And for his taste a bitter potion dresse Sibylla Cumana WHat tyme the third dayes sleep hath taken end The tyme prescry bed also end shal take Of death whose rule to that space did extend And then as from his sleep shal wax awake Hee whose now bringing liues reuyned ioy Shal shew how men from death may lyf enioy Sibylla Helispontiaca EVen from the heau'ns moste high stately throne The eyes of God the earth shal oueruiew And of all creatures take regard of one Of modest meeknesse and moste gratious hew And as a man God shal bee borne on earth And of an hebrew virgin haue his birth Sibylla Phrigia THe earth shal rent at feareful trumpet sound And kinges as vassals at Gods seat appeere In iustice all his iudgments shal abound Yeilding to men as men deserued heere vnto the good stil during heauenly ioy And to the il long-lasting helles annoy Sibylla Tiburtina THow Bethlem arte the birth-place of thy Lord That doth from Nazareth assume his name O blessed moother blis doth thee affoord His loue that leaues himself pledge of thesame O blessed bee that sweet milk-yeilding brest To no wrish God right happely adrest FINIS THE FIFTEEN MYSTERIES OF THE ROSARIE OF OVR BLESSED LADY VVHEREOF The first fyue are ioyful The second sorowful And the third glorious The first ioyful mysterie Conteyning the Anuntiation of our blessed Lady WHen heau'ns rare loue resolued mannes release From thrall to him that first produced sin It was decreed that this redeeming peace Must by a God and by a man begin Then on Ambassage was an Angel sent vnto the best of all the best on earth VVith grace-ful greeting to declare th' intent Of Gods designe in such a sacred berth And euen as shee assented to thesame Eft-soones in her conception did begin And blessednes gaue tytle to her name And ioy at her glad hart did enter in The second ioyful mysterie Conteyning our ladies visitation of S. Elizabeth HEr change exchang'd not humblenesse for pryde That bore Gods Sonne and yet would go to see Her in whose wombe Gods seruant did resyde vaine pointes could not with her pure vertue bee And as her coosins eares receau'd her voyce One chyld by Simpathy the other moued VVhich outwardly both moothers made reioyce VVhose ioy each chyld by inward ioy approoued From virgins mouth the dittie then begun How much her soule did magnify her lord VVhich since inur'd help-seekers from her sonne Therein her praise in his praise to record The third ioyful mysterie Conteyning the birth of Christe AT Ceasars hest to Bethlem shee repaires As duty wild where duty had no claime No harbenger her loging there prepares Her poore estate fyndes harbor lyke thesame But when as God in chyldheid would appere Odors and Angels brightnes it adorne And with deere loue her louing babe so deere Shee doth adore assoone as it is borne High priuilege exempted her from wo VVhich but Gods mother none could els obtaine And heauenly bounty did on her bestow That shee a mayden euer should remaine The fourth ioyful mysterie Conteyning the presentation of Christe in the temple AT tyme prefixt by ryte of auncient lore That now the moother must her babe present Though not impure but purer then before And purenesse bringing with her where shee went As warned then through hyre of hope and faith Good Simeon comes to see his wished sight VVhere as the Swan he singes before his death And in one ioy doth end all worlds delight And all they yeares old Anne deuoutly spent That with her age encreast her godly zeale Did now bring ioy vnto her hartes content And ioy to all where ioy shee did reueale The fift ioyful mysterie Conteyning our Ladies fynding of Christe in the temple SEquestred loue doth foster grief and ioy Twixt feare of losse and hope of happy gaine Such was her case that lost her litle Boy VVhose ioy reuyn'd in fynding him againe In Temple once buylt by the wysest king VVhere not til now the wise king took his place VVho yet no kingly porte did thether bring But wisdome vttred with a chyldish face VVith lyke in yeares shee haply might him seek But did him fynde with doctors in dispute He left repose to fraudlesse myndes and meek And took in hand wise folly to confute The first sorowful mysterie Conteyning the apprehension of Christe WO woorth that sorow should succeed to ioy Or for the il the good sustaine the smart But since the sonne would suffer wronges annoy The mother beares her vndeserued parte For when as hee destrest in garden prayd And bloody sweat ran downe his face amayne And Iudas false him Iudasly betrayd Lost ioy her left betrayed vnto payne And when with rage the Iewes led him away Then anguish her surprys'd and led in thrall And all that out wardly on him they lay Doth in wardly vnto her hart befall The second sorowful mysterie Conteyning the scourging of Christe T'Apease the rage of causelesse raging Iewes false Pylate wild true Christe should scourged bee Cryme knew he none and yet he did refuse vnpunished to set the guiltlesse free Then was sweet Iesus to a piller tyde And helhoundes lasht at his faire tender skin Embrude with blood al round on euery syde Thinck then how stood th'aquyter of our sin And in what sorrow his poore moother stood For his great good their so great il to view Her hart bled inward and distild the blood Foorth at her eyes though altred in the hew The third sorowful mysterie Conteyning the crowning of Christ with a crowne of thorne FOr change of torture not for ease of grief The Iewes do from the piller Christe vnlose VVhyle his sad mothers hopes of his relief Encrease her sorow in his lengthned woes For they his dolour to deryde and scorne The king of kinges in mockage king do call And on his head they fix a crowne of thorne And in his hand a reed to rule withall Yeilding pure loue impure dispight and hare Accursed rebels to a king of grace That