his own the Life o' th' World to spare VII Teach the World Child and make his Israel know Whence their Salvations mighty Source does flow That from Remission of their Sin The mighty Source does first begin Through our God's tender Mercy who the Way To Pardon does by Penance lay Penance which does the glories of his Grace display VIII That Grace whereby the Day-spring from on High Now visits us with Streams which ne're shall die Streams of pure Aethereal Light To shine on those who in darkness sit Which Death 's pale shadow shall with Rays encrease And hopes long Pris'ners thence release And both theirs guide and our feet into th' way of Peace V. HYMN The ANGELIC Hymn Gloria in Altissimis c. GLORY be to God on High i th' Highest Great Jehovah bless Good will tow'rds Men on Earth be Peace Glory to God on High And may this Round begun thus last eternally VI. HYMN The Song of SIMEON Nunc dimittis servum tuum c. I. ENOUGH my God enough I beg no more Nor Thou tho begg'd canst greater Grace bestow My Prayers at length are answer'd and I ' adore The Word which from thy Mouth did go The Word which like thy Self no change does know And now Thy Servant is content to die Now as the best time since Thy Word and Life 's so nigh II. Nigh is the Word which Thou to me didst pass Nor has Death come me and Thy CHRIST between As nigh is Life Thy other Word which I embrace And who that has thus happy been In two great Words fulfill'd one t'other seen Would not like me desire in peace to die And mortal Life exchange for Immortality III. In Peace I die and Thou dismissest me My God in Peace since with these very Eyes Before their change I Thy Salvation see And lack not from the Dead to rise As Prophets must to ' approve their Prophecies By Faith they only at a distance saw What in my Arms I hold the end of all their Law IV. Hail blest Salvation of the Eternal King Hail Thou who hither bringst it Blessed Child In whom as holy Bards inspir'd do sing Those wondrous Truths shall be fulfill'd Which to Immortal Verse shall subject yield Hail to you both prepar'd of God to be This Worlds Redemption Heav'ns and Angels scrutiny V. Such is the great Behest such is Thy Will Who now before all Nations dost prepare What shall with joyous Praise all Nations fill As in Him all have equal share Thy Son who shall to those who ' in darkness are Rise as the World's Sun does with scattered Light But Israels Glory be with Rays like ' his own Flames bright Comiato To Sir Nicholas Stuart Baronet SONGS made in lieu of many more And more than Songs which to his Love I owe Who when your Master waited at the Door First let him in and sacred Honours did bestow You blessed Songs i th' Temple first to sing And then to Descant on an humbler thing To his and your lov'd Patron go And tho you ne're can recompence The ease and leasure both of us have thence Proffer the utmost service Verse can do And as He is your Ornament Be of my grat'itude and his Virtue the fixt Monument The VIII Great HYMNS of the Apocalyps I. HYMN The Adoration of the XXIV ELDERS Gratias agimus tibi Domine Deus Optime I. WORTHY Thou art all Honour to receive Thrice Honour'd we who may that Honour give Blest King who in One undivided now The scatter'd Parts of Time collected hast The Future Present and the Past And every Time and Age dost in one moment know II. We praise Thee ' Almighty God for that Thou ' hast tane To Thee thy great Power and at length dost Reign Thou Reign'st and tho the Nations troubled are Thy Wrath is come and therewith come the Time When Thou wilt sentence every Crime And all the Dead shall for the Great Assize prepare III. Up shall they rise and as their Works have been Or Shame or Glory on all Brows be seen Thy Prophets and Thy Saints shall shout for joy And all who fear Thy Name both small and great But Vengeance from Thy Judgment Seat Th' Earths bold Destroyers shall eternally destroy II. HYMN The Acclamation of Heaven upon MICHAEL's overthrow of the Dragon and his Angels Nunc facta est Salus Virtus c. I. NOW is Salvation now is come the Hour That long expected never shall be done Now Reigns our God with whom in equal Power And strength Enthron'd sits his Anointed Son They Reign and Judg and having Judgment past The Brethrens great Accuser or'e the Bar have cast II. Both Night and Day the Brethren he accus'd Heav'ns common Barrettor with Charge unjust Their Patience and the Judges Grace abus'd Tho from them the forg'd Calumny they thrust And his false Evidence or'e-rul'd bore down By the Lambs Blood in Court attested and their own III. These were the Pleas whereby they overcame And these the Witnesses call'd and allow'd Which ev'n the Devil their slanderer heard with shame And self-condemn'd to the just Sentence bow'd Greater their Word was than could be deni'd But greater yet their Testimony that they Di'd IV. For this O Heav'ns rejoyce and ye who there In Sacred Bliss uninterrupted dwell Rejoyce and a part with you let them bear Who from below shall of your Justice tell With joy shall Sing how the' Dragon overthrown From Heav'ns high-top to th' Earth was tumbled down V. But wo worth you to whom in wrath he 's come Of Earth and Sea the miserable ' out-cast On whom he 'll seek to be aveng'd the Doom Was on himself and curs'd Abettors past With rage he comes and whole Hells last effort Fury incenst because he knows his time 's but short III. HYMN The Happy Dead Beati mortui qui in Domino moriuntur I. BLEST are the Dead who in the Lord depart From henceforth Blessed write them down For Labours tho and Pain they have known Of neither feel they more the irksome smart II. So says the Spiri't for but to ' enjoy full rest From all their Toils are they remov'd And of their Works by God approv'd That follow close in Bliss they are possest IV. HYMN The Song of MOSES and of the LAMB Magna Mirabilia sunt opera c. I. GREAT are thy Works and marvelous thy Praise Lord God Almighty just and true Thy Ways Blest King of Saints who would not fear In Thy dread Presence to appear Whom Angels and attending Thrones revere II. Who would not Fear Thee Lord and Glorifie That Name of Thine which Thou hast rais'd so high Thy Holy Name by which Thou art known For Holiness is Thine alone But better than each single Man by ' his own III. Take then Blest King what is Thy proper due And through all Landâ— and Coasts Thy Right persue That eve'ry Coast and every Land Who wondring
or Night be ' it Ev'ning or the Morn From th' Years account let it be ever torn To me it self and Heav'n and all be lost And from the number of the Days be crost O had it never been or had that Hour But barr'd the Gate and damn'd the fertil Door Unhappy Gate but Hour unhappy more Sorrow I ne're had known nor had these Eyes Beheld the Light which none but Fools can prize Rather why di'd I not making the Womb At once my busie tyring House and Tomb But by the Knees I must perverted be And live more Deaths than one to act more Plagues to see Draw th' hated Brests only to fetch supply After ten thousand Deaths new deaths to try And at the last with greater sense and torment die Had I then dy'd still as the Night or Grave My Voice had been without a Death to crave Still had I lain and in Oblivion's brest Enjoy'd a sweeter sleep and sounder rest The Earth which does in its cold Lap enfold All Arts and Arms Princes and all their Gold Which Sepulchers does for their Tombs prepare Great in their Dust and in their Ruines fair For me to Die then had I been allow'd Had markt a place amidst the awful Crowd There where untimely Births i th' Pit are thrown And through the Earths soft pores the Plains with verdure crown An awful place it is with Company The best and great'st where in appartments lie Kings and their Counsellors each in his Bed With each his Sword clapt underneath his Head For there the proud Usurpors terrors cease And there the weary are at perfect ease And the whole Region riots in the spoils of Peace Pris'ners enjoy their Liberty at least know No other Chains than what their Jaylors do Both small and great there undistinguisht be Undisturb'd by outworn Authority Masters and Servants throw those Names aside And for a nobler freedom both provide No fear of the Oppressor's there no wrong No Clamours no Reproach amidst that throng But a deep silence fills the profound wast Deaf to all calls but the last Trumpets blast Ah might I rest there Why is Death deni'd To him who seeks it in those shades to hide Who for it digs and would more gladly find That Treasure than the mines he leaves i th' way behind Light and this Life will but encrease his pain Light and this Life of which he does complain And would for ' one Death exchange but all in vain Why is Life thrust on such a Man who 's dead Dead to himself and God all comfort fled Me why is 't thrust on who the Gift