And bury her in’s quick Ruines. All the Floore
Celestiall, crack’d and fell downe in a shower
Of Bloud, whilst the Terrestriall Pauement burn’d,
In which the Starres to spent-out Snuffes were turnd.
The Sun leap’d from his Chariot, and in feare
Of Firing, headlong ran to’th Moones cold Sphaere,
But she (for all her Flouds, Ice, Frosts and Snow)
Did like a lampe of steele, i’th Furnace glow.
The Sun and Moone were neither Sun nor Moone,
Their Shining could be cald, nor Night nor Noone:
This Massy, Vniuersall, Earthly Ball,
Was All one Bonfire, and it burnt out All.
In an eies Twinkling, more by Fire was lost,
Than Twenty Earthes, and all their wealth e’re cost.
CHRIST HIS COMMING IN GLORY.
AS in an Army Royall (led by a King)
After the Canons Sulphurous thundering,
Battring downe Bulwarkes, Rampires, Parapets,
Forts, Gabions, Palizadoes, Cazimates,
Horror on all sides Roaring, Wings here flying
At Wings (like armed Eagles) here Troopes dying.
A butcherous Execution through the field,
Bellowing with Fiend-like threats, when yet none yeeld,
Though Death stalkes vp and downe, ghastly and pale,
The Victors Wreath lying in a doubtfull Scale;
The King himselfe, safe guarded on a Hill,
Seeing this black day, yet stirring not vntill
He findes fit time to Strike: then downe, amayne,
Whorrying he comes, a glorious dreadfull Trayne
Of High-Heroick Spirits, circling him round,
Who with swift Vengeance do their Foes confound,
And slaue-like drag them at prowd Chariot wheeles,
Whilst miseries (worse then Death) tread on their heeles:
So (but with greater Terror, State, and Wonder)
Heauens Supreme Monarch (one hand griping thunder,
The other stormes of Haile, Whirle-winds. and fire,
Ensignes of his hot-burning quenchlesse Ire)
When the Worlds buildings, smothered lay in smoake,
(With sparkling eyes) Maiestically broke
Out of his Pallace, ne’re set ope’ before,
And stood like a Triumphant Conqueror.
Trampling on Death and Hell: About him, round
(Like petty Viz-royes) Spirits (me thought) all-Crownde,
Shewd, as if none but Kings, had bin his Guard;
Whole Hierarchies of Saints were then preferd,
With Principalities, Powers, and Dominations,
Thrones, Angels, and Archangels, (all att’ once)
Filling the Presence: Then like heauen-borne Twinnes,
Flew fiery Cherubins, and Seraphins,
Whilst the old Patriarches, cloath’d all in white,
Were rap’d with Ioy, to see beames far more bright,
About the Prophets and th’ Apostles runne,
Than those whose Flames were kindled at the Sun.
Martyrs (me thought) with selfe-same lustre shinde,
As Gold, which seuen times was by fire refinde:
Virgins, whose Soules in life from Lust liu’d cleare,
Had Siluer robes, and on their heads did weare
Coronets of Diamonds. Were my Fingers flint,
My Pen, of pointed Adamant t’imprint
Characters in tough Iron, or hammered brasse,
Mine inke, a depthlesse Sea; All these (alas!)
Would be worne out, ere I one lyne should draw,
Of those Full Glories, which (I dreamd) I saw:
Nor could I write this (though it be but meane)
Did not some Angell guide my Fainting Pen.
Gods Heire Apparent (here once made away)
Triumph’d in this his Coronation day,
In which Heauen was his Kingdome, Mercy his Throne,
Iustice his Scepter, a Communion
Of Sanctified soules, the Courtly Peeres,
And his Star Chamber Lords: who now had yeeres
Which neuer turn’d them Gray, by Times rough wether,
Greatnesse was now, no more cald Fortunes fether,
Nor Honor held a fruitlesse golden Dreame,
Nor Riches, a bewitching swallowing streame,
Nor Learning laugh’d at as the Beggers Dower,
Nor beauties painted cheeke a Summers Flower.
