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
CHRISTS VICTORIE AND TRIumph in Heauen and Earth over and after death A te principium tibi desinet accipe iussis Carmina caepta tuis atque hanc sine tempora circum Inter victrices hederam tibi serpere lauros CONFIDO IN DOMINO CAMBRIDGE Printed by C. LEGGE 1610. To the Reader THear are but fewe of many that can rightly iudge of Poetry and yet thear at many of those few that carry so left-handed an opinion of it as some of them thinke it halfe sacrilege for prophane Poetrie to deale with divine and heauenly matters as though David wear to be sentenced by them for vtteâ—…ng his graue matter vpon the harpe others something more â—…olent in their censure but sure lesse reasonable as though â—…oetrie corrupted all good witts when indeed bad witts corâ—…pt Poetrie banish it with Plato out of all well-ordered Commonwealths Both theas I will strive rather to satisfie â—…en refute And of the first I would gladlie knowe whither they supâ—ose it fitter that the sacred songs in the Scripture of those heâ—oicall Saincts Moses Deborah Ieremie Mary Simeon Daâ—id Salomon the wisest Scholeman and wittiest Poet should â—ee eiected from the canon for wante of grauitie or rather this â—rroure eraced out of their mindes for wante of truth But it maye bee they will giue the Spirit of God leaue to breath â—hrough what pipe it please will confesse because they must â—eeds that all the songs dittied by him must needs bee as their Fountaine is most holy but their common clamour is who may compare with 〈◊〉 yet as none may compare without presumâ—… all may imitat and not without commendation which made Nazianzen on of the Starrs of 〈◊〉 Greeke Church that nowe shines as bright in heauen as 〈◊〉 did then on earth write so manie diuine Poems of the Geâ—… alogie Miracles Parables Passion of Christ called by him hâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which when Basil the Prince of the Fathenâ—… and his Chamberfellowe had seene his opinion of them was that he could haue deuised nothing either more fruitfull to others because it kindely woed them to Religion or more honourable to himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because by imitating the singing Angels in heau'n himselfe became though before his time an earthly Angel What should I speake of Iuvencus Prosper the wise Prudentius the last of which liuing in Hieroms time twelue hundred yeares agoe brought foorth in his declining age so many so religious poems straitly charging his soule not to let passe so much as one either night or daye without some diuine song Hymnis continuet dies Nec nox vlla vacet quin Dominum canat And as sedulous Prudentius so prudent Sedulius was famous in this poeticall diuinity the coetan of Bernard who sung the historie of Christ with as much deuotion in himself as admitation to others all which wear followed by the choicest witts of Christendome Nonnius translating all Sainct Iohns Ghosipel into Greek verse Sanazar the late-liuing Image and happy imitator of Uirgil bestowing ten-yeares vpon a song onely to celebrat that one day when Christ was borne vnto vs on earth we a happie change vnto God in heau'n thrice-honour'd Bartas our I know no other name more glorious then his own Mr. Edmund Spencer two blessed Soules not thinking ten years inough layeing out their whole liues vpon this one studie Nay I may iustly say that the Princely Father of our Countrey though in my conscience God hath made him of all the learned Princes that euer wear the most religious and of all the religious Princes the most learned that so by the one hee might oppose him against the Pope the peste of all Religion and by the other against Bellarmine the abuser of all good Learning is yet so far enamour'd with this celestiall Muse that it shall neuer repent mee calamo triuisse labellum whensoeuer I shall remember Hac eadem vt sciret quid non faciebat Amyntas To name no more in such plenty whear I may finde how to beginne sooner then to end Saincte Paule by the ExaÌ„ple of Christ that wente singing to mounte Oliuet with his Disciples after his last supper exciteth the Christians to solace themselues with â—ymnes and Psalmes and spirituall songs and thearefore by their leav's be it an error for Poets to be Divines I had rather â—…rr with the Scripture then be rectifi'd by them I had rather â—dore the stepps of Nazianzen Prudentius Sedulius then folâ—owe their steps to bee misguided I had rather be the deuoute Admirer of Nonnius Bartas my sacred Soueraign