stone VVas caste into the sea But Angels ayded her to land VVhere shee more woes did taste And as an arrow strake her hart Her soule to heauen paste VVhen Fausta in her faithful mynde Resolued did remaine The Idol priest wild with a saw To cut her corps in twain But when he saw it hurt her not Hee in her faith affied And comfort from the heauens receau'd VVith her when as he dyed â—udelia many did conuert Vnto her lordes belief VVhich in the Persian pagans did Enkindle irefull grief Vnto the Sun shee would not pray Nor yet the fyre adore And had the skin flead from her face And lastly dy'd therefore Sout Iuliâ—na did endure The torments of the euil And did in combat ouercome Th' accursed cruel deuil And after all her conquests gaynd Then gayned shee renowne For by the swoord vnto her due Remaynd a martirs crowne Victoria wel might called bee That woorthy mynded mayd That in her self subdued sin VVith courage vndismayd And gayned virgins vnto Christ And actes of woonder wrought And did by martirdome attain The garland that shee sought Because the Idoles to adore Lucia did refuse Shee threatned was shee should bee thrust Into the comon stewes No no quoth shee the mynd beeing pure The body is vnstaynd Then with the swoord shee martrid was And glorie so shee gaynd To Fortunata for her faith Much euil did betyd VVho fyrie flames fierce beastes clawâ—â— VVas willing to abyde And tortures and lim-streâ—ching â—ack From whence her sauiour pleased To cal her blessed soule to blis VVhere with her woes were eased Febronia with resolued force For chastitie and faith Endur'd with patience to the end The woorst of tyrants wrath The rack the fyre and rods shee felt Teeths losse and either brest And with the swoord all losse of wo And gaine of lasting rest Macra a mayd of heauenly mynde No earthly thinges did moue For prison fyre nor losse of brests Might not her faith remoue All naked o're hot-sheards of pots Her body rolled was VVhyle shee in praying vnto God To paradise did pas Zâ—a a glorious martyrs * Nicostrâ—tus wyf Before the aulter prayd VVhere-vnder blest saint Pâ—â—ters bones The faithful had conuayd And for this fact surprised then VVas hanged on a tree Both by her heâ—â—â— and by her neck And so her crowne had shee Charitina with fyre annoyd And cast into the seas Came foorth and had no hurt at all Nor feeling of vnease Then were her handes and feet cut of But he whome shee did loue Eu'n as shee prayd receau'd her ghoste Into his ioyes aboue Eulalia ardent in her zeal Vnto her louing lord To suffre torments many wayes Most midly did accord And lastly in the burning fyre Lauding his holy name To him her soule shee sacryfys'd And died in the â—lame The lyke in loue the lyke in zeal In some succeeding space A second good Eulaliâ— was A lyke endu'd with grace The rack she felt and sundry grieues The last of lyf the losse VVhen foes of Christe for faith of Christe Did naile her on a crosse VVhyle Emerâ—â—â—iâ—na yet was taught in Christian lore Her foster-sister 〈◊〉 tombe Shee prayd and kneeld before And taken at this martres tombe A martres shee was made And vnto happy heauenâ— ioyes Her ghoste straight was conueyd Chaste Theodora to the stewes To be deflowred led Gat thence in habyt of a youth That stayd there in her sted But for this fact for his faith VVhen hee was led to death Shee came and yeilded vp her self And with him yeilded breath Crispina of renowmed race Did by her vertues mynde More honour in her self atchiue Then came to her by kynde Shee would vnto the Idol Gods No sacrifise affoord But yeided for her Lord and God Her neck vnto the swoord Susanna of a woorthy stock VVas of as woorthy fame As shee that false defamed was And first did beare her name Shee Christe his seruants did relieue And liued in his lore And for the same shee lost her head And gayned heauen therefore Imprisned Leocadia long Did for her faith remayne VVhose faithful mynde remained free In moste afflicting payne Til God at length for her release Her ghoste tooke thence away Her suffrance by a martirs crowne In glory to repay The virgin Bibiana was Establisht in belief VVhich faithlesse foes could not subuert By guerdon nor