What if this worldly Sea they haue not past Yet faine they would be brought into their hauen They are not here and yet we here them see For euery man is there where he would be Long may you wish and yet long wish in vaine Hence to depart and yet that wish obtaine Long may you here in heauen on earth remaine And yet a heauen in heauen hereafter gaine Go you to heauen but yet O make no hast Go slowly slowly but yet go at last But when the Nightingale so neere doth sit Silence the Titmouse better may befit F. Nethersole QVid ô quid Veneres Cupidinesque Turturesque iocosque passeresque Lascivi canitis greges poëtae Ettam languidulos amantum ocellos Et mox turgidulas sinu papillas Iam risus teneros lachrymulasque Mox suspiria morsiunculasque Mille basia mille mille nugas Et vultus pueri puellululaeve Heu fusci pueri puellulaeque Pingitis nivibus rosunculisque Mentitis nivibus rosunculisque Quae vel primo hyemis rigore torpent Vel Phaebi intuitu statim relanguent Heu stulti nimiùm greges poëtae Vt quas sic nimis ah nimis stupetis Nives candidulae rosae pudentes Sic vobis pereunt statim labores Et solem fugiunt severiorem Vel solem gelidà rigent senectâ At tu qui clypeo haud inane nomen Minervae clypeo Iovisque sumens Victrices resonas dei Triumphos Triumphos lachrymis metuque plenos Plenos laetitiae spei triumphos Dum rem carmine Pieroque dignam Aggrederis tibi res decora rebus Praebet carmina Pieroque digna Quin ille ipse tuos legens triumphos Plenoâ— militia labore plenos Tuo propitius parat labori Plenos laetitiae spec triumphos Phin. Fletcher Regal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 BEatissima virginum Maria Sed materque simul beata per quam Qui semper fuit ille coepit esse Quae Vitae dederisque inire vitam Et Luci dederis videre lucem Quae fastidia morsiunculasque Passa es quas grauidae solent nec vnquam Audebas propier viro venire Dum clusus penetralibus latebat Matricis tunicâ vndique involutus Quem se posse negant tenere coeli Quae non virgineas premi papillas Passa virgineas tamen dedisti Lactandas puero tuo papillas Eia dic age dic beata virgo Cur piam abstineas manum timesque Sancta tangere Sanctuariumque Insolens fugias an inquinari Contactu metuis tuo sacrata Contactu metuit suo sacrata Pollui pia cernis en ferentem Lenimenta Dei furentis illa Foedatas sibi ferre quae iubebat Sis felix noua virgo-mater opto Quae mollire Deum paras amicum Quin hic dona licet licet relinquas Agnellumque repone turturemque Audax ingrediare inanis aedes Dei tange Deo sacrata tange Quae non concubitu coinquinata Agnellum peperitque Turturemque Exclusit facili Deo litabit Agno cum Deus insit columbae NOr can I so much say as much I ought Nor yet so little can I say as nought â—raise of this thy worke so heauenly pend â—at sure the sacred Dove a quill did lend â—…m her high-soaring wing certes I know 〈◊〉 other plumes that makes man seeme so low â—…his owne eyes who to all others sight 〈◊〉 mounted to the highest pitch of height â—here if thou seeme to any of small price â—…e fault is not in thee but in his eyes â—…t what doe I thy flood of wit restreine â—…ithin the narrow bankes of my poore veyne â—…re I could say and would but that to praise â—…y verses is to keepe them from their praise 〈◊〉 them who reades and doth them not aduance 〈◊〉 envie doth it or of ignorance F. Nethersole CHRISTS VICTORIE in Heaven 1 THe birth of him that no beginning knewe Yet giues beginning to all that are borne And how the Infinite farre greater grewe By growing lesse and how the rising Morne â—hat shot from heau'n did backe to heauen retourne The obsequies of him that could not die And death of life ende of eternitie â—ow worthily he died that died vnworthily 2 â—ow God and Man did both embrace each other â—et in one person heau'n and earth did kiss â—nd how a Virgin did become a Mother â—nd bare that Sonne who the worlds Father is â—nd Maker of his mother and how Bliss Descended from the bosome of the High To cloath himselfe in naked miserie â—yling at length to heau'n in earth triumphantly 3 〈◊〉 the first flame wherewith my whiter Muse â—oth burne in heauenly loue such loue to tell 〈◊〉 thou that didst this holy fire infuse â—nd taught'st this brest but late the graue of hell Wherein a blind and dead heart liu'd to swell With better thoughts send downe those