teach VVhose textes to faithfull harts neede little glosing VVitnesse vnworthy I who in a looke Learn'd more by rote then all the scribes by booke Tough malice still possest theyr hardned minds I though too hard learn'd softnes in thine eye VVhich yron knots of stubborne will vnbinds Offring them loue that loue with loue will buy Thys did I learne yet they could not discerne it But woe that I had now such neede to learne it O Sunnes all but your selues in light excelling VVhose presence day whose absence causeth night VVhose neighbour course brings Sommer colde expelling VVhose distant periods freeze away delight Ah that I lost your bright and fostring beames To plunge my soule in these congealed streames O gracious spheres where loue the Center is A natiue place for our selfe-loaden soules The compasse loue a cope that none can mis The motion loue that round about vs rowles O Spheres of loue whose Center cope and motion Is loue of vs loue that inuites deuotion O little worlds the summes of all the best VVhere glory heauen God sonne all vertues stars VVhere fire a loue that next to heauen doth rest Ayre light of life that no distemper marres The water grace whose seas whose springes whose showers Cloth natures earth with euerlasting flowers VVhat mixtures these sweet elements do yeeld Let happy worldlings of those worlds expound But simples are by compounds farre exceld Both sute a place where all best things abound And if a banisht wretch gesse not amisse All but one compound frame of perfect blisse I out-cast from these worlds exiled rome Poore Saint from heauen from fire cold Salamander Lost fish from those sweet waters kindly home From land of life stray'd pilgrim still I wander I know the cause these worlds had neuer hell In which my faults haue best deseru'd to dwell O Bethelem cesterns Dauids most desire From which my sinnes like fierce Philistims keepe To fetch your drops what champions should I hire That I therein my withered heart may steepe I would not shed them like that holy king His were but tipes these are the figured thing O turtle twins all bath'd in virgins milke Vpon the margin of full flowing bankes VVhose gracefull plume surmounts the finest silke VVhose sight enamoreth heauens most happie rankes Could I forsweare this heauenly paire of doues That cag'd in care for me were groning loues Twice Moses wand did strike the stubborne rocke Ere stony veynes would yeeld their christall blood Thy eyes one looke seru'd as an onely knocke To make my hart gush out a weeping flood VVherein my sinnes as fishes spawne their frye To shew their inward shames and then to dye But ô how long demurre I on his eyes VVhose looke did pearce my hart with healing wound Launcing impostumd sore of periurd lyes VVhich these two issues of mine eyes hath found VVhere runne it must till death the issues stop And penall life hath purgd the finall drop Like solest Swan that swimmes in silent deepe And neuer sings but obsequies of death Sigh out thy plaints and sole in secret weepe In suing pardon spend thy periurd breath Attire thy soule in sorrowes mourning weede And at thine eyes let guiltie conscience bleede Still in the limbecke of thy dolefull breast These bitter fruits that from thy sinnes do grow For fuel selfe accusing thoughts be best Vse feare as fire the coales let pennance blow And seeke none other quintescence but teares That eyes may shed what entred at thine eares Come sorrowing teares the of spring of my griefe Scant not your parent of a needefull aide In you I rest the hope of wish'd reliefe By you my sinnefull debts must be defraide Your power preuailes your sacrifice is gratefull By loue obtayning life to men most hatefull Come good effects of ill deseruing cause Ill gotten impes yet vertuously brought forth Selfe-blaming probates of infringed lawes Yet blamed faults redeeming with your worth The signes of shame in you each eye may read Yet while you guiltie proue you pittie plead O beames of mercy beate on sorrowes clowde Poure suppling showres vpon my parched ground Bring forth the fruite to your due seruice vowde Let good desires with like deserts be crownd VVater young bloming vertues tender flower Sinne did all grace of riper groth deuower VVeepe Balme and mirrhe you sweet Arabian trees VVith purest gummes perfume and pearle your ryne Shed on your hony drops you busie bees I barraine plaint must weepe vnpleasant bryne Hornets I hyue salt drops their labour plyes Suckt out of sinne and shed by showring eyes If Dauid night by night did bath his bed Esteeming longest dayes to short too mone Inconsolable teares if Anna shed VVho in her sonne her solace had forgone Then I to dayes and weekes to months and yeares Do owe the