To free from thrall to make affliction ceasse The more may Sion now sound foorth his fame Ierusalem his praises may proclame VVhere in his Churche his people do accord And whereas kings are subiects to their Lord. VVho may o Lord thy datelesse dayes relate That of all ages ouerpasse the date It 's thow to vs haest put apointed space O stop not me ere half I run my race The world and welkin first by thee were made Thow heauens sphere thow earths foundation laid Thow shalt endure they shal consumed bee Thow madest tyme tyme hath no force on thee Thease elements by alteration strange Shal changed bee and so remaine in change But thow o Lord that woorkes all at thy wil VVa'st earst the same the same remayning stil Vousafe o Lord there ofspring to preserue That thee in feare and faith and loue do serue And in thy wayes directed to remaine A lasting lyf in lasting blisse to gaine Vnto the Father Sonne and holy Ghoste All praise and glory be ascrybed moste As herefore before the world begun And as it now and euer shal be donne AMEN In imitation of the sixt penitential Psal Beginning De profundis clamaui ad te Domine Psal 129. EV'n from the depth of woes VVherein my soule remaines To thee in supreame blis O Lord that highest raignes I do both call and cry T' is deep hart-sorrowes force That moues me thus to waile T' is pittie Lord in thee Must make it to auaile Thyne eares therfore aply If stricktly thow o Lord Obserued haest my sinne Alas what shal I do VVhat case then am I in If rigour thow extend But wel o Lord I know Sweet mercy dwelles with thee And with thy iustice then It must expected bee And I therefore attend My soule doth wait on thee Thy grace confirmes my trust My warrant is thy woord Thow keepest promis iust Keep me o Lord secure Let thy afflicted flock Comfort in thee retaine From dauning day to night From night to day againe Let stil their hope endure There is with our good God Much mercie stil in store Redemption doth remaine VVith him for euer more Aboundant is his grace His people he affects He wil not leaue destrest The thralled he wil free VVith ease of their vnrest And all their faultes deface All glory be therefore O Father vnto thee And so vnto the Sonne The lyke great glory bee And to the holy Ghoste Such as it wonted was Before the world began Such as now yet it is And euer shal remaine Aboue all glorie moste AMEN In imitatiō of the seauenth penitētial Psal Beginning Domine exaudi orationem meam Psalm 142. VOutsafe admit thy gratious eares VVith myld regard for to attend The prayers that a playning hart VVith sorowing sighes to thee doth send And let thereto o louing Lord Thy iustice and thy truthe accord In rigour of thy righteous doome O do not skan thy seruants cause For there is none on earth alyue Through faultlesse lyf free'd from thy lawes Then how may I in sinful plight Seeme iust in thy all-seeing sight The freind of sin the foe of soules Down to the earth my soule hath brought VVhich to the heauen should aspyre Since from the heauen it was wrought O raise it vp againe to blis From earth and all that earthly is Amids the darck mis-led am I VVhere lack of light sinnes view denies I hue a lyf more lyke to death VVhyle dead from grace my body lies And whereas care through secret smart Sends anguysh to afflict my hart But I o Lord recall to mynde VVhat thow hast donne in tyme before And how thy iustice hath bene great But how thy mercy hath bene more Thus hope of help stil comfort giues VVhile mercy stil with iustice liues My stretched hands to thee display The ensignes of my yeilding hart My soule as earth that water wants Of vertues frute can beare no parte I faint send soone relief of raine Least els vnfruteful I remaine Thy face of pittie not of wrath Turne not o louing Lord from mee And let not Lord my owne misdeedes Haue lasting force to anger thee For so might I compare my case To theirs that furthest fal from grace But since my hope is firme in thee Let me betymes thy mercy haue The way of helth make knowne to mee My feete from erring paths to saue Only to thee my soule retyres Only thy mercy it desyres O free mee from my sinful foes To thee I fly to be