What if this worldly Sea they haue not past Yet faine they would be brought into their hauen They are not here and yet we here them see For euery man is there where he would be Long may you wish and yet long wish in vaine Hence to depart and yet that wish obtaine Long may you here in heauen on earth remaine And yet a heauen in heauen hereafter gaine Go you to heauen but yet O make no hast Go slowly slowly but yet go at last But when the Nightingale so neere doth sit Silence the Titmouse better may befit F. Nethersole QVid ô quid Veneres Cupidinesque Turturesque iocosque passeresque Lascivi canitis greges poëtae Ettam languidulos amantum ocellos Et mox turgidulas sinu papillas Iam risus teneros lachrymulasque Mox suspiria morsiunculasque Mille basia mille mille nugas Et vultus pueri puellululaeve Heu fusci pueri puellulaeque Pingitis nivibus rosunculisque Mentitis nivibus rosunculisque Quae vel primo hyemis rigore torpent Vel Phaebi intuitu statim relanguent Heu stulti nimiùm greges poëtae Vt quas sic nimis ah nimis stupetis Nives candidulae rosae pudentes Sic vobis pereunt statim labores Et solem fugiunt severiorem Vel solem gelidà rigent senectâ At tu qui clypeo haud inane nomen Minervae clypeo Iovisque sumens Victrices resonas dei Triumphos Triumphos lachrymis metuque plenos Plenos laetitiae spei triumphos Dum rem carmine Pieroque dignam Aggrederis tibi res decora rebus Praebet carmina Pieroque digna Quin ille ipse tuos legens triumphos Plenoâ— militia labore plenos Tuo propitius parat labori Plenos laetitiae spec triumphos Phin. Fletcher Regal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 BEatissima virginum Maria Sed materque simul beata per quam Qui semper fuit ille coepit esse Quae Vitae dederisque inire vitam Et Luci dederis videre lucem Quae fastidia morsiunculasque Passa es quas grauidae solent nec vnquam Audebas propier viro venire Dum clusus penetralibus latebat Matricis tunicâ vndique involutus Quem se posse negant tenere coeli Quae non virgineas premi papillas Passa virgineas tamen dedisti Lactandas puero tuo papillas Eia dic age dic beata virgo Cur piam abstineas manum timesque Sancta tangere Sanctuariumque Insolens fugias an inquinari Contactu metuis tuo sacrata Contactu metuit suo sacrata Pollui pia cernis en ferentem Lenimenta Dei furentis illa Foedatas sibi ferre quae iubebat Sis felix noua virgo-mater opto Quae mollire Deum paras amicum Quin hic dona licet licet relinquas Agnellumque repone turturemque Audax ingrediare inanis aedes Dei tange Deo sacrata tange Quae non concubitu coinquinata Agnellum peperitque Turturemque Exclusit facili Deo litabit Agno cum Deus insit columbae NOr can I so much say as much I ought Nor yet so little can I say as nought â—raise of this thy worke so heauenly pend â—at sure the sacred Dove a quill did lend â—…m her high-soaring wing certes I know 〈◊〉 other plumes that makes man seeme so low â—…his owne eyes who to all others sight 〈◊〉 mounted to the highest pitch of height â—here if thou seeme to any of small price â—…e fault is not in thee but in his eyes â—…t what doe I thy flood of wit restreine â—…ithin the narrow bankes of my poore veyne â—…re I could say and would but that to praise â—…y verses is to keepe them from their praise 〈◊〉 them who reades and doth them not aduance 〈◊〉 envie doth it or of ignorance F. Nethersole CHRISTS VICTORIE in Heaven 1 THe birth of him that no beginning knewe Yet giues beginning to all that are borne And how the Infinite farre greater grewe By growing lesse and how the rising Morne â—hat shot from heau'n did backe to heauen retourne The obsequies of him that could not die And death of life ende of eternitie â—ow worthily he died that died vnworthily 2 â—ow God and Man did both embrace each other â—et in one person heau'n and earth did kiss â—nd how a Virgin did become a Mother â—nd bare that Sonne who the worlds Father is â—nd Maker of his mother and how Bliss Descended from the bosome of the High To cloath himselfe in naked miserie â—yling at length to heau'n in earth triumphantly 3 〈◊〉 the first flame wherewith my whiter Muse â—oth burne in heauenly loue such loue to tell 〈◊〉 thou that didst this holy fire infuse â—nd taught'st this brest but late the graue of hell Wherein a blind and dead heart liu'd to swell With better thoughts send downe those lights that lenâ— Knowledge how to begin and how to end The loue that neuer was nor euer can be pend 4 Ye sacred writings in whose antique leaues The memories of heau'n entreasur'd lie Say what might be the cause that Mercie heaues The dust of sinne aboue th' industrious skie And lets it not to dust and ashes flie Could Iustice be of sinne so ouer-wooed Or so great ill be cause of so great good That bloody man to saue mans Sauiour shed his blood 5 Or did the lips of Mercie droppe soft speech For traytrous man when at th'Eternalls throne Incensed Nemesis did heau'n beseech With thundring voice that iustice might be showne Against the Rebells that from God were flowne O say say how could Mercie plead for those That scarcely made against their Maker rose Will any slay his friend that he may spare his foes 6 There is a place beyond that flaming hill From whence the starres their thin apparance shed A place beyond all place where neuer ill Nor impure thought was euer harboured But Sainctly Heroes are for euer s'ed To keepe an euerlasting Sabbaoths rest Still wishing that of what th' ar still possest Enioying but one ioy but one of all ioyes best 7 â—ere when the ruine of that beauteous frame Whose golden building shin'd with euerie starre â—f excellence deform'd with age became MERCY remembring peace in midst of warre â—â—ft vp the musique of her voice to barre Eternall fate least it should quite erace That from the world which was the first worlds grace â—â—d all againe into their nothing Chaos chase 8 〈◊〉 what had all this All which Man in one â—…d not vnite the earth aire water fire â—…e sense and spirit nay the powrefull throne 〈◊〉 the diuinest Essence did retire â—…d his owne Image into clay inspire So that this Creature well might called be Of the great world the small epitomie 〈◊〉 the dead world the liue and quicke anatomie 9 â—…t Iustice had no sooner Mercy seene â—…oothing the wrinkles of her Fathers browe 〈◊〉 vp she starts and â—â—rowes her selfe betweene 〈◊〉 when a vapour from a moory slough â—…eting with fresh Eous that but now Open'd the
yet amazed stood belowe With eyes cast vp as greedie to be sed And hands vpheld themselues to ground did throwe So when the Troian boy was rauished As through th'Idalian woods they saie he fled His aged Gardians stood all dismai'd Some least he should haue fallen back afraid And some their hasty vowes and timely prayers said 15 Tosse vp your heads ye euerlasting gates And let the Prince of glorie enter in At whose braue voly of sideriall States The Sunne to blush and starres growe pale wear seene When leaping first from earth he did begin To climbe his Angells wings then open hang Your christall doores so all the chorus sang Of heau'nly birds as to the starres they nimbly sprang 16 Hearke how the floods clap their applauding hands The pleasant valleyes singing for delight And wanton Mountaines daunce about the Lands The while the fieldes struck with the heau'nly light Set all their flowr's a smiling at the sight The trees laugh with their blossoms and the sound Of the triumphant shout of praise that crown'd The flaming Lambe breaking through heau'n hath passage found 17 Out leap the antique Patriarchs all in hast To see the powr's of Hell in triumph lead And with small starres a garland intercha'st Of oliue leaues they bore to crowne his head That was before with thornes degloried After them flewe the Prophets brightly stol'd In shining lawne and wimpled manifold Striking their yuorie harpes strung all in chords of gold 18 To which the Saints victorious carolls sung Ten thousand Saints atonce that with the sound The hollow vaults of heau'n for triumph rung The Cherubins their clamours did confound With all the rest and clapt their wings around Downe from their thrones the Dominations flowe And at his feet their crownes and scepters throwe And all the princely Soules fell on their faces lowe 19 Nor can the Martyrs wounds them stay behind But out they rush among the heau'nly crowd Seeking their hean'n out of their heau'n to find Sounding their siluer trumpets out so loude That the shrill noise broke through the starrie cloude And all the virgin Soules in pure araie Came dauncing forth and making ioyeous plaie So him they lead along into the courts of day 20 So him they lead into the courts of day Whear neuer warre nor wounds abide him more But in that house eternall peace doth plaie Acquieting the soules that newe before Their way to heav'n through their owne blood did skore But now estranged from all miserie As farre as heau'n and earth discoasted lie Swelter in quiet waues of immortalitie 20 And if great things by smaller may be ghuest So in the mid'st of Neptunes angrie tide Our Britan Island like the weedie nest Of true Haleyon on the waues doth ride And softly sayling skornes the waters pride While all the rest drown'd on the continent And tost in bloodie waues their wounds lament And stand to see our peace as struck with woonderment 21 The Ship of France religious waues doe tosse And Greec it selfe is now growne barbarous Spains Children hardly dare the Ocean crosse And Belges field lies wast and ruinous That vnto those the heau'ns ar invious And vnto them themselues ar strangers growne And vnto these the Seas ar faithles knowne And vnto her alas her owne is not her owne 22 Here onely shut we Ianus yron gates And call the welcome Muses to our springs And ar but Pilgrims from our heav'nly states The while