by grief So long her body lashed was VVith knotted whips with lead That her sweete soule to heauen past And left it lying dead Euphrasia with more maidens chaste In place vnchaste was placed But hee their puritie preseru'd That purely him embraced Then by their death-contryuing-crue Stones to their nectes were bound And so into the water cast The innocentes were drown'd Antonia had her tender limmes Beyond all measure payned And three dayes hanged by one arme Moste constant stil remayned And two yeares hauing prisned bene Receau'd at last her hyre VVhat tyme her soule her body left Consuming in the fyre Lucretia not that Lucres once VVhich did her self destroy Did for true faith and faithful loue Beare wrongful griefes annoy The one in earth her glory left The other in heauen and earth Because more woorthy was the cause VVhy shee endured death VVith tearing hookes and iron combes VVas Tatiana torne Cointha trayld along the streetes Her flesh from bones was worne Paula that gathred martyrs blood Her owne for Christ did shed Crescentia for her faith to Christ VVas thrust in boyling lead Corona torne betwene two trees Her crowne in blis did fynde As did Cirilla when shee left Her bleeding corps behynde Balbina daughter to a saint * S. 〈◊〉 Her fathers steps did trace And Aquilina by her death Did deathlesse lyf embrace Helconis that great grief endur'd Did lastly lose her hâ—d Calliopa her scortched corps Left with tormentors dead Felicula by tortur kild And Paula ston'd to death And with the swoord Constantia Constantlyâ—yeilded breath Regina many paynes endur'd Heau'ns diademe to gayne Mustiola did suffer wo For gayning ioyes againe Irene that good bookes did hyde Her lyf for Christe bestowed Dominica that Idoles brake By death her feruour shewed Dafrosa that to martirdoâ—e Her husband * Fabiâ—â—â— hath ensued And Marciona with whose blood The wyld beastes were imbrued Mannea that with her three sonnes And with her husband dy'd Valeria saint Vitals wyf Gainst death her courage tryd Pelagia in a brazen Ox Red hot aliue was thrust Anthusia throwne into a wel To please the tirants lust Maxima vnto cruel death VVith cudgels beaten was Agathoclia lost her toung Ere shee to blis did pas Blanda with her deer husband dyd VVhose heddes on stakes on hic Through pagan pollicy were set Christians to terrify VVith Leonis and Libia The faithful sisters twaine Eutropia twelue yeares old â—ndur'd Death and moste deadly payne The vertuous virgin Sophia Cornelia loyal euer Albina and Asteria Did vnto death perseuer Prisca and Lâ—ocâ—itia Martha and Antoâ—ina VVith
Leonilla of that lore And setled Secundâ—â—a Sebastiana whome saint Paule Did bring to Christe his loue And Reparata dead whose ghoste Ascended lyke a doue Faire Flora and Maria both And Flaâ—ia Doâ—itilla Good Dula and Demetria Gaudentia and Lucilla VVith Alexandra six besyde For Christe their blood haue spent And Ciriaca and fyâ—e more VVith bodies rac'd and rent VVith other martyresses twelue Theodosia went to heauen Eu'n as at Sâ—â—irna for that cause Dy'd holy virgins seauen Six that were called Candâ—da Gaue beauty to that name More fairer far then â—t self â—ound Doth signify the same Some maried were and some were maydes Their suffrance sundry wayes There cause all one their only king Did all to glorie raise Seauen of the name of Iulia Did one of them ensue VVhereby eight martirs glorious crownes To this one name is due And of the name Iustina fyue As of Pelagia were Of Martiana there were three VVhose count Valerâ—â— beare Of this most glorious troop and ranck Of martrid woomen-kynde I shal not nede to recon morâ— Thoughe many more I fynd For euen as these rehearsed here There crosse with Christ sustayn'd So did the rest and all with Christ Al glory haue obtayn'd In sundry regions of the earth Ful many more besyde For faith for vow for zeal to Christâ— Ful gloriously haue dyde Chaste VVâ—â—nâ—frid did feele of death The bloody stroke and sting As Dympâ—a of her father did A pagan Irish King VVith soule and body vndefyld In endlesse lyf to raigne Good Vrsula and all her troop Endured to be slaine And Câ—rdula that hid her self Her lyf thereby to