THE PLAGUES OF EGYPT.
179
The starving sheep refuse to feed,
They bleat their innocent souls out into air;
The faithful dogs lie gasping by them there;
Th' astonish'd shepherd weeps, and breaks his tuneful reed.
They bleat their innocent souls out into air;
The faithful dogs lie gasping by them there;
Th' astonish'd shepherd weeps, and breaks his tuneful reed.
Thus did the beasts for man's rebellion die;
God did on man a gentler medicine try,
And a Disease, for Physick, did apply.
Warm ashes from the furnace Moses took;
The sorcerers did with wonder on him look,
And smil'd at th' unaccustom'd spell,
Which no Egyptian rituals tell:
He flings the pregnant ashes through the air,
And speaks a mighty prayer;
Both which the ministering winds around all Egypt bear.
As gentle western blasts with downy wings,
Hatching the tender springs,
To th' unborn buds with vital whispers say,
"Ye living buds, why do ye stay?"
The passionate buds break through the bark their way:
So, wheresoe'er this tainted wind but blew,
Swelling pains and ulcers grew;
It from the body call'd all sleeping poisons out,
And to them added new;
A noisome spring of sores, as thick as leaves, did sprout.
God did on man a gentler medicine try,
And a Disease, for Physick, did apply.
Warm ashes from the furnace Moses took;
The sorcerers did with wonder on him look,
And smil'd at th' unaccustom'd spell,
Which no Egyptian rituals tell:
He flings the pregnant ashes through the air,
And speaks a mighty prayer;
Both which the ministering winds around all Egypt bear.
As gentle western blasts with downy wings,
Hatching the tender springs,
To th' unborn buds with vital whispers say,
"Ye living buds, why do ye stay?"
The passionate buds break through the bark their way:
So, wheresoe'er this tainted wind but blew,
Swelling pains and ulcers grew;
It from the body call'd all sleeping poisons out,
And to them added new;
A noisome spring of sores, as thick as leaves, did sprout.
