highest pleasure The heaunly courâ—… of the high king of kings where sacred spirits haue their speciall treasure And sweetest comfort of contentment springs God bring your sences by your harts desire To feele the comfort of his kingly fier THE COVNTESSE OF PENbrookes loue FAIRE in a plot of earthly paradise Vpon a hill the Muses made a Maze In midst whereof within a Phoenix eies There sits a grace that hath the world at gase which Phoenix is but name vnto a nature That shews the world hath scarcely such a creature This true loues saint by worthy beauty crowned Did seeme to wish but not expresse her will when straunge desires were in deuises drowned To finde out wonders farthest from her wil The worlde came in with presents many a one But yet alas her loue could like of none Cleare was the day when Phaebus shonne ful bright But her hartes eie did higher light aspire Aprill brought in both earth and Aires delight But earth nor Aire could answere her desire Fortune shee skornde friendes who durst be a foe Seruants a worlde would serue her will or no. Welth was buttrash and health was natures ioie Honour a Title beauty but a blast Power but a trouble pleasure but a toie Youth but a time to quickely ouerpast Learning alas it liueth in her schoole wisedome her will knowes worldly wit a foole Yet still she wisht but saide not what shee woulde when still the worlde did worke but still in vaine Care with conceite did all the best he coulde Brought in his giftes but bare them backe againe when welth helth beauty honor power nor ease wit youth nor learning could her humor please Some brought in pearles most orient to beholde Shee knew them pearles and so shee did regarde them Some brought in gemmes of diamondes set in golde Shee knewe their worth and so shee did rewarde them Some brought in workes of weomens rare deuises Shee knew their paines and so did giue the prices Some brought in musicke of most siluer sounde which all woulde cease if â—…hee but tucht astring Some brought in first the fairest flowers they founde Shee tooke them as the comforts of the spring Some brought in this and some woulde bringe in that But yet her wish was still shee knewe not what The souldiers came and brought in all their armes Shee smilde to see how beauty made a peace The pesants came and offred vp their farmes But shee saide loue did neuer make a lease The merchants came withall their mony treasure Shee put it off id did her minde no pleasure The lawiers came and laide downe all their bookes Shee knew that truth was all in yea and no The courtiers came with all their lofty lookes But when shee lookt she made them curtzy low The scholars came and brought in all their artes Shee knew their practise ere they learnd their partes The sailers brought their Rubies from the rocâ—…es But of such toies her treasure was to full The shepards brought the fairest of their flockes But shee coulde weare no cloth was made of woll Thus euery one did bring in what they coulde Yet still shee wisht but knew not what shee woulde The poets came and brought in their inuentions But well shee knew their fancies were but fained The muses brouhht the truth of their intentions which in their kindes were kindely entertained But yet the best with all her worthines Toucht not the humor of her happines But when the world could not come neare her wish And saw in vaine it was her will to seeke The earth coulde yeelde no fruite the sea no fishe That coulde be founde that might her fancy leeke Some with a sigh other with pitteous mone All went awaie and left her all alone They wil sweete loue is but the summe of wel Thy well is well wel better and the best That with thy loue thy liuing soules may dwell Safe in the hope of their eternal rest Thy rest the Ioie the soule cannot conceiue Thy soules the Saintes thy Mercy doth receiue Thy comfort is the tuch stone of true kindenes Thy kindenesse is the very life of loue Thy loue is light all other light but blindenesse Thy light is life that death can neuer proue Thy death was life thy life is Ioie for euer Vnto the soules that loue and leaue thee neuer VVhat was or is or on the earth shall be But that thou knowst and knowst al what they are And that they haue their beeing but in thee Made by thy hande and gouerne by thy care which thou dost prosper comfort or defende And when thou wilt shal wholy make an ende Grast is the King whom thou dost only crowne And wise the wit that only knowes thy wil Happy the state where thou dost blesse the towne And blest the hart that thou dost keepe from ill But yet the soule doth in her faith approue The life the life is onely in thy loue Shall I describe thy sweete and glorious seate But as thou art vnto thy seruants seene Or shall my spirite humbly elâ—…e entreate Some Angels help that in the heauens hath beene That to the world such glory may vnfolde Or saie it is too glorious to beholde Thy throne is Iudgement Iustice is thy sworde Mercy