Oâ—dipus his two accursed twins Erected for the â—uine of our peace Farewell content in men of each degree If thou be proud foule hate will follow thee Thou canst not haue the Fleece of Colchis I le Noâ— that resplendent Fleece of sanctitie For why presumption doth thy thoughts beguile Pride cannot dwell with poore humilitie Thou mayst remaine and flourish for a time But ill successe will â—ntercept thy prime So on thy course and with the Giants â—ierce Wage battaile with the Gods of heauen and earth Seeme as thou would the starres with Iulian pierce Outdare the Authour of thy cursed birth Care not for God or man but in despite Damnation in thine vgly forehead write Arachne she can weaue her purpâ—e threede And well conceited of her curious skill Challengeth stately â—allas with all speede Whose Art this Art did into her distill Pallas quoth she I hope I may compare With you in spinning if you better were But what succeeded Pallas did replie Minion ere long I le teach you to confesse Your fond presumption who I pray am I Your mistresse sure I will approue no lesse This doth proceede from thy inuectiue tong VVhich by this heauenly feature I le make dumbâ— No sooner had she spoken but her forme VVas quite transformde into another shape Two twigs by Pallas will did her adorne This feature got she for presumption sake And that which had a comely forme before In Spiders likenesse doth her state deplore These be the fruits of a presumptuous minde Bitter in taste working thee Authors baine And like a Viper deadly to her kinde VVhich by engendring breedeth endlesse paine This will dispoile thee of thy Golden Fleece Nere to returne from Colchis into Greece Be humble meeke obedient to thine head Least with a sudden ouerthrow thy friend Condole thy fortune by misfortune lead Yet cannot by his salue thy griefes amend So succourlesse and eke distrest with griefe In thy distresse canst purchase no reliefe The lowest Tamricke is the saf'st from haile The lofâ—iest Cedar's soonest throwen down An humble minde ther 's nought that can appal High spirits be most subiect to a frown Each thing by Nature must one time decay But meane estates be saf'st from harme alway If thou wilt haue this Golden Fleece this prize Thou must embarke thy selfe in troups of griefe Those who obtaine thy conqâ—est sloth dispise Oftimes dismaid without the least reliefe And then if thou wilt conquer thou must fight By meditation gainst sin day and night The valiant Argonautes did not refuse Haile raine or snow for to obtaine that gaine Vnder a faignde pretence they not refuse Their serious labour or industrious paine Wherefore they got the hauen of their rest And did enioy that which they loued best A worthy prize if prizes temporall Can haue such worth or yet deserue such labour Who will not seeke a price coelestiall Purchasde by earnest suite and Gods high fauour Then let it be our will our onely pleasure Sell all we haue and buy this heauenly treasure No rust can ere consume this precious gemme No mothes can eate into this sacred shrine A Roabe most fit for well disposed men Who at an others state doe not repine Of this be sure who enuies each mans state Shall neuer enter in the narrow gate If that the Argonautes with mutuall splene Should haue enuide at each an others worth With this same prize they neere enricht had been But with vnluckie labours curst their birth A threesold cord is hardly broke men say But being dissolude like vapours glides away Then let this mutuall loue dispell each hate And each reuenge pretended in your hearts Nothing is more pernicious then debate Which flourishing Empires many time subuerts This is the state of men that each will crie Caesar aut Nullus to their enemie Caesar if he had raignde in common loue Or gouerned his Realme in amitie Brutus his owne adopted would approue Of his proceedings without enmitie But these aspiring heads be oft brought low With tu mi Brute thoule kill Caesar too But of all discords in an humane sence None more detested then a brothers hate Remus against Romulus prepares defence Amulius with Numitor debate And rich Sichaeâ—s must of force be slaine Alcydes priest by his Pigmalion These sharpe contentions cannot get the price But ruine their owne forces by their hand These are not vndertaken by aduice But guided by the Eumenides commaund All things haue end to these vnhappie end By short prescription Lord of Lords will send Caine is offended with his louing brother And what 's the cause perchance his sacrifice Is better farre respected then the other Which he doth offer wherefore thence he flies And doth prouide by his accurled breath To be the Agent of his brothers death Yet Abels bloud like to the morning dew Asâ—endeth vp vnto Gods heauenly throne Shewing how