hourely rent of stintlesse teares If loue if losse if fault if spotted fame If daunger death if wrath or wrecke of weale Entitle eyes true heires to earned blame That due remorse in such euents conceale Then want of teares might well enroll my name As chiefest Saint in Calender of shame Loue where I lou'd was due and best deseru'd No loue could ayme at more loue-worthy marke No loue more lou'd then mine of him I seru'd Large vse he gaue a flame for euery spark 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 performd that did most vainely boast I staind my fame in most infamous wise VVhat daunger 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 VVhen crymes in finall doome come to be scand VVhat mount what caue what center can conceale My monstrous fact which euen the birds reueale Come shame the liuery of offending minde The ougly shroud that ouershadoweth blame The mulct at which foule faults are iustly fynde The dampe of sinne the common sluce of fame By which impostum'd tongues their humors purge Light shame on me I best deseru'd the scourge Caines murdering hand imbrude in brothers blood More mercy then my impious toung may craue He kild a riuall with pretence of good In hope Gods doubled loue alone to haue But feare so spoild my vanquisht thoughts of loue That periurde oathes my spightfull hate did proue Poore Agar from her phere enforc'd to flye VVandring in Barsabeian wildes alone Doubting her child throgh helples drought would dye Laide it aloofe and set her downe to moane The heauens with praiers 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 aflote thine eyes But wretch I feele more then was feard of thee
Ah not my sonne my soule it is that dyes It dyes for drought yet had a spring in sight VVorthy to dye that would not liue and might Faire Absolons foule faults compard with mine Are brightest sands to mud of Sodome lakes High aymes yong spirits birth of royall line Made him play false where kingdomes were the stakes He gazd on golden hopes whose lustre winnes Sometime the grauest wittes to grieuous sinnes But I whose crime cuts off the least excuse A kingdome lost but hop'd no mite of gaine My highest marke was but the worthlesse vse Of some few lingring howres 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 endles ioyes begin Too long they liue that lyue till they be nought Life sau'd by sinne base purchase deerely bought This lot was mine your fate was not so fearce VVhom spotlesse death in cradle rockt a sleepe Sweet Roses mixt with Lillies strow'd your hearce Death virgin white in martirs red did steepe Your downy heads both pearles and rubies crownd My hoary locks did femall feares confound You bleating Ewes that waile thys vvoluish spoyle Of sucking Lambes new bought with bitter throwes To balme your babes your eyes distill theyr oyle Each hart to tombe her child wide rupture showes Rue not theyr death whom death did but reuiue Yeeld ruth to me that liu'd to die aliue VVith easie losse sharpe wreacks dyd he eschew That Sindonles aside did naked slyp Once naked grace no outward garment knew Rich are his robes whom sinne did neuer stryp I that in vaunts displaid prides fayrest flags Disrob'd of grace am wrapt in Adams rags VVhen traytor to the Sonne in Mothers eyes I shall present my humble sute for grace VVhat 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 dispisde my griefe might pittyed bee 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 hart deflowr'd a virgins loue redeeme The Mother nothing loues that Sonne doth loath Ah lothsome wretch detested of them both O sister Nymphes the sweet renowned payre That blesse Bethania bounds with your aboade 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 thyrd of that sweet Trinitie of Saints VVould not astonisht dread my sences hold Ah yes my hart euen with his naming faints I seeme to see a messenger from hell That my prepared torments comes to tell O Iohn ô Iames we made a triple corde Of three most louing and best loued friends My rotten twist was broken with a word Fit now to fuel fire among the fiends It is not euer true though often spoken That triple twisted corde is hardly broken The dispossessed deuils that out I threw In Iesus name now impiously forsworne Triumph to see mee caged in theyr mew Trampling my ruines with contempt and scorne My periuries were musick to their daunce And now they heape disdaines on my mischaunce Our rock say they is riuen ô welcome hower Our Eagles wings are clypt that wrought so hie Our thundering Cloude made noise but cast no shower He prostrate lyes that would haue scal'd the sky In womans tongue our runner found a rub Our Cedar now is shrunke into a shrub These scornefull wordes vpbraid