Leonilla of that lore And setled Secundâ—â—a Sebastiana whome saint Paule Did bring to Christe his loue And Reparata dead whose ghoste Ascended lyke a doue Faire Flora and Maria both And Flaâ—ia Doâ—itilla Good Dula and Demetria Gaudentia and Lucilla VVith Alexandra six besyde For Christe their blood haue spent And Ciriaca and fyâ—e more VVith bodies rac'd and rent VVith other martyresses twelue Theodosia went to heauen Eu'n as at Sâ—â—irna for that cause Dy'd holy virgins seauen Six that were called Candâ—da Gaue beauty to that name More fairer far then â—t self â—ound Doth signify the same Some maried were and some were maydes Their suffrance sundry wayes There cause all one their only king Did all to glorie raise Seauen of the name of Iulia Did one of them ensue VVhereby eight martirs glorious crownes To this one name is due And of the name Iustina fyue As of Pelagia were Of Martiana there were three VVhose count Valerâ—â— beare Of this most glorious troop and ranck Of martrid woomen-kynde I shal not nede to recon morâ— Thoughe many more I fynd For euen as these rehearsed here There crosse with Christ sustayn'd So did the rest and all with Christ Al glory haue obtayn'd In sundry regions of the earth Ful many more besyde For faith for vow for zeal to Christâ— Ful gloriously haue dyde Chaste VVâ—â—nâ—frid did feele of death The bloody stroke and sting As Dympâ—a of her father did A pagan Irish King VVith soule and body vndefyld In endlesse lyf to raigne Good Vrsula and all her troop Endured to be slaine And Câ—rdula that hid her self Her lyf thereby to saue Came foorth and yeilded vnto death Her lyf thereby to haue To bring the number in accompâ— Vnable is my skil Of all such glorious martirs names And their endured il But in the Lambe his booke of lyf No one omitted is Nor no one wo that they sustaynd Vnrecompenst in bliâ— No more then their formenterâ— misse Their iust reward in hel For each inflicted grief and smart VVherewith they them did quel Exyl'd those wretches are from heaueâ— And odious dead in earth Yet in helles horror neuer dy Though euer feeling death Meane whyle the chosen saintes of God In heauen euer liue And euer glorie vnto him In all reioysing giue Al clad in whyte for puritie Each with a golden crowne And bearing palmes of victory As enseignes of renowne No eye hath seene no eare hath heard No hart of man conceaued No sight no sound no thought of ioy As now they haue receaued All griefes are now extinguished All sorrowes haue â—n end No teares can fall from weeping eyes Nor sighes from hart ascend O gâ—orioâ—â— troop whose praise the heau'ns VVith melodie refouâ—◠〈◊〉 Accept that wee as câ—coes here Yeild noise vnto the sound And when for your true followed faith VVee any wo sustaine Our constant suffrance of the same Voutsafe of God obtayne Deo gratiae A RESEMBLANCE OF MARTYRS BEfore the craggy flint Meetes with the hardned steel It seemes not to conteyne The vertue it conteynes But when it doth the stroke Of swift encountring feel Eu'n then the force appeers That hid in it remaines Right so resolued myndes Through wicked fortunes wheel Encountring with misâ—ap And feeling bitter paynes Make fyre of sacred Ioue From ardent zeal proceed VVhich mounting vp to heau'n Doth all the Starres exceed TE DEVM LAVDAMVS OR The song of S. Ambrose S. Augustyne TO thee O God wee praises giue VVee thee our Lord confesse Eternal father all the earth Adores thy woorthynesse The Angels heau'ns heau'nly powers Yeild praises all to thee The Cherubinnes and Scraphinnes Sound out incessantly O holy holy holy Lord. O God of Sabaoth Thy glorious maiesty repleates The earth and heauen both To thee the quyre so glorious Of thy Apostles all To thee the number woorthy-praise Of prophets cry and cal The army of thy martirs bright Thy praises do expresse Thy holy Church through-out the earth Doth thee o Lord confesse Father of endlesse Maiestie Thy only Sonne withal Together with the Holy Ghost Comforter of vs all Thow King of glorie arte O Christe And ere the earth begonne Thow of thy father did'st remaine His euer beeing Sonne Thy willingnesse man to releas