lights that lenâ— Knowledge how to begin and how to end The loue that neuer was nor euer can be pend 4 Ye sacred writings in whose antique leaues The memories of heau'n entreasur'd lie Say what might be the cause that Mercie heaues The dust of sinne aboue th' industrious skie And lets it not to dust and ashes flie Could Iustice be of sinne so ouer-wooed Or so great ill be cause of so great good That bloody man to saue mans Sauiour shed his blood 5 Or did the lips of Mercie droppe soft speech For traytrous man when at th'Eternalls throne Incensed Nemesis did heau'n beseech With thundring voice that iustice might be showne Against the Rebells that from God were flowne O say say how could Mercie plead for those That scarcely made against their Maker rose Will any slay his friend that he may spare his foes 6 There is a place beyond that flaming hill From whence the starres their thin apparance shed A place beyond all place where neuer ill Nor impure thought was euer harboured But Sainctly Heroes are for euer s'ed To keepe an euerlasting Sabbaoths rest Still wishing that of what th' ar still possest Enioying but one ioy but one of all ioyes best 7 â—ere when the ruine of that beauteous frame Whose golden building shin'd with euerie starre â—f excellence deform'd with age became MERCY remembring peace in midst of warre â—â—ft vp the musique of her voice to barre Eternall fate least it should quite erace That from the world which was the first worlds grace â—â—d all againe into their nothing Chaos chase 8 〈◊〉 what had all this All which Man in one â—…d not vnite the earth aire water fire â—…e sense and spirit nay the powrefull throne 〈◊〉 the diuinest Essence did retire â—…d his owne Image into clay inspire So that this Creature well might called be Of the great world the small epitomie 〈◊〉 the dead world the liue and quicke anatomie 9 â—…t Iustice had no sooner Mercy seene â—…oothing the wrinkles of her Fathers browe 〈◊〉 vp she starts and â—â—rowes her selfe betweene 〈◊〉 when a vapour from a moory slough â—…eting with fresh Eous that but now Open'd the
puddles guild in which their beauties shine 7 Who doth not see drown'd in Deucalions name When earth his men and sea had lost his shore Old Noah and in Nisus lock the fame Of Sampson yet aliue and long before In Phaethons mine owne fall I deplore But he that conquer'd hell to fetch againe His virgin widowe by a serpent slaine Another Orpheus was then dreaming poets feigne 8 That taught the stones to melt for passion And dormant sea to heare him silent lie And at his voice the watrie nation To flocke as if they deem'd it cheape to buy With their owne deaths his sacred harmonie The while the waues stood still to heare his song And steadie shore wau'd with the reeling throng Of thirstie soules that hung vpon his fluent tongue 9 What better friendship then to couer shame What greater loue then for a friend to die Yet this is better to asself the blame And this is greater for an enemie But more then this to die not suddenly Not with some common death or easie paine But slowely and with torments to be slaine O depth without a depth farre better seene then saine 10 And yet the Sonne is humbled for the Slaue And yet the Slaue is proude before the Sonne Yet the Creator for his creature gaue Himselfe and yet the creature hasts to runne From his Creator and self-good doth shunne And yet the Prince and God himselfe doth crie To Man his Traitour pardon not to flie Yet Man his God and Traytour doth his Prince defie 11 Who is it sees not that he nothing is But he that nothing sees what weaker brest Since Adams Armour fail'd dares warrant his That made by God of all his creatures best Strait made himselfe the woorst of all the rest If any strength we haue it is to ill But all the good is Gods both pow'r and will The dead man cannot rise though he himselfe may kill 12 But let the thorny schools these punctualls Of wills all good or bad or neuter diss Such ioy we gained by our parentalls That good or bad whither I cannot wiss To call it a mishap or happy miss That fell from Eden and to heau'n did rise Albee the mitred Card'nall more did prize His part in Paris then his part in Paradise 13 A Tree was first the instrument of strife Whear Eue to sinne her soule did prostitute A Tree is now the instrument of life Though