But in all else more secret Snares than we Till by them Caught shall ever know From this to clear it and restore To th' Garden what it had before And perfect Innocence add one Beauty more As there fall'n Man his Life first forfeited There to Redeem him first the Blood of God was shed VI. How grievous were his Pains there and how great Burning tho in the frosty shades of Night Shivering with Cold but in a Bloody Sweat And all dissolv'd at his approaching Passions Sight Thrice did He his Disciples leave And thrice to his Great Father pray'd Thrice to himself He answer made And by an Angel did support receive But O! th' Assaults that were within Compar'd with which his Bodies Flame Was temperate heat and scarce deserv'd the Name When in his Soul the Burning did begin And Hell to ' encrease the Fire did Mines of Brimstone bring A thousand Fiends about him flew And Coals and bailful Firebrand threw That seiz'd at length the noblest Part Beyond the weak defence of Nature or of Art And unconsum'd did only leave the Heart VII The Heart did unconsum'd remain By the Arch-Fiend With its own Grief to burst design'd When in the Judgment Hall again He should the Charge renew but all in vain Thither betray'd by 'a Kiss the Traytors bring With Fetters bound Heav'ns Sacred King Where being Cited and Blasphem'd Flouted Scourg'd Spat upon Derided and Contemn'd By them Revil'd deny'd by ' His own A Reed in ' his Hand his Head with Thorns they Crown And lead to Golgotha their God whom they ' had Condemn'd VIII Follow Muse if thou hast the heart and see What other Torments they prepare I know the utmost of their Cruelty And from thy Mouth had rather hear The sad Report than a Spectator be Yet that thou mayst not stand thy self surpriz'd Stript off his Clothes in Nakedness disguiz'd To th' Cross they 'll nail his Hands 't is said And bore with Nalls his tender Feet Then all his Sufferings to upbraid Cry If Thou art the Son of God let 's see 't Now from the Tree triumphantly come down Or reign thence like Thy self alone Or any other Wonder show Whereby Thy De'ity may be known And to its Scepter we will bow As if there greater Miracle could be Than all that Patience which they do but will not see IX Nor is this all but when He 's Dead His Side they 'll open with a Spear Approach the Wound and look what Blood is shed For it Mysterious will appear And be another Argument for thee next Year A better Spring will thence arise Than Helicon so Fam'd of old There bath thy self if thou art wise Nor fear in those chast Streams to be too bold But see be sure too long thou dost not stay For all the while Thou art away Tears only from these Eyes will flow And in my Fancy I shall double o're All that I have told thee now before And all that thou return'd will'st tell again and more Beside my Verse will fetter'd be and slow And want both Wings to flie and Feet to go 10. Martii 166â— EPIGRAM WHen my God Di'd I first began to Live And Life which he refus'd Heav'n me did give Unlike that Day O how unlike we were Him dead the Cross me ' alive the Knees did bear But may not I die too This life of mine I can as well as Thou dispise if not like Thine Ah dearest Lord this Legacy bestow A double Life then to Thy Death I 'll owe And sanctifi'd thus in my Birth by Thee A living Death my dying Life shall be 5. Decemb. 1668. An Extasie of Divine Love Aquesta Divina Vnion c. I. THat sacred Bond of Charity Wherein I uncorrupted Live Makes God the Captive Chain receive But my pinion'd Heart sets free Tho causing still such love in me To see Heav'ns King my Pris'ner lie That I die 'cause I cannot die II. How teadious now this Life is grown The way to Death how hard and long How dark the Dunge'on th' Ir'ns how strong With which my ' unwilling Soul 's kept down And has no trust but hope alone These thoughts my Troubles raise so high That I die 'cause I cannot die III. Bitter Life shalt thou be to me Where I my God can ne're enjoy But if my Love has no alloy My hope as try'd and pure may be Ah! come my Lord and set me free Take off this weight which makes me cry That I die 'cause I cannot die IV. By hope alone it is I Live Hope that I bear the seeds of Death And dying once a second Birth Secures that Hope and Life do's give O Death I 'll ne're thy coming grieve When Life succeeds through hope so nigh That I die 'cause I cannot die V. Who can the Charms of Love refuse Ah Life no more my Heart betray 'T is only thou stand'st in my way Which rather than my Love I 'll loose And Death for my great Champion choose So much alate thy Enemy That I die 'cause I cannot die VI. The Life alone that 's hid above Can of true Life the Title claim That Toy which here usurps the Name Its pleasure hides and deads our Love And a worse Foe than Death does prove Death for whose sake I Life so flie That I die 'cause I cannot die VII What can I give frail Life but thee To th' God who in me deigns to live Yet how can I the nothing give Till he first grants me Liberty O let me die his Face to see But that 's so distant from my Eye That I die 'cause I cannot die VIII Beside my God from thee away Who would not of a Life complain That terrible and full of pain Suffers a thousand Deaths each Day A Mortal but a slow decay And this so swells my Misery That I die 'cause I cannot die IX All Creatures love their Element And pleasure there enjoy and rest And if by Death they are disseas'd To their first nothing they are sent But I 'm beyond kind Death's extent And yet so many hardships try That I die 'cause I cannot die X. When in the Eucharist my dull Soul Eating thy Flesh it self would ease A thousand thoughts for entrance press And there not to enjoy Thee whole Whole and alone I a ' new condole For 't is the Voice of every Sigh That I die cause I cannot die XI I please my self i th' Hopes 't is true E're long my God of seeing Thee But fearing lest they false should be My Torments with my Fears renew And both so close my Soul pursue Hoping mid both so heartily That I die 'cause I cannot die XII Lord from this Death deliver me And Life thus beg'd at length bestow Why should I still be kept below Look how I die for love of Thee And since enjoy'd Thou canst not be In this Lifes death regard my cry That I die 'cause I cannot die XII My dying Life
Debora awake And from this hint fresh vigour take Encourage and provoke Thy Lyre Till all its speaking Chords conspire And with Thy Voice a perfect Concert make Up Barak at th' harmonious Sound Abinoams warlike Sâ—n arise Lo Thy Captivity stands in Fetters bound To be Thy valours early Prize And dreadfully adorn Thy entrance with its Exequies Lead on Great Prince by God ordain'd To be Thy Nations Glory and this Days Who hast Thy self the heat of th' War sustain'd Tho Women with Thee share divided Praise And all the while Thou dost the sacred Mount ascend Boldly Thy Ransom'd Peoples shouts attend The Bays Thou wearest will Thy Head defend Yea speak Thy self how God made Thee The Captain of his Armies be And when retir'd Thou long hadst lain at Home How forth he call'd Thee to o'recome The strange deliv'erance by Thy Hands he wrought And how to mine he Judgment gave And let the Tribes which with us fought A just Memorial in our Triumphs have VI. Ex Ephraim delevit eos Place Ephraim here Ephraim whose Fortitude In Amaleks first overthrow was try'd When stoutly he th' Uncircumcis'd defi'd And with unerring Shafts their flying Troops pursu'd Benjamin with his Squadron follow'd close And his scorn'd Life more nobly to expose The Tribe he dearest lov'd for witness of his Courage chose From Machir Princes to the Battel came And Counsellors from Zabulon Who to encrease the glory of their Name Kept by the Sword what by the Pen they won Then Issachar and Napthali By Debora that and this by Barak led Both valiant Tribes and both resolv'd to die Or conquer with so brave an Head But had you seen the Emulation there And how they strove each other to out-fight You would have thought them arm'd with Heav'nly Might And all so terrible they did appear Such Trophies of Mail'd Corps did round them rear That every Israâ—elite a destroying Angel were VII Diviso contra se Ruben Ruben the while did with his Flocks abide And blest the Flood whose streams the parted Land divide Careless of what his Brethr'en thought And what the fears his cold indiffernce wrought Strange and distracted fears his cold indifference brought But why O Ruben why didst thou refuse An Enterprize so great and good Was it to hear thy bleating Ews Or could thy Honour be so little understood That their plain Fleeces thou shouldst chuse Before a Robe di'd Purple in thine Enemies blood This cold indifference Ruben lost thee more Than ever thou in Arms hadst gain'd before Ah! hadst thou been alone but far behind By thy example Gilead stai'd On Shipboard Dan drove on his Trade And Asser that he might be signally unkind Tho of pale Death too Womanly affraid Rather than yield his aid Watcht on his naked Beaches torn with Seas and Wind. Unlike to Zabulon and Nepthali Who best knew how to Live yet fear'd the least to Die VIII Zabulon vero Nepthali c. Thither my Song behold their Ensigns spred On the High-places and how equally endu'd With Learning and with Conduct too they shew'd That never friendlier those best gifts inhabited And softer thoughts designs more noble bred The Cananitish Kings approacht the Hill Tabor by their defeat to be renown'd But fearful to ascend its top did fill The Plains of Tanaach with their Camps around And lowd Megiddos Waters with their shoutings drown'd They came and fought but Heav'n that took our part Bore the first shock and on them turn'd the War A mortal shaft was sent from every Star Which sank like Lead into the Spoilers Heart No Gain or Pay the Sacred Legions took But to the Service arm'd in Diamond marcht on And whom they spar'd Kison that ancient Brook Kison in its swoln Torrent carri'd down In vain the Horse assay'd the Flood to stem Which hurld their Riders with them down the rapid stream IX Conculca Anima mea robustos Enough my Soul enough the chase give o're Those Enemies thou hast seen thou shalt behold no more Stop for at length the War is done And thou in Blood I know tak'st no delight Sound a Retreat the Day 's thine own And so shall Sisera too e're Night Finding the Death he 'd shun by an inglorious flight But first confirm a Curse was laid By our God's Angel and a Charge divine Curse ye Meros the Angel said Curse Meros bitterly and join Yours to Jehovah's Curse and mine Curse all who dwell there and be this their Doom Who like them to th' Almighty's â—tandard will not come But blessed above Women be Israels and Hebers Ornament Jabel above all Women blest i th' Tent. And let this Song preserve her Memory Never was greater Name Recorded i th' Eternal Monuments of Fame X. Aquam petenti lac dedit To her on foot Sisa'ra his flight addrest The courteous Wife to meet him went The courteous Wife invited him into her Tent And future Joys with thoughtful Cares supprest He askt her Water and she ran in haste To execute her own and to prevent his Wish And pour'd him Milk into a Royal Dish A ready and a quick repast And having give'n the fatal Bait Humbly at his Feet did wait And smil'd to see how greedily he drank and slept his last Sleep Tyrant sleep she said And up a Nail and Hammer took The Nail into his Temples struck And with his own unbloody Sword smote off his Head He bowd he fell and at her Feet he lay Down at her Feet he bow'd fell groan'd his Soul away Where he bow'd there he fell down dead XI Per fenestram respiciens Out at a Window his blith Mother gaz'd And waiting there his coming cry'd Why lies the Dust so long unrais'd Nor Sisara yet with Captives by his side Exalted high in his triumphal Chariot ride Her Ladies answer'd her Those Ora'cles of the Court Yea to her self she made her own report Have they not sped have they not gain'd the Day Have they not shar'd the Israelitish Prey To every Man a Dame or two To Sisara as the General 's due Choice of rich Slaves and choice of Garments too A curious Vest with Needles wrought With curious Needles wrought on either side And all in Royal Colours dy'd By th' Hebrews of their Neighbour Tyrians bought And only sit the Victors bloody arms to hide So Lord may all Thine Enemies die So Conquer and be Conquered so When such as on Thy Power relie In Heav'n alone their equals know And like the Sun which triumphs there Crown'd with illustrious Beams and robe'd in Light appear Comiato To the Reverend the now Dr. James Gardiner Sub-Dean of Lincoln SONG in the Country little understood For my dear Gardiner at the Town inquire And all thy heat into his gen'rous Brest inspire To mingle with a nobler Fire Which lies at present smouldring in his Blood Perchance thou may'st effectual prove To make that upward tow'rds its Center move And him in softest lays rehearse the HOLIEST LOVE 1668. David's