secure Teach me the lesson of thy wil And let me put it wel in vre Thow art my God and God of all That for thy ayd and comfort call Thow wilt voutsafe to mee o Lord Thy holy spryt to bee my goyd My faith and hope in thee is sutch And sutch it euer shal abyde Reuyue thow wilt mee for thy name Goodnes in thee requyres thesame So that at last by thee o God My soule from bale to blis bee brought And that in mercy thow sub◅ert All those my soules destruction sought And force of foes destroy'd may bee And I made safe for seruing thee All glory bee to thee o God The Father of eternal might And to the Sonne and holy Ghoste Three in an vndeuyded plight As now it is and was of yore And shal endure for euermore AMEN EXTRACTS OF THE SIBYLLAES PROPHESIES OF CHRISTE Sibylla Persica THow serpent fraught with craft and crueltie Shalt by a mightier strength bee troden low And on base earth the high God borne shal bee And from a maid the branch of blis shal grow And that true woord vnseene before of all Shal now be seene and shal be felt withall Sibylla Libyca IN obscure darcknes light shal glistring shyne The Synagogs straight bands vnbound shal bee The king of lyf be seene of mortal eyen And in a maidens lap shal nowrisht bee And high aboue the gentils hee shal raigne And shal in mercie his estate maintaine Sibylla Delphica ATtend o earth thy soueraigne Lord to see And know thy God which is Gods only sonne Chyld of the highest and moste high is hee VVhose beeing by no earthly wight begun Hee shal the great expexted prophet bee Of woorthy greatnesse and great dignitie Sibylla Cumea AMaid excelling all in sainctitie And whose cleere beauty shal the starres exceed Of Chyld in future tyme conceau'd shal be And of the rarest sacred blood and seed And from the heauens the sweet dew downe shal fal Into her brests to nowrish him withal Sibylla Erithrea IN later age high God wil him abase And vnto low estate himself inclyne Mixing his nature with our humaine race His Godheid to our manheid to combyne And lo the litle lamb in strawy bed Shal of a maid be nowrished and fed Sibylla Samia O Fond Iudea why do'st thow neglect The certaine knowlege of thy very God Thy happy dayes why do'st thow so reiect O why do'st thow prepare for him a rod VVith thorny crowne his head why do'st thow presse
And for his taste a bitter potion dresse Sibylla Cumana WHat tyme the third dayes sleep hath taken end The tyme prescry bed also end shal take Of death whose rule to that space did extend And then as from his sleep shal wax awake Hee whose now bringing liues reuyned ioy Shal shew how men from death may lyf enioy Sibylla Helispontiaca EVen from the heau'ns moste high stately throne The eyes of God the earth shal oueruiew And of all creatures take regard of one Of modest meeknesse and moste gratious hew And as a man God shal bee borne on earth And of an hebrew virgin haue his birth Sibylla Phrigia THe earth shal rent at feareful trumpet sound And kinges as vassals at Gods seat appeere In iustice all his iudgments shal abound Yeilding to men as men deserued heere vnto the good stil during heauenly ioy And to the il long-lasting helles annoy Sibylla Tiburtina THow Bethlem arte the birth-place of thy Lord That doth from Nazareth assume his name O blessed moother blis doth thee affoord His loue that leaues himself pledge of thesame O blessed bee that sweet milk-yeilding brest To no wrish God right happely adrest FINIS THE FIFTEEN MYSTERIES OF THE ROSARIE OF OVR BLESSED LADY VVHEREOF The first fyue are ioyful The second sorowful And the third glorious The first ioyful mysterie Conteyning the Anuntiation of our blessed Lady WHen heau'ns rare loue resolued mannes release From thrall to him that first produced sin It was decreed that this redeeming peace Must by a God and by a man begin Then on Ambassage was an Angel sent vnto the best of all the best on earth VVith grace-ful greeting to declare th' intent Of Gods designe in such a sacred berth And euen as shee assented to thesame Eft-soones in her conception did begin And blessednes gaue tytle to her name And ioy at her glad hart did enter in The second ioyful mysterie Conteyning our ladies