her loue that she would haue thought any quantitie too little except hers had bene added the best in qualitie too meane except hers were with it and no diligence in applying it enough except her seruice were in it Not that she was sharpe in censuring that which others had done but because loue made her so desirous to do all her selfe that though all had bene done that she could deuise and as well as she could wish yet vnlesse she were an actor it would not suffice sith loue is as eager to be vttered in effects as it is zealous in true affection She came therefore now meaning to enbalme his corps as she had before annointed his feet and to preserue the reliques of his body as the onely remnant of all her blisse And as in the spring of her felicitie she had washed his feet with her teares bewayling vnto him the death of her owne soule so now she came in the depth of her miserie to shed them afresh for the death of his body But when she saw the graue open and the bodie taken out the labour of enbalming was preuented but the cause of her weeping increased and he that was wanting to her obsequies was not wanting to her teares and though she found not whom to annoynt yet found she whom to lament And not without cause did Marie complaine finding her first anguish doubled with a second griefe and being surcharged with two most violent sorrowes in one afflicted heart For hauing setled her whole affection vpon Christ and summed all her desires and wishes into the loue of his goodnesse as nothing could equall his worthes so was there not in the whole world either a greater benefit for her to enioy than himselfe or any greater dammage possible than his losse The murdering in his owne death the life of all liues left a generall death in all liuing creatures and his decease not onely disrobed our nature of her most royall ornaments but impouerished the world of all highest perfections What maruell therefore though her vehement loue to so louely a Lord being after the wrecke of his life now also depriued of his dead body feele as bitter pangs for his losse as before it tasted ioyes in his presence and open as large an issue to teares of sorrow as euer heretofore to teares of contentment And though teares were rather oyle than water to her flame apter to nourish than diminish her griefe yet now being plonged in the depth of paine she yeelded her selfe captiue to all discomfort carrying an ouerthrowne mind in a more enfeebled body and still busie in deuising but euer doubtfull in defining what she might best do For what could a silly woman do but weepe that floating in a sea of cares found neither eare to heare her nor tongue to direct her nor hand to helpe her nor heart to pittie her in her desolate case True it is that Peter and Iohn came with her to the Tombe and to make triall of her report were both within it but as they were speedy in comming and diligent in searching so were they as quicke to depart and fearefull of farther seeking And alas what gained she by their comming but two witnesses of her losse two dismayers of her hope and two patternes of a new despaire Loue moued them to come but their loue was soone conquered with such feare that it suffered them not to stay But Mary hoping in despaire and perseuering in hope stood without feare because she now thought nothing left that ought to be feared For she hath lost her maister to whom she was so entirely deuoted that he was the totall of her loues the height of her hopes and the vttermost of her feares and therefore besides him she could neither loue other creature hope for other comfort nor feare other losse The worst she could feare was the death of her body and that shee rather desired than feared sith shee had alreadie lost the life of her soule without which anie other life would be a death and with which any other death would haue bene a delight But now she thought it better to dye than to liue because she might happily dying find whom not dying she looked not to enioy and not enioying she had little will to liue For now she loued nothing in her life but her loue to Christ and if any thing did make her willing to liue it was onely the vnwillingnesse that his Image should dye with her whose likenesse loue had limited in her heart and treasured vp in her sweetest memories And had she not feared to breake the table and to breake open the closet to which she had entrusted this last relique of her lost happinesse the violence of griefe would haue melted her heart into inward bleeding teares and blotted her remembrance with a fatall obliuion And yet neuerthelesse she is now in so imperfect a sort aliue that it is proued true in her that Loue is as strong as death For what could death haue done more in Mary than loue did Her wits were astonied and all her senses so amazed that in the end finding she did not know seeing she could not discerne hearing she perceiued not and more than all this she was not there where she was for she was wholly where her maister was more where she loued than where she liued and lesse in her selfe than in his body which notwithstanding where it was she could not imagine For she sought as yet she found not and therefore stood at the Tombe weeping for it being now altogether giuen to mourning and driuen to misery But ô Mary by whose counsaile vpon what hope or with what heart couldest thou stand alone when the Disciples were departed Thou wert there once before they came thou turnedst againe at their comming and yet thou stayest when they are gone Alas that thy Lord is not in the Tombe thine owne eyes haue often seene the Disciples hands haue felt the empty Syndon doth auouch and cannot all this winne thee to beleeue it No no thou wouldest rather condemne thine owne eyes of errour and both their eyes and hands of deceit yea rather suspect all testimonies for vntrue than not looke whom thou hast lost euen there where by no diligence he could be found When thou thinkest of other places and canst not imagine any so likely as this thou seekest againe in this and though neuer so often sought it must be an haunt for hope For when things dearely affected are lost loues natures is neuer to be weary of searching euen the oftenest searched corners being more willing to thinke that all the senses are mistaken than to yeeld that hope should quaile Yet now sith it is so euident that he is taken away what should moue thee to remaine here where the perill is apparent and no profit likely Can the wit of one and she a woman wholly possessed with passion haue more light to discerne danger than two wits of two men and both