the trusty Earth sure plentie brings And Ships through Neptune safely spread their wings Goe blessed Island wander whear thou please Vnto thy God or men heau'n lands or seas Thou canst not loose thy way thy King with all hath peace 23 Deere Prince thy Subiects ioy hope of their heirs Picture of peace or breathing Image rather The certaine argument of all our pray'rs Thy Harries and thy Countries louely Father Let Peace in endles ioyes for euer bath her Within thy sacred brest that at thy birth Brought'st her with thee from heau'n to dwell on earth Making our earth a heav'n and paradise of mirth 24 Let not my Liege misdeem these humble laies As lick't with soft and supple blandishment Or spoken to disparagon his praise For though pale Cynthia neere her brothers tent Soone disappeares in the white firmament And giues him back the beames before wear his Yet when he verges or is hardly ris She the viue image of her absent brother is 25 Nor let the Prince of peace his beadsman blame That with his Stewart dares his Lord compare And heau'nly peace with earthly quiet shame So Pines to lowely plants compared ar And lightning Phoebus to a little starre And well I wot my rime albee vnsmooth Ne saies but what it meanes ne meanes but sooth Ne harmes the good ne good to harmefull person doth 26 Gaze but vpon the house whear Man embowr's With flowr's and rushes paued is his way Whear all the Creatures at his Seruitours The windes doe sweepe his chambers euery day And cloudes doe wash his rooms the seeling gay Starred aloft the guilded knobâ— embraue If such a house God to another gaue How shine those glittering courts he for himselfe will haue 27 And if a sullen cloud as sad as night In which the Sunne may seeme embodied Depur'd of all his drosse we see so white Burning in melted gold his warrie head Or round with yuorie edges siluered What lustre superexcellent will he Lighten on those that shall his sunneshine see In that all-glorious court in which all glories be 28 If but one Sunne whith his diffusiue fires Can paint the starres and the whole world with light And ioy and life into each heart inspires And euery Saint shall shine in heau'n as bright As doth the Sunne in his transcendent might As faith may well beleeue what Truth once sayes What shall so many Sunnes vnited rayes But dazle all the eyes that nowe in heau'n we praise 29 Here let my Lord hang vp his conquering launce And bloody armour with late slaughter warme And looking downe on his weake Militants Behold his Saints mid'st of their hot alarme Hang all their golden hopes vpon his arme And in this lower field dispacing wide Through windie thoughts that would their sayles misguide Anchor their fleshly ships fast in his wounded side 30 Here may the Band that now in Tryumph shines And that before they wear inuested thus In earthly bodies carried heauenly mindes Pitcht round about in order glorious Their sunny Tents and houses luminous All their eternall day in songs employing Ioying their ende without ende of their ioying While their almightie Prince Destruction is destroying 31 Full yet without satietie of that Which whetts and quiets greedy Appetite Whear neuer Sunne did rise nor euer sat But one eternall day and endles light Giues time to those whose time is infinite Speaking with thought obtaining without see Beholding him whom neuer eye could see And magnifying him that cannot
CHRISTS VICTORIE AND TRIumph in Heauen and Earth over and after death A te principium tibi desinet accipe iussis Carmina caepta tuis atque hanc sine tempora circum Inter victrices hederam tibi serpere lauros CONFIDO IN DOMINO CAMBRIDGE Printed by C. LEGGE 1610. To the Reader THear are but fewe of many that can rightly iudge of Poetry and yet thear at many of those few that carry so left-handed an opinion of it as some of them thinke it halfe sacrilege for prophane Poetrie to deale with divine and heauenly matters as though David wear to be sentenced by them for vtteâ—…ng his graue matter vpon the harpe others something more â—…olent in their censure but sure lesse reasonable as though â—…oetrie corrupted all good witts when indeed bad witts corâ—…pt Poetrie banish it with Plato out of all well-ordered Commonwealths Both theas I will strive rather to satisfie â—…en refute And of the first I would gladlie knowe whither they supâ—ose it fitter that the sacred songs in the Scripture of those heâ—oicall Saincts Moses Deborah Ieremie Mary Simeon Daâ—id Salomon the wisest Scholeman and wittiest Poet should â—ee eiected from the canon for wante of grauitie or rather this â—rroure eraced out of their mindes for wante of truth But it maye bee they will giue the Spirit of God leaue to breath â—hrough what pipe it please will confesse because they must â—eeds that all the songs dittied by him must needs bee as their Fountaine is most holy but their common clamour is who may compare with 〈◊〉 yet as none may compare without presumâ—… all may imitat and not without commendation which made Nazianzen on of the Starrs of 〈◊〉 Greeke Church that nowe shines as bright in heauen as 〈◊〉 did then on earth write so manie diuine Poems of the Geâ—… alogie Miracles Parables Passion of Christ called by him hâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which when Basil the Prince of the Fathenâ—… and his Chamberfellowe had seene his opinion of them was that he could haue deuised nothing either more fruitfull to others because it kindely woed them to Religion or more honourable to himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because by imitating the singing Angels in heau'n himselfe became though before his time an earthly Angel What should I speake of Iuvencus Prosper the wise Prudentius the last of which liuing in Hieroms time twelue hundred yeares agoe brought foorth in his declining age so many so religious poems straitly charging his soule not to let passe so much as one either night or daye without some diuine song Hymnis continuet dies Nec nox vlla vacet quin Dominum canat And as sedulous Prudentius so prudent Sedulius was famous in this poeticall diuinity the coetan of Bernard who sung the historie of Christ with as much deuotion in himself as admitation to others all which wear followed by the choicest witts of Christendome Nonnius translating all Sainct Iohns Ghosipel into Greek verse Sanazar the late-liuing Image and happy imitator of Uirgil bestowing ten-yeares vpon a song onely to celebrat that one day when Christ was borne vnto vs on earth we a happie change vnto God in heau'n thrice-honour'd Bartas our I know no other name more glorious then his own Mr. Edmund Spencer two blessed Soules not thinking ten years inough layeing out their whole liues vpon this one studie Nay I may iustly say that the Princely Father of our Countrey though in my conscience God hath made him of all the learned Princes that euer wear the most religious and of all the religious Princes the most learned that so by the one hee might oppose him against the Pope the peste of all Religion and by the other against Bellarmine the abuser of all good Learning is yet so far enamour'd with this celestiall Muse that it shall neuer repent mee calamo triuisse labellum whensoeuer I shall remember Hac eadem vt sciret quid non faciebat Amyntas To name no more in such plenty whear I may finde how to beginne sooner then to end Saincte Paule by the ExaÌ„ple of Christ that wente singing to mounte Oliuet with his Disciples after his last supper exciteth the Christians to solace themselues with â—ymnes and Psalmes and spirituall songs and thearefore by their leav's be it an error for Poets to be Divines I had rather â—…rr with the Scripture then be rectifi'd by them I had rather â—dore the stepps of Nazianzen Prudentius Sedulius then folâ—owe their steps to bee misguided I had rather be the deuoute Admirer of Nonnius Bartas my sacred Soueraign and others the miracles of our latter age then the false sectatie of these that haue nothing at all to follow but their own naked opinions To conclude I had rather with my Lord and his most divine Apostle sing though I sing sorilie the loue of heauen and earthe then praise God as they doe with the woorthie guift of silence and sitting still or think I dispraisd him with this poetical discourse It seems they haue either not read or clean â—orgot that it is the dutie of the Muses if wee maye beeleeue â—indare and Hesiod to set allwaies vnder the throne of Iupiter â—ius laudes beneficia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which made a very worthy German writer conclude it Certò statuimus proprium atque peâ—uliare poetarum munus esse Christi gloriam illustrare beeing good reason that the heavenly infusion of such Poetry should â—nde in his glorie that had beginning from his goodnes fit oâ—ator nascitur Poeta For the secound sorte thearfore that eliminat Poets out of â—heir citie gates as though they wear nowe grown so bad as â—hey could neither growe woorse nor better though it be â—omewhat hard for those to bee the onely men should want cities that wear the onely causers of the building of them and somewhat inhumane to thrust them into the woods to liue among the beasts who wear the first that call'd men out of the woods from their beastly and wilde life yet since they will needes shoulder them out for the onely firebrands to inflame lust the fault of earthly men not heauenly Poetrie I would gladly learne what kind of professions theas men would bee intreated to entertaine that so deride and disaffect Poesie would they admit of Philosophers that after they haue burnt out the whole candle of their life in the circular studie of Sciences crie out at length Se nihil prorsus seire or should Musitians be welcome to them that Dant sine mente sonum bring delight with them indeede could they aswell expresse with their instruments a voice as they can a sound or would they most approve of Soldiers that defend the life of their countrymen either by the death of themselues or their enemies If Philosophers please them who is it that knowes not that all the lights of Example to cleare their precepts are borowed by Philosophers from Poets that without Homers examples
