then his owne pardon cries No sinnes he had yet all our sinnes he bare So much doth God for others euills care And yet so careles men for their owne euills are 26 See drouzie Peter see whear Iudas wakes Whear Iudas kisses him whom Peter flies O kisse more deadly then the sting of snakes False loue more hurtfull then true injuries Aye me how deerly God his Seruant buies For God his man at his owne blood doth hold And Man his God for thirtie pence hath sold. So tinne for siluer goes and dunghill drosse for gold 27 Yet was it not enough for Sinne to chuse A Seruant to betray his Lord to them But that a Subiect must his King accuse But that a Pagan must his God condemne But that a Father must his Sonne contemne But that the Sonne must his owne death desire That Prince and People Seruant and the Sire Gentil and Iewe and he against himselfe conspire 28 Was this the oyle to make thy Saints adore thee The froathy spittle of the rascall throng At these the virges that at borne before thee Base whipps of corde and knotted all along â—s this thy golden seepter against wrong A reedie cane is that the crowne adornes Thy shining locks a crowne of spiny thornes 〈◊〉 theas the Angels himns the Priests blasphemous scornes 29 Who euer sawe Honour before asham'd Afflicted Maiestie debased height â—â—nocence guiltie Honestie defam'd Libertie bound Health sick the Sunne in night But since such wrong was offred vnto right Our night is day our sicknes health is growne Our shame is veild this now remaines alone For vs since he was ours that wee bee not our owne 30 Night was ordeyn'd for rest and not for paine But they to paine their Lord their rest contemne Good lawes to saue what bad men would haue slaine And not bad Iudges with one breath by them The innocent to pardon and condemne Death for reuenge of murderers not decaie Of guiltles blood but now all headlong sway Mans Murderer to saue mans Sauiour to slaie 31 Fraile Multitude whose giddy lawe is list And best applause is windy flattering Most like the breath of which it doth consist No sooner blowne but as soone vanishing As much desir'd as little profiting That makes the men that haue it oft as light As those that giue it which the proud inuite And feare the bad mans friend the good mans hypocrite 32 It was but now their sounding clamours sung Blessed is he that comes from the most high And all the mountaines with Hosanna rung And nowe away with him away they crie And nothing can be heard but crucifie It was but now the Crowne it selfe they saue And golden name of King vnto him gaue And nowe no King but onely Caesar they will haue 33 It was but now they gathered blooming May And of his armes disrob'd the branching tree To strowe with boughs and blossomes all thy way And now the branchlesse truncke a crosse for thee And May dismai'd thy coronet must be It was but now they wear so kind to throwe Their owne best garments whear thy feet should goe And now thy selfe they strip and bleeding wounds they show 34 See whear the author of all life is dying O fearefull day he dead what hope of liuing See whear the hopes of all our liues are buying O chearfull day they bought what feare of grieuing Loue loue for hate and death for life is giuing Loc how his armes are stretch't abroad to grace thee And as they open stand call to embrace thee Why stai'st thou then my soule ô flie flie thither hast thee 35 His radious head with shamefull thornes they teare His tender backe with bloody whipps they rent His side and heart they furrowe with a spear His hands and feete with riuing nayles they tent And as to disentrayle his soule they meant They iolly at his griefe and make their game His naked body to expose to shame That all might come to see and all might see that came 36 Whereat the heau'n put out his guiltie eye That durst behold so execrable sight And sabled all in blacke the shadie skie And the pale starres strucke with vnwonted fright Quenched their euerlasting lamps in night And at his birth as all the starres heau'n had Wear not enough but a newe star was made â—o now both newe and old and all away did fade 37 The mazed Angels shooke their fierie wings Readie to lighten vengeance from Gods throne One downe his eyes vpon the Manhood flings Another gazes on the Godhead none But surely thought his wits wear not his owne Some flew to looke if it wear very hee But when Gods arme vnarmed they did see â—lbee they sawe it was they vow'd it could not bee 38 The sadded aire hung all in cheerelesse blacke Through which the gentle windes soft sighing flewe And Iordan into such huge sorrowe brake As if his holy streame no measure knewe That all his narrowe bankes he ouerthrewe The trembling earth with horrour inly shooke And stubborne stones such griefe vnus'd to brooke Did burst and ghosts awaking from their graues gan looke 39 The wise Philosopher cried all agast The God of nature surely lanquished The sad Centurion cried out as fast The Sonne of God the Sonne of God was dead The headlong Iew hung downe his pensiue head And homewards far'd and