my sute is more than halfe a graunt If many drops soften the hardest stones why should not many teares supple the most stony hearts What anger so fiery that may not be quenched with eye-water sith a weeping suppliant â—ebateth the edge of more than a Lyons furie My sute it selfe would sue for me and so dolefull a coarse would quicken pitty in the most yron hearts But suppose that by touching a ranckled sore my touch should anger it and my petition at the first incense him that heard it he would percase reuile me in words and theâ— his owne iniurie would recoyle with remorse and be vnto me a patron to proceede in my request And if he should accompanie his words with blowes and his blowes with wounds it may be my stripes would smart in his guiltie minde and his conscience bleed in my bleeding wounds and my innocent bloud so entender his Adamant heart that his owne inward feelings would pleade my cause and peraduenture obtaine my sute But if through extremity of spite he should happen to kil me his offence might easily redound to my felicitie For he would be as carefull to hide whom he had vniustly murthered as him whom hee had felloniously stolen and so it is like that he would hide me in the same place where he had layd my Lord. And as he hated vs both for one cause him for challenging and me for acknowledging that he was the Messias so would he vse vs both after one manner And thus what comfort my body wanted my soule should enioy in seeing a part of my selfe partner of my Maisters misery with whom to be miserable I reckon an higher fortune than without him to be most happy And if no other meane would serue to recouer him but force I see no reason why it might not very well become me None will barre me from defending my life which the least worme in the right nature hath leaue to preserue And sith he is to me so deare a life that without him all life is death nature authoriseth my feeble forces to employ their vttermost in so necessary an attempt Necessitie addeth abilitie and loue doubleth necessitie and it often happeneth that nature armed with loue and pressed with neede exceedeth it selfe in might and surmounteth all hope in successe And as the equitie of the cause doth breath courage into the defenders making them the mote willing to fight and the lesse vnwilling to dye so guiltie consciences are euer timorous still starting with sodaine frightts and afraid of their own suspitions ready to yeeld before the assault vpon distresse of their cause and despaire of their defence Sith therefore to rescue an innocent to recouer a right to redresse so deepe a wrong is so iust a quarrell nature will enable me loue encourage me grace confirme me and the iudge of all iustice fight in my behalfe And if it seeme vnfitting to my sexe in talke much more in practise to deale with materiall affaires yet when such a cause happeneth as neuer had patterne such effects must follow as are without example There was neuer any body of a God but one neither such a body stolne but now neuer such a stealth vnreuenged but this Sith therefore the Angels neglect it and men forgeâ— O Iudith lend me thy prowesse for I am bound to regard it But suppose that my force were vnable to winne him by an open enterprise what scruple should keepe me from seeking him by secret meanes yea and by plaine stealth it will be thought a sinne and condemned for a theft O sweet sinne why was not I the first that did commit thee Why did I suffer any other sinner to preuent me For stealing from God his honour I was called a sinner and vnder that title was spread my infamie But for stealing God from a false owner I was not worthy to be called a sinner because it had bene too high a glory If this be so great a sinneâ— and so haynous a theft let others make choise of what titles they will but for my part I would refuse to be an Angell I would not wish to be a Saint I would neuer be esteemed either iust or true and I should be best contented if I might but liue and die such a sinner and be condemned for such a theft When I heard my Lord make so comfortable a promise to the theefe vpon the Crosse that he should that day be with him in Paradise I had halfe an enuie at that theeues good fortune wished my selfe in the theefes place so I might haue enioyed the fruit of his promise But if I could be so happy a theefe as to commit this theft if that wish had taken effect I would now vnwish it againe and scorne to be any other theefe than my selfe sith my booty could make me happier than any other theefes felicitie And what though my fellonie should be called in question in what respect should I need to feare They would say that I loued him too well but that were soone disproued sith where the worthinesse is infinite no loue can be enough They would obiect that I stole anothers goods and as for that many sure titles of my interest would auerre him to be mine and his dead coarse would rather speak than witnesses should faile to depose so certaine a truth And if I had not a speciall right vnto him what should moue me to venture my life for him No no if I were so happy a fellon I should feare no temporall arraignment I should rather feare that the Angels would cite me to my answere for preuenting them in the theft sith not the highest Seraphin in heauen but would deem it a higher stile than his owne to be the theefe that had committed so glorious a robberie But alas thus stand I now deuising what I would do if I knew any thing of him and in the meane time I neither know who hath him nor where they haue bestowed him and still I am forced to dwell in this answer that they haue taken away my Lord and I know not where they haue put him While Mary thus lost her selfe in a Labyrinth of doubts watering her words with teares and warming them with sighes seeing the Angels with a kinde of reuerence rise as though they had done honour to one behind her She turned backe and she saw Iesus standing but that it was Iesus she knew not O Mary is it possible that thou hast forgotten Iesus Faith hath written him in thy vnderstanding loue in thy will both feare and hope in thy memory and how can all these Registers be so cancelled that so plainely seeing thou shouldest not know the contents For him onely thou tirest thy feet thou bendest thy knees thou wringest thy handes For him thy heart throbbeth thy breast sigheth thy tongue complaineth For him thine eye weepeth thy thought sorroweth thy whole body fainteth and thy soule languisheth In summe there is no part in thee but is
meaning If saith she they came to ease my affliction they could not be ignorant of the cause and if they were not ignorant of it they would neuer aske it why then did they say Woman why weepest thou If their question did import a prohibition the necessitie of the occasion doth countermand their counsaile and fitter it were they should weepe with me than I in not weeping obey them If the Sunne were ashamed to shew his brightnesse when the father of lights was darkned with such disgrace if the heauens discolouring their beauties suted themselues to their makers fortune if the whole frame of nature were almost dissolued to see the author of nature so vnhaturally abused why may not Angels that best knew the indignitie of the case make vp a part in this lamentable consort And especially now that by the losse of his body the cause of weeping is increased and yet the number of mourners lessened sith the Apostles are fled all his friends afraid and poore I left alone to supply the teares of all creatures O who will giue water to my head and a fountaine of teares vnto mine eyes that I may weepe day and night and neuer ceasse weeping O my onely Lord thy griefe was the greatest that euer was in man and my griefe as great as euer happened to woman for my loue hath carued me no small portion of thine thy losse hath redoubled the torment of my owne and all creatures seeme to haue made ouer to me theirs leauing me as the vicegerent of all their sorrow Sorrow with me at the least ô thou Tombe and thaw into teares you hardest stones The time is now come that you are licensed to cry and bound to recompence the silence of your Lords Disciples of whom he himselfe sayd to the Pharises that if they held their peace the very stones should cry for them