No, no; life endlesse was, yet without loathing,
Honor and Greatnesse wore Immortall cloathing,
Riches were Subiect to no base Consuming,
Learning burnt bright, without Contentious fuming,
Beauty no painting bought, but still renew’d,
Each one had (heere) his full Beatitude.
O my weake eyes! how did your Balls (me thought)
Burne out their Ielly, when they had but caught
One little-little glimpse of those Diuine
And in-accessible Beames, which did out-shine
Hot-glowing coales of Fire? no mortall Sight
Can stand a Maiesty so infinite.
That Face whose Picture might haue ransom’d Kings,
Yet put vp Spettings, Baffulings, Bufferings.
Esa. 50. Ierem. 3. Math. 26. Marke. 14. Luk. 22.
That Head, which could a Crowne of Starres haue worne,
Yet spightfully was wrench’d with wreathes of Thorne,
Math. 27. Mark. 15. Iohn 19.
Those Hands, and Feete, where Purest stamps were set;
Yet Naild-vp like to Pieces Counterfet.
Psal. 77.
Those Lippes, which though they had Command o’re All,
Being thirsty, Vineger had to drinke, and Gall.
Luk. 23.
That Body, scourg’d and torne with many a wound,
That his deere Bloud (like Balme) might leaue vs Sound.
Luk. 23. Psal. 129. Zach. 13.
The Well of Life, which with a Speare being tride,
Two Streames (Mysterious) gush’d out from the Side.
Iohn 19.
Messias, great Iehouah, God on hie,
Yet Haild, King of the Iewes, in Mockery.
Math. 27. Mark. 15. Luk. 23.
The Manger-Cradled Babe, the Begger borne,
The poorest Worme on earth, the Heighth of Scorne.
Math. 2. Psal. 22.
That Lord, by his Owne Subiects Crucified,
Lo, at this Grand Assize comes Glorified,
With troopes of Angels, who his Officers are,
To call by sound of Trumpe his Foes to a Bar.
Thus stood be Arm’d; Iustice his Breast-plate was,
Iudgement his Helmet, stronger farre than Brasse:
On his Right Arme, Truths Shield he did aduance,
And turnde his Sharpned Wrath into a Lance:
Out of his Mouth, a Two-edg’d Sword did flie,
To Wound, Body and Soule, eternally;
Arm’d (Cap-a-pe) thus, who ‘gainst him durst fight?
There was no ground for Strength, nor yet for Flight.
At this (me thought) All Graues that euer held
Dead Coarses, yawn’d wide-open, and compell’d
The bones of Dead-men, vp with Flesh to rise;
Yea, those on whom the Seas did tyrannize,
And drown’d in wrackes, and which were peece-meale eaten,
With liuely bodies to the shoares were beaten:
Whom Sword, or Fire, Iibbets, or Wheeles had torne,
Had their owne limbes againe, and new were borne:
From the first Man God made, to’th last that died,
The Names of All, were here Examplified,
Emp’rours and Kings, Patriarches, and Tribes forgotten,
The Conquerors of the world (moldred and rotten)
Lords, beggers, Men and Women, young and old,
V
p (at a Bar set forth) their Hands did hold.
The Iudge being set, in open Court were layd
Huge Bookes: at sight of which, All were dismaid,
Would faine haue shrunck back, and fell downe with feare:
In sheetes of Brasse, all Stories written were
(Which those Great volumes held) Charactred deepe
With Pens of Steele, Eternall Files to keepe
Of euery Nation, since the Earth began,
And euery Deede, Word, thought, of euery Man:
Sins hatch’d in Caues, or such whose Bawd was Night,
The Minutes of the Act were here set right.
Great men, whose secret Damn’d sins vizards wore
so close, that none vpon their Browes could score
The least Black line (because none durst) had here
A Bill of Items in particular,
What their Soules owed for Sin, to Death and Hell;
Or, if it happened that they e’re did well,
In these True Iournals, it at large was found,
And with rich promise of Reward was Crown’d.
The Bookes were opened, &c. Apoc. 20.
Which done (me thought) the Sessions thus began,
Conscience the Cryer, cald forth euery Man,
To make appearance, and (though to my sight
The Numbers that were there were infinite)
In an Eies-twinkling yet they parted were,
The Good from Bad, the Spotted from the cleare;
The Wolues and Goates, to th’ left Hand howling went,
The Lambs, and Harmelesse Sheep, to th’ Right were sent.
