Shake, Earth, and at the presence be aghast
Of him that ever was, and aye shall last,
That glassy floods from rugged rocks can crush,
And make soft rills from fiery flint-stones gush.

PSALM CXXXVI.

LET us with a gladsome mind
Praise the Lord, for he is kind:
For his mercies aye endure,
Ever faithful, ever sure.
Let us blaze his name abroad,

For of Gods he is the God:

For his, &c.

O let us his praises tell,

15

5

Who doth the wrathful tyrants quell:

10

For his, &c.

Who with his miracles doth make

Amazed heaven and earth to shake:

For his, &c.

Who by his wisdom did create

The painted heavens so full of state:

For his, &c.

Who did the solid earth ordain

To rise above the watery plain:

For his, &c.

17 crush] The rhymes from Sylvester's Du Bartas, p. 30 'And so one humour doth another crush,

22

Till to the ground their liquid pearls do gush. Dunster watery plain] P. L. i. 396.

'Rabba, and her watery plain! Todd.

15

20

Who by his all-commanding might

Did fill the new-made world with light:

For his, &c.

And caus'd the golden-tressed sun

All the day long his course to run:
For his, &c.

The horned moon to shine by night,
Amongst her spangled sisters bright:

For his, &c.

He with his thunder-clasping hand
Smote the first-born of Egypt land:
For his, &c.

And in despite of Pharaoh fell,

He brought from thence his Israel:

For his, &c.

The ruddy waves he cleft in twain,
Of the Erythræan main:

For his, &c.

29 golden-tressed] Buchanan's trans. of this psalm.

'Qui solem auricomum jussit dare jura diei.' Todd.
The golden-tressed sun.' Benlowes's Theophila, p. 42.

34 spangled] See notes on P. L. vii. 384, 581.

25

30

35

40

45

36 thunder] Whose thunder-clasping hand.' Benlowes's Theophila, p. 88.

41 fell] Mr. Dunster refers to Sylvester's Du Bartas, for these rhymes, pp. 357, 377, 438, 478. At p. 361 'Pharaoh' is called 'fell.' 45 cleft] Sylvester's Du Bartas, p. 48.

'His dreadful voice to save his antient sheep, Did cleave the bottom of th' Erythréan deep.' And p. 967. The Erythrean ruddy billows roar.' Dunster.

The floods stood still like walls of glass,
While the Hebrew bands did pass :

For his, &c.

But full soon they did devour

The tawny king with all his power:

For his, &c.

His chosen people he did bless

In the wasteful wilderness:

For his, &c.

In bloody battle he brought down
Kings of prowess and renown:

For his, &c.

He foil'd bold Seon and his host,
That rul'd the Amorrean coast:

For his, &c.

And large-limb'd Og he did subdue,
With all his over-hardy crew:

For his, &c.

And to his servant Israel

He gave their land therein to dwell:
For his, &c.

49 walls] Benlowes's Theophila, p. 229.

'Think how waves like walls of glass,
Stood fix'd while Hebrew troops did pass.'

54 tawny] Fairfax's Tasso, ed. 1600, p. 47.

'All hot Affrick's tawny kings.' Todd.

66 Amorrean] Buchanan's trans. of this psalm

'Stravit Amorrhæum valida virtute Seonem.'

Todd.

69 Og] 'And huge-limb'd Og, who Bashan's crown enjoy'd.' Sir P.

Sidney's Psalms, p. 260.

He hath with a piteous eye
Beheld us in our misery:
For his, &c.

And freed us from the slavery

Of the invading enemy:

For his, &c.

All living creatures he doth feed,

And with full hand supplies their need:

For his, &c.

Let us therefore warble forth

His mighty majesty and worth:
For his, &c.

That his mansion hath on high
Above the reach of mortal eye:
For his mercies aye endure,
Ever faithful, ever sure.

89 warble forth] In the first page of Sylvester's Du Bartas, 'Grant I sweetly warble forth.' Dunster.

JOANNIS MILTONI LONDINENSIS

POEMATA.

Quorum pleraque intra annum ætatis vigesimum conscripsit.

Нас

Hæc quæ sequuntur de Authore testimonia, tametsi ipse intelligebat non tam de se quam supra se esse dicta, eo quod præclaro ingenio viri, nec non amici ita fere solent laudare, ut omnia suis potius virtutibus, quam veritati, congruentia nimis cupide affingant, noluit tamen horum egregiam in se voluntatem non esse notam; cum alii præsertim ut id faceret magnopere suaderent. Dum enim nimiæ laudis invidiam totis ab se viribus amolitur, sibique quod plus æquo est non attributum esse mavult, judicium interim hominum cordatorum atque illustrium quin summo sibi honori ducat, negare non potest.

Joannes Baptista Mansus, Marchio Villensis, Neapolitanus, ad Joannem Miltonium Anglum.

Ur mens, forma, decor, facies, mos, si pietas sic,
Non Anglus, verum hercle Angelus ipse fores.