and others the miracles of our latter age then the false sectatie of these that haue nothing at all to follow but their own naked opinions To conclude I had rather with my Lord and his most divine Apostle sing though I sing sorilie the loue of heauen and earthe then praise God as they doe with the woorthie guift of silence and sitting still or think I dispraisd him with this poetical discourse It seems they haue either not read or clean â—orgot that it is the dutie of the Muses if wee maye beeleeue â—indare and Hesiod to set allwaies vnder the throne of Iupiter â—ius laudes beneficia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which made a very worthy German writer conclude it Certò statuimus proprium atque peâ—uliare poetarum munus esse Christi gloriam illustrare beeing good reason that the heavenly infusion of such Poetry should â—nde in his glorie that had beginning from his goodnes fit oâ—ator nascitur Poeta For the secound sorte thearfore that eliminat Poets out of â—heir citie gates as though they wear nowe grown so bad as â—hey could neither growe woorse nor better though it be â—omewhat hard for those to bee the onely men should want cities that wear the onely causers of the building of them and somewhat inhumane to thrust them into the woods to liue among the beasts who wear the first that call'd men out of the woods from their beastly and wilde life yet since they will needes shoulder them out for the onely firebrands to inflame lust the fault of earthly men not heauenly Poetrie I would gladly learne what kind of professions theas men would bee intreated to entertaine that so deride and disaffect Poesie would they admit of Philosophers that after they haue burnt out the whole candle of their life in the circular studie of Sciences crie out at length Se nihil prorsus seire or should Musitians be welcome to them that Dant sine mente sonum bring delight with them indeede could they aswell expresse with their instruments a voice as they can a sound or would they most approve of Soldiers that defend the life of their countrymen either by the death of themselues or their enemies If Philosophers please them who is it that knowes not that all the lights of Example to cleare their precepts are borowed by Philosophers from Poets that without Homers examples
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
sterue her children didst not thou â—…ater with heau'nly showers her wombe vnsowne â—…nd drop downe cloudes of flow'rs didst not thou bowe â—…ine easie eare vnto the plowmans vowe Long might he looke and looke and long in vaine Might load his haruest in an emptie wayne â—…d beat the woods to finde the poore okes hungrie graine 29 â—…he swelling sea seethes in his angrie waues â—…d smites the earth that dares the traytors nourish â—…t oft his thunder their light corke outbraues â—…owing the mountaines on whose temples flourish â—…hole woods of garlands and their pride to cherish Plowe through the seaes greene fields and nets display To catch the flying winds and steale away â—…oozning the greedie sea prisning their nimble prey 30 â—…w often haue I seene the wauing pine â—…st on a watrie mountaine knocke his head 〈◊〉 heau'ns too patient gates and with salt brine â—…ench the Moones burning hornes and safely fled â—…m heau'ns reuenge her passengers all dead With stiffe astonishment tumble to hell How oft the sea all earth would ouerswell â—…d not thy sandie girdle binde the mightie well 31 â—…ould not the aire be fill'd with steames of death 〈◊〉 poyson the quicke riuers of their blood â—…d not thy windes fan with their panting breath â—…e flitting region would not the hastie flood Emptie it selfe into the seas wide wood Did'st not thou leade it wandring from his way To giue men drinke and make his waters strey To fresh the flowrie medowes through whose fields they playâ—… 32 Who makes the sources of the siluer fountaines From the flints mouth and rocky valleis slide Thickning the ayrie bowells of the mountaines Who hath the wilde heards of the forrest tide In their cold denns making them hungrie bide Till man to rest be laid can beastly he That should haue most sense onely senseles be And all things else beside himselfe so awefull see 33 Wear he not wilder then the saluage beast Prowder then haughty hills harder then rocks Colder then fountaines from their springs releast Lighter then aire blinder then senseles stocks More changing then the riuers curling locks If reason would not sense would soone reprooue him And vnto shame if not to