despise As th' worst of this Worlds great impert'nencies Nay more its greatest Curse unwelcome Guest That never le ts me never be at rest Nor Bed nor Board their just refreshment give Which who would thus thus I 'd not always live Too long already to feel what I fear'd Sadder than can be told too doleful to be heard At rest I ne're was but compar'd with this All former Grief as gone and vanisht is And all but very Hell would be a kind of Bliss 1660. The Prayer of HABAKKUK Hab. 3. Domine audivi auditionem I. MY God I have Thy Wonders heard And their report like those who saw them feard I heard what Thou of Old hast done Revive Thy Work nor let it die But since to make us hope Thou hast begun Let our Deliverance too draw nigh Lord in the midst of th' Years appear Nor ever ever thus forbear To put an happy issue to our Fear i th' midst of th' Years Thy Greatness show For we are ready if Thou ' art but so Let us in Wrath Thy Mercy see Remembred this let that forgotten be What tho with us the full Time 's not expir'd With Thee 't is ended and by us desir'd Ages to come and Ages long since past In Heav'n where Thou art present are 'T is ever now and now will ever last O Now from Heav'n Thy Power declare And let it once be here what it is ever there II. Deus ab Austro veniet God came from Teman and the Holy One Descended from Mount Paran with a mighty Train The Earth to Heav'n did dart the Rays again And as He past the Skie with Glory shone Refined Light without allay Such as above makes Angels Day Such was His Brightness and such was His Way He was all Light but from His Side Shot forth a Beam so clear and pure That none to see it could endure And there as in the dark He did His Glories hide The Pestilence before Him went Gathering new Poysons as the old were spent Ruine and Desolation at His Feet Never to part again did meet But sworn to execute His Wrath on Man Kist and embrac'd each other close as they before Him ran III. Stetit mensus est Terram He stood and in His Hand He held a Line and measuring Wand Both to mete out and to destroy his Land Over the Earth the fatal Line He threw And that it level on all sides might lie He smote the Nations and they ' in haste withdrew Th' affrighted Earth that fain would flie Seeing it could not stir the Line did take But did with horrour and amazement shake The Rocks as it came o're their Backs did quake Bow'd down their Heads and griev'd they were so high The everlasting Mountains scatt'red lay And the perpetual Hills sank down and stole away IV. Pro iniquitate vidi Tentoria I saw the Tents of Egypt in distress Methoughts I heard their doleful groans The Land did tremble and its emptiness An hollow murmur added to its moans And shriekt a deadly eccho from the wounded Stones When not content to see their First-born slain Conquer'd on Land they once again Would try the fortune of the Main Since they the Tenth Shock could so stoutly brave They scorn'd to fear the Eleventh Wave Till they themselves and that saw buried in a Grave What ail'd the Rivers Lord what ail'd the Flood That Thou shouldst make their streams true Veins of Blood What could the Sea against Thee do So small against so great a Foe Exalted Thou so high and that so low Could it deserve Thy Wrath or roar so loud From Heav'n Thy Throne to call Thee down Or in its swellings was it grown so proud It ' sdeign'd a check from a single frown Unless in Triumph God would o're it ride And Seas from Seas below as first from those above divide V. Suscitans suscitabis Arcum So on the Sea i th' Air his Bow was seen Not by Reflection like the Rain-bow made Where all the pleasing Colours are together laid That Man might be no more afraid Of a new Deluge to be unsherd in And once more drown what it could never purge his Sin That is his Bow of Peace but this of War The Skie about it was with Darkness spread Slaughter and Gore had stain'd it red Ghastly and terrible it glistned from afar A poysoned
vast expence LXVI Death such a Bankrupt therefore flies Hasting to those who call'd or call'd him not By Loves own Hands crown'd for the Sacrifice And or pursue'd or i' th' pursuit were hot E're well aware to th' end of all things got By Death inglorious and with Infamy Of most Luxurious Livers the hard lot Yet which Love colour'd with such Maistery That the most follow'd what the most did seem to flie LXVII For Love had thousand Deaths at his command And every Lover might his own Fate make Which some did but by'a way so under-hand That from the praise of Love it much did take And many 'a Lover lost he for their sake Tho such he pleaded were by him giv'n o're If all might be believ'd which then Love spake Nor could to his account be reckoned more Than if thus or a Natural Death they dy'd before LXVIII Be the Point therefore as it will for me Who list not further of it here to tell Enough are Lovers Deaths we daily see And so 't was then a Songs scant bounds to swell Nor yet for Love or them contriv'd so well But that one midst the Pomp might easily find The Mighty by whose cruel Hands they fell And Verdict give the Murther was design'd By th' Pains they felt before Reproach they left behind LXIX Pains more than can of Mortal Tongue be told And sharper than e're Tyran did invent Which the whole Man did in strait Fetters hold Till tortur'd Nature quite worn out was spent Of Love the Guerdon and the Punishment Yet Tyrans Racks found out the Pale and Wheel And Fire and all that can by Fire torment Or be prepar'd th' â—x and derr-doing Steel But make no wounds all set with those which Lovers feel LXX Thrice and than thrice more wretched state of Love When Innocence and Truth to Heav'n were gone But seve'n times wretcheder it yet did prove When this Mock-love wholly usurpt the Throne As he ' after did and single reign'd alone With Name and Pow'r alike usurpt yet was Ah! What not was he But 't is time to ' have done With him who can to Verse give little grace And in another Canto to the True Love pass 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THE LEGEND OF LOVE CANTO III. I. TIRE'D with the Way I have already gone Longer by many a Stage than setting out I thought it would have prov'd and where there 's none To guide me in the search I am about How well I shall succeed is my great doubt Who almost of the Enterprize repent Wishing I better of it first had thought At least before me some Espials sent Who might have told the hazard of the bold Attempt II. But to repent alas 't is now too late And in the last Act fail a wrong to Love Which in another I should surely hate And cannot in my self unblam'd approve What Arguments so e're Distrust may move Which many cogent seem and weighty all But all which by this singleâ—One I reprove That well if well if ill succeed I shall 'T is not inglorious from the noblest heights to fall III. But help me Love and I 'll not yet despair For other Muse I dare not invocate None but thy Self with whom the Treasures are Of bright Idaeas tho discover'd late To me who half my time in Darkness sat Ylamped only by a Foolish Fire Whose wandring guidance I now deprecate Led by it often and my vain desire To whence I could not till Thy Day brake out retire IV. At length it brake out and I came to know How wofully I had mistook my Way Shine forth again with double Glory now And in my Verse Thy fairest Beams display That others with me in it triumph may And having their Night Sullys thence refin'd Carol with sacred Hymn's to th' Beauteous Day Carol to Thee by Heav'n and God design'd The Counterfeit to ' uncase and Eyes restore the Blind V. LONG had the Mock-love by his false disguise Upon the Credulous World impos'd but more Upon himself if he had been so wise To think how much 't would cost him to restore And what by tort he ' had snatcht a new pay o're But this alas came seldom in his thought Rather perverse still as he was before The World which he had into Bondage brought Eternally to ' enthral was th' only Prize he sought VI. This was his aim nor to rebate it found Save Prophecies of a Supplauters race Which well he knew not and could worse expound Wherein the happy Country was the place Whence was foretold should come his great disgrace But when or how tho himself Oracles gave Too hard to be resolv'd was the dark case Nor could he any certain knowledg have Who should the Mighty Conqueror be his Thralls to ' unslave VII The happy Country well enough he knew Part of his Syria to be ' hight Palestine Wherefore he thither his Chief Forces drew And seiz'd it first by 'a more than double Trine Of cursed Nations from the Great Chams Line Cham who first gave him credit by his Arms And then his Empire to him did resign Cham whom he thus rewarded for the harms He had sustain'd to be Camp-Master of his Charms VIII Seven cursed Nations of his cursed Seed