Of cumly heygth that spryng in goodly wyse Jn thee doeth grow spykenarde and Calamus With Saffron Camphor and the swete cypres And all the trees that grow in Libanus Swete Cynamome strong Myrrhe and Aloes With all hote spices aromatical These are the elect and faythfull that doe dwell Jn thee my church in office seueral Who all through fayth excedyng swete do smel And thou my spouse of gardeyns art a wel Thy dewie fayth doth moysten euery coost Thou art also a poole the whiche doeth wel Vp lyuely springes from out the holy goost With these thy streames whiche calmly take theyr course From Libanus my wurde that mountayne clere Thou waterest the gardens fine or course Of all good folke that in thy waye appere Vp North wynde vp vp tribulacion Cum blast my gardeyn that J may it trye Cum Southwynde eke cum consolacion And cherysh it least sum part hap to dye That whyle ye two vpon my churche do blow The fragrant smell of truth may from her flow LEt my beloued cum into hys gardeyn and eate the swete fruites therof ¶ The Argument AFter the north and southwynde haue so long blowen vpon the churche that her fruites of pacience humblenes obedience and charitie are rype she calleth Christe vnto her his gardeyn desyryng hym to eat his fruites that is to accept for good the wurkes which she through fayth in hym hath brought surth syngyng as foloweth ¶ The Spouse to her Beloued xxxiiii NOw that J am proued Let my best Beloued Whome mercie hath moued To make me his gardeyn Cum eat and for good take My wurkes for his blood sake The fruites let hym good make Whiche grow in my gardeyn ⧠Here endeth the fowerth Chapter ¶ The fyft Chapter I Am cum into my gardē O my sister my spouse I haue gathered my Myrre with my spyce I haue eaten hony with my hony combe I haue dronke my wyne with my mylke Eate O ye frendes drynk and be mery O ye beloued As I am a slepe and my herte is waking I hear the voyce of my beloued whē he knocketh Open to me O my syster my loue my doue my derlyng for my heade is ful of dewe and the lockes of my hearre are full of the nyght droppes I haue putte of my cote howe can I do it on agayne I haue washed my fete how shall I fyle them agayne My loue put in his hand at the hole and my herte was moued within me I stode vp to open vnto my beloued and my handes dropped with Myrre and the Myrre ranne downe my fingers vpon the locke I opened vnto my beloued but he was departed and gone his way Now when he spake my heart was goen I sought hym but I could not fynde hym I cried vpon him neuertheles he gaue me no answer So the watchmen that went about the citie founde me smote me wounded me yea they that kept the walles toke away my kercheaf fro me I charge you therefore O ye daughters of Ierusalem yf ye fynde my Beloued that ye tell hym how I am sick for loue What maner of man is thy loue aboue other louers O thou fayrest among wemen Or what can thy Loue doe more than other louers that thou chargest vs so straytly As for my loue he is white and red coloured a goodly person among ten thousand his head is as the most fyne golde the lockes of his heare are busshed blak as a crow His iyes are as the iyes of doues by the water brokes as though they were wasshed with mylke and are set lyke perles in gold His chekes are lyke a garden bed wherein the Apotecaries plant all maner of swete thynges Hys lyppes are lyke Roses that drop swete smellyng Myrre His handes are lyke gold ringes hauing enclosed the precious stone of Tharsis His body is as the pure yuory deckt ouer with Saphires His legges are as the pillers of Marble set vpon sokets of golde his face is as Libanus as the beautie of the Cedre trees The wurdes of his mouth are swete yea he is altogether louely Such one is my loue O ye daughters of Ierusalem suche one is my Loue. ¶ The fifth Chapter I Am cum into my gardein my sister my Spouse I haue gathered my myrrhe with my spice I haue eaten my hunnie combe with my hunney I haue drunke my wine with my mylke ¶ The Argument AT his Spouses request Christ cūmeth into his gardeyn and gathereth his mirrhe with his spices the vertuous dedes whiche through hym she bryngeth surth and eateth his hunney combe with his hūney and drynketh his wyne with his mylke that is he accepteth well her good doctrine wherwith she nurissheth comforteth the Younglynges Whiche al he calleth his because that for his sake she did them and whan he hath so doen he certifieth his Spouse therof syngyng Christe to his Spouse xxxv TO thee my Spouse my gardeyn great of price My syster dere J am cum at thy request J haue cropt my myrrhe and odourykyng spice Good wurkes whiche fayth hath gendred in thy brest My hunney combe with hunney of the best My wurde my truth my promise J haue eat J stande therto and wyll perfourme the rest That graunted is in swete so fyne a meat My cheryng wyne the strongest of my truth