purchase now the due disgraceful state Of their stil kinglesse and contemptuous race The fourth sorowful mysterie Conteyning Christe his bearing of his Crosse WHen Pylat pressed by the Iewish rage VVith wrested conscyence gaue the doome of death The Iewes made ha'st their fury to aswage In the extinguishing lyf-giuers breath And his deaths engyne burthen of his wo They make him beare that him to beare they made Him in the way to death to tortur so Til they his fainting force giue forced ayd VVel may his mother mourne this to obserue That from his burthen lodes her mynd with woes And he wel aske what withered stocks deserue VVhen fruteful trees are serued so of those The fyft sorowful mysterie Conteyning the crucifying of Christe OH wo is mee at this great end of grief Christe is arryued at his dying place Lamblyke he standes bereft of all relief Subiect of sorow vassal of disgrace For on his crosse
of beastly mood Found beastes deuoyd of sauagenesse And men more thirsting blood And all the torments that shee had To her not seemed payne But when a swoord transpearst her corps True glory was her gayne The noble Anastatia Poore christians did relieue VVhose heath nish husband her therefore Vnkyndely did agrieue But when the swoord and cruel death Did her from thralle release The heau'ns her freedome did restore VVith endlesse ioy and peace Besydes this Anastatia A martres and a wyf Two virgins of lyke name and faith Lost each lyke wise their lyf The elder that most paynes endur'd Most is her glory spred That losing first paps handes and feet Did lastly lose her head Mylde Dorothey endured much And dy'd by dint of swoord VVhose suffrance did her loue approue To her deere louing Lord. Shee dead to him * Thâ—â—-philâ—â— sweet roses sent That dying did her scorne VVhich moued him her to ensue That els had bene forlorne Erasma in her faiths defence Did wade through many a wo Vntil the hedsman ended all In his death-bringing blow And with this virgin virgins three Did gladly yeild to die So selling lyf at rate of death Vndying lyf to buy Seraphia her setled loue To Christe was so entyre That strokes with cudgels shee sustaind And burning flames of fyre And last of all her lyf and all For his deere loue shee left And gaynd an euer-lyuing lyf In steed of that was reft Sabiâ—a nobly did ensue Seraphia noble dame Yet nobler either in their actes Then only in there name Refusing of vngodly gods The seruice to fulfil Shee rather yeilded to the swoord Then to the pagans wil. As Authia the woes beheld VVhich were by tyrants donne Vnto the constant Bishop * Eleuthâ—rius Her so wel-beloued sonne Shee ioy'd to haue so good a chyld For Christe to suffer smart But when with him shee strangled was Then ioyed moste her hart Affra in turning vnto Christe Turn'd from a lyf impure And for his loue the fyres fierce flame VVas willing to endure And to a stake when shee was ty'd Eu'n as the fyre was made I giue the thankes o God for this This glorious martres said Sincere was Simphorosas faith As did by deedes appeere In gayning vnto her belief Her spouse and children deere And with her husband to accord And sonnes in number seauen To liue in Christe to dy for Christe To loue and liue in heauen Fides and Spes and Charitas Borne of Sâ—pâ—â—â— sage Rype in their faith and fortiâ—â—dâ— Though greene in yeares of age VVere whipped thrust in boyling pitche And hedded afterward VVhose woorth the world of right admyres And heauen doth reward VVhen blest Blandina had the rack And sundry tortures past Vnto a bul wrapt in a net Shee was with fury caste And when of this so feirce a beast No harme shee could receaue Then with the swoord men woors then beastes Did her of lyf bereaue Potamina a noble Dame VVas with her mother †Marcella brent VVhen fearing-threates nor â—uries â—orce Might moue her to relent Shee beeing dead to him * Basilides appâ—â—rd That her did ayd in death VVhereby he turning vnto Christe VVas martred for hâ—s faith Thryce happy was Felicitas Thaâ— happely did see Her sonnes her sayinges to ensue And of her faith to bee And for the same by diuers deathes A deathles lyf renew VVhich by the swoord shee lastly gaynd And so did them 〈◊〉 The mayd Martina beeing led Appollo 〈◊〉 adore The Idol of it self fel downe As shee it came before A Lion vnto her they put Her body they did wound And by the swoord her lyf shee lost And lyf thereby shee found To offer to the Idol Gods Cecilia did refuse And contumelies paynes and death Contented was to chuse And in a skalding caldron cast And thryce strook with the swoord Attayning so vnto the ioyes The heauens do affoord Faire Agatha in beautie rare And welth did both abound But vertue which is more of woorth Might more in her be found Vnhurt on Irons hot shee stood Cut of were both her paps Her lyf shee left and gayned blis So ending al mishaps The loyal Appollonia VVithstood the pagan lawes For which with violence her teeth VVere torne from out her iawes And when for her a burning fyre The helhoundes did prouyde Into the same shee went her self And constantly shee dy'd Russiâ—â— and Secâ—nâ—â— both Sisters and virgins were Both liuing in the loue of God And dying in his feare From sundry sorrowes which they 〈◊〉 The swoord did them release And lyf and ioy foorth with began As wo and death did cease Basilia hauing fixt her loue VVhere loue is best beloued Tooke no regard of carnal loue By fond affection moued To Christe shee vowed chastitie And beeing forc'd to chuse A heathens loue or losse of lyf To liue shee did refuse Eugenia woorthy wel her name Not of Dianaes traine To offer therefore did refuse Vnto her Idol vaine Shee drowned not ty'd to a stone And in the Tiber cast But on a Christmas day to Christ By dint of swoord shee past Concordia with the heauens in peace And with the earth