sorrow mooue him To see cold floods wild beasts dul stocks hard stones out-lâ—… 34 Vnder the weight of sinne the earth did fall And swallowed Dathan and the raging winde And stormie sea and gaping Whale did call For Ionas and the aire did bullets finde And shot from heau'n a stony showre to grinde The fiue proud Kings that for their idols fought The Sunne it selfe stood still to fight it out And fire froÌ„ heau'n slew downe when sin to heau'n did 〈◊〉 35 â—…hould any to himselfe for safety flie The way to saue himselfe if any were â—ear to flie from himselfe should he relie Vpon the promise of his wife but there â—hat can he see but that he most may feare A Syren sweete to death vpon his friends Who that he needs or that he hath not lends â—…r wanting aide himselfe ayde to another sends 36 â—is strength but duft his pleasure cause of paine â—s hope false courtier youth or beawtie brittle â—…treatie fond repentance late and vaine â—…st recompence the world wear all too little â—…y loue he hath no title to a tittle Hells force in vaine her furies hell shall gather His Seruants Kinsmen or his children rather â—…is child if good shall iudge if bad shall curse his father 37 â—is life that brings him to his end and leaues him â—is ende that leaues him to beginne his woe â—s goods what good in that that so deceaues him â—s gods of wood their feete alas are slowe 〈◊〉 goe to helpe that must be help't to goe Honour great woorth ah little woorth they be Vnto their owners wit that makes him see 〈◊〉 wanted wit that thought he had it wanting thee 38 â—e sea to drinke him quicke that casts his dead â—ngells to spare they punish night to hide â—e world shall burne in light the heau'ns to spread â—heir wings to saue him heau'n it selfe shall slide And rowle away like melting starres that glide Along their oylie threads his minde pursues him His house to shrowde or hills to fall and bruse him As Seargeants both attache and witnesses accuse him 39 What need I vrge what they must needs confesse Sentence on them condemn'd by their owne lust I craue no more and thou canst giue no lesse Then death to dead men iustice to vniust Shame to most shamefull and most shameles dust But if thy Mercie needs will spare her friends Let Mercie there begin where Iustice endes T is cruell Mercie that the wrong from right defends 40 She ended and the heau'nly Hierarchies Burning in zeale thickly imbranded weare Like to an armie that allarum cries And euery one shakes his ydraded speare And the Almighties selfe as he would teare The earth and her firme basis quite in sunder Flam'd all in iust reuenge and mightie thunder Heau'n stole it selfe from earth by clouds that moisterd vndâ—… 41 As when the cheerfull Sunne elamping wide Glads all the world with his vprising raye And wooes the widow'd earth afresh to pride And paint her bosome with the flowrie Maye His silent sister steales him quite away Wrap't in a sable clowde from mortall eyes The hastie starres at noone begin to rise And headlong to his early roost the sparrowe flies 42 But soone as he againe dishadowed â—is Restoring the blind world his blemish't sight As though another day wear newely ris The cooz'ned birds busily take their flight And wonder at the shortnesse of the night So Mercie once againe her selfe displayes Out from her sisters cloud and open layes Those sunshine lookes whose beames would dim a thousand dayes 43 How may a worme that crawles along the dust Clamber the azure mountaines thrown so high And fetch from thence they faire Idea iust That in those sunny courts doth hidden lie Cloath'd with such light as blinds the Angels eye How may weake mortall euer hope to file His vnsmooth tongue and his deprostrate stile 〈◊〉 raise thou from his corse thy now entomb'd exile 44 One touch would rouze me from my sluggish hearse One word would call me to my wished home One looke would polish my afflicted verse One thought would steale my soule from her thicke lome And force it wandring vp to heau'n to come Thear to importune and to beg apace One happy fauour of thy sacred grace To see what though it loose her eyes to see thy face 45 If any aske why roses please the sight Because their leaues vpon thy cheelâ—es doe bowre If any aske why lillies are so white Because their blossoms in thy hand doe flowre Or why sweet plants so gratefull odours shoure It is because thy breath so like they be Or why the Orient Sunne so bright we see What reason can we giue but from thine eies and thee 46 Ros'd all in liuely crimsin ar thy cheeks Whear