ill that trunke and this faire body suit Ah cursed tree and yet O blessed fruit That death to him this life to vs doth giue Strange is the cure when things past cure reviue And the Physitian dies to make his patient liue 14 Sweete Eden was the arbour of delight Yet in his hony flowr's our poyson blew Sad Gethseman the bowre of balefull night Whear Christ a health of poison for vs drewe Yet all our hony in that poyson grewe So we from sweetest flowr's could sucke our bane And Christ from bitter venome could againe Extract life out of death and pleasure out of paine 15 A Man was first the author of our fall A Man is now the author of our rise A Garden was the place we perisht all A Garden is the place he payes our price And the old Serpent with a newe deuise Hath found a way himselfe for to beguile So he that all men tangled in his wile â—s now by one man caught beguil'd with his owne guile 16 The dewie night had with her frostie shade Immant'led all the world and the stiffe ground Sparkled in yce onely the Lord that made All for himselfe himselfe dissolved found Sweat without heat and bled without a wound Of heau'n and earth and God and Man forlore Thrice begging helpe of those whose sinnes he bore And thrice denied of those not to denie had swore 17 Yet had he beene alone of God forsaken Or had his bodie beene imbroyl'd alone In fierce assault he might perhaps haue taken Some ioy in soule when all ioy els was gone But that with God and God to heau'n is flow'n And Hell it selfe out from her graue doth rise Black as the starles night and with them flies Yet blacker then they both the Sonne of blasphemies 18 As when the Planets with vnkind aspect Call from her caues the meager pestilence The sacred vapour eager to infect Obeyes the voyce of the sad influence And vomits vp a thousand noysome sents The well of life flaming his golden flood With the sicke ayre fevers the boyling blood And poisons all the bodie with contagious food 19 The bold Physitian too incautelous By those he cures himselfe is murdered Kindnes infects pitie is dangerous And the poore infant yet not fully bred Thear where he should be borne lies buried So the darke Prince from his infernall cell Casts vp his griesly Torturers of hell And whets them to revenge with this insulting spell 20 See how the world smiles in eternall peace While we the harmles brats and rustie throng Of Night our snakes in curles doe pranke and dresse Why sleepe our drouzie scorpions so long Whear is our wonted vertue to doe wrong Are we our selues or are we Graces growen The Sonnes of hell or heau'n was neuer knowne Our whips so ouer-moss't and brands so deadly blowne 21 O long desired neuer hop't for howre When our Tormentour shall our torments feele Arme arme your selues sad Dires of my pow'r And make our Iudge for pardon to vs kneele Slise launch dig teare him with your whips of steele My selfe in honour of so noble prize Will powre you reaking blood shed with the cries Of hastie heyres who their owne fathers sacrifice 22 With that a flood of poyson blacke as hell Out from his filthy gorge the beast did spue That all about his blessed bodie fell And thousand flaming serpents hissing flew About his soule from hellish sulphur threw And euery one brandisht his fierie tongue And woorming all about his soule they clung But he their stings tore out and to the ground them flung 23 So haue I seene a rocks heroique brest Against proud Neptune that his ruin threats When all his waues he hath to battle prest And with a thousand swelling billows beats The stubborne stone and foams and chafes and frets To heaue him from his root vnmooued stand And more in heapes the barking surges band The more in pieces beat flie weeping to the strand 24 So may wee oft a vent'rous father see To please his wanton sonne his onely ioy Coast all about to catch the roving bee And stung himselfe his busie hands employ To saue the honie for the gamesome boy Or from the snake her rank'rous teeth erace Making his child the toothles Serpent chace Or with his little hands her â—um'rous gorge embrace 25 Thus Christ himselfe to watch and sorrow giues While deaw'd in easie sleepe dead Peter lies Thus Man in his owne graue securely liues While Christ aliue with thousand horrours dies Yet more for theirs