euer as he went He smote his brest halfe desperately bent The verie woods and beasts did seeme his death lament 40 The gracelesse Traytour round about did looke He lok't not long the Deuill quickely met him To finde a halter which he found and tooke Onely a gibbet nowe he needes must get him So on a wither'd tree he fairly set him And helpt him fit the rope and in his thought A thousand furies with their whippes he brought So thear he stands readie to hell to make his vault 41 For him a waking bloodhound yelling loude That in his bosome long had sleeping layde A guiltie Conscience barking after blood Pursued eagerly ne euer stai'd Till the betrayers selfe it had betray'd Oft chang'd he place in hope away to winde But change of place could neuer change his minde Himselfe he flies to loose and followes for to finde 42 Thear is but two wayes for this soule to haue When parting from the body forth it purges To flie to heau'n or fall into the graue Where whippes of scorpions with the stinging scourges Feed on the howling ghosts and firie Surges Of brimstone rowle about the caue of night Where flames doe burne and yet no sparke of light And fire both fries and freezes the blaspheming spright 43 Thear lies the captiue soule aye-sighing sore Reck'ning a thousand yeares since her first bands Yet staies not thear but addes a thousand more And at another thousand neuer stands But tells to them the starres and heapes the sands And now the startes are told and sands are runne And all those thousand thousand
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
Aristotle would be as blind as Homer If they retaine Musitians who euer doubted but that Poets infused the verie soule into the inarticulate sounds of musique that without Pindar Horace the Lyriques had beene silenced for euer If they must needes entertaine Soldiers who can but confesse that Poets restore againe that life to soldiers which they before lost for the safetie of their country that without Uirgil Aeneas had neuer beene so much as heard of How then can they for shame deny commonwealths to them who wear the first Authors of them how can they denie the blinde Philosopher that teaches them his light the emptie Musitian that delights them his soule the dying Soldier that defends their life immortalitie after his owne death let Philosophie let Ethiques let all the Arts bestowe vpon vs this guift that we be noâ— thought deadmen whilest we remaine among the liuing it is onely Poetrie that can make vs be thought liuing men when we lie among the dead and therefore I thinke it vnequall to thrust them out of our cities that call vs out of our graues to thinke so hardly of them that make vs to be so well thought of to deny them to liue a while among vs that make vs liue for euer among our Posteritie So beeing nowe weary in perswading those that hate I commend my selfe to those that love such Poets as Plato speakes of that sing divine and heroical matters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 recommending theas my idle howers not idly spent to good schollers and good Christians that haue ouercome their ignorance with â—eason and their reason with religion FOnd ladds that spend so fast your poasting time Too poasting time that spends your time as fast To chaunt light toyes or frame some wanton time Where idle boyes may glut their lustfull tast Or else with praise to cloath some fleshly shine With virgins roses and faire lillies chast While itching bloods and youthfull eares adore it But wiser men and once your selues will most abhorre it But thou most neere most deare in this of thine Ha'st proov'd the Muses not to Venus bound Such as thy matter such thy muse divine Or thou such grace with Merci's selfe hast found That she her selfe deign's in thy leaues to shine Or stol'n from heav'n thou broughts this verse to ground Which frights the nummed soule with fearefull thunder And soone with honied dewes melts it twixt ioy and wonder Then doe not thou malitious tongues esteeme The glasse through which an envious eye doth gaze Can easily make a molehill mountaines seeme His praise dispraises his dispraises praise Enough if best men best thy labours deem And to the highest pitch thy merit raise While all the Muses to thy song decree Victorious Triumph Triumphant Victorie Phin. Fletcher Regal TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPVLL AND REVEREND Mr. Doctour NEVILE Deane of CANTERBVRIE and the Master of TRINITIE Colledge in CAMBRIDGE RIght worthie and reverend Syr As I have alwaies thought the place wherein I liue after heauen principally to be desired both because I most want and it most abounds with wisdome which is fled by some with as much delight as it is obtained by others and ought to be followed by all so I cannot but next vnto God for euer acknowledge myselfe most bound vnto the hand of God I meane yourselfe that reacht downe as it were out of heauen vnto me a beâ—…fit of that nature and price then which I could wish none oneâ—… heauen itselfe excepted either more fruitfull and contenting