by the Rivers side Whose loaded Boughs in Fruits return Their Tribute to the Tide No Storm or Drought shall make him fade But he unmov'd shall stand Nor shall Success less prosp'rous crown What e're he takes in hand No so the Wicked who as Chaff By Tempests rais'd on high The triumph of fierce Winds are made And as they drive them flie Unlike in Life unlike shall be The ends which on them wait Whilst these in Judgment cannot stand And those are prais'd i th' Gate For why the ways of Righteous Men Unto the Lord are known But Sinners ways hid to themselves Unto the Dead lead down PSAL. LVII Miserere mei Deus miserere GREAT God on whom I have reli'd Whose Mercy is my stay Under Thy Wings or let me hide Or on them flie away Or hide or flie until the Storm Which threatens me is past Thou all things for me dost perform In Thee my hope is plac'd To God I 'll cry who shall descend From Heav'n i th' Fight to close And while his Love does me defend His Truth shall slay my Foes With Lions Lord my Soul lies down shut up within their Den Lions so fierce were never known Cruel and bloody Men. Whose Tongues are Swords and Eyes all Fire With gore and slaughter Red And who against me all conspire To look or speak me Dead Yet set Thy Glory ' above the Skies O're th' Earth exalted be For tho so high I cannot rise Thou mayst stoop down to me Thou didst so for as I lookt round Pensive and full of care My prostrate Enemies strew'd the Ground Each tane in his own Snare Fixt is my Heart to sing Thy Praise T is fixt and I 'll rejoyce Awake my Harp and with Thee raise To Heav'n my tuneful Voice I will awake too and my Song To th' Nations shall rehearse Mercies whose Praise to Heav'n belong Worthy an Angels Verse Lord set Thy Glory ' above the Skies O're the Earth exalted be Lo how thy Son does thither rise Lift from the Grave by Thee Turn'd and Transcrib'd with the following Psalm for an Hymn upon Easter-day 1671. PSAL. CXIV In exitu Israel de c. WHEN Israel was by God's address And his Almighty Hand From Bondage led and wondrously Brought to the Promis'd Land In Judah God his Glory shew'd And did his Power declare Israel his great Inheritance Temple and Empire were The Sea it saw and suddenly Amaz'd rose up and fled The parted streams of Jordans Flood Ran trembling to their Head Aside the Mountains leapt like Rams And to the Hills did show The Hills which shook like frighted Lambs The way which they should go What ail'd the Sea that all amaz'd So suddenly it fled And what made Jordans parted streams Run trembling to their Head Why did the Mountains leap like Rams And to the Hills first show The Hills which shook like frighted Lambs The way which they should go Confess O Earth thy Soveraign Lord And at his Presence quake Before the Face of Jacob's God Bow and Obeysance make 'T is he who caus'd those Rocks to hear And when Thy Springs are dry Can from their flinty Bowels fetch Streams which shall never die PSAL. CLI According to the LXXII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. I. YOUNGEST of all my Brethren and the least In the Jessean House to ' a Service I enclin'd Which both my Age and Innocence suited best And best the Throne to which I was design'd My Fathers Flock was early set to keep And how to govern Men first learn among my Sheep II. I kept and fed them with a pious care And as they fed my Harp and Pipe assayd Them and my self to please did Songs prepare And variously as pensive Shepherd playd Till having wearied out an humbler String A bolder flight I dare'd Israels Great God to Sing III. But who such Praise can worthily rehearse I strove my best and it acceptance found With Heav'ns Blest King who to approve my Verse A double Glory round my Temples bound By ' his Prophets Hand there plac'd the Regal Crown From the Flock calling me the Poet 's with his own IV. I many Brethren had and great of Might All valiant Men and all renown'd in War Oft tri'd but God in them took no delight For Causes tho from us removed far To ' himself best known who sees not as Man sees But as the Heart is judges and gives Dignities V. For that and his own Pleasure He chose me And having chosen call'd me forth to fight With Raphas Giant-son whose blasphemy Levell'd at Heav'n on his own Head did light By ' his Gods he curst me and his Gods he curst Himself as the chief God propitiating thus first VI. But such curse Proof I out against him went The firmlier arm'd as he disarm'd thereby And certain Death into his Fore-head sent E're he the place could guard or turn to flie He fell I ran to th' lifeless Monster came From him with 's own Sword took his Head from Israel shame Job cursing his Birth After this opened Job his Mouth and cursed his Day And Job spake and said Pereat dies in qua natus sum MAY the Day perish and it s hastly flight Be still be still retarded by a sluggish Night The Day unhappy Day whereon 't was known My Mother could that name and sorrows own Let it look black as Hell no Ray appear Nor on it God in common Light draw near But unregarded may it from above To ' all other Days a different Circle move Augment the last Nights gloom and ne're be found But in a Sea of Rapes and Murder drownd Let Deaths grim Terrors on it ever dwell Of if 't has Light let it be such as fell On Sodom when avenging Heav'n did showr Tempests of Fire and flouds of Lightning pour And for the Night if yet it were the Night For any Day too bad which first disclos'd the sight Dark of it self let Horrour on it seize And when all others welcome are for th' ease And respit which they bring the toilsome care Of pains which in their Curtains hidden are Let it be Curst too and by ' a fatal Breath Doom'd not the shadow of it but very Death Sad dismal solitary know no Joys No chearful shouts but a dull confus'd noise Of Groans and Shrieks as when the parting Soul Labours in vain its dest'iny to controul And as the Criminal who to die next Morn The pity of the many and their Scorn Curses its shortness and does think it done Sooner than other Nights are well begun Let it abide Curst and grown Ominous Its Tale in some prodigious ruine lose Black be its Twilight in it rise no Star But such as when 't is seen tho from a far Famine portends and Blood and the Worlds flame And all the Plagues that have or have not Name Let it expect the Light and pine away To Darkness palpable but see no Day With thousand Curses more And Day
is too loud for our purg'd Ear And dreadfully Thy scorching Lightnings shine That voice of Fire till the Great Day restrain Where to be slept out 't shall be strove in vain For even the Dead by it awak'd shall rise again The NATIVITY An Ode I. WHO would not envy if he durst your Grace Blest Shepherds to whom first the Tidings came That God who neither Time can bound nor Space Th' Almighty who upholds this rolling Frame Deign'd to be born and did the Breast imbrace Of the Worlds Maker made himself a Child And wrapt in swaths tho He whole Nature fill'd Too happy News this in the City to be told I' th' Palace and at Herods Court Where all the learned Father Jews resort E're it reach them let the report grow cold There 's too much Spleen and Malice there Hypocrisie Distrust and servile Fear Intemp'rance Lust Extortion Cruelty And if than these there greater Vices be Pride which of ills the worst pollutes the Air. The Country 'a better place God for his Birth did chuse Tho not so gay and Men more Innocent To whom Hee 'd show His great Descent And when He did Jerusalem refuse 'T was to recal the Ancient Time and Use When He to Man in Paradise first went That He to Peace and Justice might the preference give And all the Graces that i th' Country safely live And lest the Truth should be deny'd i th' Country Hee 'd be Born but in the City Dy'd II. Fear not O Shepherds th' Angel said And need there was to bid them not to fear Since greater Souls than theirs might be afraid That God unlookt for should approach so near And full Spring-tides of Light at Midnights Ebb appear For Night it was and posting tow'rds the Day Grown darker on a sudden than before The Shepherds by their Flocks expecting lay Till their bright Star should ope ' the Mornings Door When Lo a brighter Star brake out And sacred Beams Angelic Forms did show Fairer than thousand Suns tho all about They their united Flames should throw 'T was Gabriel who the Message brought To the ' ever Virgin that she should conceive Gabriel who now the happy Minute taught When his Great Lord the Father's Throne did leave A Body fitted for him to receive Bright in His Princes glory bright in ' His own All clad in Hallow'd Light came down Embassador of God and Herald to His Son III. On Heavens high Top awhile He stood And view'd all Palestine around All Palestine in sleep lay drown'd Eve'n Jordan slumbred to the murmurs of his Flood Nor voice of Man nor noise of Dogs was heard The bowing Mountains seem'd to nod And at the Presence of their God Who o're them wav'd his All-commanding Rod Inclin'd their Heads and the great Spell rever'd Each Field each Hill did rest And equal Night possest The painful Labourer and his weary Beast Bethle'hem alone this Transient Death surviv'd And in her Plains some liv'd Yet whom the Sight did so surprize They hardly durst believe their Eyes Yet durst not but believe and sent to Heav'n their cries IV. So at the last Day shall there some be found To hear alive the Trumpets dreadful sound Amaz'd and trembling shall they stand Feel on themselves a Powerful Hand And willing or unwilling take the great Command Be chang'd 't will say ye Living and ye Dead Wake and arise and to the Judgment come The Living soon as e're the word is sed Shall feel the Terrors they did dread And without help of Death or Grave reach their Eternal Home The Dead with their own Bodies shall arise And then the Earth and Sea and Skies The scatter'd Atomes shall restore Of Bodies which they did devour To joyn with parted Souls but never to be parted more No guilty Criminal his Face shall hide Or undiscovered the great Judg avoid But from his Hold tho self-condemn'd come and be tri'd V. Nature it self shall to ' its old nothing roll And then Heav'ns beauteous Scroll With all the Mistic Notes that there Writ by the Hand Divine So wondrous and and so bright appear Shall in one flame with Earth and Sea more dreadful shine Like that which once the Prophet sent To Judahs stubborn King A while he heard the Woes but grown impatient With Hands prophane the Parchment rent And into th' Fire the sever'd parts did sling And there they crackled there did together shrink Till all-consum'd they were to Ashes burn'd Ah! sottish Prince and vain to think Decrees of Heav'n so easily overturn'd Lo God himself resents the wrong Thy self shall be the subject of a longer Roll ere long VI. And so he was for by the dread Command A larger Roll the Prophet did prepare By th' same Command another Heav'n more fair In place of this when 't is consum'd shall stand And there the Thrones shall be for Judgment set From awful which the Son with Majesty And doubled Grace shall Reign illustriously In his own Godhead and th' Exalted Manhood great All Nations then and Languages The Rich the Poor the Simple and the Wise With all who Tents inhabited or Palaces Naked to the Bar shall rise And answer each Man to his name Distinctions shall aside be thrown Nor Kings be by their Scepters known Or the great Houses which they made or whence they came Around the Bar shall Angels wait For Execution arm'd and cloth'd for state Sole ministers of Wrath who only were of Love alate VII Thither O Muse thither bring back my Song From which thou wandred hast too long Of Gabriel and his second Message sing Who now upon the Wing The happiest News e're heard by mortal ears does bring Attend he said and those glad Tidings hear Good Tidings and of great Joy which shall be Not unto you alone Or from the Father to the Son For one descent alone continued down But unto all who are to come or wisht this day to see For Lo to you is Born this Day A Saviour which is Christ the Lord In David's Town which long expecting lay Promis'd Messiah and th' Incarnate Word To Day He â—s Born and this shall be the Sign By which the Mighty Infant shall be found In Swadling Clothes he shall lie bound And in a Manger rests the Babe Divine Never was Sight of equal Fame Not the first Man of God-like Frame For God himself thus Born a Mortal Man became VIII He spake and with him strait were seen Myriads of Angels in their best Array Myriads of Angels who kept Holy-day And all their Glories did display No Cloud to ' eclipse the Lustre came between And then they Danc'd and then they Sang Praises themselves did first compose The Starry Vault with the loud Eccho rang And the whole Concert doubled o're this close Glory to God on High i th' highest great Jehovah bless Good Will t'wards Men on Earth be Peace Glory to God on High And may this Round begun thus last Eternally And up