Made thee in earth to come And for that cause not to abhor Thy maiden-mothers woombe And when the sting of cruel death By the was vanuisht quyght Thow opned'st then thee realme of blis To each belieuing wight In glorie of the father thow Do'st sit at Gods right hand VVee hold thee for the iudge by whome Our causes must bee skand VVee humbly therefore thee desyre Voutsafe thy seruants ayd Of whome with thy moste pretious blood The ransomes thow ha'st paid O make that wee rewarded bee VVith thy deer saintes in blis Eu'n with thy glory and thy grace VVhich euer during is Thy people and thyne heritage O Lord saue and defend And gouerne them and stil their praise In altitude extend And from offending thee by sin This day do thow vs saue And mercy haue on vs O Lord Lord on vs mercy haue And as our trust in thee hath bene Such let thy mercy bee Confounded let mee not become That hoped haue in thee HOVV GOD IN ALL AGES hath bin serued with Sacrifise Sacrificium sub lege Naturae WHen God created man and rule vnto him gaue Of creatures all on earth and eu'ry earthly thing And knowlege of his God did in his hart engraue Subiection so to know vnto his soueraigne King Then for to know and yeild what homage hee would haue Nature by her instinckt vnto his mynde did bring And Sacrifise it was and well accepted than Thus mannes adoring God with sacrifise began Sacrificium sub lege Moyses VVHen froÌ„ the how 's of thralle through ayd of heau'uly might Gods people were led foorth by Moysis then their guyd For this new freedome found it rested that of right God with augmented thankes must now bee gratifyde And him to honor more in more then wonted plight Old Sacrifise was now with new rytes beautifyde So for more good receau'd more gratitude did rise Which still to God was don in doing sacrifise Sacrificium sub lege Euangelica VVHen Gods dere Sonne from heau'n did vnto earth desced Lost loue of God againe for mannes release to win Himself in sacrifise blood-sacrifise did end When his high prised blood did satisfy for sin But since Gods seruice must on sacrifise depend He chang'd not took away what faith did first begin And did ordaine himself in Sacramental wise To bee to God for man a soueraigne sacrifise SAINT PEETERS COMFORT EV'n there where sin my silly soule defyld Shame bad mee hy and seeke to hyde my face Foule face of myne that that faire face behild And could my so wel knowing it out face And make himself eu'n whome I did deny True witnes vnto my fals periury I scarsly was gon foorth out of the halle VVhen sorrow straight
thy repast Repose my Babe on mee So may thy moother and thy nurs Thy cradle also bee Sing lullaby my litle boy Sing lullaby my liues ioy I grieue that duty doth not woork All what my wishing would Because I would not bee to thee But in the best I should Sing lullaby my litle boy Sing lullaby my liues ioy Yet as I am and as I may I mâ—st and â—â—lbe thyne Though all to 〈◊〉 â—ot thy self Voutâ—afâ—â—g to be myne Sing lullaby c. Sing lullaby c. My vits my woords my deeds my thoughts And els what is in mee I rather wil not wish to vse If not in seruing thee Sing lullaby c. Sing lullaby c. My babe my blis my chyld my choyce My frute my flower and bud My Iesus and my only ioy The somme of all my good Sing lullaby c. Sing lullaby c. My sweetnesse and the sweetest moste That heauen could earth deliuer Soule of my loue spirit of my lyf Abyde with mee for euer Sing lullaby c. Sing lullaby c. Liue stil with mee and bee my loue And death wil mee refraine Vnlesse thow let mee dy with thee To liue with the againe Sing lullaby c. Sing lullaby c. Leaue now to waile thow lucklesse wight That wrough'st thy races woe Redresse is found and foiled is Thy frute-aluring foe Sing lullaby c. Sing lullaby c. Thy frute of death from Paradise Made thee exyled mourne My frute of lyf to Paradise Makes ioyful thy returne Sing lullaby c. Sing lullaby c. Grow vp good frute bee nowrisht by These fountaines two of mee That only flow with maidens milk The only meat for thee Sing lullaby c. Sing lullaby c. The earth is now a heau'n become And this base bower of myne A princely pallas