Whiche in mennes heartes through preachyng depe is sounk Myxt with my mylke weak doctrine for my youth Powrde out by thee I haue both seen and drounk EAt o my frendes and drynke and be drunke my best beloued CHriste seyng his Spouses fruites of most holsum doctrine to be excellent good calleth his fyrst Churche the whiche now are his frendes vnto his banket willyng them not only to eat and drynke his churches mylk and wyne that is the doctrine of holy scripture but also to be drunke that is to haue all carnall iudgement cleane ouercum with the perfect knowlege of his wurde syngyng to them ¶ Christe to his Spouse xxxvi EAt my frendes and drynke My Spouses mylke and wine My wurde whiche to the brynke Js full of foode diuine Both meat and drynke My Frendes whome I loue moste Drynke drinke tyll ye be drounk Drynke tyll my holly goste Jn you be throughly sunke Drinke and be drunke I Slepe and my hart waketh I hear the voice of my Beloued knockyng ¶ The Argument THe Spouse hyndred with the heauy burden of the flesh falleth oft becummeth negligent in her ministerie and slepeth as touchyng the flesh but in her hart and spirit watcheth continually alwayes attentiue and hearkenyng whan God wyl moue and wake her vp to doe any thyng Whiche she confesseth her selfe syngyng to the Yonglynges· ¶ The Spouse to the Younglynges xxxvii I I my selfe whome flesh doeth ouermatche Doe slepe in sinne obey my worldly wyll But yet my harte and sprite doe wake and watche To serue the Lorde his lawes for to fulfyll With harte and mynde But whyle J thus in fleshly slepe am
most valiant men Thy two teates are lyke a gotes two double twinnes whiche are fed among lilies tyl the day breake and tyll the shadoes passe awaye ¶ The Argument WHan the perfect Preachers haue declared the humanitie of Christe in whiche he made satisfaccion to his father for the sinnes of the whole worlde he praysyng them agayn for all his gyftes in them syngeth ¶ Christe to his perfect Spouse xxix LOe thou art fayer loe thou art fayer my Loue Doues iyes thou hast in iudgement simplenes Besydes thy paste that standes thyne iyes aboue Thy goodly attyre of fayth and humblenes Thy heares also thy truthes moste principal Are lyke a flocke of Goates moste quicke and pure Whiche rounded are from of mount †Gileal The Byble boke an heape of witnes sure Thy teath also thyne argumentes most strong With whiche thou doest all heresies deuour Are lyke the flocke whiche shorne cum vp along The washyng place Gods wurd that doeth them scour Of whiche eche one in it two twinnes doeth bear Gods wurd and truth and not so muche as one Js voyde therof with these teeth thou doest tear Abuses byg that thynke to rule alone Thy lyppes thy speche is lyke the skarlet red Whiche for the elect thy sauiour Christ doest preache Afflicte in fleshe with bloud his crosse bebled To faythfull folke a swete and pleasaunt speache Thy Chekes thy wurkes are louely fayre and good Lyke to a broken piece of Pomegranade Whiche spring of faythe by merit of my blood Besides thy tyre my wurkes that wyll not fade Thy necke thy faythe is lyke to Dauids tower Whiche buylded is with bulwarkes whereupon A thousand shyldes of truthe whiche men of power Jn faythe haue borne doe hang to fraye thy foen Thy brestes thy helpe to succour all that nede Alwayes at wurke are lyke two litle twinnes The whiche among the faythfull Lillies seede Tyll shadowes passe and tyll the daye begynnes ¶ I wyl goe to the mount of Mirrhe to the hyl of Frankincence Thou art al fayer o my spouse and no spot is in thee Cum from Libanus o my Spouse cum from Libanus cum ¶ The argument WHan Christe hath praysed perfectly the perfect spouse he calleth to mynde the other whiche is yet in bed on slepe and desirous to prayse her also syngeth Christe to his Spouse xxx TO the mount of myrrhe wyll J goe To the hyll of frankincence Goe wyll J to my Spouse slepie who Wysheth fayne in my presence To cum Thou art fayer al whole o my loue And no spot doeth rest in thee Fro thy self cum cum from aboue †Libanus though it bryght bee Cum Cum. Jn thy strength trust not o my Spouse But in me put all thy trust So thou shalt be made gloriouse Jf thou wylt therfore be iust Cum cum THou shalt be crouned from the top of Amana from the toppe of Sanir and Hermon from the Lions dennes and from the mountaynes of the Leopardes ¶ The argument BEcause the Churche shoulde cum the more spedely from all confidence in herselfe to truste wholly in Christe her Beloued shewyng why he called her addeth great promises whiche yf she cum to hym he wyl perfourme syngyng ¶ Christe to his Spouse xxxi IF that thou cum from Libanus to me Thou shalt be crouned from * Amana mount From God the hye top crouned shalt thou be With truth whose heygth al hye thynges doeth surmount From †Sanirs top and eke from + Hermon hie The curses whiche thou shalt