visitation of S. Elizabeth HEr change exchang'd not humblenesse for pryde That bore Gods Sonne and yet would go to see Her in whose wombe Gods seruant did resyde vaine pointes could not with her pure vertue bee And as her coosins eares receau'd her voyce One chyld by Simpathy the other moued VVhich outwardly both moothers made reioyce VVhose ioy each chyld by inward ioy approoued From virgins mouth the dittie then begun How much her soule did magnify her lord VVhich since inur'd help-seekers from her sonne Therein her praise in his praise to record The third ioyful mysterie Conteyning the birth of Christe AT Ceasars hest to Bethlem shee repaires As duty wild where duty had no claime No harbenger her loging there prepares Her poore estate fyndes harbor lyke thesame But when as God in chyldheid would appere Odors and Angels brightnes it adorne And with deere loue her louing babe so deere Shee doth adore assoone as it is borne High priuilege exempted her from wo VVhich but Gods mother none could els obtaine And heauenly bounty did on her bestow That shee a mayden euer should remaine The fourth ioyful mysterie Conteyning the presentation of Christe in the temple AT tyme prefixt by ryte of auncient lore That now the moother must her babe present Though not impure but purer then before And purenesse bringing with her where shee went As warned then through hyre of hope and faith Good Simeon comes to see his wished sight VVhere as the Swan he singes before his death And in one ioy doth end all worlds delight And all they yeares old Anne deuoutly spent That with her age encreast her godly zeale Did now bring ioy vnto her hartes content And ioy to all where ioy shee did reueale The fift ioyful mysterie Conteyning our Ladies fynding of Christe in the temple SEquestred loue doth foster grief and ioy Twixt feare of losse and hope of happy gaine Such was her case that lost her litle Boy VVhose ioy reuyn'd in fynding him againe In Temple once buylt by the wysest king VVhere not til now the wise king took his place VVho yet no kingly porte did thether bring But wisdome vttred with a chyldish face VVith lyke in yeares shee haply might him seek But did him fynde with doctors in dispute He left repose to fraudlesse myndes and meek And took in hand wise folly to confute The first sorowful mysterie Conteyning the apprehension of Christe WO woorth that sorow should succeed to ioy Or for the il the good sustaine the smart But since the sonne would suffer wronges annoy The mother beares her vndeserued parte For when as hee destrest in garden prayd And bloody sweat ran downe his face amayne And Iudas false him Iudasly betrayd Lost ioy her left betrayed vnto payne And when with rage the Iewes led him away Then anguish her surprys'd and led in thrall And all that out wardly on him they lay Doth in wardly vnto her hart befall The second sorowful mysterie Conteyning the scourging of Christe T'Apease the rage of causelesse raging Iewes false Pylate wild true Christe should scourged bee Cryme knew he none and yet he did refuse vnpunished to set the guiltlesse free Then was sweet Iesus to a piller tyde And helhoundes lasht at his faire tender skin Embrude with blood al round on euery syde Thinck then how stood th'aquyter of our sin And in what sorrow his poore moother stood For his great good their so great il to view Her hart bled inward and distild the blood Foorth at her eyes though altred in the hew The third sorowful mysterie Conteyning the crowning of Christ with a crowne of thorne FOr change of torture not for ease of grief The Iewes do from the piller Christe vnlose VVhyle his sad mothers hopes of his relief Encrease her sorow in his lengthned woes For they his dolour to deryde and scorne The king of kinges in mockage king do call And on his head they fix a crowne of thorne And in his hand a reed to rule withall Yeilding pure loue impure dispight and hare Accursed rebels to a king of grace That purchase now the due disgraceful state Of their stil kinglesse and contemptuous race The fourth sorowful mysterie Conteyning Christe his bearing of his Crosse WHen Pylat pressed by the Iewish rage VVith wrested