Caine his hands did â—rst embrew In brothers bloud his bloud to heauen doth grone Wheerefore the Lord who taâ—es reuenge of sinne Damn'd Cains despaire which he did welter in Caine wher 's thy brother Caine doth answer him Am I my brothers keeper insolence Dar'st thou that art compact of nought but sinne Answer him so whoâ—e heauenly excellence Ruleth each thing and hath created thee To laud his name not grieue his maiestie Go thou thy way for thou canst ne're obtaine This Golden Fleece interred in dispaire Go wag thine head with thy distracted braineâ— Thou of perdition art the lineall heire The Golden Fleece is kept for such as liue To please their God and not their God to grieue But such as like the Sabines do disdaine That ere the Romans should in mariage ioyne With their renowned stocke and thinke it shame That their vpstart descent should them detaine Shall soone be vanquisht and deuoid of aide To darke obliuions Tombe retire dismaid The Argonautes who got the Golden Fleece Neuer disdaind to ioyne with any power Combinde with euery Nation in a peace Which did distill like Danaes Golden shower This golden peace did get them that renowne Which all the I le of Colchis puld not downe Nought there can be more strong then vnitie If so that vnion doe no discord breede For it effects things worthy memory Which no commotion in the state doth feede For wealth and peace blest Aegias kinde twins With mutuall passions mutuall honour wins Both weepe at once both smile with like desire Both walke both stand both make a like repose And to conclude they burne with equall fire Both win at once both equally doe lose Nought there can be being borne of selfesame mother Belonging to the one not to the other And then what is it which obtaines this prize Not wealth nor treasure in aboundance had To get this prize is not to temporize For flattery in Princes seemes too bad And time obseruers be of small regard VVhen
reelest from his shoulders to depart Vnto thy vaine delights doe what hee can With second death thou penetrat'st his heart Thou mak'st it bleede afresh and in thy sin Like Sow in mire delight'st to wallow in Lament thy stragling footsteps thy offences Lament the horrour of thy mis spent time Lament thy sinne thine Hypocrite pretences Lament so shall soules-splendour brightly shine The spirit and the flesh bandie their force With flesh the diuell ioynes without remorce Be thou remorcefull and the Lord will take Pitie vpon all thine infirmities Euen for his death and for his passions sake Will he exempt thee thine enormities And bring thee to the place of heauenly ioy Void of distresse exempted from annoy Buy this celestial treasure this reward This heauenly Manna made for Angels foode This precious iewell all wise men regard Purchasde to vs by Christs effused bloud This is no Tolosanum aurum which was brought To Rome by Q. Cepio deerely bought That was the ruine of him that did find it This is the blessing of him doth possesse it Who is he then that will not greatly minde it To be the worthiest gem who 'le not confesse it Since who obtaines it lasting life obtaines Albeit precious got with little paines That is obrizum aurum gold refined Purer then Cristall cleerer then the Glasse This heauenly treasure is to such assignde As in deuotion doe their life time passe Then get this gold and like a bracelet tie it About thine arme sell all thy goods and buy it Then shalt thou get this Golden Fleece of ioy Solace vnto thy soule and endlesse blisse Esteeme not of it as a triuiall toy Since it 's the hauen of thy happinesse So runne so conâ—inue in thy running That thou maist be eternizd at Christs comming None must obtaine vnlesse they holde their course For he that liueth must proceed therewith And this same lewesse will each man enforce To runne all breathlesse to recouer breath God grant we may so runne this mortal race That we with ioy may see Gods heau'nly face Alwaies prouided for the day to come Least vnawares our soule sustaine the spoyle And then euen speechlesse we appeare as dumbe And vndergoe an euerduring foyle Then shall we weepe and eke deplore our state But lamentation then will come too late Those fiue wise Virgins had their Lamps prouided Therefore they were accepted in the roome Of nuptiall rites the other were deâ—ided That vnprouided would presume to come Oh then let vs prouide our Lampes with oyle So shall the Lord vs of our sinne assoyle For those who haue no oyle within their lights Shall bee debarred heau'ns fâ—licitie And rest enthroned in perpetuall night Where howling is their sweetest harmonie Nothing is better thâ—n prouision sure To get that life which euer shall endure Many intend to spend tâ—eir worthlessâ— life In â—aking richesâ— through desire of gaine But such things