When clouds of Quailes from the Arabian shore

  Vpon the Campe immediately are sent,

  Which came so long and in such marulous store,

  That with their flight they smother’d euery Tent:

  This glads the Eu’ning, each vnto his rest,

  With soules euen sated with these dainty Cates,

  And the great goodnesse of the Lord confest,

  That in like measure each participates.

  The morne strewes Manna all about the host

  (The meate of Angels) to refresh,

  Candying the fresh grasse, as the Winters frost,

  Neuer such bread vnto so dainty flesh

  O Israel pampred with this heauenly food,

  Which else to Nations earthly he denies,

  To raise thy spirits, to rectifie thy Blood

  With these so rare celestiall purities.

  Then the fat flesh-pots they so much desire,

  Whereon in Egypt gluttoning they fed,

  When they came hungry home from carrying mire,

  Which onely dulnesse, and grosse humours bred.

  Yet in the sweetnesse and th’ abundant store,

  His power not so conclusiuely exprest,

  But who tooke most not capable of more

  Then in his Gower he that gathered least.

  By night corrupting, each day gath’ring new,

  But for the Sabbath what they did prouide,

  That day descended not that heauenly dewe,

  That as that day was onely sanctifide.

  Thence through those Desarts desolate and drie,

  They reach to Raph’dom where as they should passe,

  There was not found a fountaine farre nor nie,

  Such want of water euery where there was:

  Thither the Lord by Moyses did them bring,

  His force the faithlesse Israelites might know,

  For euen in the impossiblest thing,

  He most delights his wondrous might to show.

  Farre worse than Mara is this fruitlesse soile,

  For there were waters (bitter though they were)

  But here are none, though sought with ne’re such toile,

  That they from murm’ring longer not forbeare.

  Commanding Moyses he should take the Rod,

  Wherewith in Egypt he such wonders wrought,

  For that most wise, that secret-seeing God

  Saw there were some thus reasoned in their thought.

  The misterie of that miraculous wand

  He did to plagues and fearefull things imply,

  That Aaron yet ne’re tooke it in his hand,

  When worke of mercy was atchieu’d thereby.

  Therefore bids Moyses to this high intent,

  The same to vse, they visibly might see,

  That this which erst had beene the instrument

  Of iustice, so of clemencie to be.

  Which with a blow, the Cleeues in sunder crackt,

  As with an earthquake violently rent,

  Whence came so strong and rough a Cataract,

  That in the stones wore gutters as it went.

  The Springs spout forth such plenty, that withall

  Downe the slope sides it violently swept,

  So diuers wayes, so various in the fall,

  Through euery cranny the cleare water crept.

  In Pailes, Kits, Dishes, Basons, Pinboukes, Bowles,

  Their scorched bosomes merrily they baste,

  Vntill this very howre their thirstie soules

  Neuer touch’d water of so sweet a taste.

  Scarcelie susfic’d but in the very neck

  Of this, ’tis bruted by the watchfull post,

  That the neere-bordring enuious Amaleck.

  Was marching towards them with a mighty host,

  When he forth Iosua from the rest doth draw,

  A man selected, of couragious spirit,

  Which Moyses with propheticke eye foresaw,

  Should be the man, his roome that should inherit

  Commanding him to muster out of hand,

  And draw his forces presently to head,

  Against that proud Amalakite to stand,

  Which in the field a puissant Armie led.

  Whilst on rocke Horeb, with erected hand,

  Bearing the Rod vp to the glorious skie,

  Twixt Hur and Aaren, Amrams sonne doth stand,

  Whilst both the hosts for victorie doe trie.

  When blades are brandish’d and the fight begun,

  Warres thundring horror trumpets doe proclaime,

  With the reflection of the radiant Sunne,

  Seemes to beholders as a generall flame.

  Much courage and dexteritie that day

  On either part sufficiently is showne,

  And on the earth full many a Souldier lay,

  Thrusting through danger to make good his owne.

  Here men might see how many a strenuous guide

  Striueth to make his enemie to

  Now the fierce vaward, then the rere ward plide,

  As he perceiueth the Battalians neede.

  They fight the full day, he the Rod vpheld,

  But when his strength by long continuing failes,

  Where as before the Israelites had queld,

  The proud Amalakite preuailes.

  Whilst the two Hebrewes prouident of harmes.

  Setting graue Moses downe vpon a stone,

  And by their force support his wearied

  Vntill the foe was lastly ouerthrowne.

  Iethro the iust to whom report had told,

  Th’atchieuement wrought by his renowned sonne,

  That all the world did tributary hold,

  By deeds in Egypt God by him had done:

  This good old man to consummate their ioyes

  In happy houre his sonne is come to see,

  Bringing his wife and his two little Boyes,

  Moses sent back in Midian sase to bee:

  Which by this time two proper Youthes are growne,

  Bred by their Grandsire with exceeding care,

  In all the host there hardly could be showne,

  That with those Boyes for beauty could compare.

  Such mirth and feasting as for them was seene,

  For this graue Father and this goodly Dame,

  Vnto this day in Israel had not beene,

  Since to kinde Ioseph r
ighteous Iacob came.

  The day mild Moses scarcely can sustice,

  To tell this man the troubles they had past,

  The wonders God had acted in their eyes,

  Since they in Midian kindly parted last.

  Iethro that mark’d the paines that Moses tooke

  In rising early, and in resting late,

  That did himselfe into all causes looke,

  And in his person censure each debate:

  This Princely Priest a man exceeding wise,

  And long experienc’d in this great affaire,

  (For at that time few States or Monarchies

  Whose gouernment he could not well declare)

  Reproues good Moses in this zealous deed:

  (Quoth he) me thinks thou dost not well in this,

  The course wherein I see thou dost proceed

  Trouble to thee and to the people is.

  Appoint out Iudges, and inferiour Courts,

  Twixt the Plebeans and thy selfe to bee,

  From them receiue those matters by report,

  Speake thou to God and let them speake to thee,

  In things importa t be thou still in place,

  In lesser causes leauing them to deale,

  So may you both your quietnes embrace.

  By an exact and perfect Common-weale.

  Now when to Sina they approched neare,

  God calls vp Moyses to the mount aboue,

  And all the rest commaundeth to forbeare,

  Nor from the bounds assign’d them to remoue.

  Nor who those limits lonsely did exceede,

  (Which were by Moses mark’d them out beneath)

  The Lord had irreuocably decreed

  With darts or stones should surely die the death.

  Where as the people in a wondrous fright

  (With hearts transfixed euen with frosen blood)

  Beheld their Leader openly in sight

  Passe to the Lord, where he in glory stood.

  Thunder and Lightning led him downe the ayre,

  Trumpets celestiall sounding as he came,

  Which struck the people with astounding feare,

  Himselfe inuested in a splendorous flame.

  Sina before him fearfully doth shake,

  Couered all ouer in a smouldring smoake,

  As ready the foundation to forsake,

  On the dread presence of the Lord to looke.

  Erect your spirits and lend attentiue care

  To marke at Sina what to you is said,

  Weake Moses now you shall not simply heare,

  The sonne of Amram and of lacobed.

  But he that Adam imparadise,

  And lent him comfort in his proper blood,

  And saued Noah, that did the Arke deuise,

  When the old world else perish’d in the flood,

  To righteous Abraham, Canaan franckly lent.

  Aud brought forth so extreamly late,

  Iacob so faire and many children sent,