saue Came foorth and yeilded vnto death Her lyf thereby to haue To bring the number in accompâ— Vnable is my skil Of all such glorious martirs names And their endured il But in the Lambe his booke of lyf No one omitted is Nor no one wo that they sustaynd Vnrecompenst in bliâ— No more then their formenterâ— misse Their iust reward in hel For each inflicted grief and smart VVherewith they them did quel Exyl'd those wretches are from heaueâ— And odious dead in earth Yet in helles horror neuer dy Though euer feeling death Meane whyle the chosen saintes of God In heauen euer liue And euer glorie vnto him In all reioysing giue Al clad in whyte for puritie Each with a golden crowne And bearing palmes of victory As enseignes of renowne No eye hath seene no eare hath heard No hart of man conceaued No sight no sound no thought of ioy As now they haue receaued All griefes are now extinguished All sorrowes haue â—n end No teares can fall from weeping eyes Nor sighes from hart ascend O gâ—orioâ—â— troop whose praise the heau'ns VVith melodie refouâ—◠〈◊〉 Accept that wee as câ—coes here Yeild noise vnto the sound And when for your true followed faith VVee any wo sustaine Our constant suffrance of the same Voutsafe of God obtayne Deo gratiae A RESEMBLANCE OF MARTYRS BEfore the craggy flint Meetes with the hardned steel It seemes not to conteyne The vertue it conteynes But when it doth the stroke Of swift encountring feel Eu'n then the force appeers That hid in it remaines Right so resolued myndes Through wicked fortunes wheel Encountring with misâ—ap And feeling bitter paynes Make fyre of sacred Ioue From ardent zeal proceed VVhich mounting vp to heau'n Doth all the Starres exceed TE DEVM LAVDAMVS OR The song of S. Ambrose S. Augustyne TO thee O God wee praises giue VVee thee our Lord confesse Eternal father all the earth Adores thy woorthynesse The Angels heau'ns heau'nly powers Yeild praises all to thee The Cherubinnes and Scraphinnes Sound out incessantly O holy holy holy Lord. O God of Sabaoth Thy glorious maiesty repleates The earth and heauen both To thee the quyre so glorious Of thy Apostles all To thee the number woorthy-praise Of prophets cry and cal The army of thy martirs bright Thy praises do expresse Thy holy Church through-out the earth Doth thee o Lord confesse Father of endlesse Maiestie Thy only Sonne withal Together with the Holy Ghost Comforter of vs all Thow King of glorie arte O Christe And ere the earth begonne Thow of thy father did'st remaine His euer beeing Sonne Thy willingnesse man to releas Made thee in earth to come And for that cause not to abhor Thy maiden-mothers woombe And when the sting of cruel death By the was vanuisht quyght Thow opned'st then thee realme of blis To each belieuing wight In glorie of the father thow Do'st sit at Gods right hand VVee hold thee for the iudge by whome Our causes must bee skand VVee humbly therefore thee desyre Voutsafe thy seruants ayd Of whome with thy moste pretious blood The ransomes thow ha'st paid O make that wee rewarded bee VVith thy deer saintes in blis Eu'n with thy glory and thy grace VVhich euer during is Thy people and thyne heritage O Lord saue and defend And gouerne them and stil their praise In altitude extend And from offending thee by sin This day do thow vs saue And mercy haue on vs O Lord Lord on vs mercy haue And as our trust in thee hath bene Such let thy mercy bee Confounded let mee not become That hoped haue in thee HOVV GOD IN ALL AGES hath bin serued with Sacrifise Sacrificium sub lege Naturae WHen God created man and rule vnto him gaue Of creatures all on earth and eu'ry earthly thing And knowlege of his God did in his hart engraue Subiection so to know vnto his soueraigne King Then for to know and yeild what homage hee would haue Nature by her instinckt vnto his mynde did bring And Sacrifise it was and well accepted than Thus mannes adoring God with sacrifise began Sacrificium sub lege Moyses VVHen froÌ„ the how 's of thralle through ayd of heau'uly might Gods people were led foorth by Moysis then their guyd For this new freedome found it rested that of right God with augmented thankes must now bee gratifyde And him to honor