Soliciting for them that did accuse him Excusing such as vvickedly did blame him Tendring of loue vvhere hatred did refuse him Their ordur'd soules seeking so to refine Grace might reduce them to celestiall shine His sute imports his holy thoughts did say Inflict not iustice on these sinne-defiled Vpon my flesh thine angers burden lay Graunt nothing be to thee vnreconsiled Least my redemption should vnperfect seeme Or any sinne I did not full redeeme He vvould not haue our sinnes ascend vp so That they should come vnto his fathers sight Nor yet his fathers vengeance fall so low That on vs sinne committers it should light But plac'd himselfe betwixt both vvrath and sinne True reconcilement by true loue to vvinne For Murderers that gainst his life transgressed With meekest loue he humbly craued grace For such as their vile sinne left vnconfessed And still spit venome in their makers face That peirc'd his heart from which his blood abounds To them he giues acquittance for his vvounds They to the Citty vvould not backe repaire Ere cruelty haue left him life-depriued He vvould not die before his feruent praier Intreats to haue their dying soules reuiued His sprite from forth his body past no rather But forth his mouth went with it Pardon father FINIS Amen dico tibi hodie mecum eris in Paradiso TRuly I say that am heau'ns glory giuer To thee true penitent repentant theefe This day from a defild and sinfull liuer Shalt thou be Sainted in exiling greefe With me this day thou passest to the blest In Paradise vvhere glorious Angels rest Euen at the vvane of life the dying hower This happy theefe did offer God his heart His daies vvere dedicate to Sathans power Only remain'd one moment to conuert Wherein he gaue his heart to him that ought it Preuenting him that long in hope had sought it The hellish foe stood bold vpon his claime Because to theeues he is misguiding guider But heau'nly friend did countermaund the same Being sinners father Mercies firme prouider No sooner did his true contrition say Lord thinke on me but Sathan lost his pray Caines offering vvas a sacrifice of corne Abels the Lambes the meekest vnto slaughter Annaes the sonne that of her vvombe vvas borne Iepthaes his sole and deere affected daughter Noe weathers Abraham doues and Dauid gold Melchisidech of vvine did offrings hold All these did offer things of great esteeme Yet none so rich as this poore theefe presented An offered heart to God doth greater seeme Then vvhat by heauen and earth can be inuented Nothing more gratefull vnto Mercies throne Then gift of heart due debt to heauen alone That debt of all the thefts vvhich he had donne His satisfaction rightly did restore Repaying in one hower to the Sonne What all his life rob'd father of before Obtaining grace for all deserts of strife To be recorded in the booke of life His vvandring courses are retyr'd from danger Vnto the harbour of a Christian rest He liu'd to new Ierusalem a stranger But vvas at death free Cittizen profest With Christ on crosse gaining in three houres more Then Iudas did in yeares for howers before FINIS Mulier ecce Filius tuus WOman true map of greefes obiect of vvoes Behold thy sonne sinnes heauy burden beares Thy vveeping eies Sorrows right methode shows Sonne bath'd in blood and Mother vvashd in teares A dying Sonne repleat vvith fathers hate A pensiue Mother most disconsolate Of all affections that the soule admits On vvhich loues fauours doe most firmly build That loue in place of supreme soundnesse sits Which is deriu'd from parent to the child Then losse of that must needs proue heartiest greefe That from the heart takes place and offspring cheefe If Dauid lou'd his Absolon so vvell That he vvith vveeping vvishd t'haue died for him Who false and disobedient did rebell Yet did his loue no vvhit the more abhorre him Or reuerent Iacob teares aboundant shed To heare his sonnes but faine their brother dead If holy Iob himselfe so patient bore To giue meeke eare to many a greeuous crosse Destruction of his cattell flockes and store Vntill he heard his deerest childrens losse And then his greefes extreamest did abound Renting his garments falling on the ground Needs must in mournfull sorrow's dire complaints The blessed Virgin farre excell all other What soule vvith dolours euer so acquaints As this most carefull comfort wanting Mother To see her God life father loue