of brasse To keepe prophane feete off do not thou In wounds and anguish euer ouerflow And suffer such in ease and sensualitie Dare to reiect thy rules of humble life The minds true peace turne their zeales to strife For obiects earthly and corporeall A tricke of humblesse now they practise all Confesse their no deserts habilities none Professe all frailties and amend not one As if a priuiledge they meant to claime In sinning by acknowledging the maime Sinne gaue in Adam Nor the surplussage Of thy redemption seeme to put in gage For his transgression that thy vertuous paines Deare Lord haue eate out all their former staines That thy most mightie innocence had powre To cleanse their guilts that the vnualued dowre Thou mad'st the Church thy spouse in pietie And to endure paines impious constancie Will and alacratie if they inuoke To beare the sweete lode and the easie yoke Of thy iniunctions in diffusing these In thy perfection through her faculties In euery fiuer suffering to her vse And perfecting the forme thou didst infuse In mans creation made him cleare as then Of all the frailties since defiling men And as a runner at th' Olympian games With all the luggage he can lay on frames His whole powres to y â— race bags pockets greaues Stuft full of sand he weares which when he leaues And doth his other weightie weeds vncouer With which halfe smotherd he is wrapt all ouer Then seemes he light and fresh as morning aire Guirds him with silkes swaddles with roulers faire His lightsome body and away he scoures So swift and light he scarce treads down the flowrs So to our game proposde of endlesse ioy Before thy deare death when we did employ Our tainted powres we felt them clogd and chain'd With sinne and bondage which did rust and raign'd In our most mortall bodiâ—â— but when thou Strip'dst vs of these bands and from foote to brow Guirt â—old and trimd vs vp in thy deserts Free were our feete and handâ— and spritely hearts Leapt in our bosoms and ascribing still All to thy merits both our powre and will To euery thought of goodnesse wrought by thee That diuine scarlet in which thou didst die Our cleansd consistens lasting still in powre T' enable acts in vs as the next howre To thy most sauing glorious sufferance We may make all our manly powres aduance Vp to thy Image and these formes of earth Beauties and mockeries match in beastly birth We may despise with still aspiring spirits To thy high graces in thy still fresh merits Not â—ouching at this base and spongie mould For â—â—y springs of lust or mines of gold For else milde Sauiour pardon me to speake How did thy foote the Serpents forhead breake How hath the Nectar of thy vertuous blood The sinke of Adams forfeit oueâ—flow'd How doth it set vs free if we still stand For all thy sufferings bound both foote and hand Vassals to Sathan Didst thou onely die Thine owne diuine deserts to glorifie And shew thou couldst do this O were not those Giuen to our vse in powre If we shall lose By damn'd relapse grace to enact that powre And basely giue vp our redemptions towre Before we trie our strengths built all on thine And with a humblesse false and Asinine Flattering our senses lay vpon our soules The burthens of their conquests and like Moules Grouell in earth still being aduanc't to heauen Cowes that we arre in heards how are we driuen To Sathans shambles Wherein stand we for Thy heauenly image Hels great Conqueror Didst thou not offer to restore our fall Thy sacrifice full once and one for all If we be still downe how then can we rise Againe with thee and seeke crownes in the skies But we excuse this saying We are but men And must erre must fall what thou didst sustaine To free our beastly frailties neuer can With all thy grace by any powre in man Make good thy Rise to vs O blasphemie In hypocriticall humilitie As we are men we death and hell controule Since thou createdst man a liuing soule As euerie houre we sinne we do like beasts Needlesse and wilfull murthering in our breasts Thy saued image out of which one cals Our humane soules mortall celestials When casting off a good lifes godlike grace We fall from God and then make good our place When we returne to him and â—o are said To liue when life like his true forme we leade And die as much as an immortall creature Not that we vtterly can ceasse to be But that we fall from lifes best qualitie But we are tost out of our humane Throne By pied and Protean opinion We vouch thee onely for pretext and fashion And are not inward with thy death and passion We slauishly renounce the royaltie With which thou crownst vs in thy victorie Spend all our manhood in the fiends defence And drowne thy right in beastly negligence God neuer is deceiu'd so to respect His shade in Angels beauties to neglect His owne most cleare and rapting louelinesse Nor Angels dote so on the species And grace giuen to our soule which is their shade That therefore they will let their owne formes fade And yet our soule which