may weepe daie night for the absence of my son Ahlas ahlas sorow increaseth in me and heauinesse swalloweth vp my soule my teares are like seede in a barren ground the garden of my delight is become a desart of sorrow I am like a mother bemourning her child because he is not Oh thou angell of peace come and succour me Ah my sonne the happinesse in bearing thee is buried through the heauinesse in missing thee and the hope I conceiued of thy life is preuented by thy lamentable death Wo is me I am sicke to the death to see thee dead I am sicke for loue and desire to hasten thy life Wilt thou lifte the poore out of the dust and leaue thy mother in desolation Oh lifte vp thine eies and see howe the mother lifteth vp her voice and weepeth Oh loue if thou art mightier than death now shew thy power lighten the lampe of his life at the candle of my charitie Poure the oyle of thy compassion into these wounds and heale them breath the breath of life into him by imbraces and kissing as I claspe mine armes let him gaspe breath as I weep on his face let him sucke vp my teares O death if thou be more pittifull than loue imprison thy dart in my heart ransome my sonne Ahlas the fairest among men loue will not lend him me death wil not grant him me his mother must be onely kinde and her best tributes are but teares prayers kisses and wishes Ah Bethelem mourn with me and you inhabitants of Iuda put on sackcloth for sorrow is come vppon you and the voice of the mourner must ring in your streetes houle and lament Ierusalem weepe the teares of contrition sigh sob complaine you he that loued you lost his lyfe he that wept for you is dead for you hee that praied for you is plagued for you Ah crosse that hast made my sonne a martyr and mee a mourner Ah crosse that art the meane of my griefe Ah crosse the cause of crosse I must kisse thee accuse thee See see thou art honoured by my Iesus name his purple drops of blud dwel in thee thou diddest kisse his bodie his warme bodie and for these causes I kisse thee But cruel crosse since all thy trophies are cause of my trouble thy titles the occasions of my teares let me accuse thee which hast honored thy selfe and left me comfortlesse yet art thou kinde to me in listning my complaintes and but in bearing the name of Iesus in thy front thou hast alreadie recouered my fauour O crosse the image of mortification the tree of redemption the bond of peace the seal of the couenant I will crosse mine armes to imbrace thee Crosse all my ioyes to containe thee I will be a crosse to mine owne soule if it seeke thee not and count euerie comfort a crosse that is not crost by thee I will crosse the seas of tribulation to incounter thee whilst I hold thee holy crosse I will count no crosse too cruell I that bare my sonne will holde it for no base benefit to beare his crosse the onely glorying in the crosse of Christ crucified shal be my best blessing my loue shall fasten mee to my sonnes crosse and in that he vouchsafed a crosse I will esteeme no glorie but in his crosse O sonne the words of thy wisedome were pricks and nailes to my meditation these fastned thee vnto me in all assaultes of sorrowe and those nailes which nailed thy handes and feete to the crosse shall nail my soul thoughts to thy crosse with my nailes I will dig my owne graue before I forsake those nails which forced thy hands Like as a nail in the wall sticketh fast so fastly shall the nailes of thy martirdome sticke in my heart I will naile vp my soule from all ioy because the naile that issued from Iuda is broken my flesh is torne with thornes because thy forehead is rent wyth thornes the thornes of tribulation persecute me because the thornes of martirdome pearceth I will hedge in my heart with thornes because they haue hemd in thy braines with thornes Whether vnto extendeth my sorrowe If it was thy loue that madest thee suffer it becommeth my loue to suffer with thee and since thou giuest mee an example of patience why should I not preserue the same Though the shadow of death ouerspred thine eies hope saith they shall be lightned though thy life be nowe like the darke night it shortly shall be as cleere as the noone daie yea thou shalt shine forth and bee as the morning The shepheards after great storms wait for faire weather the souldiers after dreadfull warre expect happie peace the sentinell after his colde watch attendeth and intendeth his desired and wished sleepe pleasures are the heires of displeasures comfort treadeth on the heele of care Why expostulate I then with death who hauing a time to tyrannize shal at last be lead in triumph the storms of afflictions shall bee calmed the warres of rufull wailing shall haue a peacefull delight these watchfull complaints and attendings to see my loue shal at last be quieted and I shal laie me downe and take my rest for my Lord shall come and cause mee to dwell in safetie Brieftie all teares shal be wiped from mine eies deaths sting shall