at stryf VVith blowes was beaten vnto death And ended so her lyf Vnited fast in faith and hope And Charities accord Shee died here in perfect pâ—ace And so liues with her lord Pure Margares a prised pearle For Christe himself to buy In tender yeares imbrac'd his loue Aâ—â— for his law did die The diuelish dragon burst in twainâ— That ment her to destroy Her death and sorrowes here but short Brought lyf and lasting ioy Columbae sixteene yeares of age Resolu'd a chaste intent VVhose vow to Christe a loose yongman To violate was sent But him a sauage beare had slaine Had shee not stayd the force A virgin martres so shee dyde And hee obtayn'd remorce Theodosia martirs did salute As at the bar they stood And prayd them pray for her to him For whome they shed there blood For which the ireful iudge ordaynd To teare her brests a way And to rent open both her sydes And cast her in the sea Sweet Catharin belou'd of Christe To Christe was constant seene In leauing for his only loue To bee a crowned Queene Yet crownd shee was with martyrdome VVhen torments from her fled And Angels bore her ghoste to blis VVhen shee had lost her hed The true belieuing Barbara Fals Gods would not adore And lost her fathers woorthlesse loue For Christ his loue and lore Strange torments hee on her impos'd And in straight prison hild And lastly her his only chyld VVith his owne handes he kild Yong Agnes aged thirteen yeares In Christe repos'd her trust Aâ—d not for fauour nor for force VVould yeild to ought vniust No harme shee had when in the fyre Shee throwne was by her foes And with a swoord thrust through her neck VVere ended all her woes Christina faire and noble mayd Did vnto Christe obey For which shee â—y'd vnto a
conceaued first the Angels voyce Her heart conceau'd the heauens high decree Her soule iust cause conceaued to reioyce And her pure wombe as pure as pure might bee Conceau'd withal and that strong infant bred VVho with his foot did break the serpents hed Against the tyme his birth-tyme to adorne Came downe on earth to consecrate the ground VVith Alâ—ion rest Peace that in heauen was borne Because there might no noyse of war be found VVhen to the world the Prince should shew his face That came to all the world to offer grace VVhose entrance when it pleased him to take Into that country whereof death is King His owne self vertue mydwyf hee did make And to annex more wonder to the thing From his pure mothers closure hee did pas Euen as the Sun makes entrance through the glas O sacred force enforcing such a berth The wonder of the wonders moste of woorth The breath of heauen clad in core of earth Through an vnopened passage passing foorth A humaine body spryte-lyke doth dispose His pow'rful self that may no puissance lose And that sweet Infant of eternitie Is borne the infant of a virgins woombe And God is man and so affinitie Doth twixt the earth and twixt the heauen come VVhereby th' Almighty maker thus wee see Kinsman to men to make himself to bee Making withal the virgins glorious fame In faithful hartes engrauen for to stand VVhere of Gods mother shee must beare the name In faire carracters of a sacred hand And such a mother mayd and wyf to bee As all her sexe excelles in all thee three Cleere chastitie descending from her throne To do her homage here vpon the ground A garland brought made by her self alone Of Flowers that only were in Eden found And with obeysance set it on her hed VVith tytle of eternal may denhed The Angels trumps did sound the heavens peace An easterne star stream'd out the fyre of ioy God on his foot-stool did his state decrease New amitie extinguisht old annoy Hate had no place on all the earth to dwel But did remoue vnto her how 's in hel O Infant ofspring of vnending lyne That in this world to spring would so begin And with old Adams race thy self combyne And bee the man to satisfy for sin True God true man except with sin defyld VVho for to bee a man became a chyld Thus God in chyld-heid did appeere on earth Admitting tyme his manly growth to shew VVhose dayes yet crossed were by crosse of death Ere tyme on him could mannes ful tyme bestow But since for man hee would lost lyf obtayne Hee death to kil would first of death bee slaine A SECONDARY exposition THe contemplation of the mistery Of the subiected state of heauens king And the reuyual of the memory That three tymes thryce a day the bel doth ring Leades downe my muse from height I earst began Vnto the lownesse of the lyf of man First how in darcknes of self-knowing state And as yf all foregoing tyme were night VVee enter in at this worldes cumbrous gate As doth the day new dawning with his light And that first treasure Tyme on vs bestowes In chyldish thinges vnwittingly wee lose Thence grow wee vp as do the howres of day Our dayes and yeares outrunning youthful rage From all repose Tyme carrying vs away Doth vnaware draw on our midle age And through his haste wil vs no leasure lend Once back to tutne youths errors to amend At noontyde of our dayes wee do arryue As doth the Sun at midday in his height VVhat tyme the bel a second sound doth giue To moue remembrance of the heauy waight Of sinnes huge burthen when high heauens grace In humaine flesh released humaine race The midday tyme hath but the name of tyme For tyme himself no moment hath of stay Nor wee repose before or after pryme But as the Sun declyneth with the day So we declyne euen at our highest rate Changing with tyme the change of our estate Eâ—t soones drawes on the euentyde of our yeares As doth the Sun draw down ward to the west VVhat tyme the bel reneweth to our eares The sound of ioy now twyce before exprest To shew how in the worldes declyning â—ase Attendant hope obtayn'd expected grace Now of our lyf is come the better parte And of our labors frute to reap the