be tâ—e nourishers of stâ—ife And thâ—s thy substance will thy conscience staine It shall distaine thy conscience and oppresse Thy deere bought soule with gall of bitternesse Galde be he euer that bestowes his time In things offensiue to Gods maiestie Employing nâ—t himselfe in things diuine But in prophanenesse and impietie Soone die they in despaire and discontent Who grieue their God and gâ—iâ—uing not repent There can be nothing happier then tâ—at man Who doth direct his industrie therein Which is concordant to Gods high commaund The safest antidote against all sin For he shall sure obtaine that prâ—ze that pay Which power of darknesseâ— nere shall take away Labour for this and then thou shalt doe well Thou shalt attaine vnto the port of rest There to remaine euen in that sacred cell Which aboue all is to be loued best That sacred mansion of tranquilitie Eternall rest of heau'ns felicity Who would remaine in this salt Sea of woe In this vnfruitfull vale of miserie Who would in sinners pathes delight to goe Since nought there is but sharpe calamitie Be not besotted with this earthly pleasure Lest thou do leese the hope of heauenly treasure And then farewell fond man for thy distresse Cannot be vttred by the tongue of any Such is the platforme of thy wretchednesse That thy distresses be in number many And then an Aetna with a scorching flame Shall vexe thy soule with euerlasting paine Now giue a sob in token of thy griefe Now weepe amaine least thou remorcelesse die A sigh perchance will yeeld thee some reliefe And make thee with a dolefull heart to crie Pittie deare Lord pittie good God I craue I doe confesse that I offended haue This short petition will appease his ire Such is his mercy towards penitents And though it burnd before more hote then fire Yet at thy teares he presently relents And answers thee if thou wilâ— cease from sin Thou shalt in ioy for euer raigne with him If thoule not weepe Iesus will weepe for thee For ore Ierusalem did he lament He will condâ—le thy woe thy miserie And tell thee plaine thy fall is imminent He hath more feeling of our wretchednesse Then we our selues haue of our owne distresse How often hath he calde vs euen with teares Stretching his racked armes vpon the crosse Yet we runne headlong void of filiall feare Secure and carelesse of our owne soules losse Oh weepe for shame and let thy teares bewaile Thy carelesse life which did thy Sauiour naile Shall thy distresse more moue another man Then thine owne heart which should sustaine the griefe Sure whosoeuer shall thy folly scan Will deeme thee most vnworthie of reliefe For this thy soule is cauterizde with sin Which thou for euer meanes to dally in Lasciuious minion that consumes thy daies In tricking vp thy selfe in fine attire In decking those proud parts thy name decayes Thy honour faâ—les dishonourd by desire Thou with the Argonautes shalt neâ—e obtaine Without Gods speciall grace this heauenly gaine Yet if with Marie Magdalen thou weepe And shed salt teares in token of râ—morce If thou repose not in a sinfull sleepe Thy teares thy sighâ—s shall be of equall force Cleere to exempt thee fâ—om â—he sting of death Which otherwise with mist would choak thy breath Oh that I could lament as Peter did Oh then should I to mercy haue recourse But through distâ—ust of mercy I am hid With Adam in the groâ—e made worse and worse Oâ— mollifie deare Lord this heart of mine That in contrition I may be found thine What if I haue aboundance of all treasure Wallow in curious cates and sumptuouâ— fare Yet all my deeds opponents to Gods pleasure Oh thâ—n God knowes how poore I am and bare Naked forloâ—ne opprest with misery And so distrest who i st will pâ—ttie me Grant vs deare Lord so to employ our time And so our â—alent thou to vs hast lent That like the starres in glory we may shine And reape the fruits of
There is no marble-heart so hardened But by Christs death it will be mollified Oh stonie conscience fraught with wretchednesse Oh vile disfigurde creature made of sinne Thou that compacted art of wickednesse How by thy merits canst thou fauour winne Nay nay to flie to them thou wouldst be loth For they be filthier then a menstruous cloâ—h Here let me fixe my staffe with Scipio And set my foote vnto Alcâ—des frame Beyond which pillers neuer one could goe Non vltra fixte to memorize his name Here 's Romulus high wal who leapes ore this With Remus vnder it interred is Scipios firme staffe I haue defixed here In token that my prouince is obtainde Vnto whose sacred shrine let all draw nere Now is the prize the Golden Fleece regainde That Golden Fleece the subiect of my verse The rarest Motto on a dead mans herse For none that dieth pleasure can enioy Vnlesse he haue a garment made of this Not like that