Now therefore sith feare hath locked vp their lips and sadnesse made them mute let the stones cry out against the murd erers of my Lord and bewray the robbers of his sacred body And I feare that were it well knowne who hath taken him away there is no stone so stony but should haue cause to lament It was doubtlesse the spite of some malicious Pharisee or bloudy Scribe that not contented with those torments that he suffered in life of which euery one to any other would haue bene a tyrannicall death hath now stolen away his dead body to practise vpon it some sauage cruelty and to glut their pitilesse eyes and brutish hearts with the vnnaturall vsage of his helplesse corps O yee rocks and stones if euer you must cry out now it is high time sith the light the life and the Lord of the world is thus darkned massacred and outragiously misused Doth not his tongue whose truth is infallible and whose word omnipotent commanding both winds and seas and neuer disobeyed of the most sensible creatures promise to arme the world and make the whole earth to fight against the senslesse persons in defence of the iust And who more iust than the Lord of iustice who more senslesse than his barbarous murtherers whose insatiable thirst of his innocent bloud could not be staunched with their cruell butchering him at his death vnlesse they proceeded further in this hellish impiety to his dead body Why then do not all creatures addresse themselues to reuenge so iust a quarrell vpon so senslesse wretches left of all reason forsaken of humanitie and bereaued of all feeling both of God and man O Mary why doest thou thus torment thy self with these tragicall surmises Doest thou thinke that the Angels would sit still if their maister were not well Did they serue him after his fasting and would they despise him after his deceasse Did they comfort him before he was apprehended and would not defend him when he was dead If in the garden he might haue had twelue Legions of them is his power so quite dead with his body that he could not now command them Was there an Angell found to helpe Daniel to his dinner to saue Toby from the fish yea and to defend Balaams poore beast from his maisters rage and is the Lord of Angels of so little reckoning that if his body stood in need neuer an Angell would defend it Thou seest two here present to honour his Tombe and how much more carefull would they be to do homage to his person Beleeue not Mary that they would smile if thou haddest such occasion to weepe They would not so gloriously shine in white if a blacke and mourning weede did better become them or were a fitter liuery for thy maister to giue or them to weare Yeeld not more to thy vncertaine feare and deceiued loue than to their assured knowledge and neuer erring charitie Can a materiall eye see more than an heauenly spirit or the glimmering of the twi-light giue better aime than the beams of their eternall Sunne Would they thinkest thou waite vpon the winding sheete while the coarse were abused or be here for thy comfort if their Lord did need their seruice No no he was neither any theeues booty nor Pharisees pray neither are the Angels so carelesse of him as thy suspition presumeth And if their presence and demeanour cannot alter thy conceit looke vpon the clothes and they will teach thee thine errour and cleare thee of thy doubt Would any thiefe thinkest thou haue bene so religious as to haue stolen the body and left the clothes yea would he haue bene so venturous as to haue stayed the vnshrowding of the coarse the well ordering of the sheets and folding vp the napkins Thou knowest that the Mirrhe maketh linnen cleaue as fast as pitch or glue and was a thiefe at so much leisure as to dissolue the Myrrhe and vncloath the dead what did the watch while the scales were broken the Tombe opened the body vnfolded all other things ordered as now thou seest And if all this cannot yet perswade thee beleeue at the least thy owne experience When thy maister was stripped at the crosse thou knowest that his onely garment being congealed to his goarie backe came not off without many parts of his skin doubtlesse would haue torne off many more if he had bene annointed with Myrrhe Looke then into the sheete whether there remaine any parcell of skin or any one haire of his head and sith there is none to be found beleeue some better issue of thy maisters absence than thy feare suggesteth A guiltie conscience doubteth want of time and therefore dispatcheth hastily It is in hazard to be discouered and therefore practiseth in darknesse and secresie It euer worketh in extreame feare and therefore hath no leisure to place things orderly But to vnwrap so mangled a body out of Mirrhed cloathes without tearing of any skinne or leauing on any Mirrhe is a thing either to man impossible or not possible to be done with such speed without light or helpe and with so good order Assure
sory wight the obiect of disgrace The Monument of feare the Map of shame The mirror of mishap the staine of place The scorne of time the infamy of fame An excrement of earth to heauen hatefull Iniurious to man to God ingratefull Ambitious heads dreame you of Fortunes pride Fill Volumes with your forged goddesse praise You Fansies drudges plung'd in follies tide Deuote your fabling wits to louers layes Be you O sharpest griefes that euer wrong Text to my thoughts Theame to my playning tong Sad subiect of my sinne hath stoard my minde With euerlasting matter of complaint My threnes an endlesse Alphabet do finde Beyond the pangs which Ieremy doth paint That eyes with errors may iust measure keepe Most teares I wish that haue most cause to weepe All weeping eyes resigne your teares to me A sea will scantly rince my ordur'd soule Huge horrors in high tides must drowned be Of euery teare my crime exacteth tole These staines are deepe few drops take out no such Euen salue with sore and most is not too much I fear'd with life to die by death to liue I left my guide now left and leauing God To breathe in blisse I fear'd my breath to giue I fear'd for heauenly raigne an earthly rod. These feares I fear'd feares feeling no mishaps O fond O faint O false O faulty lapse How can I liue that thus my life deni'd What can I hope that lost my hope in feare What trust to one that truth it selfe defi'd What good in him that did his God forsweare O sinne of sinnes of euils the very worst O matchlesse wretch O caytiffe most accurst Vaine in my vaunts I vowd if friends had fail'd Alone Christs hardest fortunes to abide Giant in talke like dwarfe in triall quaild Excelling none but in vntruth and pride Such distance is betweene high words and deeds In proofe the greatest vanter seldome speeds Ah rashnesse hasty rise to murdering leape Lauish in vowing blind in seeing what Soone sowing shames that long remorse must reape Nursing with teares that ouer-sight begat Scout of repentance harbinger of blame Treason to wisedome mother of ill name The borne-blind begger for receiued sight Fast in his faith and loue to Christ remain'd He stooped to no feare he fear'd no might No change his choice no threats his truth distain'd One wonder wrought him in his duty sure I after thousands did my Lord abiure Could seruile feare of rendring Natures due Which growth in yeares was shortly like to claime So thrall my loue that I should thus eschue A vowed death and misse so faire an ayme Die die disloyall wretch thy life detest For