To be its constant Guard Love thither sent Who â—â—ll'd the Land so with their cursed Breed That scarce was left him room for his own Tent Less for new Col'onies if such thither went A stup d bestial and unmanly Rout That all their Age in Lusts unnatural spent Till the time came their Land should spue them out Too long opprest and bring the dread Foresight about IX Lovâ— saw it coming and began to fear When Jacob's numerous Host from Bondage led Unto the Cananitish bounds drew near Seising the Nations with unusual Dread While Seas to make them way rose up and fled But never did he more confounded stand Than when he Jordan saw recoil to ' his Head And to new Armies shar'd by Lot his Land Supplanted e're he did th' Supplanters understand X. Before he doubted those would prove the Men And therefore when they were upon the Way From Madian drest a Female Stratagem By which above two Myriads slaughter'd lay Tho Madian for it after dear did pay And he who gave the Counsel with them fell Balam their Priest and his the Sword did slay To expiate for th' Whoredoms he did sell And more advise than by Prophetic rage foretel XI But then he knew it and in every Age As Israel did in wealth and power encrease New Wars would with the Holy People wage Wars Amorous the sad result of Peace Nor his Assaults defeated oft surcease Till David was exalted to the Throne With Testimony that he God did please As Enoch had and then Love gave for gone All he before had gain'd and by his Conquests won XII Ah! that it had been gone and that his sway Had here expir'd But Jesses Son soon fell A victim at his Altars
But in all else more secret Snares than we Till by them Caught shall ever know From this to clear it and restore To th' Garden what it had before And perfect Innocence add one Beauty more As there fall'n Man his Life first forfeited There to Redeem him first the Blood of God was shed VI. How grievous were his Pains there and how great Burning tho in the frosty shades of Night Shivering with Cold but in a Bloody Sweat And all dissolv'd at his approaching Passions Sight Thrice did He his Disciples leave And thrice to his Great Father pray'd Thrice to himself He answer made And by an Angel did support receive But O! th' Assaults that were within Compar'd with which his Bodies Flame Was temperate heat and scarce deserv'd the Name When in his Soul the Burning did begin And Hell to ' encrease the Fire did Mines of Brimstone bring A thousand Fiends about him flew And Coals and bailful Firebrand threw That seiz'd at length the noblest Part Beyond the weak defence of Nature or of Art And unconsum'd did only leave the Heart VII The Heart did unconsum'd remain By the Arch-Fiend With its own Grief to burst design'd When in the Judgment Hall again He should the Charge renew but all in vain Thither betray'd by 'a Kiss the Traytors bring With Fetters bound Heav'ns Sacred King Where being Cited and Blasphem'd Flouted Scourg'd Spat upon Derided and Contemn'd By them Revil'd deny'd by ' His own A Reed in ' his Hand his Head with Thorns they Crown And lead to Golgotha their God whom they ' had Condemn'd VIII Follow Muse if thou hast the heart and see What other Torments they prepare I know the utmost of their Cruelty And from thy Mouth had rather hear The sad Report than a Spectator be Yet that thou mayst not stand thy self surpriz'd Stript off his Clothes in Nakedness disguiz'd To th' Cross they 'll nail his Hands 't is said And bore with Nalls his tender Feet Then all his Sufferings to upbraid Cry If Thou art the Son of God let 's see 't Now from the Tree triumphantly come down Or reign thence like Thy self alone Or any other Wonder show Whereby Thy De'ity may be known And to its Scepter we will bow As if there greater Miracle could be Than all that Patience which they do but will not see IX Nor is this all but when He 's Dead His Side they 'll open with a Spear Approach the Wound and look what Blood is shed For it Mysterious will appear And be another Argument for thee next Year A better Spring will thence arise Than Helicon so Fam'd of old There bath thy self if thou art wise Nor fear in those chast Streams to be too bold But see be sure too long thou dost not stay For all the while Thou art away Tears only from these Eyes will flow And in my Fancy I shall double o're All that I have told thee now before And all that thou return'd will'st tell again and more Beside my Verse will fetter'd be and slow And want both Wings to flie and Feet to go 10. Martii 166â— EPIGRAM WHen my God Di'd I first began to Live And Life which he refus'd Heav'n me did give Unlike that Day O how unlike we were Him dead the Cross me ' alive the Knees did bear But may not I die too This life of mine I can as well as Thou dispise if not like Thine Ah dearest Lord this Legacy bestow A double Life then to Thy Death I 'll owe And sanctifi'd thus in my Birth by Thee A living Death my dying Life shall be 5. Decemb. 1668. An Extasie of Divine Love Aquesta Divina Vnion c. I. THat sacred Bond of Charity Wherein I uncorrupted Live Makes God the Captive Chain receive But my pinion'd Heart sets free Tho causing still such love in me To see Heav'ns King my Pris'ner lie That I die 'cause I cannot die II. How teadious now this Life is grown The way to Death how hard and long How dark the Dunge'on th' Ir'ns how strong With which my ' unwilling Soul 's kept down And has no trust but hope alone These thoughts my Troubles raise so high That I die 'cause I cannot die III. Bitter Life shalt thou be to me Where I my God can ne're enjoy But if my Love has no alloy My hope as try'd and pure may be Ah! come my Lord and set me free Take off this weight which makes me cry That I die 'cause I cannot die IV. By hope alone it is I Live Hope that I bear the seeds of Death And dying once a second Birth Secures that Hope and Life do's give O Death I 'll ne're thy coming grieve When Life succeeds through hope so nigh That I die 'cause I cannot die V. Who can the Charms of Love refuse Ah Life no more my Heart betray 'T is only thou stand'st in my way Which rather than my Love I 'll loose And Death for my great Champion choose So much alate thy Enemy That I die 'cause I cannot die VI. The Life alone that 's hid above Can of true Life the Title claim That Toy which here usurps the Name Its pleasure hides and deads our Love And a worse Foe than Death does prove Death for whose sake I Life so flie That I die 'cause I cannot die VII What can I give frail Life but thee To th' God who in me deigns to live Yet how can I the nothing give Till he first grants me Liberty O let me die his Face to see But that 's so distant from my Eye That I die 'cause I cannot die VIII Beside my God from thee away Who would not of a Life complain That terrible and full of pain Suffers a thousand Deaths each Day A Mortal but a slow decay And this so swells my Misery That I die 'cause I cannot die IX All Creatures love their Element And pleasure there enjoy and rest And if by Death they are disseas'd To their first nothing they are sent But I 'm beyond kind Death's extent And yet so many hardships try That I die 'cause I cannot die X. When in the Eucharist my dull Soul Eating thy Flesh it self would ease A thousand thoughts for entrance press And there not to enjoy Thee whole Whole and alone I a ' new condole For 't is the Voice of every Sigh That I die cause I cannot die XI I please my self i th' Hopes 't is true E're long my God of seeing Thee But fearing lest they false should be My Torments with my Fears renew And both so close my Soul pursue Hoping mid both so heartily That I die 'cause I cannot die XII Lord from this Death deliver me And Life thus beg'd at length bestow Why should I still be kept below Look how I die for love of Thee And since enjoy'd Thou canst not be In this Lifes death regard my cry That I die 'cause I cannot die XII My dying Life