and sonne By bitt'rest torments vnto death be donne No earthly loue on such perfection grounded But that the same may be defectiue proued Loue of the sonne to mother vvas vnbounded Sonne of the mother vvas the like beloued All power of Angels powrelesse only proues To vveigh or measure those vnmeasur'd loues Of loue vvith vvoes by crosse shevveping stood There sending sighs to heav'n and teares to ground Of loue vvith paines on crosse he streamed blood There death he conquer'd hell he did confound Such vvas his loue that lou'd vvhen vve vvere hatefull To die for loue vvhen sinne vvas most vngratefull FINIS Deus meus deus meus vt quid me dereliquisti MY God said Christ vvhen God to God cōplained My God vvho am true God and perfect man Why hast thou my distres'd estate refrained Thou doest seuere sinnes imputation scan Forsaken in this strait thy selfe bereauing Me to afflictions cruel'st torments leauing Vntaught till now vvas Iesus to complaine Though infinite the vvrongs he vnder-went He vvelcom'd euery torment greefe and paine Afflictions could not mooue his discontent All gaue offence vvhich he imputes to none Only his father now accus'd alone When violence did vvith outrage apprehend him His patient yeelding did most meekely beare it When blasphemies vvith taunts of spight offend him He silent seem'd as though he did not heare it In all the furie they did execute He stood like lambe before the shearer mute He not complain'd of Peter that denide him Nor yet of Iudas that most false betrayde him Nor those in Pilats hall that did deride him Nor gracelesse Iewes his owne that disobay'd him But his complaint vvas of his father made Not meant to those denide condemn'd betray'de Gods angry vvrath seuerely set gainst sinne The vvares that Sathan sold man dearely bought With losse of grace the trafficke did beginne Heau'ns losse soules death hels dome eternall vvrought That vvrath on Christs humanity abounded Who only cur'd vvhat sinne had mortall vvounded As man threw sinne at God as in despight And God cast plagues on man reuenge to fall The sinne vvhere with man gainst his God did fight And punishments God chastned man vvithall On Christ that stood twixt wrath and sinne was laid He could not sinne yet sinners sinne vvas made He laid our sorrowes burden on his sprite When he indur'd his bitter agonie He tooke our death on him vvounding deaths might When he on crosse Deaths conquerour did die He vnderwent afflictions heauiest loade Reducing soules from hell to heau'ns aboade FINIS Sitio
THE BETRAYING OF CHRIST IVDAS in despaire The seuen Words of our Sauior on the Crosse. WITH Other Poems on the Passion LONDON Printed by Adam Istip 1598. TO THE RIGHT WORshipfull Sir Nicholas Walsh Knight cheefe Iustice of her Maiesties court of common pleas in Ireland and of her Highnesse counsaile there ALbeit right Worshipfull that the art of Poesie is in sort dealt withall as Cacus once vsed Hercules oxen when he drew them backewards vp the hill being customarily in these daies wrested and turned to the fooleries of Loue and such like base subiect of fancies abortiue births conuerting Poetries imploiment to follies vse and wit ill spent runnes violent that way with the current of errour Yet hath it a natiue diuine off-spring and issue wherof partaking kindly floates with a calme tempered gale from all miscarying wracke to the harbour of a quiet applause The vpright and best approoued censure I presume gains your Worships vertuous allowance to whose wisdome and grauitie associate with an heroicall sprite I dedicate affections testimony by these vnpolished lines crauing your fauourable fault-shadowing view if in the manner any thing appeare defectiue trusting that as a fruitfull tree the more it is fruitladen the more it declineth so your plenteous accōplished vertues wil humble them in daining to accept the loue I reuerence you withall wishing your Worship Worlds prosperitie and Heauens happinesse Yours in the best endeuours of affection S. R. The betraying of Jesus EVen vvhen no beauties of the garnisht skie Had left the view of Heauen-makers vvonder And Phebus steeds were gallop'd posting by Their hasty speed had got the vvorlds half vnder Yea eu'ry creature that had life or sprite Mourn'd at the darke approch of vgly night An host of swartest sable foggie clouds Wrapt in faire Cinthia from her siluer shine Mantling