sauing thine thou hast forsworne the best Ah life sweet drop drownd in a sea of sowres A flying good posting to doubtfull end Still losing months and yeares to gaine new howres Faine time to haue and spare yet forc't to spend Thy growth decrease a moment all thou hast That gone ere knowne the rest to come or past Ah life the maze of countlesse straying wayes Open to erring steps and strew'd with baits To winde weake senses into endlesse strayes Aloofe from vertues rough vnbeaten straits A flower a play a blast a shade a dreame A liuing death a neuer turning streame And could I rate so high a life so base Did feare with loue cast so vneuen account That for this goale I should runne Iudas race And Caiphas rage in cruelty surmount Yet they esteemed thirty pence his price I worse then both for nought deny'd him thrice The mother Sea from ouerflowing deepe Sends forth her issue by deuided veines Yet backe her off-spring to their mother creeps To pay their purest streames with added gaines But I that drunke the drops of heauenly flud Bemyr'd the giuer with returning mud Is this the haruest of his sowing toile Did Christ manure thy heart to breed him briers Or doth it neede this vnaccustom'd soyle With hellish dung to fertile heauens desires No no the Marle that periuries doth yeeld May spoile a good not fat a barren field Was this for best deserts the duest meede Are highest worths well wag'd with spitefull hire Are stoutest vowes repeal'd in greatest neede Should frendship at the first affront retire Blush crauen sot lurke in eternall night Crouch in the darkest Caues from loathed light Ah wretch why was I nam'd sonne of a Doue Whose speeches voided spite and breathed gall No kinne I am vnto the bird of loue My stony name much better sutes my fall My othes were stones my cruell tongue the sling My God the marke at which my spite did fling Were all the Iewish tyrannies too few To glut thy hungry lookes with his disgrace That thou more hatefull tyrannies must shew And spot thy poyson in thy Makers face Didst thou to spare his foes put vp thy sword To brandish now thy tongue against thy Lord Ah tongue that didst his praise and God-head sound How wert thou stain'd with such detesting words That euery word was to his heart a wound And launc't him deeper then a thousand swords What rage of man yea what infernall Sprite Could haue disgorg'd more loathsome dregs of spite Why did the yeelding Sea like Marble way Support a wretch more wauering then the waues Whom doubt did plonge why did the waters stay Vnkind in kindnesse murthering while it saues O that this tongue had then beene fishes food And I deuour'd before this cursing mood There surges depths and Seas vnfirme by kinde Rough gusts and distance both from ship and shoare Were titles to excuse my staggering mind Stout feet might falter on that liquid floare But heere no Seas no Blasts no Billowes were A puffe of womans wind bred all my feare O Coward troupes farre better arm'd then harted Whom angrie words whom blowes could not prouoke Whom though I taught how sore my weapon smarted Yet none repaide me with a wounding stroke O no that stroke could but one moity kill I was reseru'd both halfes at once to spill Ah whither was forgotten loue exil'd Where did rhe truth of pledged promise sleepe What in my thoughts begat this vgly child That could through rented soule thus fiercely creepe O Viper feare their death by whom thou liuest All good thy ruines wrecke all euils thou giuest Threats threw me not torments I none assayd My fray with shades conceites did make me yeeld Wounding my thoughts with feares selfely dismayd I neither fought nor lost I gaue the field Infamous foyle a Maidens easie breath Did blow me downe and blast my soule to death Titles I make vntruths am I a rocke That with so soft a gale was ouerthrowne Am I fit Pastor for the faithfull Flocke To guide their soules that murdred thus mine owne A rocke of ruine not a rest to stay A Pastor not to feed but to betray Fidelity was flowne when feare was hatched Incompatible brood in vertues nest Courage can lesse with Cowardise be matched Prowesse nor loue lodg'd in diuided brest O Adams Child cast by a
Anna shed Who in her sonne her solace had forgone Then I to dayes and weekes to moneths and yeeres Do owe the hourely rent of stintlesse teares If loue if losse if fault if spotted fame If danger death if wrath or wreck of weale Entitle eyes true heyres to earned blame That due remorse in such euents conceale That want of teares might well enrole my name As chiefest Saint in Calendar of shame Loue where I lou'd was due and best deseru'd No loue could ayme at more loue-worthy mark No loue more lou'd then mine of him I seru'd Large vse he gaue a flame for euery sparke This loue I lost this losse a life must rue Yea life is short to pay the ruth is due I lost all that I had and had the most The most that will can wish or wit deuise I least perform'd that did most vainely boast I staynd my fame in most infamous wise What danger then death wrath or wreck can moue More pregnant cause of teares then this I proue If Adam sought a veyle to scarfe his sinne Taught by his fall to feare a scourging hand If men shall wish that hils should wrap them in When crimes in finall doome come to be scand What Mount what Caue what Center can conceale My monstrous fact which euen the birds reueale Come shame the liuery of offending minde The vgly shroud that ouer-shadoweth blame The mulct at which foule faults are iustly fin'd The dampe of sinne the common sluce of fame By which impostum'd tongues their humours purge Light shame on me I best deseru'd the scourge Cains murdring hand imbrude in brothers bloud More mercy then my impious tongue may craue He kild a riuall with pretence of good In hope Gods doubled loue alone to haue But feare so spoyld my vanquisht thoughts of loue That periur'd oathes my spitefull hate did proue Poore Agar from her pheere inforc't to flie Wandring in Barsabian wildes alone Doubting her child through helplesse drought would dye Laid it aloofe and set her downe to moue The heauens with prayers her lap with teares she fild A mothers loue in losse is hardly stild But Agar now bequeath thy teares to me Feares not effects did set a-floate thine eyes But wretch I feele more then was feard of thee Ah not my Sonne my soule it is that dies It dies for drought yet hath a spring in sight Worthy to die that would not liue and might Faire Absoloms foule faults compar'd with mine Are brightest sands to mud of Sodome Lakes High aymes yong spirits birth of royall line Made him play false where Kingdoms were the stakes He gaz'd on golden hopes whose lustre winnes Sometime the grauest wits to grieuous sinnes But I whose crime cuts off the least excuse A Kingdome lost but hop't no mite of gaine My highest marke was but the worthlesse vse Of some few lingring howers of longer paine Vngratefull child his Parent he pursude I Gyants warre with God himselfe renude Ioy infant Saints whom in the tender flower A happy storme did free from feare of sinne Long is their life that die in blisfull hower Ioyfull such ends as endlesse ioyes begin Too long they liue that liue till they be nought Life sau'd by sinne base purchase dearely bought This lot was mine your fate was not so fearce Whom spotlesse death in Cradle rockt asleepe Sweet Roses mixt with Lillies strew'd your hearce Death Virgine white in Martyrs red did steepe Your