After this Separation, vp did rise
Heauens-Lord-chiefe-Iustice, and this Sentence flies
Out of his Dreadfull Breast: O you (quoth he)
That haue my Lambs bin, and did follow me,
As your true Shepheard, and did know my Voyce,
As I in you, you shall in Mee reioyce:
And now is come the day: this is the Houre,
In which my Blessings on your Heads I poure:
Beloued of my Father, Come and Take
A Kingdome layd vp onely for your sake;
For me you haue bin Mock’d, Reuil’d, and Beate,
Mount therefore now into a Glorious Seate:
O blessed word! which none but he can speake,
O word of Loue Diuine! when (not with weake
But Armes Omnipotent-strong, spread ope’-wide-)
He cries, Come, Come? How is Man dignifide
(Being but a Vassaile groueling on the ground)
Next to his Kings owne Throne thus to sit Crown’d?
Come and possesse: O what shall you possesse?
A Kingdome, whose vast Boundes none can expresse:
Had all the Peebles in the world bin cut
Into Rich Diamonds, and both Indies put
Into Two Hils of Siluer, and fine Gold,
Nor all Kings hoorded Treasures downe being sold,
Can this Inheritance buy, which for your Good
Is purchast at a High Rate (Christs deere blood.)
Come, and Possesse, what Time can neuer Rot,
Theeues steale, Warres spoyle, or Cank’rous Enuy blot;
Come, and possesse, a State whose Title, Law,
Attorneys Wiles, no, nor the Scarlet Awe
Of corrupt Iudges euer can Intangle,
No Bawling Pleader at the Barre shall wrangle
To proue the Right of This, being Stronglier Grounded
Than Descents Lineall, by which Realmes are Bounded.
Sit at his Table, which doth Euer lie
Couered with banquets of Eternitie:
Saluations Cup stands fill’d for you to’th Brim,
Come Drinke, where Immortality doth swim.
Come and Possesse you blessed. Blest in This,
The deere Sonne giues you a Coelestiall Kisse
For welcome: Come you blessed, and possesse
Wealth, Honor, Glories, Pleasures numberlesse.
Forth-with (me thought) they All were Crownd with Gold,
Set thick with Starres, and in their hands did hold
Scepters of sparkling Diamonds, which out shinde
Sun-beames, or Siluer, seuen times being Re-finde.
The Ioy at this, was wondrous: All the Skies
Danc’d to the soundes of seuerall Harmonies,
Both Angels, and Arch-angels loudly sung,
All Heauen was but One Instrument well strung,
But They, who on the Left-hand were set by,
(As Out-casts) shooke and trembled fearefully,
Like falling Towers: their Sinnes and Soules were black,
And troopes of Hel-hounds waited at their Back:
They beat their breasts, they tore their flesh and haire,
And curs’d that houre in which they first drew aire.
And then with Grones (able to split in sunder
Their very Soules, like trees riuen through with Thunder)
They wrung their hands, sobd, shrik’d, & howl’d, & prai’d
That Rocks and Hils might on their backs be layd,
And they to dust be grinded, so that they
Might from the Iudges face but turne away:
And seeing themselues inforc’d to stand the Doome,
They gnash’d their teeth, and curs’d their mothers wombe.
They who on earth were reard (Colossus-high)
Spurn’d Kingdomes, trod on Thrones, and did de fie
Omnipotence it selfe, into base graues
Tombling prow’d Monarches, here tooke place with Slaues,
And like to broken Statues downe were throwne,
Trampled, and (but in scorne) not look’d vpon.
Their cries, nor yellings did the Iudge regard,
For all the doores of Mercy vp were bard,
Iustice and Wrath in wrinkles knit his forhead,
And thus he spake: You cursed and abhorred,
You brood of Sathan, sonnes of death and hell,
In fires that still shall burne, you still shall dwell:
In hoopes of Iron, then were they bound vp strong,
(Shrikes being the Burden of their dolefull Song.)