vnto mee My Sonne doth make to shyne Sing lullaby c. Sing lullaby c. His sight giues cleerenesse to my sight VVhen waking I him see And sleeping his myld countenance Giues â—auour vnto mee Sing lullaby c. Sing lullaby c. VVhen I him in myne armes embrace I feel my harte imbraced Eu'n by the inward grace of his VVhich hee in mee hath placed Sing lullaby c. Sing lullaby c. And when I kis his louing lips Then his sweet smelling breath Doth yeild a sauor to my soule That feedes loue hope and faith Sing lullaby c. Sing lullaby c. The shepheards left their keeping sheep For ioy to see my lambe How may I more reioyce to see My self to bee the dam. Sing lullaby c. Sing lullaby c. Three Kinges their treasures hether brought Of incense myrh and gold The heauens treasure and the King That here they might behold Sing lullaby c. Sing lullaby c. One sorte an Angel did direct A star did guyde the other And all the fairest sonne to see That euer had a mother Sing lullaby c. Sing lullaby c. This sight I see this chyld I haue This infant I embrace O endlesse comfort of the earth And heau'ns eternal grace Sing lullaby c. Sing lullaby c. Thee sanctitie her self doth serue Thee goodnesse doth attend Thee blessednesse doth wait vpon And vertues all comend Sing lullaby c. Sing lullaby c. Great Kinges and Prophets wished haue To see that I possesse Yet wish I neuer thee to see If not in thankfulnesse Sing lullaby c. Sing lullaby c. Let heauen and earth saintes men Assistance giue to mee That all their moste occurring ayd Augment my thankes to thee Sing lullaby c. Sing lullaby c. And let th' ensuing blessed race Thow wilt succeeding raise Ioyne all their praises vnto myne To multiply thy praise Sing lullaby c. Sing lullaby c. And take my seruice wel in woorth And Iosephs heere with mee VVho of my husband beares the name Thy seruant for to bee Sing lullaby c. Sing lullaby c. A REPREHENSION OF THE REPREHENDING of our ladies praise FY foule contempt of self-defyling breath That dar'st disgorge gainst so great puritie The poisson issued from defect of faith To serue to witnes thy impietie VVhence can it come but from infernal hatâ— That earth-bred wretches are become to brag As Gods owne mothers glorie to abate To call and compt her but a saffron bag Or that a â—il the subiect vnto sin Dare equalize her self as good as shee In whome no thought impure hath euer bin Or least of purenesse-want might euer bee No Saint or Angel euer taught them this For heauen did her entytle ful of grace And her conception of the king of blis Her high regard comends to eu'ry race Her self of her owne praise was prophetesse And of the races that should it conserue Needes must they then her euer-praise professe That loue and law enuyteth to obserue The honor to a mother such as shee To such a sonne must argue greater loue VVhich may not vnto him offensiue bee In whome kynde loue can it no lesse approoue But hatred of her laud may neuer grow Of zeale that loue vnto her sonne may raise Nor can the chyld his loue on such bestow As kindle hatred at the mothers praise He which is mighty her hath magnifyde Let faithful then her euer magnify VVhyle the vnfaithful in conceit abyde Of doing wel her praises to deny And let performance of her woorthy praise Of her praise-yeilding race remaine the signe That so the blame that for it others raise Become the marck of their dissenting lyne And let contempt of her with such abyde As pay in hel the tribute of their pryde THE TRIVMPHE OF feminyne Saintes THe trump of fame soundes foorth the factes Of wel-deseruing wights And kinges with honor do reward The seruice of their knights Of such therefore I ceas to sing My song of such to frame VVhose meed restes in no princes power Nor praise in earthly fame And of the sexe of woman kynde Though not of those of yore VVith seared brests against their foes That warlyke armour wore But such as armed were with faith Against soul-killing euil And did in combat ouercome The flesh the world and deuil And for thy loue o Iesu Christe And glorie of thy name That found no woes to bee endur'd But did endure thesame Their faith did bring them to endure Endurance blis did bring In blis they now do sing to thee Now here of them I sing Vnheard it was in earth before Vnsounded foorth by â—ame Vnknowne that ere in silly sexe Such resolution came Til wil and vertue did conioyne In choise of chiefest good And grace gaue ayd faith gain'd force And nothing it withstood As Teela first example giues VVhome fyre could not annoy And beares and lions left vnhurt Each other to destroy Fierce rigour woorking rigours ruth No hurt the hurtlesse fynde Yet shee a martres is estem'd That martred was in mynde Euphemia throwne to sauage beastes By men