for Thee searcht about To Princes Thou thy rise dost owe Who digg'd Thee first and made Thee flow Spring happy Well by Princes made Without or Mattocks help or Spade The' ill-boading Instruments of Graves But digg'd by Princes with their Staves And by their Lawgiver survey'd 'T was He to th' Work those Worthies sent Spring Well and teach his great Intent And what He by the Mystery meant That as to all Thy Wateâ—â—â—ow So should their equal Justice do Sacred Fountain Mysric Spring Lo how to Thy Dance we Sing And Cymbals tun'd by Thy soft purlings Ring Spring Eternally O Well Spring up and into Rivers swell The Prayer of JABEZ Invocavit autem Jabez Deum Israel dicens Si benedicens benedixeris mihi dilataveris terminos meos fuerit manus tua mecum feceris me à malitia non opprimi Et praestitâ—â— Deus quae precatus est I. THUS Jabez pray'd and thus pray I Great God O that it might Thee please Thy Servant who upon Thee does relie With Thy choice Favours and indeed to bless T is Prayer alone can this obtain And but to Thee even Prayer is vain II. Enlarge those Coasts wherein I dwell Nor let me ever live retir'd But in Thy CHURCH those mighty Wonders tell Which have my Verse with Heav'nly Flame inspir'd Lord to my House Thy Love secure And let it like Thy Word endure III. Yet not for Greatness do I pray Nor e're Thy Time is to be known But do Thy Will I can its Pleasure stay Waiting that Harvest for which Thou hast sown Only till then make me content And leave to Thee th' whole Management IV. Thou know'st I do Thy Temple love I know there 's time enough behind Why should I make th' Enjoyment bitter prove By hasting what I 'm sure Thou hast design'd In hope at present I rejoyce And both my Heart employ and Voice V. For what concerns my poor estate Since I to Thee my All commit No time when e're it falls shall be too late To soon it may if I encumber it With Wishes that unlawful be And vain affects which move not Thee VI. No! I 'll never think the time too long How long so e're the time may be Let but Thy Hand through Patience make me strong And keep off Evil from disturbing me If Jabez thus to Thee did cry And could be heard Lord why not I Haec Sacrorum Ordinum desiderio raptus mihimet ipsi meus Vates cecini III Nonas Decemb. M. DC.LX.VII In quos post multas hujusce vitae varietates mediâ maturâ aetate ab aerumnosis saeculi curis otio neutiqam licet ignobili hoc juxta Vaticinium biennio post redemptus fui XIV Kalend. Januar. Per Reverendum admodùm in Christo Patrem Dominum Dominum GEORGIUM Episcopum Wintoniensem cujus R. R. Paternitati hîc impares licet tanto Beneficio grates quas tamen Divino Numini imprimis debeo secundas saltem ex toto animo in conspectu Populi Ecclesiae refero Manda Deus virtuti confirma quod operatus es a Templo Sancto tuo Ode The Song of DEBORA Cecineruntque Debora Barac filius Abinoem in illo die dicentes Qui sponte obtulistis de Israel c. I. ISRAEL the blest and happy State For whom th' Almighty all his Wonders show'd Israel your great Redeemer celebrate And what for you he did rehearse aloud Tell how he made his â—and and appear And when the willing Tribes their Youth an Off'ring sent How God before the Sacred Army went And vengeful Ruine follow'd in the Reer And ye O Kings whose awful Sway The many-headed Multitude obey And at whose feet they both their Necks and Tributes lay Princes and Rulers to my Song attend Whose lofty Subject challenges your Ear By all that can a Verse commend Or greatest Kings perswade to hear A tuneful Voice with Charms divinely strong A Woman begs your audience now And if that will not do Deb'rah a Judg in Israel sings and Israels God 's the Song II. Domine cum exires de Seir. Lord out of Seir when Thou didst go Marching the Hill before Thine Host adown When Thou mad'st Edoms Fields Thy Conquests know And with Arm'd Troops the Wilderness didst crown Affrighted Earth did at Thy Presence quake Heav'ns labo'ring Machin did the Warning take And from its torn sides dreary Tempests shake It thundred and down fell from Heavens high Tow'r Of Stones and scalding Rain a mighty show'r With Darkness all the Sky was cover'd o're Through which the blew-wing'd Lightning flew And after it a trail of kindled Brimstone drew It strook the Rocks and they took fire The Mountains with excessive heat did melt Unusual scorching Sinai felt And tho than other Hills exalted higher Tho with its head it did to th' Clouds aspire Sinai nor could resist nor bear the Flame But down in a burning Torrent headlong came III. In diebus Samgar c. Samgar and Jahel wondrous Saviours were And did in Counsel and in Arms excel Of Jahels Prudence we the Trophies are Six hundred Philistims by Samgar fell All with an Ox-goad slain and driv'n like Beasts to â—ell But yet the Roads untrodden lay Scar'd Passengers through Woods did stray And but to Dens Caves led not the Mountainous high-way Woods and thick Bushes in all Pastures grew The Plough-man and his Labour ceast The Land as Curst enjoy'd its rest And not each Seventh alone but every Year a Sabbath knew It rested till I Debora rose at last At last in Israel I a Mother rose Then when new Gods the People chose And from Rebellion to Idolatry had past But see the Vengeance that pursu'd their Sin Slavery and Cowardise at the Breach rusht in And not a Shield or Spear was found midst forty thousand Men. IV. Cor meum diligit Principes c. Fly fly my Muse from this unmanly race And to new Pomps thy strains address Israels great Generals who to efface Of all our foregone Miseries the very trace Couragiously did to the Battel press And where in Irons we lay with Laurels strew'd the place With them my Heart with them my Praise shall be And ye O Fathers who at Home reside And you who equal Justice to dispense Unguarded to your peaceful Cities ride And Justice done return unguarded thence Judges and People by their arms set free Come in and joyn with me And let us bless the Lord as we their Spoils divide Come let us bless Him and proclaim The Wonders of his Reverend Name There whence we exil'd were of late And at our Fountains first begin Where we so oft have rescu'd been Scaping the Death we saw upon the Wing Our Fountains tuneful numbers will inspire And by their purling falls direct the Quire Which well tun'd there we may advance in state And bring with Harps and Songs our Praises to the City Gate V. Surge surge Debora surge c. Awake O
Debora awake And from this hint fresh vigour take Encourage and provoke Thy Lyre Till all its speaking Chords conspire And with Thy Voice a perfect Concert make Up Barak at th' harmonious Sound Abinoams warlike Sâ—n arise Lo Thy Captivity stands in Fetters bound To be Thy valours early Prize And dreadfully adorn Thy entrance with its Exequies Lead on Great Prince by God ordain'd To be Thy Nations Glory and this Days Who hast Thy self the heat of th' War sustain'd Tho Women with Thee share divided Praise And all the while Thou dost the sacred Mount ascend Boldly Thy Ransom'd Peoples shouts attend The Bays Thou wearest will Thy Head defend Yea speak Thy self how God made Thee The Captain of his Armies be And when retir'd Thou long hadst lain at Home How forth he call'd Thee to o'recome The strange deliv'erance by Thy Hands he wrought And how to mine he Judgment gave And let the Tribes which with us fought A just Memorial in our Triumphs have VI. Ex Ephraim delevit eos Place Ephraim here Ephraim whose Fortitude In Amaleks first overthrow was try'd When stoutly he th' Uncircumcis'd defi'd And with unerring Shafts their flying Troops pursu'd Benjamin with his Squadron follow'd close And his scorn'd Life more nobly to expose The Tribe he dearest lov'd for witness of his Courage chose From Machir Princes to the Battel came And Counsellors from Zabulon Who to encrease the glory of their Name Kept by the Sword what by the Pen they won Then Issachar and Napthali By Debora that and this by Barak led Both valiant Tribes and both resolv'd to die Or conquer with so brave an Head But had you seen the Emulation there And how they strove each other to out-fight You would have thought them arm'd with Heav'nly Might And all so terrible they did appear Such Trophies of Mail'd Corps did round them rear That every Israâ—elite a destroying Angel were VII Diviso contra se Ruben Ruben the while did with his Flocks abide And blest the Flood whose streams the parted Land divide Careless of what his Brethr'en thought And what the fears his cold indiffernce wrought Strange and distracted fears his cold indifference brought But why O Ruben why didst thou refuse An Enterprize so great and good Was it to hear thy bleating Ews Or could thy Honour be so little understood That their plain Fleeces thou shouldst chuse Before a Robe di'd Purple in thine Enemies blood This cold indifference Ruben lost thee more Than ever thou in Arms hadst gain'd before Ah! hadst thou been alone but far behind By thy example Gilead stai'd On Shipboard Dan drove on his Trade And Asser that he might be signally unkind Tho of pale Death too Womanly affraid Rather than yield his aid Watcht on his naked Beaches torn with Seas and Wind. Unlike to Zabulon and Nepthali Who best knew how to Live yet fear'd the least to Die VIII Zabulon vero Nepthali c. Thither my Song behold their Ensigns spred On the High-places and how equally endu'd With Learning and with Conduct too they shew'd That never friendlier those best gifts inhabited And softer thoughts designs more noble bred The Cananitish Kings approacht the Hill Tabor by their defeat to be renown'd But fearful to ascend its top did fill The Plains of Tanaach with their Camps around And lowd Megiddos Waters with their shoutings drown'd They came and fought but Heav'n that took our part Bore the first