more in more then wonted plight Old Sacrifise was now with new rytes beautifyde So for more good receau'd more gratitude did rise Which still to God was don in doing sacrifise Sacrificium sub lege Euangelica VVHen Gods dere Sonne from heau'n did vnto earth desced Lost loue of God againe for mannes release to win Himself in sacrifise blood-sacrifise did end When his high prised blood did satisfy for sin But since Gods seruice must on sacrifise depend He chang'd not took away what faith did first begin And did ordaine himself in Sacramental wise To bee to God for man a soueraigne sacrifise SAINT PEETERS COMFORT EV'n there where sin my silly soule defyld Shame bad mee hy and seeke to hyde my face Foule face of myne that that faire face behild And could my so wel knowing it out face And make himself eu'n whome I did deny True witnes vnto my fals periury I scarsly was gon foorth out of the halle VVhen sorrow straight
all naked they him nail And reare it vp and wound him in the â—yde VVhich all the blest of heauen do be wayl VVhyle of the earth th'accursedst it deryde The swoord of sorow peirseth now the hart Of his lamenting mother in her dolour moste VVhose deere Sonnes sorrow and surmounting smart Now takes an end in yeilding of his ghoste The first glorious mysterie Conteyning the resurrection of Christe SVbdued sorrow glory now ensues For from the crosse the soule of Christ descending Bringes to expecting soules the cheereful newes Of heauens entrance their deâ—ynments ending And to his corps his ghoste return'd againe Triumphant raiseth it from closed toombe Terror vnto the actors of his paine VVhose hate and death and hel is ouercome And glory that his sorowes now had chased Extinguisht wo in his kynde mothers hart And glory there and in all others placed That of his anguish had sustayned parte The second glorious mysterie Conteyning the ascention of Christe into heauen WHen forty dayes the day had ouerpast Of that now lyf that Christe from death had taken He did resolue his heauens returne at last To leaue the world that had him first forsaken And hauing to his mother now appeered And also vnto his apostles true Confirmd in faith and in his glory cheered On Oliue mount he biddes them all adieu And there liftes vp himself to sacred blis Th' unworthy world no more him so retaynes And all the glory that in heauen is To him is yeilded and to him remaynes The third glorious mysterie Conteyning the coming downe of the holy Ghost PLac'd in his throne and glorious chaire of state Our louing Lord regardful of oâ—â— weal VVould let no more then ten dayes run their date Ere he his keeping promis would reueal VVhat tyme his mother and disciples bent In secret wyse to inuocate his name Down vnto them his holy Ghost he sent VVith glorious fyre their hartes for to enflame And to conioyne to his Churche now begonne That spirit of truthe that euer must it guyde In only truthe whyle shyneth any Sun Maugre the woorst of daunted hellish pryde The fourth glorious mysterie Conteyning the assumption of our blessed Lady WHen hence to parte the virgin did obtayne The Hierarchies their due attendance gaue To bring her sin-lesse soule to endlesse raigne VVhyle saintes on earth brought her pure corps to graue VVhich therein laid and found thence â—o be tane Makes pietie to faith to recomend That soone her soule to earth return'd againe And tooke her corps and did therewith ascend A due prerogatiue and due alone Vnto that body that had borne a chyld As neuer did nor neuer shal do none That neuer was with thought of sin defyld The fyft glorious mysterie Conteyning the coronation of our blessed Lady ASsumpted so with soule and corps combyned As glorious as at last the blest shal-bee And placed in her princely seat asygned Lyke 〈◊〉 woorthy self appeered shee And that eternal euer three in one There crowned her the highest heauens Queene VVhere angels yeilded honor to her throne As seemly might to her estate bee seene And shee that earst replenisht was with grace Now plac'd where grace flowes out in plenties store VVhere as shee sees her sonnes most gratious face And sues for such as sue to her therefore AVE MARIA HAil Marie