bee dulled lifes triumph shall bee established sorrowe shall be disinherited and maiestie reuiued Oh my charitie how much doest thou helpe mee in this my faith onely presenteth mee wyth all these hopes as it were vnder a vaile my hope beholdeth my sonne these future prophesies of him as the chiefest good which as yet vnpossessed she hopeth to inioy but thou my charitie makest all these ioyes present so that I behold effectuallye thinges before thy bee and craue no interest in beleefe whereas my loue assures mee all is present Ah that the aduersitie of an houre shoulde make mee thus forget the pleasures I had in lyfe when I lulled thee in my lap my son fostered thee at these teates followed thee in trauels fedde with thee in Aegypt Then ô then what sweetnes inioyed I in thy presence what comfort in thy counsels what courage in extreams Ah but if it be true that thinges the dearer they are loued breed the more hart griefe by their losse howe can I choose but waile that hauing had pleasure to wrappe thee in thy swathing bands must nowe to my discomfort close thee in thy winding sheete Can the want of thy companie the lacke of thy counsells the muficke of thy preachings the miracles in thy lyfe the charitie in thy death be expiated but with another death or answered with a few sighs Ah this aduersitie of an hour in other mens thoughts is an age in mine Compare the age of thy pleasure to one minute of the griefe and it exceedeth it The earth for a little trauell rewardeth the husbandman with a huge crop and
you haue reiceiued by him yet grieue for him for my plentious griefe sake who haue lost all my ioye for your generall comfort Beholde these lippes are closed which were wont to vtter oracles of comfort those eyes are shut which neuer behelde your infirmities without flouds of compassion the handes are maymed which were liberallye opened to all good workes the feete are wounded that brought you tidinges of peace eache parte of him is thus mangled to amende you hurt to heale you galled to doo you good pearced to worke your profite And haue you no one teare to tender for his kindness Ah ingratefull that yee are and more insensible than beastes more cruell than tygers more harde than stones the Sunne put on mourning garmentes when my sonne suffered and shall not the swoorde of afflictions pearce your entrayles to beholde this tragedie The vaile of the Temple rent from the top to the bottome and will you not rent your heartes with ruth to regard his rent bodie The earth trembled for feare and wil you not weep for pittie Stones breake in sunder and shal not your stonie harts wax tender The dead for sooke their graues to grieue for him and shal not the liuing despise their delights to lament him Ah iust Abel thy bloud cryeth for reuenge and hath pearced heauen but it is dispersed and despised on earth Ah holy Ioseph thy bloudie coate hath broached a spring of remorse in Iacobs eies though thy brethren lament thee not The chosen Israelites mourn for their Sampson though the Philistians afflicte thee Oh men the Saints in heauen blesse this bodie you sinners on earth will not bewaile it the heauens shew his greatnes yet men on earth acknowledge not his goodnes the starres declare his diuinitie men decline not to see his dead humanitie the flowers of the fields testifie his beautie but the wormes of the earth sorrowe not his obscuritie O you race of Adam he that created all things without trauell gouerned them without care sustained them without thought and possessed them without necessity now lieth heere dead trauelled by sorrow and death blinde to make you see senselesse to make you feel subiect to make you soueraignes and shall he haue so much care of you you so little compassion of him Oh you hardned in heart blinded in vnderstanding surfeted in sensualitie wil not then your stony harts otherwise suffer ye to weepe come gather teares from the wel-head of his benefits that you may assist me to bewail him he hath drawen you from your bannishment to your blessing from obscuritie to life frō death to eternitie What he punished in the angells he pittied in you what he persecuted in himselfe he hath pacifid for you In the old law whosoeuer had falne into the vncleannes of leprosie was thus cured and thus cleansed the priest taking two sparrows when he had slain the one dismissed the other anointing the sick of the leprosie with the bloud of the dead one hee thereby recured the sicke purged the vncleannes And what figure is this ô ye sonnes of vanitie but the tipe of your owne imperfections you are spiritually falne into the leprosie of sin this noble sacrifice this sacred priest hath taken two sparrows his bodie and soule to cleanse you of your leprosie his bodie hath hee suffered to die to bee rent to bee torne to bee whipte for you his soule hee hath dismissed and by the bloud issuing from his wounds he hath clensd your leprosy ratified his couenāt shut you in the arms