English

Book VIII

Joseph's Mistress languishes in Sorrow and Remorse for her Treachery; which she confesses in the Agonies of Death. Pharaoh's prophetic Dreams interpreted by Joseph. His Grandeur and Marriage with the Daughter of an Egyptian Priest.

But now Sabrina's guilty fire returns,
Her bosom with the raging passion burns:
She with a female tenderness relents,
And all her former cruelty repents.
By her accus'd, in chains the captive lies,
For whom she fondly languishes and dies.

Book VII

An Angel visits Joseph in Prison, and in a prophetic Vision shews him his own Advancement, and the future Fate of his Father's Posterity, their Bondage and miraculous Deliverance. The Keeper of the Ward convinc'd of Joseph's Innocence, treats him with great Esteem. The Dreams of his Fellow-Prisoners; and Joseph's Interpretation.

'Twas night, and now advanc'd the solemn hour;
The keeper of the prison, from his tow'r,
Astonish'd, sees a form divinely bright,
Smile thro' the shades, and dissipate the night;

Book VI

Joseph's Mistress at last discovers her criminal Passion to him, but is repuls'd. She complains to her Nurse, who vainly tries the Force of Spells. She is sent by her Mistress to Harpinus. His Cell describ'd. He consults the Planets, and flatters her with Success; till finding the Hebrew Youth inflexible to all her Charms, she falsly accuses him to his Master, by whom he is confined to a Prison.

Still with impatient love Sabrina pines,
And now to speak the fatal truth designs;
Sooth'd by her own indulgent hopes, which trace

Book V

The Story of Semiramis, expos'd, when an Infant, in the Fields; where she is found, (covered with a rich embroidered Mantle) by a Peasant, who carries her to Simma, the Chief of the King's Shepherds, by whom she is married to Menon, the principal Commander of the Asyrian Forces. Menon being called to the Siege of Bactria, she follows him in a martial Disguise. Menon discovers her Sex to the King, who marries her after the Death of Menon.

The maid begins. — — Where fam'd Coaspes laves
Rich Elam's borders with his sacred waves,

Book IV

A Description of Egypt, with the Pyramids. Joseph sold by the Midian Merchants to a Captain of the Royal Guards. He leads him to his Palace. Shews his Wife the handsome Captive. Her growing Passion for him. A young Assyrian Maid endeavouring to amuse and divert her Mistress, tells her the Story of Ninus and Semiramis.

Mean while thro' savage woods, and desarts vast,
The captive with his Midian masters past.
At last rich Egypt's pleasant coasts are seen,
The level meads drest with immortal green;

Book III

The infernal Powers endeavour to raise Factions in Jacob's Family. Joseph's Dreams. His Brothers Jealousy and Malice. He comes to Dothan. They confine him in a Pit while they consult his Ruin. An Angel in a Vision presages to him his future Greatness, and warns him of the Snares of Beauty and unlawful Love. His Brothers spare his Life, and sell him to the Midian Merchants travelling with their spicy Traffick into Egypt. Jacob, obstinate in Grief, refuses all Consolation.

Mean time the Pagan deities, displeas'd

Book II

Jacob's Daughter dishonour'd by Shechem, Prince of the Hivites. Her Brothers revenge the Injury. The Patriarch relates to his Sons Abraham's Conquest over the King of Elam and his Royal Confederates. He rescues Lot. Melchisedech meets and blesses Abraham. The intended Sacrifice of Isaac.

Young Shechem all the night impatient lay;
And sought with eager eyes the breaking day;
With ardent longings waits the promis'd hour,
And fancies all his wishes in his pow'r;
Aner, his friend, improves the fatal fire,

Book I

An Invocation of the Divine Spirit. A Description of the Temple of Moloch, in the Valley of Hinnon, where a Congress of infernal Powers are met to contrive some Method to extirpate the Hebrew Race.

Celestial Muse that on the blissful plain
Art oft invok'd, to guide th' immortal strain;
Inspir'd by thee, the first-born sons of light
Hail'd the creation in a tuneful flight:
Pleas'd with thy voice, the spheres began their round,
The morning stars danc'd to the charming sound;

Hit bitydde su m -tyme i n þe termes of Jude,
Jonas joyned watg þ er -i n ne Jentyle p ro phete ;
Goddes glam to hy m glod þat hy m vnglad made,
W i t h a roghlych rurd rowned i n his ere :
" Rys radly, " He says, " & rayke forth euen,
Nym þe way to Nynyue, wyth-outen oþ er speche,
& in þat cete my sages sogh e alle aboute,
þat, i n þat place at þe poy n t, I put i n þi hert.
For Iwysse, hit arn so wykke þat i n þat won dowelleg,
& her malys is so much, I may not abyde,
Bot venge me on her vilanye & venym bilyue ;

Patience is a [nobel] poynt, þag hit displese ofte.
When heuy herttes ben hurt wyth heþy n g oþ er elles,
Suffrau n ce may aswagen hem & þe swelme leþe;
For ho quelles vche a qued & quenches malyce.
For quo-so suffer cowþe syt, sele wolde folge ;
& quo for þro may nogt þole, þe þikker he sufferes ;
þe n is bett er to abyde þe bur vmbe-stou n des,
þen ay þrow forth my þro, þag me þynk ylle.
I herde on a halyday at a hyge masse,
How Mathew melede, þat his Mayst er his meyny con teche ;