Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, S. MATTHIAS, by JOSEPH BEAUMONT



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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

S. MATTHIAS, by                    
First Line: There must be twelve; ye other sunn
Last Line: Judge the proud tribes then trembling at thy feet.
Subject(s): Brothers; Jesus Christ - Legends; Saints; Half-brothers


THERE must be Twelve; ye other Sunn
Thorough no fewer Signes doth runn;
Then why should He, whose Zodiak is
As heavnly full, & faire as His;
And whose sweet beams doe further flie
Then Phebus ever could descrie,
Darting out Light
On those, whom Night
And Shades of Death till now had buried quite

Judas, that ominous Signe, is now
Falln from his Orbe, & finds below
A fitter Region, his owne Home,
Where Traytors all have fitting room,
But still below his Throne, who there
Reignes King of Treason. In his Sphear
A Vacancie
Long may not be,
Plenty of stars are ready heere, you see.

But two of Noblest Magnitude
The great Election soon conclude;
Joseph ye Just is one, the other
Is good Matthias, Joseph's brother
In every beam of Virtue, so,
That which was fairer of ye two
Is far above
Mans Art to prove
Heavn onely knows which way ye scale will move.

Wherfore to Heavn they doe referre
To judge which was ye worthier.
The Lots are cast; And Heavn, whose Eye
Into all Hearts & Reigns doth prie,
Did guide ye doubtfull prize to goe
On brave Matthias side, & show
How he had more
Of Virtues store
Then He, who in his Sirname JUSTICE wore.

Illustrious Saint, We bid Thee joy
Of thy Preferment: Now thy way
Lies fair & plaine unto a Throne
Of endlesse triumph, built upon
Glories immortall Pillars, where
Thou one day shall inthron'd appeare,
And from that great
And potent Seat
Judge the proud Tribes then trembling at thy feet.





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