my inward thought Proofes of their damned prompters neighbour voice Such vgly guests still wait vpon the nought Fiends swarm to soules that swarue from vertues choise For breach of plighted truth this true I trie Ah that my deede thus gaue my word the lie Once and but once too deere a once to twice it A heauen in earth Saints nere my selfe I saw Sweet was the sight but sweeter loues did spice it But sightes and loues did my misdeed with-draw From heauen and Saints to hell and diuels estrang'd Those sights to frights those loues to hates are chang'd Christ as my God was tempted 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 lay vnconsecrate desires Prophaned wretch I tast 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 fiends do sell. That men to monsters Angels turnes to diuels VVrong of all rights selfe ruine root of euils A thing most done yet more then God can doe Dayly new done yet euer done amisse Friended of all yet vnto all a foe Seeming a heauen yet banishing from blisse Serued with toyle yet paying nought but paines Mans deepest losse though false esteemed gaine Shot without noyse wound without present smart First seeming light prouing in fyne a lode Entring with ease not easily wonne to part Far in effects from that the showes abode Endorc'd with hope subscribed with dispaire Vgly in death though life did faine it faire O forfeiture of heauen eternall debt A moments ioy ending in endlesse fires Our natures scumme the worlds entangling Net Night of our thoughts death of all good desires VVorse then all this worse then all tongues can say VVhich man could owe but onely God defray This fawning viper dumme till he had wounded VVith many mouthes doth now vpbraid my harmes My sight was vaild till I my selfe confounded Then did I see the dissinchanted charmes Then could I cut the anotomy of sinne And search with Linxes eyes what lay within Bewitching euill that hides death in deceits Still borrowing lying shapes to maske thy face Novv know I the deciphring of thy sleights A cunning deerely bought with losse of grace Thy sugred poyson now hath wrought so well That thou hast made me to my selfe a hell My eye reades mournfull lessons to my hart My hart doth to my thought the griefes expound My thought the same doth to my tongue impart My tongue the message in the eares doth sound My eares back to my hart theyr sorrowes send Thus circkling griefes runne round without an end My guilty eye still seemes to see my sinne All things Charecters are to spell my fall VVhat eye doth reade without hart rues within VVhat hart doth rue to pensiue thought is gall VVhich when the thought would by the tongue disgest The eare conuayes it backe into the brest Thus gripes in all my parts do neuer fayle VVhose onely league is now in bartring paines VVhat I in grosse they traffique by retayle Making each others miseries theyr gaines All bound for euer prentizes to care VVhile I in
little sweete hath many fowres Short hap immortall harmes Her louing lookes are murdring dartes Her songs bewitching charmes Like winter rose and sommer I se Her ioyes are still vntimely Before her hope behind remorse Faire first in fine vnseemely Moodes passions fancies iealous fits Attend vpon her traine She yeeldeth rest without repose A heau'n in hellish paine Her house is slouth her doore deceite And slipperie hope her staires Vnbashfull boldnesse bids her guests And euery vice repaires Her diet is of such delight As please till they be past But then the poyson kils the hart That did entise the tast Her sleepe in sinne doth end in wrath Remorse rings her awake Death cals her vp shame driues her out Dispaires her vp-shot make Plowe not the Seas sowe not the sands Leaue off your idle paine Seeke other mistres for your minds Loues seruice is in vaine Life is but losse BY force I liue in will I wish to dye In plaint I passe the length of lingring dayes Free would my soule from mortall body flye And tread the tracke of deaths desired wayes Life is but losse where death is deemed gaine And loathed pleasures breede displeasing paine VVho would not dye to kill all murdering greeues Or who would liue in neuer dying feares VVho would not wish his treasure safe from theeues And quit his hart from pangues his eyes from teares Death parteth but two euer fighting foes VVhose ciuill strife doth worke our endlesse woes Life is a wandring course to doubtfull rest As oft a cursed ryse to damning leape As happie race to winne a heauenly crest None being sure what finall fruites to reape And who can like in such a life to dwell VVhose wayes are straite to heau'n but wyde to hell Come cruell death why lingrest thou so long VVhat doth withhold thy dint from fatall stroke Now prest