Selected quad for the lemma: death_n
Text snippets containing the quad
|
ID |
Title |
Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
Words |
Pages |
|
A07160
|
A sacred poem describing the miraculous life and death of the glorious conuert S· Marie of Ægipt who passed fortie seauen yeares in the desarts leading a penitentiall life to the astonishment of all succeeding ages.
|
Howard, Robert, 1597-1676.
|
1640
(1640)
|
STC 17567; ESTC S112378
|
29,394
|
68
|
our Aegypt it 's lesse wonders fames The skye-crownd roofe which in the midst no art Could ioyne the holy Sepulchre and part Of Caluary includes in th' oual round Of it's extended circuit vast profound I'ts out side sheetes of brasse with fyerye streames Blinds curious eyes from Sols retorted beames White marble-columnes seuenty three vphold The inside archt and parietted with gold Each pillars base and cornish cut and wrought In curious imagery the transomes fraught With counterfaits of saintes such as old time Hath most esteemd of in the churches prime Gallerd aboue the walles and arches crested Twice-guilt and with choyce floritrye inuested Party-colourd marble laid checkerwise In varyed heawes the polisht flooer dyes The windoors equal to the roofe in height Through the whole fabricke spreade a gladsom light Whereof each one supported with three rowes Of marble pillars like t'a temple showes Between each ranke with running transomes crost Fretted with gold and curiously imbost The outside of the wall where wall there was For some might think it had no wall but glasse Had round about with-in it's hollow pents The glittring statues of a thousand saintes With such rare art in the pure marble carud The workmanship alone for wonder serud Such is this sumptuous temple than the which The world hath none more greate more famd more rich The worke of Roman Hellen hauing viewd This goodly building boldly I intrude Borne with the ride of the in-preasing crowde Which like the oceans swelling billowe flowd To th' entry of the church foole that I was To think such sins could through that portal passe The double gate within it's brazen leaues Without resistance the whole presse receaues Where I in impudency onely strong Thought to haue past with the more pious throng But as the crowde had swayd me to the gate I stil was driuen backe by some hidden fate Thousands I sawe which past on euerye side Entrance to none but to my self denyed Toucht with amazement not yet with remorse Againe I forward preast with greater force Againe that vnseen angry arme I feele And forc't backe with a greater force I reele Euen they who in the streame next to me were Past freely through the gates and left me there Thrice thus enraged through the throng I brake Thrice in the same sort I was beaten backe At last perplext in mind in body tyrd Confusd with shame and wonder I retyrd Faint I sate downe and eying th' open gate Thus fretted to my self what sullen fate Resists my entry and with broad disgrace Excludes me onely from this hallowêd place O in this world of people is there none With as great sinnes although perhaps lesse known Than mine are which haue entred if there bee Why am I onely plagud al others free Here wrath and indignatiön inflame My vndiscerning soule with angry shame Blind that I was who in this frantick moode Could not discrye the first spring of my good But tamer reason calming this hot brunt Summons my past life to a strict account Forcing my much-rakt memory t' vnscroule My too-long-folded sinnes a fatal roale My seeing soule with ghastlye terrours faintes I hill horrour in deaths palest colours paints Dismaydnesse in my face hel in my thought And al the torments wherewith hel is fraught Here grace began it 's powêrful beames to shed Which in my soule remorse and sorrow bred Those hydeous sinnes which earst but pastimes were Through this new light in their true forme appear Such as their greatnesse none else can conceiue Nor others better-minded would beleeue That euer such sinnes were sinnes which the earth Were guiltlesse of had it not giuen me birth A greater monster than the which til now It neuer teemd nor after this shal doe Fear of eternitye and hel's blacke shades With horrours neare my fainting soule inuades That cunning fiend which hitherto had soothd My sinful disposition and had smoothd The harsh way of damnation now appears In his owne hideous shape augments my feares Makes my sins greater then indeed they are For none so great as ought to cause dispaire Else infinitely bad we might sinne more Than Gods most infinite goodnesse could restore O father how the griefe of what had past And fear of torments which for euer last Rent my sad heart where in despaire tooke place