shock and on them turn'd the War A mortal shaft was sent from every Star Which sank like Lead into the Spoilers Heart No Gain or Pay the Sacred Legions took But to the Service arm'd in Diamond marcht on And whom they spar'd Kison that ancient Brook Kison in its swoln Torrent carri'd down In vain the Horse assay'd the Flood to stem Which hurld their Riders with them down the rapid stream IX Conculca Anima mea robustos Enough my Soul enough the chase give o're Those Enemies thou hast seen thou shalt behold no more Stop for at length the War is done And thou in Blood I know tak'st no delight Sound a Retreat the Day 's thine own And so shall Sisera too e're Night Finding the Death he 'd shun by an inglorious flight But first confirm a Curse was laid By our God's Angel and a Charge divine Curse ye Meros the Angel said Curse Meros bitterly and join Yours to Jehovah's Curse and mine Curse all who dwell there and be this their Doom Who like them to th' Almighty's â—tandard will not come But blessed above Women be Israels and Hebers Ornament Jabel above all Women blest i th' Tent. And let this Song preserve her Memory Never was greater Name Recorded i th' Eternal Monuments of Fame X. Aquam petenti lac dedit To her on foot Sisa'ra his flight addrest The courteous Wife to meet him went The courteous Wife invited him into her Tent And future Joys with thoughtful Cares supprest He askt her Water and she ran in haste To execute her own and to prevent his Wish And pour'd him Milk into a Royal Dish A ready and a quick repast And having give'n the fatal Bait Humbly at his Feet did wait And smil'd to see how greedily he drank and slept his last Sleep Tyrant sleep she said And up a Nail and Hammer took The Nail into his Temples struck And with his own unbloody Sword smote off his Head He bowd he fell and at her Feet he lay Down at her Feet he bow'd fell groan'd his Soul away Where he bow'd there he fell down dead XI Per fenestram respiciens Out at a Window his blith Mother gaz'd And waiting there his coming cry'd Why lies the Dust so long unrais'd Nor Sisara yet with Captives by his side Exalted high in his triumphal Chariot ride Her Ladies answer'd her Those Ora'cles of the Court Yea to her self she made her own report Have they not sped have they not gain'd the Day Have they not shar'd the Israelitish Prey To every Man a Dame or two To Sisara as the General 's due Choice of rich Slaves and choice of Garments too A curious Vest with Needles wrought With curious Needles wrought on either side And all in Royal Colours dy'd By th' Hebrews of their Neighbour Tyrians bought And only sit the Victors bloody arms to hide So Lord may all Thine Enemies die So Conquer and be Conquered so When such as on Thy Power relie In Heav'n alone their equals know And like the Sun which triumphs there Crown'd with illustrious Beams and robe'd in Light appear Comiato To the Reverend the now Dr. James Gardiner Sub-Dean of Lincoln SONG in the Country little understood For my dear Gardiner at the Town inquire And all thy heat into his gen'rous Brest inspire To mingle with a nobler Fire Which lies at present smouldring in his Blood Perchance thou may'st effectual prove To make that upward tow'rds its Center move And him in softest lays rehearse the HOLIEST LOVE 1668. David's
ELEGY Upon the death of SAUL and JONATHAN 2 Sam. 1. Considera Israel pro hiis qui mortui I. ISRAELS delight the glory of our Land How are the Mighty overthrown Before their Enemies Swords they could not stand Nor conquer'd fall by any but their own In Thy High-places Israel both did fall A publick Victim for their Land in view of all II. Let not in Gath the mournful News be known Nor in Philistia publish it Stop the Report e're it reach Ascalon Nor let our Captive names their Arches fit Lest fearful Women whom they left at Home With Songs to share the Spoil and meet their Triumph come III. And ye Gilboas Mounts may never Rain Or fertile Showres descend on you But on your Heads let there abide that stain Which Seas should they pour down would but renew Let the curst Earth no more an Offering yield Nor God expect his First-fruits from the empty Field IV. 'T was there the valiant Saul resign'd his Breath And there his Shield was thrown away Never was such a Trophy rear'd to Death Nor ever sacred arms so scattered lay The valiant Saul's as if he ne're had been The Lord 's Anointed or his Chosen Peoples King V. From the pursuit the Bow of Jonathan Some Regal Spoil did daily bring Destruction after his fleet arrows ran And at the Wounds they made Death entred in The Sword of Saul did never empty come But a new Purple from the Blood of Kings brought home VI. Alike in Life in Death alike they were Not more in Blood ally'd than Mind Themselves alone you with them could compare Who none their equals saw or left behind And on their arms there hung such Victory That Men they only seem'd because they both could die VII For as the Eagle to her Prey does haste And hovering o're the Quarry flies Or the fierce Lion having once a taste Of Blood does all the Shepherds noise despise And at their Slings no shew of fear does make Like Lions they o're-came like Eagles did o're-take VIII And you O Daughters of so great a King Our Tribes support his Death lament Whose Victories you before were wont to Sing And clad in Scarlet to adorn them went Now put on Mourning to attend his Hearse Sad as your own complaints and mournful as my Verse IX For Lo the Glories of our State and Land Lo how the Mighty are o're-thrown Before their Enemies Swords they could not stand Tho Saul by none could perish but his own In thy High-places Jonathan thou didst fall A publick Victim where thou shouldst have reigned o're all X. For thee my Brother 't is for thee I grieve The best of Friends as well as Men In whose Death I that fatal Wound receive Which clos'd will ne're be till we meet again And in the Mansions of the Saints above Enjoy what here we vow'd our more than mortal love XI Israels Delight the Glory of our Land How are the Mighty overthrown Before his Enemies Sword one could not stand Nor th' other fall by any but his own In thy High-places Israel both did fall A publick Victim for their Land in view of all DAVID's Thansgiving and Prayer Ingressus est autem Rex David sedit coram Domino dixit Quis ego sum Domine quae I. WHO am I Lord and what 's my Family The youngest House of the Jessean Race In all things little but that Grace Which Thou on us hast shour'd but most on me Who am I that Thou hitherto Hast brought me Lord Thy Bounty and Thy Power to show II. Hitherto Thou hast brought me and that Hand Which for a Sling and Sheephook was design'd A nobler Service is enjoyn'd And Men instead of Flocks are my command Israel the Flock and care Divine And my exalted Name does midst rich Trophies shine III. Like the great Mens of th' Earth Thou ' hast made my Name And yet as if all this were not enough And thousand Pledges more of Love But the foundation only of that Frame Thou in Thy mind hadst cast to raise Of future Glories Thou foretell'st and growing Praise IV. Of Times to come Thou ' hast told long hence to come And that my House and Throne upheld shall be Like a Prince born Thou ' hast treated me As having what Thou ' art making for me room And are Men Lord thus wont to do Who rather than exalt the Poor will keep them low V. Yet thus Thou ' hast done and what can I say more Or greater for Thy Honour Lord or mine Which both here equal issues joyn That all who th' Work admire may Thee adore Greater I 'd say Thou knowst full well And more but what I know not how I cannot tell VI. Unless I add that for Thy great Words sake Thou didst it that Thou mightst at once fulfil The secret Counsels of Thy Will And what they were known to Thy People make For Thine own sake my God and mine For Thou thy Servant knowst and that his will is Thine VII Great art Thou Lord and wondrous are Thy Ways The best and greatest the only God alone Beside or like whom there is none Glorious in Holiness fearful in Praise Thus sing we who did first receive The Truth from our Fore-fathers but seeing now believe VIII For what one Nation as from them of Old We ' have often heard with Israel can compare For whom Himself God did not spare But came from Heav'n in Person to behold The Mise'ries they did undergo And not to see alone but to Revenge them too IX From Heav'n he came from Heav'n himself came down All cloath'd in Tempest and sulphureous Flame To get Himself the greater Name And do what by His Word He might have done That thus from Egypts Gods set free Himself he might declare His Peoples God to be X. This our Fore-fathers told us but we ' have seen Our selves as mighty Wonders of Thy Love Nor need we fetch from them our Proof Who ' our selves as mighty Wonders oft have been Confirm'd by Thy after vast expence And more 's to come to be Thy great Inheritance XI And now my God the Word which Thou hast said Th' irrevocable Word concerning me Let it for ever stablisht be And stablisht be that House which Thou hast made Thy Servant David thus approv'd Establish with his House nor let them be remov'd XII So shall Thy Word and Name be ever prais'd And Israels Holy God shall Israel sing Is God alone and Israel's King He His Anointeds Horn on high has rais'd Of David and his House approv'd David and ' his House establisht ne're to be remov'd XIII Not that I 'm worthy Thou shouldst hear my Vows Only Thy self was pleas'd the Word to pass Lord since I ' have with Thee found this Grace To be assur'd Thou It build Thy Servants House Another Grace turn not away Which in my Heart I since have found even thus to pray XIV Thy Promise 't is this