down And form themselves into a Laurel Crown Daphne Apollos Clelia was my Love Tho both turn'd Trees with Fates unequal strove Unlike in Life alike in Change they were A Mother this a Virgin that severe O're whom till Plant Phebus could not prevail Python He did with more Success assail Yet as to her he did his Harp resign Clelia with no less Passion shall have mine Grow sacred Plant the better Daphne be Iärmas and my Consecrated Tree L'Envoy Poor Pastoral for simple Shepherd fit Without or much of Art contriv'd or Wit Do as Thou mayst the Curious City flie Or if Thou thither chance to come Conceal'd as the' Ashes which Thou herriest lie For whose dear sake alone Thou dost thy Fortune try Tho like thy Master Thou might'st safer be at Home ODE To Posthumus Mortem Vitari non posse TIME Posthu'mus scuds it with full Sail Nor can thine honest Heart avail A furrow'd Brow Old Age at hand Or Death unconquer'd to withstand One long Night Shall hide this Light From all our sight And equal Death Shall few Days hence stop every Breath Tho thou whole Hecatombs shouldst bring To ' attone the' inexorable King Who Geryon and Tytius bold In Chains of Stygian Waves does hold He 'll not prize But despise Thy Sacrifice Death thou must feel 'T is so decreed by th' fatal Wheel The numerous Off-spring of the Earth That feed on Her who gave them Birth Must have each Birth its Funeral The Womb and Urn 's alike to all Kings must Die And as low lie As thou and I And though they have Atchievements here there 's none i th' Grave In vain we bloody Battels fly And fear to sail when Seas are high Fear Plagues or an Infectious Breath When every Hour brings a new Death Time will Mow What e're we Sow Weal or Wo Shall have an end And this tho' unwilling Fates must send Coâ—ytus Lake thou must waft o're Thy tattred Boat shall touch that Shore Thou Sisyphus e're long must know And into new Acquaintance grow Shalt with Life Leave House and Wife Thy Loves and Strife And have no Tree But the sad Cypress follow Thee Mean while thine Heir shall nobly quaff What thou with hundred Locks kepst safe Caecuban Wines and wash the Floor With Juice would make an Emperor poor Doubt it not 'T will be thy lot To be forgot With all thy Deeds E're he puts on his Mourning Weeds Tho the Publisher has several Translations of his own of some of the Moral Odes c. of Horace so falsly Printed that it would be but Justice to himself to give them a light review yet having since their first Publication changed his Habit he declines it wholly here nor would have presumed on the Reader for Reprinting this but that it is to do a greater piece of Justice to his long since deceased Father b. m. Mr. R. W. and from himself under whose Name it now goes in that false Copy return it to the right Owner To Belisa The Excellent Mrs. Mary Beal upon her own Picture done by her Self like Pallas but without any Arms except Head-piece and Corselet SUCH would the Learned Pallas chuse to be With all the Charms of Nature and of Art Tho she had neither Shield nor Dart For if the mighty Pallas were like Thee Without those she to Conquer need but come and see But here alas the Goddess nothing can espy Except the Garb to own her Figure by The Warlike Dress and that 's so Gay Such Terror and such Softness does display That that as little as the Face she seems to know Wishing that her own Greece had drawn her so Says Fabulous Antiquity Ne're gave her half that Grace or Majesty That she was never half so Fair In her own Beauties or what e're they feign'd With such clear Limbs or with so great a Mind As in your Draught Belisa she 's design'd And were she to be Born again Would from your Hand desire it rather than Joves Brain 1664. To Clelia On his own Picture done in Water-Colours by the Learned Poet and Limner Mr. Thomas Flatman Fellow-Student with him and Chamber-Fellow at the Inner Temple PROOF against Time and Age And Fortunes Batteries and Wars out-rage Able to Triumph o're the' Affright Of an Eternal Night Of maigre Sickness and the rotting Grave When no Embalments else can save But in themselves their own Consumption have When Tombs and Epitaphs shall die And in an heap as undistinguisht lie From the dry Bones and Dust Committed to their trust In hopes of Immortality As if they were themselves a Portion of the Rust This Shadow Clelia shall preserve intire Those Reliques incorrupted and unmixt The very Air and Fire The active Youth your presence did inspire And that bright Image of your Self it on me fixt And tho one common Urn may possibly contain Tho not dispairing of return again My Ashes and a thousand more Of such as shall be or have gone before Here 's that will almost give Eternity And next his Verse who made the Draught ne're let me die 1661. SOLITUDE Rura laudamus merito c. THE Country as 't is â—it we Poets praise And there alone like our gay Laurels thrive Laurels which in the Dust great Cities raise And from their Sun conceal'd seem scarce to live For Corn i th' Strand or Cheap will sooner grow And self-rais'd Flowers throng'd Market-places Crown Even Grass will sooner all its Lands forego To become Burger in some Flint-pav'd Town Than in the City midst its confus'd cries A future Harvest of good Verse e're spring Verse that did ever hate the Cities Noise And which few Soils to its just growth can bring Rather my Life i th' Country let me spend Thither withdrawn Dioclesian like in state To th' Town my Envoy'e an Ode I 'll send And that 's enough to ' observe and to relate Hail Beauteous City of the Winged Quire Fair Trees sweet Bowers inviolable Woods The Muses Kingdom and where they retire The Hampton Court of th' happy Gods Let me repos'd within your hallow'd Shade The Dances of soft-footed Zephyrs hear And tir'd with the Disputes the Schools have made Hark how by Leaves and Winds they manag'd are View but the lusty Year how ' it smiles and plays When vigorous heat through the gross matter hurld Provokes to love and the swell'd Womb does raise Of the Adult and Marriageable World A Summer-House here let me ever find Where Nature the wise Architect may be And who ' would prefer that is in his right Mind A smooth dead Beam to a rough living Tree On an Hills flowry Bed as there I lie â—'d listen how some Floods new married Streams â—augh and tell o're their Loves as they ruâ— by Glittering in Light and flam'd with liquid Gems He tho alone who wants Employment here With Life but labours as an ill Disease Or Prodigal of what most buy too dear His Hours puts out to none or
ungraceful compos'd Air Save when she spake or laught but then betray'd A thousand Follies with prodigious glare For by a Glass she with a Shadow plaid Her self to whom she frequent Honours made And every glance which she design'd to cast And every look by that in order laid And to such troublesome Impertinence past That every little Word she thereby form'd at last L. Mirth was a Youth of beautiful regard With chearful Eyes plump downy Cheeks and Chin And nothing in his looks or strange or hard That if one by the Face could ought divine All Beauties there amass't did seem to shine All that can Man become or Love excite In Loves great Criticks the Sex Feminine All but i' th' Timorous whom his Whip did fright And more deterr than all his other Charms invite LI. For in his Hand a Bloody Discipline With many a' pointed Rowel stuck he bore And wherewith when unmark't he saw his time Backward reflecting he his Shoulders tore And the smooth Channel fill'd with purple gore But when or Folly call'd or Dalliance The fretting exercise he soon gave o're And as recovered from a sullen Trance Met with quick Eyes and amorous Look each smiling Glance LII Him Dalliance followed next a Damsel gay Of light behaviour as she well could feign And wantonly her Brest did open lay The Lover who came next to entertain Tho who the He were of her mighty Train She was not much solicitous to know Nor much to fancy him her self did pain For she like Favours did on all bestow And bonnour was to all how high so e're or low LIII A Night-Gown was the Habit which she wore Loosely clapt round her but so airy thin That through its light disguise appear'd the more What she ne're strove to hide her beauteous Skin And just proportion of each curious Limb With Impudence too luscious to be told And speech Lascivious when she did begin Which none but like her self unchast and bold Or unreprov'd could hear or unasham'd behold LIV. Next after her in order Genius came Of Body somewhat gross but Humour free Whom part call'd Comus as by his Sirname Tho both or either with him well agree Without whom Love nor merry Life can be A right good Fellow as his Belly show'd Which in a Swath reacht almost to his Knee And made him passage through th' admiring Crowd Which shouting to him louted as to them he bow'd LV. No wrinkle in his Counte'nance did appear Nor careful thought seem'd to come near his Mind Of what should be but things which present were Variously turn'd him as did sit the Wind And this way now now that way he inclin'd Tho if 't were still and sometime still it lay Diversions to himself he 'd make or find And sometimes only muse a live-long Day Tho askt on what he or nought knew or nought could say LVI These were the fairest Shews Loves entrance had And of the Pomp the sightliest Officers Who therefore next the Carr Triumphal staid But Spirits Incarnate were and all as fierce Provoke'd once as those Fatal Ministers Of his and more than his of th' Wrath Divine Which follow'd next with look and meen perverse A Grisly Horrid and Prodigious Trine Which hardly into shape Love could by ' his Art refine LVII Lust was the First but whether Man or Beast Or He or She one could by no means know For it both Sexes had and did invest Mankind above and Beast mishape'd below And slote divided did for ostent show With shaggy Hair the' whole Body cover'd o're And poysonous stench which he around did throw Undampt by th' Perfumes which the Satyre bore For so they call'd him and about him ever wore LVIII A very Satyr whom he nearest came In Face and Guise but in Deformity Excell'd the first of the' Family and Name And shameless was his Look and lew'd his Eye But sharp withal Beauties which cloyster'd lie First to discover then to circumvent By Clamour wherein low'd he was and high Nor could forbear as he in Triumph went Prime Visier of the Port and Loves chief Confident LIX Sin follow'd him who was his Eldest Son And only Child with place and dignity His Parents Titles suiting and his own But on his own he mostly did relie And all but what his own was did decry Would and did loudly against Lust declame As Impotent couragious to defie But who to Handy-blows or never came Or not with such effect as he to get a Name LX. For tho but one a thousand Heads he had And twice a thousand Hands boldly to fight An Army of himself and which he made Greater or less as the Cause did invite Love and Loves Good Old Cause was his delight Rebellion whose design to carry on Himself he variously as ' it hapt would dight A Beasts or Man's form take now and anon Angels or Fiends a multitude one be or none LXI But Death the third the same shape alway kept If Shape it might be call'd that shape had none Except in that half of him which foremost stept And to the view expos'd a side of Bone That seem'd with Skin to have been cloath'd upon And Musculage not many Days before For scarcely cleansed was the Skeleton And here and there appear'd fresh stains of Gore And gobbets of green flesh which from the joynts he tore LXII To'ther half was the Universe and all And every thing that in the World is found Which hastens or is ready at Death's call And are th' Ingredients which he does compound Or single or in Mass to give the Wound A dreadful Mixture and of which to tell Almost to think would th' greatest Wit confound For since the time that Man from Happi'ness fell They were collecting and had at the bottom Hell LXIII Where e're he came these were Loves Company With Train and Baggage which did far extend And Meny suiting so great Prince as He For Prince and God they call'd him tho Pure Fiend Unquiet Care which all his time did spend Himself to ' undo backt by Suspicion Then Impudence which did to Lechery lend His unchast Ear and Fury bad come on By Riotice drawn up and Irreligion LXIV Without door Danger and Distrust did wait And Fear that never was himself at rest Or others would permit their Watch to ' abate And Jealousie which tho he were possest Of what he lov'd for rage tore his own Breast And Lust unnatural and Villany And Revellings in thousand Anticks drest And Poverty in Rags clad piteously Calling aloud for Death which did th' unhappy fly LXV It fled him as one who from Love was fled Under the Disc'ipline if he had the skill To use it right of Sorrow seeming dead But which for a blest Life prepares Our will By that Repentance which Shame does instil Repentance the first step to Innocence Whose various parts it makes or does fulfil But whereof Lustful Minds have little sense Till Shame sum up the Total of the