and truth are still before thy face Loue is thy law and wisedome is thy worde Vertue thy loue and Bounty is thy grace Pitty thy state where patience is the story Grace is thy gift and Mercy is thy glory Thus in the seate of sacred excellence With Virgins Saints and Angels all attended Dost thou possesse that princely residence Till Iudgement passe and Ioies be neuer ended When all the host of heauen and heauens do th sing An Alleluia to their heauenly king Where trembling Ioyes distill the teares of loue And louing feare doeth bring forth blushing faces And blushing faces in their faith approue Vnworthy creatures to behold their graces which graces doe this glorious musicke moue The life of life is in thy heauenly loue Now for thy loue it cannot turne to hate Thou hatest the life that once doth alter loue It is the staie of an eternall state A mansion house that neuer can remoue which on the rocke of true Religion standes And neuer feares the seas of errors sandes Now thy Religion is the rule of life whose chiefest blessing is the ioie of peace where loue cuts of the cause of euery strife And sweete accord doth bring out loues encrease And loues encrease is such a ioie to see As bringes the soule vnto his life in thee Alas alas all treasure is but trashe where loue is banisht by the state of strife The sweetest wine is but as swinish wash Vnto the water of the well of life No no the pleasures that the world can proue Are all but sorrowes to thy heaunly loue But let me see what fruite thy fauour yeeldes Or in thy loue what happy life is founde when sea and lande hils dales and fairest fieldes Doe all
but in thy blessed giftes abounde Besides the peace wherewith the hart is blest To bring the soule to thy eternall rest Thou dost not ioie to see a sinners death But true repentaunce pleaseth thee farre better Yea thou wilt helpe at latest gaspe of breath To make the soule confesse it selfe thy debter And where the soule such comforts doth approue Can there be thought a comfort like thy loue No no this worlde is full of wanton toies which oft keepes backe the comfort of thy care And many waies doth worke the harts anoies when fortunes hope doth proue but heauy fare Oh heauens who knew but halfe thy blessednes woulde hate the world with all his wretchednes Where shew of faith doth shape but falshods cloke when fancies teares proue drops offonde desire wherefree conceites will yeeld to kindenes yoke when sorrow paies repentance for their hire while in thy loue maie liuing faith vnfolde Hart may her hope hope may her heauen behold What shadowes here doe ouershroude the eie while Masking thoughts doe March before the winde where loues conceite doth but illusion trie when careles wit becometh the wilfull blinde And Nature findes her selfe still misconceiued where forme for matter hath the soule deceiued Not that my wits can touch the smallest worth Of that high wonder worthines of thine For from a sinner what can issue forth And who more sinner then this soule of mine which doth with teares of true repentance moue thy gratious helpe to glorifie thy loue For as vnto the sea a water droppe And to the sandes a little pibble stone And as a corne vnto a haruest croppe And vnto infinite the number one So are my Muses in their Musicke short thy Kingly prayse of prayses to report But as a scholer that doth goe to schoole To make a letter ere he learne to write And as the wit that knowes it selfe a foole Till higher wisedome teach it to endite So let my soule in her submission proue Hate of the world and honour of thy loue For what is heere that can content the hart That knowes content or what it doth containe what thought ◅o sweete but brings as sowre a smart Or pleasure such but breedes a further paine what thing so good but proues in fine so euil As but for God woulde beare men to the deuill What is the Earth the labour of our life what is the sea a gulfe of griezy lakes what is the Aire a stuffe of filthy strife what is the fire the spoile of what it takes when these are al whence euery thing doth springe what is the worlde but euen a woful thing What thing is man a cloddde of miry claie Slime of the Earth a slaue to filthie sinne Springes like a weede and so doth weare awaie Goes to the earth where first he did beginne Oh heauens thinke I when man is wholy such what is in man that man shoulde loue so much VVhat hath the worlde to leade the minde to loue In true effect a fardel ful of toies where wey the pith what euery one doth proue The perfectst gems are most vnperfect Ioies Consider al what fansie bringeth forth The best conceite will fal out nothing worth VVhat worldely thinges doe follow fansie most welth Beutie loue fine diet honor fame what findes affect both loue and labour lost Disdaine disease dishonor death and shame where care and sorrow death and deadly strife Doe rule the rost in this accursed life What thing is Beauty colour quickely gon And what is