stone VVas caste into the sea But Angels ayded her to land VVhere shee more woes did taste And as an arrow strake her hart Her soule to heauen paste VVhen Fausta in her faithful mynde Resolued did remaine The Idol priest wild with a saw To cut her corps in twain But when he saw it hurt her not Hee in her faith affied And comfort from the heauens receau'd VVith her when as he dyed â—udelia many did conuert Vnto her lordes belief VVhich in the Persian pagans did Enkindle irefull grief Vnto the Sun shee would not pray Nor yet the fyre adore And had the skin flead from her face And lastly dy'd therefore Sout Iuliâ—na did endure The torments of the euil And did in combat ouercome Th' accursed cruel deuil And after all her conquests gaynd Then gayned shee renowne For by the swoord vnto her due Remaynd a martirs crowne Victoria wel might called bee That woorthy mynded mayd That in her self subdued sin VVith courage vndismayd And gayned virgins vnto Christ And actes of woonder wrought And did by martirdome attain The garland that shee sought Because the Idoles to adore Lucia did refuse Shee threatned was shee should bee thrust Into the comon stewes No no quoth shee the mynd beeing pure The body is vnstaynd Then with the swoord shee martrid was And glorie so shee gaynd To Fortunata for her faith Much euil did betyd VVho fyrie flames fierce beastes clawâ—â— VVas willing to abyde And tortures and lim-streâ—ching â—ack From whence her sauiour pleased To cal her blessed soule to blis VVhere with her woes were eased Febronia with resolued force For chastitie and faith Endur'd with patience to the end The woorst of tyrants wrath The rack the fyre and rods shee felt Teeths losse and either brest And with the swoord all losse of wo And gaine of lasting rest Macra a mayd of heauenly mynde No earthly thinges did moue For prison fyre nor losse of brests Might not her faith remoue All naked o're hot-sheards of pots Her body rolled was VVhyle shee in praying vnto God To paradise did pas Zâ—a a glorious martyrs * Nicostrâ—tus wyf Before the aulter prayd VVhere-vnder blest saint Pâ—â—ters bones The faithful had conuayd And for this fact surprised then VVas hanged on a tree Both by her heâ—â—â— and by her neck And so her crowne had shee Charitina with fyre annoyd And cast into the seas Came foorth and had no hurt at all Nor feeling of vnease Then were her handes and feet cut of But he whome shee did loue Eu'n as shee prayd receau'd her ghoste Into his ioyes aboue Eulalia ardent in her zeal Vnto her louing lord To suffre torments many wayes Most midly did accord And lastly in the burning fyre Lauding his holy name To him her soule shee sacryfys'd And died in the â—lame The lyke in loue the lyke in zeal In some succeeding space A second good Eulaliâ— was A lyke endu'd with grace The rack she felt and sundry grieues The last of lyf the losse VVhen foes of Christe for faith of Christe Did naile her on a crosse VVhyle Emerâ—â—â—iâ—na yet was taught in Christian lore Her foster-sister 〈◊〉 tombe Shee prayd and kneeld before And taken at this martres tombe A martres shee was made And vnto happy heauenâ— ioyes Her ghoste straight was conueyd Chaste Theodora to the stewes To be deflowred led Gat thence in habyt of a youth That stayd there in her sted But for this fact for his faith VVhen hee was led to death Shee came and yeilded vp her self And with him yeilded breath Crispina of renowmed race Did by her vertues mynde More honour in her self atchiue Then came to her by kynde Shee would vnto the