then his owne pardon cries No sinnes he had yet all our sinnes he bare So much doth God for others euills care And yet so careles men for their owne euills are 26 See drouzie Peter see whear Iudas wakes Whear Iudas kisses him whom Peter flies O kisse more deadly then the sting of snakes False loue more hurtfull then true injuries Aye me how deerly God his Seruant buies For God his man at his owne blood doth hold And Man his God for thirtie pence hath sold. So tinne for siluer goes and dunghill drosse for gold 27 Yet was it not enough for Sinne to chuse A Seruant to betray his Lord to them But that a Subiect must his King accuse But that a Pagan must his God condemne But that a Father must his Sonne contemne But that the Sonne must his owne death desire That Prince and People Seruant and the Sire Gentil and Iewe and he against himselfe conspire 28 Was this the oyle to make thy Saints adore thee The froathy spittle of the rascall throng At these the virges that at borne before thee Base whipps of corde and knotted all along â—s this thy golden seepter against wrong A reedie cane is that the crowne adornes Thy shining locks a crowne of spiny thornes 〈◊〉 theas the Angels himns the Priests blasphemous scornes 29 Who euer sawe Honour before asham'd Afflicted Maiestie debased height â—â—nocence guiltie Honestie defam'd Libertie bound Health sick the Sunne in night But since such wrong was offred vnto right Our night is day our sicknes health is growne Our shame is veild this now remaines alone For vs since he was ours that wee bee not our owne 30 Night was ordeyn'd for rest and not for paine But they to paine their Lord their rest contemne Good lawes to saue what bad men would haue slaine And not bad Iudges with one breath by them The innocent to pardon and condemne Death for reuenge of murderers not decaie Of guiltles blood but now all headlong sway Mans Murderer to saue mans Sauiour to slaie 31 Fraile Multitude whose giddy lawe is list And best applause is windy flattering Most like the breath of which it doth consist No sooner blowne but as soone vanishing As much desir'd as little profiting That makes the men that haue it oft as light As those that giue it which the proud inuite And feare the bad mans friend the good mans hypocrite 32 It was but now their sounding clamours sung Blessed is he that comes from the most high And all the mountaines with Hosanna rung And nowe away with him away they crie And nothing can be heard but crucifie It was but now the Crowne it selfe they saue And golden name of King vnto him gaue And nowe no King but onely Caesar they will haue 33 It was but now they gathered blooming May And of his armes disrob'd the branching tree To strowe with boughs and blossomes all thy way And now the branchlesse truncke a crosse for thee And May dismai'd thy coronet must be It was but now they wear so kind to throwe Their owne best garments whear thy feet should goe And now thy selfe they strip and bleeding wounds they show 34 See whear the author of all life is dying O fearefull day he dead what hope of liuing See whear the hopes of all our liues are buying O chearfull day they bought what feare of grieuing Loue loue for hate and death for life is giuing Loc how his armes are stretch't abroad to grace thee And as they open stand call to embrace thee Why stai'st thou then my soule ô flie flie thither hast thee 35 His radious head with shamefull thornes they teare His tender backe with bloody whipps they rent His side and heart they furrowe with a spear His hands and feete with riuing nayles they tent And as to disentrayle his soule they meant They iolly at his griefe and make their game His naked body to expose to shame That all might come to see and all might see that came 36 Whereat the heau'n put out his guiltie eye That durst behold so execrable sight And sabled all in blacke the shadie skie And the pale starres strucke with vnwonted fright Quenched their euerlasting lamps in night And at his birth as all the starres heau'n had Wear not enough but a newe star was made â—o now both newe and old and all away did fade 37 The mazed Angels shooke their fierie wings Readie to lighten vengeance from Gods throne One downe his eyes vpon the Manhood flings Another gazes on the Godhead none But surely thought his wits wear not his owne Some flew to looke if it wear very hee But