I am alas thou doest me wrong To let me liue more anger to prouoke Thy right is had when thou hast stopt my breath VVhy should'st thou stay to worke my double death If Saules attempt in falling on his blade As lawfull were as ethe to put in vre If Sampsons leaue a common law were made Of Abels lot if all that would were sure Then cruell death thou should'st the tyrant play VVith none but such as wished for delay VVhere life is lou'd thou ready art to kill And to abridge with sodaine pangues their ioy VVhere life is loath'd thou wilt not worke their will But dost adiourne their death to their annoy To some thou art a fierce vnbidden guest But those that craue thy helpe thou helpest least Auant ô viper I thy spight defie There is a God that ouer-rules thy force VVho can thy weapons to his will apply And shorten or prolong our brittle course I on his mercie not thy might relye To him I liue for him I hope to dye I dye aliue O Life what lets thee from a quicke decease O death what drawes thee from a present pray My feast is done my soule would beat ease My grace is said ô death come take away I liue but such a life as euer dies I die but such a death as neuer ends My death to end my dying life denies And life my liuing death no whit amends Thus still I dye yet still I do reuiue My liuing death by dying life is fed Grace more then nature keepes my hart aliue VVhose idle hopes and vaine desires are dead Not where I breath but where I loue I liue Not where I loue but where I am I dye The life I wish must future glory giue The deathes I feele in present dangers lye What ioy to line I wage no warre yet peace I none enioy I hope I feare I fry in freezing cold I mount in mirth still prostrate in annoy I all the world embrace yet nothing hold All wealth is want where chiefest wishes faile Yea life is loath'd where loue may not preuaile For that I loue I long but that I lack That others loue I loath and that I haue All worldly fraights to me are deadly wrack Men present hap I future hopes doe craue They louing where they liue long life require To liue where best I loue death I desire Heere loue is lent for loane of filthy gaine Most friends befriend thēselues with friendships shew Heere plentie perril want doth breed disdaine Cares common are ioyes faulty short few Here honour enuide meanenes is dispis'd Sinne deemed solace vertue little pris'd Heere beauty is a baite that swallowed choakes A treasure sought still to the owners harmes A light that eyes to murdring sighs prouokes A grace that soules enchant with mortall charmes A luring ayme to Cupids fiery flights A balefull blisse that damnes where it delights O who would liue so many deaths to try VVhere will doth wish that wisedome doth reproue VVhere nature craues that grace must needs denie VVhere sence doth like that reason cannot loue VVhere best in shew in finall proofe is worst VVhere pleasures vpshot is to die accurst Lifes death loues life WHo liues in loue loues least to liue And long delayes doth rue If him he loue by whom he liues To whom all loue is due VVho for our loue did choose to liue And was content to die VVho lou'd our loue more then his life And loue with life did buy Let vs in life yea with our life Requite his liuing loue For best we liue when least we liue If loue our life remoue VVhere loue is hote life hatefull is Their grounds doe not agree Loue where it loues life where it liues Desireth most to be And sith loue is not where it liues Nor liueth where it loues Loue hateth life that holdes it backe And death it best approues For seldome is he wonne in life VVhom loue doth most desire If wonne by loue yet not inioyde Till mortall life expire Life out of earth hath not aboad In earth loue hath no place Loue setled hath her ioyes in heau'n In earth life all her grace Mourne therefore no true louers death Life onely him annoyes And when he taketh leaue of life Then loue beginnes his ioyes At home in Heauen FAire soule how long shall veyles thy graces shroud How long shall this exile with-hold thy right VVhen will thy sunne disperse this mortall cloud And giue thy glories scope to blaze their light O that a Starre more fit for Angels eyes Should pyne in earth not shyne aboue the skyes Thy ghostly beautie offred force to God It cheyn'd him in the linkes of tender loue It woon his will with man to make abode It stai'd his Sword and did his wrath remoue It made the rigor of his iustice yeeld And Crowned mercie Empresse of the feeld This lull'd our heauenly Sampson fast a sleepe And laid him in our feeble natures lap This made him vnder mortall load to creep And in our flesh his god-head to enwrap This made him soiourne with vs in exile And not disdayne our tytles in his