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
Sonnes to wound their mothers side And gage the depth to search for flaring shells In whose bright bosome spumie Bacchus swells That neither heau'n nor earth henceforth in safetie dwells 55 â—… sacred hunger of the greedie eye Whose neede hath end but no end covetise Emptie in fulnes rich in pouertie That hauing all things nothing can suffice How thou befanciest the men most wise The poore man would be rich the rich man great The great man King the King in Gods owne seat Enthron'd with mortal arme dares flames and thunder threat 56 Therefore aboue the rest Ambition sat His Court with glitterant pearle was all enwall'd And round about the wall in chaires of State And most maiestique splendor wear enstall'd A hundred Kings whose temples wear impal'd In goulden diadems set here and thear With diamounds and gemmed euery whear And of their golden virges none disceptred wear 57 High ouer all Panglories blazing throne In her bright turret all of christall wrought Like Phaebus lampe in midst of heauen shone Whose starry top with pride infernall fraught Selfe-arching columns to vphold wear taught In which her Image still reflected was By the smooth christall that most like her glasse In beauty and in frailtie did all others passe 58 A Siluer wande the sorceresse did sway And for a crowne of gold her haire she wore Onely a garland of rosebuds did play About her locks and in her hand she bore A hollowe globe of glasse that long before She full of emptinesse had bladdered And all the world therein depictured Whose colours like the rainebowe euer vanished 59 Such watry orbicles young boyes doe blowe Out from their sopy snells and much admire The swimming world which tenderly they rowe With easie breath till it be waued higher But if they chaunce but roughly once aspire The painted bubble instantly doth fall Here when she came she gan for musique call And sung this wooing song to welcome him withall Loue is the blossome whear thear blowes Euery thing that liues or growes Loue doth make the heau'ns to moue And the Sun doth burne in loue Loue the strong and weake doth yoke And makes the yâ—ie climbe the oke Vnder whose shadowes Lions wilde Soft'ned by Loue growe tame and mild Loue no med'cine can appease He burnes the fishes in the seas Not all the skill his wounds can stench Not all the sea his fire can quench Loue did make the bloody spear Once a leuie coat to wear While in his leaues thear shrouded lay Sweete birds for loue that sing and play And of all loues ioyfull flame I the bud and blossome am Onely bend thy knee to me Thy wooeing shall thy winning be See see the flowers that belowe Now as fresh as morning blowe And of all the virgin rose That as bright Aurora showes How they all vnleaued die Loosing their virgintie Like vnto a summer-shade But now borne and now they fade Euery thing doth passe away Thear is danger in delay Come come gather then the rose Gather it or it you lose All the sande of Tagus shore Into my bosome casts his ore All the valleys swimming corne To my house is yeerely borne Euery grape of euery vine Is gladly bruis'd to make me wine While ten thousand kings as proud To carry vp my traine haue bow'd And a world of Ladies send me In my chambers to attend me All the starres in heau'n that shine And ten thousand more are mine Onely bend thy knee to mee Thy wooing shall thy winning bee 60 Thus sought the dire Enchauntress in his minde Her guilefull bayâ— to haue embosomed But he her charmes dispersed into winde And her of insolence admonished And all her optique glasses shattered So with her Syre to hell shee tooke her flight The starting ayre flew from the damned spright Whear deeply both aggriev'd plunged themselues in night 61 But to their Lord now musing in his thought A heauenly volie of light Angels flew And from his Father him a banquet brought Through the fine element for well they knew After his lenten fast he hungrie grew And as he fed the holy quires combine To sing a hymne of the celestiall Trine All thought to passe and each was past all thought divine 62 The birds sweet notes to sonnet out their ioyes Attemper'd to the layes Angelicall And to the birds the winds attune their noyse And to the winds the waters hoarcely call And Eccho back againe revoyced all That the whole valley rung with victorie But now our Lord to rest doth homewards flie See how the Night comes stealing from the mountains high CHRISTS TRIVMPH Ouer and after death Vincenti dabitur CONFIDO IN DOMINO Printed