Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n
Text snippets containing the quad
|
ID |
Title |
Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
Words |
Pages |
|
A02121
|
Greenes vision vvritten at the instant of his death. Conteyning a penitent passion for the folly of his pen.
|
Greene, Robert, 1558?-1592.
|
1592
(1592)
|
STC 12261; ESTC S105824
|
38,847
|
64
|
thée that canst with a word cure all my sorrowes to the kinde Samaritan that wilt powre wyne and Oyle into my woundes set mee on thine owne beast and take care for the saluing of my hurtâ— that canst say thy sinnes are forgiuen and I am whole To thée I come ouer heated with the thirst of sinne for water that may spring in me a Well of lyfe I am heauie loaden and I will lay the burden on thy back for thou art a promised mediatour for the penitent vnto God the Father It is thou that seekest the wandring sheepe and bringest him home on thy shoulderâ— thou wilt not loose that groate but findest it with ioy thou weepest in the neck of thy repenting Sonne and killest the fat Calfe for his welcome thou hast cryed out in the Streetes Were your sinnes as red as Scarlet Ile make them as white as Snowe and were they as Purple I will make them as white as Wooll These proclaimed promises is comfort this heauenly voice is consolation whereby I am reuiued and my conscience lightned of the follies of my youth nowe haue I found the true and onely phisition for my long diseased soule euen he that came to heale the penitent Giue me grace Lord then to take perfect handfast of these comfortable sayings stretch foorth thy hand and I will with Peter spring into the waterâ— for thou wilt vphould me let me touch with faith the hem of thy Uesture and then I shall enioy the true working of that most singular medicine thy death bitter passion who sufferedst for our sinnes and on the crosse criedst Consumatum est to take away the punishment due for our transgression oh thy mercy is infinite whereby thou callest vs thy loue vnsearchable whereby thou fauourest vs and thy wisdome incomprehensible whereby thou guidest vs all these doo appeare to be imparted towards me in that thou stirrest vp in my heart a loathing of my sinne and that the follies of my young yeares are odious in my remembrance Sith then O Lord thou hast toucht me with repentance and hast called me from the wildernesse of wickednesse and extreame dispaire to place me in the pleasant fields of sincâ—ritie truth and godlinesse and so shadowe me with the wings of thy grace that my minde being frée from all sinfull cogitations I may for euer kéepe my soule an vndefâ—â—ed member of thy church and in faith loue feare humblenesse of heart praier and dutifull obedience shew my selfe regenerate and a reformed man from my former follies BEing in this déepe meditation lying comtemplating vpon my bed I fell a slâ—epe where I had not lyne long in a slumber but that me thought I was in a faire medowe sitting vnder an Oake viâ—wing the beautie of the sunne which then shewed himselfe in his pride as thus I sat gâ—sing on so gâ—rgâ—ous an obiectâ— I spied comming downe the Meade two ancient men aged for their foreheads were the Calenders of their yearesâ— and the whitenesse of their haires bewrayed the number of their dayesâ— their pace waâ— answerable to their age and In diebus illis hung vpoÌ„ their garments their visages were wrinckled but well featured and their countenance conteyned much grauitie These two ould men came to me and sat downe by me the one of the right hand and the other on the left looking vpon them earnestly I espyed written on the ones brest Chawcer and on the others Gower Chawcer was thus attired as néere as I can describe it The description of sir Geffery Chawcer HIs stature was not very tall Leane he was his legs were small Hosd within a stock of red A buttond bonnet on his head From vnder which did hang I weene Siluer haires both bright and sheene His beard was white trimmed round His countnance blithe and merry found A Sleeuelesse Iacket large and wide With many pleights and skirts side Of water Chamlet did he weare A whittell by his belt he beare His shooes were corned broad before His Inck horne at his side he wore And in his hand he bore a booke Thus did this auntient Poet looke Thus was Chawcer attired and not vnlike him was Iohn Gower whose description take thus The description of Iohn Gower LArge he was his height was long Broad of brest his lims were strong But couller pale and wan his looke Such haue they that plyen their booke His head was gray and quaintly shorne Neately was his beard worne His visage graue sterne and grim Cato was most like to himâ— His Bonnet was a Hat of blew His sleeues straight of that same hewâ— A surcoate of a tawâ—â—e die Hung in pleights ouer his thigh A breech close vnto his dock Handsomd with a long stock Pricked before were his shoone He wore such as others doone A bag of redâ— by his side And by that his napkin tide Thus Iohn Gower did appeare Quaint attired as you heere Sitting as a man in a maze at the view of these two ancient Poets as well at the grauitie of their lookes as the strangenesse of their attire At last sir Geffrey Chaucer start vp and leaning on his staffe with a smiling countenance began thus to breake silence My friend quoth he thy countenance bewray thy thoughts and thy outward lookes thy inward passions for by thy face I see the figure of a discontented minde and the very glaunce of thine eyes is a map of a disquieted conscience Take héede I tell thée sorrowes concealed are the more sower and gréefes smoothered if they burst not out will make the heart to breake I confesse it is best to bee secretarie to a mans selfe and to reueale the inwarde thoughts to a stranger is more follie yet I tell thée better brooke an inconuenience then a mischiefe and be counted a little fond then too froward Therefore if thy gréefe be not to priuate or so néere to thy selfe that thou wilt not bewray it to thy shirte manie festring sores launched are the sooner cured and cares discouered are the sooner eased thou hast heere two whome experience hath taught many medicines for yong mens maladies I am sir Geffrey Chaucer this Iohn Gower what we can in counsaile shall be thy comfort and for secrecie we are no blabs Hâ—ering sir Geffrey Chaucer thus familiar I tooke heart at grasse to my selfe and thought nowe I might haue my doubt well debated betwéene two such excellent schollers wherevpon putting of my hat with great reuerence I made this replie Graue Lawreats the tipes of Englands excellence for Poetry and the worlds wonders for your wits all haile and happily welcome for your presence is a salue for my passions and the inward gréefes that you perceiue by my outward lookes are alreadie halfe eased by your comfortable promise I cannot denie but my thoughts are discontent and my sences in a great maze which I haue damd vp a long while as thinking best to smoother sorrow with silence but now I will set fire on the straw and lay open my