conscyence gaue the doome of death The Iewes made ha'st their fury to aswage In the extinguishing lyf-giuers breath And his deaths engyne burthen of his wo They make him beare that him to beare they made Him in the way to death to tortur so Til they his fainting force giue forced ayd VVel may his mother mourne this to obserue That from his burthen lodes her mynd with woes And he wel aske what withered stocks deserue VVhen fruteful trees are serued so of those The fyft sorowful mysterie Conteyning the crucifying of Christe OH wo is mee at this great end of grief Christe is arryued at his dying place Lamblyke he standes bereft of all relief Subiect of sorow vassal of disgrace For on his crosse
all naked they him nail And reare it vp and wound him in the â—yde VVhich all the blest of heauen do be wayl VVhyle of the earth th'accursedst it deryde The swoord of sorow peirseth now the hart Of his lamenting mother in her dolour moste VVhose deere Sonnes sorrow and surmounting smart Now takes an end in yeilding of his ghoste The first glorious mysterie Conteyning the resurrection of Christe SVbdued sorrow glory now ensues For from the crosse the soule of Christ descending Bringes to expecting soules the cheereful newes Of heauens entrance their deâ—ynments ending And to his corps his ghoste return'd againe Triumphant raiseth it from closed toombe Terror vnto the actors of his paine VVhose hate and death and hel is ouercome And glory that his sorowes now had chased Extinguisht wo in his kynde mothers hart And glory there and in all others placed That of his anguish had sustayned parte The second glorious mysterie Conteyning the ascention of Christe into heauen WHen forty dayes the day had ouerpast Of that now lyf that Christe from death had taken He did resolue his heauens returne at last To leaue the world that had him first forsaken And hauing to his mother now appeered And also vnto his apostles true Confirmd in faith and in his glory cheered On Oliue mount he biddes them all adieu And there liftes vp himself to sacred blis Th' unworthy world no more him so retaynes And all the glory that in heauen is To him is yeilded and to him remaynes The third glorious mysterie Conteyning the coming downe of the holy Ghost PLac'd in his throne and glorious chaire of state Our louing Lord regardful of oâ—â— weal VVould let no more then ten dayes run their date Ere he his keeping promis would reueal VVhat tyme his mother and disciples bent In secret wyse to inuocate his name Down vnto them his holy Ghost he sent VVith glorious fyre their hartes for to enflame And to conioyne to his Churche now begonne That spirit of truthe that euer must it guyde In only truthe whyle shyneth any Sun Maugre the woorst of daunted hellish pryde The fourth glorious mysterie Conteyning the assumption of our blessed Lady WHen hence to parte the virgin did obtayne The Hierarchies their due attendance gaue To bring her sin-lesse soule to endlesse raigne VVhyle saintes on earth brought her pure corps to graue VVhich therein laid and found thence â—o be tane Makes pietie to faith to recomend That soone her soule to earth return'd againe And tooke her corps and did therewith ascend A due prerogatiue and due alone Vnto that body that had borne a chyld As neuer did nor neuer shal do none That neuer was with thought of sin defyld The fyft glorious mysterie Conteyning the coronation of our blessed Lady ASsumpted so with soule and corps combyned As glorious as at last the blest shal-bee And placed in her princely seat asygned Lyke 〈◊〉 woorthy self appeered shee And that eternal euer three in one There crowned her the highest heauens Queene VVhere angels yeilded honor to her throne As seemly might to her estate bee seene And shee that earst replenisht was with grace Now plac'd where grace flowes out in plenties store VVhere as shee sees her sonnes most gratious face And sues for such as sue to her therefore AVE MARIA HAil Marie filled ful of grace Our Lord remaines with thee And thow among'st thy sexes race Remainest blest to bee And as thow blessed did'st become So did'st thow blessed bring The blessed frute that from thy wombe So blessedly did