her brightnesse vvith their obscure shrouds As though heav'ns lampe vvere come to latest fine Her cannapie of starres vvas eke vnseene Where on she vvonted mount imperious Queene The airy vvinged people gone to rest Had clear'd vvith day not left a note vnpaid All other creatures that might be exprest In caues and holes for nights repose vvere laid Of vvild or tame none raung'd or ran astray But rauenous by darke that hunt for pray Thicke mistie vapours vvere dispersed foule Prohibiting day-followers to be seene Dispensing only vvith the shriking Owle And eies that Nature put lights hate betweene Such as vvere banisht from the face of day To lurke the couert shamelesse night away Then child of vtter darknesse lights offence Intituled The lost sonne of perdition Hired against his Lord for thirty pence To be a traitor vnder hels commission In this nights time did rebell troupes increase To manage armes against the Prince of peace Toward Cedron brooke th'accursed leader goes With horse and foot vveapon'd vvith launce and speare His blessed maister vs'd that vvalke he knowes Vnworthy vvretch had oft ben vvith him there Oft as a friend the place he did frequent But now foe-harted trecherous of intent As in a garden Adam disobayed And there became a captiue to the diuell So in a garden Iesus vvas betrayed To suffer death for Adams former euill Within a garden Adams crime offended For vvhich Christ vvas in garden apprehended And as in pleasures garden at the fall For Adams clothing dead beasts skins God gaue In euidence that death vvent ouer all And that his garment might presage his graue So Christ in garden tombe and dead mans shrowd Defray'd our debts vvith paiment best alowd Ouer the brooke to garden they repaire Swift vvere their feet about the sheading blood Euen to the place that Iesus vs'd for praier Where he intreated grace for sinners good Where he consulted to redeeme and saue Thither they came resolu'd his life to haue With easie search the guiltlesse may be found Whose quiet thoughts and peace vnite in one A voice Whom seeke you threw them all to ground A power diuine to make true godhead knowne Iesus came forth encountred them vvith breath And they at once fell backward all to th'earth Had then his vvill consented to his power If Iustice had appear'd and mercy hid They had descended hell that sinfull hower Like Corah Dathan and Abiram did Where th'one vvas seandale to the seruant done The other vvas rebellion gainst the sonne While Ieroboam stretcht his threatning hand Right insolent and full of daring pride To stay the Prophet giuing strict command Iudgement laid hold on him his hand vvas dryde But these in armes and violent enterprise Though throwne to ground doe vnrepentant rise Deaths harbenger vnto Damasco towne Then bloody-mind Saint-persecuting Saul Was with like powreful voice from heauen thrown down But to conuersion grace imploy'd his fall With greater fauour blisse can none acquaint Then crowne a greeuous sinner glorious Saint But these vvhose hearts vvere hardned sight extinct Haters of knowledge children of the night Atvvar vvith God in league vvith Sathan linckt Grosse darknesse followers shunners of the light Stiffe necked stubborne and rebellious Iewes Contemne saluation offered grace refuse Wisdomes beloued Israels vvisest king Doth say the vvicked cannot sleeping rest Till they are pleased vvith some ill done thing The vvorser deed the doer likes for best A minute spent in good seems long loth'd day A night of sinne but moment stolne avvay How toilesome tedious had that vvatching bin If vertue had persuaded thereunto But Owle-eied they became to compasse sin Fit vvas the time so foule a fact to do That vvork of darknesse ioin'd vvith darknesse power Might meet together all in darknesse hower When they should rest their malice not indur'd it For malice neuer closeth sleeping eies And vvhen they should not vvake reuenge procur'd it Reuenge doth hourely some reuenge deuise Who rides the deuill hath no curbe they say For malice drawes and fury spurs away Th'vnseemely vprore to the night vnkind Happening as frightfull as in fires danger Caus'd him make hast that left his clothes behind Hardly entreated like vnwelcome stranger For in retire his case like Iosephs stands Who left his garment in his mistresse hands T'was no offence springing from his intent That did demerite violent