most deserues our woe And that from which our whole mishap doth flow So softn'd is and rapt as with a storme With flatteries of our base corporeall forme Which is her shadow that she quite forsakes Her proper noblesse and for nothing takes The beauties that for her loue thou putst on In torments rarefied farre past the Sunne Hence came the cruell fate that Orpheus Sings of Narcissus who being amorous Of his shade in the water which denotes Beautie in bodies that like water flotes Despisd himselfe his soule and so let fade His substance for a neuer-purchast shade Since soules of their vse ignorant are still With this vile bodies vse men neuer fill And as the Suns light in streames ne're so faire Is but a shadow to his light in aire His splendor that in aire we so admire Is but a shadow to his beames in fire In fire his brightnesâ—e but a shadow is To radiance fir'd in that pure brest of his So as the subiect on which thy grace shines Is thicke or cleare to earth or heauen inclines So that truths light showes so thy passion takes With which who inward is and thy breast makes Bulwarke to his breast against all the darts The foe stâ—l shoots more more his late blow smarts And sea-like raues most where t is most withstood He tasts the strength and vertue of thy blood He knows that when flesh is most sooth'd grac't Admir'd and magnified ador'd and plac't In height of all the blouds Idolatry And fed with all the spirits of Luxury One thought of ioy in any soule that knowes Her owne true strength and thereon doth repose Bringing her bodies organs to attend Chiefly her powres to her eternall end Makes all
it confounds me nor leaues place for breath Oft I attempt to flie and meditation Contends to shake off my old yoke of death But to my bones cleaues the vncur'd vexation 10. O that at length my necke his yoke could cleare Which would be straite wouldst thou ô highest will it O that so angrie with my sinne I were That I could loue thee though thus late fulfill it 11. But much I feare it since my freedome is So with mine owne hands out of heart sterued And I must yeeld my torment iust in this Sorrow and labor wring me most deserued 12. Mad wretch what haue I to my selfe procured Mine owne hands forg'd the chains I haue endur'd 13. In deaths blacke ambush with my will I fell And wheresoeuer vulgar brode waies traine me Nets are disposde for me by him of hell When more retir'd more narrow paths containe me 14. There meete my feete with fitted snares as sure I wretch looke downeward and of one side euer And euerie slipperie way I walke secure My sins forget their traitrous flatteries neuer 15. I thought the grace of youth could neuer erre And follow'd where his boundles force wold driue me Said to my selfe Why should th'extremes deterre Before youths season of the meane depriue me 16. Each age is bounded in his proper ends God I know sees this but he laughs and sees it Pardon at any time on prayre attends Repentance still weeps when thy wish decrees it 17. Then vilest custome challengeth his slaue And laies on hand that all defence denies me And then no place reseru'd for flight I haue Subdu'd I am and farre my refuge flies me 17. Die'in my sinne I shall vnlesse my aide Stoopes from aloft of which deserts depriue me Yet haue thou mercie Lord helpe one dismaide Thy word retain from hell moâ—â—h retriue me All glorie to the Father be And to the Sonne as great as he With the coequall sacred Spirit Who all beginnings were before Are and shall be euermore Glorie all glorie to their merit A HYMNE TO OVR Sauiour on the Crosse. HAile great Redeemer man and God all haile Whose feruent agonie tore the temples vaile Let sacrifices out darke Prophesies And miracles and let in for all these A simple pietie a naked heart And humble spirit that no lesse impart And proue thy Godhead to vs being as rare And in all sacred powre as circulare Water and blood mixt were not swet from thee With deadlier hardnesse more diuinitie Of supportation then through flesh and blood Good doctrine is diffusde and life as good O open to me then like thy spread armes That East West reach all those misticke charmes That hold vs in thy life and discipline Thy merits in thy loue so thrice diuine It made thee being our God assume our man And like our Champion Olympian Come to the field gainst Sathan and our sinne Wrastle with torments and the garland winne From death hell which cannot crown our browes But blood must follow thornes mixe w t thy bowes Of conquering â—awâ—ell fast naild to thy Crosse Are all the glories we can here engrosse Proue then to those that in vaine glories place Their happinesse here thy hold not by thy grace To those whose powres proudly oppose thy lawes Oppressing Vertue giuing Vice applause They neuer manage iust authoritie But thee in thy deare members crucifie Thou couldst haue come in glorie past them all With powre to force thy pleasure and empale Thy Church with brasse Adamant that no swine Nor theeues nor