Aristotle would be as blind as Homer If they retaine Musitians who euer doubted but that Poets infused the verie soule into the inarticulate sounds of musique that without Pindar Horace the Lyriques had beene silenced for euer If they must needes entertaine Soldiers who can but confesse that Poets restore againe that life to soldiers which they before lost for the safetie of their country that without Uirgil Aeneas had neuer beene so much as heard of How then can they for shame deny commonwealths to them who wear the first Authors of them how can they denie the blinde Philosopher that teaches them his light the emptie Musitian that delights them his soule the dying Soldier that defends their life immortalitie after his owne death let Philosophie let Ethiques let all the Arts bestowe vpon vs this guift that we be noâ— thought deadmen whilest we remaine among the liuing it is onely Poetrie that can make vs be thought liuing men when we lie among the dead and therefore I thinke it vnequall to thrust them out of our cities that call vs out of our graues to thinke so hardly of them that make vs to be so well thought of to deny them to liue a while among vs that make vs liue for euer among our Posteritie So beeing nowe weary in perswading those that hate I commend my selfe to those that love such Poets as Plato speakes of that sing divine and heroical matters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 recommending theas my idle howers not idly spent to good schollers and good Christians that haue ouercome their ignorance with â—eason and their reason with religion FOnd ladds that spend so fast your poasting time Too poasting time that spends your time as fast To chaunt light toyes or frame some wanton time Where idle boyes may glut their lustfull tast Or else with praise to cloath some fleshly shine With virgins roses and faire lillies chast While itching bloods and youthfull eares adore it But wiser men and once your selues will most abhorre it But thou most neere most deare in this of thine Ha'st proov'd the Muses not to Venus bound Such as thy matter such thy muse divine Or thou such grace with Merci's selfe hast found That she her selfe deign's in thy leaues to shine Or stol'n from heav'n thou broughts this verse to ground Which frights the nummed soule with fearefull thunder And soone with honied dewes melts it twixt ioy and wonder Then doe not thou malitious tongues esteeme The glasse through which an envious eye doth gaze Can easily make a molehill mountaines seeme His praise dispraises his dispraises praise Enough if best men best thy labours deem And to the highest pitch thy merit raise While all the Muses to thy song decree Victorious Triumph Triumphant Victorie Phin. Fletcher Regal TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPVLL AND REVEREND Mr. Doctour NEVILE Deane of CANTERBVRIE and the Master of TRINITIE Colledge in CAMBRIDGE RIght worthie and reverend Syr As I have alwaies thought the place wherein I liue after heauen principally to be desired both because I most want and it most abounds with wisdome which is fled by some with as much delight as it is obtained by others and ought to be followed by all so I cannot but next vnto God for euer acknowledge myselfe most bound vnto the hand of God I meane yourselfe that reacht downe as it were out of heauen vnto me a beâ—…fit of that nature and price then which I could wish none oneâ—… heauen itselfe excepted either more fruitfull and contenting â—…r the time that is now present or more comfortable and encouraging for the time that is alreadie past or more hopefull and â—…omising for the time that is yet to come For as in all mens iudgements that haue any iudgement Euâ—…pe is worthily deem'd the Queene of the world that Garland both of Learning and pure Religion beeing now become her crowne and blossoming vpon her head that hath long since laine withered in Greece and Palestine so my opinion of this Island hath alwaies beene that it is the very face and beautie of all Europe in which both true Religion is faithfully professed without superstition and if on earth true Learning sweetly flourishes without ostentation and what are the two eyes of this Land but the two Universities which cannot but prosper in the time of such a Prince that is a Prince of Learning aswell as of People and truly I should forget myselfe if I should not call Cambridge the right eye and I thinke King Henrie the 8. beeing the vniter Edward the 3. the Founder and your selfe the Repairer of this Colledge wherein I liue none will blame me if I esteeme the same since your polishing of it the fairest sight in Cambridge in which beeing placed by your onely fauour most freely without either any meanes from other or any desert in my selfe beeing not able to doe more I could doe no lesse then acknowledge that debt which I shall neuer be able to pay and with old Silenus in the Poet vpon whome the boyes injiciunt ipsis ex vincula sertis making his garland his fetters finding my selfe bound vnto you by so many benefits that were giuen by your selfe for ornaments but are to me as so many golden cheines to hold me fast in a kind of desired bondage seeke as he doth my freedome with a song the matter whereof is as worthie the sweetest Singer as my selfe the miserable Singer vnworthie so divine a subiect but the same fauour that before rewarded no desert knowes now as well how to pardon all faults then which indulgence when I regard my selfe I can wish no more when I remember you I can hope no lesse So commending these few broken lines vnto yours and your selfe into the hands of the best Physitian IESVS CHRIST with whome the most ill affected man in the midst of his sicknes is in good health and without whoms the most lustie bodie in his greatest iollitie is but a languishing karcase I humbly take my â—eaue ending with the same wish that your deuoted Observer â—…nd my approoued Friend doth in his verses presently sequent that your passage to heauen may be slow to vs that shall want â—…ou here but to your selfe that cannot want vs there most secure â—nd certeyne Your Worships in all dutie and seruice G. FLETCHER THOMAS NEVYLE MOST HEAVENLY AS when the Captaine of the heauenly host Or else that glorious armie doth appeare In waters drown'd with surging billowes tost We know they are not where we see they are We see them in the deepe we see them mooue We know they fixed are in heauen aboue So did the Sunne of righteousnesse come downe Clowded in flesh and seem'd be in the deepe So doe the many waters seeme to drowne The starres his Saints and they on earth to keepe And yet this Sunne from heauen neuer fell And yet these earthly starres in heauen dwell What if their soules be into prison cast In earthly bodies yet they long for heauen
world which all in darkenesse lay Doth heau'ns bright face of his rayes disaray â—…d sads the smiling orient of the springing day 10 〈◊〉 was a Virgin of austere regard â—…t as the world esteemes her deafe and blind â—…t as the Eagle that hath oft compar'd 〈◊〉 eye with heau'ns so and more brightly shin'd Her lamping sight for she the same could winde Into the solid heart and with her eares The silence of the thought loude speaking heares And in one hand a paire of euen scoals she weares 11 No riot of affection reuell kept Within her brest but a still apathy Possessed all her soule which softly slept Securely without tempest no sad crie Awakes her pittie but wrong'd pouertie Sending his eyes to heau'n swimming in teares With hideous clamours euer struck her eares Whetting the blazing sword that in her hand she beares 12 The winged Lightning is her Mercury And round about her mightie thunders sound Impatient of himselfe lies pining by Pale Sicknes with his kercher'd head vpwound And thousand noysome plagues attend her round But if her clowdie browe but once growe foule The flints doe melt and rocks to water rowle And ayrie mountaines shake and frighted shadowes howâ—… 13 Famine and bloodles Care and bloodie Warre Want and the Want of knowledge how to vse Abundance Age and Feare that runnes afarre Before his fellowe Greefe that aye pursues His winged steps for who would not refuse Greefes companie a dull and rawebon'd spright That lankes the cheekes and pales the freshest sight Vnbosoming the cheerefull brest of all delight 14 Before this cursed throng goes Ignorance That needes will leade the way he cannot see And after all Death doeth his flag aduaunce And in the mid'st Strife still would roaguing be Whose ragged flesh and cloaths did well agree And round about amazed Horror flies And ouer all Shame veiles his guiltie eyes And vnderneth Hells hungrie throat still yawning lies 15 Vpon two stonie tables spread before her She lean'd her bosome more then stonie hard There slept th'vnpartiall iudge and strict restorer Of wrong or right with paine or with reward There hung the skore of all our debts the card Whear good and bad and life and death were painted Was neuer heart of mortall so vntainted But when that scroule was read with thousand terrors fainted 16 Witnes the thunder that mount Sinai heard When 〈◊〉 hill with firie clouds did flame And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Israel with the sight afeard Blinded 〈◊〉 seeing durst not touch the same But like a wood of shaking leaues became On this dead Iustice she the Liuing