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
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
ODES IN IMITATION OF THE SEAVEN PENITENTIAL PSALMES VVith Sundry other Poemes and ditties tending to deuotion and pietie HS IMPRINTED ANNO DOMINI M. D.CI TO THE VERTVOVS LADIES AND GENTLE VVOMEN READERS OF THESE DITTIES WHen for my owne priuate recreation I had penned some of these poemes yet not enteÌ„ding to make them publyke for that I feared their soone receauing the deserued censure of the slendernesse of their woorth Yet hauing by chaunce communicated them with a freind I was not a litle vrged to affoord them the libertie of open view but also perswaded to their further augmentation And now hauing yeilded vnto the one aduentured the other I knew no better way then to make dedication of them vnto your selues whose sweete voyces or virginalles may voutsafe so to grace them as that thereby they may be much bettered and the rather yf it shal please you to obtaine of some skilful Musitian such requisite tunes as may vnto them be best fitting And therein crauing your helpful furtherance and for my presumption your fauourable pardon I humbly take my leaue excusing my self with my owne good meaning Vttred as ensueth Vid. The vaine conceits of loues delight I leaue to Ouids arte Of warres and bloody broyles to wryte Is fit for Virgils parte Of tragedies in doleful tales Let Sophocles entreat And how vnstable fortune failes Al Poets do repeat But vnto our eternal king My verse and voyce I frame And of his saintes I meane to sing In them to praise his name Yours in his best endeuours R. V. ODES IN IMITATION OF THE SEAVEN PENItential Psalmes To so-many seueral tunes of Musick In imitation of the first penitential Psalme Beginning Domine ne in furore Psalm 6. WHen my misdeedes o God May thee to anger mooue Amiddes the rigour of thy rage Voutsafe mee not reprooue Nor when for my offence Thy chastisment must bee In thy displeasure o deere Lord Let it not light on mee Thy mercies Lord I craue Of strength I am bereft O salue the sorenesse that my sin Vpon my bones hath left My much agrieued soule In sorrowes doth abound How long o Lord shal they endure Or comfort be vnfound O turne thy self to mee And rid my soule of paine Eu'n for thy mercies which exceed And euer do remaine O hasten thee o Lord To saue and set me free Amongst the dead to their auaile Ther 's none can thinck on thee And in the depth of hel VVhere there is no redresse VVho is it that wil giue the praise Or vnto thee confesse My sighinges for my sinnes Haue past in painful wise And I each night wil wash my bed VVith teares of wailing eyes My sight is vext with feare Of fury in thy rage Oh that my sinnes must be my foes To weare mee out in age A way a way from mee All yee that are vniust Let him my mournful sound receaue In whome I put my trust That I with ioy may say How to my sutes accord Voutsafed hath to condescend My deere and louing Lord. Let shame my foes befall And vexed let them bee Their owne conuersion or their shame Lord let them quickly see Glory o God to thee And vnto Chryste thy sonne As also to the holy ghoste Let endlesly be donne AMEN In imitation of the second penitential Psal Beginning Beati quorum remisse sunt Psalm 31. O How much blest may they remaine That pardon for their guylt obtaine And whose great il and each offence Lies hid in contryte penitence VVhat happy state may hee be in To whome our Lord imputes no sin VVhose conscience doth no guyle retaine That can himself beguyle againe I did my sinnes in sylence hold In grief whereof my bones grew old Mâ—ane whyle my dayes in plaintes of paine VVithout redresse I spent in vaine But when o Lord thy heauy hand No day or night I could withstand But that in anguish ouerworne My conscience prickt as with a thorne Lo then o Lord I did begin To vtter all my secret sin No longer list I ought conceale But each iniustice to reueale Against my self I said wil I My wronges confesse and faultes defy To thee o Lord o Lord to thee That haest from all absolued mee And since I thus thy mercies fynde Let each of good and godly mynde Aproche to thee in happy tyme To pray for pardon of his cryme For such as so do sinck in sin That stil they plunged lie therein Vnable are of thee to gaine VVhat contryte sinners can obtaine O Lord my refuge restes in thee VVhen troubles do enuyron mee O free me then my freedomes ioy From such as