sustayne of men Thou shalt be crounde from euery dignitie From the Leoperdes mount and from the Lyons den THou hast rauished my mynde oh sister my spouse thou hast rauished my mynd in one of thyne iyes and in one chayn of the neck ¶ The Argument CHriste hauyng promysed to croune his Churche with truth for his self wyll be her croune from Sanir and Hermon the curses and troubles that she should sustayne for his sake and from the Lyons den and Leoperdes mounte whiche signifie pleasures and delites honors and dignities whiche though they be for the most part abused yet Christe promyseth his Spouse that yf she trust in hym only stande to his truth she shal vse them to his glory and be crouned of hym therefore he begynneth to prayse her But because she is not yet perfecte by reason of the flesh whiche continually troubleth and hyndereth her he lykyng sumwhat and myslykyng elswhat syngeth ¶ Christe to his Spouse xxxii MY mynde thou hast whole rauyshed My spouse my sister dere Thou hast my hart whole rauyshed With one of thyne iyes clere Thy perfect iudgement of my sprite Doeth muche my mynde refresh Thyne other iye detest J quite Thy iudgement of the flesh Jn one lynke of the chayne lykewyse That hangth about thy necke My mynde wholly thou doest surprise For in it is no specke The fruites whiche thou vnfaynyngly By fayth styl bryngest furth Doe please my mynde excedyngly The rest are nothyng wurth O Howe fayer are thy brestes my syster my spouse they are more pleasaunt then wine and the smell of thyne oyntmentes passeth al the spices Thy lippes o my loue are a dropping hony combe milke and hony is vnder thy tongue The smell of thy garmentes is lyke the smell of Libanus A garden wel locked thou art my sister my spouse a garden well locked and a sealed wel The fruites that growe in thee are lyke a Paradise of Pomegranades with fruite trees Camphor Nardus and Saffron Fistula and Synamom with al trees of Libanus Mirrhe Aloes and all the best spices A well of gardeynes a fountayne of liuyng waters which flowe out from Libanus Up thou Northe wynde and cum thou Southwynde and blow vpon my gardeyn that the smel therof may be caried on euery syde ¶ The Argument AFter Christe hath praysed his Spouse for thone of her iyes and for one of her chaynes dispraysyng the other for she hath yet one carnal iye and doeth sum of her wurkes through hipocrisie he prayseth the rest of her partes throwly syngyng before the Younglynges Christe to his Spouse xxxiii HOwe fayre thy Dugges thy charitie is my Spouse My syster swete more fayre they are than wyne Thy sauour eke of my gyftes glorious Do passe all odours be they neuer so fine Thy lyppes my Loue the hunney combe are lyke From whiche my prayse doeth drop al men among My scriptures eke that are not muche vnlyke Hunney and mylke doe vnder lye thy toung Thy garmentes gay my merites whiche thou hast Do sauour swete lyke the mount Libanus My Spouse thou art an orchard locked fast Of pleasaunt trees my elect most bounteous Fast shut thou art my syster J thee kepe From all assaultes thou art a sealed spryng Of waters pure in truthes moysture so depe That all may drynke whome grace shal therto bryng The planted trees and frutes whiche grow in thee Of Pomegranates are lyke a paradise Beset about with fruites that pleasaunt bee
styll Beholde the voyce of Christe whome moste I loue I hear in flesh wheron he knocketh styll From earth commaundyng me to cum aboue True rest to fynde OPen to me my sister my Loue my Doue my darling for my Head is full of dewe and my lockes of hear are full of Nyghte droppes ¶ The Argument WHan Christe accordyng to the confession of his welbeloued Spouse hath styerred and waked her vp by the secret wurkyng of his grace from the sluggysh rest whiche she had in her disobedient and vnruly flesh he cummeth hym selfe vnto her with his head God the father hye head of all full of the dewe of his grace truth and mercie hauyng hys heary lockes full of the nyght droppes of tribulacion persecucion and affliccion For all that receyue Christe with the dewe of his fathers truth and mercye must also receyue the troubleous nyghtdroppes of his heares And now desirous that she should so receyue hym syngeth ¶ Christe to his perfect Spouse xxxviii OPen to me my syster my Loue Receyue my truthe that J shal to thee shew Open to me my darlyng my Doue For loe my head my head is full of dewe Of truth grace and mercie Also my hears with nyght drops abounde My truth is full of tribulacion Fear thou not yet for fayth shall thee grounde And make thee strong in persecucion Through truth grace and mercie I Haue put of my coat how shall I put it on agayn I haue washed my feet how shal I fyle them agayne ¶ The Argument THe Spouse whose flesh is not ful mortified and obedient to the spirit is troubled sore with this request of her Beloued She is in