Lawe Bowing herselfe with a maiestique awe All heau'n to heare her speech did into silence drawe 17 Dread Lord of Spirits well thou did'st deuise To fling the worlds rude dunghill and the drosse Of the ould Chaos farthest from the skies And thine owne seate that heare the child of losse Of all the lower heau'n the curse and crosse That wretch beast caytiue monster Man might spend Proude of the mire in which his soule is pend Clodded in lumps of clay his wearie life to end 18 His bodie dust whear grewe such cause of pride His soule thy Image what could he enuie Himselfe most happie if he so would bide Now grow'n most wretched who can remedie He slewe himselfe himselfe the enemie That his owne soule would her owne murder wreake If I were silent heau'n and earth would speake And if all fayl'd these stones would into clamours breake 19 How many darts made furrowes in his side When she that out of his owne side was made Gaue feathers to their flight whear was the pride Of their newe knowledge whither did it fade When running from thy voice into the shade He fled thy sight himselfe of sight bereau'd And for his shield a leauie armour weau'd With which vain maÌ„ he thought Gods eies to 〈…〉 20 And well he might delude those eyes that see And iudge by colours for who euer sawe A man of leaues a reasonable tree But those that from this stocke their life did drawe Soone made their Father godly and by lawe Proclaimed Trees almightie Gods of wood Of stocks and stones with crownes of laurell stood Templed and fed by fathers with their childrens blood 21 The sparkling fanes that burne in beaten gould And like the starres of heau'n in mid'st of night â—lacke Egypt as her mirrhours doth behould â—re but the denns whear idoll-snakes delight â—gaine to couer Satan from their sight Yet these are all their gods to whome they vie The Crocodile the Cock the Rat the Flie. 〈◊〉 gods indeede for such men to be serued by 22 â—…e Fire the winde the sea the sunne and moone â—…e flitting Aire and the swift-winged How'rs â—…d all the watchmen that so nimbly runne â—…d centinel about the walled towers 〈◊〉 the worlds citie in their heau'nly bowr's And least their pleasant gods should want delight Neptune spues out the Lady Aphrodite â—…d but in heauen proude Iunos peacocks skorne to lite 23 â—…e senselesse Earth the Serpent dog and catte â—…d woorse then all these Man and woorst of men â—…rping Ioue and swilling Bacchus fat â—…d drunke with the vines purple blood and then â—…e Fiend himselfe they coniure from his denne Because he onely yet remain'd to be Woorse then the worst of men they flie from thee â—…d weare his altar-stones out with their pliant knee 24 〈◊〉 that he speakes and all he speakes are lies â—…e oracles 't is he that wounded all â—…res all their wounds he that put out their eyes â—…at giues them light he that death first did call Into the world that with his orizall Inspirits earth he heau'ns al-seeing eye He earths great Prophet he whom rest doth flie That on salt billowes doth as pillowes sleeping lie 25 But let him in his cabin restles rest The dungeon of darke flames and freezing fire Iustice in heau'n against man makes request To God and of his Angels doth require Sinnes punishment if what I did desire Or who or against whome or why or whear Of or before whom ignorant I wear Then should my speech their sands of sins to mountaines â—eaâ— 26 Wear not the heau'ns pure in whose courts I sue The Iudge to whom I sue iust to requite him The cause for sinne the punishment most due Iustice her selfe the plaintiffe to endite him The Angells holy before whom I cite him He against whom wicked vniust impure Then might he sinnefull liue and die secure Or triall might escape of triall might endure 27 The Iudge might partiall be and ouer-pray'd The place appeald from in whose courts he sues The fault excus'd or punishment delayd The parties selfe accus'd that did accuse Angels for pardon might their praiers vse But now no starre can shine no hope be got Most wretched creature if he knewe his lot And yet more wretched farre because he knowes it not 28 What should I tell how barren earth is growne â—…ll for to
sterue her children didst not thou â—…ater with heau'nly showers her wombe vnsowne â—…nd drop downe cloudes of flow'rs didst not thou bowe â—…ine easie eare vnto the plowmans vowe Long might he looke and looke and long in vaine Might load his haruest in an emptie wayne â—…d beat the woods to finde the poore okes hungrie graine 29 â—…he swelling sea seethes in his angrie waues â—…d smites the earth that dares the traytors nourish â—…t oft his thunder their light corke outbraues â—…owing the mountaines on whose temples flourish â—…hole woods of garlands and their pride to cherish Plowe through the seaes greene fields and nets display To catch the flying winds and steale away â—…oozning the greedie sea prisning their nimble prey 30 â—…w often haue I seene the wauing pine â—…st on a watrie mountaine knocke his head 〈◊〉 heau'ns too patient gates and with salt brine â—…ench the Moones burning hornes and safely fled â—…m heau'ns reuenge her passengers all dead With stiffe astonishment tumble to hell How oft the sea all earth would ouerswell â—…d not thy sandie girdle binde the mightie well 31 â—…ould not the aire be fill'd with steames of death 〈◊〉 poyson the quicke riuers of their blood â—…d not thy windes fan with their panting breath â—…e flitting region would not the hastie flood Emptie it selfe into the seas wide wood Did'st not thou leade it wandring from his way To giue men drinke and make his waters strey To fresh the flowrie medowes through whose fields they playâ—… 32 Who makes the sources of the siluer fountaines From the flints mouth and rocky valleis slide Thickning the ayrie bowells of the mountaines Who hath the wilde heards of the forrest tide In their cold denns making them hungrie bide Till man to rest be laid can beastly he That should haue most sense onely senseles be And all things else beside himselfe so awefull see 33 Wear he not wilder then the saluage beast Prowder then haughty hills harder then rocks Colder then fountaines from their springs releast Lighter then aire blinder then senseles stocks More changing then the riuers curling locks If reason would not sense would soone reprooue him And vnto shame if not to sorrow mooue him To see cold floods wild beasts dul stocks hard stones out-lâ—… 34 Vnder the weight of sinne the earth did fall And swallowed Dathan and the raging winde And stormie sea and gaping Whale did call For Ionas and the aire did bullets finde And shot from heau'n a stony showre to grinde The fiue proud Kings that for their idols fought The Sunne it selfe stood still to fight it out And fire froÌ„ heau'n slew downe when sin to heau'n did 〈◊〉 35 â—…hould any to himselfe for safety flie The way to saue himselfe if any were â—ear to flie from himselfe should he relie Vpon the promise of his wife but there â—hat can he see but that he most may feare A Syren sweete to death vpon his friends Who that he needs or that he hath not lends â—…r wanting aide himselfe ayde to another sends 36 â—is strength but duft his pleasure cause of paine â—s hope false courtier youth or beawtie brittle â—…treatie fond repentance late and vaine â—…st recompence the world wear all too little â—…y loue he hath no title to a tittle Hells force in vaine her furies hell shall gather His Seruants Kinsmen or his children rather â—…is child if good shall iudge if bad shall curse his father 37 â—is life that brings him to his end and leaues him â—is ende that leaues him to beginne his woe â—s goods what good in that that so deceaues him â—s gods of wood their feete alas are slowe 〈◊〉 goe to helpe that must be help't to goe Honour great woorth ah little woorth they be Vnto their owners wit that makes him see 〈◊〉 wanted wit that thought he had it wanting thee 38 â—e sea to drinke him quicke that casts his dead â—ngells to spare they punish night to hide â—e world shall burne in light the heau'ns to spread â—heir wings to saue him heau'n it selfe shall slide And rowle away like melting starres that glide Along their oylie threads his minde pursues him His house to shrowde or hills to fall and bruse him As Seargeants both attache and witnesses accuse him 39 What need I vrge what they must needs confesse Sentence on them condemn'd by their owne lust I craue no more and thou canst giue no lesse Then death to dead men iustice to vniust Shame to most shamefull and most shameles dust But if thy Mercie needs will spare her friends Let Mercie there begin where Iustice endes T is cruell Mercie that the wrong from right defends 40 She ended and the heau'nly Hierarchies Burning in zeale thickly imbranded weare Like to an armie that allarum cries And euery one shakes his ydraded speare And the Almighties selfe as he would teare The earth and her firme basis quite in sunder Flam'd all in iust reuenge and mightie thunder Heau'n stole it selfe from earth by clouds that moisterd vndâ—… 41 As when the cheerfull Sunne elamping wide Glads all the world with his vprising raye And wooes the widow'd earth afresh to pride And paint her bosome with the flowrie Maye His silent sister steales him quite away Wrap't in a sable clowde from mortall eyes The hastie starres at noone begin to rise And headlong to his early roost the sparrowe flies 42 But soone as he againe dishadowed â—is Restoring the blind world his blemish't sight As though another day wear newely ris The cooz'ned birds busily take their flight And wonder at the shortnesse of the night So Mercie once againe her selfe displayes Out from her sisters cloud and open layes Those sunshine lookes whose beames would dim a thousand dayes 43 How may a worme that crawles along the dust Clamber the azure mountaines thrown so high And fetch from thence they faire Idea iust That in those sunny courts doth hidden lie Cloath'd with such light as blinds the Angels eye How may weake mortall euer hope to file His vnsmooth tongue and his deprostrate stile 〈◊〉 raise thou from his corse thy now entomb'd exile 44 One touch would rouze me from my sluggish hearse One word would call me to my wished home One looke would polish my afflicted verse One thought would steale my soule from her thicke lome And force it wandring vp to heau'n to come Thear to importune and to beg apace One happy fauour of thy sacred grace To see what though it loose her eyes to see thy face 45 If any aske why roses please the sight Because their leaues vpon thy cheelâ—es doe bowre If any aske why lillies are so white Because their blossoms in thy hand doe flowre Or why sweet plants so gratefull odours shoure It is because thy breath so like they be Or why the Orient Sunne so bright we see What reason can we giue but from thine eies and thee 46 Ros'd all in liuely crimsin ar thy cheeks Whear