by C. LEGGE 1610. CHRISTS TRIVMPH over Death 1 SO downe the siluer streames of Eridan On either side bank't with a lilly wall Whiter then both rides the triumphant Swan And sings his dirge and prophesies his fall Diuing into his watrie funerall But Eridan to Cedron must submit His flowry shore nor can he enuie it If when Apollo sings his swaâ—s doe silent sit 2 That heau'nly voice I more delight to heare Then gentle ayres to breath or swelling waues Against the sounding rocks their bosomes teare Or whistling reeds that rutty Iordan laues And with their verdure his white head embraues To chide the windes or hiuing bees that flie About the laughing bloosms of sallowie Rocking asleepe the idle groomes that lazie lie 3 And yet how can I heare thee singing goe When men incens'd with hate thy death foreset Or els why doe I heare thee sighing so When thou inflam'd with loue their life doest get That Loue and hate and sighs and songs are met But thus and onely thus thy loue did craue To sende thee singing for vs to thy graue While we sought thee to kill and thou sought'st vs to saue 4 When I remember Christ our burden beares I looke for glorie but finde miserie I looke for ioy but finde a sea of teares I looke that we should liue and finde him die I looke for Angels songs and heare him crie Thus what I looke I cannot finde so well Or rather what I finde I cannot tell These bankes so narrowe are those streames so highly sâ—… 5 Christ suffers and in this his teares begin Suffers for vs and our ioy springs in this Suffers to death here is his Manhood seen Suffers to rise and here his Godhead is For Man that could not by himselfe haue ris Out of the graue doth by the Godhead rise And God that could not die in Manhood dies That we in both might liue by that sweete sacrifice 6 Goe giddy braines whose witts are thought so fresh Plucke all the flowr's that Nature forth doth throwe Goe sticke them on the cheekes of wanton flesh Poore idol forc't atonce to fall and growe Of fading roses and of melting snowe Your songs exceede your matter this of mine The matter which it sings shall make diuine As starres dull
dwell vpon some mountaine high Whose hollowe root and baser parts ar spread On fleeting waters in his bowells bred That I their streames and they my teares may feed Or cloathed in some Hermits ragged weed Spend all my daies in weeping for this cursed deed 63 The life the which I onte did loue I leaue The loue in which I once did liue I loath I hate the light that did my light bereaue Both loue and life I doe despise you both O that one graue might both our ashes cloath A Loue a Life a Light I now obteine Able to make my Age growe young againe Able to saue the sick and to reuiue the slaine 64 Thus spend we teares that neuer can be spent On him that sorrow now no more shall see Thus send we sighs that neuer can be sent To him that died to liue and would not be To be thear whear he would here burie we This heau'nly earth here let it softly sleepe The fairest Sheapheard of the fairest sheepe So all the bodie kist and homewards went to weepe 65 So home their bodies went to seeke repose But at the graue they left their soules behinde O who the force of loue coelestiall knowes That can the cheynes of natures selfe vnbinde Sending the Bodie home without the minde Ah blessed Virgin what high Angels art Can euer coumpt thy teares or sing thy smart When euery naile that pierst his hand did pierce thy heart 66 So Philomel perch't on an aspin sprig Weeps all the night her lost virginitie And sings her sad tale to the merrie twig That daunces at such ioyfull miserie Ne euer lets sweet rest inuade her eye But leaning on a thorne her daintie chest For feare soft sleepe should steale into her brest Expresses in her song greefe not to be exprest 67 So when the Larke poore birde afarre espi'th Her yet vnfeather'd children whom to saue She striues in vaine slaine by the fatall sithe Which from the medowe her greene locks doeth shaue That their warme nest is now become their graue The woefull mother vp to heauen springs And all about her plaintiue notes she flings And their vntimely fate most pittifully sings CHRISTS TRIVMPH after Death 1 BVt now the second Morning from her bowre Began to glister in her beames and nowe The roses of the day began to flowre In th' easterne garden for heau'ns smiling browe Halfe insolent for ioy begunne to showe The early Sunne came liuely dauncing out And the bragge lambes ranne wantoning about That heau'n and earth might seeme in tryumph both to shour 