vast expence LXVI Death such a Bankrupt therefore flies Hasting to those who call'd or call'd him not By Loves own Hands crown'd for the Sacrifice And or pursue'd or i' th' pursuit were hot E're well aware to th' end of all things got By Death inglorious and with Infamy Of most Luxurious Livers the hard lot Yet which Love colour'd with such Maistery That the most follow'd what the most did seem to flie LXVII For Love had thousand Deaths at his command And every Lover might his own Fate make Which some did but by'a way so under-hand That from the praise of Love it much did take And many 'a Lover lost he for their sake Tho such he pleaded were by him giv'n o're If all might be believ'd which then Love spake Nor could to his account be reckoned more Than if thus or a Natural Death they dy'd before LXVIII Be the Point therefore as it will for me Who list not further of it here to tell Enough are Lovers Deaths we daily see And so 't was then a Songs scant bounds to swell Nor yet for Love or them contriv'd so well But that one midst the Pomp might easily find The Mighty by whose cruel Hands they fell And Verdict give the Murther was design'd By th' Pains they felt before Reproach they left behind LXIX Pains more than can of Mortal Tongue be told And sharper than e're Tyran did invent Which the whole Man did in strait Fetters hold Till tortur'd Nature quite worn out was spent Of Love the Guerdon and the Punishment Yet Tyrans Racks found out the Pale and Wheel And Fire and all that can by Fire torment Or be prepar'd th' â—x and derr-doing Steel But make no wounds all set with those which Lovers feel LXX Thrice and than thrice more wretched state of Love When Innocence and Truth to Heav'n were gone But seve'n times wretcheder it yet did prove When this Mock-love wholly usurpt the Throne As he ' after did and single reign'd alone With Name and Pow'r alike usurpt yet was Ah! What not was he But 't is time to ' have done With him who can to Verse give little grace And in another Canto to the True Love pass 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THE LEGEND OF LOVE CANTO III. I. TIRE'D with the Way I have already gone Longer by many a Stage than setting out I thought it would have prov'd and where there 's none To guide me in the search I am about How well I shall succeed is my great doubt Who almost of the Enterprize repent Wishing I better of it first had thought At least before me some Espials sent Who might have told the hazard of the bold Attempt II. But to repent alas 't is now too late And in the last Act fail a wrong to Love Which in another I should surely hate And cannot in my self unblam'd approve What Arguments so e're Distrust may move Which many cogent seem and weighty all But all which by this singleâ—One I reprove That well if well if ill succeed I shall 'T is not inglorious from the noblest heights to fall III. But help me Love and I 'll not yet despair For other Muse I dare not invocate None but thy Self with whom the Treasures are Of bright Idaeas tho discover'd late To me who half my time in Darkness sat Ylamped only by a Foolish Fire Whose wandring guidance I now deprecate Led by it often and my vain desire To whence I could not till Thy Day brake out retire IV. At length it brake out and I came to know How wofully I had mistook my Way Shine forth again with double Glory now And in my Verse Thy fairest Beams display That others with me in it triumph may And having their Night Sullys thence refin'd Carol with sacred Hymn's to th' Beauteous Day Carol to Thee by Heav'n and God design'd The Counterfeit to ' uncase and Eyes restore the Blind V. LONG had the Mock-love by his false disguise Upon the Credulous World impos'd but more Upon himself if he had been so wise To think how much 't would cost him to restore And what by tort he ' had snatcht a new pay o're But this alas came seldom in his thought Rather perverse still as he was before The World which he had into Bondage brought Eternally to ' enthral was th' only Prize he sought VI. This was his aim nor to rebate it found Save Prophecies of a Supplauters race Which well he knew not and could worse expound Wherein the happy Country was the place Whence was foretold should come his great disgrace But when or how tho himself Oracles gave Too hard to be resolv'd was the dark case Nor could he any certain knowledg have Who should the Mighty Conqueror be his Thralls to ' unslave VII The happy Country well enough he knew Part of his Syria to be ' hight Palestine Wherefore he thither his Chief Forces drew And seiz'd it first by 'a more than double Trine Of cursed Nations from the Great Chams Line Cham who first gave him credit by his Arms And then his Empire to him did resign Cham whom he thus rewarded for the harms He had sustain'd to be Camp-Master of his Charms VIII Seven cursed Nations of his cursed Seed To be its constant Guard Love thither sent Who â—â—ll'd the Land so with their cursed Breed That scarce was left him room for his own Tent Less for new Col'onies if such thither went A stup d bestial and unmanly Rout That all their Age in Lusts unnatural spent Till the time came their Land should spue them out Too long opprest and bring the dread Foresight about IX Lovâ— saw it coming and began to fear When Jacob's numerous Host from Bondage led Unto the Cananitish bounds drew near Seising the Nations with unusual Dread While Seas to make them way rose up and fled But never did he more confounded stand Than when he Jordan saw recoil to ' his Head And to new Armies shar'd by Lot his Land Supplanted e're he did th' Supplanters understand X. Before he doubted those would prove the Men And therefore when they were upon the Way From Madian drest a Female Stratagem By which above two Myriads slaughter'd lay Tho Madian for it after dear did pay And he who gave the Counsel with them fell Balam their Priest and his the Sword did slay To expiate for th' Whoredoms he did sell And more advise than by Prophetic rage foretel XI But then he knew it and in every Age As Israel did in wealth and power encrease New Wars would with the Holy People wage Wars Amorous the sad result of Peace Nor his Assaults defeated oft surcease Till David was exalted to the Throne With Testimony that he God did please As Enoch had and then Love gave for gone All he before had gain'd and by his Conquests won XII Ah! that it had been gone and that his sway Had here expir'd But Jesses Son soon fell A victim at his Altars
his own the Life o' th' World to spare VII Teach the World Child and make his Israel know Whence their Salvations mighty Source does flow That from Remission of their Sin The mighty Source does first begin Through our God's tender Mercy who the Way To Pardon does by Penance lay Penance which does the glories of his Grace display VIII That Grace whereby the Day-spring from on High Now visits us with Streams which ne're shall die Streams of pure Aethereal Light To shine on those who in darkness sit Which Death 's pale shadow shall with Rays encrease And hopes long Pris'ners thence release And both theirs guide and our feet into th' way of Peace V. HYMN The ANGELIC Hymn Gloria in Altissimis c. GLORY be to God on High i th' Highest Great Jehovah bless Good will tow'rds Men on Earth be Peace Glory to God on High And may this Round begun thus last eternally VI. HYMN The Song of SIMEON Nunc dimittis servum tuum c. I. ENOUGH my God enough I beg no more Nor Thou tho begg'd canst greater Grace bestow My Prayers at length are answer'd and I ' adore The Word which from thy Mouth did go The Word which like thy Self no change does know And now Thy Servant is content to die Now as the best time since Thy Word and Life 's so nigh II. Nigh is the Word which Thou to me didst pass Nor has Death come me and Thy CHRIST between As nigh is Life Thy other Word which I embrace And who that has thus happy been In two great Words fulfill'd one t'other seen Would not like me desire in peace to die And mortal Life exchange for Immortality III. In Peace I die and Thou dismissest me My God in Peace since with these very Eyes Before their change I Thy Salvation see And lack not from the Dead to rise As Prophets must to ' approve their Prophecies By Faith they only at a distance saw What in my Arms I hold the end of all their Law IV. Hail blest Salvation of the Eternal King Hail Thou who hither bringst it Blessed Child In whom as holy Bards inspir'd do sing Those wondrous Truths shall be fulfill'd Which to Immortal Verse shall subject yield Hail to you both prepar'd of God to be This Worlds Redemption Heav'ns and Angels scrutiny V. Such is the great Behest such is Thy Will Who now before all Nations dost prepare What shall with joyous Praise all Nations fill As in Him all have equal share Thy Son who shall to those who ' in darkness are Rise as the World's Sun does with scattered Light But Israels Glory be with Rays like ' his own Flames bright Comiato To Sir Nicholas Stuart Baronet SONGS made in lieu of many more And more than Songs which to his Love I owe Who when your Master waited at the Door First let him in and sacred Honours did bestow You blessed Songs i th' Temple first to sing And then to Descant on an humbler thing To his and your lov'd Patron go And tho you ne're can recompence The ease and leasure both of us have thence Proffer the utmost service Verse can do And as He is your Ornament Be of my grat'itude and his Virtue the fixt Monument The VIII Great HYMNS of the Apocalyps I. HYMN The Adoration of the XXIV ELDERS Gratias agimus tibi Domine Deus Optime I. WORTHY Thou art all Honour to receive Thrice Honour'd we who may that Honour give Blest King who in One undivided now The scatter'd Parts of Time collected hast The Future Present and the Past And every Time and Age dost in one moment know II. We praise Thee ' Almighty God for that Thou ' hast tane To Thee thy great Power and at length dost Reign Thou Reign'st and tho the Nations troubled are Thy Wrath is come and therewith come the Time When Thou wilt sentence every Crime And all the Dead shall for the Great Assize prepare III. Up shall they rise and as their Works have been Or Shame or Glory on all Brows be seen Thy Prophets and Thy Saints shall shout for joy And all who fear Thy Name both small and great But Vengeance from Thy Judgment Seat Th' Earths bold Destroyers shall eternally destroy II. HYMN The Acclamation of Heaven upon MICHAEL's overthrow of the Dragon and his Angels Nunc facta est Salus Virtus c. I. NOW is Salvation now is come the Hour That long expected never shall be done Now Reigns our God with whom in equal Power And strength Enthron'd sits his Anointed Son They Reign and Judg and having Judgment past The Brethrens great Accuser or'e the Bar have cast II. Both Night and Day the Brethren he accus'd Heav'ns common Barrettor with Charge unjust Their Patience and the Judges Grace abus'd Tho from them the forg'd Calumny they thrust And his false Evidence or'e-rul'd bore down By the Lambs Blood in Court attested and their own III. These were the Pleas whereby they overcame And these the Witnesses call'd and allow'd Which ev'n the Devil their slanderer heard with shame And self-condemn'd to the just Sentence bow'd Greater their Word was than could be deni'd But greater yet their Testimony that they Di'd IV. For this O Heav'ns rejoyce and ye who there In Sacred Bliss uninterrupted dwell Rejoyce and a part with you let them bear Who from below shall of your Justice tell With joy shall Sing how the' Dragon overthrown From Heav'ns high-top to th' Earth was tumbled down V. But wo worth you to whom in wrath he 's come Of Earth and Sea the miserable ' out-cast On whom he 'll seek to be aveng'd the Doom Was on himself and curs'd Abettors past With rage he comes and whole Hells last effort Fury incenst because he knows his time 's but short III. HYMN The Happy Dead Beati mortui qui in Domino moriuntur I. BLEST are the Dead who in the Lord depart From henceforth Blessed write them down For Labours tho and Pain they have known Of neither feel they more the irksome smart II. So says the Spiri't for but to ' enjoy full rest From all their Toils are they remov'd And of their Works by God approv'd That follow close in Bliss they are possest IV. HYMN The Song of MOSES and of the LAMB Magna Mirabilia sunt opera c. I. GREAT are thy Works and marvelous thy Praise Lord God Almighty just and true Thy Ways Blest King of Saints who would not fear In Thy dread Presence to appear Whom Angels and attending Thrones revere II. Who would not Fear Thee Lord and Glorifie That Name of Thine which Thou hast rais'd so high Thy Holy Name by which Thou art known For Holiness is Thine alone But better than each single Man by ' his own III. Take then Blest King what is Thy proper due And through all Landâ— and Coasts Thy Right persue That eve'ry Coast and every Land Who wondring