hypocrites nor fiends diuine Could haue broke in or rooted or put on Vestments of Pietie when their hearts had none Or rapt to ruine with pretext to saue Would pompe and radiance rather not out braue Thy naked truth then cloath or countnance it With grace and such sincerenesse as is fit But since true pietie weares her pearles within And outward paintings onely pranke vp sinne Since bodies strengthned soules go to the wall Since God we cannot serue and Beliall Therefore thou putst on earths most abiect plight Hid'st thee in humblesse vnderwentst despight Mockerie detraction shame blowes vilest death These thou thy souldiers taughtst to fight beneath Mad'st a commanding President of these Perfect perpetuall bearing all the keyes To holinesse and heauen To these such lawes Thou in thy blood writst that were no more cause T' enflame our loues and feruent faiths in thee Then in them truths diuine simplicitie T were full enough for therein we may well See thy white finger furrowing blackest hell In turning vp the errors that our sence And sensuall powres incurre by negligence Of our eternall truth-exploring soule All Churches powres thy writ word doth controule And mixt it with the fabulous Alchoran A man might boult it out as floure from branne Easily discerning it a heauenly birth Brake it but now out and but crept on earth Yet as if God lackt mans election And shadowes were creators of the Sunne Men must authorise it antiquities Must be explor'd to spirit and giue it thies And controuersies thicke as flies at Spring Must be maintain'd about th' ingenuous meaning When no stile can expresse it selfe so cleare Nor holds so euen and firme a character Those mysteries that are not to be reacht Still to be striu'd with make them more impeacht And as the Mill fares with an ill pickt grist When any stone the stones is got betwist Rumbling together fill the graine with grit Offends the eare sets teeth an edge with it Blunts the pict quarrie so t will grinde no more Spoyles bread and scants the Millars custom'd store So in the Church when controuersie fals It marres her musicke shakes her batterd wals Grates tender consciences and weakens faith The bread of life taints makes worke for Death Darkens truths light with her perplext Abysmes And dustlike grinds men into sects and schismes And what 's the cause the words deficiencie In volume matter perspicutitie Ambition lust and damned auarice Peruert and each the sacred word applies To his prophane ends all to profite giuen And puâ—snets lay to catch the ioyes of heauen Since truth and reall worth men seldome sease Impostors most and sleightest learnings please And where the true Church like the nest should be Of chast and prouident Alcione To which is onely one straight orifice Which is so strictly fitted to her sise That no bird bigger then her selfe or lesse Can pierce and keepe it or discerne th' accesse Nor which the sea it selfe on which t is made Can euer ouerflow or once inuade Now wayes so many to her Altars are So easie so prophane and populare That torrents charg'd with weeds and sin-drownd beasts Breake in lode cracke them sensuall ioyes and feasts Corrupt their pure fumes and the slendrest flash Of lust or profite makes a standing plash Of sinne about them which men will not passe Looke Lord vpon them build them wals
PETRARCHS SEVEN PENITENTIALL PSALMS PARAPHRASTICALLY TRANSLATED With other Philosophicall POEMS and a HYMNE to Christ vpon the Crosse. Written by GEORGE CHAPMAN Arri. Epict. Progressus sum in medium pacem Omnibus hominibus proclamo At mihi quod viuo detraxerit inuida turba Post obitum duplici foenore reddet honos LONDON Imprinted for MATTHEVV SELMAN dwelling in Fleete-streete neare Chancerie lane 1612. TO THE RIGHT WORTHILY HONORD graue and ingenuous Fauorer of all vertue Sir Edw. Phillips Knight Maister of the Rolles c. SIR though the name of a Poeme beares too light and vaine a Character in his forhead either to answer my most affectionate desire to do you honour or deserue your acceptance yet since the subiect matter is graue and sacred enough how rudely soeuer I haue endeuored to giue it grace and elocution I presumed to preferre to your emptiest leisure of reading this poore Dedication In the substance and soule of whose humane and diuine obiect the most wise and religious that euer writ to these purposes I haue for so much as this little containes imitated and celebrated Good life and the true feeling of our humane birth and Being being the end of it all and as I doubt not your iudiciall and noble apprehension will confesse the chiefe end of whatsoeuer else in all authoritie and principalitie Notwithstanding either for the slendernesse of the volume or harshnesse of the matter I haue not dared to submit it as the rest of my weake labors to my most gracious and sacred Patron the Prince reseruing my thrice humble dutie to his Highnesse for some much greater labours to which it hath pleased him to command me And thus