| |
| NOW Pharaoh’s daughter Termuth young and faire, | |
| With such choyce maydens as she fauor’d most, | |
| Needes would abroad to take the gentle ayre, | |
| Whilst the rich yeere his braueries seem’d to boast. | |
| Softly she walkes downe to the sacred flood, | 5 |
| Through the calme shades most peaceable and quiet, | |
| In the cool streames to check the pampred blood, | |
| Stird with strong youth and their delicious diet. | |
| Such as the princesse, such the day addressed, | |
| As though prouided equally to paire her, | 10 |
| Either in other fortunately blessed, | |
| She by the day, the day by her made fairer; | |
| Both in the height and fulnesse of their pleasure, | |
| As to them both some future good diuining, | |
| Holding a steadie and accomplish’d measure; | 15 |
| This in her perfect clearnesse, that in shining | |
| The very ayre, to emulate her meekenesse, | |
| Stroue to be bright and peaceable as she, | |
| That it grew iealous of that sodaine sleekenesse, | |
| Fearing it ofter otherwise might be. | 20 |
| And if the fleet winde by some rigorous gale | |
| Seem’d to be mou’d, and patiently to chide her, | |
| It was as angry with her lawnie vaile, | |
| That from his sight it enuiously should hide her. | |
| And now approching to the flowrie meade, | 25 |
| Where the rich summer curiously had dight her, | |
| (See this most blessed, this vnusual hap,) | |
| Which seem’d in all her iollitie arayde, | |
| With nature’s cost and pleasures to delight her, | |
| She the small basket sooner should espie, | 30 |
| That the child wak’d, and missing of his pap, | |
| As for her succour, instantly did cry. | |
| Forth of the flagges she caus’d it to be taken, | |
| Calling her maids this orphanet to see: | |
| Much did she ioy an innocent forsaken | 35 |
| By her from peril priuiledgd might be. | |
| This sweet princesse, most pittifull and milde, | |
| Soone on her knee vnswathes it as her owne, | |
| Found for a man so beautifull a childe, | |
| Might for an Hebrew easily be knowne: | 40 |
| Noting the care in dressing it bestow’d, | |
| Each thing that fitted gentlenesse to weare, | |
| Iudg’d the sad parents this lost infant ow’d | |
| Were as invulgar as their fruit was faire. | |
| Saith she, “My minde not any way suggests | 45 |
| An vnchaste wombe these lineaments hath bred; | |
| For thy faire brow apparently contests | |
| The currant stamp of a cleane nuptial bed.” | |
| She named it Moyses, which in time might tell | |
| (For names doe many mysteries expound) | 50 |
| When it was young the chance that it befell, | |
| How by the water strangely it was found. | |
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