though nature cannot mâ—â—e you to sighs which is affecteâ—â—y her obiects let mee winne you by reasons to ratifie your remorse If your friends come from far countries to visite you you imbrace them if they giue you giftes you thanke them if they counsell you you consent vnto them What then will you returne your sauiour my sonne for his curtesies Hee comming into the worlde hath shewed you three principall signes of loue mercie and pietie First hee condescended to your mortalitie Secondly hee prouided messengers of your saluation Thirdly he gaue you precepts and admonishmentes of your welfare He came from heauen to comfort you on earth hee suffered on earth to carrie you to heauen he became the lowlyest amongst men to make you the highest among creatures hee hath visited you with his graces giuing ease to your labour comfort to your afflictions salue to your infirmities he hath presented you with gifts not golde and siluer which are corruptible not pomp honor which seduce the senses not securitie and vanitie which corrupt the heart but he hath broken his bodie on the crosse for you hee hath broken his bodie in the Sacrament for you he hath giuen you the cup of attonement his ' precious bloud hee hath made you one with God by being generally condemned by the world he hath counselled you to rise from sins to make your bodies vessels of the holy Ghost to sanctifie your soules in the bloud of his testament being made approued iust therefore you ought to loue him wholy to whoÌ„ you owe al what you are wholy If you see an earthly king before you you fal before his throne you humble your selfe before his iudgment you subscribe to his law and obey his ordinances why despise you then the king of heauens to whom princes stoope and whom the wind and sea obeyeth to whom all knees both in heauen earth and hel are bowed If you respect works hee made heauen and earth if the manner of nothing if the purpose for vngratefull man who being lord of all by him will not acknowledge his due homage to him if you dispose your affections by the wisdom of your gouernors who more wiser than Iesus Where the Psalmist sayth Great is the Lord our God mightie his vertue and his wisdom is beyond number And again God is the God of sciences our thoughts are prepared vnto him Who therefore is so wise mightie as her that by wisdom discouereth al things and by power punisheth all offences How much wisedome and seuetitie is in this Iudge Who discouereth the thoughts of the hart knoweth whereunto our imaginations are intended measureth the waight of our sinnes and how iniquities are chained together Fnally all are of him by him and in him If wonders drawe your affections who were wonderfull looke on his birth it is wonderfull aboue nature without man of a sole virgine looke on his name it is wonderfull Iesus by interpretation a sauior Yet more woÌ„ders a fraile man and a strong God a poore mans sonne and the prince of peace borne in time and the perpetuall father of succeeding ages Yet three more wonders First in those things which were spoken of him SecoÌ„dly in those things which were spoken by him Thirdly in those which were forespoken of him by the Patriarks and Prophets Iacob prophesied his comming long before The scepter shall not bee taken from Iudah Balaam called him the starre out of Iacob they called him the flower and the branch on which flower the holy Ghost should haue his resting place And is not this admirable Wil you more wonder Hear Elizabeth prophesie hear Zacharie prophesie the shephearde prophesie the Sages prophesie Yet more wonders In his infansy his answeres were admirable all testifie of him maruell at his answere applaud his prudence Will you more wonders The people maruelled at him saying He hath done all things wel hee hath made the deafe heare and the dombe speake Loue him therefore as your Lorde honour him as your king who is admirable in his conception admirable in his birth admirable in his preachings admirable in his passion admirable in his death admirable in his charitie And to this loue O remorselesse lookers on adde teares for no man can truelye loue that is not affected to see his beloued afflicted Come come and weepe bitterly with mee for you haue much cause of lamentation If loue can diuorce you from ingratitude come and weep of pure loue for my son hath therefore suffered because he loued if in iustice come mollifie your hearts behold an innocent reprochfully crucified if consanguinitie can affect you behold your father which hath begotten and chosen you before all eternities reckned amongst theeues rent by bloudthirstie men scourged by the guiltie if you be abashed to see God so mightily brused bewail your deadly sins the causes of his detriment if you wonder at his humilitie blame your pride if you admire his patience condemn your wrath As the member that feeleth no griefe is sayde to bee dead and the disease which is insensible is alwayes vncurable so vnlesse you partake in passion with Christ lament to see him crucified sorrowe to beholde his woundes you are no liuing members but dead ones no true sonnes of his but bastardes if you suffer wyth him you shall raigne with him if you associate him in his passions you shall partake wyth him in his consolations The Philosophers write that the Harpie is a birde hauing a mans 〈◊〉 so fell cruell and furious that beeing pressed and assaulted with hunger she inuadeth killeth a man whome when shee hath deuoured and whose bodie when she hath torne beeing assailed wyth thirst she flyeth to the water to drinke where beholdin◠〈◊〉 owne face and remembring the similitude of him whome shee slew shee is confounded with so much griefe that shee dieth for dolour Oh carelesse worldlings except ther be lesse remorse in you than in this creature looke into the spring