beawties indeflourishing abide And as to passe his fellowe either seekes Seemes both doe blush at one anothers pride And on thine eyelids waiting thee beside Ten thousand Graces sit and when they mooue To earth their amourous belgards from aboue They flie from heau'n and on their wings conuey thy loue 47 All of discolour'd plumes their wings aâ— made And with so wondrous art the quills aâ— wrought That whensoere they cut the ayrie glade The winde into their hollowe pipes is caught As seemes the spheres with them they down haue brought Like to the seauen-fold reede of Arcadie Which Pan of Syriux made when she did flie To Ladon sands and at his sighs sung mâ—…ly 48 As melting hony dropping from the combe So still the words that spring between thy lipps Thy lippes whear smiling sweetnesse keepes her home And heau'nly Eloquence pure manna sipps He that his pen but in that fountaine dipps How nimbly will the golden phrases flie And shed forth streames of choycest rhetorie Welling celestiall torrents out of poësie 49 Like as the thirstie land in summers heat Calls to the cloudes and gapes at euerie showre As though her hungry clifts all heau'n would eat Which if high God into her bosome powre Though much refresht yet more she could deuoure So hang the greedie ears of Angels sweete And euery breath a thousand cupids meete Some flying in some out and all about her fleet 50 Vpon her breast Delight doth softly sleepe And of eternall ioy is brought abed Those snowie mountelets through which doe creepe The milkie riuers that ar inly bred In siluer cesternes and themselues doe shed To wearie Trauailers in heat of day To quench their fierie thrist and to allay With dropping nectar floods the furie of their way 51 If any wander thou doest call him backe If any be not forward thou incit'st him Thou doest expect if any should growe slacke If any seeme but willing thou inuit'st him Or if he doe offend thee thou acquit'st him Thou find'st the lost and follow'st him that flies Healing the sicke and quickning him that dies Thou art the lame mans friendly staffe the blind mans eyes 52 So faire thou art that all would thee behold But none can thee behold thou art so faire Pardon O pardon then thy Vassall bold That with poore shadowes striues thee to compare And match the things which he knowes matchlesse are O thou vive mirrhour of celestiall grace How can fraile colours pourtraict out thy face Or paint in flesh thy beawtie in such semblance base 53 Her vpper garment was a silken lawne With needle-woorke richly embroidered Which she her selfe with her owne hand had drawne And all the world therein had pourtrayed With threads so fresh and liuely coloured That seem'd the world she newe created thear And the mistaken eye would rashly swear The silken trees did growe and the beasts liuing wear 54 Low at her feet the Earth was cast alone As though to kisse her foot it did aspire And gaue it selfe for her to tread vpon With so vnlike and different attire That euery one that sawe it did admire What it might be was of so various hewe For to it selfe it oft so diuerse grewe That still it seem'd the same and still it seem'd a newe 55 And here and there few men she scattered That in their thought the world esteeme but small And themselues great but she with one fine thread So short and small and slender woue them all That like a sort of busie ants that crawle About some molehill so they wandered And round about the wauing Sea was shed But for the siluer sands small pearls were sprinkled 56 So curiously the vnderworke did creepe And curling circlets so well shadowed lay That afar off the waters seem'd to sleepe But those that neere the margin pearle did play Hoarcely enwaued wear with hastie sway As though they meant to rocke the gentle eare And hush the former that enslumbred wear And here a dangerous rocke the flying ships did fear 57 High in the ayrie element there hung Another clowdy sea that did disdaine As though his purer waues from heauen sprung To crawle on earth as doth the sluggish maine But it the earth would water with his raine That eb'd and flow'd as winde and season would And oft the Sun would cleaue the limber mould To alabaster rockes that in the liquid rowl'd 58 Beneath those sunny banks a darker cloud Dropping with thicker deaw did melt apace And bent it selfe into a hollowe shroude On which if Mercy did but cast her face A thousand colours did the bowe-enchace That wonder was to see the silke distain'd With the resplendance from her beawtie gain'd And Iris paint her locks with beames so liuely feign'd 59 About her head a cyprus heau'n she wore Spread like a veile vpheld with siluer wire In which the starres so burn't in golden ore As seem'd the azure web was all on fire But hastily to quench their sparkling ire A flood of milke came rowling vp the shore That on his curded â—aue swift Argus bore And the immortall swan that did her life deplore 60 Yet strange it was so many starres to see Without a Sunne to giue their tapers light Yet strange it was not that it so should be For where the Sunne centers himselfe by right Her face and locks did flame that at the sight The heauenly veile that else should nimbly mooue Forgot his flight and all incens'd with loue With wonder and amazement did her beautie prooue 61 Ouer her hung a canopie of state Not of rich tissew nor of spangled gold But of a substance though not animate Yet of a heau'nly and spirituall mould That onely eyes of Spirits might behold Such light as from maine rocks of diamound Shooting their sparks at Phebus would rebound And little Angels holding hands daunc't all around 62 Seemed those little sprights through nimbless bold The stately canopy bore on their wings But them it selfe as pendants did vphold Besides the crownes of many famous kings Among the rest thear Dauid euer sings And now with yeares growne young renewes his layeâ— Vnto his golden harpe and ditties playes Psalming aloud in well tun'd songs his Makers prayse 63 Thou self-Idea of all ioyes to come Whose loue is such would make the rudest speake Whose loue is such would make the wisest dumbe O when wilt thou thy too long silence breake And ouercome the strong to saue the weake If thou no weapons hast thine eyes will wound Th' Almighties selfe that now sticke on the ground As though some blessed obiect thear did them empound 64 Ah miserable Abiect of disgrace What happines is in thy miserie I both must pittie and enuie thy case For she that is the glorie of the skie Leaues heauen blind to fix on thee her eye Yet her though Mercies selfe esteems not small The world despisd ' they her Repentance call And she her selfe
despises and the world and all 65 Deepely alas empassioned she stood To see a flaming brand tost vp from hell Boyling her heart in her owne lustfull blood That oft for torment she would loudely yell Now she would sighing sit and nowe she fell Crouching vpon the ground in sackcloath trust Early and late she prayed and fast she must And all her haire hung full of ashes and of dust 66 Of all most hated yet hated most of all Of her owne selfe she was disconsolat As though her flesh did but infunerall Her buried ghost she in an arbour sat Of thornie brier weeping her cursed state And her before a hastie riuer fled Which her blind eyes with faithfull penance fed And all about the grasse with tears hung downe his head 67 Her eyes though blind abroad at home kept fast Inwards they turn'd and look't into her head At which shee often started as aghast To see so fearfull spectacles of dread And with one hand her breast shee martyred Wounding her heart the same to mortifie The other a faire damsell held her by Which if but once let goe shee sunke immediatly 68 But Faith was quicke and nimble as the heau'n As if of loue and life shee all had been And though of present sight her sense were reauen Yet shee could see the things could not be seen Beyond the starres as nothing wear between She fixt her sight disdeigning things belowe Into the sea she could a mountaine throwe And make the Sun to stande and waters backewards flowe 69 Such when as Mercie her beheld from high In a darke valley drownd with her owne tears One of her graces she sent hastily Smiling Eirene that a garland wears Of guilded oliue on her fairer hears To crowne the fainting soules true sacrifice Whom when as sad Repentance comming spies The holy Desperado wip't her swollen eyes 70 But Mercie felt a kinde remorse to runne Through her soft vaines and therefore hying fast To giue an end to silence thus begunne Aye-honour'd Father if no ioy thou hast But to reward desert reward at last The Deuils voice spoke with a serpents tongue Fit to hisse out the