infect with sinnes misgouernaunce Then purge my spirit by thine holy Ghost And as an Angell let it mildly rest In thy thrice blessed bosome wished most By my poore soule with grieuous sinnes opprest And let thy blessed feete suppresse all those Which to thee and my soule be vowed foes SONNET XXXVII O My deare God how shall my voice preuaile How shall my tongue giue vtterance to my mind Where shall my thankefull hartfree passage find My slender voice tongue feeble and hart fraile Before they can giue condigne praise will fayle I cannot celebrate in their due kinde Thy glories numberlesse which Angels finde Eu'n to surmount all Angels best trauayle Oh my deare God my comfort my sollace My swift soule flies with my Diuine thoughts wings Eu'n to thy bosome Oh let it embrace And triumph in my sweete saluations springs For I beleeue thou wilt not me forsake Who for mee didst thy Sonne a Martyr make SONNET XXXVIII GRacious Diuine and most omnipotent Receiue thy seruants Tallent in good part Which hidde it not but willing did conuert It to best vse hee could when it was lent The summe though slender yet not all mispent Receiue deare God of grace from cheerefull hart Of him that knowes how mercifull thou art And with what grace to contrite sinners bent I know my fault I did not as I should My sinfull flesh against my soule rebeld But since I did endeuour what I could Let not my little nothing bee withheld From thy rich treasuries of endlesse grace But for thy sake let it procure a place SONNET XXXIX I Nuironed with dangers manifolde At home and forren both by land and waue Where change of Nations diuers daungers gaue And nouels earst which I did not beholde Much like a doubtfull Pilgrim whome infould Millions of woes that knowes no helpe to haue Nor how from dangers prest himselfe to saue Was I but when mee thought I perish should My God of mercy did my life redeeme My God of mercy did my soule sustaine Oh then how well shall it my Muse beseeme To praise the Lord and him collaude againe Nay try vain Poets try that King that place If God and heauen giue not your Muse most grace SONNET XL. MY daies bee few my sinnes past number bee Adde to my daies Oh God more time of grace And mercy to my sinnes behold my case With eyes of gracious pittie looke on mee My wounded and afflicted conscience see My soule afraide to stand before thy face In pittie Lord deare Lord a longer space Or else in mercy Father set mee free I finde high iustice doth my soule condemne Which Sathan vrgeth still to my dispaire Sathan auoide thy malice I contemne Al thy suggestions vaine illusions are Of thy temptations this is my construction Then perish in vaine hope of my destruction SONNET XLI TEmpted in forren nation by that foe Which both my soule and bodies health enuies And vex'd with seuerall strange perplexities Whose cause or reason I could neuer know Or why my mind should mourne afflicted so To thee my God I turne my sinfull eyes Whom I prouoke with my remorse full cries Some succour for my vexed thoughts to show That as I haue my natiue Countrie changed So likewise from the world I may bee weaned And as my weede with nation is estranged I so may shine in Christian armes vnfeyned And as I leaue my nations true language My Muse may change for a diuiner rage SONNET XLII OH you light Poets whose Ardure diuine Inkindl'd with immortall furie was Ordaind therefore all other wits to passe Because those faculties you should incline To make with praise the most praise-worthie shine From sacred numbers roll'de in iust compasse Sphoerelike in Musicke turne your tunes alas To rauish eares with notes of your engine By these you shal the God of Gods collaude The King of Kings and Lord of Lords exalt Make not Diuine wit foule affections baude It is against that holy Ghost a fault Who therefore with his beames your wits did brighten That your wits likewise should his glorie lighten SONNET XLIII SAthan abroad when I was left alone A stranger and distress'de did mee assaile Finding my nature hoped to preuaile And make sure entrance where hee could finde none A gentle nature soonest ouerthrowne Hee thought supposing for his more auaile The sting of sinne should helpe if others faile But now behold Gods mercie to mee showne Hee gracious louing mercifull and wise Declar'd expressely that I was ordaind Vnto saluation for that enterprise Of Sathans mou'de my soule before profaind To purge it selfe with that repentant grace Which mee shall saue from hell and him displace SONNET XLIIII O Lord increase in mee true faith and loue Faith of saluation in thine onely sonne And his loue that hath my soules health begunne Who from my soule his incense will remoue That deadly sting which sinne did vnder shoue O Lord increase my zeale and let it runne Through my soules Organes that thereby bee donne A pleasing incense to thy throane aboue O Lord increase in mee that earnest care To make a mends for those high sinnes by past And equall charitie to worke welfare Vnto my neighbours bound in fetters fast That by faith Loue true zeale and charitie Through thee my soule may find felicitie SONNET XLV O What great comfort is it to giue praise To God the Lord of