Idol Gods No sacrifise affoord But yeided for her Lord and God Her neck vnto the swoord Susanna of a woorthy stock VVas of as woorthy fame As shee that false defamed was And first did beare her name Shee Christe his seruants did relieue And liued in his lore And for the same shee lost her head And gayned heauen therefore Imprisned Leocadia long Did for her faith remayne VVhose faithful mynde remained free In moste afflicting payne Til God at length for her release Her ghoste tooke thence away Her suffrance by a martirs crowne In glory to repay The virgin Bibiana was Establisht in belief VVhich faithlesse foes could not subuert By guerdon nor by grief So long her body lashed was VVith knotted whips with lead That her sweete soule to heauen past And left it lying dead Euphrasia with more maidens chaste In place vnchaste was placed But hee their puritie preseru'd That purely him embraced Then by their death-contryuing-crue Stones to their nectes were bound And so into the water cast The innocentes were drown'd Antonia had her tender limmes Beyond all measure payned And three dayes hanged by one arme Moste constant stil remayned And two yeares hauing prisned bene Receau'd at last her hyre VVhat tyme her soule her body left Consuming in the fyre Lucretia not that Lucres once VVhich did her self destroy Did for true faith and faithful loue Beare wrongful griefes annoy The one in earth her glory left The other in heauen and earth Because more woorthy was the cause VVhy shee endured death VVith tearing hookes and iron combes VVas Tatiana torne Cointha trayld along the streetes Her flesh from bones was worne Paula that gathred martyrs blood Her owne for Christ did shed Crescentia for her faith to Christ VVas thrust in boyling lead Corona torne betwene two trees Her crowne in blis did fynde As did Cirilla when shee left Her bleeding corps behynde Balbina daughter to a saint * S. 〈◊〉 Her fathers steps did trace And Aquilina by her death Did deathlesse lyf embrace Helconis that great grief endur'd Did lastly lose her hâ—d Calliopa her scortched corps Left with tormentors dead Felicula by tortur kild And Paula ston'd to death And with the swoord Constantia Constantlyâ—yeilded breath Regina many paynes endur'd Heau'ns diademe to gayne Mustiola did suffer wo For gayning ioyes againe Irene that good bookes did hyde Her lyf for Christe bestowed Dominica that Idoles brake By death her feruour shewed Dafrosa that to martirdoâ—e Her husband * Fabiâ—â—â— hath ensued And Marciona with whose blood The wyld beastes were imbrued Mannea that with her three sonnes And with her husband dy'd Valeria saint Vitals wyf Gainst death her courage tryd Pelagia in a brazen Ox Red hot aliue was thrust Anthusia throwne into a wel To please the tirants lust Maxima vnto cruel death VVith cudgels beaten was Agathoclia lost her toung Ere shee to blis did pas Blanda with her deer husband dyd VVhose heddes on stakes on hic Through pagan pollicy were set Christians to terrify VVith Leonis and Libia The faithful sisters twaine Eutropia twelue yeares old â—ndur'd Death and moste deadly payne The vertuous virgin Sophia Cornelia loyal euer Albina and Asteria Did vnto death perseuer Prisca and Lâ—ocâ—itia Martha and Antoâ—ina VVith
Lately begun and yet to long endured True yet it is that stryfe hath euer been Twixt good and il in deadly feud depending But neuer such confusion hath bin seen Nor diffrent numbers in so great contending As in our dayes when each one truth doth claime And of vntruth each doth each other blame VVhyle Truth herself the heau'ns begotten chyld And glorious imp of high Antiquitie Lies ouertrod and vnder foot defyld By each and all that woork her inury All disagreeing in their owne truth claming Yet all agreeing in truthes false defaming God 〈◊〉 good corne did cast into the ground But soon the diuel threw in cockle there God first his Church on earth did firmly found VVhere straight the diuel did his chappel reare God vnto Truth the formoste place assygnd And fall hood with the diuel came behynd VVhen God in Adam had his Temple buylt The serpents synagog began in Eue. Good Abels blood