downy heads both Pearles and Rubies crown'd My hoary locks did female feares confound You bleating Ewes that wayle this woluish spoyle Of sucking Lambs new bought with bitter throwes T'inbalme your babes your eyes distill their oyle Each heart to tombe her child wide rupture showes Rue not their death whom death did but reuiue Yeeld ruth to me that liu'd to die aliue With easie losse sharpe wrecks did he eschew That Sindonlesse aside did naked slip Once naked grace no outward garment knew Rich are his robes whom sinne did neuer strip I rich in vaunts displaid prides fairest flags Disrob'd of grace am wrapt in Adams rags When traytor to the sonne in Mothers eyes I shall present my humble sute for grace What blush can paint the shame that will arise Or write my inward feeling in my face Might she the sorrow with the sinner see Though I despisde my griefe might pitied be But ah how can her eares my speech endure Or sent my breath still reeking hellish steeme Can mother like what did the Sonne abiure Or heart deflowr'd a Virgins loue redeeme The Mother nothing loues that Sonne doth loath Ah loathsome wretch detested of them both O sister Nymphes the sweet renowned paire That blesse Bethania bounds with your abode Shall I infect that sanctified ayre Or staine those steps where Iesus breath'd and trode No let your prayers perfume that sweetned place Turne me with Tygers to the wildest chase Could I reuiued Lazarus behold The third of that sweet Trinity of Saints Would not abstonisht dread my senses hold Ah yes my heart euen with his naming faints I seeme to see a messenger from hell That my prepared torments comes to tell O Iohn O Iames we made a triple cord Of three most louing and best louing friends My rotten twist was broken with a word Fit now to fuell fire among the Fiends It is not euer true though often spoken That triple twisted cord is hardly broken The dispossed Diuels that out I threw In IESVS name now impiously forsworne Triumph to see me caged in their mew Trampling my ruines with contempt and scorne My periuries were musicke to their dance And now they heape disdaines on my mischance Our Rocke say they is riuen O welcome howre Our Eagles wings are clipt that wrought so hie Our thundring Cloud made noise but cast no showre He prostrate lies that would haue seal'd the skie In womans tongue our runner found a rub Our Cedar now is shrunke into a shrub These scornefull words vpraid my inward thought Proofes of their damned prompters neighbours voice Such vgly guests still wait vpon the nought Fiends swarme to soules that swarue from vertues choice For breach of plighted truth this true I try Ah that my deed thus gaue my word the lie Once and but once too deare a once to twice it A heauen in earth Saints neere my selfe I saw Sweet was the sight but sweeter loues did spice it But sights and loues did my misdeed withdraw From heauen and Saints to hell and Deuils estrang'd Those sights to frights those loues to hates are chang'd Christ as my God was templed in my thought As man he lent mine eyes their dearest light But sinne his temple hath to ruine brought And now he lightneth terrour from his sight Now of my late vnconsecrate desires Profaned wretch I taste the earned hires Ah sinne the nothing that doth all things file Out-cast from heauen earths curse the cause of hell Parent of death author of our exile The wrecke of soules the wares that
my loue my sonne my God behold thy mother washt in teares Thy bloudy wounds be made a rod to chasten these my latter yeares You cruell Iewes come worke your ire vpon this worthlesse flesh of mine And kindle not eternall fire by wounding him which is diuine Thou messenger that didst impart his first descent into my wombe Come helpe me now to cleaue my heart that there I may my sonne intombe You Angels all that present were to shew his birth with harmonie Why are you not now readie here to make a mourning symphony The cause I know you waile alone and shed your teares in secrecie Lest I should moued be to mone by force of heauie companie But waile my soule thy comfort dies my wofull wombe lament thy fruit My heart giue teares vnto mine eyes let sorrow string my heauie lute An holy Hymne PRaise O Sion praise thy Sauiour Praise thy captaine thy pastour With hymnes and solemne harmony What power affords performe indeed His workes all praises farre exceede No praise can reach his dignity A speciall theame of praise is read A liuing and life giuing bread Is on this day exhibited Within the Supper of our Lord To twelue disciples at his bord As doubtlesse t was deliuered Let our praise be lou'd and free Full of ioy and decent glee With minds and voices melody For now solemnize we that day Which doth with ioy to vs display The secret of this mystery At this boord of our new ruler Of old law and Pascall order The ancient right abolisheth Old decrees by new annil'd Shadowes are in truth fulfil'd Day former darknesse finisheth That at supper Christ performed To be done he straightly charged For his eternall memorie Guided by his sacred orders Bread and wine vpon our alters To sauing host we sanctifie Christians are by faith assured That by faith flesh is receiued And Christ his bloud most precious That no wit no sense conceiueth Firme and grounded faith beleeueth In strange effects not curious As staffe of bread thy heart sustaines And chearefull wine thy strength regaines By power and vertue naturall So doth this consecrated food Them symbole of Christ flesh bloud By vertue supernaturall The ruines of thy soule repaire Banish sinne horrour and despaire And feed faith by faith receiued Angels bread made Pilgrims feeding Truely bread for childrens eating To dogs not to be offered Sign'd by Isack on the altar By the Lambe and pascall Supper And in the Manna figured Iesu food and feeder of vs Here with mercie feed and friend vs Then graunt in heauen felicitie Lord of all whom here thou feedest Fellow heires guests with thy dearest Make vs in thy heauenly citie S. Peters afflicted mind IF that the sicke may grone Or Orphane mourne his losse If wounded wretch may rue his harmes Or caitife shew his crosse If heart consum'd with care May vtter signe of paine Then may my breast be sorrowes home And tongue with cause complaine My maladie is sinne And languor of the mind My body but a lazars couch Wherein my soule is pinde The care of heauenly kinde Is dead to my reliefe Forlorne and left like orphan child With sighes I feed my griefe My wounds with mortall smart My dying soule torment And prisoner to mine owne mishaps My follies I repent My heart is but the haunt Where all dislikes do keepe And who can blame so lost a wretch Though teares of bloud he weepe S. Peters remorse REmorse vpbraids my faults Selfe blaming conscience cries Sin claimes the hoast of hūbled thoughts And streames of weeping eyes Let penance Lord preuaile Let sorrow sue release Let loue be vmpier in my cause And passe the doome of peace If doome go by desert My least desert is death That robs from soule immortall ioyes From body mortall breath But in so high a God So base a wormes annoy Can adde no praise vnto thy power No blisse vnto thy ioy Well may I frie in flames Due fuell to hell-fire But on a wretch to wreake thy wrath Can not be worth thine ire Yet sith so vile a worme Hath wrought his greatest spite Of highest treason well thou maist In rigor him indite But mercy may relent And temper iustice rod