seeke mee to annoy Great comfortes Lord I do conceaue Thow mee thy seruant wilt not leaue But wilt instruct and guyd me right And kepe me euer in thy sight O yee that carelesse are of grace Behold and see your brutish case And be not as the horse and mule That liue deuoyd of reasons rule And thow o Lord in mercies ryf Voutsafe restraine their straying lyf VVith bit and brydle make them stay That vnto thee wil not obey Since that for those of sinful trade Ful many scourges there be made VVel him that doth in God repose VVhose mercies may his soule enclose Be therefore ioyful in our Lord All that to righteousnesse accord Let each with gladnesse beare his parte That hath a pure and perfect harte All glory bee O Lord to thee And to thy Sonne in lyke degree As also to the holy Ghoste Perpetual and enduring moste AMEN In imitation of the third penitential Psal Beginning Domine ne in furore Psalm 37. AMiddes thy fury my deere lord Rebuke not mee Nor let thy chasticement befall VVhen wrathful thow shalt bee Thy arrowes in my self I feele Alredy stand I see o Lord thow fixed haest At me thy ayming hand VVithin my self o wo is mee No health I fynde Through feare and terror of thy face That semes to wrath enclynde My very bones disturbed bee Gon is their peace My owne beholding of my sinnes Doth woork my woes encrease And as my sinnes surmounting are I must confesse So are they mounted on my head And heauy me opresse My crymes forepast and pardoned Lyke scarres remaine That putry fyde break out a new Because I sin againe A woful wretche am I become Crooked I grow Each day I waile and whyle I liue I will continew so My members by illusions led Mee so restraine My healthlesse body is vnapt True vertue to retaine By great affliction I am brought Exceeding low Be moued Lord through my lowd groanes Thy mercies to bestow My sutes o Lord tend all to thee Thow knowest my case My plaintes and penance Lord accept That so I may haue grace VVithin my self my silly hart Is vexed stil My force is lost my sight I lack To see and shun my il In my displeasing thee o Lord Right wel I see My freindes are foes my soule is sought And force is wrought on mee They wish
my il and speake my scorns And when they smyle Their hate admittes no tyme of stay To study fraud and guyle But I alas with patience prest Must all for-beare Lyke to the dumb and seeming deaf I neither speak nor heare And for because o gratious God I trust in thee Thow wilt I know my louing Lord Giue eare and ayd to mee Let not o Lord my foes preuaile Least they reioyce Sith scars my feet I may remoue But they aduance their voice Of my misdeedes I am prepard To beare the smart Stil is my sin before my sight And sorrow in my hart I wil reuolue my faultes fore-past Amiddes my mynde And those I truly wil confesse That I may mercy fynde Hate hath confirmd on me my foes In wrongful wyse And stil they liue and do encrease VVhose enuy neuer dies They yeild me il that gaue them good And me defy Because I goodnesse would ensue From which they seeke to fly Forsake me not o Lord my God In state destrest Be redy Lord to my relief My lyf in thee doth rest To Father Sonne and holy Ghost All glory bee From former endlesse date to dure To all eternitie AMEN In imitation of the fourth penitential Psal Beginning Miserere mei Deus Psal 50. HAue mercy o good God on mee In greatnesse of thy grace O Let thy mercies manifold My many faultes deface Foule filthy loath-some vgly sin Hath so defyled me VVith streames of pittie wash me cleane Els cleane I cannot bee To wel my foule vnclensed crymes Remembrance do renew To plaine in anguish of my hart They stand before my view To thee alone o Lord to thee Thease euilles I haue donne And in thy presence wo is mee That ere they were begun But since thow pardon promisest VVhere hartes-true-ruthe is showne Shew now thy mercies vnto mee To make thy iustnesse knowne That such as do infringe thy grace Be made asham'd and shent As ryfe thy mercies to behold As sinners to repent VVith fauour view my foule deffects In crymes I did begin My nature bad my mother fraile Conceau'd I was in sin But since thy self affectest truthe And truthe it self is thee I truly hope to haue thy grace From sin to set me free Since to thy faithful thow before The secret scyence gaue VVhereby to know what thow would'st spend The sinful world to saue VVhose heav'nly hysope sacred droppes Shal me besprinckle so That it my