of your consciences lodge in your memorie howe much you haue crucified this Christ with your sinnes slain him by your offeÌ„ces though you die not through extremitie of grief yet let fall some teares to bewayle him tenderly Oh let not sinne take hold of you idlenesse preuent you or pride consound you for trees that haue broadest leaues doo soonest loose them men that haue proudest thoughts are soonest deceiued by them Foolish that thou art canst thou bewaile thy dead father that begot thee thy sick sonne that delights thee thy lost riches that maintained thee wilt not thou weepe for Iesus that redeemed thee Canst thou grieue to see thy flockes perish thy houses burnned thy wise slaine thy daughters defloured and wilt thou not weepe to see thy God who gaue these confounded with tormeÌ„ts thy comforter that created these suffer on the crosse thy Iesus that lightneth thee cloathed with death Oh let not your gronings be hidden from him praie
shew the horrour of thy offence power was made desolate Oh stony heart be not so obstinate let teares drop from thine eyes to recompence the bloud pouring from his wounds sigh bitterly with him that praied earnestlye for thee What is this sinne sayest thou that inforceth such a sacrifice That which maketh all men in the world flie from their saluation and runne after theyr owne concupiscences without anie feare that which leadeth men downe to hell that which blindeth the vnderstanding that which maketh men like vnto foolish beastes for as beastes incline themselues to earthly pleasures so sinners betroth themselues to worldly desires that which maketh men seeke onely those things which are of the flesh that which maketh men esteem their belly for their God Sinners are compared to hogs by their detracting for as the hogge deuoureth doung so detracting sinfull men other mens sinnes and filthines For lecherie they are compared vnto a horse for folly and slownesse to an asse for their solicitude worldlie care to an oxe for their curious cōuersations to an ape for their inconsiderate boldnes to a lyon for their crueltie to a beare for their vanitie to libards for their crafte to a foxe Sinne is the trangression of the laws of God and the disobedience of his commandements Sinne is the contrarie to nature sinne draweth vs from the soueraigne good to make vs subiect to brittle fraile and mutable pleasures Sinne diuideth vs from God To conclude as the Ethnike witnesseth the sinner is onely miserable Sinne depriueth man of eternall beatitude banisheth him from heauen confineth him with hell despoileth him of graces exileth him from paradice Briefely it maketh him the most miserable amongest miserable Sinne peruerteth the order of nature impugneth our reason vigeth our sensualitie sin blindeth the spirite darkneth the vnderstanding ordained to contemplate spirituall things Sinne soileth and infecteth the solue depriueth it of her nuptiall garment and maketh it filthie and loathsome according to that of the Prophet Denigrata est super carbones facies eius Sinne after it hath blinded the vnderstanding hardeneth the heart and maketh obstinate in iniquitie whence commeth the habitude of sinne which is the extremitie of sinne and as Philosophers conclude another nature Hee that sinneth whatsoeuer he be either king in his diadem prince in his purple poore in his miserie he is the slaue of sinne who therefore by sinne is giuen ouer as a praie to vices looseth his libertie and cannot resist his vnhappines See sinner see what horror what confusion Look with what foes you are inuironed that you may knowe the greatnes of your deliuerance you are vncurable by sinne Christ healeth you you are separated from God from the Angels from the Patriarkes Prophets Apostles and Martyrs by sin and Iesus restoreth you you are impouerished by sinne and hee inricheth you you are made abhominable and hee blesseth you O if you knewe howe abiecte wretched a sinfull soule is you woulde resist it saieth a father euen vnto the death Waries plagues famine the whips of God sicknesse dishonours and aduersity the tooles of his correction howe light trifles are these in comparison of loathsome sinne Tyrannies iniuries oppressions the fury of the fire the danger of water the contagion of aire the trembling of the earth finally all the complements of euils which persecute man proceed from sinne so that rightlye it maye bee sayde all that which the wretched suffer their sinnes haue deserued it Oh the horrour of sinne oh the terrible issues thereof wretched men take heede and looke about you let your haires stand vpright for verie fright and let your bloud flie to your heart to comfort it in the extremity of your thoughts no punishment can satisfie for it no death can recompence for it but the flames of hell eternall in theyr extremitie extreame in their eternitie Oh harde hearted soules solde and quite giuen ouer to your owne sensualities beholde the issues of your euill liues beholde your martirdomes for crucifying Christ if you reconcile not weep with him you shall haue perpetuall darknesse without light you shall be depriued of Gods presence a greater tormēt to the damned than may be expressed fire shall burne you vnquenchably darknes shall blind you vnseparably conscience shal accuse you incessantly deuills shall persecute you eternally cries cursinges and blasphemies shall hant you continually desolation and discomfort shall detaine you perpetually Finally without remorse in life there is no redemption after death O Iesus my son how rich art thou in compassiō thou onely healest these wounds recouerest these harmes It is thou onely that canst dull the sting of this death thy bloud onely satisfieth for these defaults Ah deare Lord thou art worthie of teares thou deseruest remorse thou hast purchased compassion Oh