most truly thankfull for all your right free and honorable fauours I humbly and euer rest The most vnfained and constant obseruer of you and yours Geo. Chapman PETRARCHS SEVEN PENITENTIALL PSALMES PSALME I. Heu mihi Misero 1. O Me wretch I haue enrag'd My Redeemer and engag'd My life on deaths slow foote presuming I haue broke his blessed lawes Turning with accursed cause Sauing loue to wrath consuming 2. Truths straite way my will forsooke And to wretched bywaies tooke Brode rough steepe and full of danger Euery way I labour found Anguish and delighte vnsound To my iourneyes end a stranger 3. Rockes past fowles wings tooke my flighâ—â— All my dayes spent all my nights Toyles and streights though still repelling One or other beast I met Shunning that for which I swet Wild beasts dens were yet my dwelling 4. Pleasure that all paine subornes Making beds of ease on thornes Made me found with ruine sleeping Rest in Torments armes I sought All good talkt but all ill thought Laught at what deseru'd my weeping 5. What is now then left to do What course can I turne me to Danger such vâ—icap't toyles pitching All my youths faire glosse is gone Like a shipwracke each way blownâ— Yet his pleasures still bewitching 6. I delay my Hauen to make Nor yet safeties true way take On her left hand euer erring I a little see my course Which in me the warre makes worse Th' vse of that small sight deferring 7. Oft I haue attempted flight Th' old yoke casting but his weight Thou Nature to my bones impliest O that once my necke were easde Straight it were were thy powre pleasd O of all things high thou highest 8. O could I my sinne so hate I might loue thee yet though late But my hope of that is sterued Since mine owne hands make my chaines Iust most iust I grant my paines Labour wrings me most deserued 9. Mad wretch how deare haue I bought Fetters with mine owne hands wrought Freely in deaths ambush falling I made and the foe disposde Nets that neuer will be losde More I striue the more enthralling 10. I look't by and went secure In paths slipperie and impure In my selfe my sinne still flattering I thought youths flowre still would thriue Follow'd as his storme did driue With it all his hemlockes watering 11. Said what thinke I of th'extreames Ere the Meane hath spent his beames Each Age hath his proper obâ—ect God sees this and laughs to see Pardon soone is goâ— My knee When I will repent is subiect 12. Custome then his slaue doth claime Layes on hands that touch and maime Neuer cour'd repented neuer Flight is then as vaine as late Faith too weake to cast out Fate Refuge past my reach is euer 13. I shall perish then in sinne If thy aide Lord makes not in Mending what doth thus depraue me Minde thy word then Lord and leâ—d Thy worke thy hand crowne my end From the iawes of Sathan saue me All glorie to the Father be And to the Sonne as great as he With the coequall sacred Spirit Who all beginnings were before Are and shall be euermore Glorie all glorie to their merit PSALME II. Inuocabo quem offendi 1. I Will inuoke whom I inflam'd Nor will approch his fierie throne in feare I will recall nor be asham'd Whom I cast off and pierce againe his eare Hope quite euen lost I will restore And dare againe to looke on heauen The more I fall inuoke the more Prayre once will speed where â—are is euer giuen 2. In heauen my deare Redeemer dwels His eare yet let downe to our lowest sounds His hand can reach the deepest hels His hand holds balmes for all our oldest wounds I in my selfe do often die But in him I as oft reuiue My health shines euer in his eye That heales in hell and keepes euen death aliue 3. Feare all that would put feare on me My sinne most great is but much more his grace Though ill for worse still alterd be And I in me my eagrest foe embrace Yet Truth in this hath euer stood The blackest spots my sinnes let fall One drop of his most precious blood Can cleanse and turne to purest luorie all 4. Strike Lord and breake the rockes that grow In these red seas of thy offence in me And cleansing fountaines thence shall flow Though of the hardest Adamant they be As cleare as siluer seas shall rore Descending to that noysome sinke Where euery houre hels horride Bore Lies plung'd and drownd doth his vomits drinke 5. Race Lord my sinnes inueterate skarres And take thy new-built Mansion vp in me Though powre failes see my wils sharpe warres And let me please euen while I anger thee Let the remembrance of my sinne With sighs all night ascend thine eare And when the morning light breakes in Let health be seene and all my skies be cleare 6. Thus though I temper ioyes with cares Yet keepe thy mercies constant as my crimes I le cherish with my faith my prayres And looke still sighing vp for better times My selfe I euermore will feare But thee my rest my hope still keepe Thy darkest clouds thy lightnings cleare Thy thunders rocke me that breake others sleepe 7. My purgatorie O Lord make My bridall chamber wedded to thy will