Scriptural poems being several portions of Scripture digested into English verse /

CHAP. XXXIX.

AND now these Merchants Sons of Ishmael, Again did poor afflicted Joseph sell, To an Egyptian, named Potiphar, The Captain of King Pharaoh's Men of War And God was with him, and did greatly bless, And crown his Undertaking with Success: ⟨p. 52⟩Whereof his Master being well aware, Committed all he had to Joseph's care; And made him Overseer of his House, And from the time his Master used him thus, The Lord was pleased to give him to partake, Of many Blessings even for Joseph's sake: So that with Plenty he was hedged about, And prospered within Door and without: Such was his Master's Love, and he so Just, That all things were committed to his Trust. Now Joseph was grown up to manly Stature, Of goodly Presence, and most comely Feature. Wherefore his Mistress with a lustful Eye, Beheld his Beauty, and resolved to try, If to unchaste Embraces she could gain The Youth, but her Endeavours proved in vain: For he refused, and said, My Master knows In all the House of nothing that he owes, For his Concerns are all at my dispose: There's not a thing that he hath kept from me, But all is in my hand save only thee; Then how can I commit so foul a Fact, And the Displeasure of my God contract? Yet still she sued, and still did he deny her, Refusing to be with her, or lie by her. Now on a time when all the Men were gone Out of the House and she was left alone: And Joseph at that Instant coming in, About some Business he'd to do within; She took Advantage of their being together, And held his Clothes to force him to lie with her ⟨p. 53⟩But Joseph strove, and from her hands got loose, And left his Coat, and fled out of the House. And when she saw that he had made's Escape, She called her Servants, and proclaimed a Rape: Come see now how this Hebrew Slave, said she, Your Master's Favourite, hath affronted me; He came to violate my Chastity, And when he heard that I began to cry, And call for help, afraid least you should find him, He's fled, and left his Garment here behind him. And now to give her words the greater credit, Until her Husband's coming home, she hid it, To whom she spake, and said, Why hast thou brought This Hebrew here, to set me thus at nought? The Slave attempted to defile my bed, And when I cried, he left his Coat and fled, See here it is.