_Angel._ Amaze not, man of God, if in the spirit Thou'rt brought from Jewry unto Nineveh; So was Elias wrapt within a storm, And set upon Mount Carmel by the Lord: For thou hast preach'd long to the stubborn Jews, Whose flinty hearts have felt no sweet remorse, But lightly valuing all the threats of God, Have still perséver'd in their wickedness. Lo, I have brought thee unto Nineveh, The rich and royal city of the world, Pamper'd in wealth, and overgrown with pride, As Sodom and Gomorrah full of sin. The Lord looks down, and cannot see one good, Not one that covets to obey His will; But wicked all, from cradle to the crutch. Note, then, Oseas, all their grievous sins, And see the wrath of God that pays revenge; And when the ripeness of their sin is full, And thou hast written all their wicked thoughts, I'll carry thee to Jewry back again, And seat thee in the great Jerusalem; There shalt thou publish in her open streets That God sends down His hateful wrath for sin On such as never heard His prophets speak: Much more will He inflict a world of plagues On such as hear the sweetness of His voice, And yet obey not what His prophets speak. Sit thee, Oseas, pondering in the spirit The mightiness of these fond people's[63] sins. _Oseas._ The will of the Lord be done! [_Exit_ Angel. _Enter_ ADAM[64] _and his crew of_ Ruffians, _to go to drink._ _Ruffian._ Come on, smith, thou shalt be one of the crew, because thou knowest where the best ale in the town is. _Adam._ Come on, in faith, my colts; I have left my master striking of a heat, and stole away because I would keep you company. _First Ruf._ Why, what, shall we have this paltry smith with us? _Adam._ "Paltry smith"! why, you incarnative knave, what are you that you speak petty treason against the smith's trade? _First Ruf._ Why, slave, I am a gentleman of Nineveh. _Adam._ A gentleman! good sir, I remember you well, and all your progenitors: your father bare office in our town; an honest man he was, and in great discredit in the parish, for they bestowed two squires' livings on him, the one was on working-days, and then he kept the town stage, and on holidays they made him the sexton's man, for he whipped dogs out of the church. Alas, sir, your father,--why, sir, methinks I see the gentleman still: a proper youth he was, faith, aged some forty and ten; his beard rat's colour, half black, half white; his nose was in the highest degree of noses, it was nose _autem glorificam_,[65] so set with rubies that after his death it should have been nailed up in Copper-smiths-hall for a monument. Well, sir, I was beholding to your good father, for he was the first man that ever instructed me in the mystery of a pot of ale. _Second Ruf._ Well said, smith; that crossed him over the thumbs.