ISAAC

WHere art thou my boy Mido, when I do Thee lack? To myfe Rebecca. Saving that what so ever God does is all right, No small grief it were for a man to lack his sighed. But what the Lord does send or work by his high will, All bodily punishment or infirmity, With all man's of nature, what ever they be, Yea and all other aff ictions temporal: As lose, persecution, or troubles mortal, Are nothing but a trial or probation. And what is he that firmly trusteth in the Lord, Or steadfastly believeth his promise and word, And knoweth him to be the God omnipotent, That feedeth and governeth all that he hath sent: Protecting his faithful in every degree, And them to relieve in all their necessity? What creature (I say) that does this understand, Will not take all thing in good part at Gods hand? Shall we at Gods hand receive prosperity, And not be content likewise with adversity? We ought to be thankful what ever God does send, And our selves wholly to his will to commend. Why then should not I thank the Lord, if it please him That I shall now be blind, and my sighed wax all dim. For who so to old age will here live and endure, Must of force abide all such defaults of nature. If the Lord have pointed Thee such old days to see, He will also provide that shall be meet for Thee. Now wife, touching the purpose that I sought for you. You have oft in covert words been right earnest To have me grant unto you a boune and request: But you never told me yet plainly what it was, Therefore I have ever yet let the matter pass. And now of late by oft being from me absent, I have half suspected you to be scarce content. But wife Rebecca, I would not have you to mourn, As though I did your honest petition wourne. For I never meant to deny in all my life Any lawful or honest request to my wife. But in case it be a thing unreasonable, Then must I needs be to you untractable. Now therefore say on, and tell me what is your case. To speak do not refrain, And if it be reasonable you shall obtain: Otherwise, you must pardon me gentle sweet wife. O wife, I perceive you speak of affection, To Jacob you bear love, and to his brother none. Well wife, I love Esau, and must for causes twain. First active he is, as any young man can be: And many a good morsel he brings home to me. Then he is mine eldest and first begotten son. And the eldest son is called the father's might. A prerogative he hath in every thing. Of all the goods his portion is greater. Among his brethren, he hath the preeminence. Over his brethren he is sovereign and lord. He is the head of the father's succession. And he hath the chief title of inheritance. To the eldest son is endue the father's blessing. And the chief endowement of the father's substance. By title of Eldership he hath his birthright. He must have double portion to and other. In all manner of things divided by a rate. Why say you so of Esau mine eldest son? Is he not your son too, as well as he is mine? Wherefore do you then against him thus soar repine? I doubt not his promise made to me and my seed, Leaving to his conveyance how it shall proceed. The Lord after his way change thinheritance, But I may not weetingly break our ordinance. I may not do it wife, I pray you be content. The title of birthright that comes by descent, Or the place of eld ship coming by endue course I may not change nor shift, for better nor for worser. Nature's law it is, the eldest son to knowledge, And in no wise to bar Them of his heritage, And you shall of Esau one day have comfort. I warrant you, he will do well enough at length. Well, now go we hence, little Mido where art thou? Yea, women's answers are but few times to seek. No dost thou Mido, and tell me the cause why? Well, come on, let us go. On lead me forth Mido, to the bench on this hand, That I may sit me down, for I can not long stand. I marvel where Esau my son does become, That he does now of days visit me so seldom. But it is oft seen whom father's do best favour, Of them they have lest love again for their labour. I think since I saw him it is a whole week. In faith little Mido I would thou wouldst him seek. Me thinketh I have Esau his voice perceived. Yet and if I call Thee, see thou be not slack. Son Esau. Is none here but we? Son Esau, thou knowest that I do Thee love. And now thou seest my days draw towards and end. I must go the way of all mortal flesh. Therefore while my memory and wit is yet Fresh, I would Thee endow mine heritage to succeed: And bliss Thee, (as I ought) to multiply my seed. The God of my father Abraham, and of me, Hath promised, that our seed as the sand shall be. He is a God of truth, and in his words joust. Therefore in my working shall be no fault I trust. Now therefore son Esau, get Thee forth to hunt, With thy bow and quiver, as erst thou hast be wont, Bring me of thy venison that is good. When thou comest home, to dress it, it shall behoove: And to make for mine own tooth such meat as I love. Thus do mine own dear son, and then I shall Thee kiss With the koosse of peace, and Thee for ever bliss. Then help led me home, in my tent that I were set. And then go when thou wilt. COme Mido, for without Thee I can nothing do. Nothing but to sit abroad, and take open air. Praised be the God of my father Abraham. Who sends all thing needful for the use of man, And most tenderly provideth he for me Isaac, Better than I can feel or perceive what I lack. Here I am my sweet son, and who art thou tell me? But how hast thou sped so soon? let me understand. And art thou Esau mine elder son in deed? Come never that I may feel whither thou be he or not, For Esau is rough of hear as any goat. Let me feel thy hand, right Esau by the hear, And yet the voice of Jacob sowneth in mine ear. God bless Thee my son, and so will I do anon, As soon as I have tasted