spring Both now and when wee yeild our ghoste To him prefer our case Because his mercy lasteth moste And thow art ful of grace EPITHETES OF OVR BLESSED LADY Templum Dei WHen God would from the heaueÌ„s to earth his progres take No pallace there he found that might him entertaine Saue one rare edifice which earth-quake could not shake The woorthiest woork of praise that might on earth remaine Faire court of sanctitie made holier for his sake That thee the Temple made his presence to conteyne O Temple where as God voutsafed for to bee Stil may wee him adore adoring stil in thee Porta Caeli WHen grace came froÌ„ aboue then wa'st thou made the gate By which it entred heer brought the hope of blis Which hope in hartes of men remaineth stil in state And stil through faith and loue aliue preserued is Then since thow wa'st the dore for grace this to relate So art thow heauens gate and wel accordeth this That as God vnto men did thee his entrance make Men entrance vnto God againe by thee may take Scale Caeli HOw may our heauy load enclyning to descend Ascend vp in the ayre beyond the egles flight Except by such a guyde as wil assistance lend And can from step to step direct the passage right Or rather her owne self vs better to defend The ladder wil become that scaleth heauens height By whose degrees of grace to blis we may attaine And in our mounting vp not to fall downe againe Electa vt Sol. BRaue ornament of heau'n and comforter of kynde Of whome the shyning Sun doth but the shadow seeme Which as it is elect and hath his place assygn'd Aboue the planets all in earthly eyes esteeme Aboue all sainctes to thee is woorthely resygn'd The seat in supreame blis that best doth thee beseeme Where thy faire beauteous face no foggy cloudes can hyde But chosen there by grace in beauty do'st abyde Pulchra vt Luna WHen Phâ—bus fyrie steedes in compassing the ground Leaue night behynde their backs til they againe returne Then that there should some light in darcknes yet be found Faire Phobe staies behynde supplying Phâ—bus turne Where shee through borrowed light in beauty doth abound And cheers therewith the earth that might in darcknes mourne So thy faire influence faire Cynthia vs extend Which thy most bounteous sonne doth thee most freely lend Stella Maris BRight shyning star by sea in lands abandon'd fight At once apparent seene on either syde the spherre The goodly guyd of all and guyding all aright That in this raging sea ensue thy brightnes cleer And bending not there cours to such illuding light As may mislead to wrack ear danger do apeer For thy direction leades vnto the porte of rest Those guyded by thy self whose guydance is the best Ciuitas Dei FAire Citie stately buylt by singular deuyce Of that great Architeckt who is of greatest arte With all those goodly stones that are esteem'd of pryce Which to this fairest woork their fairnesse do conuert And through far aquaducts from springes of paradise The waters thether led which do refresh the hart And to octroy this towne with all-surpassing fame The buylder here himself a Citizen became Turris Dauid HIgh Tower of stately porte and far to be descry'd And far from thence againe the world about to view It self the centinel that therein doth abyde To giue aduyce of foes or danger to ensue Wel
furnisht for defence for e'ury tyme and tyde For there a thowsand sheilds are hanging on a rew Not weapons of offence but for defence to bee Of all such innocents as from oppression flee Nauis Institoris IF certitude of gaine may stit the searching mynde To venter in the ship from whence misfortunes flee That gouerneth the â—yde and doth comaund the wynde And speedely returnes with goodes that pretious bee The barck of blis is shee and fortunate by kynde With grace shee fraighted is and is of custome free Taking but for her hyre and her inritching trade Loue of deuoted myndes that rich by her are made Puteus Aquarum CLeere wel that ouerflowes with water fresh and fyne More pure then vnicorne could water euer make Made by the hand of him that water turn'd to wyne Who giuing it the force dry sorrow to aslake Made that it neuer should to any drought enclyne But