Lately begun and yet to long endured True yet it is that stryfe hath euer been Twixt good and il in deadly feud depending But neuer such confusion hath bin seen Nor diffrent numbers in so great contending As in our dayes when each one truth doth claime And of vntruth each doth each other blame VVhyle Truth herself the heau'ns begotten chyld And glorious imp of high Antiquitie Lies ouertrod and vnder foot defyld By each and all that woork her inury All disagreeing in their owne truth claming Yet all agreeing in truthes false defaming God 〈◊〉 good corne did cast into the ground But soon the diuel threw in cockle there God first his Church on earth did firmly found VVhere straight the diuel did his chappel reare God vnto Truth the formoste place assygnd And fall hood with the diuel came behynd VVhen God in Adam had his Temple buylt The serpents synagog began in Eue. Good Abels blood his wicked brother spilt At his Gods-woorship diuel-taught to grieue So soon began illes enuy vnto good Two only borne one sheddes the others blood Through Moyses God did giue his Churche a law And Chores crew against it did rebel Hating to liue in order and in aw VVith their misleader went aliue to hel They claymed truth reiecting right of his And seru'd the diu'l in seruing God amisse Saint Peeter did ensue his masters lore VVhich Simon Magus stoutly did withstand And that great pastor greatly hate therefore But first-borne truth obtayn'd the vpper hand And that fals Prophet mounting vp in pryde Fel downe out of the ayre to earth and dyde In auncient pathes trod by our elders feet The way is found which is to rest assygnd But self-sought by wayes for self-choosers meet They euer seek that seeking neuer fynd Blynde guydes they bee guyders of blynde they seeme And with them fal ere they of danger deeme To mend amisse was euer woork wel donne In faultes and manners of Church-mennes abusion But by no prophet euer was begonne Reforming of abuses by confusion Nor for some faultes growne through Church-meÌ„nes defect No good man euer did new Church erect Il thrift may to that builder wel befall That wil a faire-built edifice deface And with the rubbish of the broken wall Erect some cottage in an obscure place And to adorne it with vsurped fame Giues it the tytle of the others name Must now an vpstart Martin or a Iohn In question call the firme fidelitie Of her whose pallas on a rock of stone Presents the picture of her chastitie VVho was of heau'n and earth long heild in grace Ere ought was heard of this new-risen race VVhy hath not els each man lyke priuelege To chop to change to found what faith hee list And wrested scripture for his proofs aleage And gainst a world in self conceit persist And say all say amisse except as hee And all his woordes Gods woord Ghospel bee If free it bee for one its free for all For all can claime the lyke instinct of spirit But shrewd suspition doth apeere withall That of fals prophets all the name do merit Their frute is il themselues were neuer sent They come to late to soone to such intent Susanna lyke they Christ his Spouse accuse And wil both iudges and accusers bee But lyke as Daniel falshood did confuse By vntruth found in contrarietie So contradictions in these fals accusers Shewes them to bee the world and her abusers And as the spryte of God did Daniel moue The innocent accused to defend The spirit of God his deere spowse so doth loue That to her fals accusers in thee end In steed of casten stones their blood to spil They gainst the rock themselues shal cast and kil AN EPIGRAM A Puritaine did plaine himself of late Of late growne controuersies into great debate And prayed him to whome hee did complaine That hee his censure would affoord him plaine VVel then quoth hee yf neither I shal flatter But speake my conscience freely of the matter You are in fault to make somuch contending How can so new a faith so soone lack mending AN EXPOSITION OF the Aue bel THe Chaser of my sence-detayning slumber vndid the windowes of my closed eyes And freed my thoughtes from sleepes confused cumber That humours turned vnto fantasies And faire Aurora redy at the tyde VVithdrew the ayes darck curtin all asyde In waking sylence as a whyle I lay Ere my fresh muse new exercise had found I heard the bel that soundeth thryce a day And tooke the sence leauing myne eare the sound For soundes and sights are messengers assygn'd To bring lost memory vnto the mynde And that same message which the Angel brought To her chaste eares that could no noyse receaue That might suggest conceit of any thought Her mynde of any puritie to reaue VVas by this noyse vnto my mynde renewed VVhereby light idle fancies were eschued Est soones thereon to my remembrance came Breach of the Law the first law-maker made First acte of sin first cause of knowing shame First op'ned gap for death man to inuade Losse of heau'ns loue purchase of earths il wil Fynding of sorrow hid in seeking skil Alas O wretched man that made th' offence Iustice of thee demaunded the amendes And for thy want of yeilding recompence Thy vnacquyted