sin-defyled soule Shal wash more whyte then snow O when myne eares receaue the sound Of such my soules release How do sin-laden lymmes reioyce At hattes true ioyes encrease From my misdeedes retyre thy sight View not so foule a staine First wype a way my spots impure Then turne thy face againe A cleane and vndefyled hart O God creat in mee Let in me Lord of righteousnesse A spirit infused bee From that most glorious face of thyne O cast me not away Thy holy Ghoste voutsafe o God VVith mee that it may stay The ioy of thy saluation Lord Restore to me againe And with thy spryte of graces chief Confirme it to remaine That when at thy most gracious hand My sutes receaued bee The impious I may instruckt How they may turne to thee For when o Lord I am releast From vengeance and from blood How ioyful shal I speak of thee So gratious and so good Thow Lord wilt giue me leaue to speak And I thy praise wil shew For so the graces do requyre Thow doest on me bestow If thow sin-offringes had'st desyr'd As wonted weere to bee How gladly those for all my illes I would haue yeilded thee But thow accepts in sacrifise A sorowing soule for sin Despysing not the hart contryte And humbled mynde within Deale gratiously o louing Lord In thy free bounties wil VVith Syon thy dere spouse in earth And fortify it stil That so thow maiest thence receaue That soueraigne sacryfise From alter of all faithful hartes Deuoutly where it lies To thee o Father glory bee And glory to the Sonne And glory to the holy Ghost Eternally be donne AMEN In imitation of the fyft penitential Psal Beginning Domine exaudi orationem meam Psal 101. O Let o Lord thyne eares enclyned bee To heare the prayers that I make to thee And my hartes grief that breaketh forth in cryes O let it haue the power to pearce the skyes Turne not from me thy fauourable face VVhat day or howre I am in heauy case But when I call to thee in my destresse O heare me Lord and send me soone redresse My dayes and yeares alas with litle gaine Lyke vnto smoke how are they past in vaine My forces Lord how are they partch'd and dry Deuotions lack yeilds moisture no supply The blasted grasse my image now can shew My withered hart confirmes that it is so And I forgotten haue vnto my grief To eat the bread of my soules best relief And my too much regard of earthly care Before my self for grace I could prepare Made reason to abandon reason quyte And to affection fast it self vnyte Bur now o Lord since that I do begin To see my self and know the shame of sin From earthly traine I wil retyre my mynde Thee wil I seeke my sauing helth to fynde In desert lyke as liues the Pelicane Or as the crow that doth day light refraine Or chirping sparow sitting all alone I shrowd I watche retyr'd I make my mone But whyle O Lord I do endure this lyf Expecting peace by fleeing wordly stryf Old freindes I fynde become new noysome foes O loue me Lord for losse of loue of those My penance not restraind through scorne of theirs My food I take with ashes with teares Thee more I feare least thow on me should'st frowne That can'st mee raise and raising cast me downe My dayes declyne as doth a shadow passe And I as hay that whylome was as grasse But thow from age to age shalt euer bee Then euermore o Lord forget not mee Voutsafe o Lord in puissance to aryse To raise thy Sion that depressed lies Now is the tyme the tyme doth now expyre It mercy wantes and mercy doth desyre This glorious woork was first begun by thee Thy seruants earst were glad the stones to see And they wil grieue with hartes-afflicted care If so the ruynes thow do'st not repare But when o Lord thy woorks shal shew thy fame The faithlesse people then shal feare thy name And eartly kinges shal bend their glory downe At thy celestial glorie and renowne Because thy Churche thy Syon thow did'st buyld VVhere thow would'st euer haue thy honor hild And haest not vnregarded hard the plaint Of faithful folk thrall'd in vntruths restraint And that no tyme remembrance may impare Of thy maintayned woork and mercy rare Let people now for people to ensew Thy prayse record thy praises to renew For from high heauen to this low earthly place From blis to bale our Lord enclynes his face The groanes to hear the greiued to releasse