woful spectacle for men to weepe at for angels to sigh at Oh sacrifice for sinne O attonement for offences oh seale of redemption O contemplation to extort teares to behold innocencie martired with so many and grieuous wounds Oh libertie taken prisoner oh truth accused oh innocencie whipped oh iustice condemned oh glorie discruciate oh life dead and crucified oh highnesse of charitie oh basenesse of humilitie oh greatnes of mercie oh excesse of bountie Thou hast wept for all art bewailed of none thou hast borne many hurts to cure a few hearts thou hast bene a corrosiue to thy mother to be a cordiall to men but men weepe thee not they passe by wagging their heads at my woe hiding their faces least they shuld be inforced to bewaile thee Theyr hearts are become adamants loathing to spende teares themselues they grieue to grace my teares by hearkning to them Ah heauenly father let me consume with sorrow till I see him let my life passe like a tale that is told let my soul that mourneth within me giue a libel of diuorce to this flesh that I in spirit may seeke him out who in the flesh did glorifie me Thou that rainedst vppon the earth fortie daies to reuenge thee on the rebellious open the cloudes of thy compassion ouer mee that they weeping on mee and I with them I may be drowned in them innocencie may be quickned by me All Iudah Israel mourned for Iosiaz shall teares want to bewaile Iesus See my sonne I will beare thy crosse on my shoulders imprint thy passisions in my heart I will beat so long vpon my breast that the eccho therof shall pearce all eares I will sigh so long till the furnace of my charitie steame out my hart and the winged chast affections of my soul soare heauens search earth finde my sonne or forsake my soule Ah my son no Absolon a sinner but Iesus a sauiour The root of my hope is waxed olde and the stocke thereof is dead in the ground When shal these closed eies open to warme him as his sonne When shall thy breath quicken and cheere my
Prosopopeia CONTAINING THE TEARES OF THE holy blessed and sanctified Marie the Mother of GOD. Luke 2. And moreouer the swoord shall pearce thy soule that the thoughts of many hearts may be opened LONDON Printed for E. White 1596. TO THE RIGHT NOBLE THE MOTHER COVNTESSE COVNTESSE of Darby and the vertuous and deuout Countesse of Cumberland Charitie in life and eternitie after death Right noble Madames and more noble in that deuout I haue made you patronesses of a iust cause the teares of a matchlesse mother shed for a Sauior a sonne If to begin your new yeere you shall but peruse these in deuotion I doubt 〈◊〉 but they wil proue holy motiues of meditation in shedding one teare with Marie you shall confesse with Barnard that you purchase much interest in Iesus I ioyne you in this greatest of your honors not for your births sake for wee may disparage our selues neither your wealth sake for riches are as the deaw in Aprill but for your vertue sake which retaineth this qualitie of the Sunne communicating his beames to all things inriching euerie one without impouerishing himself Good Madames accept these teares in their nature and hold it better to weepe many times with Iesus and Marie than to laugh with Belial and the world for the world hath deceiued you long but pietie will eternize you for euer If you shall but grace what I giue my desires are satisfied if giue what you owe you shall grieue when you reade if as you reade you consider you haue the end of true consideration For to lament sinne is to redeeme sinne Noble Ladies vse not these giftes as the Romane Matrones their puppies spit not in their mouthes to make them waite at your heeles neither cocker them at your breastes least Caesar holde you more careful of your whelpes than your sonnes but vse them as the goldsmith his mettal trie them at the test of your contemplation and so prise them God worke that in your hearts that my deuotion intendeth to your soules and blesse you in giuing mee grace to serue him Your Honors most bounden T. L. To the Readers IT was a custome amongest the Cretans gentle readers when they intended to vse their most bitter and vehementest execratitio to desire that those whom they hated should fixe their whole delights and likings on an inueterate and euill custome This Cretan course I feare me is fallen vppon our age wherein men are so accustomed to vanitie that nothing is pleaseth which is not pleasant nothing is sought after which is not amorous Which lamentable error and sicknes of our time beeing so ordinarie I almost waxe in despaire of the happie issue of my deuotion for some I know will condemn me that iustly for a Galba who begat foul children by night and made fayre pictures by daie To whom I answere that I paint fair things in the light of my meditation who begot the soule forepassed progenie of my thoughts in the night of mine error Some other and they superstitiously ignorant will accuse me for writing these teares desiring rather with Brentius to impaire the honor of the mother of God than with Bernard to inhance it To whom I answer that it is better imitating many holy mens deuotion than cleauing to a few mens foolish and gracelesse contemptes For other that haue wept as Peter his apostasie Marie her losse misse of Christ their teares wrought from them either for repent or loue But these teares of Marie the blessed are not onely ratified by a motherlie compassion a working charitie vnstayned loue but by a manifest prophesie wherein Zacharie tolde her Et tuam ipsius animam pertransibit gladius And the sword of sorrow shall pearce thy heart And the reason is anexed To the end that the harts of many may be opened This swoord of griefe sayth Beda is the swoord of sorrow for our Lordes passion Chrisostome and Bernard the sword of loue To good men therefore let this