poisoned shirt which did annoy Oeteaâ— Hercules depriude of blisse This is the garment of our chastitie The milke-white Albe of our sinceritie Who doth not make his garment of this woole Purer then purple of the finest dye Doth his owne soule with wickednes defoule Depriude of Christs death means to cure his paiâ— This garment is the ornament of loue That Oliue branch brought by a Turtle Doue The Tyrians were rich with orient gemme Yet not so rich as this most precious iewell The Arabians sweete perfumed odors sends But those for daintie dames remaine as fewell Pontus brings forth rich beuers of all kind But not comparde vnto the peace of mind India is rich furnisht with golden mines But sauage minds possesse them without vse More expert coasts at the Indians rapines In that such precious mettals they abuse But we repine not at their Indians gaine So we this heauenly treasure may obtaine Craesus was rich yet he obtainde not this Irus was poore Codrus as poore as he And these two beggars had their share of blisse As much as Craesus for his maiestie Then what doe I regard such wealth such store Since after death I am not blest therefore Poore Thestylis did labour to maintaine Her poore estate by daily toyle and care Rich Menedemus carkte for rustie gaine Yet at her death she had as much to spare Both these did toyle yet toild they not for this To be partakers of eâ—ernall blisse This richesse is a canker which consumes The rare fram'd substance of the soule diuine For rich men through their rich estates presume To purchase heau'n as they did earth forâ— time But gold adoring creatures they must know That their confusion from their richesse grow Thus that conuerted is to bitter paine Which they reserude for antidotes of health They lose in traffique where they thought to gaine Not much vnlike vnto Prometheus stealth Who by his theft resoluing to reuiue His liuelesse shrines himselfe of life depriude Who being on mount Caucasus stands bound Enchaind in fetters of captiuitie Whose heart consuming Eagles grapple round Yet right reuiues his endlesse miserie Hartlesse consumde by day his griefes renewde For with a new framde heart he is endewde Night doth create in him that which the day Had quite consumde wounded by Eagles billes Thus he tormented is as Poets say The night reuiuing what the day time killes Thus discontented rests in discontent A iust reward for theft or thefts entent Reade but these leaden poems finde of gold For gold is subiect to their shapelesse forme Though they degenerate from a golden mould Yet pious wits will not such fragments scorne And as a maske oft veles deformitie So may my errors by your clemency A kinde embrace encourageth a swaine To tell his rusticketale and doth exciteâ— His silly muse to frolicke or the plaine So kindest censures them that rudely write If these naked poems please I doe protest In bounden loue deuoted I will rest To be commanded in the highest straine That poore Menalchas euer shall attaine Sat vobis est hac tenui serpente vena FINIS AN ELEGIE ENTITVLED Narcissus Change NArcissus pestred with the Summer heate Came to a fountain whose stil-flowing spring Refreshed him where siluer fountaines meete Vpon whose banks did ripened berries hing VVhose pleasant colour did such beauty show That they their forme did to the banks bestow Such was the beauty of that ripened fruite Whose faire adorning shadow did oreshade The banks adioynde where Clio with her Lute Vsed to play with flourie roabes araide Where Clio plaid the Naiades replide With tripping grace in Tempe deifide Here did Narcissus bath himselfe a while And with a Nectar sweetnesse quench his thirst Ling him downe with quicke conceit did smile Glutted with water which he longde for first Where he perceiuing how thee berries cast A beauteous colour thus he spake agast Faire were that creature that surpassed these In beautie or in colour but no shape Can be comparde to these delicious trees Whose fruitfull sprigs send out this louely grape O why should Gods quoth he such berries make Of such rare colour for Narcissus sake Narcissus is not in his shape so faire Nor in his colour so admirde as these Bright-eide Alexis is beyond compare Yet not comparde to these broad shadowing trees Phyllis was fayre yet not so faire to me As these faire berries speckled pretily Thus whil'st he spake he did reflect his eyes Vnto the fountaine where he did perceiue His owne affected beauty which descries Conceit of beauty doth young youthes depraue For he conceited of his beauteous forme With high ambition did his shape adorne Doest thou aduaÌ„ce quoth he wiâ—h high prizde praise The beauty of these berries grow hard by And will not thine owne beauty eternize Decked with pleasures in variety Thy blush exceeds the