gaine Yf youthes endeuours wrought our wel desart Or yf in lyf so long wee do remaine For from the tree where wee behold the bud Much frute falles downe ere it bee rype and good Lastly as day our dayes theiâ— ending take And as before from darck night wee arose Our day our nightes returne againe doth make And wee yeild vp vnto our last repose Our claime to earth and all that nature gaue And lay vs downe where death shal dig our graue OF THE STATE OF SOLItary lyf dedicated to the seruice of God OVVel are you that haue subdude The force of worlds desyre And in the forte of solitude For safety do retyre Retyr'd from freedome so supos'd In straightnes freedome fynde Because true freedome is enclos'd In circuite of the mynde The world and fortune you depryue From doing you despight Dead vnto men to God alyue That giues liues true delight That soule saith God which I affect I wil with-draw aparte And tel vnto it in effect The secrets of my harte Think thâ—n you that retyred liue For Gods deere loue and dread His loue your soules desyre did giue Retyred liues to lead VVhere as with him you might confer VVhen sole your selues you deeme And so alone lesse neuer ar Then when alone you seeme Faith of yourfort is gouernor Loue is liftenant there Hope is ordained officer The ensigne for to bâ—are Contempt of welth is treasurer VVho woorkes no guyle for gaynes VVhithin whose coffers neuer there Corrupting drosse remaines Pure Chastitie the charge doth take The cloister cleane to keep And of her thoughtes the broome doth make VVherewith shee doth it sweep Obedience which doth sacrifise In valued woorth exceed Is redy for each exercyse As duty deemeth need Perseuerance is Centinel The watch-woord watch and pray VVhose due obseruance doing wel The heauens do repay THE SVBSTANCE OF humaine flesh AS once I did behold The potters actiue skil In ordring of his earthen pots According to his wil. And some for woorthy vse And some for seruile trade As hee them from one clod of clay In sundry fashons made And when they al were wrought And each was put a parte No cause they had If they had could To blame their makers arte To each it might suffise To serue his vse asygn'd Since each to serue some proper vse VVas vtile in his kynde Then as thereat I mus'd It came vnto my thought How God euen from one masse of clay All humaine kynd had wrought Aswel the silly wretch That liues in low degree As any mighty Emperor How puisant so hee bee And how at his estate None rightly may
all naked they him nail And reare it vp and wound him in the â—yde VVhich all the blest of heauen do be wayl VVhyle of the earth th'accursedst it deryde The swoord of sorow peirseth now the hart Of his lamenting mother in her dolour moste VVhose deere Sonnes sorrow and surmounting smart Now takes an end in yeilding of his ghoste The first glorious mysterie Conteyning the resurrection of Christe SVbdued sorrow glory now ensues For from the crosse the soule of Christ descending Bringes to expecting soules the cheereful newes Of heauens entrance their deâ—ynments ending And to his corps his ghoste return'd againe Triumphant raiseth it from closed toombe Terror vnto the actors of his paine VVhose hate and death and hel is ouercome And glory that his sorowes now had chased Extinguisht wo in his kynde mothers hart And glory there and in all others placed That of his anguish had sustayned parte The second glorious mysterie Conteyning the ascention of Christe into heauen WHen forty dayes the day had ouerpast Of that now lyf that Christe from death had taken He did resolue his heauens returne at last To leaue the world that had him first forsaken And hauing to his mother now appeered And also vnto his apostles true Confirmd in faith and in his glory cheered On Oliue mount he biddes them all adieu And there liftes vp himself to sacred blis Th' unworthy world no more him so retaynes And all the glory that in heauen is To him is yeilded and to him remaynes The third glorious mysterie Conteyning the coming downe of the holy Ghost PLac'd in his throne and glorious chaire of state Our louing Lord regardful of oâ—â— weal VVould let no more then ten dayes run their date Ere he his keeping promis would reueal VVhat tyme his mother and disciples bent In secret wyse to inuocate his name Down vnto them his holy Ghost he sent VVith glorious fyre their hartes for to enflame And to conioyne to his Churche now begonne That spirit of truthe that euer must it guyde In only truthe whyle shyneth any Sun Maugre the woorst of daunted hellish pryde The fourth glorious mysterie Conteyning the assumption of our blessed Lady WHen hence to parte the virgin did obtayne The Hierarchies their due attendance gaue To bring her sin-lesse soule to endlesse raigne VVhyle saintes on earth brought her pure corps to graue VVhich therein laid and found thence â—o be tane Makes pietie to faith to recomend That soone her soule to earth return'd againe And tooke her corps and did therewith ascend A due prerogatiue and due alone Vnto that body that had borne a chyld As neuer did nor neuer shal do none That neuer was with thought of sin defyld The fyft glorious mysterie Conteyning the coronation of our blessed Lady ASsumpted so with soule and corps combyned As glorious as at last the blest shal-bee And placed in her princely seat asygned Lyke 〈◊〉 woorthy self appeered shee And that eternal euer three in one There crowned her the highest heauens Queene VVhere angels yeilded honor to her throne As seemly might to her estate bee seene And shee that earst replenisht was with grace Now plac'd where grace flowes out in plenties store VVhere as shee sees her sonnes most gratious face And sues for such as sue to her therefore AVE MARIA HAil Marie filled ful of grace Our Lord remaines with thee And thow among'st thy