stone VVas caste into the sea But Angels ayded her to land VVhere shee more woes did taste And as an arrow strake her hart Her soule to heauen paste VVhen Fausta in her faithful mynde Resolued did remaine The Idol priest wild with a saw To cut her corps in twain But when he saw it hurt her not Hee in her faith affied And comfort from the heauens receau'd VVith her when as he dyed â—udelia many did conuert Vnto her lordes belief VVhich in the Persian pagans did Enkindle irefull grief Vnto the Sun shee would not pray Nor yet the fyre adore And had the skin flead from her face And lastly dy'd therefore Sout Iuliâ—na did endure The torments of the euil And did in combat ouercome Th' accursed cruel deuil And after all her conquests gaynd Then gayned shee renowne For by the swoord vnto her due Remaynd a martirs crowne Victoria wel might called bee That woorthy mynded mayd That in her self subdued sin VVith courage vndismayd And gayned virgins vnto Christ And actes of woonder wrought And did by martirdome attain The garland that shee sought Because the Idoles to adore Lucia did refuse Shee threatned was shee should bee thrust Into the comon stewes No no quoth shee the mynd beeing pure The body is vnstaynd Then with the swoord shee martrid was And glorie so shee gaynd To Fortunata for her faith Much euil did betyd VVho fyrie flames fierce beastes clawâ—â— VVas willing to abyde And tortures and lim-streâ—ching â—ack From whence her sauiour pleased To cal her blessed soule to blis VVhere with her woes were eased Febronia with resolued force For chastitie and faith Endur'd with patience to the end The woorst of tyrants wrath The rack the fyre and rods shee felt Teeths losse and either brest And with the swoord all losse of wo And gaine of lasting rest Macra a mayd of heauenly mynde No earthly thinges did moue For prison fyre nor losse of brests Might not her faith remoue All naked o're hot-sheards of pots Her body rolled was VVhyle shee in praying vnto God To paradise did pas Zâ—a a glorious martyrs * Nicostrâ—tus wyf Before the aulter prayd VVhere-vnder blest saint Pâ—â—ters bones The faithful had conuayd And for this fact surprised then VVas hanged on a tree Both by her heâ—â—â— and by her neck And so her crowne had shee Charitina with fyre annoyd And cast into the seas Came foorth and had no hurt at all Nor feeling of vnease Then were her handes and feet cut of But he whome shee did loue Eu'n as shee prayd receau'd her ghoste Into his ioyes aboue Eulalia ardent in her zeal Vnto her louing lord To suffre torments many wayes Most midly did accord And lastly in the burning fyre Lauding his holy name To him her soule shee sacryfys'd And died in the â—lame The lyke in loue the lyke in zeal In some succeeding space A second good Eulaliâ— was A lyke endu'd with grace The rack she felt and sundry grieues The last of lyf the losse VVhen foes of Christe for faith of Christe Did naile her on a crosse VVhyle Emerâ—â—â—iâ—na yet was taught in Christian lore Her foster-sister 〈◊〉 tombe Shee prayd and kneeld before And taken at this martres tombe A martres shee was made And vnto happy heauenâ— ioyes Her ghoste straight was conueyd Chaste Theodora to the stewes To be deflowred led Gat thence in habyt of a youth That stayd there in her sted But for this fact for his faith VVhen hee was led to death Shee came and yeilded vp her self And with him yeilded breath Crispina of renowmed race Did by her vertues mynde More honour in her self atchiue Then came to her by kynde Shee would vnto the Idol Gods No sacrifise affoord But yeided for her Lord and God Her neck vnto the swoord Susanna of a woorthy stock VVas of as woorthy fame As shee that false defamed was And first did beare her name Shee Christe his seruants did relieue And liued in his lore And for the same shee lost her head And gayned heauen therefore Imprisned Leocadia long Did for her faith remayne VVhose faithful mynde remained free In moste afflicting payne Til God at length for her release Her ghoste tooke thence away Her suffrance by a martirs crowne In glory to repay The virgin Bibiana was Establisht in belief VVhich faithlesse foes could not subuert By guerdon nor by grief So long her body lashed was VVith knotted whips with lead That her sweete soule to heauen past And left it lying dead Euphrasia with more maidens chaste In place vnchaste was placed But hee their puritie preseru'd That purely him embraced Then by their death-contryuing-crue Stones to their nectes were bound And so into the water cast The innocentes were drown'd Antonia had her tender limmes Beyond all measure payned