filled ful of grace Our Lord remaines with thee And thow among'st thy sexes race Remainest blest to bee And as thow blessed did'st become So did'st thow blessed bring The blessed frute that from thy wombe So blessedly did spring Both now and when wee yeild our ghoste To him prefer our case Because his mercy lasteth moste And thow art ful of grace EPITHETES OF OVR BLESSED LADY Templum Dei WHen God would from the heaueÌ„s to earth his progres take No pallace there he found that might him entertaine Saue one rare edifice which earth-quake could not shake The woorthiest woork of praise that might on earth remaine Faire court of sanctitie made holier for his sake That thee the Temple made his presence to conteyne O Temple where as God voutsafed for to bee Stil may wee him adore adoring stil in thee Porta Caeli WHen grace came froÌ„ aboue then wa'st thou made the gate By which it entred heer brought the hope of blis Which hope in hartes of men remaineth stil in state And stil through faith and loue aliue preserued is Then since thow wa'st the dore for grace this to relate So art thow heauens gate and wel accordeth this That as God vnto men did thee his entrance make Men entrance vnto God againe by thee may take Scale Caeli HOw may our heauy load enclyning to descend Ascend vp in the ayre beyond the egles flight Except by such a guyde as wil assistance lend And can from step to step direct the passage right Or rather her owne self vs better to defend The ladder wil become that scaleth heauens height By whose degrees of grace to blis we may attaine And in our mounting vp not to fall downe againe Electa vt Sol. BRaue ornament of heau'n and comforter of kynde Of whome the shyning Sun doth but the shadow seeme Which as it is elect and hath his place assygn'd Aboue the planets all in earthly eyes esteeme Aboue all sainctes to thee is woorthely resygn'd The seat in supreame blis that best doth thee beseeme Where thy faire beauteous face no foggy cloudes can hyde But chosen there by grace in beauty do'st abyde Pulchra vt Luna WHen Phâ—bus fyrie steedes in compassing the ground Leaue night behynde their backs til they againe returne Then that there should some light in darcknes yet be found Faire Phobe staies behynde supplying Phâ—bus turne Where shee through borrowed light in beauty doth abound And cheers therewith the earth that might in darcknes mourne So thy faire influence faire Cynthia vs extend Which thy most bounteous sonne doth thee most freely lend Stella Maris BRight shyning star by sea in lands abandon'd fight At once apparent seene on either syde the spherre The goodly guyd of all and guyding all aright That in this raging sea ensue thy brightnes cleer And bending not there cours to such illuding light As may mislead to wrack ear danger do apeer For thy direction leades vnto the porte of rest Those guyded by thy self whose guydance is the best Ciuitas Dei FAire Citie stately buylt by singular deuyce Of that great Architeckt who is of greatest arte With all those goodly stones that are esteem'd of pryce Which to this fairest woork their fairnesse do conuert And through far aquaducts from springes of paradise The waters thether led which do refresh the hart And to octroy this towne with all-surpassing fame The buylder here himself a Citizen became Turris Dauid HIgh Tower of stately porte and far to be descry'd And far from thence againe the world about to view It self the centinel that therein doth abyde To giue aduyce of foes or danger to ensue Wel
of beastly mood Found beastes deuoyd of sauagenesse And men more thirsting blood And all the torments that shee had To her not seemed payne But when a swoord transpearst her corps True glory was her gayne The noble Anastatia Poore christians did relieue VVhose heath nish husband her therefore Vnkyndely did agrieue But when the swoord and cruel death Did her from thralle release The heau'ns her freedome did restore VVith endlesse ioy and peace Besydes this Anastatia A martres and a wyf Two virgins of lyke name and faith Lost each lyke wise their lyf The elder that most paynes endur'd Most is her glory spred That losing first paps handes and feet Did lastly