of mercye shuted you with your wedding garmēts Oh then though his sufferance touch not your harts let his benefites turne them weep weepe on him that praieth for you as your priest praieth in you as your head and must bee intreated by you as your God Behold your phisition whom desire of gold hath not drawen to you but intirenes of mercye hath prouoked to assuage your miserie Beholde that Christ that hath vnited you to God reconciled you with his bloud vrged compassion for you with his tears your sins haue separated you from him his death hath alied you to him O hard hearted men cannot this moue you thē harkē to further motiues and let them amend you God in the first lawe appointed a free citie of refuge for the afflicted and priuiledge for the offenders whereto whosoeuer had grace to approch before he were apprehended hee was assured of safetie and defended from iustice In this new law this Christ oh true tipe of charitie hath made these cities in himselfe established this priuiledge in his body and walled the same with his wounds Hether ô you sinners repaire heere shall you haue mercy for teares life for repentance remission of sinnes for confession of sinne Oh contrite sinner dwell in these cities let your memorie inhabite them thy meditation imbrace them thy pittie bewaile them Thinke on these woundes they wil heale thee forsake them death will follow thee forget them mercie will denie thee Abuse not the priuiledge of wounds death and passion least thou bewaile too late the horror of hell death and damnation Will none weep with me Will no reasons wound you Are teares so scant for mercies so plentifull Come come and learne what tears be that you may know their benefites The sinners teares are Gods mirrours their penitent sighs his incense God heareth praiers but beholdeth tears praiers moue God to heare tears compell him to haue mercie Silent teares are speaking aduocats It was not Maries anointing with sweet balme Maries drying with faire haire Maries attention with humble heart but Maries teares they wrought my compassion Oh come weepe then if not weepe yet consider Proude man see here the patterne of humilitie humble learne heere whereof to releeue thee irefull learne here the benefite of sufferance patient receiue here the crown of durance couetous learne heere to affect pouertie poor receue here how thou hast Christ thy companion the only sonne of God hath made many sons of God hee hath bought him brothers with his bloud approued them and beeing approued redeemed them beeing solde honoured them by suffering dishonours and giuen thē life by suffring death Let him therefore be wholy infixed in your hearts who wholy was crucified for you on the crosse O men loose not these blessings forget not these bounties This Christ subiected himselfe to the power of death that he might deliuer you from the yoake and power of the deuill hee tooke seruitude vpon him that hee might giue you the libertie of eternal life hear what he crieth in your soules and respect his summons O man see what I suffer for thee there is no griefe like to mine I cry vnto thee who died for thee Behold the paines wherwith I am afflicted see the nailes wherwith I am pearced and although the exterior griefe be so great yet the inward sorowes are more vehement when I behold
shal I bee more vnkind than the earth to the king of the heauens who as the beam in the glasse hath inriched my wombe and annointed me with the oyle of gladnesse aboue my felows shall I requite his kindnesse great mercies with a few faint teares No my charitie shall not let me my loue shall suffer my griefe to exceed her and reason shall surrender his Lordship to passion sufficeth it my son that in spirit I assure mee of thy life yet in flesh whilest thou art absent dwellest with death let mee bewaile thee for humane weaknesse requireth a little more weeping Of one spark saith the wise man is made a great fire of one kernell a large tree of one grain of mustard seed a great and grosse number why then shuld not one care beget another one tear produce multitudes one sighe inforce stormes wherethorough my griefe might bee endlesse in lamenting my teares ceaselesse in weeping and my sighs incessant in their doubling Hanna was troubled in her minde and wept sore to get a sonne and shuld not Marie be tormented in soule and weep instantly that hath left a sonne Achsah married to Othouiel humbled her selfe before her father and sayd Giue me a blessing thou hast giuen mee a South lande giue mee also springes of water As Achsah to Caleb her father so I to shee my God thou hast giuen mee a South land of desolation wherin the fruits of hope are barre the blossoms of ioyes are blasted Oh giue mee therefore a well spring of teares to water this wast that my hopes maye ripe by my ruth and my ioyes maye bloome after their blasting Iosiah considering the long absence concealment of the bookes of the lawe rent his garments for griefe wept