humanitie Chosen among a thousand His heares his truthes are lyke the Palmetree bowe Crow blacke to suche as wyll them not allow My Loue ye shal vnderstand Js whyte in diuinitie Red in humanitie Chosen among a thousand HIs iyes are as the culuers vpon the water brookes whiche are wasshed with mylcke and rest vnto theyr fulnes His Chekes are lyke beddes of spices growyng for the Apotecaries Hys lyppes are lilies that drop percing Myrre His handes are golden ringes full of Iacinctes His belly is of yuory deckt ouer with Saphirs His legges are Marble pillers set vpon golden bases His shape is as Libanus he is chosen as the Cedre tree His throte is moste swete ¶ The Argument WHan the Churche hath shewed the eleccion of Christe for he is the chyef and onely elect sonne of his father and his two natures diuinitie and humanitie she procedeth on in the descripcion of the rest of his partes syngyng ¶ The Churche to the Younglinges xliii MY Spousis iyes his iudgementes wunderful Are lyke the Doues vpon the water brooke Whiche washt with mylke of truth rest where they wull Replete with sprite and power echewhere to looke His Chekes his wurdes wherby we doe hym know Are lyke earthbeds of spices fine and pure Good bokes in whiche his truth doeth dayly grow For preachers suche as put the same in vre His lyppes suche men by whome he speakes his wyll Are lillies whyte where puritie is had From whome the myrrhe of scripture doeth distil Preseruyng good but bytter to the bad His handes his power by whiche all thynges are wrought Knowen by the wurkes are very rynges of gold With Hiacincthes set as full as can be thought His goodly wurkes whiche dayly we beholde His belly or harte whiche are affectes and wyl Are constant firme lyke to the Eliphantes tooth Beset with saphirs clernes shynyng styl In all his wurkes both doen and that he doeth His Legges whiche are his strength his force his garde His enmies doune his faythful vp to holde Are pyllers strong of marble stone most harde That buylded be on bases made of golde His shape in whiche he sheweth hymself to vs Jn whiche through fayth all faythful doe hym see Js most of price lyke to mount Libanus Wheron doeth grow the hye swete Cedre tree His throte the fayth whiche we receyue of hym Wherby we take his peace and righteousnes Is swete swete swete my Loue in euery lym So perfect is as no toung can expresse SUche one is my Beloued as is whollye to be desyred And he is my frende O ye daughters of Ierusalem ¶ The argument WHan the Churche hath particulerly descrybed Christe as well as she coulde at last astonished with beholdyng the depth of his wunderful mercies and hyndered through infirmitie to vtter suche thinges as she gladly would she breketh out into wunderyng and desyrous to styr vp al other to desyer hym concluded muche in few wurdes syngyng The Spouse to the Younglynges xliiii YE faythfull would ye know At full what one he is My wit and learnyng is to low To shew that shape of his Yet thus saye J of hym Because ye me requyrde His excellence in euery lym Ought wholly be desyerde My Loue is suche a gem My Frende also is he Ye daughters of Jerusalem Suche is my Loue to me ¶ The sixth Chapter WHither is thy loue goen then o thou fayrest among weomen whither is thy loue departed we wyll seke hym with thee My Loue is goen downe into his gardeyne vnto the sweete smellyng beddes that he maye refresh himself in the gardeyn and gather roses My loue is myne and I am his which fedeth among the roses Thou art beautifull o my loue as is the place of Thirza thou art fayer as Ierusalem fearful as an armie of men with theyr banners Turne away thyne iyes from me for they haue set me on fyer Thy hearry lockes are lyke a flock of goates shorne vpon the mount of Gilead Thy teeth are lyke a flocke of shorne shepe whiche goe out of the washyng place where euerye one beareth twynnes and not one vnfrutefull among them Thy chekes are lyke a piece of Pomegranate within thy volupers There are .lx. Quenes lxxx Concubines and Damselles without numbre One is my doue one is my darlyng She is the onely beloued of her mother and dere vnto her that bare her When the daughters saw her they sayed she was blessed Yea the Quenes and wyues praysed her What is she this that loketh forth as the mornyng Fayre as the Moone clear as the Sun and fearful as an armie of men with theyr banners I went