they rose with Bays and Ivy Crown'd Not such as Mortal Poets wear below But what i th' Heav'nly Tempâ—e grow And with whose Wreaths the first great Makers Brows are bound IX Go Shepherds go and kiss th' Eternal Son To Bethle'hem go and the first Tributes bring To Israels Saviour and Heav'ns New-born King To you this more than common Honour 's done To ' approach your God and Worship at his humble Throne Make haste nor by your own delay For others to prevent your Joys give way Why should they first be happy whilst you only stay For Kings shall come e're long from th' East By a less Flame than what 's your Guide Directed hi'ther to find that Rest Which seems not theirs till by ' you accepted or deny'd Of you God takes the first and greatest Care Who thus by Angels Summon'd are When they tho Kings and coming from afar Shall wait and both to call and lead them only have a Star 14 Jan. 166â— The STAR A Carol For the Epiphany by the III Kings SEe how that Glorious Star at Noon does rise And like another Sun new Guilds the Skies Look how it dares the Ruler of the Light And in His clearest Beams appears more bright Calling before its time the sluggish Night Rather the Conquer'd Sun to ' its Rays gives way And but a Phospher seems to its new Day The Conquer'd Sun c. Chorus trium Sure 't is no common Star see where it goes A daring Passage it self only knows And cross the Heav'n points out to Palestine And as it that way leads more bright does shine Come let us follow where it leads and see What may the Cause of its appearing be Whether it set a Star or some Divinity Come let us c. Chorus alter trium Some greater Power which to direct our Way Has chose this borrowed Shape and glorious Ray And when we knew not well which Road to go Does tow'rds Judea our great Journey show That way it points that way we must along No fear when Heaven 's out Guide we should go wrong That way c. Chorus trium tertius O're Bethle'm lo at length the Flame does rest Bethle'm that with the Prince of Peace is blest Bethle'm which must by ancient Prophecy The Tyring-House of the Almighty be Where he will cloath Himself with base Humanity And that 's the House where we our Gifts must bring To the World's God and Israel's Infant King Chorus Omnium Hither 't was hither the bright Star did lead Let 's enter humbly and approach with Fear The Star which brought will shew him us more clear And be a Glory round the Infants Head O this is He fall down and worship him fall down And kiss his Feet whose Head ev'n Heav'n thus stoops to Crown 23. Decemb. 1660. The PASSION An Ode I. TWice sixteen Years have almost o're Thee past Twice sixteen more Thou mayst as fondly waste In expectation Sylvius as thou hast The swift-wing'd Years which in their Passage scap'd thee last The Kalendar is searcht and all in vain Wouldst Thou have this Day return To the same Point as when in ' it Thou wert Born But 't will not be this Age if it e're come again Enough 'tis that Thou once didst see The great Conjunction Wait not o're long for what may be Too late for Thee And is sufficient of it self alone Without that Circumstance to fill Thy Song For grant it now what could to Thee be ' apply'd But that thy Birth fell out the Night thy Saviour Di'd II. Rise then my Muse but from a nobler Ground And sing in Numbers mournful as the Day Of Natures fright and disarray Which did Philosophy confound And scattered dismal Horrours all around When Heaven and Earth and Hell partook In the Darkness and the Night Which like a Sea o'reflow'd the plains of Light And all Spectators with amazement strook Unlike to that which once in Egypt raign'd When solid Night did Rhamases invest But Goshen of the Sun possest Over the Gleam a Prospect gain'd And uninvellopt saw how far the Heav'ns were stain'd Nor was it to the Antipodes The Day had hastned his access For they unsensible of Light Lay buried all the while in Night And without Miracle could not behold it bright Unless Thou add'st the Prodigie to raise And which none else but Thou O Muse dares say Th' Antipodes at Midnight rose to gaze And Night Jerusalem less admir'd than they the Day III. A thought too wild this and extravagant And which does all but its own airy basis want Say rather that the Pangs and Agonies Of a new and better World Which was thence to take its rise Were thus conceal'd from Mortal Eyes And Darkness as at first o're all th' Expansion hurld God's sacred Kingdom was that Birth The same New Heaven and new Earth Which the belov'd Disciple saw In all its Beauties as it did appear And to provoke Adventurers there A Chart thereof by Vision did exactly draw For on the Cross as our great Saviour hung And just Expiring bow'd his Conquering Head From the black Skies bright beams like Lightning sprung But as the Day continued long Chasing wing'd Darkness which before them fled And as the first Creations Work begun By the commanding Word which He To Nothing and to Chaos sed Making when He spake only Let there be By a no less Word this too was done Created by that Voice which cry'd T is Finished IV. 'T is Finished the Mighty Victor cry'd All reaking in Triumphal Gore Which his own Wounds not Enemies Necks supply'd For tho with them He Skirmisht had before And oft rebated had their Power He could not throughly for us Conquer till He Di'd Alone He did the Wine-press tread Of his Just Father's Wrath alone Israels to raise stoopt his own Head And to assist Him was there none So far from that that i th' pursuit Of Satan Sin and Death when He cry'd out With fainting Groans I Thirst His Patience some and some his Conquest Curst And Gall and Vinacre of the bitter Tree was all the Fruit. Till having tasted of the Brook i th' way Anew He follow'd till He gain'd the Day And to compleat his Victory Got thence more Aids and strength enough to Die V. Blest Saviour who but Thou couldst Live so long And in one Soul so many Deaths endure And different all and all their Pains so strong That their rehearsal does fresh Griefs ensure And again pierce those Hearts Thou bledst to Cure When in the Garden Thou didst first begin Gethsemane for ease design'd And safe retirements of a troubled Mind Purging thence all th' effects of Sin Which still tho hid remaind behind The dregs of what on Man in Paradise brake in Fatal but happy Place that where did grow Midst whole Woods no less beauteous but one Tree That even by Wilfulness alone could be The occasion of our Misery
World when it does thee neglect May to an He as ill deserving give Why as fixt here dost thou live And midst rude Wars and giddy Vanity Hope for Peace and Constancy Now while thou mayst dare to be Wise In thine own hand keep fast the Rein And since thou must begin again Stop and turn back the Road behind thee lies T is hazardous thou knowst too long to stay And till to Morrow leave what 's better done to Day III. Gia sai tu ben c. Long since Thou hast been taught nor art thou now To learn what Happiness and Content From the fairest Eyes are sent To ' n Heart that does the Charms of Beauty know But what think'st Thou both had been What Thy Content and Happiness The greater Glory and the less If those fair Eyes had ne're been seen And in their stead another Flame had entred in Thou well remembrest and 't is well thou dost How their Image seiz'd thee first And thy Heart like Lightning pierc'd Where it was so much Lord of all the Coast So fatally did overcome That none for other Loves it left scarce for it self had room With that thou first wert set on fire And if its wild fallacious heat Has held thee many Years with vain desire And expectation of what ne're was yet Nor er'e may come that joyful Day Which should thy Mise'ries end and largely for thy waiting pay For none so silily themselves undo As Lovers and so thanklesly if Poets too Why dost thou not to a better hope thy Soul advance And Heav'ns Immortal Glories view For if one Smile one pleasing Glance A Song dear purchas'd one kind word or