lose her head Mylde Dorothey endured much And dy'd by dint of swoord VVhose suffrance did her loue approue To her deere louing Lord. Shee dead to him * Thâ—â—-philâ—â— sweet roses sent That dying did her scorne VVhich moued him her to ensue That els had bene forlorne Erasma in her faiths defence Did wade through many a wo Vntil the hedsman ended all In his death-bringing blow And with this virgin virgins three Did gladly yeild to die So selling lyf at rate of death Vndying lyf to buy Seraphia her setled loue To Christe was so entyre That strokes with cudgels shee sustaind And burning flames of fyre And last of all her lyf and all For his deere loue shee left And gaynd an euer-lyuing lyf In steed of that was reft Sabiâ—a nobly did ensue Seraphia noble dame Yet nobler either in their actes Then only in there name Refusing of vngodly gods The seruice to fulfil Shee rather yeilded to the swoord Then to the pagans wil. As Authia the woes beheld VVhich were by tyrants donne Vnto the constant Bishop * Eleuthâ—rius Her so wel-beloued sonne Shee ioy'd to haue so good a chyld For Christe to suffer smart But when with him shee strangled was Then ioyed moste her hart Affra in turning vnto Christe Turn'd from a lyf impure And for his loue the fyres fierce flame VVas willing to endure And to a stake when shee was ty'd Eu'n as the fyre was made I giue the thankes o God for this This glorious martres said Sincere was Simphorosas faith As did by deedes appeere In gayning vnto her belief Her spouse and children deere And with her husband to accord And sonnes in number seauen To liue in Christe to dy for Christe To loue and liue in heauen Fides and Spes and Charitas Borne of Sâ—pâ—â—â— sage Rype in their faith and fortiâ—â—dâ— Though greene in yeares of age VVere whipped thrust in boyling pitche And hedded afterward VVhose woorth the world of right admyres And heauen doth reward VVhen blest Blandina had the rack And sundry tortures past Vnto a bul wrapt in a net Shee was with fury caste And when of this so feirce a beast No harme shee could receaue Then with the swoord men woors then beastes Did her of lyf bereaue Potamina a noble Dame VVas with her mother †Marcella brent VVhen fearing-threates nor â—uries â—orce Might moue her to relent Shee beeing dead to him * Basilides appâ—â—rd That her did ayd in death VVhereby he turning vnto Christe VVas martred for hâ—s faith Thryce happy was Felicitas Thaâ— happely did see Her sonnes her sayinges to ensue And of her faith to bee And for the same by diuers deathes A deathles lyf renew VVhich by the swoord shee lastly gaynd And so did them 〈◊〉 The mayd Martina beeing led Appollo 〈◊〉 adore The Idol of it self fel downe As shee it came before A Lion vnto her they put Her body they did wound And by the swoord her lyf shee lost And lyf thereby shee found To offer to the Idol Gods Cecilia did refuse And contumelies paynes and death Contented was to chuse And in a skalding caldron cast And thryce strook with the swoord Attayning so vnto the ioyes The heauens do affoord Faire Agatha in beautie rare And welth did both abound But vertue which is more of woorth Might more in her be found Vnhurt on Irons hot shee stood Cut of were both her paps Her lyf shee left and gayned blis So ending al mishaps The loyal Appollonia VVithstood the pagan lawes For which with violence her teeth VVere torne from out her iawes And when for her a burning fyre The helhoundes did prouyde Into the same shee went her self And constantly shee dy'd Russiâ—â— and Secâ—nâ—â— both Sisters and virgins were Both liuing in the loue of God And dying in his feare From sundry sorrowes which they 〈◊〉 The swoord did them release And lyf and ioy foorth with began As wo and death did cease Basilia hauing fixt her loue VVhere loue is best beloued Tooke no regard of carnal loue By fond affection moued To Christe shee vowed chastitie And beeing forc'd to chuse A heathens loue or losse of lyf To liue shee did refuse Eugenia woorthy wel her name Not of Dianaes traine To offer therefore did refuse Vnto her Idol vaine Shee drowned not ty'd to a stone And in the Tiber cast But on a Christmas day to Christ By dint of swoord shee past