For mercy doth as much belong As iustice to a God If former time or place More right to mercy winne Thou first wert author of my selfe Then vmpier of my sinne Did mercy spin the thread To weaue in iustice loome Wert thou a father to conclude With dreadfull Iudges doome It is a small reliefe To say I was thy child If as an ill deseruing foe From grace I am exilde I was I had I could All words importing want They are but dust of dead supplies Where needfull helpes are scant Once to haue beene in blisse That hardly can returne Doth not bewray from whence I fell And wherefore now I mourne All thoughts of passed hopes Increase my present crosse Like ruines of decayed ioyes They still vpbraid my losse O milde and mighty Lord Amend that is amisse My sinne my sore thy loue my salue Thy cure my comfort is Confirme thy former deeds Reforme that is defild I was I am I will remaine Thy charge thy choise thy child Man to the wound in Christs side O Pleasant sport ô place of rest O royal rift ô worthy wound Come harbour me a weary guest That in the world no case haue found I lie lamenting at thy gate Yet dare I not aduenture in I beare with me a troublous mate And combred am with heape of sinne Discharge me of this heauy load That easier passage I may find Within this bowre to make aboad And in this glorious tombe be shrin'd Here must I liue here must I die Here would I vtter all my griefe Here would I all those paines descrie Which here did meet for my reliefe Here would I view that bloudy sore Which dint of spitefull speare did breed The bloudy wounds laid there in store Would force a stony heart to bleed Here is the spring of trickling teares The mirrour of all mourning wights With dolefull tunes for dumpish eares And solemne shewes for sorrowed sights O happie soule that flies so hie As to attaine this sacred caue Lord send me wings that I may flie And in this harbour quiet haue Vpon the Image of death BEfore my face the picture hangs That daily should put me in mind Of those cold names and bitter pangs That shortly I am like to find But yet alas full little I Do thinke hereon that I must die I often looke vpon a face Most vgly grisly bare and thinne I often view the hollow place Where eyes and nose had somtimes bin I see the bones acrosse that lie Yet little thinke that I must die I reade the Labell vnderneath That telleth me whereto I must I see the sentence eke that saith Remember man thou art dust But yet alas but seldome I Do thinke indeed that I must die Continually at my beds head An
this empty Syndon lyeth here to no vse and this Tombe being open without any in it may giue occasion to some mercifull heart that shall first light vpon my vnburied body to wrap me in his shroud and to interre me in this Tombe O too fortunate lot for so vnfortunate a woman to craue no no I do not craue it For alas I dare not yet if such an ouer-sight should be committed I do now before-hand forgiue that sinner and were it no more presumption to wish it aliue than to suffer it dead if I knew the party that should first passe by me I would woo him with my teares and hire him with my prayers to blesse me with this felicity And though I dare not wish any to do it yet this without offence I may say to all that I loue this Syndon aboue all clothes in the world and this Tombe I esteeme more than any Princes monument yea and I thinke that coarse highly fauored that shall succeed my Lord in it and for my part as I meane that the ground where I stand shall be my death-bed so am I not of Iacobs mind to haue my body buried farre from the place where it dyeth but euen in the next and readiest graue and that as soone as my breath faileth sith delayes are bootlesse where death hath won possession But alas I dare not say any more let my body take such fortune as befalleth it my soule at the least shall dwell in this sweet Paradise and from this brittle case of flesh and bloud passe presently into the glorious Tombe of God and man It is now enwrapped in a masse of corruption it shall then enioy a place of high perfection where it is now it is more by force than by choise and like a repining prisoner in a loathed gaile but there in a little roome it should find perfect rest and in the prison of death the liberty of a ioyfull life O sweet Tombe of my sweetest Lord while I liue I will stay by thee when I die I will cleaue vnto thee neither aliue nor dead will I euer be drawne from thee Thou art the Altar of mercie the temple of truth the sanctuary of safeâ—ie the graue of death and the cradle of eternall life O heauen of my eclipsed Sunne receiue vnto thee this silly starre that hath now also lost all wished light O Whale that hast swallowed my onely Ionas swallow also me more worthy to be thy prey sith I and not he was the cause of this bloudie tempest O Cesterne of my innocent Ioseph take me into thy drie bottome sith I and not he gaue iust cause of offence to my enraged brethren But alas in what cloud hast thou hidden the light of our way Vpon what shore hast thou cast vp the Preacher of all truth or to what Ismaelite hast thou yeelded the purueiour of our life Oh vnhappy me why did I not before thinke of that which I now aske Why did I leaue him when I had him thus to lament him now that I haue lost him If I had watched with perseuerance either none would haue taken him or they should haue taken me with him But through too much precisenesse in keeping the Law I haue lost the Law-maker and by being too scrupulous in obseruing his ceremonies I am proued irreligious in losing him selfe sith I should rather haue remained with the truth than forsaken it to solemnize the figure The Sabboth could not haue bene prophaned in standing by his coarse by which the prophaned things are sanctified and whose touch doth not defile the cleane but cleanseth the most defiled But when it was time to stay I departed when it was too late to helpe I returned and now I repent my folly when it cannot be amended But let my heart dissolue into sighes mine eyes melt in teares and my desolate soule languish in dislikes yea let all that I am and haue endure the deserued punishment that if he were incensed with my fault he may be appeased with my penance and returne vpon the amendment that fled from the offence Thus when her timorous conscience had indited her of so great an omission and her tongue enforced the euidence with these bitter accusations Loue that was now the onely vmpire in all her causes condemned her eyes to a fresh showre of teares her breast to a new storme of sighes and her soule to be perpetuall prisoner to restlesse sorrowes But ô Mary thou deceiuest thy selfe in thy owne desires and it well appeareth that excesse of griefe hath bred in thee a defect of due prouidence And wouldest thou indeed haue thy wishes come to passe and thy words fulfilled Tell me then I pray thee if thy heart were dissolued where wouldest thou harbour thy Lord what wouldest thou offer him how wouldest thou loue him Thine eyes haue lost him thy hands cannot feele him thy feet cannot follow him and if it be at all in thee it is thy heart that hath him and wouldest thou now haue that dissolued from thence also to exile him And if thine eyes were melted thy soule in langour and thy senses decayed how wouldest thou see him if he did appeare how shouldest thou heare him if he did speake how couldest thou know him though he were there present Thou thinkest haply that he loued thee