ELEGY Upon the death of SAUL and JONATHAN 2 Sam. 1. Considera Israel pro hiis qui mortui I. ISRAELS delight the glory of our Land How are the Mighty overthrown Before their Enemies Swords they could not stand Nor conquer'd fall by any but their own In Thy High-places Israel both did fall A publick Victim for their Land in view of all II. Let not in Gath the mournful News be known Nor in Philistia publish it Stop the Report e're it reach Ascalon Nor let our Captive names their Arches fit Lest fearful Women whom they left at Home With Songs to share the Spoil and meet their Triumph come III. And ye Gilboas Mounts may never Rain Or fertile Showres descend on you But on your Heads let there abide that stain Which Seas should they pour down would but renew Let the curst Earth no more an Offering yield Nor God expect his First-fruits from the empty Field IV. 'T was there the valiant Saul resign'd his Breath And there his Shield was thrown away Never was such a Trophy rear'd to Death Nor ever sacred arms so scattered lay The valiant Saul's as if he ne're had been The Lord 's Anointed or his Chosen Peoples King V. From the pursuit the Bow of Jonathan Some Regal Spoil did daily bring Destruction after his fleet arrows ran And at the Wounds they made Death entred in The Sword of Saul did never empty come But a new Purple from the Blood of Kings brought home VI. Alike in Life in Death alike they were Not more in Blood ally'd than Mind Themselves alone you with them could compare Who none their equals saw or left behind And on their arms there hung such Victory That Men they only seem'd because they both could die VII For as the Eagle to her Prey does haste And hovering o're the Quarry flies Or the fierce Lion having once a taste Of Blood does all the Shepherds noise despise And at their Slings no shew of fear does make Like Lions they o're-came like Eagles did o're-take VIII And you O Daughters of so great a King Our Tribes support his Death lament Whose Victories you before were wont to Sing And clad in Scarlet to adorn them went Now put on Mourning to attend his Hearse Sad as your own complaints and mournful as my Verse IX For Lo the Glories of our State and Land Lo how the Mighty are o're-thrown Before their Enemies Swords they could not stand Tho Saul by none could perish but his own In thy High-places Jonathan thou didst fall A publick Victim where thou shouldst have reigned o're all X. For thee my Brother 't is for thee I grieve The best of Friends as well as Men In whose Death I that fatal Wound receive Which clos'd will ne're be till we meet again And in the Mansions of the Saints above Enjoy what here we vow'd our more than mortal love XI Israels Delight the Glory of our Land How are the Mighty overthrown Before his Enemies Sword one could not stand Nor th' other fall by any but his own In thy High-places Israel both did fall A publick Victim for their Land in view of all DAVID's Thansgiving and Prayer Ingressus est autem Rex David sedit coram Domino dixit Quis ego sum Domine quae I. WHO am I Lord and what 's my Family The youngest House of the Jessean Race In all things little but that Grace Which Thou on us hast shour'd but most on me Who am I that Thou hitherto Hast brought me Lord Thy Bounty and Thy Power to show II. Hitherto Thou hast brought me and that Hand Which for a Sling and Sheephook was design'd A nobler Service is enjoyn'd And Men instead of Flocks are my command Israel the Flock and care Divine And my exalted Name does midst rich Trophies shine III. Like the great Mens of th' Earth Thou ' hast made my Name And yet as if all this were not enough And thousand Pledges more of Love But the foundation only of that Frame Thou in Thy mind hadst cast to raise Of future Glories Thou foretell'st and growing Praise IV. Of Times to come Thou ' hast told long hence to come And that my House and Throne upheld shall be Like a Prince born Thou ' hast treated me As having what Thou ' art making for me room And are Men Lord thus wont to do Who rather than exalt the Poor will keep them low V. Yet thus Thou ' hast done and what can I say more Or greater for Thy Honour Lord or mine Which both here equal issues joyn That all who th' Work admire may Thee adore Greater I 'd say Thou knowst full well And more but what I know not how I cannot tell VI. Unless I add that for Thy great Words sake Thou didst it that Thou mightst at once fulfil The secret Counsels of Thy Will And what they were known to Thy People make For Thine own sake my God and mine For Thou thy Servant knowst and that his will is Thine VII Great art Thou Lord and wondrous are Thy Ways The best and greatest the only God alone Beside or like whom there is none Glorious in Holiness fearful in Praise Thus sing we who did first receive The Truth from our Fore-fathers but seeing now believe VIII For what one Nation as from them of Old We ' have often heard with Israel can compare For whom Himself God did not spare But came from Heav'n in Person to behold The Mise'ries they did undergo And not to see alone but to Revenge them too IX From Heav'n he came from Heav'n himself came down All cloath'd in Tempest and sulphureous Flame To get Himself the greater Name And do what by His Word He might have done That thus from Egypts Gods set free Himself he might declare His Peoples God to be X. This our Fore-fathers told us but we ' have seen Our selves as mighty Wonders of Thy Love Nor need we fetch from them our Proof Who ' our selves as mighty Wonders oft have been Confirm'd by Thy after vast expence And more 's to come to be Thy great Inheritance XI And now my God the Word which Thou hast said Th' irrevocable Word concerning me Let it for ever stablisht be And stablisht be that House which Thou hast made Thy Servant David thus approv'd Establish with his House nor let them be remov'd XII So shall Thy Word and Name be ever prais'd And Israels Holy God shall Israel sing Is God alone and Israel's King He His Anointeds Horn on high has rais'd Of David and his House approv'd David and ' his House establisht ne're to be remov'd XIII Not that I 'm worthy Thou shouldst hear my Vows Only Thy self was pleas'd the Word to pass Lord since I ' have with Thee found this Grace To be assur'd Thou It build Thy Servants House Another Grace turn not away Which in my Heart I since have found even thus to pray XIV Thy Promise 't is this
or Night be ' it Ev'ning or the Morn From th' Years account let it be ever torn To me it self and Heav'n and all be lost And from the number of the Days be crost O had it never been or had that Hour But barr'd the Gate and damn'd the fertil Door Unhappy Gate but Hour unhappy more Sorrow I ne're had known nor had these Eyes Beheld the Light which none but Fools can prize Rather why di'd I not making the Womb At once my busie tyring House and Tomb But by the Knees I must perverted be And live more Deaths than one to act more Plagues to see Draw th' hated Brests only to fetch supply After ten thousand Deaths new deaths to try And at the last with greater sense and torment die Had I then dy'd still as the Night or Grave My Voice had been without a Death to crave Still had I lain and in Oblivion's brest Enjoy'd a sweeter sleep and sounder rest The Earth which does in its cold Lap enfold All Arts and Arms Princes and all their Gold Which Sepulchers does for their Tombs prepare Great in their Dust and in their Ruines fair For me to Die then had I been allow'd Had markt a place amidst the awful Crowd There where untimely Births i th' Pit are thrown And through the Earths soft pores the Plains with verdure crown An awful place it is with Company The best and great'st where in appartments lie Kings and their Counsellors each in his Bed With each his Sword clapt underneath his Head For there the proud Usurpors terrors cease And there the weary are at perfect ease And the whole Region riots in the spoils of Peace Pris'ners enjoy their Liberty at least know No other Chains than what their Jaylors do Both small and great there undistinguisht be Undisturb'd by outworn Authority Masters and Servants throw those Names aside And for a nobler freedom both provide No fear of the Oppressor's there no wrong No Clamours no Reproach amidst that throng But a deep silence fills the profound wast Deaf to all calls but the last Trumpets blast Ah might I rest there Why is Death deni'd To him who seeks it in those shades to hide Who for it digs and would more gladly find That Treasure than the mines he leaves i th' way behind Light and this Life will but encrease his pain Light and this Life of which he does complain And would for ' one Death exchange but all in vain Why is Life thrust on such a Man who 's dead Dead to himself and God all comfort fled Me why is 't thrust on who the Gift despise As th' worst of this Worlds great impert'nencies Nay more its greatest Curse unwelcome Guest That never le ts me never be at rest Nor Bed nor Board their just refreshment give Which who would thus thus I 'd not always live Too long already to feel what I fear'd Sadder than can be told too doleful to be heard At rest I ne're was but compar'd with this All former Grief as gone and vanisht is And all but very Hell would be a kind of Bliss 1660. The Prayer of HABAKKUK Hab. 3. Domine audivi auditionem I. MY God I have Thy Wonders heard And their report like those who saw them feard I heard what Thou of Old hast done Revive Thy Work nor let it die But since to make us hope Thou hast begun Let our Deliverance too draw nigh Lord in the midst of th' Years appear Nor ever ever thus forbear To put an happy issue to our Fear i th' midst of th' Years Thy Greatness show For we are ready if Thou ' art but so Let us in Wrath Thy Mercy see Remembred this let that forgotten be What tho with us the full Time 's not expir'd With Thee 't is ended and by us desir'd Ages to come and Ages long since past In Heav'n where Thou art present are 'T is ever now and now will ever last O Now from Heav'n Thy Power declare And let it once be here what it is ever there II. Deus ab Austro veniet God came from Teman and the Holy One Descended from Mount Paran with a mighty Train The Earth to Heav'n did dart the Rays again And as He past the Skie with Glory shone Refined Light without allay Such as above makes Angels Day Such was His Brightness and such was His Way He was all Light but from His Side Shot forth a Beam so clear and pure That none to see it could endure And there as in the dark He did His Glories hide The Pestilence before Him went Gathering new Poysons as the old were spent Ruine and Desolation at His Feet Never to part again did meet But sworn to execute His Wrath on Man Kist and embrac'd each other close as they before Him ran III. Stetit mensus est Terram He stood and in His Hand He held a Line and measuring Wand Both to mete out and to destroy his Land Over the Earth the fatal Line He threw And that it level on all sides might lie He smote the Nations and they ' in haste withdrew Th' affrighted Earth that fain would flie Seeing it could not stir the Line did take But did with horrour and amazement shake The Rocks as it came o're their Backs did quake Bow'd down their Heads and griev'd they were so high The everlasting Mountains scatt'red lay And the perpetual Hills sank down and stole away IV. Pro iniquitate vidi Tentoria I saw the Tents of Egypt in distress Methoughts I heard their doleful groans The Land did tremble and its emptiness An hollow murmur added to its moans And shriekt a deadly eccho from the wounded Stones When not content to see their First-born slain Conquer'd on Land they once again Would try the fortune of the Main Since they the Tenth Shock could so stoutly brave They scorn'd to fear the Eleventh Wave Till they themselves and that saw buried in a Grave What ail'd the Rivers Lord what ail'd the Flood That Thou shouldst make their streams true Veins of Blood What could the Sea against Thee do So small against so great a Foe Exalted Thou so high and that so low Could it deserve Thy Wrath or roar so loud From Heav'n Thy Throne to call Thee down Or in its swellings was it grown so proud It ' sdeign'd a check from a single frown Unless in Triumph God would o're it ride And Seas from Seas below as first from those above divide V. Suscitans suscitabis Arcum So on the Sea i th' Air his Bow was seen Not by Reflection like the Rain-bow made Where all the pleasing Colours are together laid That Man might be no more afraid Of a new Deluge to be unsherd in And once more drown what it could never purge his Sin That is his Bow of Peace but this of War The Skie about it was with Darkness spread Slaughter and Gore had stain'd it red Ghastly and terrible it glistned from afar A poysoned
