Book I, 59: On Esau

What hast thou done? Nay what shal Esau do?
Lost both his Birthright, and his Blessing too!
What hath poore Esau left, but empty teares,
And Plaints, that cannot reach the old mans eares?
What with thy Fathers Diet, and thine owne,
Thy Birthright's aliend, and thy Blessing's gone:
How does one mischiefe overtake an other:
In both, how overtaken by a Brother?
Could thy imperious stomack but have stay'd,
And if thy Fathers had not bin delay'd,
Thou had'st not need have wept and pleaded so,
But kept thy Birthright, and thy Blessing too:
Had thy unprosp'rous, thy unlucky hand
Dispatch'd thy Venz'on, as it did thy Land,
Thy sorrowes had not made so great a Heape,
That had not bin so deare; nor this, so cheape:
Had thine given place but to thy Fathers will,
Thad'st had thy Birthright; and thy Blessing still.