feature of all plants Thou art endewde with that the Cupresse wants The Cypresse tree doth not her verdure lose But still reserues her vernant shape and springs With cheerefull die so doth the blushing rose VVhich to her pruner fragrant sauour bringâ— Neither the Rose nor yet the Cypresse tree In any wise may be comparde to thee Damon hath told me oft I was most faire Yet I beleeude him not but now I see My beautie is mongst other shepheards rare No marueile if Orytha fauour me Since Nature by Apelles hand hath sought To passe that nature which foretime was wrought Crotons fine daughters framde by Zeuxes art VVere much admirde for beauty yet must yeeld To thee Narcissus for in euery part Thy well proportiond members them exceld They faire by art thou by dame Nature faire Nature with art we vse not to compare Thersites that mishapen Grecian swaine was of my stocke and louely progenie But he foule man should be reformd againe For his ill featurde formes deformitie But thou Nâ—rcissus dost enioy that name VVhich Nature doth enuie whil'st
inuented Not of that horrid iltunde paritie To which old Orpheâ—s in hell first consented VVhen he his wife attaind by Musicks straine That did long time before in hell remaine Concord befitteth best the rarest wits And what tune rather then a quiet minde Immortall things immoâ—tall minds befit Affecting that which first was her assignde Solace thy chastest minde deckt gloriously VVith present health and future dignity Arcadian shepheards borne of meane degree VVill not so passe their time but in regard Of times content and minds tranquilitie Obtaine that prize which may not be comparde VVith terrene drosse more vile then brittle clay VVhich one howers sicknesse soone can take away Doest thou tricke vp that vessell made of earth For to allure fond men vnto thy will I tell thee beauty it is little worth VVhen death shall tinckle out her passing bell Oh then how good thou art and not how faire VVith dreadfull sights thou art demanded there Oh fie vpon the vizard baite of sinne Pawne not thy credite in a brothell house For how canst thou reward of Sion win That doest thy soule by misdemeanour lose Repaire vnto the temple of that king VVhose powerfull might conserueth euery thing If I haue any thing preuailde with thee To change the horrour of thy mispent time Thanke not the Poet but that deitie VVho is the Author both of me and mine For whatsoere I haue I must confesse Proceedeth from his gracious prouidence THE FOVRTH SONET DOest thou so fondly loue and art not lou'de In louing those who little care for thee If that thy fancie haue such fruites approu'de I scorne to match with such imparity For wel I know a Prince may loue for lust Those eyes of thine and then returne to dust If Rosamond had euer bene an hower Nerâ— bene interred in her bed of earth If she had euer kept such vitall power Aâ— to smell sweet with her mellistuous breath She had bene well excusde to chuse that state Which should be neere ecclipsde by mortall date But she poore wench did flourish for a while Cropt in the primrose of her wantonnesse And she that did the noblest thoughts beguile â—s now conuerted into rottennesse Thus doe we finde the truth of euery thing Sâ—nne is a sinne euen in the noblest king For there is nought can be esteemed so Depraude deformde as to apologize A sinne actde by a Prince but hence this woe Appeares in Poets which doe temporize I will not sooth a Monarch for his crowne But I must tell him sinne will throw him downe Plutarch saith well that he that bridle can His fond affections is halfe vertuous But he that 's wholy firme's an honest man His minde remaines certaine not impious Not tost with tempests of each breathing winde But as a mirrour of a constant minde Hard things are pleasant and those things appeare To be the best which be the hardliest won Then if repressing of fond lust thou feare To be too hard yet being once begun A better relish it will yeeld to thee Then treasure had in great varietie One that should passe the Alpes and hauing done Reposing him vpon some harbour low Considers with what perill he begun And numbring them discursiuely in row Cannot but ioyfully be glad of this That he hath ended what his heart did wish How oâ—t would he lie groueling on the ground And in a descant oâ— his sweete repose With ioyfull mirth and pleasure would abound To haue transâ—reted such a Sea of woes And by recounting how he earst did creepe Aboue those cliffes he would fall fast asleepe So thou obtaining this so hard to taske Must needs be ioyfull in the victory To haue pure liquor in a purer caske Which might redound to minds felicitie And that same caske that vessell thou doest beare Should haue a crowne of glory doe not feare Loue not too high estates