of thy venison. Come on, lead me in, I will eat a pittance. A little thing God wot to me is suffisance, SEt me down on the bench where thou didst me first find: Now forsooth I have eat meat even to my mind. It hath refreshed my soul wonderfully well. Nor never drank I better wine that I can tell. Go in peace my dear son, leaving me here alone: And send little Mido to lead me in anon. Exeat Jacob. Lord God when thou shalt see time as thou thinkest best, Dissolve this Feeble carkesse, and take me to thy rest. If that be a true tale, some body is come slack, But lord that I have done, I will not now call back. But yet I will go see if I be deceived: For in deed me thought Jacob's voice I perceived. MIdo, come Mido, where art thou little Mido? Come lead me to mine old place, that I may fit down Oh Lord my God, how deep and vnsercheable Are all thy judgements, and how immutable? Of thy justice, whom it pleases Thee, thou dost reject, Of thy mercy, whom pleases Thee, thou dost elect. In my two sons Oh Lord, thou hast wrought thy will, And as thy pleasure hath wrought, so shall it stand still. Sense thou hast set Jacob in Esau his place: I commit him to the governance of thy grace. Who art thou my son? & what thing wouldst thou have? Ah Esau, Esau, thou comest to late, And other to thy blessing was predestinate, And clean gone it is from Thee Esau. The blessing that thou shouldst have had, and other hath Thy brother Jacob came to me by subtiltée, And brought me venison, and so prevented Thee. I eat with him ere thou camest, and with my good will, Blessed him I have, and blessed he shall be still. That is done and passed, can not be called again. Mine act must now stand in force of necessity. Behold, I have made thy brother Jacob thy Lord. All his mother's children his servants have I made. I have also established him with wine and corn. What am I able to do for Thee my son? Well, nature pricks me some remorse on Thee to have. Behold, thy dwelling place the earth's fatness shall have. And the Due of heaven which down from above shall fallen: And with dinte of sword thy living get thou shall. And to thy brother Jacob thou shalt be servant. Thine own fault it is that thou art dispossessed. Things done can not be undone, therefore be content, Let me be in quiet, and trouble me no more. Come Mido, in gods name lead me in at the door. WHere be you good wife? For I have a word or two unto you to say. Whatsoever it be, tell it me I you pray. Wife you speak this well, and I will provide therefore, Call Jacob quickly, that he appear me before. Oh Lord save thou my son from miscarrying. Now will I depart hence into the tent again. Forsooth I love him the better a great deal. And if he be here, I would commend his doing. All pressed here father to tarry on your coming. Son Esau, thou haste thy self well acquitted. I see none, but praise we the Lord the hest we can. Call forth all our household that with one accord, We may all with one voice sing unto the Lord. Ragau calls all to sing. Oh Lord the God of our father Abraham, How deep and unsearchable are thy judgements Thy almightifull hand did create and frame, Both heaven and earth and all the elements. Man of the earth thou haste formed and create, Some do thee worship, and some stray awry, Whom pleases thee, thou dost choose or reprobate, And no flesh can ask thee wherefore or why? Of thine own will thou didst Abraham elect, Promising him seed as stars of the sky, And them as thy chosen people to protect, That they might thy mercies praise and magnify. Perform thou Oh Lord, thine eternal decree, To me and my seed the sons of Abraham, And whom thou haste chosen thine own people to be, Guide and defend to the glory of thy name. FINIS. When Adam for breaking Gods commandment The Poet en treth. Had sentence of death, and all his posterity: Yet the lord our God who is omnipotent, Had in his own self by his eternal decree, Appointed to restore man, and to make him free, He purposed to save mankind by his mercy, Whom he once had created unto his glory. Yet not all flesh did he then predestinate, But only the adopted children of promise: For he forknewe that many would degenerate, And wilfully give cause to be put from that bliss: So on Gods behalf no manner default there is, But where he chooses, he shows his great mercy: And where he refuseth, he does none injury, But thus far surmounteth men intellection, To attain or conceive, and much more to discuss: All must be referred to Gods election, And to his secret judgement, it is meet for us, With Paul the Apostle to confess and say thus: O the deepness of the riches of Gods wisdom, How unsearchable are his ways to men reason? Our part therefore is first to believe Gods word, Not doubting but that he will his elected save: Then to put full trust in the goodness of the Lord, That we be of the number which shall mercy have: Thirdly so to live as we may his promise crave. Thus if we do, we shall Abrahams children be: And come with Jacob to endless felicity. Now unto God let us pray for all the whole clergy, To give them grace to avaunt gods honour and glory. Son Jacob, make Thee ready as fast thou can, And in all hast possible get Thee unto Laban. He is thine own uncle, and a right godly man, Marry of his daughters, and not of Canan. In Mesopotamia shalt thou lead thy life. The lord prosper Thee there, without debate or strife. And the God of Abraham prosper Thee in peace, He multiply thy seed, and make it to increase, Now kiss me deer son Jacob, and so go thy way. Come lead me forth of doors a little I Thee pray. Nay boy, it was not Jacob, I dare well say so. Now go thou in Mido, let us two here alone. Son Esau, why hast thou be from me so long? Where be you wife Rebecca? where be you woman? Where be you wife Rebecca, let me understand?