doun into the nutgardeyne to see what grewe by the brookes and to looke yf the vineyarde floryshed or yf the Pomegrates were shot furth I knew not that my soule had made me the charriote of the people that be vnder tribute Turne agayn turne agayn O thou perfect one turne agayn turne agayn and we wyll loke vpon thee What wyll ye see in the Sulamite She is lyke men of warre syngyng in a company ¶ The sixth Chapter WHither is thy Beloued goen O thou the fayrest woman Whither is thy Beloued departed That we maye seke hym with thee ¶ The Argument THe Younglynges although they haue been long ledde in darknes and seduced with blyndnes of errours yet hearyng Christe truly preached with his death power and merites throughly declared dooe hungre and thyrste for the true righteousnes Whiche that they maye the sooner obtayne they demaunde of the Church whither her Beloued is goen and that twyse for faylyng shewyng therby theyr earnestnes that they haue to helpe to seke hym syngyng as foloweth The Younglynges to the Spouse xlvi OF women fayrest thou Because thou doest excell In fayth all other foke That haue receyued the yoke Of the gospell For whome thou sekest now Hym whome thou louest so well Why whither is he gone Why left he thee alone Tell we praye thee Why whither is he goen Whome thou doest loue so well Howe parted he away Shew vs that we eke maye Seke hym with thee MI Beloued is goen doun into his gardeyne to the spice beddes that he may there fede in his gardeyn and gather lilies I please my Beloued and my Beloued me whiche fedeth among the lilies ¶ The Argument THe Churche whiche euen nowe sought for her beloued could not fynde hym beyng now required of the Younglynges to shew where he is doth not only know where for to seke hym but also where to fynde hym and therfore maketh answer to the Younglynges syngyng ¶ The Spouse to the Younglinges xlvi MY Beloued descended doune Jn to his fruitful orcharde With his good gyftes his Churche to croune To kepe styl the same in sauegard He is goen to the beddes of spice The bokes whiche he is declarde in On them to feede whiche exercise The scriptures that are his gardin To fede hym selfe among his flocke It euermore his wyll is
¶ THE CANTICLES or Balades of Salomon phraselyke declared in Englysh Metres by William Baldwin ¶ Halleluiah Syng to the lord sum plesaunt song Of matter fresh and newe Vnto his Churche it doth belong His prayses to renewe Psalme cxviii M.D.XLIX ¶ To the reader THat thou mayste vnderstande this booke the better Christen reader thou shalte vnderstande that it is as it wer a dialoge betwene Christ and his churche or as Origen calleth it y e spousal song of Christ and his spouse wherin there be fower singers Christe the brydegrome accompanied with his frendes good bishops and teachers And the catholike churche his spouse accompanied with damoysels yong christen soules Betwene these is all spoken that is contayned in these balades The whole matter as Anselme taketh it is a prophecie describyng the estate of the churche and with what affeccioÌ„ she desyred Christ in all tymes bothe vnder the lawe of nature of Moyses â–ª and of the gospell No doubt but it is an hie and misticall matter and more darkely hyd than other partes of the scripture by meanes of the wanton wordes which also cause many to deny it to be Gods wurde Whose errour to redresse is the chief cause why I haue medled with the matter And because the rediest way was to make a paraphrase I haue attemâ—pted it that in meter because they bee balades And althoughe I bee not so playne in al thinges as I mought haue ben by meanes of my metres yet I trust that suche as wyll reade them diligently shall haue great lyght in vnderstanding the texte But this I tell the good reader thou must reade them well for it is not once readyng nor twise that can make thee vnderstand them in reading note the sentence more than the time with the argumentes whiche go before and after the songes And reade them orderly so shall the proces of the matter helpe the muche The exposicion of euery Hebrue wurd I haue put last which wil help the muche bothe to vnderstande the song and the texte And to the entent thou lose not thy labour in readyng I entend with the leaue of God shortly to set furth a boke of notes and suche an exposicion of the Metaphorical wurdes as shal serue the for a coÌ„mentary In the meane