FROM HORACE.

ALL barbarous people and their princes too,
All purple tyrants honour you,

The very wandering Scythians do.
Support the pillar of the Roman state,
Lest all men be involved in one man's fate,
Continue us in wealth and state,
Let wars and tumults ever cease.

FROM HORACE.

THE power that did create can change the scene
Of things, make mean of great, and great of mean:
The brightest glory can eclipse with might,
And place the most obscure in dazzling light.

FROM EURIPIDES.

THIS is true liberty, when freeborn men
Having to advise the public may speak free;
Which he who can, and will, deserves high praise:
Who neither can nor will, may hold his peace,
What can be juster in a state than this?

FROM HORACE.

LAUGHING, to teach the truth,

What hinders? As some teachers give to boys
Junkets and knacks, that they may learn apace.

FROM HORACE.

JOKING decides great things. Stronger and better oft than earnest can.

FROM SOPHOCLES.

"TIS you that say it, not I. You do the deeds, And your ungodly deeds find me the words.

FROM HOMER.

GLAUCUS, in Lycia we're adored as gods,
What makes 'twixt us and others so great odds?

Psalms.'

PSALM 1. DONE INTO VERSE, 1653.

BLESS'D is the man who hath not walk'd astray
In counsel of the wicked, and i' th' way

Of sinners hath not stood, and in the seat
Of scorners hath not sat. But in the great
Jehovah's law is ever his delight,

And in his law he studies day and night.
He shall be as a tree which planted grows
By watery streams, and in his season knows
To yield his fruit, and his leaf shall not fall,
And what he takes in hand shall prosper all.
Not so the wicked, but as chaff which fann'd
The wind drives, so the wicked shall not stand
In judgment, or abide their trial then,
Nor sinners in th' assembly of just men.
For the Lord knows th' upright way of the just,
And the way of bad men to ruin must.

PSALM II. DONE AUG. 8, 1653. TERZETTE.

WHY do the Gentiles tumult, and the nations
Muse a vain thing, the kings of th' earth upstand
With pow'r, and princes in their congregations
Lay deep their plots together through each land

1 Milton's father composed Psalm tunes; and metrical Psalmody was very popular in Milton's time.

Against the Lord and his Messiah dear?

Let us break off, say they, by strength of hand Their bonds, and cast from us, no more to wear,

Their twisted cords: He who in heav'n doth dwell Shall laugh; the Lord shall scoff them, then severe Speak to them in his wrath, and in his fell

And fierce ire trouble them; but I, said He, Anointed have my King (though ye rebel) On Sion my holy hill. A firm decree

I will declare; the Lord to me hath said Thou art my Son, I have begotten thee This day; ask of me, and the grant is made; As thy possession I on thee bestow

The Heathen, and as thy conquest to be sway'd Earth's utmost bounds: then shalt thou bring full low With iron sceptre bruised, and them disperse

Like to a potter's vessel shiver'd so.

And now be wise at length, ye Kings averse,
Be taught, ye Judges of the earth; with fear
Jehovah serve, and let your joy converse
With trembling; kiss the Son lest he appear
In anger, and ye pérish in the way,

If once his wrath take fire like fuel sere.
Happy all those who have in them their stay.

Many are they

That of my life distrustfully thus say
No help for him in God there lies.

But thou, Lord, art my shield, my glory,
Thee through my story

Th' exalter of my head I count:
Aloud I cried

Unto Jehovah, He full soon replied
And heard me from His holy mount.
I lay and slept, I waked again.
For my sustain

Was the Lord. Of many millions

The populous rout

I fear not, though encamping round about
They pitch against me their pavilions.
Rise, Lord, save me, my God, for thou
Hast smote ere now

On the cheek-bone all my foes,

Of men abhorr'd

Hast broke the teeth. This held was from the Lord; Thy blessing on thy people flows.

PSALM IV. Aug. 10, 1653.

ANSWER me when I call,
God of my righteousness,
In straits and in distress
Thou didst me disenthrall

And set at large; now spare,

Now pity me, and hear my earnest pray'r.

Great ones, how long will ye

My glory have in scorn,

How long be thus forborn

Still to love vanity,

To love, to seek, to prize

Things false and vain, and nothing else but lies?

Yet know the Lord hath chose,

Chose to Himself apart,

The good and meek of heart;

i The verb used as a substantive. "So 'disturb,' in P. L, VI. 549."-TODD.