bitterly Wonder not therefore ô ye men of Israel though Marie rent hir heart rent her hairs rent hir clothes for the hath lost long wanted the Lord of the lawe the maker of Moses the father of the people the passeouer and pledge of mans redemption As the hand which is filled with oue thing can receiue and containe no other thing so my heart being filled with the loue of this absent Christ the griefe in wanting him the woundes that wounde him can loue nothing better than to lament him can grieue at nothing else but his want finally my eyes presenting his woundes to the consideration of the same my thoughts are wounded by dwelling in my heart my heart is wounded by containing my thoughts and both are wounded in imagining his wounds yea they are so filled with compassion that they yeeld no place to consolation Why then begette not these griefefull thoughtes more griefefull thoughts these teares more teares these sighes more sighes which hauing onelye emperie in my heart maye giue place to no ioye but breake the circumference that incloseth them in in the centre of care and getting better freedome to produce more they maye in theyr eternitie make mee more miserable and my moane more fruitful ' my sorrowe more plentifull thorough the foisons of my misfortune Ah Marie thou canst not make thine abilitie aunswerable to thy will thy life hath limites and must limite thy teares Hee that bindeth the flouds that they ouerflow not boundeth thy teares Thou hast wept to the vtterance thou hast no more to vtter the darknes must once come to an end the cloudes must at last bee dissolued and euerie thing must end at his appointed time and as there is a time to bemoane so lykewyse there is a time to bee merrie If thou weepe tyll thou weepe awaie lyfe and crie till thy dayes bee consumed and quite wasted a daie shal come to determine both What shall I become a comforter or giue a lawe to my remorse who cannot comprehend my losse No mine eies weepe on whilest I haue a time to liue giue no tearme to your teares as fast as you weep them my braines shall distill them the fire of my loue shall helpe to distill them they cannot cease till I die and beeing dead what need I seeke to bewaile his absence being assured of his presence Th̄e til I die I wil not cease to weep that being dead I may behold him whilest I liue I will count all food vaine till I feede on his presence If mine eies growe wearie my sighes shall assist them and when both of them are infeebled my cries shall be inforced in the hollow of his sepulchre I wil execute these drirements and I will exclaime so long on death till I make him deafe with hearing me Make him deafe poore Marie Ahlas he is alwaies deafe and insensible it were a second death to assault him hee is not tamed by intreaties tempted by perswasions bribed by benefits or allured by lamentations tearmes please him not tears pearce him not it were an endlesse labour a fruitlesse worke Oh my sonne how am I discruciate for thee I woulde worke I know not what to win thee I know not how I wold end my sorrow and desire to begin it I woulde beare thee to thy graue could I cease to imbrace thee I would complaine of my desires so I might appease them and conquer my affections so I might command them but flames that are ' quickly kindled are hardly quenched and where oyle seeds the lampe of sorrowe it will hardly bee extinguished My sighs preuent my teares and inforce them to issue my teares preuent my thoughts make them impatient my thoughtes preuent my reason and admit no moderation my reason would preuent all this but loue preuenteth it my loue beeing of it selfe firie will not cease burning till it imbrace thee flaming till it find thee out my charitie is soueraigne of all my delights she wils mee die to liue with thee And as in Salomons temple there there was nothing that was not couered with golde so is there not anie parte sense motion or action in me or the liuing temple of my soul which is not inuested with loue clothed with charity which hauing the nature of fire which is the most actiue of all elementes is neuer idle but reuiueth teares when they are extinct quickneth sighs when they cease armeth thoughtes when they are dismaide and forceth reason when shee fainteth As the roote is to the tree the soule to the bodie the sunne to the worlde such are thou to mee O my sonne the boughs are not clothed with green except they bee vnited to the root the members inioye no lyfe except they be imformed by the soule the worlde partaketh no light excepte the Sunne illuminateth and lightneth the same so my bodie inioyeth no lyfe except thou liue in mee mine eyes no delight excepte thou loooke vppon them my thoughtes no cleere and perfect vnderstanding vnlesse thou beautifie and beholde them Briefely I cannot bee mine owne without thee I cannot liue thou beeing dead I cannot leaue weeping teares vntill thou come and wipe awaie my teares Hee that truely loueth saith the