whyle the Lorde kepe the augment thy knowlege Amen Loue and lyue ¶ TO THE MOST GODLY KING EDwarde ⧠the sixte by the grace of God King of Englande Fraunce and Ireland defender of the sayth c. WillmÌ„ Baldwin prayeth God to graunt all thinges that are necessary ¶ Loue and Liue. SENECA that good Philosopher among many his piththy morall preceptes hath sum of geuinge giftes that all thinges of all men mighte aptly be applyed Among whiche whan he hath declared to whome and howe all gyftes are to be geuen and with what affeccion receyued he willeth that mete thinges be not vnmetely geuen as armoure to women nettes to studentes nor bokes to plowmen but that all giftes be helpfull or at leastwise aunswerable to his trade of lyfe and estate that they be geuen vnto Whose counsayle moste honorable and vertuous Prince whan I had well wayed and allowed I thought none so mete as your grace to whome I might aptly dedicate this presente volume considering your earnest zeale to knowlege of truth diligent endeuor to auaunce the same with other your many towardly vertues and giftes of grace in praise of whiche yf Lamuell had not ben forbidden to geue Princes wyne and suerly no wyne is so stronge or taketh awaye mans reason or sences so soone as pryde vayn glory coÌ„ceyued of earblowing I would here haue taryed But sith your maiestie knoweth them already partly by other mens true declaracion but chiefly by your owne feling For euery man best knoweth hym selfe I haue here let slip my iust occasion beseching the euerliuyng God who hath the hartes of rulers in his hand so to gyde yours that ye may alwayes continue the same that ye are thought and praysed for already Sum perchaunce yet wyll thinke that a booke of suche an Argument namely of the holy Scripture and that suche a parte of scripture as yf comparyson may be made in the holy gostes wrytinges passeth all the reste of the same kynde and therefore called Cantica canticorum The Balades of Balades that is to saye the principall balades of holy scripture according to Origens opinion in Erasmus iudgement the beste skylled of all the doctours in vnderstanding the holy scriptures is muche vnmete for any seculer person wyl say that I haue not folowed Seneca his counsel in geuyng that to a temporal Prince whiche wer more mete for a spiritual Prelate If any thus thinke arrogantlye disdaynyng that lay men should meddle with the scriptures to suche I answer Arrogant obstinacie deserueth no answer But yf any so thinke for lacke of better knowlege I wyl satisfy them with Erasmus his argumentes whiche they shall fynde in his preface to the Emperour before his Paraphrase of saint Matthew whervnto I adde this that as it is vnmete for a Prince to be ignoraunt in that whiche he defendeth so is it most vnmete for a Supreme head to be vnskylled in y e wherin it is his office to see his subiectes instructed For your maiestie are not only king ouer vs your English people but also the Supreme head of our whole Church and congregacion And to whome could a matter betwene Christ his church be more iustly geuen than to hym whiche on the one syde is a deputie and on the other the chyef and principall Sum thus satisfied in the aptly applying of my gyft may chaunce to doubt in a greater matter that is whether one man may haue at once two contrary offices a spirituall and a temporall and that of so great and wayghty charge that one alone would cumber two diligent officers I wyl not tary in thexamining euery part of this doubt but for a ful answer to the whole this I saye I reade of no men so muche praysed of men or better rewarded of God for executing any one office alone as I doe of men y t haue at once had both Of whome to let passe Mercurius Trismegystus so called because he had both the office of kyng and priest and the spirite of prophecie to boote whose glory darkneth all the Egypcian rulers that we read of the scriptures make mencion of diuers Fyrste of Melchisedech Kyng of Salem of an vnknowen genealogie who was priest of the highest god before God had ordeyned any of those offices But whether he wer fyrst kyng and beyng in that state made prieste it is not certayne yet by the placyng of the wurdes it should seme it was so Once we are sure that yf kingdomes went by succession than as they do nowe he was borne a kyng and so a prince before he wer prelate except the priesthode went also by succession ioyned with the kyngdome as I thynke it did