suffice that in imitation of no lesse than fiue twenty ancient holy and Catholique Fathers of the Church I haue enterprised this Prosopopeia to the bad I yeeld no reason at all who wanting deuotion can haue no feeling at all Some there bee that will not onely gybe at this complaint but impaire the person drawing from Maries demerite all that which the fathers in her life helde marueilous to whome beside the speciall testimones of Iohn Damascene and holy Gregory who haue written largely of her dignities I oppose that of Bernards Quod seminae obtemperat humilitas sine exemplo quod faemina Deo principetur sublimitas sine modo Some there be that will accuse the stile as to stirring some the passion as too vehement To the first I will be thankfull if they amend mine errours to the next I wish more iudgment to examine circumstances Some and they too captious will auowe that Scriptures are misapplied fathers mistaken sentences dismembred Whome I admonish and that earnestlie to beware of detraction for it either sheweth meere ignorance or mightie enuie for the detracter first of all sheweth himselfe to be void of charitie and next of all extinguisheth charitie in others To leaue them satisfied therefore let this sussise I haue written nothing without example I build no wares on mine owne abilitie If therefore they hold it mistaken which they haue not read let them acquaint mee wyth their mislikes I will further their readings and establish their iudgements Finally whosoeuer Turke like seeketh to kill mee with reproofes for cherishing him with meditation let him beware of ingratitude least according to the opinion of the Platonikes hee proue Corpus obliuiosum a forgetfull and fantastike bodie Hauing thus preuented the captious I turne to you curteous and vertuous readers to whome I commit and commende these labors wherein if you exercise your selues you shall gouern your senses which as Gregorie witnesseth are certaine windowes whereat the waters of temptation doo enter In meditating with Marie you shall finde Iesus in knowing Christs sufferance you shall be instamed in his loue in hearing his wordes you shal partake his wisdome which who inioteth leaueth the world as transitorie and seeketh after heauen for immortalitie Heereon Augustine exclaimeth Vnhappie is he that knoweth all things knoweth thee not blessed is he that knoweth thee to despise all things If these stirreanie fire of deuotion in you then shal I not greue to see the Baalits my reprouers mangle themselues for shame whilest the fire of Gods intire loue consumeth and drieth the sacrifice Briefly our Lord send a plentifull haruest of teares by this meditation that the deuout heereby may wax more confident the incredulous beleeuing the indifferent more zealous that now at last after I haue wounded the world with too much surfet of vanitie I maye bee by the true Helizeus cleansed from the leprosie of my lewd lines beeing washed in the Iordan of grace imploy my labour to the comfort of
houle and lament a Sauior is departed from you a iust king hath suffered Let your faces bee swolne with weeping for I wil water my couch with teares Let the voice of my mourning bee heard in your streetes for the noise of tribulation is harbored in my heart Weepe discomfortable teares and I wil mingle my drinke with weeping with weeping conduct that Lord to the graue who weepingly bewailed and be wailingly wept ouer your Citie Inforce your selues to weepe whilest my eyes faile me thorough weeping powre your teares on his heart whilest I feede on teares daie and night I will powr all my teares into his wounds he will put all your teares into his bottell Let your teares run like a riuer let my teares be seas to suck them vp only assist me in my strong weeping and teares and he will wipe awaie all your teares Why claime I partners in my griefe who haue no partners in my loue No creatute loued thee deerer in thy life shal I seeke associats in bewailing thee Ah my son could ought but death depart thee and mee Nay coulde there be one step betwixt mee and death who onelye in death maye now seeke thee O Iesu my Father my Sonne see heere an indissoluble Enigma I a Virgine had thee a Sonne thou a son hadst mee a spouse my sonne is my father and I am the daughter of my sonne I will then weepe for thee as my father sigh for thee as thy daghter die for thee as thy spouse and grieue for thee as thy mother as thou art wonderfully mine so will I weepe such a labyrinth of teares as no mortall mourner shalbe able to tract them I will dissolue my relenting yelding passions with all their fruites to lament thee as a sonne I will put on the roabes of dissolution to mourne for thee as my spouse I wil gather ingrosse al griefe to weep for thee as my father beginning where I end and ending where I began I will make my tears famous in their continuance and my loue more inflamed by thinking on thee I coniure you ye daughters of Ierusalem to looke on me but weepe no more with me I lament a sonne lost to teach you to weepe for the sorowes of your children to come but if the entrailes of your pittie springs of compassion must needes breake out weepe you onely his harmes in life let me bewaile the losse of him by death my confident minde and firme constancie when the world was disturbed at his passion made me peremptorie when the earth trembled I was not troubled whē the pilets of heauen were shaken I sounded not they sell I stood now am I drowned in the sea of bitternes his eie of compassion the pilot in those seas hath lefte mee the helme of my hope is broken the sunne of my comfort is eclipsed hee hath past the brierie thornie paths the scourges hath registred his patience on his backe the nailes haue tied his triumphs our sinnes his bodie to the crosse I niurie hath spit her venom Infamie