words so deadly stung And let him die deaths bitter charmes so sweetely sung 71 He was the father of that hopeles season That to serue other Gods forgot their owne The reason was thou wast aboue their reason They would haue any Gods rather then none Aâ—beasily serpent or a senselesse stone And these as Iustice bates so I deplore But the vp-plowed heart all rent and tore Though wounded by it selfe I gladly would restore 72 He was but dust Why fear'd he not to fall And beeing fall'n how can he hope to liue Cannot the hand destroy him that made all Could be not take away aswell as giue Should man depraue and should not God depriue Was it not all the worlds deceiuing spirit That bladder'd vp with pride of his owne merit Fell in his rise that him of heau'n did disinherit 73 He was but dust how could he stand before him And beeing fall'n why should he feare to die Cannot the hand that made him first restore him Deprau'd of sinne should he depriued lie Of grace can he not hide infirmitie That gaue him strength vnworthy the forsaking He is who euer weighs without mistaking Or Maker of the man or manner of his making 74 Who shall thy temple incense any more Or to thy altar crowne the sacrifice Or strewe with idle flow'rs the hallow'd flore Or what should Prayer deck with hearbs and spice Her vialls breathing orisons of price If all must paie that which all cannot paie O first begin with mee and Mercie slaie And thy thrice-honour'd Sonne that now beneath doth strey 75 But if or he or I may liue and speake And heau'n can ioye to see a sinner weepe Oh let not Iustice yron scepter breake A heart alreadie broke that lowe doth creep And with prone humblesse her feets dust doth sweep Must all goe by desert is nothing free Ah if but those that onely woorthy be None should thee euer see none should thee euer see 76 What hath man done that man shall not vndoe Since God to him is growne so neere a kin Did his foe slay him he shall slay his foe Hath he lost all he all againe shall win Is Sinne his Master he shall master sinne Too hardy soule with sinne the field to trie The onely way to conquer was to flie But thus long death hath liu'd and now deaths selfe shall die 77 He is a path if any be misled He is a robe if any naked bee If any chaunce to hunger he is bread If any be a bondman he is free If any be but weake howe strong is hee To dead men life he is to sicke men health To blinde men sight and to the needie wealth A pleasure without losse a treasure without stealth 78 Who can forget neuer to be forgot The time that all the world in slumber lies When like the starres the singing Angels shot To earth and heau'n awaked all his eyes To see another Sunne at midnight rise On earth was neuer sight of pareil fame For God before Man like himselfe did frame But God himselfe now like a mortall man became 79 〈◊〉 Child he was and had not learn't to speake That with his word the world before did make His Mothers armes him bore he was so weake That with one hand the vaults of heau'n could shake â—ee how small roome my infant Lord doth take Whom all the world is not enough to hold Who of his yeares or of his age hath told â—euer such age so young neuer a child so old 80 â—nd yet but newely he was insanted â—nd yet alreadie he was sought to die â—et scarcely borne alreadie banished â—ot able yet to goe and forc't to flie But scarcely fled away when by and by The Tyrans sword with blood is all defil'd And Rachel for her sonnes with furie wild Cries O thou cruell King and O my sweetest child 81 Egypt his Nource became whear Nilus springs Who streit to entertaine the rising sunne The hasty haruest in his bosome brings But now for drieth the fields wear all vndone And now with waters all is ouerrunne So fast the Cynthian mountaines powr'd their snowe When once they felt the sunne so neere them glowe That Nilus Egypt lost and to a sea did growe 82 The Angells caroll'd lowd their song of peace The cursed Oracles wear strucken dumb To see their Sheapheard the poore Sheapheards press To see their King the Kingly Sophies come And them to guide vnto his Masters home A Starre comes dauncing vp the orient That springs for ioye ouer the strawy tent Whear gold to make their Prince a crowne they all present 83 Young Iohn glad child before he could be borne Leapt in the woombe his ioy to prophecie Old Anna though with age all spent and worne Proclaimes her Sauiour
painted masts with silken sayles embraues That Neptune selfe the bragging vessell saues To laugh a while at her so proud aray Her wauing streamers loosely shee lets play And flagging colours shine as bright as smiling day 36 But all so soone as heau'n his browes doth bend Shee veils her banners and pulls in her beames The emptie barke the raging billows send Vp to th' Olympique waues and Argus seemes Againe to ride vpon our lower streames Right so PRESVMPTION did her selfe behaue Tossed about with euery stormie waue And in white lawne shee went most like an Angel braue 37 Gently our Sauiour shee began to shrive Whither he wear the Sonne of God or no For any other shee disdeign'd to wive And if he wear shee bid him fearles throw Himselfe to ground and thearwithall did show A flight of little Angels that did wait Vpon their glittering wings to latch him strait And longed on their backs to feele his glorious weight 38 But when she saw her speech preuailed nought Her selfe she tombled headlong to the flore But him the Angels on their feathers caught And to an ayrie mountaine nimbly bore Whose snowie shoulders like some chaulkie shore Restles Olympus seem'd to rest vpon With all his swimming globes so both are gone The Dragon with the Lamb. Ah vnmeet Paragon 39 All suddenly the hill his snowe deuours In liew whereof a goodly garden grew As if the snow had melted into flow'rs Which their sweet breath in subtill vapours threw That all about perfumed spirits flew For what so euer might aggrate the sense In all the world or please the appetence Heer it was powred out in lavish affluence 40 Not louely Ida might with this compare Though many streames his banks besiluered Though Xanthus with his golden sands he bare Nor Hibla though his thyme depastured As fast againe with honie blossomed Ne Rhodope ne Tempes flowrie playne Adonis garden was to this but vayne Though Plato on his beds a flood of praise did rayne 41 For in all these some one thing most did grow But in this one grew all things els beside For sweet varietie herselfe did throw To euery banke here all the ground she dide In lillie white there pinks eblazed wide And damask't all the earth and here shee shed Blew violets and there came roses red And euery sight the yeelding sense as captiue led 42 The garden like a Ladie faire was cut That lay as if shee slumber'd in delight And to the open skies her eyes did shut The azure fields of heau'n wear sembled right In a large round set with the flowr's of light The flowr's-de-luce and the round sparks of deaw That hung vpon their azure leaues did shew Like twinkling starrs that sparkle in th'eau'ning blew 43 Vpon a hillie banke her head shee cast On which the bowre of Vaine-Delight was built White and red roses for her face wear plac't And for her tresses Marigolds wear spilt Them broadly shee displaid like flaming guilt Till in the ocean the glad day wear drown'd Then vp againe her yellow locks she wound And with greene fillets in their prettie calls them bound 44 What should I here depeiâ—t her lillie hand Her veines of violets her ermine brest Which thear in orient colours liuing stand Or how her gowne with silken leaues is drest Or how her watchmen arm'd with boughie crest A wall of prim hid in his bushes beaâ—s Shaking at euery winde their leauie spears While she supinely sleeps ne to be waked fears 45 Ouer the hedge depends the graping Elme Whose greener head empurpuled in wine Seemed to wonder at his bloodie helme And halfe suspect the bunches of the vine Least they perhaps his wit should vndermine For well he knewe such fruit he neuer bore But her weake armes embraced him the more And with her ruby grapes laught at her paramour 46 Vnder the shadowe of these drunken elâ—es A Fountaine rose where Pangloretta vses When her some flood of fancie ouerwhelms And one of all her fauourites she chuses To bath herselfe whom she in lust abuses And from his wanton body sucks his soule Which drown'd in pleasure in that shaly bowle And swimming in delight doth amarously rowle 47 The font of siluer was and so his showrs â—…n siluer fell onely the guilded bowles Like to a fornace that the min'rall powres Seem'd to haue moul't it in their shining holes And on the water like to burning coles On liquid siluer leaues of roses lay But when PANGLORIE here did list to play â—…ose water then it ranne and milke it rain'd they say 48 The roofe thicke cloudes did paint from which three boyes â—…hree gaping mermaides with their eaâ—â—s did feede Whose brests let fall the streame with sleepie noise â—…o Lions mouths from whence it leapt with speede And in the rosie lauer seem'd to bleed The naked boyes vnto the waters fall Their stonie nightingales had taught to call When Zephyr breath'd into their watry interall 49 And all about embayed in soft sleepe A heard of charmed beasts a ground wear spread Which the faire Witch in goulden chaines did keepe And them in willing bondage fettered Once men they liu'd but now the men were dead And turn'd to beasts so fabled Homer old That Circe with her potion charm'd in gold Vs'd manly soules in beastly bodies to immould 50 Through this false Eden to his Lemans bowre Whome thousand soules deuoutly idolize Our first destroyer led our Sauiour Thear in the lower roome in solemne wise They daunc't a round and powr'd their sacrifice To plumpe Lyaeus and among the rest The iolly Priest in yuie garlands drest Chaunted wild Orgialls in honour of the feast 51 Others within their arbours swilling sat For all the roome about was arboured With laughing Bacchus that was growne so fat That stand he could not but was carried And euery euening freshly watered To quench his fierie cheeks and all about Small cocks broke through the wall and sallied out Flaggons of wine to set on fire that spueing tour 52 This their inhumed soules esteem'd their wealths To crowne the bouzing kan from day to night And sicke to drinke themselues with drinking healths Some vomiting all drunken with delight Hence to a loft carv'd all in yvorie white They came wheat whiter Ladies naked went Melted in pleasure and soft languishment And sunke in beds of roses amourous glaunces sent 53 Flie flie thou holy child that wanton roome And thou my chaster Muse those harlots shun And with him to a higher storie come Whear mounts of gold and flouds of siluer run The while the owners with their wealth vndone Starve in their store and in their plentie pine Tumbling themselues vpon their heaps of mine Glutting their famish't soules with the deceitfull shine 54 Ah who was he such pretious perills found How strongly Nature did her treasures hide And threw vpon them mountains of thicke ground To darke their orie lustre but queint Pride Hath taught her