force resist him Yet pawn'd he shirt for skin before he vvent Gladdest vvhen naked gone that rage had mist him What furies guided this misguided swarme To bend their force against vnthoughted harme When traitor meets these quaint deceits he had In gesture kind imbracements vvith a kisse In vvords All haile God saue thee or be glad Yet murder blood and death lies hid in this This cup of gold did poisons draught begin This greene had serpents lurking hid vvithin The vvord All haile seru'd Ioab to salute Good vvords do often make for ill pretence But Abner found a mortall stab the fruit While falshood spake twas murder did insence Like that vvas this of Iudas false intent By vvord God saue the deed Destroy vvas ment All haile the Angell reuerently did vse With
argument is shame the subiect sinne The index thus explaines the euils therein A postle once increasing Christs eleuen B agbearer to the charge of purse assign'd C alled to preach saluations path to heauen D estructions heire the vvorst of vvicked mind E nuying at good vvorke by others done F aithlesse to God false hearted to his sonne G reedy to gaine on earth vvith heauens losse H opelesse of mercy in sin's most distresse I udas vvhose kisse presag'd Christs dying crosse K nowledge contemner errors foule successe L oitrer in holy haruest place abuser M urdrer of life mine owne damnation chuser N aked of grace the foulest ere defiled O ffences actor in the highest degree P rouoking vvrath from mercies throne exiled Q uenching the sprite that erst gaue light in me R enouncing glories race to gain the crowne S eruant to sinne vvhose hire pale death laies downe T raitor to God that breathing earth deluded U nholy-thoughted full of bitter gall W oes querrister from Angels quires excluded X pian the outward inward not at all Y oaked by sinne perpetuall Sathans slaue Z eale in his seruice lost that none can saue This register records the race I run By caracters spelling my future vvoe A tragedy by me must be begun On hels blacke stage for there to act I goe Since eies of God and all in heauen abhorre me I vvill descend the pit hath consorts for me Curs'd be the parents that ingendred me Curs'd be the wombe that bare and paps that fed Curs'd be the day vvhen I vvorlds light did see Curs'd be the houre my soule from grace vvas led Curs'd be the time vvhen I did entertaine Cursed affection to accursed gaine Retire for euer from the sweet society Of Peter Iames and Iohn true heires of grace Conuerse remaine of Time vvith all impiety No eie henceforth shall view Christs traitors face End loathed daies my fact abhorres your light Wrap me from eies cole-fac'd eternall night Sauls frightfull guest that sence depriuing sprite Outragious rauing fury vvhispers Hang thee What Syon tunes or Dauids harpe delight Can cease or ease the horrours that do pang me Then be my instrument one iarring string And treble vvoe the houling note I sing Bush-creeping Caine beholding for thy end More to an arrow then the marke-mans aime I doe disdaine blind Lamech should befriend None in my tragedy shall action claime But I and Sathan vve haue both agreed To leaue the vvorld a desp'rate damned deed Not to dismount a check-cloud earthy heape Or make soule passage by a poinard point Nor to bequeath the sea a drowning leape But fatall cord shall cracke my breathing ioint Absolons tree prowd Hamans halter-knell And I the hangman like Achitophell Lead on despaire confounder of my sprite Direct vnto some nooke of hellish shade For shames sake be it gloomier then that night In vvhich by me heav'ns brightnesse was betraide Blacker then death more sable hew'd then hell Where sulpher flames vvith vtter darknesse dwell Harder then Pharoahs tenne times hardned heart Bloudier then Abels butcher far inclin'd End traitors life begin a hangmans part Let hangmans part performe thy desp'rate mind Thy desp'rate mind be vvitnesse th'art accurst Rent heart drop blood gush bowels belly burst ⧠Peters teares at the Cockes crowing COme sharpest greefs imploy repentant eies Taske them as bitter drops as ere vvere shed Send teares to earth and sighs vp to the skies This instant houre a Soule and Sorrows wed Sweet teares and sighs at dolours deere requests Come you yours my harts right welcom gests Let eies become the fountaines of my teares And let my teares be flouds to moist my heart And let my heartfull of