that at all assaies men might refreshing take And oure their healthes decay in deadly agonies Since from the flud of lyf the issue doth atise Quasi plantatio Rosae in Iericho EV'n as the fragrant Rose on prickling stalk doth grow In fairnesse and sweet smel and vertue to bee seene And woorthyest to be worne and wel beseeming so In place of diademe in garland of a Queene So thow which heau'n did once on bryry earth bestow In fairnes smel and force and burgeoâ—s euer greene Shew'st that this goodly flower may thy resemblance bee Saue in his vading kynde which cannot bee in thee Lilium Conualium THe litle lilly flower that groweth in the dale Leaues not in low degree sweet fairnes for to shew Which Salomon himself could neuer counteruaile With all his gorgeous cost he lyked to bestow So thow sweet smelling flower whome sorrowes did assaile And worldes esteeme debase to fortune that was low Did'st not therefore restraine the splendure of thy face Nor now from heauen to earth the greatnes of thy grace Flos Campi THe faire flower of the feild the dayes-eye doth apere When thence al flowers besyde retyre and vade away For to this only slower doth each month of the yeare For comely beauties cause become the month of may Bnt that dayes-eye in deed which doth all seasons cheere And keepes her beauty stil which no tyme can decay The dayes-eye is of day where night may neuer bee And thow celestial flower thy self art only shee Lilium inter Spinas AMiddes a gard of thorne this goodly lilly grew Defended from the foe that would it faine deface Who neere it to aproche the entrance neuer knew With poison to infect where filth had neuer place Yet such might bee the hate that heeron did ensue That hee reseru'd reuenge vnto succeeding space What tyme a crowne of thorne the sonnes head did sustaine To make the mothers hart be pricked with the payne Quasi Cedrus LYke as the Cedar doth her nurs Libantis hil Pay with begotten fame of her deere nowrishing In that so talle a tree as all trees doth excel Moste stately there doth stand in verdure flourishing And doth through sauor sweet serpents away expel So that high tree of blis that from the earth did spring Vnto the earth againe her sweetnesse doth extend Il thinges to driue a way that may the good offend Quasi Palma THrough burden of thy grief long did'st thow liue deprest Part-bearer of the wo thy deere sonne did sustaine But as it was a grief to see him so destrest Loue made it seeme some ioy to help to beare his payne Yet grief had neuer force so far thee to molest That thow did'st vertue want thy courage to maintaine No more then is the palme deprest by heauy waight Who doth thereby the more endeuour to bee straight Quasi Cypressus LYke to the Cypres tree on holy Sion hil That faire and vncorrupt in vigour doth endure And with sweet smelling breath her neere aprocher fil And doth for Temples yeild her timber euer pure So on that sacred mount thow arte remaining stil And in that Temple wrought whence grace men must procure And where aproching soules do thy sweet sent recâ—aue And where no suâ—er thow do'st vnrelieued leaue Quasi Oliua WHen earths foule face of sin might not the heauen see The waters all did hyde that vnto earth pertayn'd Except the Arck wherein few were reserued free There to expect the tyme that mercie might be gayn'd From whence the hopeful Noe a pigeon did let flee Who by an Oliue branch brought newes that hope remayn'd So thow the Oliue tree whereout our ioy did spring Becam'st the signe of ioy and ioy it self did'st bring Quasi Platanus LYke as the goodly plane doth beautify the feild And far her root extend more stedfast for to stay To make her farspred boughes refreshful shadow yeild For trauelers repose in hotest tyme of day So thow exalted art of heauen to be beheld Where in assured state thy boughes thow do'sâ— desplay To the refreshful shade of trauelers desyre That pas in dangers dread of soule afflicting fyre Hortus Conclusus MOste pleasant garden plot true Paradise of praise Erected in the roome of Paradise of iore But yet that garden far exceeding sundry wayes As perfect second woorkes exceed things wrought before All closely