Concordia with the heauens in peace And with the earth at stryf VVith blowes was beaten vnto death And ended so her lyf Vnited fast in faith and hope And Charities accord Shee died here in perfect pâ—ace And so liues with her lord Pure Margares a prised pearle For Christe himself to buy In tender yeares imbrac'd his loue Aâ—â— for his law did die The diuelish dragon burst in twainâ— That ment her to destroy Her death and sorrowes here but short Brought lyf and lasting ioy Columbae sixteene yeares of age Resolu'd a chaste intent VVhose vow to Christe a loose yongman To violate was sent But him a sauage beare had slaine Had shee not stayd the force A virgin martres so shee dyde And hee obtayn'd remorce Theodosia martirs did salute As at the bar they stood And prayd them pray for her to him For whome they shed there blood For which the ireful iudge ordaynd To teare her brests a way And to rent open both her sydes And cast her in the sea Sweet Catharin belou'd of Christe To Christe was constant seene In leauing for his only loue To bee a crowned Queene Yet crownd shee was with martyrdome VVhen torments from her fled And Angels bore her ghoste to blis VVhen shee had lost her hed The true belieuing Barbara Fals Gods would not adore And lost her fathers woorthlesse loue For Christ his loue and lore Strange torments hee on her impos'd And in straight prison hild And lastly her his only chyld VVith his owne handes he kild Yong Agnes aged thirteen yeares In Christe repos'd her trust Aâ—d not for fauour nor for force VVould yeild to ought vniust No harme shee had when in the fyre Shee throwne was by her foes And with a swoord thrust through her neck VVere ended all her woes Christina faire and noble mayd Did vnto Christe obey For which shee â—y'd vnto a
conceaued first the Angels voyce Her heart conceau'd the heauens high decree Her soule iust cause conceaued to reioyce And her pure wombe as pure as pure might bee Conceau'd withal and that strong infant bred VVho with his foot did break the serpents hed Against the tyme his birth-tyme to adorne Came downe on earth to consecrate the ground VVith Alâ—ion rest Peace that in heauen was borne Because there might no noyse of war be found VVhen to the world the Prince should shew his face That came to all the world to offer grace VVhose entrance when it pleased him to take Into that country whereof death is King His owne self vertue mydwyf hee did make And to annex more wonder to the thing From his pure mothers closure hee did pas Euen as the Sun makes entrance through the glas O sacred force enforcing such a berth The wonder of the wonders moste of woorth The breath of heauen clad in core of earth Through an vnopened passage passing foorth A humaine body spryte-lyke doth dispose His pow'rful self that may no puissance lose And that sweet Infant of eternitie Is borne the infant of a virgins woombe And God is man and so affinitie Doth twixt the earth and twixt the heauen come VVhereby th' Almighty maker thus wee see Kinsman to men to make himself to bee Making withal the virgins glorious fame In faithful hartes engrauen for to stand VVhere of Gods mother shee must beare the name In faire carracters of a sacred hand And such a mother mayd and wyf to bee As all her sexe excelles in all thee three Cleere chastitie descending from her throne To do her homage here vpon the ground A garland brought made by her self alone Of Flowers that only were in Eden found And with obeysance set it on her hed VVith tytle of eternal may denhed The Angels trumps did sound the heavens peace An easterne star stream'd out the fyre of ioy God on his foot-stool did his state decrease New amitie extinguisht old annoy Hate had no place on all the earth to dwel But did remoue vnto her how 's in hel O Infant ofspring of vnending lyne That in this world to spring would so begin And with old Adams race thy self combyne And bee the man to satisfy for sin True God true man except with sin defyld VVho for to bee a man became a chyld Thus God in chyld-heid did appeere on earth Admitting tyme his manly growth to shew VVhose dayes yet crossed were by crosse of death Ere tyme on him could mannes ful