heauen Oh what comfort Is it abroad his praises to report And of his wondrous workes our notes to raise To lift our Muses from base earthly laies To that Dinine angelicall consort Bearing Palme Oliue and immortall Baies With chaunge of harmonies in one consort To glorifie the mightie God of glorie To magnifie the mightie God of might To triumph in the guide of victorie To celebrate the Iustice of all right To make our refuge where all helpe is found To cure our wounded soules with his sole wound SONNET XLVI OH Sunne and Moone the daies and Euenings lights With powerfull Starres bright subjects of the same Archangels Angels praise his holy name The glorious Cherubin which fierie fights With his proud foes the Seraphes holy sprights Who with sweete himnes record his endlesse fame The dreadfull thunder with his angrie flame Which when hee list all men and beastes affrights Raine Hayle Snow tempest clouds and bitter winde Darknesse and light Earthquakes and foggie mist With Flies and fethered foules of seuerall kinde My soule and spirite in his praise assist Who past all humaine wonder did create Vs all that all his praise might propagate SONNET XLVII OH what celestiall Angell will downe send Into these eyes some dewy cloudes of grace To wash the furrowes of my withered face Defilde with sinne what spirite will mee lend Sufficient winde that my sighes might ascend And with contrition pearce to that pallace From whence proceedes all succour and solace What Champion Michaell my soule to defend Will lend his puissant and victorious crosse To conquere that olde Serpent
the comfort of my soule reioyce And with my mouth consent world without end To speake to praise to glorifie to singe That God which to my soule doth succour bringe SONNET LIX MY soule my soule I feele I feele is vexed My mind and thoughts in vncouth forte distressed My braynes with fearefull dreames by night oppressed My hart with strange discouragement perplexed My soles vnneathed vnto my feete annexed My spirit with faint languor still distressed And helpe Lord helpe my soule my soule addressed By Melancholies poyson is connexed In fetters serpentine of foule dispaire Death almost my lifes ceasure hath begunne And after Sathan will his bookes prepare Blotted with vgly sinnes past number donne Oh my God my deare God helpe and assist Sinne death and hell my safetie doe resist SONNET LX. TVrne not away the sunne shine of thy face Sweete God of comfort from my troubled hart Congeald with sinne doe not sweete Lord depart From him that penitently sues for grace Whose soule through countlesse sinnes my whole liues space Benumbd can scarcely feele contritions smart What Phisicke then shall serue what helpe of art My dead soule to reuiue and sinne forth chase Eu'n those pure Rayons of thy holy Ghost Those gracious beames of thy pure holy word Shall mollifie giue ease and comfort most To my cold frozen soule and helpe afford Least with the frost of sinne my soule astounded After deaths griefe should with hels sting bee wounded SONNET LXI WHere is that copious furie whilom which My braines in kindled with an vncouth fire Whose sacred spirit did of yore aspire Aboue the glorious Sunne with passions rich Which thoughts in choyce words to the starres would stich With sacred Musicke tempering my desire Contending holily to mount vp higher Whilst heau'nly chaunture did my soule bewitch Oh precious Ardoure by whose chearefull heate The braine especiall recreation findes The soule chiefe comfort I thy beames intreate Which cheere all plants and beasts of seuer all kindes From my poore spirite doe not take away Those rayes wich must with light my wittes aray SONNET LXII FOr comfort my deare God I did attend And gracious eares to mee thou didst encline At my petitions thou didst not repine But present succour to my suits didst send Thou didst direct my feete which did depend On thee my stedfast Rocke where brightly shine Thy lawes those Lampes to which my thoughts incline Which Lord graunt that my soule doe not offend In my mouth Lord thou didst put a new song A due thankesgiuing vnto thee my God Which men shall feare to violate and wrong Least they should bee corrected with thy rod. Oh God great wonders thou for mee hast wrought For thy Sonnes sake who my saluation bought SONNET LXIII O Dreadfull horrour and tormented minde Foule restlesse conscience charg'd with hainous sinnes Lothsom and numberlesse when God beginnes His fruitfull haruest in faire sheafe to binde Hath thee for tares to quenchlesse fire assign'd Where teares nor hope of vaine repentance winnes Thy soule from Torture where griefe neuer linnes More pangues by worme of conscience to find Oh dreadfull hower when to thy soule condemn'd The iudge of truth and King of glorie saith Hedlong with Lucifer fall who contemn'd My lawes fall downe thou Fiend of little faith And with Deuils damned thy due portion take Immortally to burne in fierie lake SONNET LXIIII. THen if derne Loue of thy deare louing Lord His gentle graces Oyle his mercies balme His bounties numberlesse his spirite calme His loue of peace and comfort in concord Of the thrice sinfull soule remaine abhorrde If to thy soule