two The price of Love can here enhance What will those Heavenly Beauties do And how great must the Pleasure be above Where they do ever Sing and where they ever Love IV. Da l' altra parte On tother side a different thought With a sharp but pleasing pain Of Hope and Fear together wrought Makes me love it but complain For while with Hope it feeds my Heart And profers Fame to crown desert The Fear I can despise and dare the cruel smart Insensible it almost renders me Of all but its dear self insensible The effects of Study I ne're feel How hot or cold how pale so e're I be Nor will one Death to kill 't suffice One Death to end its Tyrannies Since throughly slain it does with greater vigor only rise When but a Child as a Child with me it plaid Just like my self and as I grew encreast Nor will 't I fear permit me any rest Till in one Tomb we be together laid Dead with my Body there 't will lie Nor any further with me go And then what signifies this Fame if I Its best Report can never know Since there must once a parting be And away the Shade will flee For the true substance I 'll leave it e're that leave me V. Ma quel ' altro voler But Oh! that Passion like my Soul Which in each part is all and all i th' whole And as a great and spreading Root To ' it self the moisture draws and starves the Ground about How does it Vex and Torture me When I my Pride and Folly see My Ignorance and Vanity Of others writing still so mindless of my self to be Those Eyes I mean whose heavy Chain My captive Will does so restrain That Art and Force to break it I employ in vain What then tho my spread Sails are fill'd And that prepar'd I for the Voyage am If yet my Barque midst Rocks is held By two such Cables Love and Fame But Thou my God who from those other Bands With which the sottish World 's held fast Long since my freedom Ransom'd hast Why hear not these Thy great Commands And loose the Pris'ner who with shame confounded stands Abasht I stand and like a Man at Night Assaulted in his Dreams with Deaths grim sight Fain would resist but want both words to speak and Arms to fight VI. Quel ch' i fo veggio c. I well enough know what I ought to do Nor does the Ignorance of what is true At all deceive me but this Love With which so mise'rably I am opprest Tho all his and my ' own Follies I reprove Too much and much too long of me possest Permits me not one step to move And the true Honours shiny Path intend above Yet now and then there does begin Something I know not what to strive within A cruel and severe Disdain Thus for ever to remain And where of all it may be read again This secret thought writes in my Forehead plain What can more unmorthy be The Man who does to th' fairest Prize aspire Than towards Mortal things to be on fire With the same Flame that only fits the Deity Nor does it thus alone but crys aloud To my Reason drawn aside And behind my Senses hid Reason obeys and strait condemns what it allowd But as I 'm thinking back to go Custome does or make me stay Or leads me to some other way I gaze and that does show The brightest Eyes e're shon below But born alass for my incurable Disease For too much me too much their cruel selves they please VII Ne so che spatio mi c. How long or short the space may be Which when into this World I first came down By Heav'ns Arrest was granted me To undergo Wars misery And all those pains which from my self have grown I know as little as I do the Time When this wretched Life shall end For both are Mysteries too sublime And Mortal knowledg far transcend But this I know and daily find That all without and all within My Body 's chang'd and so 's my Mind Gray Hairs appear nor is th' End far behind When to approach these Harbingers begin Like a Man therefore who much Ground and Day has lost But wiser made at length by his cost I 'm thinking oft to take the Right Hand way Where I see my Journey lay And which when first I left I first began to stray But Grief and Shame to have truanted so long Hold my one half Pleasure does t'other seize Pleasure through Custome grown so strong That it with Death dare stand on terms for War or Peace Comiato SONG thou seest me as I am And me more than thou Petrarch sawst of old With an Heart than Ice more cold Ne're to be thaw'd I fear by any Flame But that which in ' its embrace the Universe shall hold Yet Lo I am resolv'd again Once more the great Experiment to try Tho ne're liv'd Man in so much pain With Death or in his Heart or Eye But this my Trouble does renew That what I would I cannot do And what I hate and would not that I vigorously pursue 1668. SONNET Convertimento á Dio. Io son sistanco sotto ' l c. TIR'D and almost or'ecome with th' heavy weight Of my old Sins by Custome grown so strong
down And form themselves into a Laurel Crown Daphne Apollos Clelia was my Love Tho both turn'd Trees with Fates unequal strove Unlike in Life alike in Change they were A Mother this a Virgin that severe O're whom till Plant Phebus could not prevail Python He did with more Success assail Yet as to her he did his Harp resign Clelia with no less Passion shall have mine Grow sacred Plant the better Daphne be Iärmas and my Consecrated Tree L'Envoy Poor Pastoral for simple Shepherd fit Without or much of Art contriv'd or Wit Do as Thou mayst the Curious City flie Or if Thou thither chance to come Conceal'd as the' Ashes which Thou herriest lie For whose dear sake alone Thou dost thy Fortune try Tho like thy Master Thou might'st safer be at Home ODE To Posthumus Mortem Vitari non posse TIME Posthu'mus scuds it with full Sail Nor can thine honest Heart avail A furrow'd Brow Old Age at hand Or Death unconquer'd to withstand One long Night Shall hide this Light From all our sight And equal Death Shall few Days hence stop every Breath Tho thou whole Hecatombs shouldst bring To ' attone the' inexorable King Who Geryon and Tytius bold In Chains of Stygian Waves does hold He 'll not prize But despise Thy Sacrifice Death thou must feel 'T is so decreed by th' fatal Wheel The numerous Off-spring of the Earth That feed on Her who gave them Birth Must have each Birth its Funeral The Womb and Urn 's alike to all Kings must Die And as low lie As thou and I And though they have Atchievements here there 's none i th' Grave In vain we bloody Battels fly And fear to sail when Seas are high Fear Plagues or an Infectious Breath When every Hour brings a new Death Time will Mow What e're we Sow Weal or Wo Shall have an end And this tho' unwilling Fates must send Coâ—ytus Lake thou must waft o're Thy tattred Boat shall touch that Shore Thou Sisyphus e're long must know And into new Acquaintance grow Shalt with Life Leave House and Wife Thy Loves and Strife And have no Tree But the sad Cypress follow Thee Mean while thine Heir shall nobly quaff What thou with hundred Locks kepst safe Caecuban Wines and wash the Floor With Juice would make an Emperor poor Doubt it not 'T will be thy lot To be forgot With all thy Deeds E're he puts on his Mourning Weeds Tho the Publisher has several Translations of his own of some of the Moral Odes c. of Horace so falsly Printed that it would be but Justice to himself to give them a light review yet having since their first Publication changed his Habit he declines it wholly here nor would have presumed on the Reader for Reprinting this but that it is to do a greater piece of Justice to his long since deceased Father b. m. Mr. R. W. and from himself under whose Name it now goes in that false Copy return it to the right Owner To Belisa The Excellent Mrs. Mary Beal upon her own Picture done by her Self like Pallas but without any Arms except Head-piece and Corselet SUCH would the Learned Pallas chuse to be With all the Charms of Nature and of Art Tho she had neither Shield nor Dart For if the mighty Pallas were like Thee Without those she to Conquer need but come and see But here alas the Goddess nothing can espy Except the Garb to own her Figure by The Warlike Dress and that 's so Gay Such Terror and such Softness does display That that as little as the Face she seems to know Wishing that her own Greece had drawn her so Says Fabulous Antiquity Ne're gave her half that Grace or Majesty That she was never half so Fair In her own Beauties or what e're they feign'd With such clear Limbs or with so great a Mind As in your Draught Belisa she 's design'd And were she to be Born again Would from your Hand desire it rather than Joves Brain 1664. To Clelia On his own Picture done in Water-Colours by the Learned Poet and Limner Mr. Thomas Flatman Fellow-Student with him and Chamber-Fellow at the Inner Temple PROOF against Time and Age And Fortunes Batteries and Wars out-rage Able to Triumph o're the' Affright Of an Eternal Night Of maigre Sickness and the rotting Grave When no Embalments else can save But in themselves