To plucke the flowers of Abrams stocke His clere clothed faythful lilies In my Loue I alone delyght Whiche maketh me so ioyfull And I am louely in his syght That feedeth among the faythfull THou art fayer my frende pleasaunt bewtifull as Ierusalem Fearful as a standerd of an hoste set in ray Turne awaye thyne iyes from me for they haue set me on fyer Thyne heares are lyke a flock of goates whiche appear from Gileal Thy teeth are lyke a flocke of shepe whiche cum vp from the washing place hauyng euery one twinnes and none barayn amongst them Thy chekes are lyke to a pyece of Pomegranade besydes thy fillet ¶ The Argument WHan the Spouse hath shewed that Christ is goen doun into his Churche whiche is his gardeyne not that she at any tyme lacked hym for she had him euen whaÌ„ she sought hym but she felt hym not therfore she sayeth he went doun into her because he than holpe her and towlde also that he cummeth to the spice beddes the bokes of holy scripture alwayes present there to geue to all those the fruites of euerlastyng lyfe that sincerely study and earnestly accomplysshe the thinges taught them therin And that besyde his presence in her and in the scriptures he fedeth among the lilies those are the true and faythfull beleuers not that he eateth them but rather they hym in perfectly beleuyng in hym and howe she only delyteth in hym and he in her Christe allowyng her zeale prayseth her And where as before she had a carnall iye and false chayne of hipocritical wurkes about her fayer neck her iudgement is now so vpryghte and her charitable deades so good and perfect that he delyted therwith syngeth ¶ Christe to his Spouse xlvii FVll fayer art thou my frende And frendely there withall For why thy good wyll doeth extende To all that on thee call Fayer fayrer than the gem Thou art and doest appere Lyke the heauenly Jerusalem Whiche is to God so dere And lyke an armye dight So dreadful art thou alse Whiche with my wurde doest put to flyght Al doctrines that be false Thou holdest furth my crosse that bluddy standard strong And sayest mennes wurkes therto are mosse And doe my death great wrong Thy iudgement in my wurd Is paysed so vpryght That in my mynde J am styll sturde In thee to haue delyght Turne backe from me thyne iyes For they haue made me proude â–ª J mean thyne earnest excercise Jn iudgement wel allowed Thy heares that is to saye thy scripture grounded notes Jn lyuelynes to dure alway Are lyke aflocke of Goates Are lyke a flocke of goates from Gileal clypped rounde For all thy truthes and scripture notes Are in the Byble founde Thy teeth thy reasons strong that doe so well agre Are lyke vnto the flockes of shepe That scarce can numbred be Whiche clean cum vp along Out from the washyng place Thyne argumentes that are so strong Jn scripture take theyr grace Of whâ—che eche hath within The truth and scripture grounde Lyke flockes where eche beast hath a twin And none is barayn founde Lyke to the Pomegarnarde That cut in twayne is read So all thy wurkes thy chekes outwarde Do shyne and none are dead Besydes thy fyllet fine My wurkes that can not fayle Whiche garnysh al good wurkes of thyne Whiche els could not auayle THere are thre score Quenes and fowerscore Concubines with Damsels innumerable One is my doue one is my perfect one she is the elect of her mother and dere vnto her that bare her The daughters sawe her and sayde she was moste blessed the quenes also and Concubines praysed her ¶ The Argument CHriste beyng highly pleased with his Spouses iyes and heares whiche she lacked at the fyrste prayseth her now But aboue all his Churches bothe Quenes whiche are the perfectest concubines that are not throwly perfect and damsels whiche yet are young in fayth with all the rest he prayseth one whiche is the primatiue churche of his Apostles callyng her his Doue and perfect one to allure the Yonglinges to ensue her steppes swetely syngyng to them Christe to his Spouse xlviii ACcordyng to the rates of gyftes of godly grace Within my church there are estates wherof no one is base Of whiche thre score are Quenes that haue got perfectnes And there be fowerscore concubines with damsels numbreles But al the rest aboue in one doe J delyght â–ª One through my loue is made my doue and perfect in my syght One is the chyef elect vnto her mother