for they le despise Thy poore estate brougâ—t downe to beggery Ayme at the lower rank if thou be wise For they le acknowledge thy supremacie Yet in my minâ—e there 's nought can equall that To condescend vnto an equall state Neither can boast of birth or parentage Neither can brag of their too high estate But passe their daies of wofull pilgrimage With like to like the begger with his mate Irus though he be poore yet â—ich in this Irus a begger may a begger kisse THE FIFTH SONET THou lou'st for beautie not for Veâ—tue sake Fie on thee therefore that hast reasons lore And yet canst not discern of such a make As being vertuous thou nede haue no more This I haue knowne and ere approu'd I finde None equals her that hath a vertuous minde Thou mak'st description of each seuerall part Her Iuory browes and eke her rosâ—e cheeks But how canst thou describe frame of her heart If all the minutes were turnd into weeks And well I know there is no ioynt no part Can be compar'd vnto a sincere heart If Vâ—nus had her mole thou mayst be sure Thine hath her blemish full as foule as she If Venus beâ—utie could not ere endure Presume not thine to haue eteâ—nity Thine though as faâ—re yet if she draw a breath Stopt she will tell me there ensueth death Was not chast Lucrece much respected euer As faire as vertuous second was to none Yet rauished by Sextus she had leuer Die in despaire then liuing make her mone Of that abuse young Sextus had atchieude Which aboue all compare her heart had grieude Happie was Collatine of such a wife So faire and yet so vertuously inclinde With such to liue it were an happie life Enioying aye the state of quiet minde Yet Collatine vnhappie was in this He was depriude of such celestiall blisse Hero I must confesse lou'de constantly And young Leander was as firme as she Though he be drownd yet he gets memory Of constant loue loues perpetuity And Hero she seeing Leander swim Loue sicke poore wench she thought to follow him But these were borne in Saturnes golden time The like we finde not now for they be rare Black Swans white Moores they liue not in this clime Our Sexes breath a more inconstant ayre And so despairing I haue knowne of late By louing much their loue grew desperate I will not make particular discourse Foâ— that seemes odious in each curious eye I hope a generall vse will be of force To moue iudicious men to pietie This I must tell them beauteous locks of couer A mishapte soule a little vernisht ouer Will any man seeme such an idle swaine As to bestow more money on the case Then on the instrument it doth containe More on the maske then odors for the face Beleeue me friend that man cannot be wise That is besotted with a paire of eyes I haue knowne some more humerous then wise Who in fantastick foolish apparitions Seeing a woman maskt all but her eyes Fell into such distresse and such distractions That he could stay
pilgrims steps well spent So shall that Oâ—ient Sun our eyes delâ—ght And beautifie vs both by day and night So shall that heauenly light enlighten vs That we shall neuer stray from Gods desire Not turning things conuenient to abuse Nor through presumptuous folly to aspire For true humility shall ere protect vs And in this night of darknesse shall direct vs. Stay thee a little while ere thou proceede Doe not go hurrying on thine headlong course With bitter Satyres make mens hearts to bleede Least they by reading be made worse and worse So reade and so conceâ—ue amidst thy reading Thy stony heart for sinne may fall a bleeding Yet will I know thou canst not this performe â—n the first progresse of thine haplesse race Without Gods Spirit poore soule thou art forlorne Whereâ—ore with teares call vnto God for grace Grace will illuminate thy purblinde eies Before whose beames whole heaps of vapors lies Solace thy selfe in that which is diuine Doe not bestow thy time in wantonnesse Direct thy pathes vnto the equall line Of Gods directions where thine happinesse Onely consisteth and dependance hauing Is soone obtained by incessant crauing Is not this mercy and a kindnesse great To be delighted onely in bestowing For when for mercy we doe him entreate Mercy we haue as from a fountaine flowing And this same fountaine dried vp is neuer But floweth with continuall graces euer Then beate thine heart and be ashamde of sinne Put thee on sackcloth and in heart relent The goale is gotten and the triumph winne Heau'ns Paradise attainde if thou repent Pierce thine obdurate heart with moisturde teares And then soules comfort shall dispell all feares Tremble and be astonisht for thy life In that thou hast offended thy good God Put from thee all contention and all strife Lest thou be punisht by his fearefull rod. And that his rod shall be eternall fire Prepar'd for hardned