wealth when riches fal to rust what thing is loue a toy to thinke vpon Fine diet drosse to feede a filthy lust what worldly honour oft vnworthy praise what ease the cause whereby the life decaies What is disdaine the skorne of proud conceit And what disease the death of discontent Dishonour next the fruit of foule deceite And what is death but ende of ill intent Now what is shame a shamefull thing to tell And thus the world but euen the way to hell For beasts birds for fishes flowers trees And al such things created for our vse what thing is man to take such things as theese By want of grace to turne vnto abuse Oh wretched world when man that should be best In beastly things proues worse then al the rest But when I see this wretched state of man And al the world at such a woful passe That since the course of humane care began More ful of wo good nature neuer was when this my soule doth with her sorrow see Lord saies my Loue that I might liue with thee And leauing so the world with all his woes And looking vp to heauen heauenly ioies And to the grace where vertues glory goes Noting the life that neuer loue anoies when in my soule Idoe this sweetnes proue Lord saies my soule howe sweete art thou my loue I see the sunne the beauty of the skie The moone and stars the candles of the night They haue their essence in thy heauenly eie That blindes the proude and giues the humble light I see the raine-bow bended by thy hand That doth both heauen earth sea heauen cōmand Thou gauest the sunne the moone stars a course which they obserue according to thy will Thou makest the tides to take their due recourse And setst the earth where it doth settle stil. Thou framdst the substance of each Element And settst thy foote vpon the firmament Thus doest thou sitte in glory of thy throne with al the hoast of highest heaues attended who in thine ire hast kingdoms ouerthrowen And in thy loue hast little things defended whose glory more then may by man be knowen And glory most is in thy mercy showen Thus dost thou sit in honor of thy power Calling the poore vnto thy rich reliefe Sowing the sweete that killeth euery sower Giuing the salue that healeth euery griefe Making them liue that long were dead before And liuing so that they can die no more Thou madst the worlde and what it doth containe Onely but man thou madst vnto thy loue And mans good will was thy desired gaine Till proude attempt did high displeasure moue Thou plagst his pride yet when thou sawst his paine Thou ga◅st the s◅lue that heald the wound againe Vngratefull man whom thou didst onely make In loue to loue and with thy loue preseruest And for his loue enduredst for his sake Such death of life as dearest loue deseruest what cursed hart woulde to displeasure moue thee That giuing all askes nothing but to loue thee Oh loue sweete loue oh high and heauenly loue The onely lin◅ that leades to happy life Oh loue that liu◅st for louing hartes behoue And makst an ende of euery hatefull strife Happy are they that kindely can attaine thee And how accurst that dare but to disdaine thee Thy loue was cause that first we were created Loue is the life that thou wilt haue vs leade Loue is the cause we neuer can be hated Loue is our life
in my sinnes I die For still the flesh is subiect to offende while yet the spirit groneth for thy grace But thou hast power the weakest to defende That vnto thee reueale their heauy case Then from that hande and mighty arme of thine Strengthen this weake wounded soule of mine Thou that hast saide prowde Esaw was thy hate And humble Iacob was thy chosen loue That dost the power of worldly pride abate And workst the heauen of humble hartes behoue Make Esawes life with lacobs loue agree Or kill the flesh the soule maie liue with thee And from despaire that poisned sting of death Deliuer lorde the sorrowes of desire And at the latest houre and gaspe of breath Let humble hart the hope of heauen aspire where faithfull soules maie in thy fauour see That onely loue doth onely liue in thee What booteth me the world for to possesse And want the iewell of my heauenly ioie what earths delight but is to me distresse when natures health doth proue the soules anoye No my sweete loue let this poore soule of mine Neuer haue life but in that loue of thine One precious droppe of thy pure oile of grace Power downe sweete loue into my wounded hart And to my faith so turne thy louing face That from thy fauour I maie neuer part Looke on thy Mary with her bitter teares That washt thy feete and wiptethe with her heares The greater depts forgiuen the greater loue Thy worde hath saide and it saies euer true when patience life in pitties loue doth proue In greatest mercy greatest glory grue where one mans sinne procured all mens paine And one mans grace gaue all men life againe Oh high creator of all creatures liuing who nothing wantst that all thinges dost possesse what hath the world that may be worth the giuing Vnto the honor