myriads done And yet but now alas but now all is begunne 44 With that a flaming brand a Furie catch't And shooke and tost it round in his wilde thought So from his heart all ioy all comfort snatch't With euery starre of hope and as he sought With present feare and future griefe distâ—aught To flie from his owne heart and aide in plore Of him the more he giues that hath the more Whose storehouse is the heauens too little for his store 45 Stay wretch on earth â—…d Satan reâ—â—leâ— rest Know'st thou not Iustice liues in heau'nâ— or ean The worst of creatures liue among the best Among the blessed Angels cursed man Will Iudas now become a Christian Whither will hopes long wings transport thy minde Or canst thou not thy selfe a sinner finde Or cruell to thy selfe wouldst thou haue Mercie kinde 46 He gaue thee life why shouldst thou seeke to slay him He lent thee wealth to feed thy avarice He cal'd thee friend what that thou shouldst betray him He kist thee though he knew his life the price He washt thy feet should'st thou his sacrifice He gaue thee bread and wine his bodie blood And at thy heart to enter in he stood But then I entred in and all my snakie brood 47 As when wild Pentheus growne madde with fear Whole troups of hellish haggs about him spies Two bloodie Sunnes stalking the duskie sphear And twofold Thebes runs rowling in his eyes Or through the scene staring Orestes flies With eyes flung back vpon his Mothers ghost That with infernall serpents all embost And torches quencht in blood doth her stern sonne accost 48 Such horrid gorgons and misformed formes Of damned fiends flew dauncing in his heart That new vnable to endure their stormes Flie flie he cries thy selfe what ere thou art Hell hell alreadie burnes in euery part So downe into his Torturers armes he fell That readie stood his funeralls to yell And in a clowd of night to waâ—â— him quick to hell 49 Yet oft he snacht and started as he hung So when the senses halfe enslumb'red lie The headlong bodie readie to be flung By the deluding phanâ—â—e from some high And craggie rock recovers greedily And clasps the yeelding pillow halfe asleepe And as from heav'n it tombled to the deepe Feeles a cold sweat through euery trembling member creepe 50 Thear let him hang embowelled in blood Whear neuer any gentle Sheapheard feed His blessed flocks nor euer heav'nly flood Fall on the cursed ground nor holesome seed That may the least delight or pleasure breed Let neuer Spring visit his habitation But nettles kixe and all the weedie nation With emptie elders grow sad signes of desolation 51 Theaâ— let the Dragon keepe his habitance And stinking karcases be throwne avaunt Faunes Sylvans and deformed Saâ—yrs daunce Wild-cats wolues â—oadâ— and shreechowles direly chaunt Thear euer let some restles spirit haunt With hollow sound and clashing cheynes to scarr The passenger and eyes like to the starr That sparkles in the crest of angâ—iâ— Mars afaâ—â— 52 But let the blessed deawes for euer showr Vpon that ground in whose faire fields I spie The bloodie ensigne of our Sauiour Strange conquest whear the Conquerour must die And he is slaine that winns the victorie But he that liuing had no house to owe it Now had no graue but Ioseph must bestowe it O runne ye Saints apace and with sweete flowr's bestowe it 53 And ye glad Spirits that now sainted sit On your coelestiall thrones in beawtie drest Though I your teares recoumpt O let not it With after-sorrowe wound your tender brest Or with new griefe vnquiet your soft rest Inough is me your plaints to sound againe That neuer could inough my selfe complaine Sing then O sing aloude thou Arimathean Swaine 54 But long he stood in his faint armes vphoulding The fairest spoile heau'n euer forfeited With such a silent passion griefe vnfoulding That had the sheete but on himselfe beene spread He for the corse might haue beene buried And with him stood the happie theefe that stole By night his owne saluation and a shole Of Maries drowned round about him sat in dole 55 At length kissing his lipps before he spake As if from thence he fetcht againe his ghost To Mary thus with teares his silence brake Ah woefull soule what ioy in all our cost When him we hould we haue alreadie lost Once did'st thou loose thy Sonne but found'st againe Now find'st thy Sonne but find'st him lost and slaine Ay mee though he could death how canst thou life sustaine 56 Whear ere deere Lord thy Shadowe houereth Blessing the place wherein it deigns abide Looke how the earth darke horrour couereth Cloathing in mournfull black her naked side Willing her shadowe vp to heau'n to glide To see and if it meet thee wandring thear That so and if her selfe must misse thee hear At least her shadow may her dutie to thee bear 57 See how the Sunne in daytime cloudes his face And lagging Vesper loosing his late teame Forgets in heau'n to runne his nightly race But sleeping on bright Oetas top doeth dreame The world a Chaos is no ioyfull beame Looks from his starrie bowre the heau'ns doe moue And Trees drop teares least we should greeue alone The windes haue learnt to sigh and waters hoarcely grone 58 And you sweete flow'rs that in this garden growe Whose happie states a thousand soules enuie Did you your owne felicities but knowe Your selues vnpluckt would to his funerals hiâ— You neuer could in better season die O that I might into your places slide The gate of heau'n stands gaping in his side Thear in my soule should steale and all her faults should hide 59 Are theas the eyes that made all others blind Ah why ar they themselues now blemished Is this the face in which all beawtie shin'd What blast hath thus his flowers debellished At these the feete that on the watry head Of the vnfaithfull Ocean passage found Why goe they now so lowely vnder ground Wash't with our woorthles teares and their owne precious wound 60 One hem but of the garments that he wore Could medicine whole countries of their paine One touch of this pale hand could life restore One word of these cold lips reuiue the slaine Well the blinde man thy Godhead might maintaine What though the sullen Pharises repin'd He that should both compare at length would finde The blinde man onely sawe the Seers all wear blinde 61 Why should they thinke thee worthy to be slaine Was it because thou gau'st their blinde men eyes Or that thou mad'st their lame to walke againe Or for thou heal'dst their sick mens maladies Or mad'st their dumbe to speake and dead to rise O could all these but any grace haue woon What would they not to saue thy life haue done The dumb man would haue spoke and lame man would haue runne 62 Let mee O let me neere some fountaine lie That through the rocke heaues vp his sandie head Or let me
dwell vpon some mountaine high Whose hollowe root and baser parts ar spread On fleeting waters in his bowells bred That I their streames and they my teares may feed Or cloathed in some Hermits ragged weed Spend all my daies in weeping for this cursed deed 63 The life the which I onte did loue I leaue The loue in which I once did liue I loath I hate the light that did my light bereaue Both loue and life I doe despise you both O that one graue might both our ashes cloath A Loue a Life a Light I now obteine Able to make my Age growe young againe Able to saue the sick and to reuiue the slaine 64 Thus spend we teares that neuer can be spent On him that sorrow now no more shall see Thus send we sighs that neuer can be sent To him that died to liue and would not be To be thear whear he would here burie we This heau'nly earth here let it softly sleepe The fairest Sheapheard of the fairest sheepe So all the bodie kist and homewards went to weepe 65 So home their bodies went to seeke repose But at the graue they left their soules behinde O who the force of loue coelestiall knowes That can the cheynes of natures selfe vnbinde Sending the Bodie home without the minde Ah blessed Virgin what high Angels art Can euer coumpt thy teares or sing thy smart When euery naile that pierst his hand did pierce thy heart 66 So Philomel perch't on an aspin sprig Weeps all the night her lost virginitie And sings her sad tale to the merrie twig That daunces at such ioyfull miserie Ne euer lets sweet rest inuade her eye But leaning on a thorne her daintie chest For feare soft sleepe should steale into her brest Expresses in her song greefe not to be exprest 67 So when the Larke poore birde afarre