wall'd about inmolate it stayes No serpent can get in nor shal for euermore All goodly flowers and fruâ—â—s here in perfection grow Vertue on stockes of grace hath them engraffed so Fons signatus PVre â—ountaine surely seald from each infectious thing Whose water doth exceed the taste of Nectar sweet And in two milk-whyte streames did issue out and spring And for one only taste allowed to bee meet Who by diuineful power did to it vertue bring That turn'd it to a red whose colour could not fleet And taken from thy brest did yeild it from his syde To salue the sinnes of men when on the crosse hee dy'd Speculum sine Macula CLeere christal earst conseald in rock of heauens height Was fram'd into a glas to mirrour vertues face Whence lookers on receaue conseruatiue of sight And can no spot espy to make it beare disgrace But serueth as a booke and moueth much delight By purenesse therein seen impurenesse to deface And sacred was the skil that pullisht it so cleere That through it vnto men saluation did appeere L'enuoy LEt not offence mistake dispraising this my praise As to dispraise the same in deeming it too much Whose woorth demaundeth more of duty many wayes And doth deserue dispraise in that it is not sutch But since deuotion hath afforded these assayes Let not vncaus'd offence all causelesse seeme to grutch For heau'n did by behest most blessed her ordayne And shee ordayn'd her praise successyue to remaine FINIS OVR BLESSED LADIES LVLLABY Vpon my lap my soueraigne sitâ— And sucks vpon my brest Meane whyle his loue sustaines my lyf And giues my body rest Sing lullaby my litle boy Sing lullaby my liues ioy VVhen thow ha'st taken
of beastly mood Found beastes deuoyd of sauagenesse And men more thirsting blood And all the torments that shee had To her not seemed payne But when a swoord transpearst her corps True glory was her gayne The noble Anastatia Poore christians did relieue VVhose heath nish husband her therefore Vnkyndely did agrieue But when the swoord and cruel death Did her from thralle release The heau'ns her freedome did restore VVith endlesse ioy and peace Besydes this Anastatia A martres and a wyf Two virgins of lyke name and faith Lost each lyke wise their lyf The elder that most paynes endur'd Most is her glory spred That losing first paps handes and feet Did lastly lose her head Mylde Dorothey endured much And dy'd by dint of swoord VVhose suffrance did her loue approue To her deere louing Lord. Shee dead to him * Thâ—â—-philâ—â— sweet roses sent That dying did her scorne VVhich moued him her to ensue That els had bene forlorne Erasma in her faiths defence Did wade through many a wo Vntil the hedsman ended all In his death-bringing blow And with this virgin virgins three Did gladly yeild to die So selling lyf at rate of death Vndying lyf to buy Seraphia her setled loue To Christe was so entyre That strokes with cudgels shee sustaind And burning flames of fyre And last of all her lyf and all For his deere loue shee left And gaynd an euer-lyuing lyf In steed of that was reft Sabiâ—a nobly did ensue Seraphia noble dame Yet nobler either in their actes Then only in there name Refusing of vngodly gods The seruice to fulfil Shee rather yeilded to the swoord Then to the pagans wil. As Authia the woes beheld VVhich were by tyrants donne Vnto the constant Bishop * Eleuthâ—rius Her so wel-beloued sonne Shee ioy'd to haue so good a chyld For Christe to suffer smart But when with him shee strangled was Then ioyed moste her hart Affra in turning vnto Christe Turn'd from a lyf impure And for his loue the fyres fierce flame VVas willing to endure And to a stake when shee was ty'd Eu'n as the fyre was made I giue the thankes o God for this This glorious martres said Sincere was Simphorosas faith As did by deedes appeere In gayning vnto her belief Her spouse and children deere And with her husband to accord And sonnes in number seauen To liue in Christe to dy for Christe To loue and liue in heauen Fides and Spes and Charitas Borne of Sâ—pâ—â—â— sage Rype in their faith and fortiâ—â—dâ— Though greene in yeares of age VVere whipped thrust in boyling pitche And hedded afterward VVhose woorth