hath doone his worst Iustice hath ransackt his right wayle this yee daughters of Ierusalem for your children shall wring for it I onely exclaim on death death hath triumphed ouer life til glory ouercome death the holie one hath perished fished seeth no corruption one daies one houres one minutes want of that I loue maks euery day an age euerie houre a million of ages euerie minute an eternitie of sorrow for that I want O you that passe this waie beholde this bodie you that looke on these wounds see these lims tell me Is not beautie oppressed Maiestie imbased Innocencie martired Come neere and iudge if anie griefe may bee compared with mine The fairer children we haue the dearer we loue them and shuld I who bare the mirrour of all beautie in my wombe cease to weep for him You men of Israel that beholde this bee not amazed at my griefe my loue was extreame my griefe must not be extenuate the grace was great to beare Christ the courage is as great to bewaile him his beautie was infinite and shall my moanes bee definite These thornes which martyrize his beautious browes this bloud which bedeweth his bloudlesse face these woundes that disgrace his blessed bodie this humilitie in so great mighty a monarch ' are prickes and spurs to egge you vnto repentance springes to washe you from your wickednesse gates to bring you to glory all these are but stinges to stir you to loue God mirrors in which you see his beautie books in which you reade his wisedome and preachers which teach you the waie to heauen Oh thou paschall lambe whose bloud hath bin sprinkled on the timber of the cross Oh thou by whō men are deliuered frō y e thraldom of Egipt the captiuity of the prince of this world whose death killed their death whose sacrifice satisfied for their sinnes Whose bloud deliuereth them from the chastising Angell whose meeknes pacifieth the ire of the father and whose innocencie deserueth for them true securitie and iustice Thou booke which the Prophet sawe written both within and with out why striue not men by theyr sighs to breath life into thee And why should not my cries of compassion recall thy spirit Ahlas my God sinne hath gotten the vpper hand these Iewes are amazed thy mother vnable their zeale cold my power small the vnbeleeuing are many and penitents haue too fewe teares to bewaile thee yet while teares yeeld me anie tribute sighes vouch safe me anie succour tongue affoord me anie words I will weep for thee sigh for thee and talke of thee desiring rather to surfet in wordes than to shroude my zeale and rather die in bewailing thee to much than liue to lament thee too little O thou glasse of grace who hath bespotted thee who hath brought thee into the shadow of death Ah deare soule what northwind of sin hath blowen hether al this tempest meeknesse could not offend patience did not insult innocencie was faultlesse the vvolfe shoulde haue suffered not the lambe the guiltie not the guiltlesse Oh the immeasurable reach of thy mercie I haue spied the insearchable bent of the same thou hast lefte life to reuiue them that loath thee suffred death for such as detracted from thee borne mans infirmities and satisfied his sinnes O grace beyond all conceit O marucilous mysterie Thou diedst for man man declineth from thee thou sufferedst for his sinnes he sigheth not for thy death O men swift footed to run to wickednes haue you no affects to bewaile him who suffered for your defects Wil you not weep for the prophet that died for your profit Haue you no teares to spend for him whose life is spent for you O ingratefull O iniurious drawe neere and behold a mother bewailing your ingratitude a son dead for your redemption and though you lament him not for the plentious consolations
barrennesse the daies of my desolation are come The blessedst amongest women is now the miserablest amongst mothers Grief hath brought mee to deaths doore my sonne but death will not let me enter oh then shewe thy deitie to helpe thy mother and let me die in this desolate flesh to liue in thy diuine bodie the ioy in possessing the one shall temper the losse of the other and dying in my selfe to giue thee life I shall liue in death by reason of thy lyfe O Lorde Lord of my life how hath zeal made mee presume no soule meriteth to dwel in this body but thine own thus impatience in loue makes mee too much presume for loue Fruites long time shut in their buds by rain deawe and sunne are made to blossome riuers closde in then bounds by huge windes are forced to ouerlope the bankes The Ostridge by helpe of the Sun and sand breaketh the shell ripen then thou roote of mine for the raine of remorse hath watered thee the deaw of compassion hath wet thee the sunne of my zeale and charitie hath looked on thee and inflamed thee rise rouse thy selfe thou riuer of God for the windes of my sighs haue summoned thee ouerbeare death holye spring of happines and let the waters of life issue from thee Breake the shell of death thou that fastedst in the desart and let the sunne of my desire quicken the sun of vnderstanding be not to long in conquering death least I loose life in wailing thy death How long ô Lorde howe long wilt thou delay Shall death neuer haue end because my life may be deuoured in death Wilt thou not awake like a strong warriour to conquere these passions with combat with thy mothers heart Set thine axe to the tree of my sorrowe let mine eyes which bewaile thee dead beholde thee liuing let mine eares which are scard with mine owne clamors bee consolated by thy counsels let mee smell thee the rose and see thee the lilly richly clothed let me tast howe sweet the Lord is let me touch him whose absence toucheth mee at the hart let my imagination be the vsher to present thee my memorie the painter to describe thee my consideration the fire to kindle loue