â—…r the time that is now present or more comfortable and encouraging for the time that is alreadie past or more hopefull and â—…omising for the time that is yet to come For as in all mens iudgements that haue any iudgement Euâ—…pe is worthily deem'd the Queene of the world that Garland both of Learning and pure Religion beeing now become her crowne and blossoming vpon her head that hath long since laine withered in Greece and Palestine so my opinion of this Island hath alwaies beene that it is the very face and beautie of all Europe in which both true Religion is faithfully professed without superstition and if on earth true Learning sweetly flourishes without ostentation and what are the two eyes of this Land but the two Universities which cannot but prosper in the time of such a Prince that is a Prince of Learning aswell as of People and truly I should forget myselfe if I should not call Cambridge the right eye and I thinke King Henrie the 8. beeing the vniter Edward the 3. the Founder and your selfe the Repairer of this Colledge wherein I liue none will blame me if I esteeme the same since your polishing of it the fairest sight in Cambridge in which beeing placed by your onely fauour most freely without either any meanes from other or any desert in my selfe beeing not able to doe more I could doe no lesse then acknowledge that debt which I shall neuer be able to pay and with old Silenus in the Poet vpon whome the boyes injiciunt ipsis ex vincula sertis making his garland his fetters finding my selfe bound vnto you by so many benefits that were giuen by your selfe for ornaments but are to me as so many golden cheines to hold me fast in a kind of desired bondage seeke as he doth my freedome with a song the matter whereof is as worthie the sweetest Singer as my selfe the miserable Singer vnworthie so divine a subiect but the same fauour that before rewarded no desert knowes now as well how to pardon all faults then which indulgence when I regard my selfe I can wish no more when I remember you I can hope no lesse So commending these few broken lines vnto yours and your selfe into the hands of the best Physitian IESVS CHRIST with whome the most ill affected man in the midst of his sicknes is in good health and without whoms the most lustie bodie in his greatest iollitie is but a languishing karcase I humbly take my â—eaue ending with the same wish that your deuoted Observer â—…nd my approoued Friend doth in his verses presently sequent that your passage to heauen may be slow to vs that shall want â—…ou here but to your selfe that cannot want vs there most secure â—nd certeyne Your Worships in all dutie and seruice G. FLETCHER THOMAS NEVYLE MOST HEAVENLY AS when the Captaine of the heauenly host Or else that glorious armie doth appeare In waters drown'd with surging billowes tost We know they are not where we see they are We see them in the deepe we see them mooue We know they fixed are in heauen aboue So did the Sunne of righteousnesse come downe Clowded in flesh and seem'd be in the deepe So doe the many waters seeme to drowne The starres his Saints and they on earth to keepe And yet this Sunne from heauen neuer fell And yet these earthly starres in heauen dwell What if their soules be into prison cast In earthly bodies yet they long for heauen
world which all in darkenesse lay Doth heau'ns bright face of his rayes disaray â—…d sads the smiling orient of the springing day 10 〈◊〉 was a Virgin of austere regard â—…t as the world esteemes her deafe and blind â—…t as the Eagle that hath oft compar'd 〈◊〉 eye with heau'ns so and more brightly shin'd Her lamping sight for she the same could winde Into the solid heart and with her eares The silence of the thought loude speaking heares And in one hand a paire of euen scoals she weares 11 No riot of affection reuell kept Within her brest but a still apathy Possessed all her soule which softly slept Securely without tempest no sad crie Awakes her pittie but wrong'd pouertie Sending his eyes to heau'n swimming in teares With hideous clamours euer struck her eares Whetting the blazing sword that in her hand she beares 12 The winged Lightning is her Mercury And round about her mightie thunders sound Impatient of himselfe lies pining by Pale Sicknes with his kercher'd head vpwound And thousand noysome plagues attend her round But if her clowdie browe but once growe foule The flints doe melt and rocks to water rowle And ayrie mountaines shake and frighted shadowes howâ—… 13 Famine and bloodles Care and bloodie Warre Want and the Want of knowledge how to vse Abundance Age and Feare that runnes afarre Before his fellowe Greefe that aye pursues His winged steps for who would not refuse Greefes companie a dull and rawebon'd spright That lankes the cheekes and pales the freshest sight Vnbosoming the cheerefull brest of all delight 14 Before this cursed throng goes Ignorance That needes will leade the way he cannot see And after all Death doeth his flag aduaunce And in the mid'st Strife still would roaguing be Whose ragged