their own Consumption have When Tombs and Epitaphs shall die And in an heap as undistinguisht lie From the dry Bones and Dust Committed to their trust In hopes of Immortality As if they were themselves a Portion of the Rust This Shadow Clelia shall preserve intire Those Reliques incorrupted and unmixt The very Air and Fire The active Youth your presence did inspire And that bright Image of your Self it on me fixt And tho one common Urn may possibly contain Tho not dispairing of return again My Ashes and a thousand more Of such as shall be or have gone before Here 's that will almost give Eternity And next his Verse who made the Draught ne're let me die 1661. SOLITUDE Rura laudamus merito c. THE Country as 't is â—it we Poets praise And there alone like our gay Laurels thrive Laurels which in the Dust great Cities raise And from their Sun conceal'd seem scarce to live For Corn i th' Strand or Cheap will sooner grow And self-rais'd Flowers throng'd Market-places Crown Even Grass will sooner all its Lands forego To become Burger in some Flint-pav'd Town Than in the City midst its confus'd cries A future Harvest of good Verse e're spring Verse that did ever hate the Cities Noise And which few Soils to its just growth can bring Rather my Life i th' Country let me spend Thither withdrawn Dioclesian like in state To th' Town my Envoy'e an Ode I 'll send And that 's enough to ' observe and to relate Hail Beauteous City of the Winged Quire Fair Trees sweet Bowers inviolable Woods The Muses Kingdom and where they retire The Hampton Court of th' happy Gods Let me repos'd within your hallow'd Shade The Dances of soft-footed Zephyrs hear And tir'd with the Disputes the Schools have made Hark how by Leaves and Winds they manag'd are View but the lusty Year how ' it smiles and plays When vigorous heat through the gross matter hurld Provokes to love and the swell'd Womb does raise Of the Adult and Marriageable World A Summer-House here let me ever find Where Nature the wise Architect may be And who ' would prefer that is in his right Mind A smooth dead Beam to a rough living Tree On an Hills flowry Bed as there I lie â—'d listen how some Floods new married Streams â—augh and tell o're their Loves as they ruâ— by Glittering in Light and flam'd with liquid Gems He tho alone who wants Employment here With Life but labours as an ill Disease Or Prodigal of what most buy too dear His Hours puts out to none or
I 'll then lament And living Death in Tears bewail For my Sins sake those Foes prevail And all my Age in Mourning 's spent To my release at length consent Nor let me grieve eternally That I die 'cause I cannot die L'Envoy Blest Soul that hither couldst arrive How do I love yet envy Thee Wishing my self this Extasie And that th' Example Thou dost give Would make me less afraid to live And to each close of Thine reply That I die cause I cannot die 20. May 1668. The FLIGHT I. NO wonder Soul thou so admir'st a Verse And countst thy self in its Possession brave For 't is what e're thou canst desire to have On this side Heav'n but more to make than to rehearse II. 'T is th' end of Preaching Loves best Exercise The Quintessence of Prayer Praises refin'd A Change exstatic into th' Heav'nly Mind And on whose soaring Wings above the World I rise III. O could I always stay where 't first sets me How naked looking down would th' World appear Its Joys how empty and how vain its Fear Another flight would make me leave Mortality IV. For as the sealed Dove so high does towre That i' th' pure Air at last it flying dies So should I mount too and above the Skies Rapt to th' Etern aboads unfeel my dying Hour V. But I must live still and my flight to bound Till truly seal'd there something Lord will be Some Work of Thine be ' it be it but a Tree Eve'n there I nearer Heav'n shall rest than on the Ground 22. Jan. 1671 2. noctu Exsurrexi adhuc sum tecum An Hymn and Prayer To the Holy JESUS my Lord. Parode I. JESU th' Eternal Sun of Righteousness Unlike our Mortal Suns which Rise and Set Subliming this and t'other World with Light Love bids me of Thy wondrous Power to Treat But how Thy Power or Wonders to express I know not till Thou make my Darkness bright And with Thy Beams dispel the shades of Night Therefore I beg Thy aid JESU to whom I' have pray'd And still pray that I worthy Thee may write Illustriously o're all th' Expansion shine And if I 'm weak to endure A Light so pure dart through my Verse a ray Divine II. JESU the Wisdom of the Deity In whom the Mistic Treasures are conceal'd Be'yond Reasons search of the Eternal Mind And with whose Stripes the Afflicted World is heal'd Proof against Death the Vanguishts Victory Under whose Standart to its God rejoyn'd Love for the Noblest Service is design'd Love that 's a Rebel now JESU so Great that Thou From Heav'n Thy self must come his Slaves to ' unbind That I some Trophies of Thy Power may boast When Thou dost Conquering ride I 'll Crowns provide and sing Thy Triumphs through his Coast. III. JESU the Virgins and the Martyrs Wrath Who without Spot or Wrinkle didst adorn The fairest Soul which in a Body all Of Charms was wondrously Conceiv'd and Born Fought'st and wast fought resign'dst thy labouring Breath The Lost to Save and from the Dungeon call Hopes weary Pris'ners and Death's Captive thrall To Thrones at Thy Right Hand JESU as Thou dost stand At Thy Great Father's in Heav'ns Judgment Hall Grant me the Grace and Thou the Grace canst grant That when Thou shalt come next Tho now perplext to attend Thee then I nothing want IV. JESU in whom the Godhead does repose Infinites Comprehension and the Bound Of boundless Majesty fathomless Deep With Thorns first pierc'd and e're with Glory Crown'd Submitted to the Triumphs of Thy Foes A Man of Sorrows and inur'd to weep Substantial God and Man who both dost keep Unmixt and Unconfus'd JESU th' Untoucht and Bruis'd Quickning the Dead yet who i th' Grave didst sleep 'T is Thou hast broke our Bands th' Uusurper hurld Headlong into the Pit In whose sides sit the great Disturbers of the World V. JESU the Way the Truth whose Life does give The' exactest Method how we may direct Our wandring Course to Thy Divine Aboad And whence seduc'd to stray is not to Live A Way Thy self while here Unerring trode And now Exalted dost with Blessings load A Way which rough at first JESU appears and Curst But entred once proves worthy Thee and God Shew me Thy Way nor take it in ill part Since I am blind and weak If I bespeak Thee ' in that whose Guide and End Thou art VI. JESU Whose Cross the surest Anchor makes Both strong and sure entring within the Vail Where Passions waves how fierce and uncontroul'd So e're rage not and yet they dare assail The holiest Place and Heav'n i th' Tempest shakes Thou seest how there I have fixt all my hold And am i th' midst of Storms and Floods grown bold Yet still there is a Shelf JESU I mean my Self 'Gainst which I am in danger to be roll'd I sink O now thy saving Hand forth stretch Now e're my Head with th' Weeds Which this Sea breeds is wrapt and I 'm below Thy reach VII JESU how many Tears have I in vain How many Sighs and Prayers in vain pour'd out Tho by th' expence my Flame alone 's encreast My Life from its first Stage trac'd all about Unchang'd by change of Habit 's nought but Pain Anguish and Torment void of Peace and Rest Nay even my Soul Heav'n-born has been opprest And humbled to the Grave JESU make hast to save Nor tarry tho of Men I ' have lov'd Thee least Now help to Morrow may not be so well For Misery and Sin Have me ' on the Wing and where they 'll pitch me who can tell VIII JESU one half of me 's already gone So gone that tho I have piec'd up the Rent Methinks I 'm not the perfect thing I was Tho happy still in that I am content And who shall be more perfect when th' World 's done And One made Three into ' One again shall pass Unhappy Man unhappy were my case Such doubts gave'st Thou not skill JESU to Reconcile Thou who see'st Past and Future in one Glass Dear Lord for whom too hard there nothing is Give all my Griefs such end As may intend Thy Honour first and then my Bliss IX JESU my Confidence my Hope my Fear Able to help in time of Need and Free O leave me not when my last Hour shall come Not for my sake but His who Ransom'd me Merit crys No. But th' Image which I bear Pleads Lord and would for Ancient Love make room Tho I have been betray'd by Errors doom To a Fairy Wood and Brook JESU my Shepherd look Find Thy lost Sheep and bring the Stragler home Of Streams so troubled may I drink no more Or having found my Way Any more stray or wander as I did before X. JESU My God who far off seest the Proud And hatest him let Thy Blood some pity move An Heart all bruis'd and contrite to regard That does at length bewail its sottish love And which if once it