Let hell hunger thirst weepe and waile come thou and ioy with Israel thou hast not to doo with Aegypt Come thou corner stone and let me builde on thee wed me to death so thou returne to life I cannot want thee I will not misse thee my loue is so feruent as it neither measures iudgement or regardeth counsel or is brideled by shame or subiect to reason come yeeld me peace with a kisse of thy mouth and let my importunacy work more with thee than all expectation can require Lēd me the cloak of thy presence to diuide the waters of my woes let thy mother bee as strong as thy prophet that by praying to our Lorde with teares by putting my mouth on thy mouth by fastning mine eies to thine eies by closing my handes in thy handes I may make the flesh of my sonne wax warme as he warmed the flesh of the Sunamites child then gasping seuen times I wold kisse thee seuētie times seuen seeme more thy louer than thy mother I wold expostulate with thee of thine absence and if thy wounds fell new a bleeding I would wash them with my teares my hairs should dry them my lips should suck them thou shouldest make me more than a mother in recouering mee an absent sonne Well Lorde if thou denyest that I want I will reioyce in that I haue I wil symbolise thy body with mine and quicken thy passion by my sufferance There shal no sorrow be hid from mine eies till I see thy eyes open and till the eies of our Lord quicken mee the eie of poore Marie shall see no comfort mine eie shal onely see by supposing thine eie seeth all pleasures shal be smoake to mine eies till thy eies doo beholde them till thy eies bee waking mine eies shall be weeping and vnles they grow open I will shut mine eies with sorrow I will set a sure seale vppon my lips till thy lips salute me my lips shall become white as the lilly til thy lips grow crimson like a rose coloured riband My vnsained lips shal bee tired with praier till such time I may inioy thy desired presence my handes shall neuer vnfolde till the hands of my Lord be extended I wil neuer deliuer thy bodie out of my hands till thou deliuer my soule out of her sorrow I will lay my hand vppon my mouth till thou speakest neuer wil I cease to lift vp my hands to heauen till thy hands haue imbraced me on earth till thou put foorth thy hand I will leane my head vpon my hande and till thy fingers touch me my heart shall bee touched with sorrow the wings of the cherubines touched one another ô let the wings of my charity touch the wings of my life both are allied both loue They that touched the hem of thy vesture recouered from their sicknesse shall not I touch thy bodie to recouer me of my sorrow The bodie which liueles touched the bones of Elisa were restored to life and shall my hands touch thee my lippes kisse thee my loue importune thee and thou not liue All heauie thinges by nature search the center I am in the abundance of my heauinesse and cannot descend into the graue I will glorie in tribulation so thou grace me in thy life My soule is in bitternesse and heauie captiuitie oh make my burden light by once looking on mee The Iewes by smiting haue wounded thee thou by absence hast wounded mee sorrow and wounds are euer in my sight touch I thy browe thornes haue wounded it kisse I thy cheekes crimson hath forsaken them thy sides are wounded thy hands are wounded thy feet are wounded my wounds cannot bee hid till thy wounds be healed and til thou liue to recure mee I shall die thorough wanting thee Thou hast promised that whatsoeuer wee shall faithfully aske in thy name thou wilt grant it vs. Then ô Iesu my sonne my cōforter I coniure thee by thine owne name Iesus to blunt and abate the sting of death to breake vp and dispearse the cloudes of darknes and appearing like a fair morning starre quicken the dead comfort of thy mother and giue a light to this desolate and dismaide worlde Shew the light of thy countenance and I shall be whole O Lord my redeemer tarrie not my soule thirsteth after thee my sonne as the hart desireth the hart desireth the water brookes euen so my soule longeth after thee my God Appeare then thou chief shepheard thy flocks saint without thee Apparell thy selfe with life to apparell our hearts with ioy my eies long fore for thy sight oh when wilt thou comfort me O who will giue my head water inough and a spring of teares for mine eies that I
may weepe daie night for the absence of my son Ahlas ahlas sorow increaseth in me and heauinesse swalloweth vp my soule my teares are like seede in a barren ground the garden of my delight is become a desart of sorrow I am like a mother bemourning her child because he is not Oh thou angell of peace come and succour me Ah my sonne the happinesse in bearing thee is buried through the heauinesse in missing thee and the hope I conceiued of thy life is preuented by thy lamentable death Wo is me I am sicke to the death to see thee dead I am sicke for loue and desire to hasten thy life Wilt thou lifte the poore out of the dust and leaue thy mother in desolation Oh lifte vp thine eies and see howe the mother lifteth vp her voice and weepeth Oh loue if thou art mightier than death now shew thy power lighten the lampe of his life at the candle of my charitie Poure the oyle of thy compassion into these wounds and heale them breath the breath of life into him by imbraces and kissing as I claspe mine armes let him gaspe breath as I weep on his face let him sucke vp my teares O death if thou be more pittifull than loue imprison thy dart in my heart ransome my sonne Ahlas the fairest among men loue will not lend him me death wil not grant him me his mother must be onely kinde and her best tributes are but teares prayers kisses and wishes Ah Bethelem mourn with me and you inhabitants of Iuda put on sackcloth for sorrow is come vppon you and the voice of the