sexes race Remainest blest to bee And as thow blessed did'st become So did'st thow blessed bring The blessed frute that from thy wombe So blessedly did spring Both now and when wee yeild our ghoste To him prefer our case Because his mercy lasteth moste And thow art ful of grace EPITHETES OF OVR BLESSED LADY Templum Dei WHen God would from the heaueÌ„s to earth his progres take No pallace there he found that might him entertaine Saue one rare edifice which earth-quake could not shake The woorthiest woork of praise that might on earth remaine Faire court of sanctitie made holier for his sake That thee the Temple made his presence to conteyne O Temple where as God voutsafed for to bee Stil may wee him adore adoring stil in thee Porta Caeli WHen grace came froÌ„ aboue then wa'st thou made the gate By which it entred heer brought the hope of blis Which hope in hartes of men remaineth stil in state And stil through faith and loue aliue preserued is Then since thow wa'st the dore for grace this to relate So art thow heauens gate and wel accordeth this That as God vnto men did thee his entrance make Men entrance vnto God againe by thee may take Scale Caeli HOw may our heauy load enclyning to descend Ascend vp in the ayre beyond the egles flight Except by such a guyde as wil assistance lend And can from step to step direct the passage right Or rather her owne self vs better to defend The ladder wil become that scaleth heauens height By whose degrees of grace to blis we may attaine And in our mounting vp not to fall downe againe Electa vt Sol. BRaue ornament of heau'n and comforter of kynde Of whome the shyning Sun doth but the shadow seeme Which as it is elect and hath his place assygn'd Aboue the planets all in earthly eyes esteeme Aboue all sainctes to thee is woorthely resygn'd The seat in supreame blis that best doth thee beseeme Where thy faire beauteous face no foggy cloudes can hyde But chosen there by grace in beauty do'st abyde Pulchra vt Luna WHen Phâ—bus fyrie steedes in compassing the ground Leaue night behynde their backs til they againe returne Then that there should some light in darcknes yet be found Faire Phobe staies behynde supplying Phâ—bus turne Where shee through borrowed light in beauty doth abound And cheers therewith the earth that might in darcknes mourne So thy faire influence faire Cynthia vs extend Which thy most bounteous sonne doth thee most freely lend Stella Maris BRight shyning star by sea in lands abandon'd fight At once apparent seene on either syde the spherre The goodly guyd of all and guyding all aright That in this raging sea ensue thy brightnes cleer And bending not there cours to such illuding light As may mislead to wrack ear danger do apeer For thy direction leades vnto the porte of rest Those guyded by thy self whose guydance is the best Ciuitas Dei FAire Citie stately buylt by singular deuyce Of that great Architeckt who is of greatest arte With all those goodly stones that are esteem'd of pryce Which to this fairest woork their fairnesse do conuert And through far aquaducts from springes of paradise The waters thether led which do refresh the hart And to octroy this towne with all-surpassing fame The buylder here himself a Citizen became Turris Dauid HIgh Tower of stately porte and far to be descry'd And far from thence againe the world about to view It self the centinel that therein doth abyde To giue aduyce of foes or danger to ensue Wel
stone VVas caste into the sea But Angels ayded her to land VVhere shee more woes did taste And as an arrow strake her hart Her soule to heauen paste VVhen Fausta in her faithful mynde Resolued did remaine The Idol priest wild with a saw To cut her corps in twain But when he saw it hurt her not Hee in her faith affied And comfort from the heauens receau'd VVith her when as he dyed â—udelia many did conuert Vnto her lordes belief VVhich in the Persian pagans did Enkindle irefull grief Vnto the Sun shee would not pray Nor yet the fyre adore And had the skin flead from her face And lastly dy'd therefore Sout Iuliâ—na did endure The torments of the euil And did in combat ouercome Th' accursed cruel deuil And after all her conquests gaynd Then gayned shee renowne For by the swoord vnto her due Remaynd a martirs crowne Victoria wel might called bee That woorthy mynded mayd That in her self subdued sin VVith courage vndismayd And gayned virgins vnto Christ And actes of woonder wrought And did by martirdome attain The garland that shee sought Because the Idoles to adore Lucia did refuse Shee threatned was shee should bee thrust Into the comon stewes No no quoth shee the mynd beeing pure The body is vnstaynd Then with the swoord shee martrid was And glorie so shee gaynd To Fortunata for her faith Much euil did betyd VVho fyrie flames fierce beastes clawâ—â— VVas willing to abyde And tortures and lim-streâ—ching â—ack From whence her sauiour pleased To cal her blessed soule to blis VVhere with her woes were eased Febronia with resolued force For chastitie and faith Endur'd with patience to the end The woorst of tyrants wrath The rack the fyre and rods shee felt Teeths losse and either brest And with the swoord all losse of wo And gaine of lasting rest Macra a mayd of heauenly mynde No earthly thinges did moue For prison fyre nor losse of brests Might not her faith remoue All naked o're hot-sheards of pots Her body rolled was VVhyle shee in praying vnto God To paradise did pas Zâ—a a glorious martyrs * Nicostrâ—tus wyf Before the aulter prayd VVhere-vnder blest saint Pâ—â—ters bones The faithful had conuayd And for this fact surprised then VVas hanged on a tree Both by her heâ—â—â— and by her neck And so her crowne had shee Charitina with fyre annoyd And cast into the seas Came foorth and had no hurt at all Nor feeling of vnease Then were