repentant feares By teares and sorrowes turne a true conuert At base obiections of as base a maid With oths and curses I haue Christ denai'd The vvatchfull bird that centinels the morne Shrill herald to Auroraes early rising That oft proclaimes the day ere day be borne Distinguisher from pitch-fac'd nights disguising Surceas'd to heed vvhy nature taught him crow And did exclaime on me for sinning so O haughty vaunts resembling skie-bred thunder How far remote your actions stand aloofe A coward heart keptvvords and deeds asunder Stout champion brags are quailed in the proofe Weake vvomans breath hath ouerthrowne a rocke And humane pride is daunted by a Cocke Harken this birds rebuke and harkning feare False periur'd tongue now are thy boastings tri'de Christ hardest fortunes part thou vowd'st to beare But loe a cocke doth crow it thou hast li'de Thy deedlesse vvords vvords vnconfirmd by truth Haue turnd mine eies to teares my heart to ruth The daies approch that vvhilome nature taskes He chaunted not nor ment blacke nights descending But foule fac'd sinne from scarffing vvords vnmaskes Plie bitter teares your suite for vvraths suspending Eies that vvhen Christ sweat blood secure did slūber Now shed more tears then truthles tong can number Lament my soule thy state a state distrest Thou art reuolt from true felicity Sigh sorrowes forth let greefes vveepe out the rest Weepe vvretched man repleat vvith misery Let neuer eies giue cheekes a space to drie Till teares regaine lost grace in mercies eie Weepe saltest brinish teares the more the sweeter Weepe satisfaction sinnes repentant soule Weepe fraile disciple vvoman-daunted Peter Weepe vveakling subiect to a Cockes controule Weepe Christs deniall vvorst of all thy crimes And ouervveepe each teare tenne thousand times O God from vvhom all graces doe abound For thy assisting aid I humbly call Lend mercies hand to raise from sinfull ground And being on foot protect against like fall Thy fauours Lord I truly do implore Rising to stand standing to fall no more Th'Egiptians greeuing of the Iewes And the Philistians vexing Saul The mockes the children once did vse T'offend Gods Prophet therewithall And Michols scoffing Israels king Were common wrongs a daily thing Such vvrongs of vvrongs vsurpe the name To those extreames to Iesus done The vvorld hath neuer knowne like shame Of that sinne laid vpon Gods sonne It had been iust on man accurst If sorrowes had perform'd their vvorst But vvhen a pure and holy life With spot or blemish neuer stayn'd Twixt God and man shall vmpire strife To be himselfe for guilty payn'd What vvrongs so great vvhat paines vvere such Who but a God vvould doe so much The seuen words of Christ vpon the Crosse. Pater ignosce illis quia nesciunt quid faciunt FAther our Sauiors loue to sinners cries Forgiue them this their sin to me hath donne For they by vvhom my tortur'd body dies Know not they murder thy life-giuing sonne What I indure in flesh and sprite deuiding They do it through blind ignorance misguiding Oh Charity of vvondrous Admiration And patience farre extending humane sence Sunshine of grace to deed of darke damnation True pardoner to pardonlesse offence Not crauing ease for selfe sustaining vvoes But fauour for his persecuting foes Pleading for those vvhose tongues did most defame him
corpes these mourners stands With teares in eies with ointments in their hands Wken kneeling round the bodie they inclose Prepar'd with baulme and readie to annoint it Viewing blew wales that came of Iewish blowes Rupture of nailes wan flesh how they disioint it Compassion pittie loue with true remorse Inuited all their eies to wash the corse Their knees vvith humble seruice lowly bowing Their hands embaulme him vvounded rent and tore Their eies no mangled part vnwasht allowing Their hearts vvith vvorship God and man adore Both knees and hands vvith hearts and vvatry eies All sorrow laden tir'd vvith sighs and cries For deepe-made vvounds and torturing cruell blowes No small expence of ointments could suffise But bountie on that holy worke bestowes Plentie of odours in such liberall vvise Their baulme to couer him inough had bin And teares might serue to haue baptis'd him in His glorious bodie shrouded in the sheet On vvhich to be embaulmed they did lay him With binding clothes vvrapt vvhole from head to feet To be inter'd his seruant Saints conuay