sinners as their hire But if thou cease from sinning then receiue Veniâ—e blessed of my father come Like sheepe vpon my right hand you shall haue Rewards prouided for you by his sonne The other branded with â—bite goe Into the lake of brimstone full of woe Oh that we might attaine vnto that heauen Whose gates are purer then the finest Gold Admirde in vision by the Martyr Stephen Promisde to Dauids seede in time of old Grant gracious Lord that we may so endeuour That we with thee may raigne in ioyes for euer So let thy countenance shine vpon that mist Of ignorance which hath obscurde our minds That we may be by Chores of Angels blist As those to whom be seuerall ioyes assignde As those who haue obtainde the hauen of blisse Enthroned in the thrones of happinesse Oh let thy gracious fauour flourish still With a continuance of thine heauenly loue Directed by the leuell of thy will Without a blemish spotlesâ—e as the Doue So shall we laud and magnifie thy name That deigned hast to make vs free from blame Let vs with speede â—ake vp our bed and walke Let vs not wallow in lasciuious beds Let vs with speede heare what our Christ doth talke Sounding alarums in our dâ—afest earâ—s Come vnto me that labour and are distrest Retire to me for you shal be refresht Is not this solace to thy wearied spirit Is â—ot this comfort to thine heauie load Since Christ rewardeth thee who nought doth merit A greater kindnesse neuâ—r could be showd Lament thy sin with teares thy Christ doth craue He 'le in his mercy soule and bodie saue Now is the Golden Fleece attainde vnto Then which no gem more precious or more â—aire Since Christ 〈◊〉 of ouâ— worâ—hlâ—sse works allow And hath adopted vs to be his heire This Gâ—â—den Flâ—ece is got none can wâ—thstand The confiâ—â—ation of Gods sacred hand Cancâ—ll'd he hath the writinâ— which he had To shew agaâ—nst vs hâ—â— pâ—ecâ—ous bloud Whâ—ch he effusde foâ— vs that eâ—st were bad Hâ—â—h wash away ouâ— sinnes O blessed foode Moâ—e 〈◊〉 more sweâ—te then Heshâ—ons pooles Whole pâ—â—asant stâ—eames refreshed thirstie soules Flow thou for euer sweetest of all sweets Whose Nectar fountains relisheth our gall And with a kinde salute our anguish greets Protecting vs least our fraile steps should fall Defend vs Lord and as thou hether hast Protected vs continue thy repast For thy repast will nourish vs for aye And feed our hunger-bitten soules with cates And sundry dishes euen from day to day Hauing promoted vs to high estates VVhat cause haâ—st thou since we deserued least To fashion vs like man and not like beast It was thy mercy Lord not our deserts That thou shouldsâ— this impart vnto thy foes Blessings full manie flowing â—n our hearâ—s As in redemption from soule-bleeding woes Lord these thy blessings what tongue can vnfolde This which our Fathers haue declarde of old Thou mightst haue made me like a worme or beast â—r sencelesse creature like to plants or stones But with thine owne forme thou didst me inuest Like to thy selfe and thy elected ones Fâ—r which I cannot giue thee worthy praise Yet I will praise thee and thy name alwaies O that the nature of our stony hearts Would be dissolude to teares whil'st they receiue Those inward passions suffred for our parts For whose extreamest sorrowes we do craue That God would pittie take and vs redresse Which destitute of helpe are comfortlessâ— Thou art our comfort and our solacer That solacest our miserie and woe Thou art our piller and our nourisher VVho doest sustaine vs wheresoere we goe Then happie wee since happinesse consists To be by thee in heau'n for euer blist Blest be he euer that resides in Christ And doth repose hâ—s comfort in his loue For in his loue all happinesse comprisde He le fixe the Anchor which will nere remoue Let vs exceede if so we can exceede In louing him who for our loue did bleede Neuer did man sustaine that he sustained To expiate that sinne we hâ—d committed For by his death eternall life we gained And we vnto his fauour were admitted Pittie vs Lord as we haue heere transgressed Endew vs with that grace we haue professed If I could merit then there were no neede Of any merits Christ hath wrought for me But Christs deere heart did for my â—ollies bleede And he was wounded for my misery Then for thy wounds and for thy passion sake Saue me O Lord whom thou didst re-create I haue gone wandring in this surging sea Of many troubles shipt in waues of woe I was depriued of the puritie Of mine owne soule from whence these griefes did flow For mine owne soule defiled is with mudde Which erst was raised by thy precious bloud Weepe now hard heart and call to minde the death Of thy sweete Sauiour who appeasde theire Of Gods displeasure and whose heauenly breath Attempred that which burnd more hote then fire