English

The men amazed at this vncouth sight,
One to another cast a steadfast eye,
Their hard remorcelesse hearts full fraught with spight
Were herewithall appalled sodenly,
And though their extreame hunger was full great,
Like sencelesse men they sat and would not eate.

O why (quoth she) doe you refraine this food,
I brought it forth vnto you for good will,
Then scorne it not (deere friends) for it is good:
And I euen now did thereof eate my fill:

The smell of the meate is felt round about: the sediti ous Captaine thereupon came to the Lady, and threatens to kill her for meate. Whereupon the Lady, sets part before them .

The sent thereof was straight smelt round about,
The neighbours then out of their houses ran,
Saying, we smell roast-meat out of all doubt,
Which was great wonder vnto euery man:
And euery one like to a longing wife,
In that good cheer did wish his sharpest knife.

This newes so swift in each mans mouth did flie,

The Lady with unger is constrayned to kill her best beloued and onely Sonne, and eate him: whose body she Roasted .

When this was said, her feeble child she tooke,
And with a sword which she had lying by,
She thrust him through turning away her looke,
That her wet eyes might not behold him die:
And when sweete life was from his body fled,
A thousand times she kist him being dead.

His milke white body staind with purple blood,
She clensd and washt with siluer dropping teares,

How the noble Lady and her young Sonne went out the dung of beasts to eate, being ready to dye with hunger, and could finde none: shewing what moane they made comming home without ,

Bvt now of Miriams sorrow will I speake,
Whom the seditious Souldiers so distrest,
Her noble heart with griefe was like to breake,
With gnawing hunger was she sore opprest,
No kind of foode had she, then to reliue her,
Nor for her child: which most of all did grieue her.

Alas (quoth shee) that euer I was borne,

The seditious Captaines Schimion & Iehocanan search all the houses in the Citt for Victuals, they take from a noble Lady all her prouision, leauing her and her Sonne comfortlesse, shewing the great moane she made .

The curst seditious Captaines and their crue,
When they perceiu'd the famine grow so great,
In all mens houses would they search, and view,
In euery corner both for bread and meat:
If any did their bould request denie.

On murdering swords they were right sure to dye.

The tydings brought of the enimies approach, and the feare of the citizens : their provision of victuals for twenty yeares burnt in one night, by one of their owne captaines, of meere malice, which caused a sodaine dearth to follow : their sedition and diuision betweene themselues while the cittie was besieged .

Bvt whilst that they their sugred. Iunkets tasted,
Vnto the Citty came a tyred post,
Full weake and wearie, and with trauell wasted,
Who brought them word their foes were on their coast :

The signes and tokens shewed be fore the destruction, alluring he Iewes to repen tance, and their regard thereof, interpreting all things to be for the best, flattering themselues in their sinnes .

Yet marke the mercy of our gracious God,
Before the grieuous scourge to them was sent,
That they might shun his heauie smarting rod,
And hartely their filthy faultes repent :
Strange signes and wonders did he shew them still,
Fore-runners of their ruine, woe, and ill.

A description of Ierusalem and the Riches thereof .

Like to a Mourner clad in dolefull black,
That sadly sits to heare a heauie tale :
So must my pen proceed to shew the wrack,
That did with terror Syon hill assaile.
What time Ierusalem that Cittie faire,
Was sieg'd and sackt by great Vespatians heire.

A noble Iew Iosephus writes the storie.
Of all the stories euer yet recited,
Neuer could any make the mind more sorie,
Than that which he so dolefully indighted :
Which sets in sight how for abhomination.

A description of the horrible Famine within the Cittie of Ierusalem.

For true report rung in his royall eares,
That bitter Famine did afflict them sore,
Which was the cause of many bitter teares,
And he to make their miserie the more,
Depriu'd them quit of all their water cleere,
Which in their want they did esteeme so deere.

Alack, what pen is able to expresse ?
The extreame miserie of this people then ?
Which were with Famine brought to great distresse,

Christs Prophesie of the destruction of this Cittie and how it came to passe accordingly within Forty yeares after, shewing the cause that mooued the Emperour to come against it .

Ovr Sauiour Christ tracing the bordring hilles,
When he on this faire Cittie cast his eye
The teares along his rosiall cheekes distilles :
Mourning for their destruction drawing nie.
O Ierusalem Ierusalem (quoth hee)
My heart bewailes thy great calamitie.

The time shall come and neere it is at hand,