espi'th Her yet vnfeather'd children whom to saue She striues in vaine slaine by the fatall sithe Which from the medowe her greene locks doeth shaue That their warme nest is now become their graue The woefull mother vp to heauen springs And all about her plaintiue notes she flings And their vntimely fate most pittifully sings CHRISTS TRIVMPH after Death 1 BVt now the second Morning from her bowre Began to glister in her beames and nowe The roses of the day began to flowre In th' easterne garden for heau'ns smiling browe Halfe insolent for ioy begunne to showe The early Sunne came liuely dauncing out And the bragge lambes ranne wantoning about That heau'n and earth might seeme in tryumph both to shour 2 Th' engladded Spring forgetfull now to weepe Began t' eblazon from her leauie bed The waking swallowe broke her halfe-yeares sleepe And euerie bush lay deepely purpured With violets the woods late-wintry head Wide flaming primroses set all on fire And his bald trees put on their greene attire Among whose insant leaues the ioyeous birds conspire 3 And now the taller Sonnes whom Titan warmes Of vnshorne mountaines blowne with easie windes Dandled the mornings childhood in their armes And if they chaunc't to slip the prouder pines The vnder Corylets did catch the shines To guild their leaues sawe neuer happie yeare Such ioyfull triumph and triumphant cheare As though the aged world anew created wear 4 Say Earth why hast thou got thee new attire And stick'st thy habit full of dazies red Seems that thou doest to some high thought aspire And some newe-found-out Bridegroome mean'st to wed Tell me ye Trees so fresh apparelled So neuer let the spitefull Canker wast you So neuer let the heau'ns with lightening blast you Why goe you now so trimly drest or whither hast you 5 Answer me Iordan why thy crooked tide So often wanders from his neerest way As though some other way thy streame would slide And faine salute the place where something lay And you sweete birds that shaded from the ray Sit carolling and piping griefe away The while the lambs to heare you daunce and play Tell me sweete birds what is it you so faine would say 6 And thou faire Spouse of Earth that euerie yeare Gett'st such a numerous issue of thy bride How chance thou hotter shin'st and draw'st more neere Sure thou somewhear some worthie sight hast spide That in one place for ioy thou canst not bide And you dead Swallowes that so liuely now Through the flit aire your winged passage rowe How could new life into your frozen ashes flowe 7 Ye Primroses and purple violets Tell me why blaze ye from your leauie bed And wooe mens hands to rent you from your sets As though you would somewhear be carried With fresh perfumes and velvets garnished But ah I neede not aske t' is surely so You all would to your Sauiours triumphs goe Thear would ye all awaite and humble homage doe 8 Thear should the Earth herselfe with garlands newe And louely flowr's embellished adore Such roses neuer in her garland grewe Such lillies neuer in her brest she wore Like beautie neuer yet did shine before Thear should the Sunne another Sunne behold From whence himselfe borrowes his locks of gold That kindle heau'n and earth with beauties manifold 9 Thear might the violet and primrose sweet Beames of more liuely and more louely grace Arising from their beds of incense meet Thear should the Swallowe see newe life embrace Dead ashes and the graue vnheale his face To let the liuing from his bowels creepe Vnable longer his owne dead to keepe Thear heau'n and earth should see their Lord awake from sleepe 10 Their Lord before by other iudg'd to die Nowe Iudge of all himselfe before forsaken Of all the world that from his aide did flie Now by the Saints into their armies taken Before for an vnworthie man mistaken Nowe worthy to be God confest before With blasphemies by all the basest tore Now worshipped by Angels that him lowe adore 11 Whose garment was before indipt in blood But now imbright'ned into heau'nly flame The Sun it selfe outglitters though he should Climbe to the toppe of the celestiall frame And force the starres go hide themselues for shame Before that vnder earth was buried But nowe about the heau'ns is carried And thear for euer by the Angels heried 12 So fairest Phosphor the bright Morning starre But neewely washt in the greene element Before the drouzie Night is halfe aware Shooting his flaming locks with deaw besprent Springs liuely vp into the orient And the bright droue fleec't all in gold he chaces To drinke that on the Olympique mountaine grazes The while the minor Planets forfeit all their faces 13 So long he wandred in our lower spheare That heau'n began his cloudy starres despise Halfe enuious to see on earth appeare A greater light then flam'd in his owne skies At length it burst for spight and out thear flies A globe of winged Angels swift as thought That on their spotted feathers liuely caught The sparkling Earth and to their azure fields it brought 14 The rest that
Light is the pallace whear she dwells O blessed wight RUina Coeli pulchra iam tâ—rris decus Deusque proles matris iâ—nuptae pater Sine matre natus sine patre excrescens caro Quem nec mare aether terra non coelum capit Vtero puellae totus angusto latens Aequaevâ—…s idem patri matre antiquior Heu domite victor triumphator tui Opus opifexque qui minor quà m sis eò Maior resurgis vita quae mori velis Atque ergo possis passa â—inem Aeternitas Quid tibi rependam quid tiâ—i rependam miser Vt quando ocellos mollis inuadit quies Et nocte membra plurimus Morpheus prâ—mit Auidè vidâ—mur velle de teâ—go sequens Effugere monstrum plumbeos frustra pedes Celerare media succidimâ—…s aegri fugâ Solitum pigrescit robur os quaerit viam Sed proditurus moritur in lingua sonus Sic stupeo totus totus haeresco intuâ—ns Et saepe repeto forte si rependerem Solus rependit ille qui repetit beâ—e G. Fletcher The Argument propounded in generall Our redemption by Christ. The Authors Inuocation for the better handling of it The Argument Mans redemption expounded from the cause Mercie Dwelling in heauen And pleading for maÌ„ now guilde with Iustice described by her qualities Her Retinue Her Subiect Her accusation of Mans sinne And 1. of Adams first sinne Then of his posterities in all kinde of Idolatrie How hopelesse any patronage of 〈◊〉 All the Creatures hauing disleagued themselues with him For his extreame vngratefulnes So that beeing destitute of all hope or any remedie He can look for nothing but a fearful sentence The effect of Iustice her speech the inflammation of the heauenly Powers Appeased by Mercie who is described by her cherfulnes to defend Man Our inabilitie to describe her Her beautie resembled by the creatures which are all fraile shadows of her essentiall perfection Her Attendants Her perswasiue power Her kind offices to Man Her Garments wrought by her owne hands wherwith shee cloaths her selfe composd of all the Creatures The Earth Sea Ayre The celestiall bodies The third heauen Her Obiects Repentance Faith Her deprecative spech for Man in which She traÌ„slates the principal fault vnto the Deuill And repeating Iustice her aggravation of mans sinne Mittigates it 〈◊〉 by a coÌ„trarie iâ—ference 2 By interessing her selfe in the cause and Christ. That is as sufficient to satisfie as Man was impotent Whom shee celebrates from the time of his natiuitie From the effects of it in himsâ—lfe Egypt The Angels Men The effect of Mercies speech A Transition to Christs second victorie Christ brought into the place of combat the wildernes among the wilde beasts Mark 1. 13. Described by his proper Attribute The Mercie of God Whom the creatures cannot but adore By his vnitie with the Godhead His proper place The beutie of his bodie Cant. 5. 11. Psalm 45. 2. Gen. 49. 12. Cant. 5. 10. Isa. 53. 2. By preparing himself to the combate With his Adversarie that seemd what he was not Some deuout Essene Closely tempting him to despaire of Gods prouidence and prouide for himselfe But was what he seemed not Satan would faine haue lead him 1. To Desperation characterd by his place Countenance Apparell horrible apparitions c. 2. To Presumption characterd by her place Attendants c. And by her Temptation 3. To Vaine-Glorie Poetically described from the place where her court stood A garden From her Court and Courtiers 1. Pleasure in drinking in Luxurie 2. Avarice 3. Ambitious honour From her throne From her temptation The efâ—ect of this victorie in Satan The Angels The Creatures Christs Tryumph ouer death on the crosse exprest 1. in generall by his ioy to vndergoe it singing before he went to the garden Mat. 26. 30. By his griefe in the vndergoing it By the obscure fables of the Gentiles typing it By the cause of it in him his Loue. By the effect it should haue in vs. By the instrument the cursed Tree 2. exprest in particular 〈◊〉 by his fore-passion in the Garden By his passion it selfe amplified 1. from the general causes Parts and Effects of it 1. From the particular causes Parts and Effects of it in heauen in the heauenly Spirits in the Creatures sub coelestiall In the wicked Iewes In Iudas In the blessed Saint Ioseph c. Christs Triumph after death 1. in his Resurrection manifested by the effects of it in the Creatures In himselfe 2. In his Ascention to heauen whose ioves are described 1. By the accesse of all good the blessed Societie of the Saints Angels c. The sweete quiet and peace inioyed vnder God Shadowed by the peace we enioy vnder our Soueraigne The beauty of the place The Caritie as the schoole calâ— it of the Saints bodies The impletion of the Appetite The ioy of the senses c. 2. By the amotion of all euill By the accesse of all good againe in the glorie of the Holy Cittie in the beatificall vision of God And of Christ.