they rose with Bays and Ivy Crown'd Not such as Mortal Poets wear below But what i th' Heav'nly Tempâ—e grow And with whose Wreaths the first great Makers Brows are bound IX Go Shepherds go and kiss th' Eternal Son To Bethle'hem go and the first Tributes bring To Israels Saviour and Heav'ns New-born King To you this more than common Honour 's done To ' approach your God and Worship at his humble Throne Make haste nor by your own delay For others to prevent your Joys give way Why should they first be happy whilst you only stay For Kings shall come e're long from th' East By a less Flame than what 's your Guide Directed hi'ther to find that Rest Which seems not theirs till by ' you accepted or deny'd Of you God takes the first and greatest Care Who thus by Angels Summon'd are When they tho Kings and coming from afar Shall wait and both to call and lead them only have a Star 14 Jan. 166â— The STAR A Carol For the Epiphany by the III Kings SEe how that Glorious Star at Noon does rise And like another Sun new Guilds the Skies Look how it dares the Ruler of the Light And in His clearest Beams appears more bright Calling before its time the sluggish Night Rather the Conquer'd Sun to ' its Rays gives way And but a Phospher seems to its new Day The Conquer'd Sun c. Chorus trium Sure 't is no common Star see where it goes A daring Passage it self only knows And cross the Heav'n points out to Palestine And as it that way leads more bright does shine Come let us follow where it leads and see What may the Cause of its appearing be Whether it set a Star or some Divinity Come let us c. Chorus alter trium Some greater Power which to direct our Way Has chose this borrowed Shape and glorious Ray And when we knew not well which Road to go Does tow'rds Judea our great Journey show That way it points that way we must along No fear when Heaven 's out Guide we should go wrong That way c. Chorus trium tertius O're Bethle'm lo at length the Flame does rest Bethle'm that with the Prince of Peace is blest Bethle'm which must by ancient Prophecy The Tyring-House of the Almighty be Where he will cloath Himself with base Humanity And that 's the House where we our Gifts must bring To the World's God and Israel's Infant King Chorus Omnium Hither 't was hither the bright Star did lead Let 's enter humbly and approach with Fear The Star which brought will shew him us more clear And be a Glory round the Infants Head O this is He fall down and worship him fall down And kiss his Feet whose Head ev'n Heav'n thus stoops to Crown 23. Decemb. 1660. The PASSION An Ode I. TWice sixteen Years have almost o're Thee past Twice sixteen more Thou mayst as fondly waste In expectation Sylvius as thou hast The swift-wing'd Years which in their Passage scap'd thee last The Kalendar is searcht and all in vain Wouldst Thou have this Day return To the same Point as when in ' it Thou wert Born But 't will not be this Age if it e're come again Enough 'tis that Thou once didst see The great Conjunction Wait not o're long for what may be Too late for Thee And is sufficient of it self alone Without that Circumstance to fill Thy Song For grant it now what could to Thee be ' apply'd But that thy Birth fell out the Night thy Saviour Di'd II. Rise then my Muse but from a nobler Ground And sing in Numbers mournful as the Day Of Natures fright and disarray Which did Philosophy confound And scattered dismal Horrours all around When Heaven and Earth and Hell partook In the Darkness and the Night Which like a Sea o'reflow'd the plains of Light And all Spectators with amazement strook Unlike to that which once in Egypt raign'd When solid Night did Rhamases invest But Goshen of the Sun possest Over the Gleam a Prospect gain'd And uninvellopt saw how far the Heav'ns were stain'd Nor was it to the Antipodes The Day had hastned his access For they unsensible of Light Lay buried all the while in Night And without Miracle could not behold it bright Unless Thou add'st the Prodigie to raise And which none else but Thou O Muse dares say Th' Antipodes at Midnight rose to gaze And Night Jerusalem less admir'd than they the Day III. A thought too wild this and extravagant And which does all but its own airy basis want Say rather that the Pangs and Agonies Of a new and better World Which was thence to take its rise Were thus conceal'd from Mortal Eyes And Darkness as at first o're all th' Expansion hurld God's sacred Kingdom was that Birth The same New Heaven and new Earth Which the belov'd Disciple saw In all its Beauties as it did appear And to provoke Adventurers there A Chart thereof by Vision did exactly draw For on the Cross as our great Saviour hung And just Expiring bow'd his Conquering Head From the black Skies bright beams like Lightning sprung But as the Day continued long Chasing wing'd Darkness which before them fled And as the first Creations Work begun By the commanding Word which He To Nothing and to Chaos sed Making when He spake only Let there be By a no less Word this too was done Created by that Voice which cry'd T is Finished IV. 'T is Finished the Mighty Victor cry'd All reaking in Triumphal Gore Which his own Wounds not Enemies Necks supply'd For tho with them He Skirmisht had before And oft rebated had their Power He could not throughly for us Conquer till He Di'd Alone He did the Wine-press tread Of his Just Father's Wrath alone Israels to raise stoopt his own Head And to assist Him was there none So far from that that i th' pursuit Of Satan Sin and Death when He cry'd out With fainting Groans I Thirst His Patience some and some his Conquest Curst And Gall and Vinacre of the bitter Tree was all the Fruit. Till having tasted of the Brook i th' way Anew He follow'd till He gain'd the Day And to compleat his Victory Got thence more Aids and strength enough to Die V. Blest Saviour who but Thou couldst Live so long And in one Soul so many Deaths endure And different all and all their Pains so strong That their rehearsal does fresh Griefs ensure And again pierce those Hearts Thou bledst to Cure When in the Garden Thou didst first begin Gethsemane for ease design'd And safe retirements of a troubled Mind Purging thence all th' effects of Sin Which still tho hid remaind behind The dregs of what on Man in Paradise brake in Fatal but happy Place that where did grow Midst whole Woods no less beauteous but one Tree That even by Wilfulness alone could be The occasion of our Misery
I 'll then lament And living Death in Tears bewail For my Sins sake those Foes prevail And all my Age in Mourning 's spent To my release at length consent Nor let me grieve eternally That I die 'cause I cannot die L'Envoy Blest Soul that hither couldst arrive How do I love yet envy Thee Wishing my self this Extasie And that th' Example Thou dost give Would make me less afraid to live And to each close of Thine reply That I die cause I cannot die 20. May 1668. The FLIGHT I. NO wonder Soul thou so admir'st a Verse And countst thy self in its Possession brave For 't is what e're thou canst desire to have On this side Heav'n but more to make than to rehearse II. 'T is th' end of Preaching Loves best Exercise The Quintessence of Prayer Praises refin'd A Change exstatic into th' Heav'nly Mind And on whose soaring Wings above the World I rise III. O could I always stay where 't first sets me How naked looking down would th' World appear Its Joys how empty and how vain its Fear Another flight would make me leave Mortality IV. For as the sealed Dove so high does towre That i' th' pure Air at last it flying dies So should I mount too and above the Skies Rapt to th' Etern aboads unfeel my dying Hour V. But I must live still and my flight to bound Till truly seal'd there something Lord will be Some Work of Thine be ' it be it but a Tree Eve'n there I nearer Heav'n shall rest than on the Ground 22. Jan. 1671 2. noctu Exsurrexi adhuc sum tecum An Hymn and Prayer To the Holy JESUS my Lord. Parode I. JESU th' Eternal Sun of Righteousness Unlike our Mortal Suns which Rise and Set Subliming this and t'other World with Light Love bids me of Thy wondrous Power to Treat But how Thy Power or Wonders to express I know not till Thou make my Darkness bright And with Thy Beams dispel the shades of Night Therefore I beg Thy aid JESU to whom I' have pray'd And still pray that I worthy Thee may write Illustriously o're all th' Expansion shine And if I 'm weak to endure A Light so pure dart through my Verse a ray Divine II. JESU the Wisdom of the Deity In whom the Mistic Treasures are conceal'd Be'yond Reasons search of the Eternal Mind And with whose Stripes the Afflicted World is heal'd Proof against Death the Vanguishts Victory Under whose Standart to its God rejoyn'd Love for the Noblest Service is design'd Love that 's a Rebel now JESU so Great that Thou From Heav'n Thy self must come his Slaves to ' unbind That I some Trophies of Thy Power may boast When Thou dost Conquering ride I 'll Crowns provide and sing Thy Triumphs through his Coast. III. JESU the Virgins and the Martyrs Wrath Who without Spot or Wrinkle didst adorn The fairest Soul which in a Body all Of Charms was wondrously Conceiv'd and Born Fought'st and wast fought resign'dst thy labouring Breath The Lost to Save and from the Dungeon call Hopes weary Pris'ners and Death's Captive thrall To Thrones at Thy Right Hand JESU as Thou dost stand At Thy Great Father's in Heav'ns Judgment Hall Grant me the Grace and Thou the Grace canst grant That when Thou shalt come next Tho now perplext to attend Thee then I nothing want IV. JESU in whom the Godhead does repose Infinites Comprehension and the Bound Of boundless Majesty fathomless Deep With Thorns first pierc'd and e're with Glory Crown'd Submitted to the Triumphs of Thy Foes A Man of Sorrows and inur'd to weep Substantial God and Man who both dost keep Unmixt and Unconfus'd JESU th' Untoucht and Bruis'd Quickning the Dead yet who i th' Grave didst sleep 'T is Thou hast broke our Bands th' Uusurper hurld Headlong into the Pit In whose sides sit the great Disturbers of the World V. JESU the Way the Truth whose Life does give The' exactest Method how we may direct Our wandring Course to Thy Divine Aboad And whence seduc'd to stray is not to Live A Way Thy self while here Unerring trode And now Exalted dost with Blessings load A Way which rough at first JESU appears and Curst But entred once proves worthy Thee and God Shew me Thy Way nor take it in ill part Since I am blind and weak If I bespeak Thee ' in that whose Guide and End Thou art VI. JESU Whose Cross the surest Anchor makes Both strong and sure entring within the Vail Where Passions waves how fierce and uncontroul'd So e're rage not and yet they dare assail The holiest Place and Heav'n i th' Tempest shakes Thou seest how there I have fixt all my hold And am i th' midst of Storms and Floods grown bold Yet still there is a Shelf JESU I mean my Self 'Gainst which I am in danger to be roll'd I sink O now thy saving Hand forth stretch Now e're my Head with th' Weeds Which this Sea breeds is wrapt and I 'm below Thy reach VII JESU how many Tears have I in vain How many Sighs and Prayers in vain pour'd out Tho by th' expence my Flame alone 's encreast My Life from its first Stage trac'd all about Unchang'd by change of Habit 's nought but Pain Anguish and Torment void of Peace and Rest Nay even my Soul Heav'n-born has been opprest And humbled to the Grave JESU make hast to save Nor tarry tho of Men I ' have lov'd Thee least Now help to Morrow may not be so well For Misery and Sin Have me ' on the Wing and where they 'll pitch me who can tell VIII JESU one half of me 's already gone So gone that tho I have piec'd up the Rent Methinks I 'm not the perfect thing I was Tho happy still in that I am content And who shall be more perfect when th' World 's done And One made Three into ' One again shall pass Unhappy Man unhappy were my case Such doubts gave'st Thou not skill JESU to Reconcile Thou who see'st Past and Future in one Glass Dear Lord for whom too hard there nothing is Give all my Griefs such end As may intend Thy Honour first and then my Bliss IX JESU my Confidence my Hope my Fear Able to help in time of Need and Free O leave me not when my last Hour shall come Not for my sake but His who Ransom'd me Merit crys No. But th' Image which I bear Pleads Lord and would for Ancient Love make room Tho I have been betray'd by Errors doom To a Fairy Wood and Brook JESU my Shepherd look Find Thy lost Sheep and bring the Stragler home Of Streams so troubled may I drink no more Or having found my Way Any more stray or wander as I did before X. JESU My God who far off seest the Proud And hatest him let Thy Blood some pity move An Heart all bruis'd and contrite to regard That does at length bewail its sottish love And which if once it