Striuing to dimme that litle beame of grace Through which my soule already did begin To see and hate the foulenesse of it's sin When loe on each side troubled and distrest That self-same grace my weeping eye addrest T'a goodly image heawd in parian stone The virgin mother with her litlë one Folded in her pure armes such as the light Of the twin-starre shewes in a stormy night To hope-lesse saylers such appeatd this phare To my soule running th' hazard of despaire With humbled head and much more humbled heart I kneele and kneeling thus my woes impart Most blessed virgin farre more blessed mother O euer blest in both aboue al other Although I know how il so dire a wretch May her polluted hands for fauour stretch How il I may presume to looke for grace From thy deseruedly auerted face Since hel more opposite can nothing find To the eternal purîty of thy mind Then this confused chaös of al crimes Slaue to her lustes and monster of these times I know so staind a soule should not expect Other from thee than hatred and neglect Yet since it pleasd that litle son of thine That mighty God that power al-diuine For so despisd'a wretch himself t' expose To al our miseryês and disastrous woes Mother of mercy b' it not sayd that thou Didst ere reiect an humbled sinner's vow Obtaine for me what can that son refuse For which so dearly loud a mother sues That I poore sinner though a worth-lesse ghest Yet may assist at this al-honourd feast And prostrat with true sorrow may adore The markes of his dear wounds and sacred goare Thou spot-lesse virgin which art euer bent To succour such as truely would repent Loe here I vow and from this howêr begin To hate and fly al pathes which leade to sin Be thou my suërty who can alleadge To thy great son a more accepted pledge As soone as entred I shal haue adord His holy crosse and his great name implord My self from worldly ioyes I wil retyre Both truely in effect and in desire Be thou my guide and gratiously impart Comfort and help for thou my suerty art Thus hauing prayd not rashly confident Vnder so great a patronesse I went And where the meeting throngs of such as enterd Shock't with the issûers forth I fearelesse venterd Oh father hear and wonder haue you seen The iustling waues on Neptune's foaming green When windes and tides at variance strongly plea For empire on the billow-breaking sea No otherwise the floating multitudes Shouldring each other in opposed crowdes In streames vncertain yet waue too and fro Whiles some roale backwards others forward flowe These comming on euen at the
A SACRED POEME DESCRIBING THE MIRACVLOVS LIFE AND DEATH OF THE GLORIOVS CONVERT S. MARIE OF AEGIPT Who passed fortie seauen yeares in the desarts leading a penitentiall life to the astonishment of all succeeding ages Plerumque gratior est Deo feruens post culpam vita quam securitate torpens innocentia D. Greg. THE ARGVMENT OF THE POEM FROM APPROVED AVTHORS MARY THE AEGIPTIAN being but 12. yeares old left her Parents and came to Alexandria where for 17 yeares she prostituted her selfe to insatiable lust And to allure more to her company exposed on free cost to their pleasure mayntayning her self in the meane time by begging and spinning of wool It hapned that many sailed to Hierusalem to celebrate the festiuity of the exaltation of the Holy Crosse whither she also trauelled not out of piety but to gaine new associats to her sensual delights And now arriued euen at the gates of the Temple the rest continually entring she alone strangely suffred repulse Which hauing 3. or 4. times susteyned at length she vnderstood that for her sinnes she was deemed vnworthy to behold the holy Crosse Wherefore seriously touched with compunction and prostrate before an Image of the Blessed Virgin she implored her aide that with the rest she might behold honor that sacred Instrument of our Redēption promising from that time neuer to contaminate her self with luxurious impurities Then assaying to enter she found no stoppage as before but like the sea rowling forward the waues the multitude impelle her into the Temple There according to her desire hauing honoured the sanctified wood she returned to the place where formerly she had made her promise to the Blessed Virgin And a voice from heauen directed her how she should dispose of her self for the glory of God and her eternal behoof Whervpon taking with her three loaues of course bread she hastned to the wildernes and there for the space of 47. yeares liued in such austerity as she neither beheld man nor liuing creature confining her self to the presence of God and his Angels her sole spectators her loaues after lōg tract of time being spent she for 17. yeares sustained her feeble body with hearbs