sinne wounded no sweete Psalme Nor heau'nly Harpe nor Organe Trump nor Shalme Can comfort bring with their Diuine recorde To make thee ioyne in praise of his good grace Or to thy sinfull soule correction giue Yet let that quenchlesse lake and dreadfull place Where soules in deadly torment euer liue Creatour and creation which reproue Make thee repent for feare if not for Loue. SONNET LXV O Mercy mercy which much greater is Then heauens themselues Oh truth Oh sincere truth Which to the cloudes extendeth and insueth Of iustice which doth neuer iudge amisse Oh age of ages euermore in youth Oh Iudge whose righteous punishment is ruth Which sinners worthlesse dost with bountie blisse Oh where shall I finde to my spirite voice Where to my voice sufficient choyce of words To shew how much my spirite doth reioyce In those large blessings which thy grace affords My spirite first will faile with feeble voice Oh my Lord God lende spirit life and breath That I may praise thy name to conquer death SONNET LXVI IF death may by thy prayses vanquish't be Then voyce then spirit let your organes breake And of his glory sing criefoorth and speake Of him that succours helps and comforts me Moue toungue sounde voyce and from your slouthfull gree Avoyde and in this vtter aunce be not weake If hell the venome of his furie wreake It shall not be of force to vanquish thee Oh laude laudes glory gloryes prayse of prayse Fame honour trueth eternitye renoume And iustice mercifull ascribe alwayes To thee great Keyser of the thorny crowne Which coronation infamous did gayne That millions shoulde rich glorious Crownes obtayne SONNET LXVII VVHat thing in spacious heauen round earth deepe seas Which thy praise worthy glories doth not tell Whose golden Sunneshine euer doth excell In many millions farre aboue all these So much exceeding that if any prease To giue due praise hee shall perceyue it well His faculties against his will rebell And that his toungue cannot his spirit please Oh who shall giue due glories to his name That glorifies all thinges with decent pride Or what is he can signifie the same Or in an equall share his praise deuide With those great bounties which he hath bestow'd And those great mercies on vs sinners show'd SONNET LXVIII THat bounteous largesse of sweete mercies oyle That peace of soule that siluer streame of grace That comforte of saluation that pallace Of heauenly succour which death cannot spoyle That fortitude whose force no force can foyle Of IESSES precious braunch that royall race Who with his glory filleth euery place And with sweete dewes doth cherish euery soyle Can with no florish of eternall phrase Be glorifi'de according to desart Who with meete colours shall his glory blaze Who to the world shall condigne praise impart What instrument what voyce what toungue what spirite Shall giue due commendations to demerite SONNET LXIX WHo to the golden Sunnes long restlesse race Can limits set what vessell can comprise The swelling windes what cunning can deuise With queint Arithmetique in steadfast place To number all the starres in heauens pallace What cunning Artist euer was so wise Who by the starres and planets coulde aduise Of all aduentures the iust course and case Who measur'd hath the waters of the seas Who euer in iust ballaunce poys'd the ayre As no man euer could the least
of these Perfourme with humaine labour strength and care So who shall striue in volumes to contayne Gods prayse ineffable contends in vayne SONNET LXX VNto my spirite lend an Angels wing By which it might mount to that place of rest Where Paradice may mee releeue opprest Lend to my tongue an Angels voice to sing Thy praise my comfort and for euer bring My notes thereof from the bright East to West Thy mercy lend vnto my soule distrest Thy grace vnto my wits then shall the sling Of righteousnesse that monster Sathan kill Who with dispaire my deare saluation dared And like the Philistine stoode breathing still Proud threats against my soule for heauen prepared At length I like an Angell shall appeare In spotlesse white an Angels Crowne to weare SONNET LXXI O Glorious Crowne more precious many waies Then simple humaine Temples can deserue Thrice glorious God who doth that Crowne reserue For men vnworthie to set out his praise Oh mortall Temples what Muse can you raise Which vnhard precious spirits doth reserue His praise most meritorious to serue Admit that past all number were your daies Admit your spirit more then the fower windes Admit your learning bee by more degrees Aboue the Seraphins admit all kindes Of Musickes instruments inferiour were In heau'nly tunes and sacred harmonies To thy sweete voice all cannot his praise beare SONNET LXXII THe sunne of our soules light thee would I call But for our light thou didst the bright Sunne make Nor reason that thy Maiestie should take Thy chiefest subiects Epithites at all Our chiefe directions starre celestiall But that the starres for our directions sake Thou fixed and canst at thy pleasure shake I would thee name The Rocke substantiall Of our assurance I would tearme thy name But that all Rockes by thy commaund were made If King of Kings thy Maiestie became Monarch