dere To all that are of Abrams sect who truly dyd her bear The daughters of Sion those faythfull dyd her see And preached frankly euery one that most blessed was she The Quenes dyd prayse her eke and shal so doe alwayes The Concubines also dyd speake of her excedyng prayse wHat one is she that loketh furth as the mornyng fayer as the Moone elect as y e Sun and terrible as a banner ¶ The argument WHan Christe hath magnified his Spouse with no lyttle coÌ„mendacion yet is he not satisfied but that the yonglynges maye lyke her the better procedeth farther comparyng her to the mornyng to the sunne to the moone and to a banner and as it were wundryng at her excellencie singeth Christe to his Spouse xlix VVhat one is she so lyke the morow bryght Whiche yet doeth lacke the fulnes of my lyght Whiche she hereafter shall receyue In glory Who lyke the Moone is pleasaunt to the syght My Moone I meane my truth that shynes by nyght Whiche doeth of me her lyght receyue Jn glory Yea what is she so lyke the Sunne elect Lyke me the Sunne chief of the chosen sect Whiche shyne aboue with my father Jn glory Yea what is she so dreadfull to beholde Whiche on my wurd doeth bear her selfe so bolde Styll standyng styffe lyke a banner Jn glory I Am cum downe into the Nutgardeyn to se the plantes that growe by the ryuers syde to see yf the vineyard bud or yf the Pomegranades wer floured ¶ The Argument WHan Christ hath wundred at the excelleÌ„cie of his spouse and compared her to the mornyng because of the lacke of perfect glory whiche she can not attayne so long as she is subiect to the fraile body and to the Moone that is the truth whiche taketh lyght of hym as the moone doeth of the sun whiche as it shyneth in the darke so doeth the Churche in aduersitie and persecucion and to the Sunne that is hymselfe the Sunne of righteousnes callynge her electe as hymselfe the chefe and principal elect of his father and last of all to a banner for her terriblenes in fraying her aduersaries whan he hath thus wunderyngly praysed her he cummeth downe into her to se yf his vines bud and pomegrates flower whether his elect haue a lyuely iustifiyng fayth whiche wurketh by loue that if they be barayn he maye curse them as he dyd the fruteles fygtree Math. xx and whan they be wydered to cast
with his garde about hym ¶ The Argument CHriste hauyng taught the Younglynges to knowe the true Spouse by her pitched tentes which as it is declared before are the bookes of scripture out of whiche she kepeth warre agaynst the enemies of the truthe begynneth to prayse her afresh syngyng Christe to his Spouse lv THou that art my dawhter who am the prīce of peace Because thou preachest peace of conscience in my blood How plesant are thy steps which swiftly stil increace To shew my gospell euery where Jn shoes both strong and good For preachers to weare The cumpas of thy thyghes thy power for to beget And to engendre suche as to my truth must stycke Because it styl bring the furth withouten stop or let Js lyke an endles lynked chayne Of Gods own hand made tricke Alwayes to remayne Thy Nauyl rounde that is the holy Byble boke Through whiche thy young do sucke the mylke of foode diuine Js alwayes full for all that can my doctrine broke Lyke to a mazar brode in brynke Whiche neuer wanteth wyne For them that woulde drynke Thy Belly byg and hart thy affeccions and thy thought Full of Gods holy wurd that fine and deyntie meat Whiche nurisheth the soule by which whan thou wilt ought Thou searchest fyrst what Gods wyl is Js lyke an heap of wheate Beset with Lillies Thy brestes thy ready help to comfort them that nede Aboundyng styl are lyke ashe goates double twin Thy necke thy fayth is lyke an yuory tower in dede For it is perfect strong and clear Without and eke within As it doeth appear Thyne iyes thyne vpryght iudgementes in my wurd so brim Styll iust and full are lyke the pooles in Hesebon Of waters clere besyde the porte of Bathrabim For where the people gathered are Thou truth to euery one Doest iustly declare Thy face thy wurkes by whiche all people doe thee know For which thou through my blud doest hope to haue reward Surmountyng in theyr heygth mans wurkes that lye below Are lyke the tower of Libanus That alwayes hath regard Toward Damascus Thy head J Christe my selfe a circumcised lambe Am lyke to Carmell ground both fertile free and harde Thy heares