when Gods arme vnarmed they did see â—lbee they sawe it was they vow'd it could not bee 38 The sadded aire hung all in cheerelesse blacke Through which the gentle windes soft sighing flewe And Iordan into such huge sorrowe brake As if his holy streame no measure knewe That all his narrowe bankes he ouerthrewe The trembling earth with horrour inly shooke And stubborne stones such griefe vnus'd to brooke Did burst and ghosts awaking from their graues gan looke 39 The wise Philosopher cried all agast The God of nature surely lanquished The sad Centurion cried out as fast The Sonne of God the Sonne of God was dead The headlong Iew hung downe his pensiue head And homewards far'd and euer as he went He smote his brest halfe desperately bent The verie woods and beasts did seeme his death lament 40 The gracelesse Traytour round about did looke He lok't not long the Deuill quickely met him To finde a halter which he found and tooke Onely a gibbet nowe he needes must get him So on a wither'd tree he fairly set him And helpt him fit the rope and in his thought A thousand furies with their whippes he brought So thear he stands readie to hell to make his vault 41 For him a waking bloodhound yelling loude That in his bosome long had sleeping layde A guiltie Conscience barking after blood Pursued eagerly ne euer stai'd Till the betrayers selfe it had betray'd Oft chang'd he place in hope away to winde But change of place could neuer change his minde Himselfe he flies to loose and followes for to finde 42 Thear is but two wayes for this soule to haue When parting from the body forth it purges To flie to heau'n or fall into the graue Where whippes of scorpions with the stinging scourges Feed on the howling ghosts and firie Surges Of brimstone rowle about the caue of night Where flames doe burne and yet no sparke of light And fire both fries and freezes the blaspheming spright 43 Thear lies the captiue soule aye-sighing sore Reck'ning a thousand yeares since her first bands Yet staies not thear but addes a thousand more And at another thousand neuer stands But tells to them the starres and heapes the sands And now the startes are told and sands are runne And all those thousand thousand
despises and the world and all 65 Deepely alas empassioned she stood To see a flaming brand tost vp from hell Boyling her heart in her owne lustfull blood That oft for torment she would loudely yell Now she would sighing sit and nowe she fell Crouching vpon the ground in sackcloath trust Early and late she prayed and fast she must And all her haire hung full of ashes and of dust 66 Of all most hated yet hated most of all Of her owne selfe she was disconsolat As though her flesh did but infunerall Her buried ghost she in an arbour sat Of thornie brier weeping her cursed state And her before a hastie riuer fled Which her blind eyes with faithfull penance fed And all about the grasse with tears hung downe his head 67 Her eyes though blind abroad at home kept fast Inwards they turn'd and look't into her head At which shee often started as aghast To see so fearfull spectacles of dread And with one hand her breast shee martyred Wounding her heart the same to mortifie The other a faire damsell held her by Which if but once let goe shee sunke immediatly 68 But Faith was quicke and nimble as the heau'n As if of loue and life shee all had been And though of present sight her sense were reauen Yet shee could see the things could not be seen Beyond the starres as nothing wear between She fixt her sight disdeigning things belowe Into the sea she could a mountaine throwe And make the Sun to stande and waters backewards flowe 69 Such when as Mercie her beheld from high In a darke valley drownd with her owne tears One of her graces she sent hastily Smiling Eirene that a garland wears Of guilded oliue on her fairer hears To crowne the fainting soules true sacrifice Whom when as sad Repentance comming spies The holy Desperado wip't her swollen eyes 70 But Mercie felt a kinde remorse to runne Through her soft vaines and therefore hying fast To giue an end to silence thus begunne Aye-honour'd Father if no ioy thou hast But to reward desert reward at last The Deuils voice spoke with a serpents tongue Fit to hisse out the words so deadly stung And let him die deaths bitter charmes so sweetely sung 