can get free has vowd 'T will that and all things else for Thee discard 'T will more than ever eye th' ador'd Reward And purg'd with sacred Flame JESU to Thy great Name No cost of Wit or Verse being basely spar'd Its Life and Hymns and Service dedicate To Thee own its chang'd desires Kiss the soft Fires and blame it self that 't was so late XI JESU to whom that Name as the Prize is given Of all Thou didst and sufferedst without measure The mighty Dowry which Thou broughtst Thy Wife Deaths plague Hells spoil but whose exstatic Pleasure Is for the Marriage Feast reserv'd in Heav'n Whither I haste to be than hope more rife And plentiful Lo the short Day of Life Posts swiftly on and flies JESU in my Agonies Tho now with Death and Hell I am at strife Let me experience this Names healthful ease And after a long War With Truces rare in ' it Conquer and depart in Peace Comiato Thus tho with different heat of Spirit and Verse What Petrarch sang to another JESU Thy Virgin Mother The stops in part chang'd I to Thee rehearse I chang'd the stops for under Thy Broad Seal Thou givest us no Commission Her to Petition and from her to Thee appeal Altro Comiato And now be pleas'd to accept this humble Praise Other and better Fruit JESU of all my Suit I dare not beg eve'n Pardon here is Bays And for the Prayers dropt more from my Heart than Pen Since their least part 's the Rime And words which chime say as I to them say AMEN I 'l Terzo When I sent it to Sir Kingsmil Lucy At London Song Thy Russet and Thy Freeze Will seem I fear but course Jesu they 'll cry or worse See! the dull fleghm of Solitude and Trees Thus will the Fops treat Thee those Wits by Rote Yet one Thou ' lt know e're long Who will own Thee Song and see Thy Beauties through Thy Coat An HYMN for Vespers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 JESU CHRIST blest Light of Light Th' Immortal Fathers chearful shine Ray of Glory all Divine Equally with Him fair and bright When we see the Day decline Calling the sluggish Evening on We praise the Father and the Son And in our Lauds the Spirit joyn Worthy art Thou O God we say Worthy O Son of God art Thou And Thou of Life the Lord and Giver Worthy to be Prais'd for ever Great THREE and ONE to Thee we bow And with th' whole World thus Crown each Day LENT Sestina al' Italiana Convertimento a Dio. I. WELCOME great Queen of Fasts thrice welcome Lent With solemn Penance and Devotion crownd Sweet Abstinence clean thoughts and chaste desires The Wings whereby th' unpinion'd Soul does flie Above this lower Circle and exchange Substantial Cares for Joys unmixt and pure II. I well remember when with thoughts less pure Nor more to Piety a Friend than Lent Pleas'd I could well have been ne're to exchange My course of Living no tho to be Crown'd With Bays Immortal and Exalted rise In hopes as large as are my chang'd desires III. But that time 's gone and with it those desires Which held me down and in their stead a pure Ethereal Flame which upward still does rise Kind thoughts of what 's esteem'd severe in Lent My Soul the Victim has for the Alter Crownd And ee'n burnt up nor would I ' again exchange IV. This was Thy Work Lord Thou 't was didst exchange What was beyond my power to curb stubborn desires Making them subject to the Head Thou ' hadst Crownd And now I 'm Victor with Robes clean and pure Pure to what once I wore and this new Lent To ' attend the Triumph rich in Spoils does rise V. And as that rises such hope I to rise When on the Fasts great close I shall exchange For Easters Sun the dewy Pearls of Lent Bathing like Oar with frequent Tears desires Which only such a Flame can render pure Fin'd from all Dross and worthy to be Crown'd VI. Hast Thee blest Day wherein with Glory crownd The Worlds great Saviour from the Grave did rise And credence gives His Spouse that like Him pure She shall rise too and all her Spots exchange For Glories larger than her vast desires And the' Pious Resveries of an holy Lent Were Lent and Primitive Institutes thus Crown'd With purgd Desires and Lives their Fame would rise And none the Church exchange to be more Pure Sent to my Excellent Patron Sir Nicholas Stuart Baronet 1672 3. The Song of the ANGELS At the Fall of Lucifer I. SON of the Morning First-born of the Light The once bright Phospher of the Day Divine How art Thou hurld into eternal Night And hid in Flames who didst with Glory shine The bold Usurper of th' Almighty's Crown Proud Lucifer to Hell is thrown And sing'd the Heav'ns as he from thence fell headlong down II. Above the Heav'ns he said I will ascend And there above the Stars exalt my Throne My Conquests in the North I will extend And God a parted Rule shall have or none Above the heights ne're reacht before I 'll flie And equal made with the Most High Or gain an honourable Fall or Victory III. Scarce said a pointed Thunderbolt was sent From th' Hand Divine which pierc'd him to the heart In vain he sought the Vengeance to prevent And to Almighty Strength oppos'd his Art But down he sank and down the Monster fell The stroke nor bore nor could repel And exil'd once the Heav'ns the next descent was Hell IV. Hell from beneath to meet him rais'd its Head And now no longer shall we empty be Since Thou art come the pale Abyssus said Look How we dress our Flames to welcome Thee And all with Flames they Circled him around With Flames their Princes Temples bound An Heav'n of Flames they made him strewd with Flames the Ground V. Rejoyce O Heav'ns for your Oppressor's ceast And tho e're long there shall from Earth ascend An unknown Race which shall disturb your rest Rejoyce and their Triumphant Arms attend For when by these you shall invaded be With Tears and Importunity Thus to be Conquer'd is to gain the Victory VI. Son of the Morning First-born of the Light The once bright Phospher of the Day Divine How art Thou hurld into eternal Night And hid in Flames who didst with Glory shine The bold Usurper of th' Almighty's Crown Proud Lucifer to Hell is thrown And sing'd the Heav'ns as he from thence fell headlong down L'Envoy SONG that long since wert finished And for another Place design'd Than what Thou here dost find In a long Work and long since promised Say that the Piles Foundations laid The ' unwary Builder all his Charge has lost For till begun As a Wise Man should first have done He did not as was fit sit down Throughly the Ground had not survey'd His Friends or Strength had tri'd or reckned up the cost Convertimento á Dio. LORD my
First-fruits should have been brought to thee Whose due I am and all that 's mine By Birth-right Thou a Title hast to me And by Command those Fruits are Thine But Thine or mine neither have bin Offered before to Sin Sin came and first conceal'd my right in Thee And then usurpt what e're was mine But let Redemption clear Thy Right to me And then both shall again be Thine Both Thine and mine tho they have bin Offered before to Sin Instead of First-fruits Lord I bring to Thee Th' whole Harvest which yet is not mine Thou in return shalt give Thy self to me And make it so because 't is Thine Both Thine and mine as if 't had bin Neve'r offered up to Sin Deo Opt. Max. S. Qui huc usque auxiliatus est in futurum mihi Providebit THIS Altar to Thy Name Great God I raise The Pious Labour of my too late Praise With Stones from Thine own sacred Quarry brought Tho by my Artless Hand but rudely wrought Artless and rude tho its Traces be Methinks I by it clearly see My Past Supports and Future care And what of both ' is my present share The Guidance of the Love Divine Making me call his Pleasure mine O let it in Thy Presence stand Inviolable from any Hand And when on it thou deignst to look Write down the Votary in Thy Book Who at his Foot has his Dependance set And in th' Inscription thus proclaimes Thee Great To God who hitherto has helpt my only Trust And for the Future will provide for He is Just. Ad Psalmos 1667. The following Compositions and Translations are therefore here Printed by the Authors consent and allowance suitable enough to the general Title of RIMES and he hopes not unbecoming his Habit tho done the most of them long before his Admission into Holy Orders because they have as to such of them at least which he could much rather have wished lost and forgotten by some too curious Collector of such Trifles against his will and knowledge been already from very false Copies very falsly Published and he is not wholly out of danger for the rest as neither was he till now for a good number of those above whose Copies he doubts are in many Hands ODE Ad Passagium inducendum I. O aspettata in ciel Beata c. BLEST Soul in Heaven expected long And long in Heav'n mayst Thou expected be Who ' art cloath'd not loaded with Humanity Like others but more Resolute and Strong Of God belove'd those briny Paths to tread Which from our unjoyn'd World unto his Kingdom lead Look how a Western Gale Do's on Thy Barques spred Canvass blow Loos'd from the Shore long since with hoys'd up Sail A better Port than what Thou leav'st to know The Wind is to Thy Service prest And from this gloomy Vale where we complain Both of our own and others Wrongs in vain Of Thy first Innocence possest In a strait Line will drive Thee to Thy Rest And whether now thou ' art bound to the true East II. Forse I devoti c. 'T was that or now the fervent Prayers Of holy Men re'inforced by their Tears Had on th' Eternal Goodness wrought Or if both Prayers and Tears were weak And useless Arms to stop th' Almighty Justice thought Nor us'd it may be its fixt Course to break T was that of His meer Love alone Heav'ns Sacred King again deny'd Again by ' His Murdr'ous Enemies defi'd i th' place where He in triumph Di'd In pity thither did at length look down He lookt and in the generous Brest Of holy Charles revenge inspir'd Revenge which was too long desir'd Revenge whose lingring Europe did infest But only to be greater was a while deferr'd Thus would He help his Spouse belov'd And of a War just Heav'n approv'd The bare report found Babylon thoughtful left her mov'd III. Chiunque alberga ' tra Garonna c. All who between the Alps and Garoone dwell Twixt Rhodanus and Rhene and the salt Sea The Christian Armies with their Banners swell Whole Spain that Jealous ever us'd to be Of others Honour to the Camp does come Leaving the Pirenes behind to guard its empty Home Britain and all the Isles that lie From th' Orcades extremity To where the Straits do Afric bound With all where e're is found But the first Traces of the Gospels sound Various in Garb various in Arms and Speech Chari'ty does to th' high Impress provoke or else beseech And worthier her what could be ever done Or who has e're so just a War begun Not Menelaus for his Wife nor Minos for his Son IV. Vna parte del mondo è c. Up in the North midst Winter and thick Snow Beyond the Suns auspicious Ray Where Clouds and Storms mete out the short liv'd Day Is bred a Nation which did never know Peace and her Charms or if it did but as a Foe Who ne're were heard or Wounds to flie or Pain Or of Deaths Icy Fetters to complain That were their Country to upbraid and Birth to stain These more devout grown than of old With German rage have of the Sword tane hold Turks Arabs Saracens and the shame They go against of Heathen Deities Only to know were to despise As fit but with their Blood their bordring Sea anew to name A People naked timo'rous ignorant of War That ne're strook blow but from a far And only with their Arrows wound the bloodless Air V. Dunque hora è l tempo c. Now is the time from our too patient Neck That ancient Yoke wherewith we ' are gall'd to break And from our Eyes the Vail to lay aside Which both the Ene'mies weakness and our strength does hide And now my Friend is an occasion seen Wherein you may those Virtues show Which part from Heav'n you have and part have gaind below The Trophies of your Tongue and learned Pen Nor will it longer any Wonder be Tho you of Orpheus and Amphion read Whose Songs tam'd Beasts and Stones did lead When of your own a greater Miracle you see And Men more Deaf and Salvager than they Led by your Skill go where you point the Way When Italy awak'ned by the sound Of your loud Voice and all her Sons around Rise from their sleep expecting that bright Day When they ' may get him Laurels who with Thorns was Crownd Ne're had that Aged Mother yet An opportunity so fair her Sons a cause more great VI. Tu è hai per arrichir c. Thou who to ' enrich the Treasure of thy Brain Hast many a flying Roll turnd o're Of th' present Times and those that went before And on those Wings to Heav'n aloft doâ—â— soar Seeing the Fates of Empires all beneath Thee plain Full well Thou knowst how in the Roman State From the first Day that Mars his Son In Blood laid its Foundation Till great Augustus who thrice entred the triumphal Gate Rome of Blood was ever free And