also the truthes wherwith J thee emflambe Are purple coulored lyke a kyng That goeth furth with his gard Hym inuironyng O How fayer louely art thou my Darling in plesures Thy stature is lyke a Palme tree I sayd I wil clyme the palmtre and take hold of the hye branches Thy brestes also shal be lyke the vine clusters the smel of thy nostrels lyke the smel of apuls Thy throte shalbe lyke the best wyne mete for my beloued to drinke with his lyppes and to chewe with his teeth ¶ The Argument CHriste hauyng praysed his Spouse particulerly begynnyng at her feete and goyng vpward to her head where as he was wunt to begyn at the head and thence to go dounwarde procedeth as he was wunt with moste earnest affeccion syngyng ¶ Christe to his Spouse lvi OH howe fayer howe fayer art thou my ioye How louely my Loue how louely art thou alse Oh my spouse how wanton and how coy Thou art in delites whan I doe thee enhalse O my Darlyng Lyke thou art in stature to the tree Of Palmes for no wayght can let thee for to grow And thy brestes are lyke as semeth me To clusters of grapes that rype hang doune below O my Darlyng ▪ Clyme wyll J the Palme tree then J sayde And wyl by the frutes and braunches hye take holde J my self my church wyll be thyne ayde And sit thee vpon to make thy younglinges bolde O my Darlyng There wyll I thy dugges so fruitful make That they shall be lyke the clusters of the vine And the smell that thou shalt of me take Shall reike fro the nose lyke sent of appuls fyne O my Darlyng Make wyll J thy throte that is thy voyce So moyst with the muste of truth my chefest wyne That my frende my byshop shall haue choyce Of doctrine to preache out of those truthes of thyne O my Darlyng There shal he haue meate and drinke at wyll To chew with his teeth and lyps there shal he haue Misteries wheron to vse hym styll Of the shall he learne hymself and moe to saue O my Darlyng I Am the Spouse of my Beloued and he doeth turne hym vnto me ¶ The argument AFter that Christe hath clymed vp into his churche a very Palme tree and made her aboundant in all good gyftes of grace so that her nose smelleth lyke apples whiche signifie gyftes of the holy goste whiche she geueth vnto other by preachyng and laying on handes by ministryng to them the holy sacramentes and hath moystned her mouth throte with the wyne of his holy wurd she by and by in the hearyng of the Younglynges preacheth in wurdes but a small sermon but in sence full of muche good matter syngyng The Spouse to the Younglynges lvii AL worldly thynges I vtterly reiect All meanes of men to health I do detest Jn Christe alone my spouse my Loue elect I rest in rest in hym in whome is rest For all that are wery Whole his I am both body soule and lyfe He is my Loue my sauiour and my helth And he is pleasde with me as with his wyfe To whome he turnes ye faythfull for your welth Vs all to make mery CUm my Beloued let vs goe furth into the field and let vs lodge together in the villages In the mornyng we wyl ryse and goe se yf the vines be flowred and whether the Pomegranades be shot furth Ther wyl I poure out all my loue vpon thee WHan the Churche hath wel instructed the younglynges and hath still an earnest desier to preache she consydereth that abrode in the worlde whiche here is called a fyelde and countrey there are many that know not Christe whiche neuertheles thorough good instruccion woulde soone becum good Christians wherfore she hath a desier to go preache to them But because she knoweth that all her endeuoures can profit nothyng without Christe hymself be present and helpe with the secrete callyng of his grace and spirite she desyreth hym to goe with her and declareth what she would haue hym to doe there syngyng ¶ The Spouse to her Beloued lviii NOw that my young sufficiently are taught Cum my Beloued assist me with thy power And to the fyelde where yet the men know naught Of thee nor thyne together let vs walke that they bedewed with grace thy pleasaunt shower May cum to thee and hearken to my talke And in the townes and villages so bruite Jn whiche no wurde nor mencion is of thee Let vs two lodge together and get fruite Whiche may hereafter glorifie thy name And of thy chuche the perfect membres be By knowyng truthe and wurkyng of the same Whan this is doen than early wyll we ryse And goe to see yf our olde vineyardes bud To see yf that our young do exercise