onely rootes her garments rotting falling from her she was long so afflicted with winters cold and scortching heats of that clymate as often fainting void of breath she layd on the ground destitute of sense motion For the first 17. yeares after her entrance into the wildernes she was assayled with vgly and violent temptations but through diuine assistance still victorious To conclude after a wonderful and most penitential life interseasoned with diuine consolations Zozimas a blessed Monk coming into that part of the desart found her out and ministred vnto her the B. Sacrament on the Euening of Maundy Thursday and after spiritual conference with her departed the yeare following vpon her appointment returning he found her deceased in a caue whither a lyon then approaching digged vp a graue in which with teares prayers she was interred by Zozimas The Romane Martyrologe and Vsuard recount her day the 2. of Aprill The Grecians in their Menaloge obserue it the day before Nicephorus lib. 7. cap. 5. affirmeth her life to haue been written by Sophronius Bishop of Hierusalem The same is cited in the 2. Councell of Nice And by St. Iohn Damascen orat 3. de Imag and translated into Latine by Paul Diacon Neopoleas is extant in vitis Patrum it was also composed in verse by Hyldebrand Episc. Senon and by Bonad Santon lib. 3. Monad 29. and others She liued about the yeare of Christ 520. in the time of Iustine the elder THE MIRACVLOVS LIFE OF S. MARIE OF AEGIPT MARY of Aegypt's life I sing and crimes To no lesse guilty much more hardned times Smile truth and ye who both by choyce and name O happy may so great a patron clayme Great in hir loosenesse greater in restraint A wondrous sinner a more wondrous saint If my weake muse long nurst in wanton lore Led by a better choice then t' was before Blest soule thy prayses chante oh see and loue The first fruites of hir pennance from aboue Direct hir flight whiles she thy trophyes sings And impe new feathers to hir tainted wings Christs faithful spouse which long had groand opprest By hell-bred Arriâns swarming in the east After th' amazement of that horrid night Was now restored to hit wonted light By Iustin namd the Elder fears were past And wicked errour by faire truth displast The Church inioyed an vniuersal peace Praysing the giuer so when loud stormes cease The merchant safe paves on the calmer shore Such thankefull vowes as he had made before The now free temples through the cittye were Throngd by al sortes of people psalmes each where With hymnes of ioy are shrilld by euéry tongue And loud TE-DEVM'S by the Clergy sung The noyse rings through the ayre a pleasing sound And there receaud doth with new ioy rebound From th' ecchôing angels to th' allmighty's ears Who pleased with their zeale from starre-crownd spheres Viewing the citty and imperial throne Of great Byzantium approues what 's don Thence Eastward twining his all-seeing eyes The sacred land of palestine surueyes No regiön so forcibly inuites His mild aspect no ayre so much delights For there 's his garden there those happy groaues Where first he stoopt o strange to mortal loues There Caluarye showerd with aeternal blood There Sion Oliuet and Iordans flood There Nazareth Bethlem powerfullye arrest His heauenlye eye and oh aboue the rest Here him a band of liuing saints inuites Poore Thred-bare monkes to grace their pious tites Th' almighty's self their burning zeal admires Their many altars and perpetual quyers Their close retired walkes their silent celles Their lowely cloysters and farre distant welles So suncke of purpose that their drinke and meate Might aequally be purchast with their sweat For they their food seeke in the open fields Or eate the croppe which their owne labour yeelds Here contemplation without noyse or strife Inioyes it's peace mixt with the actiue life Whiles Mary sighing swimmes in pious teares Laborious Marthe hir burden gladly beares For loue both sisters in one bond vnites Shares aequally their labours and delights The world 's great Ruler playes his part the whiles Addes flame to flames and at their feruour smiles Yet no one soule could fixe with more delight Th' almighty's eye then that poore naked wight Which howling from the desart with Loud cryes And doleful clamours rent the iniurd skyes Groueling on earth hir eyes bathd in warme streames Hir witherd armes parcht with Sol's fyêry beames Stretcht at their length the rest a naked coarse In hoary tresses clad with zealous force She beates at heauens bright gates and strong in faith Vrgeth hir pardon and hir pardon hath Haue mercy lord the worst of sinners prayes Mercy my god forget my damnëd dayes For hir deare sake whose blessed name I beare Ah can a Mary