his wicked brother spilt At his Gods-woorship diuel-taught to grieue So soon began illes enuy vnto good Two only borne one sheddes the others blood Through Moyses God did giue his Churche a law And Chores crew against it did rebel Hating to liue in order and in aw VVith their misleader went aliue to hel They claymed truth reiecting right of his And seru'd the diu'l in seruing God amisse Saint Peeter did ensue his masters lore VVhich Simon Magus stoutly did withstand And that great pastor greatly hate therefore But first-borne truth obtayn'd the vpper hand And that fals Prophet mounting vp in pryde Fel downe out of the ayre to earth and dyde In auncient pathes trod by our elders feet The way is found which is to rest assygnd But self-sought by wayes for self-choosers meet They euer seek that seeking neuer fynd Blynde guydes they bee guyders of blynde they seeme And with them fal ere they of danger deeme To mend amisse was euer woork wel donne In faultes and manners of Church-mennes abusion But by no prophet euer was begonne Reforming of abuses by confusion Nor for some faultes growne through Church-meÌ„nes defect No good man euer did new Church erect Il thrift may to that builder wel befall That wil a faire-built edifice deface And with the rubbish of the broken wall Erect some cottage in an obscure place And to adorne it with vsurped fame Giues it the tytle of the others name Must now an vpstart Martin or a Iohn In question call the firme fidelitie Of her whose pallas on a rock of stone Presents the picture of her chastitie VVho was of heau'n and earth long heild in grace Ere ought was heard of this new-risen race VVhy hath not els each man lyke priuelege To chop to change to found what faith hee list And wrested scripture for his proofs aleage And gainst a world in self conceit persist And say all say amisse except as hee And all his woordes Gods woord Ghospel bee If free it bee for one its free for all For all can claime the lyke instinct of spirit But shrewd suspition doth apeere withall That of fals prophets all the name do merit Their frute is il themselues were neuer sent They come to late to soone to such intent Susanna lyke they Christ his Spouse accuse And wil both iudges and accusers bee But lyke as Daniel falshood did confuse By vntruth found in contrarietie So contradictions in these fals accusers Shewes them to bee the world and her abusers And as the spryte of God did Daniel moue The innocent accused to defend The spirit of God his deere spowse so doth loue That to her fals accusers in thee end In steed of casten stones their blood to spil They gainst the rock themselues shal cast and kil AN EPIGRAM A Puritaine did plaine himself of late Of late growne controuersies into great debate And prayed him to whome hee did complaine That hee his censure would affoord him plaine VVel then quoth hee yf neither I shal flatter But speake my conscience freely of the matter You are in fault to make somuch contending How can so new a faith so soone lack mending AN EXPOSITION OF the Aue bel THe Chaser of my sence-detayning slumber vndid the windowes of my closed eyes And freed my thoughtes from sleepes confused cumber That humours turned vnto fantasies And faire Aurora redy at the tyde VVithdrew the ayes darck curtin all asyde In waking sylence as a whyle I lay Ere my fresh muse new exercise had found I heard the bel that soundeth thryce a day And tooke the sence leauing myne eare the sound For soundes and sights are messengers assygn'd To bring lost memory vnto the mynde And that same message which the Angel brought To her chaste eares that could no noyse receaue That might suggest conceit of any thought Her mynde of any puritie to reaue VVas by this noyse vnto my mynde renewed VVhereby light idle fancies were eschued Est soones thereon to my remembrance came Breach of the Law the first law-maker made First acte of sin first cause of knowing shame First op'ned gap for death man to inuade Losse of heau'ns loue purchase of earths il wil Fynding of sorrow hid in seeking skil Alas O wretched man that made th' offence Iustice of thee demaunded the amendes