the world of right admyres And heauen doth reward VVhen blest Blandina had the rack And sundry tortures past Vnto a bul wrapt in a net Shee was with fury caste And when of this so feirce a beast No harme shee could receaue Then with the swoord men woors then beastes Did her of lyf bereaue Potamina a noble Dame VVas with her mother †Marcella brent VVhen fearing-threates nor â—uries â—orce Might moue her to relent Shee beeing dead to him * Basilides appâ—â—rd That her did ayd in death VVhereby he turning vnto Christe VVas martred for hâ—s faith Thryce happy was Felicitas Thaâ— happely did see Her sonnes her sayinges to ensue And of her faith to bee And for the same by diuers deathes A deathles lyf renew VVhich by the swoord shee lastly gaynd And so did them 〈◊〉 The mayd Martina beeing led Appollo 〈◊〉 adore The Idol of it self fel downe As shee it came before A Lion vnto her they put Her body they did wound And by the swoord her lyf shee lost And lyf thereby shee found To offer to the Idol Gods Cecilia did refuse And contumelies paynes and death Contented was to chuse And in a skalding caldron cast And thryce strook with the swoord Attayning so vnto the ioyes The heauens do affoord Faire Agatha in beautie rare And welth did both abound But vertue which is more of woorth Might more in her be found Vnhurt on Irons hot shee stood Cut of were both her paps Her lyf shee left and gayned blis So ending al mishaps The loyal Appollonia VVithstood the pagan lawes For which with violence her teeth VVere torne from out her iawes And when for her a burning fyre The helhoundes did prouyde Into the same shee went her self And constantly shee dy'd Russiâ—â— and Secâ—nâ—â— both Sisters and virgins were Both liuing in the loue of God And dying in his feare From sundry sorrowes which they 〈◊〉 The swoord did them release And lyf and ioy foorth with began As wo and death did cease Basilia hauing fixt her loue VVhere loue is best beloued Tooke no regard of carnal loue By fond affection moued To Christe shee vowed chastitie And beeing forc'd to chuse A heathens loue or losse of lyf To liue shee did refuse Eugenia woorthy wel her name Not of Dianaes traine To offer therefore did refuse Vnto her Idol vaine Shee drowned not ty'd to a stone And in the Tiber cast But on a Christmas day to Christ By dint of swoord shee past Concordia with the heauens in peace And with the earth at stryf VVith blowes was beaten vnto death And ended so her lyf Vnited fast in faith and hope And Charities accord Shee died here in perfect pâ—ace And so liues with her lord Pure Margares a prised pearle For Christe himself to buy In tender yeares imbrac'd his loue Aâ—â— for his law did die The diuelish dragon burst in twainâ— That ment her to destroy Her death and sorrowes here but short Brought lyf and lasting ioy Columbae sixteene yeares of age Resolu'd a chaste intent VVhose vow to Christe a loose yongman To violate was sent But him a sauage beare had slaine Had shee not stayd the force A virgin martres so shee dyde And hee obtayn'd remorce Theodosia martirs did salute As at the bar they stood And prayd them pray for her to him For whome they shed there blood For which the ireful iudge ordaynd To teare her brests a way And to rent open both her sydes And cast her in the sea Sweet Catharin belou'd of Christe To Christe was constant seene In leauing for his only loue To bee a crowned Queene Yet crownd shee was with martyrdome VVhen torments from her fled And Angels bore her ghoste to blis VVhen shee had lost her hed The true belieuing Barbara Fals Gods would not adore And lost her fathers woorthlesse loue For Christ his loue and lore Strange torments hee on her impos'd And in straight prison hild And lastly her his only chyld VVith his owne handes he kild Yong Agnes aged thirteen yeares In Christe repos'd her trust Aâ—d not for fauour nor for force VVould yeild to ought vniust No harme shee had when in the fyre Shee throwne was by her foes And with a swoord thrust through her neck VVere ended all her woes Christina faire and noble mayd Did vnto Christe obey For which shee â—y'd vnto a
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