2 Th' engladded Spring forgetfull now to weepe Began t' eblazon from her leauie bed The waking swallowe broke her halfe-yeares sleepe And euerie bush lay deepely purpured With violets the woods late-wintry head Wide flaming primroses set all on fire And his bald trees put on their greene attire Among whose insant leaues the ioyeous birds conspire 3 And now the taller Sonnes whom Titan warmes Of vnshorne mountaines blowne with easie windes Dandled the mornings childhood in their armes And if they chaunc't to slip the prouder pines The vnder Corylets did catch the shines To guild their leaues sawe neuer happie yeare Such ioyfull triumph and triumphant cheare As though the aged world anew created wear 4 Say Earth why hast thou got thee new attire And stick'st thy habit full of dazies red Seems that thou doest to some high thought aspire And some newe-found-out Bridegroome mean'st to wed Tell me ye Trees so fresh apparelled So neuer let the spitefull Canker wast you So neuer let the heau'ns with lightening blast you Why goe you now so trimly drest or whither hast you 5 Answer me Iordan why thy crooked tide So often wanders from his neerest way As though some other way thy streame would slide And faine salute the place where something lay And you sweete birds that shaded from the ray Sit carolling and piping griefe away The while the lambs to heare you daunce and play Tell me sweete birds what is it you so faine would say 6 And thou faire Spouse of Earth that euerie yeare Gett'st such a numerous issue of thy bride How chance thou hotter shin'st and draw'st more neere Sure thou somewhear some worthie sight hast spide That in one place for ioy thou canst not bide And you dead Swallowes that so liuely now Through the flit aire your winged passage rowe How could new life into your frozen ashes flowe 7 Ye Primroses and purple violets Tell me why blaze ye from your leauie bed And wooe mens hands to rent you from your sets As though you would somewhear be carried With fresh perfumes and velvets garnished But ah I neede not aske t' is surely so You all would to your Sauiours triumphs goe Thear would ye all awaite and humble homage doe 8 Thear should the Earth herselfe with garlands newe And louely flowr's embellished adore Such roses neuer in her garland grewe Such lillies neuer in her brest she wore Like beautie neuer yet did shine before Thear should the Sunne another Sunne behold From whence himselfe borrowes his locks of gold That kindle heau'n and earth with beauties manifold 9 Thear might the violet and primrose sweet Beames of more liuely and more louely grace Arising from their beds of incense meet Thear should the Swallowe see newe life embrace Dead ashes and the graue vnheale his face To let the liuing from his bowels creepe Vnable longer his owne dead to keepe Thear heau'n and earth should see their Lord awake from sleepe 10 Their Lord before by other iudg'd to die Nowe Iudge of all himselfe before forsaken Of all the world that from his aide did flie Now by the Saints into their armies taken Before for an vnworthie man mistaken Nowe worthy to be God confest before With blasphemies by all the basest tore Now worshipped by Angels that him lowe adore 11 Whose garment was before indipt in blood But now imbright'ned into heau'nly flame The Sun it selfe outglitters though he should Climbe to the toppe of the celestiall frame And force the starres go hide themselues for shame Before that vnder earth was buried But nowe about the heau'ns is carried And thear for euer by the Angels heried 12 So fairest Phosphor the bright Morning starre But neewely washt in the greene element Before the drouzie Night is halfe aware Shooting his flaming locks with deaw besprent Springs liuely vp into the orient And the bright droue fleec't all in gold he chaces To drinke that on the Olympique mountaine grazes The while the minor Planets forfeit all their faces 13 So long he wandred in our lower spheare That heau'n began his cloudy starres despise Halfe enuious to see on earth appeare A greater light then flam'd in his owne skies At length it burst for spight and out thear flies A globe of winged Angels swift as thought That on their spotted feathers liuely caught The sparkling Earth and to their azure fields it brought 14 The rest that