gilt stil downe descendes As doth some inward rooted malady By heritage vnto a family Thus stood from age to age and race to race The score of sin vnpayd vnraced out The world had not the woorth to purchase grace Hope sighing sat betwene dispaire and doubt And thraldome was the woful misery Of helplesse mannes successyue malady So long til heau'ns great care conceaued grief At mannes vnablenesse himself to free And loue no longer could with-hold relief And sweet relief that may thryce happy bee Came eu'n at last when els lost had beene all And all did saue and all vp-hold from fall Loue first bred grief and grief did pittie moue And pittie sought the way to woork redresse And kynde redresse the true effect of loue Did salue the sâ—re that seem'd remedilesse Iustice for right mercie for grace did craue Iustice had right mercie her fauour gaue VVhich to accomplish that eternal woord VVhich was with God and was himself a God His heauenly presence would the earth affoord And in a virgins closure make abode VVhereof an Angels voyce the message brought As metalls noyse renew'd it to my thought To her it came whome heauens wyde view did see For purenesse all the worlds most woorthy creature A chosen mansion for the dietie Adornd with vertues fitting to her feature VVhome nature made to shew the heaueÌ„s her skil And heaueÌ„ through her the earth with grace did fil And where a serpent with his poysned sting In paradise infected Adams wyf A pure whyte doue from paradise doth bring To Iosephes spouse restauratiue of lyf And in a virgins bed the seed doth sow VVhereof the tree and frute of lyf doth grow Her eares
Leonilla of that lore And setled Secundâ—â—a Sebastiana whome saint Paule Did bring to Christe his loue And Reparata dead whose ghoste Ascended lyke a doue Faire Flora and Maria both And Flaâ—ia Doâ—itilla Good Dula and Demetria Gaudentia and Lucilla VVith Alexandra six besyde For Christe their blood haue spent And Ciriaca and fyâ—e more VVith bodies rac'd and rent VVith other martyresses twelue Theodosia went to heauen Eu'n as at Sâ—â—irna for that cause Dy'd holy virgins seauen Six that were called Candâ—da Gaue beauty to that name More fairer far then â—t self â—ound Doth signify the same Some maried were and some were maydes Their suffrance sundry wayes There cause all one their only king Did all to glorie raise Seauen of the name of Iulia Did one of them ensue VVhereby eight martirs glorious crownes To this one name is due And of the name Iustina fyue As of Pelagia were Of Martiana there were three VVhose count Valerâ—â— beare Of this most glorious troop and ranck Of martrid woomen-kynde I shal not nede to recon morâ— Thoughe many more I fynd For euen as these rehearsed here There crosse with Christ sustayn'd So did the rest and all with Christ Al glory haue obtayn'd In sundry regions of the earth Ful many more besyde For faith for vow for zeal to Christâ— Ful gloriously haue dyde Chaste VVâ—â—nâ—frid did feele of death The bloody stroke and sting As Dympâ—a of her father did A pagan Irish King VVith soule and body vndefyld In endlesse lyf to raigne Good Vrsula and all her troop Endured to be slaine And Câ—rdula that hid her self Her lyf thereby to saue Came foorth and yeilded vnto death Her lyf thereby to haue To bring the number in accompâ— Vnable is my skil Of all such glorious martirs names And their endured il But in the Lambe his booke of lyf No one omitted is Nor no one wo that they sustaynd Vnrecompenst in bliâ— No more then their formenterâ— misse Their iust reward in hel For each inflicted grief and smart VVherewith they them did quel Exyl'd those wretches are from heaueâ— And odious dead in earth Yet in helles horror neuer dy Though euer feeling death Meane whyle the chosen saintes of God In heauen euer liue And euer glorie vnto him In all reioysing giue Al clad in whyte for puritie Each with a golden crowne And bearing palmes of victory As enseignes of renowne No eye hath seene no eare hath heard No hart of man conceaued No sight no sound no thought of ioy As now they haue receaued All griefes are now extinguished All sorrowes haue â—n end No teares can fall from weeping eyes Nor sighes from hart ascend O gâ—orioâ—â— troop whose praise the heau'ns VVith melodie refouâ—◠〈◊〉 Accept that wee as câ—coes here Yeild noise vnto the sound And when for your true followed faith VVee any wo sustaine Our constant suffrance of the same Voutsafe of God obtayne Deo gratiae A RESEMBLANCE OF MARTYRS BEfore the craggy flint Meetes with the hardned steel It seemes not to conteyne The vertue it conteynes But when it doth the stroke Of swift encountring feel Eu'n then the force appeers That hid in it remaines Right so resolued myndes Through wicked fortunes wheel Encountring with misâ—ap And feeling bitter paynes Make fyre of sacred Ioue From ardent zeal proceed VVhich mounting vp to heau'n Doth all the Starres exceed TE DEVM LAVDAMVS OR The song of S. Ambrose S. Augustyne TO thee O God wee praises giue VVee thee our Lord confesse Eternal father all the earth Adores thy woorthynesse