motions felt and Powers before unknown And swallow'd up in Speculation Forgot what ever he admir'd below Himself and Her whom he had left alone To wait ' his return and rapt he scarce knew how To th' Land of Love himself a Love transform'd did grow XXX For why that Tract the Realm of Love was stil'd And all who thither in deducted mind Leaving this lower Earth arrive are fill'd As the bright Region is with thoughts refin'd And Quintessence of Love but of what kind Impossible it is to be exprest And in a Chime of soundful Words design'd Which but Conceits are to our Fashion drest And if Immortal with the mortal Load opprest XXXI Suffice it Angels there Inhabited Rang'd all in their Trinal Triplicities Into a Body under Love their Head And ready all for some Renown'd Emprise Soon as the mighty Signal given is He saw it given and all before a Throne Of Heav'nly Diamond vailing each his Eyes Each Angel prostrate on his Face falls down And at its Foot-stool casts his Consecrated Crown XXXII From simple ANGELS as th' Inferiour Band To the ARCHANGELS led by Michael Then to DOMINIONS that the third Rank stand To VIRTUES then whose numerous Banners swell And PRINCIPALITIES of whom none fell With Rebel Lucifer ' or abbetted him To POWERS then and to THRONES whom who can tell And so up to th' eighth Order CHERUBIM But by the ninth compleat Love-flaming SERAPHIM XXXIII All these our Father saw by Love retir'd In and above Himself but o're them all One fairer yet to whom his Mind aspir'd Th' Incomprehensible Original In whom no Blemish and no Spot can fall By Love he saw Him and in Him the end And utmost point of Love enough to ' appall The Holie'st of his Sons who should descend From ' his after sinful Loins and thither after tend XXXIV But him the sight appall'd not rather fill'd With Images more fair his enlarg'd Brest And from the Principles his Love instil'd On naught less high could he affix his rest Or be content tho of the Earth possest The' whole Earth that in this Res'very view'd round Too scanty seem'd an Heav'n-born Soul to ' invest Too scant a Limit and too scant a Bound For what an Infinite was only equal found XXXV Excursions therefore into that he made Often Excursions into Infinite Infinite Love and Beauties seen display'd I' th' Prototype by Intellectual Light And Reasons yet undim'd discursive sight Tho when that fail'd or when t was weary grown Through ' excess of conceiv'd Vision as it might The' Almighties self would come in Person down And oft prevent Man's journey to Him with His own XXXVI Or come or send Him frequent Embassies Of Angels who still ready on the Wing With hasty flight from summit of the Skies Would seem to vie who should the Message bring And first approach the Favorite of their King Tho all the Message which they bore was Love And all their Service was but Ministring To one below them made yet who above Was Heav'ns great Care and greatest Ornament should prove XXXVII Not much below them while his Innocence On its Foundation did unshockt abide And perfect Love seen in obedience The nether World so fast to th' upper ti'd That Hell between them could not once divide One Heart one Business was in both approv'd One God alike in both was magnifi'd That mighty Axis round which both were mov'd And whom alike both prais'd and whom alike both lov'd XXXVIII Alike they lov'd and as they lov'd alike All Vertues in that Act did comprehend Which did in both an awful Reverence strike And careful made them lest they should offend But chiefly Man did thence his Mark intend With greater vigour as on whom was laid Fear for a Rein if Hell its Wiles should send For Death was threatned if he disobey'd And He not to be ' high-minded chose to be afraid XXXIX Love made him chuse so kind and wholesome Fear From which all Torment yet secluded was And but the brighter made his Love appear Like Beams reflected upon burnisht â—rass That their own Native Lustre thence surpass So shon his Love and thence his Temperance That the forfended Limit would not pass Nor to behold it care'd with wanton Glance What ever fond Conceit its Glories might enhance XL. Hence Justice hence true Magnanimity Prudence and Wisdom o're his Soul did flow And sacred Truth and peaceful Loyalty And all the Graces that to Love do owe Their Rise and into ' Eternal Rivers grow And all upon the Supreme Beauty plac'd That Good which still the more we come to know The more we ' admire till in its Arms embrac'd An end of all our Love we find the First and Last XLI Such was his Love and like it was his Praise A Service wherein with him Nature joyn'd Whole Nature and each part by several ways As with him in one love they were combin'd And various was the Anthems stops and kind Articulate by Man their High Priest made And in one sacred Hallelu-jah twin'd Which he as First-Fruits on Earths Altar laid And Heav'n with grateful Odours early did invade XLII Their Orisons which he each Morning paid With his fair Partner or by Angels taught Or whereof capable their Form was made By Images from Heav'n first thither brought And which they into perfect Figure wrought By Plastic Art of Words harmonious Which to the great Occasion came unsought And whether sung in Verse or said in Prose In Prose most powerful were in Verse most numerous XLIII For Verse and all that does to Verse belong In this lowe'r World had its first happy rise In Innocence which first invented Song And how so e're one may its Charms despise Or which is worse abuse in Paradise By Pause and Fugue's adapted to fit strains Was first perform'd to whose Discoveries The Sons of Verse now elocate their pains And save from Heav'n expect not their Immortal gains XLIV In Paradise discover'd first was Verse And Voice and Number with it given to Song And glorious Subjects which both did reherse Alternate and in Chorus as or long Or short returns did to the Ground belong But than of Love they sounded nothing more Or ofter or with Brest more large and strong The Love Divine whom thus they did implore In raptur'ous Odes and as they of it sang adore XLV They sang how All things their beginning had From Loves diffusive and Life-giving heat How Immaterial Spirits with Glory clad It s First-born were with Love as high and great As from this lower World 's remov'd their Seat Then how this lower World from Nothing rose And No-where in that beauteous order met That Place and Matter which the whole compose And circumscribe unconceiv'd Luster did disclose XLVI Not at an instant made but by degrees As confus'd Chaos could th' impression take In Six Days space and throughly purge its Lees Hell newly form'd more horrible to make And its own new made
Enmities off-shake For of such jarring Parts it was contriv'd And of such contrarieties did partake That it by Discord and Confusion liv'd A life such as it was with Death to be surviv'd XLVII So strove they thus would they have striven ever Till pittying their debate the Spirit of Love Calm'd the discordant Mole and did dissever Th' Eternal Combatants plac'd some above Others did to the deep Abysse remove Fast to be held in Adamantine Chain Whilst those few Parts that did more ductile prove Into Four Principles which all contain Themselves in all contain'd were solely left to reign XLVIII FIRE which as lightest took the highest place And upward rais'd its towring Head then AIR That followâ—d it but with unequal pace And tho it vy'd to be and look as fair Forc'd in the midst to hang self-ballanc'd there Next WATER which the Surface cover'd o're That pregnant Mother of the EARTH less rare In its vast Womb conceiv'd but which before It could emerge lackt mighty Love to force the Door XLIX And so it did but LIGHT was first to shine And an whole Day for that which makes the Day But little enough was thought i th' Mind Divine Through Darkness palpable to clear its way And all its various Beauties to display Darkness which tho but counted Privative Such claims to th heap whence 't was call'd out did lay That Love like equal shares to both did give Alternately each Day in Day and Night to live L. But harder were the teeming Waters Throes When on the second Day Earth nearer came To its great Birth like weight that heavier grows Long born and to break through disjoynts the frame The Waters pangs compar'd thus were the same When they divided burst but ne're to close Stopt by the solid FIRMAMENT whose Name Immoveable Partition does suppose By ' whose Shoar disjoyn'd upper and nether Ocean flows LI. And now the third Day of her Monstrous Child Half way deliver'd the Great Mother was Monstrous unsightly yet with Horrour fill'd Which in its Oasy Arms it did embrace And half supprest to the' Birth would ne're let pass But with it joyn'd one Monstrous Body made Above DRY GROUND below a confus'd Mass Part Earth with Briny Hatchments overlaid Part unmixt Water upon empty Nothing staid LII And called SEA as what appear'd was LAND Rough bare mishape't tho dry unbeautifi'd It self unbeautiful vast plains of Sand More horribly deform'd with terrors Pride Mountains that to ' Heav'n aspir'd and gaping wide With rais'd up Jaws threatned to swallow down In gorge unsatiate glories there envy'd And wrinkled Forehead which scarce made did frown And Omens give of Future War from cause unknown LIII Nor could there cause be gi'ven for a new Face From the' Love Divine it took and Nakedness Was cloath'd upon with all the Charming Grace Of Fruit and Flower and the grim Gyantess Its own Eternal Goodness to express Kind Heav'n illumin'd with a double Light The fourth Day made the greater and the less By Day the SUN with vital heat and bright To warm the MOON with starry Robe to ' invest at night LIV. Nor was this all but at the fifth Days dawn Earth and her Mother Sea replenished With new Inhab'itants were and every Laune And every Hill scar'd Solitude thence fled Legions of FOWL produc'd and kindly bred Which on large Wings above the Ground did fly But perching on some Tree made that their Bed Whilst Lakes and Streams and the huge Sea fast by With mighty WHALES were fill'd and with the lesser FRY LV. Fill'd were the Floods with these but still the Earth As whose Wing'd-People most partook of th' Air Their haunt impregnate with a second Birth For which disclos'd 't had room enough to spare Did on the sixth Day to disclose prepare And out all BEASTS and REPTILS in their kind Sprang from the fertile Womb proportion'd fair Each to its Nature but with Look declin'd To th' Earth whence tane to th' Earth whereto confin'd LVI Of these and other Works of God they sang In Lays harmonious as Love utterance gave Yet these and others which they lowdly rang Were but as Praeludes which with Mast'ry brave Their Voice shew'd and what compass Verse might have Verse which then triumpht in Recitative When they all other Grounds resolv'd to wave Sang of themselves and Him who at once did give One power to Sing thus to Him and like Him to live LVII A wondrous Work it was from Nothing thus All things in weight and measure up to raise And perfect Order form'd most beauteous Subordinate as different were the Ways Whereby their Maker would direct his Praise But none so Wondrous did and strange appear Of Power and Beauty with so rich displays As Mans Formation made the Rule to bear And sublim'd Earth equal to highest Heaven rear LVIII That Dust could Live in what was done before Was plainly told but that it too could love As Love all life in it contains and more All that or Reason knows or can improve Th' Eternal Treasures only were enough To drein and to be drein'd For God but spake And all below and all the Hosts above Being and Life from the great Word did take But Hands Divine Man's model were employ'd to make LIX By Hands Divine his Body first was wrought The full Abridgment of this World to be With curious Art to ' its last perfection brought But infinitely base in its degree To th' Soul the Pourtraict of the Deity Into his Nostrils breath'd that in his Brain Might be infixt the Heav'nly Ima'gry And Life with Vital Blood in every Vein To th' Parts extream convey'd the Character retain LX. Love was that Character in Holiness And perfect Purity exemplifi'd And Innocence which that first state did bless And Reason with them Empire to divide And o're th' Inferiour Appetite preside Which it restrain'd and furnisht with true Skill It self in all its Acts to curb and guide At least had power to do so and fulfil The Charge Divine close backt by Freedom of the Will LXI Blest Qualities which made him Lord and King Of all this lower World and Majesty On his Erected Countenance stampt did bring Heav'n down to Earth and Earth that flat did lie Advance'd to be for Angels Company Nay farther and what Angels did admire For its Aetern Exemplar the Most High Who with his Work delighted would retire Frequent from Heav'n as to divert and view it nighe'r LXII Himself hereby Man dexterously did guide And o're himself so absolutely reign The greatest Kingdom in the World beside And which all other Kingdoms did contain In ' it self in Chief or Vassalages Chain That only Peace and only what was Good And only Love was given for Love again With Charms that by no force could be withstood And centred in one Point Indivisible GOD. LXIII Hail happy state of Innocence thrice Hail Hail to Thy Love and Thee And may my Verse From thence inspir'd with generous Souls