mourner must ring in your streetes houle and lament Ierusalem weepe the teares of contrition sigh sob complaine you he that loued you lost his lyfe he that wept for you is dead for you hee that praied for you is plagued for you Ah crosse that hast made my sonne a martyr and mee a mourner Ah crosse that art the meane of my griefe Ah crosse the cause of crosse I must kisse thee accuse thee See see thou art honoured by my Iesus name his purple drops of blud dwel in thee thou diddest kisse his bodie his warme bodie and for these causes I kisse thee But cruel crosse since all thy trophies are cause of my trouble thy titles the occasions of my teares let me accuse thee which hast honored thy selfe and left me comfortlesse yet art thou kinde to me in listning my complaintes and but in bearing the name of Iesus in thy front thou hast alreadie recouered my fauour O crosse the image of mortification the tree of redemption the bond of peace the seal of the couenant I will crosse mine armes to imbrace thee Crosse all my ioyes to containe thee I will be a crosse to mine owne soule if it seeke thee not and count euerie comfort a crosse that is not crost by thee I will crosse the seas of tribulation to incounter thee whilst I hold thee holy crosse I will count no crosse too cruell I that bare my sonne will holde it for no base benefit to beare his crosse the onely glorying in the crosse of Christ crucified shal be my best blessing my loue shall fasten mee to my sonnes crosse and in that he vouchsafed a crosse I will esteeme no glorie but in his crosse O sonne the words of thy wisedome were pricks and nailes to my meditation these fastned thee vnto me in all assaultes of sorrowe and those nailes which nailed thy handes and feete to the crosse shall nail my soul thoughts to thy crosse with my nailes I will dig my owne graue before I forsake those nails which forced thy hands Like as a nail in the wall sticketh fast so fastly shall the nailes of thy martirdome sticke in my heart I will naile vp my soule from all ioy because the naile that issued from Iuda is broken my flesh is torne with thornes because thy forehead is rent wyth thornes the thornes of tribulation persecute me because the thornes of martirdome pearceth I will hedge in my heart with thornes because they haue hemd in thy braines with thornes Whether vnto extendeth my sorrowe If it was thy loue that madest thee suffer it becommeth my loue to suffer with thee and since thou giuest mee an example of patience why should I not preserue the same Though the shadow of death ouerspred thine eies hope saith they shall be lightned though thy life be nowe like the darke night it shortly shall be as cleere as the noone daie yea thou shalt shine forth and bee as the morning The shepheards after great storms wait for faire weather the souldiers after dreadfull warre expect happie peace the sentinell after his colde watch attendeth and intendeth his desired and wished sleepe pleasures are the heires of displeasures comfort treadeth on the heele of care Why expostulate I then with death who hauing a time to tyrannize shal at last be lead in triumph the storms of afflictions shall bee calmed the warres of rufull wailing shall haue a peacefull delight these watchfull complaints and attendings to see my loue shal at last be quieted and I shal laie me downe and take my rest for my Lord shall come and cause mee to dwell in safetie Brieftie all teares shal be wiped from mine eies deaths sting shall bee dulled lifes triumph shall bee established sorrowe shall be disinherited and maiestie reuiued Oh my charitie how much doest thou helpe mee in this my faith onely presenteth mee wyth all these hopes as it were vnder a vaile my hope beholdeth my sonne these future prophesies of him as the chiefest good which as yet vnpossessed she hopeth to inioy but thou my charitie makest all these ioyes present so that I behold effectuallye thinges before thy bee and craue no interest in beleefe whereas my loue assures mee all is present Ah that the aduersitie of an houre shoulde make mee thus forget the pleasures I had in lyfe when I lulled thee in my lap my son fostered thee at these teates followed thee in trauels fedde with thee in Aegypt Then ô then what sweetnes inioyed I in thy presence what comfort in thy counsels what courage in extreams Ah but if it be true that thinges the dearer they are loued breed the more hart griefe by their losse howe can I choose but waile that hauing had pleasure to wrappe thee in thy swathing bands must nowe to my discomfort close thee in thy winding sheete Can the want of thy companie the lacke of thy counsells the muficke of thy preachings the miracles in thy lyfe the charitie in thy death be expiated but with another death or answered with a few sighs Ah this aduersitie of an hour in other mens thoughts is an age in mine Compare the age of thy pleasure to one minute of the griefe and it exceedeth it The earth for a little trauell rewardeth the husbandman with a huge crop and