her handes and feet cut of But he whome shee did loue Eu'n as shee prayd receau'd her ghoste Into his ioyes aboue Eulalia ardent in her zeal Vnto her louing lord To suffre torments many wayes Most midly did accord And lastly in the burning fyre Lauding his holy name To him her soule shee sacryfys'd And died in the â—lame The lyke in loue the lyke in zeal In some succeeding space A second good Eulaliâ— was A lyke endu'd with grace The rack she felt and sundry grieues The last of lyf the losse VVhen foes of Christe for faith of Christe Did naile her on a crosse VVhyle Emerâ—â—â—iâ—na yet was taught in Christian lore Her foster-sister 〈◊〉 tombe Shee prayd and kneeld before And taken at this martres tombe A martres shee was made And vnto happy heauenâ— ioyes Her ghoste straight was conueyd Chaste Theodora to the stewes To be deflowred led Gat thence in habyt of a youth That stayd there in her sted But for this fact for his faith VVhen hee was led to death Shee came and yeilded vp her self And with him yeilded breath Crispina of renowmed race Did by her vertues mynde More honour in her self atchiue Then came to her by kynde Shee would vnto the Idol Gods No sacrifise affoord But yeided for her Lord and God Her neck vnto the swoord Susanna of a woorthy stock VVas of as woorthy fame As shee that false defamed was And first did beare her name Shee Christe his seruants did relieue And liued in his lore And for the same shee lost her head And gayned heauen therefore Imprisned Leocadia long Did for her faith remayne VVhose faithful mynde remained free In moste afflicting payne Til God at length for her release Her ghoste tooke thence away Her suffrance by a martirs crowne In glory to repay The virgin Bibiana was Establisht in belief VVhich faithlesse foes could not subuert By guerdon nor by grief So long her body lashed was VVith knotted whips with lead That her sweete soule to heauen past And left it lying dead Euphrasia with more maidens chaste In place vnchaste was placed But hee their puritie preseru'd That purely him embraced Then by their death-contryuing-crue Stones to their nectes were bound And so into the water cast The innocentes were drown'd Antonia had her tender limmes Beyond all measure payned And three dayes hanged by one arme Moste constant stil remayned And two yeares hauing prisned bene Receau'd at last her hyre VVhat tyme her soule her body left Consuming in the fyre Lucretia not that Lucres once VVhich did her self destroy Did for true faith and faithful loue Beare wrongful griefes annoy The one in earth her glory left The other in heauen and earth Because more woorthy was the cause VVhy shee endured death VVith tearing hookes and iron combes VVas Tatiana torne Cointha trayld along the streetes Her flesh from bones was worne Paula that gathred martyrs blood Her owne for Christ did shed Crescentia for her faith to Christ VVas thrust in boyling lead Corona torne betwene two trees Her crowne in blis did fynde As did Cirilla when shee left Her bleeding corps behynde Balbina daughter to a saint * S. 〈◊〉 Her fathers steps did trace And Aquilina by her death Did deathlesse lyf embrace Helconis that great grief endur'd Did lastly lose her hâ—d Calliopa her scortched corps Left with tormentors dead Felicula by tortur kild And Paula ston'd to death And with the swoord Constantia Constantlyâ—yeilded breath Regina many paynes endur'd Heau'ns diademe to gayne Mustiola did suffer wo For gayning ioyes againe Irene that good bookes did hyde Her lyf for Christe bestowed Dominica that Idoles brake By death her feruour shewed Dafrosa that to martirdoâ—e Her husband * Fabiâ—â—â— hath ensued And Marciona with whose blood The wyld beastes were imbrued Mannea that with her three sonnes And with her husband dy'd Valeria saint Vitals wyf Gainst death her courage tryd Pelagia in a brazen Ox Red hot aliue was thrust Anthusia throwne into a wel To please the tirants lust Maxima vnto cruel death VVith cudgels beaten was Agathoclia lost her toung Ere shee to blis did pas Blanda with her deer husband dyd VVhose heddes on stakes on hic Through pagan pollicy were set Christians to terrify VVith Leonis and Libia The faithful sisters twaine Eutropia twelue yeares old â—ndur'd Death and moste deadly payne The vertuous virgin Sophia Cornelia loyal euer Albina and Asteria Did vnto death perseuer Prisca and Lâ—ocâ—itia Martha and Antoâ—ina VVith
lyke-wise Should with lyke food lyke faithful soules suffyse Hence is descended that successyue power Of celebrating this soule-feeding feast Aud that remaining reuerence to this howre As elder tymes deuotion hath exprest And hence it comes that to our lasting ioy This heauenly meat our soules on earth enioy And as by kynde loues-grief encreaseth loue So loue that caus'd that God with men did liue Caus'd that for loue hee did great sorrow prooue VVhose sorrow to his loue more force did giue And so lesse wonder his great loue did moue To leaue himself the caution of his loue Thus comes it that the seeming bread wee see Is that same corps our sauiour Christ had heere Yet not in that self manner is it hee But as in couert veil so doth apeere His body true in Sacramental wise Beheld by faith more then by earthly eyes And as hee had his body at his wil VVhen dores and walles gainst it could not resist But did it vse and yet no place did fil And wrought therewith such woonders as him list So stil remaines his wil his woord and might In heau'n and earth in his all power-ful plight His body doth his soule import withall A body by effect of sacred sawes A soule by sequele which is natural Conioynd in one by his efficient cause Touch-stone of fath whereby God would vs teach His heau'nly woorkes exceed our earthly reatch And when our soules presume vnto this feast In cleane atyre they must themselues