so well that if thy heart were spent for his loue he would either lend his own heart vnto thee or create a new heart in thee better than that which thy sorrow tooke from thee It may be thou imaginest that if thy soule would giue place his soule wanting now a bodie would enter into thine with supply of all thy senses and release of thy sorrowes O Mary thou diddest not marke what thy maister was wont to say when he told thee that the third day he should rise againe For if thou hadst heard him or at the least vnderstood him thou wouldest not thinke but that he now vsed both his heart and soule in the life of his owne body And therefore repaire to the Angels and enquire more of them lest the Lord be displeased that comming from him thou wilt not entertaine them But Mary whose deuotions were all fixed vpon a nobler Saint and that had so straightly bound her thoughts to his only affection that she rather desired to vnknow whom she knew already than to burthen her mind with the knowledge of new acquaintance could not make her will long since possessed with the highest loue stoope to the acceptance of meaner friendships And for this though she did not scornefully reiect yet did she with humilitie refuse the Angels company thinking it no discourtesie to take her selfe from them for to giue her selfe more wholly to her Lord to whom both she and they were wholly deuoted ought most loue and greatest duty Sorrow also being now the onely interpreter of all that sense deliuered to her vnderstanding made her conster their demand in a more doubtfull than true
lesson it fell out to be the bitterest part of thy miserie that thou diddest so well know how infinite the losse was that made thee miserable This is the cause that those very Angels in whom all things make remonstrance of triumph and solace are vnto thee occasions of new griefe For their gracious and louely countenances remember thee that thou hast lost the beauty of the world and the highest marke of true loues ambition Their sweet lookes and amiable features tell thee that the heauen of thy eyes which was the reuerend Maiesty of thy Masters face once shined with farre more pleasing graces but is now disfigured with the dreadfull formes of death In summe they were to thee like the glistering sparkes of a broken Diamond and like pictures of dead and decayed beauties signes not salues of thy calamity memorials not medicines of thy misfortune Thy eyes were too well acquainted with the truth to accept a supply of shadowes and as comelinesse comfort and glory were neuer in any other so truely at home and so perfectly in their prime as in the person and speeches of thy Lord so cannot thy thoughts but be like strangers in any forraine delight For in them all thou seest no more but some scattered crums and hungrie morsels of thy late plentifull banquets and findest a dim reflexion of thy former light which like a flash of lightning in a close and stormie night serueth thee but to see thy present infelicitie and the better to know the horrour of the ensuing darknesse Thou thinkest therefore thy selfe blamelesse both in weeping for thy losse and in refusing other comfort Yet in common courtesie affoord these Angels an answer sith their charitie visiting thee deserueth much more and thou if not too vngratefull canst allow them no lesse Alas saith she what needeth my answer where the miserie it selfe speaketh and the losse is manifest My eyes haue answered them with teares my breast with sighes and my heart with throbs what need I also punish my tongue or wound my soule with a new rehearsall of so do lefull a mischance They haue taken away O vnfortunate word they haue taken away my Lord. O afflicted woman why thinkest thou this word so vnfortunate It may be the Angels haue taken him more solemnely to entombe him and sith earth hath done her last homage haply the Quires of heauen are also descended to defray vnto him their funerall duties It may be that the Centurion and the rest that did acknowledge him on the crosse to be the Sonne of God haue bene touched with remorse and goared with pricke of conscience and being desirous to satisfie for their haynous offence haue now taken him more honorably to interre him and by their seruice to his body sought forgiuenesse and sued the pardon of their guiltie soules Peraduenture some secret disciples haue wrought this exploit and maugre the watch taken him from hence with due honour to preserue him in some better place and therefore being yet vncertaine who hath him there is no such cause to lament sith the greater probabilities march on the better side Why doest thou call sorrow before it commeth which without calling commeth on thee too fast yea why doest thou create sorrow where it is not sith thou hast true sorrow enough though imagined sorrowes helpe not It is folly to suppose the worst where the best may be hoped for and euerie mishap bringeth griefe enough with it though we with our feares do not go first to meet it Quiet then thy selfe till time try out the truth and it may be thy feare will proue greater than thy misfortune But I know thy loue is little helped with this lesson for the more it loueth the more it feareth and the more desirous to enioy the more doubtfull it is to lose It neither hath measure in hopes nor meane in feares hoping the best vpon the least surmises and fearing the worst vpon the weakest grounds And yet both fearing and hoping at one time neither feare with-holdeth hope from the highest attempts nor hope can strengthen feare against the smallest suspitions but maugre all feares loues hopes will mount to the highest pitch and maugre all hopes loues feares will stoupe to the lowest downe-come To bid thee therefore hope is not to forbid thee to feare and though it may be for the best that thy Lord is taken from thee yet sith it may also be for the worst that will neuer content thee Thou thinkest hope doth enough to keepe thy heart from breaking feare little enough to force thee to no more than weeping sith it is as likely that he hath bene taken away vpon hatred by his enemies as vpon loue by his friends For hitherto sayest thou his friends haue all failed him and his foes preuailed against him and as they would not defend him aliue are lesse likely to regard him dead so they that thought one life too little to take from him are not vnlikely after death to wrecke new rage vpon him And though this doubt were not yet whosoeuer hath taken him hath wronged me in not acquainting me with it for to take away mine without my cōsent can neither be offered with out iniurie nor suffered without sorrow And as for Iesus he was my Iesus my Lord and my Maister He was mine because he was giuen vnto me borne for me he was the author of my being and so my father he was the worker of my well doing and therefore my Sauiour he was the price of my ransome and thereby my Redeemer he was my Lord to command me my maister to instruct me my pastor to feede me He was mine because his loue was mine and when he gaue me his loue he gaue me himselfe sith loue is no gift except the giuer be giuen with it yea it is no loue vnlesse it be as liberall of that it is as of that it hath Finally if the meate be mine that I eate the life mine wherewith I liue or he mine all whose life labours and death were mine then dare I boldly say that Iesus is mine sith on his body I feed by his loue I liue and to my good without any neede of his owne hath he liued laboured and dyed And therefore though his Disciples though the Centurion yea though the Angels haue taken him they haue done me wrong in defeating me of my right sith I neuer meane to resigne my interest But what if he hath taken away himselfe wilt thou also lay iniustice to his charge Though he be thine yet thine to command not to obey thy Lord to dispose of thee and not to be by thee disposed and therefore as it is no reason that the seruant should be maister of his maisters secrets so might he and peraduenture so hath he remoued without acquainting thee whither reuiuing himselfe with the same power with which he raised thy dead brother and fulfilling the words that he often vttered of his resurrection It may be thou wilt