shal I bee more vnkind than the earth to the king of the heauens who as the beam in the glasse hath inriched my wombe and annointed me with the oyle of gladnesse aboue my felows shall I requite his kindnesse great mercies with a few faint teares No my charitie shall not let me my loue shall suffer my griefe to exceed her and reason shall surrender his Lordship to passion sufficeth it my son that in spirit I assure mee of thy life yet in flesh whilest thou art absent dwellest with death let mee bewaile thee for humane weaknesse requireth a little more weeping Of one spark saith the wise man is made a great fire of one kernell a large tree of one grain of mustard seed a great and grosse number why then shuld not one care beget another one tear produce multitudes one sighe inforce stormes wherethorough my griefe might bee endlesse in lamenting my teares ceaselesse in weeping and my sighs incessant in their doubling Hanna was troubled in her minde and wept sore to get a sonne and shuld not Marie be tormented in soule and weep instantly that hath left a sonne Achsah married to Othouiel humbled her selfe before her father and sayd Giue me a blessing thou hast giuen mee a South lande giue mee also springes of water As Achsah to Caleb her father so I to shee my God thou hast giuen mee a South land of desolation wherin the fruits of hope are barre the blossoms of ioyes are blasted Oh giue mee therefore a well spring of teares to water this wast that my hopes maye ripe by my ruth and my ioyes maye bloome after their blasting Iosiah considering the long absence concealment of the bookes of the lawe rent his garments for griefe wept bitterly Wonder not therefore ô ye men of Israel though Marie rent hir heart rent her hairs rent hir clothes for the hath lost long wanted the Lord of the lawe the maker of Moses the father of the people the passeouer and pledge of mans redemption As the hand which is filled with oue thing can receiue and containe no other thing so my heart being filled with the loue of this absent Christ the griefe in wanting him the woundes that wounde him can loue nothing better than to lament him can grieue at nothing else but his want finally my eyes presenting his woundes to the consideration of the same my thoughts are wounded by dwelling in my heart my heart is wounded by containing my thoughts and both are wounded in imagining his wounds yea they are so filled with compassion that they yeeld no place to consolation Why then begette not these griefefull thoughtes more griefefull thoughts these teares more teares these sighes more sighes which hauing onelye emperie in my heart maye giue place to no ioye but breake the circumference that incloseth them in in the centre of care and getting better freedome to produce more they maye in theyr eternitie make mee more miserable and my moane more fruitful ' my sorrowe more plentifull thorough the foisons of my misfortune Ah Marie thou canst not make thine abilitie aunswerable to thy will thy life hath limites and must limite thy teares Hee that bindeth the flouds that they ouerflow not boundeth thy teares Thou hast wept to the vtterance thou hast no more to vtter the darknes must once come to an end the cloudes must at last bee dissolued and euerie thing must end at his appointed time and as there is a time to bemoane so lykewyse there is a time to bee merrie If thou weepe tyll thou weepe awaie lyfe and crie till thy dayes bee consumed and quite wasted a daie shal come to determine both What shall I become a comforter or giue a lawe to my remorse who cannot comprehend my losse No mine eies weepe on whilest I haue a time to liue giue no tearme to your teares as fast as you weep them my braines shall distill them the fire of my loue shall helpe to distill them they cannot cease till I die and beeing dead what need I seeke to bewaile his absence being assured of his presence Th̄e til I die I wil not cease to weep that being dead I may behold him whilest I liue I will count all food vaine till I feede on his presence If mine eies growe wearie my sighes shall assist them and when both of them are infeebled my cries shall be inforced in the hollow of his sepulchre I wil execute these drirements and I will exclaime so long on death till I make him deafe with hearing me Make him deafe poore Marie Ahlas he is alwaies deafe and insensible it were a second death to assault him hee is not tamed by intreaties tempted by perswasions bribed by benefits or allured by lamentations tearmes please him not tears pearce him not it were an endlesse labour a fruitlesse worke Oh my sonne how am I discruciate for thee I woulde worke I know not what to win thee I know not how I wold end my sorrow and desire to begin it I woulde beare thee to thy graue could I cease to imbrace thee I would complaine of my desires so I might appease them and conquer my affections so I might command them but flames that are ' quickly kindled are hardly quenched and where oyle seeds the lampe of sorrowe it will hardly bee extinguished My sighs preuent my teares and inforce them to issue my teares preuent my thoughts make them impatient my thoughtes preuent my reason and admit no moderation my reason would preuent all this but loue preuenteth it my loue beeing of it selfe firie will not cease burning till it imbrace thee flaming till it find thee out my charitie is soueraigne of all my delights she wils mee die to liue with thee And as in Salomons temple there there was nothing that was not couered with golde so is there not anie parte sense motion or action in me or the liuing temple of my soul which is not inuested with loue clothed with charity which hauing the nature of fire which is the most actiue of all elementes is neuer idle but reuiueth teares when they are extinct quickneth sighs when they cease armeth thoughtes when they are dismaide and forceth reason when shee fainteth As the roote is to the tree the soule to the bodie the sunne to the worlde such are thou to mee O my sonne the boughs are not clothed with green except they bee vnited to the root the members inioye no lyfe except they be imformed by the soule the worlde partaketh no light excepte the Sunne illuminateth and lightneth the same so my bodie inioyeth no lyfe except thou liue in mee mine eyes no delight excepte thou loooke vppon them my thoughtes no cleere and perfect vnderstanding vnlesse thou beautifie and beholde them Briefely I cannot bee mine owne without thee I cannot liue thou beeing dead I cannot leaue weeping teares vntill thou come and wipe awaie my teares Hee that truely loueth saith the