Light is the pallace whear she dwells O blessed wight RUina Coeli pulchra iam tâ—rris decus Deusque proles matris iâ—nuptae pater Sine matre natus sine patre excrescens caro Quem nec mare aether terra non coelum capit Vtero puellae totus angusto latens Aequaevâ—…s idem patri matre antiquior Heu domite victor triumphator tui Opus opifexque qui minor quà m sis eò Maior resurgis vita quae mori velis Atque ergo possis passa â—inem Aeternitas Quid tibi rependam quid tiâ—i rependam miser Vt quando ocellos mollis inuadit quies Et nocte membra plurimus Morpheus prâ—mit Auidè vidâ—mur velle de teâ—go sequens Effugere monstrum plumbeos frustra pedes Celerare media succidimâ—…s aegri fugâ Solitum pigrescit robur os quaerit viam Sed proditurus moritur in lingua sonus Sic stupeo totus totus haeresco intuâ—ns Et saepe repeto forte si rependerem Solus rependit ille qui repetit beâ—e G. Fletcher The Argument propounded in generall Our redemption by Christ. The Authors Inuocation for the better handling of it The Argument Mans redemption expounded from the cause Mercie Dwelling in heauen And pleading for maÌ„ now guilde with Iustice described by her qualities Her Retinue Her Subiect Her accusation of Mans sinne And 1. of Adams first sinne Then of his posterities in all kinde of Idolatrie How hopelesse any patronage of 〈◊〉 All the Creatures hauing disleagued themselues with him For his extreame vngratefulnes So that beeing destitute of all hope or any remedie He can look for nothing but a fearful sentence The effect of Iustice her speech the inflammation of the heauenly Powers Appeased by Mercie who is described by her cherfulnes to defend Man Our inabilitie to describe her Her beautie resembled by the creatures which are all fraile shadows of her essentiall perfection Her Attendants Her perswasiue power Her kind offices to Man Her Garments wrought by her owne hands wherwith shee cloaths her selfe composd of all the Creatures The Earth Sea Ayre The celestiall bodies The third heauen Her Obiects Repentance Faith Her deprecative spech for Man in which She traÌ„slates the principal fault vnto the Deuill And repeating Iustice her aggravation of mans sinne Mittigates it 〈◊〉 by a coÌ„trarie iâ—ference 2 By interessing her selfe in the cause and Christ. That is as sufficient to satisfie as Man was impotent Whom shee celebrates from the time of his natiuitie From the effects of it in himsâ—lfe Egypt The Angels Men The effect of Mercies speech A Transition to Christs second victorie Christ brought into the place of combat the wildernes among the wilde beasts Mark 1. 13. Described by his proper Attribute The Mercie of God Whom the creatures cannot but adore By his vnitie with the Godhead His proper place The beutie of his bodie Cant. 5. 11. Psalm 45. 2. Gen. 49. 12. Cant. 5. 10. Isa. 53. 2. By preparing himself to the combate With his Adversarie that seemd what he was not Some deuout Essene Closely tempting him to despaire of Gods prouidence and prouide for himselfe But was what he seemed not Satan would faine haue lead him 1. To Desperation characterd by his place Countenance Apparell horrible apparitions c. 2. To Presumption characterd by her place Attendants c. And by her Temptation 3. To Vaine-Glorie Poetically described from the place where her court stood A garden From her Court and Courtiers 1. Pleasure in drinking in Luxurie 2. Avarice 3. Ambitious honour From her throne From her temptation The efâ—ect of this victorie in Satan The Angels The Creatures Christs Tryumph ouer death on the crosse exprest 1. in generall by his ioy to vndergoe it singing before he went to the garden Mat. 26. 30. By his griefe in the vndergoing it By the obscure fables of the Gentiles typing it By the cause of it in him his Loue. By the effect it should haue in vs. By the instrument the cursed Tree 2. exprest in particular 〈◊〉 by his fore-passion in the Garden By his passion it selfe amplified 1. from the general causes Parts and Effects of it 1. From the particular causes Parts and Effects of it in heauen in the heauenly Spirits in the Creatures sub coelestiall In the wicked Iewes In Iudas In the blessed Saint Ioseph c. Christs Triumph after death 1. in his Resurrection manifested by the effects of it in the Creatures In himselfe 2. In his Ascention to heauen whose ioves are described 1. By the accesse of all good the blessed Societie of the Saints Angels c. The sweete quiet and peace inioyed vnder God Shadowed by the peace we enioy vnder our Soueraigne The beauty of the place The Caritie as the schoole calâ— it of the Saints bodies The impletion of the Appetite The ioy of the senses c. 2. By the amotion of all euill By the accesse of all good againe in the glorie of the Holy Cittie in the beatificall vision of God And of Christ.