the bed of quietnes already and hath as she thynketh put of the vesture of olde Adam with trust in her owne righteousnes and hath washed her feete from the soule affecciōs lustes and desiers of worldly thynges Thus thynkyng but she is deceyued she reasoneth with her Beloued syngyng ¶ The Spouse to her Beloued xxxix MY fleshly coat my trust in wurkes of man J haue put of J count them all as vayne And rest in peace o Lorde howe shal J than Attyre my selfe and put it on agayne My feete also my affectes and pleasures vyle Are washt away as thou thy self moste good Commaundedst me why shall I then defyle My feete agayne in vile and fylthy mud MI Beloued put in his hande at the Hole and my bowels swelled within me I arose that I myght open to my Beloued and my hādes dropped myrrhe and my fingers wer full of tryed mirrhe I opened the bolte of my dore to my Beloued but he was goen past As sone as my Beloued spake my soul cam out I sought hym but I founde hym not I called but he gaue no answer The watchmen y t went about the citie found me smote me and wounded me They that kept the wall toke away my gaberdin I charge you o ye daughters of Ierusalem that yf ye fynde my Beloued ye shew him how that I am louesycke ¶ The Argument THe Churche beholdeth Christ and would gladly receyue hym for her soule deliteth in his dewy head but her flesh can not away with the nyghtdroppyng heares which caused her as though she had ben perfect to reason with Christ and to thynke that he woulde haue her put on her coate agayne whan as in dede he woulde haue her cum naked to put on the coat whiche he wyll geue her Thus is the poore churche deceyued through frayltie of the flesh whiche he consyderyng and seyng the dore shut that is the spirite so hyndred in carnal iudgement that she can not receyue hym thrusteth in his hande that is his power grace and helpe through the hole of the dore that is the eleccion whiche remayneth in olde Adam the dore of the flesshe whiche through his grace he openeth Whiche the Spouse felyng confesseth syngyng The Spouse to the Younglynges xl MY Loue dyd put his hande of myght Jn to my hole of fleshly sence Whereby myne inwarde partes outryght Dyd swel and ryse through influence Of grace Than vp I rose with diligence To open that he mought cum in Whome I doe loue by whome my sence Of fleshly wit was made so thin By grace No sooner I vp risen was But that my handes fast shut before Dyd drop with Mirrhe good wurkes did passe My fyngers from styll more and more By grace The doar bar eke that made me slacke To let hym in that knocked fast My carnal sence J thrust abacke But Christe before was goen and past Helas As soone as my Beloued spake My soule to search hym waxed meke My soule long hyd his voyce dyd make From flesh to flee his helpe to seke Apace J sought hym long but coulde not fynde J called hym he answered not Awhyle he left me to my mynde Because at fyrst J opened not Helas The tyrauntes that the citie watche False Prelates whiche the truth confounde That sought for Christe poore me dyd catche And stroke therfore and dyd me wounde Helas The kepers of the cursed wall Suche rites as truthles men deuise By force dyd take my cloke and all Because J dyd theyr wurkes dispise Helas Ye daughters of Jerusalem Ye faythfull preachers of the wurd Whiche preache Gods truthes and folow them That stryke with his two edged swurd By grace J charge you yf ye chaunce to fynde Christe my Beloued that dwelles aboue Ye shew hym how sore J in mynde Am sycke and languish whole for loue Of grace wHat maner one is thy beloued of a beloued o thou fayrest of women what maner one is thy beloued of his beloued because thou geuest vs so great charge ¶ The Argument THe Younglynges beyng charged of the Churche that yf they fynde her Beloued they shew hym how she is loue-sicke because they know hym not as in dede none can excepte the faythfull haue taught them enquyer what he is singing ¶ The Younglynges to the Spouse xli VVhat one is he Beloued of thee Beloued of God aboue Of women bryght O fayrest to syght What maner one is thy Loue What maner one is c. What may he be Beloued of thee Of God beloued also What one is he So loued of thee Of whome thou doest charge vs so Of whome thou doest c. MY Beloued is whyte and red chosen among a thousande Hys head is principal good golde his heares are lyke the branches of the Palme trees as blacke as a Crowe ¶ The argument THe Church at the Younglynges request describeth her beloued in .iii. songes syngyng The Spouse to the Younglynges xlii CHriste God and man ye young yf ye know not Js suche an one as hath in hym no spot My Loue ye shall vnderstand Js whyte in diuinitie Red in humanitie Chosen among a thousand His head the father God the most of myght Js golde of nature perfect pure and bryght My Loue ye shall vnderstand Js whyte in diuinitie Red in