tyme bestow But since for man hee would lost lyf obtayne Hee death to kil would first of death bee slaine A SECONDARY exposition THe contemplation of the mistery Of the subiected state of heauens king And the reuyual of the memory That three tymes thryce a day the bel doth ring Leades downe my muse from height I earst began Vnto the lownesse of the lyf of man First how in darcknes of self-knowing state And as yf all foregoing tyme were night VVee enter in at this worldes cumbrous gate As doth the day new dawning with his light And that first treasure Tyme on vs bestowes In chyldish thinges vnwittingly wee lose Thence grow wee vp as do the howres of day Our dayes and yeares outrunning youthful rage From all repose Tyme carrying vs away Doth vnaware draw on our midle age And through his haste wil vs no leasure lend Once back to tutne youths errors to amend At noontyde of our dayes wee do arryue As doth the Sun at midday in his height VVhat tyme the bel a second sound doth giue To moue remembrance of the heauy waight Of sinnes huge burthen when high heauens grace In humaine flesh released humaine race The midday tyme hath but the name of tyme For tyme himself no moment hath of stay Nor wee repose before or after pryme But as the Sun declyneth with the day So we declyne euen at our highest rate Changing with tyme the change of our estate Eâ—t soones drawes on the euentyde of our yeares As doth the Sun draw down ward to the west VVhat tyme the bel reneweth to our eares The sound of ioy now twyce before exprest To shew how in the worldes declyning â—ase Attendant hope obtayn'd expected grace Now of our lyf is come the better parte And of our labors frute to reap the gaine Yf youthes endeuours wrought our wel desart Or yf in lyf so long wee do remaine For from the tree where wee behold the bud Much frute falles downe ere it bee rype and good Lastly as day our dayes theiâ— ending take And as before from darck night wee arose Our day our nightes returne againe doth make And wee yeild vp vnto our last repose Our claime to earth and all that nature gaue And lay vs downe where death shal dig our graue OF THE STATE OF SOLItary lyf dedicated to the seruice of God OVVel are you that haue subdude The force of worlds desyre And in the forte of solitude For safety do retyre Retyr'd from freedome so supos'd In straightnes freedome fynde Because true freedome is enclos'd In circuite of the mynde The world and fortune you depryue From doing you despight Dead vnto men to God alyue That giues liues true delight That soule saith God which I affect I wil with-draw aparte And tel vnto it in effect The secrets of my harte Think thâ—n you that retyred liue For Gods deere loue and dread His loue your soules desyre did giue Retyred liues to lead VVhere as with him you might confer VVhen sole your selues you deeme And so alone lesse neuer ar Then when alone you seeme Faith of yourfort is gouernor Loue is liftenant there Hope is ordained officer The ensigne for to bâ—are Contempt of welth is treasurer VVho woorkes no guyle for gaynes VVhithin whose coffers neuer there Corrupting drosse remaines Pure Chastitie the charge doth take The cloister cleane to keep And of her thoughtes the broome doth make VVherewith shee doth it sweep Obedience which doth sacrifise In valued woorth exceed Is redy for each exercyse As duty deemeth need Perseuerance is Centinel The watch-woord watch and pray VVhose due obseruance doing wel The heauens do repay THE SVBSTANCE OF humaine flesh AS once I did behold The potters actiue skil In ordring of his earthen pots According to his wil. And some for woorthy vse And some for seruile trade As hee them from one clod of clay In sundry fashons made And when they al were wrought And each was put a parte No cause they had If they had could To blame their makers arte To each it might suffise To serue his vse asygn'd Since each to serue some proper vse VVas vtile in his kynde Then as thereat I mus'd It came vnto my thought How God euen from one masse of clay All humaine kynd had wrought Aswel the silly wretch That liues in low degree As any mighty Emperor How puisant so hee bee And how at his estate None rightly may