of thy holines But onely thankes that thy true spirit moueth In that true hart that thy true mercy loueth But still I see my loue is sore displeasde And tels me of my great vngratefulnes when so my soule with sorrow is diseasde As in my hart findes nought but hatefulnes And with the teares of true repentance crieth Lorde saue the life that in thy mercy lieth For thou art loue the euerliuing God And onely God and onely of the liuing who though thou smitst thy children with thy rod Sweete is the care of thy corrections giuing In which thy sweete and kindest care correct me But in thy mercy neuer doe reiect me Let neuer death against thy life preuaile Nor euer hate once looke against thy loue Nor faithfull hope thy heaunly fauour faile But harts contrition happy comfort proue And let the soule euen at the dore of death Liue by the aiâ—…r but of thy heauenly breath Mine eâ—…es are dimme my flesh bare skin and bone My sinewes shroncke and all my limmes are num Mine eares are deafe but to the sound of mone My speech is but to sorrow stroken dum My bloode dried vp my hart with sorrow soken Oh helpe the soule before the heart be broken Behold the sorrowes that my soule doeth make And see what torments teare my heart a sunder where euery teare doth other ouertake where fearefull care puts faithfull comforts vnder Oh my sweete life though I be deadly wounded Let not my faith be vtterly confounded And Since oh king that thou art onely able To helpe the helples onely but in thee And by one crumme from thy true mercies table The wofull soule may well relieued be Of that sweete foode oh let my faith so tast That by thy loue my life may euer last What life is this that wretches here we leade Caring and carking for our fleshly liues Neuer wel fild when we are too much fedde where strange conceits for true contentment striues Tearing our harts and tiring out our mindes For that in fine which but repentance findes Where kindnes proues a kinde of leude conceite Leading the heart to lothsomnes of loue while wisest wits on wanton humours waite And wilfull fancies doe but follies proue where power pride so plage the world with woes That peace and vertue all to ruine goes Where gold is helde a God siluer a Saint And durt and drosse are dearest in regarde where frendship failes and faith beginnes to faint And curses rule while blessed thoughts are barde And all and some doe in conclusion proue wo to the world that liues not by thy loue Where valure proues but foolish hardines And greatest wit is wicked wilines And honour gotten by vnworthines Fils all the world with all vnhappines while vertue sighes at sinners wickednes And Angels mourne for our vngodlines Where parents grieue at childerns stubbornes And children smile at parents childishnes where masters sigh at seruants idlenes And seruants laugh at masters wantonnes while faithfull soules in sorrowes wretchednes Looke but in heauen to haue their blessednes Where subtle heads are simple harts illusion while Tyraunt thoughts vniustly make intrusion And outward shewes are inward thoughts allusion while strange delightes are strong desires delusion And heedles care doeth make vp this conclusion That lacke of grace is all the worlds confusion Where brightest truth by treason often blamed is VVhile faithles hart with falshood all enflamed is And carefull age with sorrow all ashamed is That careles youth so long at large vntamed is That where good nature all alas misnamed is The faith of honour vtterlie defamedis VVhere sore deâ—…aies the care of true Gentility And strong disquiet standeth for tranquility And vertue is of too much imbecility where faith is found but ful of al fragility when honors loue that liues by hopes humility Must walke among the beggars for ability Oh wicked fruit of woful hearts affection when once the soule is toucht with sins infection And wil not learne by care of thy correction To leade a life but by thy loues direction where in the fire of thy bright sunnes reflexion They maie behold the height of their perfection But what is Earth and what but earth are we A goodly brag begunne and endes in dust where old young all the world may see From whence we came and whetherto we must Short time we liue no sooner dead then rotten And scarce welburied but wee are forgotten Oh Lord thou knowest this world is all but wo where sinne doth seeke to get the vpper hand The flesh would faine the spirit ouerthrow But that her stay doth in thy mercy stand But since the soule may conquer sinne by thee Lord let thy mercy onely sight for me Let me but looke vpon thy holie loue And sucke my honie from that heauenlie hiue wherein my soule such sweetnes maie approue That with that foode shee maie for euer liue And feeding so vpon thy sacred will when shee is fedde yet maie shee hunger still Oh bring me home that long haue beene abroade And leade me streight that long haue gone astraie And raise me vp that haue beene ouertroade And