And three dayes hanged by one arme Moste constant stil remayned And two yeares hauing prisned bene Receau'd at last her hyre VVhat tyme her soule her body left Consuming in the fyre Lucretia not that Lucres once VVhich did her self destroy Did for true faith and faithful loue Beare wrongful griefes annoy The one in earth her glory left The other in heauen and earth Because more woorthy was the cause VVhy shee endured death VVith tearing hookes and iron combes VVas Tatiana torne Cointha trayld along the streetes Her flesh from bones was worne Paula that gathred martyrs blood Her owne for Christ did shed Crescentia for her faith to Christ VVas thrust in boyling lead Corona torne betwene two trees Her crowne in blis did fynde As did Cirilla when shee left Her bleeding corps behynde Balbina daughter to a saint * S. 〈◊〉 Her fathers steps did trace And Aquilina by her death Did deathlesse lyf embrace Helconis that great grief endur'd Did lastly lose her hâ—d Calliopa her scortched corps Left with tormentors dead Felicula by tortur kild And Paula ston'd to death And with the swoord Constantia Constantlyâ—yeilded breath Regina many paynes endur'd Heau'ns diademe to gayne Mustiola did suffer wo For gayning ioyes againe Irene that good bookes did hyde Her lyf for Christe bestowed Dominica that Idoles brake By death her feruour shewed Dafrosa that to martirdoâ—e Her husband * Fabiâ—â—â— hath ensued And Marciona with whose blood The wyld beastes were imbrued Mannea that with her three sonnes And with her husband dy'd Valeria saint Vitals wyf Gainst death her courage tryd Pelagia in a brazen Ox Red hot aliue was thrust Anthusia throwne into a wel To please the tirants lust Maxima vnto cruel death VVith cudgels beaten was Agathoclia lost her toung Ere shee to blis did pas Blanda with her deer husband dyd VVhose heddes on stakes on hic Through pagan pollicy were set Christians to terrify VVith Leonis and Libia The faithful sisters twaine Eutropia twelue yeares old â—ndur'd Death and moste deadly payne The vertuous virgin Sophia Cornelia loyal euer Albina and Asteria Did vnto death perseuer Prisca and Lâ—ocâ—itia Martha and Antoâ—ina VVith
Leonilla of that lore And setled Secundâ—â—a Sebastiana whome saint Paule Did bring to Christe his loue And Reparata dead whose ghoste Ascended lyke a doue Faire Flora and Maria both And Flaâ—ia Doâ—itilla Good Dula and Demetria Gaudentia and Lucilla VVith Alexandra six besyde For Christe their blood haue spent And Ciriaca and fyâ—e more VVith bodies rac'd and rent VVith other martyresses twelue Theodosia went to heauen Eu'n as at Sâ—â—irna for that cause Dy'd holy virgins seauen Six that were called Candâ—da Gaue beauty to that name More fairer far then â—t self â—ound Doth signify the same Some maried were and some were maydes Their suffrance sundry wayes There cause all one their only king Did all to glorie raise Seauen of the name of Iulia Did one of them ensue VVhereby eight martirs glorious crownes To this one name is due And of the name Iustina fyue As of Pelagia were Of Martiana there were three VVhose count Valerâ—â— beare Of this most glorious troop and ranck Of martrid woomen-kynde I shal not nede to recon morâ— Thoughe many more I fynd For euen as these rehearsed here There crosse with Christ sustayn'd So did the rest and all with Christ Al glory haue obtayn'd In sundry regions of the earth Ful many more besyde For faith for vow for zeal to Christâ— Ful gloriously haue dyde Chaste VVâ—â—nâ—frid did feele of death The bloody stroke and sting As Dympâ—a of her father did A pagan Irish King VVith soule and body vndefyld In endlesse lyf to raigne Good Vrsula and all her troop Endured to be slaine And Câ—rdula that hid her self Her lyf thereby to saue Came foorth and yeilded vnto death Her lyf thereby to haue To bring the number in accompâ— Vnable is my skil Of all such glorious martirs names And their endured il But in the Lambe his booke of lyf No one omitted is Nor no one wo that they sustaynd Vnrecompenst in bliâ— No more then their formenterâ— misse Their iust reward in hel For each inflicted grief and smart VVherewith they them did quel Exyl'd those wretches are from heaueâ— And odious dead in earth Yet in helles horror neuer dy Though euer feeling death Meane whyle the chosen saintes of God In heauen euer liue And euer glorie vnto him In all reioysing giue Al clad in whyte for puritie Each with a golden crowne