flesh and cloaths did well agree And round about amazed Horror flies And ouer all Shame veiles his guiltie eyes And vnderneth Hells hungrie throat still yawning lies 15 Vpon two stonie tables spread before her She lean'd her bosome more then stonie hard There slept th'vnpartiall iudge and strict restorer Of wrong or right with paine or with reward There hung the skore of all our debts the card Whear good and bad and life and death were painted Was neuer heart of mortall so vntainted But when that scroule was read with thousand terrors fainted 16 Witnes the thunder that mount Sinai heard When 〈◊〉 hill with firie clouds did flame And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Israel with the sight afeard Blinded 〈◊〉 seeing durst not touch the same But like a wood of shaking leaues became On this dead Iustice she the Liuing Lawe Bowing herselfe with a maiestique awe All heau'n to heare her speech did into silence drawe 17 Dread Lord of Spirits well thou did'st deuise To fling the worlds rude dunghill and the drosse Of the ould Chaos farthest from the skies And thine owne seate that heare the child of losse Of all the lower heau'n the curse and crosse That wretch beast caytiue monster Man might spend Proude of the mire in which his soule is pend Clodded in lumps of clay his wearie life to end 18 His bodie dust whear grewe such cause of pride His soule thy Image what could he enuie Himselfe most happie if he so would bide Now grow'n most wretched who can remedie He slewe himselfe himselfe the enemie That his owne soule would her owne murder wreake If I were silent heau'n and earth would speake And if all fayl'd these stones would into clamours breake 19 How many darts made furrowes in his side When she that out of his owne side was made Gaue feathers to their flight whear was the pride Of their newe knowledge whither did it fade When running from thy voice into the shade He fled thy sight himselfe of sight bereau'd And for his shield a leauie armour weau'd With which vain maÌ„ he thought Gods eies to 〈…〉 20 And well he might delude those eyes that see And iudge by colours for who euer sawe A man of leaues a reasonable tree But those that from this stocke their life did drawe Soone made their Father godly and by lawe Proclaimed Trees almightie Gods of wood Of stocks and stones with crownes of laurell stood Templed and fed by fathers with their childrens blood 21 The sparkling fanes that burne in beaten gould And like the starres of heau'n in mid'st of night â—lacke Egypt as her mirrhours doth behould â—re but the denns whear idoll-snakes delight â—gaine to couer Satan from their sight Yet these are all their gods to whome they vie The Crocodile the Cock the Rat the Flie. 〈◊〉 gods indeede for such men to be serued by 22 â—…e Fire the winde the sea the sunne and moone â—…e flitting Aire and the swift-winged How'rs â—…d all the watchmen that so nimbly runne â—…d centinel about the walled towers 〈◊〉 the worlds citie in their heau'nly bowr's And least their pleasant gods should want delight Neptune spues out the Lady Aphrodite â—…d but in heauen proude Iunos peacocks skorne to lite 23 â—…e senselesse Earth the Serpent dog and catte â—…d woorse then all these Man and woorst of men â—…rping Ioue and swilling Bacchus fat â—…d drunke with the vines purple blood and then â—…e Fiend himselfe they coniure from his denne Because he onely yet remain'd to be Woorse then the worst of men they flie from thee â—…d weare his altar-stones out with their pliant knee 24 〈◊〉 that he speakes and all he speakes are lies â—…e oracles 't is he that wounded all â—…res all their wounds he that put out their eyes â—…at giues them light he that death first did call Into the world that with his orizall Inspirits earth he heau'ns al-seeing eye He earths great Prophet he whom rest doth flie That on salt billowes doth as pillowes sleeping lie 25 But let him in his cabin restles rest The dungeon of darke flames and freezing fire Iustice in heau'n against man makes request To God and of his Angels doth require Sinnes punishment if what I did desire Or who or against whome or why or whear Of or before whom ignorant I wear Then should my speech their sands of sins to mountaines â—eaâ— 26 Wear not the heau'ns pure in whose courts I sue The Iudge to whom I sue iust to requite him The cause for sinne the punishment most due Iustice her selfe the plaintiffe to endite him The Angells holy before whom I cite him He against whom wicked vniust impure Then might he sinnefull liue and die secure Or triall might escape of triall might endure 27 The Iudge might partiall be and ouer-pray'd The place appeald from in whose courts he sues The fault excus'd or punishment delayd The parties selfe accus'd that did accuse Angels for pardon might their praiers vse But now no starre can shine no hope be got Most wretched creature if he knewe his lot And yet more wretched farre because he knowes it not 28 What should I tell how barren earth is growne â—…ll for to
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