this case for that thereby we purchase an inestimable glory for a short passing combat the comfort whereof neither eye hath seene eare hath heard nor any heart conceiued And on the other side by the same we auoide other intollerable and eternall torments of hell the least whereof passeth all those that can be suffered in the world and therefore is our change most happie that by the paine of a short life auoide the misery of an eternall death and deserue the vnspeakeable happinesse of the life euerlasting For this cause saith Saint Iames Thinke you it all ioy my brethren when you shall fall into diuerse temptations knowing that the triall of your faith worketh patience and patience hath a perfect worke that you may be perfect and entire failing in nothing The third Consideration Of the watchfulnesse and attention required in the care of our soule SEeing this waightie affaire of our soules health is hemmed in and beset with so manifest perils and troubles it standeth vs vpon most watchfully to take heede to euery thought word and deed that passeth lest through the number and subtilties of enemies traines we be often entrapped for it is hard to touch pitch and not be defiled to liue in flesh a spirituall life to conuerse in the world without worldly affections Wherefore as a Legate that is to deliuer his embassage before a great presence of Peeres and Nobles hath not onely regard to his matter but also to his words voyee and actions that all be sutable to his message so we hauing to worke this exploit of our soule before God and all the court of heauen and also before the eyes of those that lay waite to take vs in any trippe ought to be very warie euen in our least thoughts and deeds for feare lest we offend the presence of God and giue occasion of triumph and victorie vnto our deadly foes And for this saith the Scripture Keepe thy selfe very watchfully Secondly to attaine this diligent and attentiue care in all our actions let vs consider what men vse to do that carry great treasure by places haunted with theeues how warily they looke to their way how often they turne about them how many times they prepare themselues sometimes to fight and other whiles to runne away Likewise how warily he walketh and how carefull he is neuer to stumble nor fall that carieth in each hand a thinne glasse of precious liquour through stony and rough places and when we haue marked these mens carefulnesse in these inferior matters let vs remember that much more respect is necessarie in vs whose treasure is more precious then any worldly iewels and yet do we carrie it in earthen and fraile vessels in the middest of so many theeues as there are passions and disordered appetites in vs as there are Diuels in waite for vs and as there are stumbling stones and occasions of sinne set round about vs to procure this attention the most effectuall helpes are these First to thinke how carefull we should be to do all things well if this present day were the last that euer we should liue in this world as peraduenture it may be and that at the end thereof we were to be conuented before a most seuere and rigorous Iudge who according to the desert of that dayes actions should passe the sentence of life or death vpon vs. Secondly to remember that God is in his owne substance power and true presence in euery place and seeth both our outward and inward actions more then we our selues and therefore let vs seeke in euery thing so to behaue our selues that we feare not to haue God a witnesse and beholder of all that we do thinke or say and let vs aske him grace to do nothing vnworthie his fight Thirdly we must consider the carelesnesse of our life past remembring how often we haue fought against God with his owne weapons and abused the force that he hath affoorded in euery part of our body and minde and therefore as Saint Paul warneth As we haue exhibited our members to serue vncleannesse and iniquitie so let vs now exhibite our members to serue iustice vnto sanctification Fourthly to procure this attention it is good oftentimes in the day when we ate about our ordinary actions to vse godly prayers and some verses out of the Psalmes with petition vnto God for his grace aide and assistance for such godly exercises are fewell of deuotion causes of attention foode of the soule preparatiues against temptations and assured helpes to attaine any vertues Therefore it is good to vse them in lieu of sightes and in the beginning of euery chiefe action directing therein our intention and action to Gods glory and seruice and our owne foules good health and fafetie The last Consideration Of the necessitie of perseuerance in continuing watchfull ouer our selues FIrst seeing the summe and complement of all vertue consisteth in the continuance and progresse of it perseuerance of all other things is most necessarie in this businesse to the better attaining whereof these considerations may preuaile First to consider by whose instinct and motion I beganne to take speciall care of my soule and I shall finde that being a thing contrary to the inclination of flesh and bloud and aboue the reach of nature to resolue vpon so painefull and warie a course in hope of a reward and ioy that faith doth promise that I say God onely and no other was the Authour and moouer of my heart vnto it and therefore vnlesse I meane directly to resist God and runne a contrary course to that which he prescribeth I must resolue my selfe to perseuer vnto the end in that which I haue happily begun Secondly the end of this enterprise was to serue God to bewaile my former sinnes and to worke by Gods helpe the saluation of mine owne soule and when I resolued vpon these meanes I was free from passion and as well able to chuse things conuenient as I could at any other time and wholly bent to do that thing which was for my greatest good Wherefore seeing I can neuer aime at a better end nor be in better plight to make a sounder choise my surest way is to perseuer still in my resolution to the end neuer altering my designment vnlesse it be to further my course Thirdly I must consider who is that that would make me forsake it for if God moued me vnto it doubtlesse it is the Diuell would moue me from it for God cannot be contrary to himselfe neither vseth he to alter our minds but onely from euill to good or from good to better therefore vnlesse I meane to yeeld willingly to the Diuell and to follow mine enemies counsell to mine owne perdition I must perseuer vnto the end for with what pretext soeuer the Diuell seeketh to couer his motion sure it is that his drift is to draw me from God and goodnesse and to damne my soule for how can he intend any thing for my good