And bearing palmes of victory As enseignes of renowne No eye hath seene no eare hath heard No hart of man conceaued No sight no sound no thought of ioy As now they haue receaued All griefes are now extinguished All sorrowes haue â—n end No teares can fall from weeping eyes Nor sighes from hart ascend O gâ—orioâ—â— troop whose praise the heau'ns VVith melodie refouâ—◠〈◊〉 Accept that wee as câ—coes here Yeild noise vnto the sound And when for your true followed faith VVee any wo sustaine Our constant suffrance of the same Voutsafe of God obtayne Deo gratiae A RESEMBLANCE OF MARTYRS BEfore the craggy flint Meetes with the hardned steel It seemes not to conteyne The vertue it conteynes But when it doth the stroke Of swift encountring feel Eu'n then the force appeers That hid in it remaines Right so resolued myndes Through wicked fortunes wheel Encountring with misâ—ap And feeling bitter paynes Make fyre of sacred Ioue From ardent zeal proceed VVhich mounting vp to heau'n Doth all the Starres exceed TE DEVM LAVDAMVS OR The song of S. Ambrose S. Augustyne TO thee O God wee praises giue VVee thee our Lord confesse Eternal father all the earth Adores thy woorthynesse The Angels heau'ns heau'nly powers Yeild praises all to thee The Cherubinnes and Scraphinnes Sound out incessantly O holy holy holy Lord. O God of Sabaoth Thy glorious maiesty repleates The earth and heauen both To thee the quyre so glorious Of thy Apostles all To thee the number woorthy-praise Of prophets cry and cal The army of thy martirs bright Thy praises do expresse Thy holy Church through-out the earth Doth thee o Lord confesse Father of endlesse Maiestie Thy only Sonne withal Together with the Holy Ghost Comforter of vs all Thow King of glorie arte O Christe And ere the earth begonne Thow of thy father did'st remaine His euer beeing Sonne Thy willingnesse man to releas Made thee in earth to come And for that cause not to abhor Thy maiden-mothers woombe And when the sting of cruel death By the was vanuisht quyght Thow opned'st then thee realme of blis To each belieuing wight In glorie of the father thow Do'st sit at Gods right hand VVee hold thee for the iudge by whome Our causes must bee skand VVee humbly therefore thee desyre Voutsafe thy seruants ayd Of whome with thy moste pretious blood The ransomes thow ha'st paid O make that wee rewarded bee VVith thy deer saintes in blis Eu'n with thy glory and thy grace VVhich euer during is Thy people and thyne heritage O Lord saue and defend And gouerne them and stil their praise In altitude extend And from offending thee by sin This day do thow vs saue And mercy haue on vs O Lord Lord on vs mercy haue And as our trust in thee hath bene Such let thy mercy bee Confounded let mee not become That hoped haue in thee HOVV GOD IN ALL AGES hath bin serued with Sacrifise Sacrificium sub lege Naturae WHen God created man and rule vnto him gaue Of creatures all on earth and eu'ry earthly thing And knowlege of his God did in his hart engraue Subiection so to know vnto his soueraigne King Then for to know and yeild what homage hee would haue Nature by her instinckt vnto his mynde did bring And Sacrifise it was and well accepted than Thus mannes adoring God with sacrifise began Sacrificium sub lege Moyses VVHen froÌ„ the how 's of thralle through ayd of heau'uly might Gods people were led foorth by Moysis then their guyd For this new freedome found it rested that of right God with augmented thankes must now bee gratifyde And him to honor more in more then wonted plight Old Sacrifise was now with new rytes beautifyde So for more good receau'd more gratitude did rise Which still to God was don in doing sacrifise Sacrificium sub lege Euangelica VVHen Gods dere Sonne from heau'n did vnto earth desced Lost loue of God againe for mannes release to win Himself in sacrifise blood-sacrifise did end When his high prised blood did satisfy for sin But since Gods seruice must on sacrifise depend He chang'd not took away what faith did first begin And did ordaine himself in Sacramental wise To bee to God for man a soueraigne sacrifise SAINT PEETERS COMFORT EV'n there where sin my silly soule defyld Shame bad mee hy and seeke to hyde my face Foule face of myne that that faire face behild And could my so wel knowing it out face And make himself eu'n whome I did deny True witnes vnto my fals periury I scarsly was gon foorth out of the halle VVhen sorrow straight