present Least els they fare as th◠vnwelcome gest That il atyred to the wedding went That so this bread of lyf such vertue giue That eating it with it wee euer liue And that esteeme and condigne reuerence That graue Antiquitie of duty gaue Vnto a thing of so great excellence Let in all ensuyng seasons haue And liue that faith whereof Christ gaue the groūd As long as faith may on the earth bee found A COMPLAINT OF S. MArie Magdalen At her not fynding Christ in his sepulchre A Las my Lord is gon How must I now deplore VVhere may hee bee that is each where And I him see no more Hope led mee here to seeke Recure of my destresse But sorrow here hath sought mee out And found mee comfortlesse Here lyf late seemed dead Head dead I seeme aliue It is my death him thus to misse That may my lyf reuyue Yee windowes on my face That serue mee not to see Serue now of water stild of wo The conducts for to bee In stede him to annoint VVhome here I cannot haue Make that the plenty of my teares May ouerflow his graue Perhaps it may him moue His presence to imparte To see how moistning these dry stones I therewith dry my harte Good Gardner that arte here To kepe this garden place Lo how I water al thy plants VVith raine falne from my face Be grateful for this good And tel mee I thee pray VVhere is hee laid yf so thy self Haste caried him away If it haue troobled thee Here to affoord him roome O let me know but where hee is My harte shal be his toombe And thow thereon maist wryte This epitaph in verse Heer lyf that lately lay for dead Liues and reuyues his hearse OF THE INVENTION OR fynding of the Crosse of Christ IN Britaine soile faire Helena was bred The woorthy Empresse of the world of yore The cause that Yorck Romes glory more did spred Then Rome it self could euer spred before There was shee borne and there shee brought him foorth That brought Roomes diade me to greatest woorth To greatest woorth for that hee it adorned Eu'n with the Crosse in midle top of all Raising to honor that which pagans scorned And honouring therein him self withall VVhose tytle now Great Constantyne became First Romaine Emperor of Christian name Good Siluister that sat in Peeters chaire Succeeding those that all had suffred death Now to saluation did the soule prepare Of Constantyne by teaching him the faith VVhereby himself an endlesse lyf might haue VVhos 's now conuersion many lyues did saue For when his mercy mercy him had gayned And hee in sacred font had bathed bin His soule and bodies weal hee both obtayned In beeing cur'd of leprosy and sin Then that the more hee might Christes glory reare He on his creast his cognisance did weare It was the signe that heau'n to him did shew For patron of the ensigne he should beare VVhen gainst Maxentius hee in armes did go And vnto his encouragement did heare An Angels voice that in the ayre did cry Thow in this signe shalt haue the victory All which did so this noble moother moue To due esteeme of such a sacred signe As this of him that so much merits loue To whome her hearts deere loue shee did resigne That ardent zeale did animate her mynde To seeke where shee his hiddē crosse might fynde Led by desyre that kindled was of loue She tooke her voyage to the holy land Faith was her guyde hope did her wil approue Speed did assist to what shee tooke in hand Desyre and loue and faith and hope speed Did all concur to her deseruing meede And as her feet did trauaile on the ground Her inward mynde did vp to heauen stie VVhere the right holy land was to be found Of him whose presence this did sanctify So what in earth her bodyes trauaile sought In heauen her mynde in more perfection wrought And there high God beholding her intent And knowing wel whereto deuotion tends And that it all vnto himself is ment That vnto ought approching him intends Did eu'n accept her ardent feruour futch As earst her faith that did his vesture tutch And so concurr'd to what shee went about That his hid crosse so hidden might not bee But shee at last it happely found out Though doubtful which the right one was of three Vntil a corps laid on it dyd renyue Shewing withal her faith to bee alyue It was the third day of the month of May. The worlde 's faire may-pole thus was found againe And now rear'd vp that long obscured lay As yf reseru'd for her owne honors gayne whome faith and loue hope zeale did raise To raise therein her glorious fame and praise L'ENVOY SOmtyme the Crosse as sundry recordes tel Deryuing vertue from our Sauiours death Hath had the force the diuel to expel And by the same confirmed Christian faith But now it seemes faith hath sustayned losse Because the diuel hath chaste away the crosse COMPLAINT OF CHVRCH CONTROVERSY THe golden world long since is worne away As now the golden yeare hath taken end The Iron world doth stil remaine and stay And in his rust doth to his ruyne tend And in the shew of vertue and of truthe Seeme-good seeme-gospel turneth all to ruthe At Babel tower where tounges confusion came It stayd the woork that fond aduice begun But fond aduice now seeketh to disframe A tabernacle seated in the Sun And tounges confusion Church-war hath procured