Scarce was the Sentence breath’d-out, but mine eies
Euen saw (me thought) a Caldron, whence did rise
A pitchy Steeme of Sulphure and thick Smoake,
Able whole coapes of Firmament to choake:
About This, Diuels stood round, still blowing the fire,
Some, tossing Soules, some whipping them with wire
A-crosse the face, as vp toth’ chins they stood,
In boyling brimstone, lead, and oyle, and bloud.
Millions were here tormented, and together
(All at this Sessions doom’d) were condemn’d hither.
My frighted Soule (me thought) with terrors shooke
To see such Horrid Obiects: bloud forsooke
The conduite-pipes of each Exterior part,
And ran to comfort and defend the Heart.
But the worlds Glorious Frame being rac’d in fire
And none aliue left, I had then desire
(•e thought) to see That black Infernall Court,
Whither (in thousands) Soules did so resort.
The way was quickly found: paths numberlesse
(Beaten with feete which thither fast did presse)
Lay trodden bare, but not One Path returning,
Was euer seene from this dark house of Mourning.
This Flaming Kingdome hath One Ferriman,
And he One Boate: he rowes through Acheron
Styx, and Cocytus, Riuers that in Hell
Spread all the Countrey ouer: Fogges still dwell
Stinking and thick, vpon them, and there growes
Vpon their bankes (in wild disordered rowes)
The Poplar (white and black) with blasted Ewgh,
The deadly Poppy, Cypresse, Gall, and Rew,
> (Emblems of Graues, Tombes, Funerals, and beeres)
And on the boughes no other Bird appeares,
But Schriches, Owles, and Rauens, and the shrill throates
Of Whistlers; death still listning to their Notes.
These Riuers of Hell, Poetically inuented, cary a Morall and Mysticall Interpretation: for Acheron (the first water) signifies Bitternesse: Styx, a detestation; and Cocytus, a Sorrow or Repentance, and are thus applyed. When Soules, by reason of their Sinnes, are to passe ouer the troublesome Riuers of Death, being tormented with remembrance of the losse of worldly Honors, Riches, &c. then they passe Acheron, it is a bitter draught: Styx is the next, for when they see no remedy, but they must passe ouer to their last shoare, they begin to haue a loathing of their Ante-acted life: and then comming to ferry ouer Cocytus, they mourne and howle: so that all the conflicts, combats, and earthly wrastlings about the time of a Mans departure, are figured vnder those Three Riuers.
I hollowed to the Ferriman (me thought)
And with a stretch’d voyce, cry’d a Boate, a boate.
Hee came at first call, and when neere he drew,
That of his Face and Forme, I had full view,
My bloud congeal’d to ice with a cold feare,
To see a Shape so horribly appeare:
His eyes flash’d fire, grizled and shagg’d his Haire,
(Snarl’d all in felt-lockes) Terror and Despaire
Lay in his wrinckled cheekes, his voyce was hoarse,
And grumbling, he look’d ghastlier than a Coarse.
This description of the Vgly Ferriman, is but an Argument how terrible the apparence of death is vnto vs, at our last voyage, which we take in departing from the world.
By those who there stood thronging on the Shoare,
I heard his name was Charon: A black Oare
And dirty, held he in his brawny hand.
And though ‘mongst those who stood vpon the Strond
He saw some Kings, some Beggers, None had roome
For Birth, or Bloud, but sate as they did come:
None gaue the Cushions here, for there was none,
But in heaps tumbling in, All were as One:
Some thither came, laden with bags of gold,
Some with braue cloath’s; then did he barke, and scold,
And snatch’d all from them, with looke sharpe and grim,
All Fares (he sayd) must Naked goe with him.
As Death hath no respect of persons, for the beggers dish & the kings standing cup of gold, are to him of one weight; so he spoyleth all men of all that they possesse, Princes of their Crownes, Lords of their Mannors, Iudges of their Scarlet, Gentlemen of their Reuenues, Citizens of Riches, Souldiers of Strength, Scholers of Learning, Women of Beauty, Age of Experience, Youth of Comelinesse. And as they enter into the Lists of the world, weake and vnfurnished; So must they go forth, Beaten, Vanquished, and Disarmed.
Complete Dramatic Works of Thomas Dekker Page 256