him Only in armes good Iesus dead they haue Within their hearts he liues being borne to graue O mournefull trod where comforts paths are failing Deaths bed must haue eternall life in keeping Joseph goes sighing Magdalen bewailing Ther's Iohn laments and Nichodemus weeping The blessed virgins eies like fountaines run Left vvofull vviddow to her murdred son What pens report can tell her sorrowing heart That saw her sonne the only of her vvombe Before her eies pay death mans foule desert And vvith her armes assist him to the tombe What sorrowes mappe like sorrow ere exprest What eies like teares what teares like greefes profest Her liquid eies stroue each t'exceed the other By sighs her mone by teares her vvoe appeares She vveepes yet is the mirth of heav'ns mother Virgine in office young in tender yeares Filled vvith grace eternities Princesse Excelling in perfections holinesse O Sunne vvhose shine is heav'ns eternall bright Of funerall pompe why art thou destitute Borne to thy graue vvithout one candles light Or Clergie night precedent institute Thy birth was simple void of worldly pride And in thy buriall cost vvas laid aside Oh heav'ns riches mercies fountaine head When thou vvast borne no house thy parents haue Thy life vvas poore thy death vvithout a bed Thy buriall vvas in Iosephs borrowed graue Thou didst indure our paines sinnes purchase hell Thou louedst soules lost soules so vvondrous vvell Though Salomon vvas Israels crowne successour And gain'd his kingly fathers state and throne Of Dauids mercy seemes he no possessour Funerall cost or teares vve read of none But Scriptures recommend the honour done In Iacobs buriall by his gratefull sonne The great Priest Simon caused to bee made A monument of curious carued stones Wherein his bodie after life vvas laid And eke his brethren Machabes their bones But tombe for Christ vvas in his life vnknowne And for him dead his mother knew of none No earthly care soules loue to him vvas sweeter When vnto Iohn the virgine was commended His enemies to Mercie church to Peter His soule to Father saying All is ended No speech he vs'd nor any order gaue For costly funerals or a sumptuous graue With greefes attaining to the garden place From which oft staies to weepe and vvipe did let Pensiue distrest in most perplexed case The shrouding sheet all moistned slacke and wet Not vvith the dew descending from the skies With teares that rained from their shouring eies Oh glorious hearbes this garden plot did beare Oh holy ground trod in this iournies paines Not for the oile of Oliues growing there But sanctified by blood from Iesus vaines O earth vvhereon true loue and greefes combine Blood from the sonne teares from the mothers eyen The tombe prepar'd vvherein hee should bee laid From which although great paine the stone remooued Yet farre exceed the suites intreatie made Before his mother yeelds her deere beloued Still they solicite still her loues denie him Vntill on knees with price of teares they buy him The brothers sonne intreats his holie aunt Persuasiue reasoning humbly dooth beseech Times breuitie good Ladie mooues your graunt Let eies doe more with teares then tongues vvith speech Vpon detaining now no longer stand Darke sable night leads dangers by the hand If foes should vvrong vs bootlesse vve to striue How can poore three our Lords dead corse defend Twelue could not guard him when he vvas aliue Giue license this last seruice take an end Much troubles cease vvhen by free vvill is done That vvhich constraint vvell nere dispence to shunne Thou friend of God incline to vs at length Let our vveake vvords o'recome thy loues the stronger Our hearts vvant comforts all our members strength Our teares are spent eies dri'de can vveepe no longer Sorrow that holds vs for her lawfull prize Hath left not one poore teare to taske our eies Wearie vvith importunitie and vveeping A most vnwilling leaue the Virgine gaue Yeelding her sonne to the sepulchres keeping Her sweetest loue to deaths most bitter graue Like as from Golgotha they brought him thether All helpe all sigh all put him in together Thus being laid into his bed of stone By liquid eies and hearts of sorrowing flesh Instead of earth their teares vvere poured on A last farewell greefes cesternes yeeld afresh There left they Iesus that sinnes burden beares Wept vvrapt annointed bath'd in streames of teares FINIS