And for thy want of yeilding recompence Thy vnacquyted gilt stil downe descendes As doth some inward rooted malady By heritage vnto a family Thus stood from age to age and race to race The score of sin vnpayd vnraced out The world had not the woorth to purchase grace Hope sighing sat betwene dispaire and doubt And thraldome was the woful misery Of helplesse mannes successyue malady So long til heau'ns great care conceaued grief At mannes vnablenesse himself to free And loue no longer could with-hold relief And sweet relief that may thryce happy bee Came eu'n at last when els lost had beene all And all did saue and all vp-hold from fall Loue first bred grief and grief did pittie moue And pittie sought the way to woork redresse And kynde redresse the true effect of loue Did salue the sâ—re that seem'd remedilesse Iustice for right mercie for grace did craue Iustice had right mercie her fauour gaue VVhich to accomplish that eternal woord VVhich was with God and was himself a God His heauenly presence would the earth affoord And in a virgins closure make abode VVhereof an Angels voyce the message brought As metalls noyse renew'd it to my thought To her it came whome heauens wyde view did see For purenesse all the worlds most woorthy creature A chosen mansion for the dietie Adornd with vertues fitting to her feature VVhome nature made to shew the heaueÌ„s her skil And heaueÌ„ through her the earth with grace did fil And where a serpent with his poysned sting In paradise infected Adams wyf A pure whyte doue from paradise doth bring To Iosephes spouse restauratiue of lyf And in a virgins bed the seed doth sow VVhereof the tree and frute of lyf doth grow Her eares
conceaued first the Angels voyce Her heart conceau'd the heauens high decree Her soule iust cause conceaued to reioyce And her pure wombe as pure as pure might bee Conceau'd withal and that strong infant bred VVho with his foot did break the serpents hed Against the tyme his birth-tyme to adorne Came downe on earth to consecrate the ground VVith Alâ—ion rest Peace that in heauen was borne Because there might no noyse of war be found VVhen to the world the Prince should shew his face That came to all the world to offer grace VVhose entrance when it pleased him to take Into that country whereof death is King His owne self vertue mydwyf hee did make And to annex more wonder to the thing From his pure mothers closure hee did pas Euen as the Sun makes entrance through the glas O sacred force enforcing such a berth The wonder of the wonders moste of woorth The breath of heauen clad in core of earth Through an vnopened passage passing foorth A humaine body spryte-lyke doth dispose His pow'rful self that may no puissance lose And that sweet Infant of eternitie Is borne the infant of a virgins woombe And God is man and so affinitie Doth twixt the earth and twixt the heauen come VVhereby th' Almighty maker thus wee see Kinsman to men to make himself to bee Making withal the virgins glorious fame In faithful hartes engrauen for to stand VVhere of Gods mother shee must beare the name In faire carracters of a sacred hand And such a mother mayd and wyf to bee As all her sexe excelles in all thee three Cleere chastitie descending from her throne To do her homage here vpon the ground A garland brought made by her self alone Of Flowers that only were in Eden found And with obeysance set it on her hed VVith tytle of eternal may denhed The Angels trumps did sound the heavens peace An easterne star stream'd out the fyre of ioy God on his foot-stool did his state decrease New amitie extinguisht old annoy Hate had no place on all the earth to dwel But did remoue vnto her how 's in hel O Infant ofspring of vnending lyne That in this world to spring would so begin And with old Adams race thy self combyne And bee the man to satisfy for sin True God true man except with sin defyld VVho for to bee a man became a chyld Thus God in chyld-heid did appeere on earth Admitting tyme his manly growth to shew VVhose dayes yet crossed were by crosse of death Ere tyme on him could mannes ful tyme bestow But since for man hee would lost lyf