To free from thrall to make affliction ceasse The more may Sion now sound foorth his fame Ierusalem his praises may proclame VVhere in his Churche his people do accord And whereas kings are subiects to their Lord. VVho may o Lord thy datelesse dayes relate That of all ages ouerpasse the date It 's thow to vs haest put apointed space O stop not me ere half I run my race The world and welkin first by thee were made Thow heauens sphere thow earths foundation laid Thow shalt endure they shal consumed bee Thow madest tyme tyme hath no force on thee Thease elements by alteration strange Shal changed bee and so remaine in change But thow o Lord that woorkes all at thy wil VVa'st earst the same the same remayning stil Vousafe o Lord there ofspring to preserue That thee in feare and faith and loue do serue And in thy wayes directed to remaine A lasting lyf in lasting blisse to gaine Vnto the Father Sonne and holy Ghoste All praise and glory be ascrybed moste As herefore before the world begun And as it now and euer shal be donne AMEN In imitation of the sixt penitential Psal Beginning De profundis clamaui ad te Domine Psal 129. EV'n from the depth of woes VVherein my soule remaines To thee in supreame blis O Lord that highest raignes I do both call and cry T' is deep hart-sorrowes force That moues me thus to waile T' is pittie Lord in thee Must make it to auaile Thyne eares therfore aply If stricktly thow o Lord Obserued haest my sinne Alas what shal I do VVhat case then am I in If rigour thow extend But wel o Lord I know Sweet mercy dwelles with thee And with thy iustice then It must expected bee And I therefore attend My soule doth wait on thee Thy grace confirmes my trust My warrant is thy woord Thow keepest promis iust Keep me o Lord secure Let thy afflicted flock Comfort in thee retaine From dauning day to night From night to day againe Let stil their hope endure There is with our good God Much mercie stil in store Redemption doth remaine VVith him for euer more Aboundant is his grace His people he affects He wil not leaue destrest The thralled he wil free VVith ease of their vnrest And all their faultes deface All glory be therefore O Father vnto thee And so vnto the Sonne The lyke great glory bee And to the holy Ghoste Such as it wonted was Before the world began Such as now yet it is And euer shal remaine Aboue all glorie moste AMEN In imitatiō of the seauenth penitētial Psal Beginning Domine exaudi orationem meam Psalm 142. VOutsafe admit thy gratious eares VVith myld regard for to attend The prayers that a playning hart VVith sorowing sighes to thee doth send And let thereto o louing Lord Thy iustice and thy truthe accord In rigour of thy righteous doome O do not skan thy seruants cause For there is none on earth alyue Through faultlesse lyf free'd from thy lawes Then how may I in sinful plight Seeme iust in thy all-seeing sight The freind of sin the foe of soules Down to the earth my soule hath brought VVhich to the heauen should aspyre Since from the heauen it was wrought O raise it vp againe to blis From earth and all that earthly is Amids the darck mis-led am I VVhere lack of light sinnes view denies I hue a lyf more lyke to death VVhyle dead from grace my body lies And whereas care through secret smart Sends anguysh to afflict my hart But I o Lord recall to mynde VVhat thow hast donne in tyme before And how thy iustice hath bene great But how thy mercy hath bene more Thus hope of help stil comfort giues VVhile mercy stil with iustice liues My stretched hands to thee display The ensignes of my yeilding hart My soule as earth that water wants Of vertues frute can beare no parte I faint send soone relief of raine Least els vnfruteful I remaine Thy face of pittie not of wrath Turne not o louing Lord from mee And let not Lord my owne misdeedes Haue lasting force to anger thee For so might I compare my case To theirs that furthest fal from grace But since my hope is firme in thee Let me betymes thy mercy haue The way of helth make knowne to mee My feete from erring paths to saue Only to thee my soule retyres Only thy mercy it desyres O free mee from my sinful foes To thee I fly to be secure Teach me the lesson of thy wil And let me put it wel in vre Thow art my God and God of all That for thy ayd and comfort call Thow wilt voutsafe to mee o Lord Thy holy spryt to bee my goyd My faith and hope in thee is sutch And sutch it euer shal abyde Reuyue thow wilt mee for thy name Goodnes in thee requyres thesame So that at last by thee o God My soule from bale to blis bee brought And that in mercy thow sub◅ert All those my soules destruction sought And force of foes destroy'd may bee And I made safe for seruing thee All glory bee to thee o God The Father of eternal might And to the Sonne and holy Ghoste Three in an vndeuyded plight As now it is and was of yore And shal endure for euermore AMEN EXTRACTS OF THE SIBYLLAES PROPHESIES OF CHRISTE Sibylla Persica THow serpent fraught with craft and crueltie Shalt by a mightier strength bee troden low And on base earth the high God borne shal bee And from a maid the branch of blis shal grow And that true woord vnseene before of all Shal now be seene and shal be felt withall Sibylla Libyca IN obscure darcknes light shal glistring shyne The Synagogs straight bands vnbound shal bee The king of lyf be seene of mortal eyen And in a maidens lap shal nowrisht bee And high aboue the gentils hee shal raigne And shal in mercie his estate maintaine Sibylla Delphica ATtend o earth thy soueraigne Lord to see And know thy God which is Gods only sonne Chyld of the highest and moste high is hee VVhose beeing by no earthly wight begun Hee shal the great expexted prophet bee Of woorthy greatnesse and great dignitie Sibylla Cumea AMaid excelling all in sainctitie And whose cleere beauty shal the starres exceed Of Chyld in future tyme conceau'd shal be And of the rarest sacred blood and seed And from the heauens the sweet dew downe shal fal Into her brests to nowrish him withal Sibylla Erithrea IN later age high God wil him abase And vnto low estate himself inclyne Mixing his nature with our humaine race His Godheid to our manheid to combyne And lo the litle lamb in strawy bed Shal of a maid be nowrished and fed Sibylla Samia O Fond Iudea why do'st thow neglect The certaine knowlege of thy very God Thy happy dayes why do'st thow so reiect O why do'st thow prepare for him a rod VVith thorny crowne his head why do'st thow presse