of Monarches I thee would haue saide But thou giues kingdomes and makes Crownes vnstable By these I know thy name ineffable SONNET LXXIII TRiumphant conquerour of death and hell Behold what legions though in vaine conspire Thy Temple militant to set on fire And Saints which in thy sanctuarie dwell To burne whilst they against thy power rebell See how like bloudy tyrants they desire Ambitiously to rise and mount vp higher Like Lucifer which to perdition fell Their forces are addrest against thy Saints Breake thou their bowes knap thou their speares in sunder I know their spirit at thy presence faints Against their Cannon plante thy dreadfull thunder Thy thunderbolts against their bullets dash And on their beauers bright let lightning flash SONNET LXXIIII ARmies of Angelles Myriades of Saintes Millions of Emperours and holy Kings Legions of sacred Patriarkes he brings Which his rebellious foes with feare attaintes Whose spirit at thy puisant spirit faintes Great Lord of Lordes whose sacred armis singes Triumphant Peans and new musicke bringes In glorious phrase which thy sweete glorie payntes Whilst vnder thy tryumphant chariot wheeles Rowling vpon the starres thy captiues lye In quenchlesse fiery lake whose spirit feeles An endlesse torment in captiuitye When thy fowre sweete Euangelistes ride bye Like corporalles proclayming victorye SONNET LXXV ELders of grace in number sixe times foure Fall downe fall downe vpon your aged faces Sende from graue ceerefull voyce throughout all places Such ioyfull tydinges in aboundant store Of praise then sandes of seas in number more To the great bounteous giuer of all graces Harmonious Kinges cast downe your Crownes and Maces Sounding your cheerefull harpes his throne before Let Alleluiah round about resounde Power honour glory praises and renowne Ascribe vnto the Lorde who doth confounde Euen with his nostshils breath and casteth downe His worthlesse enemies of Magogs campe And vnto dust and ashes them doth stampe SONNET LXXVI AS those three Kings touch'd with a sacred zeale By presents rich made Royal offerture Our new borne Sauiours blessing to procure Borne in an Oxe stall for our publique weale When in adoring him they did reueale his Godhead by those gifts they did assure So let faith hope and loue make ouerture Of new saluation which themselues conceale In this base mortall stable sinnes foule place Whereof eternall ioyes they may present To my saluation borne of thy deare grace Such rich Propines As from thy Gospell sent By precious incense may my spirit bring The tearmelesse praises of my God to sing SONNET LXXVII PVrge thou my guiltie soule sweete gracious Lord Defil'd and vgly made with sinfull spots Heale my wounds desperate whose festure rots My vexed members loathsome and abhorrd Doe not in register my sinne recorde My wicked practises and vaine complots But lift my soule from the defiled pots And let thy mercy with my suite accorde Make thou my soule cleere like white Salmons snow Or like a siluer winged Doue appeare Where diuers glorious golden fethers show Conuert thy foemens forces into feare Like Iaben make them and like Cysara Like Seba Zeb Horeb and Salmana SONNET LXXVIII RIde on in glorie on the mornings wings Thrice puisant conquerour in glorie ride That heauen as Horse courragious doth'st bestride Who whether thou disposest succour brings Ride on the glorious cloudes high King of Kings Thy conquering sworde guirde to thy puisant side Bright soldiours muster vp whose armies guide Raungde into Quadraines and triumphant Rings That shamelesse strumpet of proud Babilon Which thine Apostles killes and Prophets stoneth With Cuppe full of abhomination Which poysons millions and no man bemoneth With her false proud and Antichristian route Suppresse and put to slaughter rounde about SONNET LXXIX THe tearmelesse date of my sweete second life When this corruption mortall in sinne bred Shall resting in obliuion vanish dead Ending the period of all earthly strife Freshly recals those Loues and graces rife Which from my sweete saluations conduict bled These haue true zeale to my faithes refuge led So that no torture fagot crosse or knife Can seuer mee sequestred from thy flocke I feare no Pagan Schismaticke nor Iewe No worldly menaces can teare that Rocke Of my faithes Adamant assur'de and true But for that truth I thousand deathes would dy To liue ten thousand liues immortally SONNET LXXX A Blast of winde a momentarie breath A watrie bubble simbolizde with ayre A sonne blowne Rose but for a season fayre A ghostly glaunce a skeleton of death A morning dew perling the grasse beneath Whose moysture Sunnes appearance doth impaire A lightning glimse a Muse of thought and care A Planets shot a shade which followeth A voice which vanisheth so soone as heard The thriftlesse heire of time a rowling waue A shew no more in action then regard A Masse of dust worlds momentarie slaue Is man in state of our olde Adam made Soone borne to die soone flourishing to fade SONNET LXXXI BEhold by misaduenture how the winde From earth blowes dust and it in ayer scatter And if therefore the very smallest matter Thine eye the bodies Iewell in some kinde Doe but by