obtayne Hee death to kil would first of death bee slaine A SECONDARY exposition THe contemplation of the mistery Of the subiected state of heauens king And the reuyual of the memory That three tymes thryce a day the bel doth ring Leades downe my muse from height I earst began Vnto the lownesse of the lyf of man First how in darcknes of self-knowing state And as yf all foregoing tyme were night VVee enter in at this worldes cumbrous gate As doth the day new dawning with his light And that first treasure Tyme on vs bestowes In chyldish thinges vnwittingly wee lose Thence grow wee vp as do the howres of day Our dayes and yeares outrunning youthful rage From all repose Tyme carrying vs away Doth vnaware draw on our midle age And through his haste wil vs no leasure lend Once back to tutne youths errors to amend At noontyde of our dayes wee do arryue As doth the Sun at midday in his height VVhat tyme the bel a second sound doth giue To moue remembrance of the heauy waight Of sinnes huge burthen when high heauens grace In humaine flesh released humaine race The midday tyme hath but the name of tyme For tyme himself no moment hath of stay Nor wee repose before or after pryme But as the Sun declyneth with the day So we declyne euen at our highest rate Changing with tyme the change of our estate Eâ—t soones drawes on the euentyde of our yeares As doth the Sun draw down ward to the west VVhat tyme the bel reneweth to our eares The sound of ioy now twyce before exprest To shew how in the worldes declyning â—ase Attendant hope obtayn'd expected grace Now of our lyf is come the better parte And of our labors frute to reap the gaine Yf youthes endeuours wrought our wel desart Or yf in lyf so long wee do remaine For from the tree where wee behold the bud Much frute falles downe ere it bee rype and good Lastly as day our dayes theiâ— ending take And as before from darck night wee arose Our day our nightes returne againe doth make And wee yeild vp vnto our last repose Our claime to earth and all that nature gaue And lay vs downe where death shal dig our graue OF THE STATE OF SOLItary lyf dedicated to the seruice of God OVVel are you that haue subdude The force of worlds desyre And in the forte of solitude For safety do retyre Retyr'd from freedome so supos'd In straightnes freedome fynde Because true freedome is enclos'd In circuite of the mynde The world and fortune you depryue From doing you despight Dead vnto men to God alyue That giues liues true delight That soule saith God which I affect I wil with-draw aparte And tel vnto it in effect The secrets of my harte Think thâ—n you that retyred liue For Gods deere loue and dread His loue your soules desyre did giue Retyred liues to lead VVhere as with him you might confer VVhen sole your selues you deeme And so alone lesse neuer ar Then when alone you seeme Faith of yourfort is gouernor Loue is liftenant there Hope is ordained officer The ensigne for to bâ—are Contempt of welth is treasurer VVho woorkes no guyle for gaynes VVhithin whose coffers neuer there Corrupting drosse remaines Pure Chastitie the charge doth take The cloister cleane to keep And of her thoughtes the broome doth make VVherewith shee doth it sweep Obedience which doth sacrifise In valued woorth exceed Is redy for each exercyse As duty deemeth need Perseuerance is Centinel The watch-woord watch and pray VVhose due obseruance doing wel The heauens do repay THE SVBSTANCE OF humaine flesh AS once I did behold The potters actiue skil In ordring of his earthen pots According to his wil. And some for woorthy vse And some for seruile trade As hee them from one clod of clay In sundry fashons made And when they al were wrought And each was put a parte No cause they had If they had could To blame their makers arte To each it might suffise To serue his vse asygn'd Since each to serue some proper vse VVas vtile in his kynde Then as thereat I mus'd It came vnto my thought How God euen from one masse of clay All humaine kynd had wrought Aswel the silly wretch That liues in low degree As any mighty Emperor How puisant so hee bee And how at his estate None rightly may