71 He was the father of that hopeles season That to serue other Gods forgot their owne The reason was thou wast aboue their reason They would haue any Gods rather then none Aâ—beasily serpent or a senselesse stone And these as Iustice bates so I deplore But the vp-plowed heart all rent and tore Though wounded by it selfe I gladly would restore 72 He was but dust Why fear'd he not to fall And beeing fall'n how can he hope to liue Cannot the hand destroy him that made all Could be not take away aswell as giue Should man depraue and should not God depriue Was it not all the worlds deceiuing spirit That bladder'd vp with pride of his owne merit Fell in his rise that him of heau'n did disinherit 73 He was but dust how could he stand before him And beeing fall'n why should he feare to die Cannot the hand that made him first restore him Deprau'd of sinne should he depriued lie Of grace can he not hide infirmitie That gaue him strength vnworthy the forsaking He is who euer weighs without mistaking Or Maker of the man or manner of his making 74 Who shall thy temple incense any more Or to thy altar crowne the sacrifice Or strewe with idle flow'rs the hallow'd flore Or what should Prayer deck with hearbs and spice Her vialls breathing orisons of price If all must paie that which all cannot paie O first begin with mee and Mercie slaie And thy thrice-honour'd Sonne that now beneath doth strey 75 But if or he or I may liue and speake And heau'n can ioye to see a sinner weepe Oh let not Iustice yron scepter breake A heart alreadie broke that lowe doth creep And with prone humblesse her feets dust doth sweep Must all goe by desert is nothing free Ah if but those that onely woorthy be None should thee euer see none should thee euer see 76 What hath man done that man shall not vndoe Since God to him is growne so neere a kin Did his foe slay him he shall slay his foe Hath he lost all he all againe shall win Is Sinne his Master he shall master sinne Too hardy soule with sinne the field to trie The onely way to conquer was to flie But thus long death hath liu'd and now deaths selfe shall die 77 He is a path if any be misled He is a robe if any naked bee If any chaunce to hunger he is bread If any be a bondman he is free If any be but weake howe strong is hee To dead men life he is to sicke men health To blinde men sight and to the needie wealth A pleasure without losse a treasure without stealth 78 Who can forget neuer to be forgot The time that all the world in slumber lies When like the starres the singing Angels shot To earth and heau'n awaked all his eyes To see another Sunne at midnight rise On earth was neuer sight of pareil fame For God before Man like himselfe did frame But God himselfe now like a mortall man became 79 〈◊〉 Child he was and had not learn't to speake That with his word the world before did make His Mothers armes him bore he was so weake That with one hand the vaults of heau'n could shake â—ee how small roome my infant Lord doth take Whom all the world is not enough to hold Who of his yeares or of his age hath told â—euer such age so young neuer a child so old 80 â—nd yet but newely he was insanted â—nd yet alreadie he was sought to die â—et scarcely borne alreadie banished â—ot able yet to goe and forc't to flie But scarcely fled away when by and by The Tyrans sword with blood is all defil'd And Rachel for her sonnes with furie wild Cries O thou cruell King and O my sweetest child 81 Egypt his Nource became whear Nilus springs Who streit to entertaine the rising sunne The hasty haruest in his bosome brings But now for drieth the fields wear all vndone And now with waters all is ouerrunne So fast the Cynthian mountaines powr'd their snowe When once they felt the sunne so neere them glowe That Nilus Egypt lost and to a sea did growe 82 The Angells caroll'd lowd their song of peace The cursed Oracles wear strucken dumb To see their Sheapheard the poore Sheapheards press To see their King the Kingly Sophies come And them to guide vnto his Masters home A Starre comes dauncing vp the orient That springs for ioye ouer the strawy tent Whear gold to make their Prince a crowne they all present 83 Young Iohn glad child before he could be borne Leapt in the woombe his ioy to prophecie Old Anna though with age all spent and worne Proclaimes her Sauiour