The Angels heau'ns heau'nly powers Yeild praises all to thee The Cherubinnes and Scraphinnes Sound out incessantly O holy holy holy Lord. O God of Sabaoth Thy glorious maiesty repleates The earth and heauen both To thee the quyre so glorious Of thy Apostles all To thee the number woorthy-praise Of prophets cry and cal The army of thy martirs bright Thy praises do expresse Thy holy Church through-out the earth Doth thee o Lord confesse Father of endlesse Maiestie Thy only Sonne withal Together with the Holy Ghost Comforter of vs all Thow King of glorie arte O Christe And ere the earth begonne Thow of thy father did'st remaine His euer beeing Sonne Thy willingnesse man to releas Made thee in earth to come And for that cause not to abhor Thy maiden-mothers woombe And when the sting of cruel death By the was vanuisht quyght Thow opned'st then thee realme of blis To each belieuing wight In glorie of the father thow Do'st sit at Gods right hand VVee hold thee for the iudge by whome Our causes must bee skand VVee humbly therefore thee desyre Voutsafe thy seruants ayd Of whome with thy moste pretious blood The ransomes thow ha'st paid O make that wee rewarded bee VVith thy deer saintes in blis Eu'n with thy glory and thy grace VVhich euer during is Thy people and thyne heritage O Lord saue and defend And gouerne them and stil their praise In altitude extend And from offending thee by sin This day do thow vs saue And mercy haue on vs O Lord Lord on vs mercy haue And as our trust in thee hath bene Such let thy mercy bee Confounded let mee not become That hoped haue in thee HOVV GOD IN ALL AGES hath bin serued with Sacrifise Sacrificium sub lege Naturae WHen God created man and rule vnto him gaue Of creatures all on earth and eu'ry earthly thing And knowlege of his God did in his hart engraue Subiection so to know vnto his soueraigne King Then for to know and yeild what homage hee would haue Nature by her instinckt vnto his mynde did bring And Sacrifise it was and well accepted than Thus mannes adoring God with sacrifise began Sacrificium sub lege Moyses VVHen froÌ„ the how 's of thralle through ayd of heau'uly might Gods people were led foorth by Moysis then their guyd For this new freedome found it rested that of right God with augmented thankes must now bee gratifyde And him to honor more in more then wonted plight Old Sacrifise was now with new rytes beautifyde So for more good receau'd more gratitude did rise Which still to God was don in doing sacrifise Sacrificium sub lege Euangelica VVHen Gods dere Sonne from heau'n did vnto earth desced Lost loue of God againe for mannes release to win Himself in sacrifise blood-sacrifise did end When his high prised blood did satisfy for sin But since Gods seruice must on sacrifise depend He chang'd not took away what faith did first begin And did ordaine himself in Sacramental wise To bee to God for man a soueraigne sacrifise SAINT PEETERS COMFORT EV'n there where sin my silly soule defyld Shame bad mee hy and seeke to hyde my face Foule face of myne that that faire face behild And could my so wel knowing it out face And make himself eu'n whome I did deny True witnes vnto my fals periury I scarsly was gon foorth out of the halle VVhen sorrow straight
conceaued first the Angels voyce Her heart conceau'd the heauens high decree Her soule iust cause conceaued to reioyce And her pure wombe as pure as pure might bee Conceau'd withal and that strong infant bred VVho with his foot did break the serpents hed Against the tyme his birth-tyme to adorne Came downe on earth to consecrate the ground VVith Alâ—ion rest Peace that in heauen was borne Because there might no noyse of war be found VVhen to the world the Prince should shew his face That came to all the world to offer grace VVhose entrance when it pleased him to take Into that country whereof death is King His owne self vertue mydwyf hee did make And to annex more wonder to the thing From his pure mothers closure hee did pas Euen as the Sun makes entrance through the glas O sacred force enforcing such a berth The wonder of the wonders moste of woorth The breath of heauen clad in core of earth Through an vnopened passage passing foorth A humaine body spryte-lyke doth dispose His pow'rful self that may no puissance lose And that sweet Infant of eternitie Is borne the infant of a virgins woombe And God is man and so affinitie Doth twixt the earth and twixt the heauen come VVhereby th' Almighty maker thus wee see Kinsman to men to make himself to bee Making withal the virgins glorious fame In faithful hartes engrauen for to stand VVhere of Gods mother shee must beare the name In faire carracters of a sacred hand And such a mother mayd and wyf to bee As all her sexe excelles in all thee three Cleere chastitie descending from her throne To do her homage here vpon the ground A garland brought made by her self alone Of Flowers that only were in Eden found And with obeysance set it on her hed VVith tytle of eternal may denhed The Angels trumps did sound the heavens peace An easterne star stream'd out the fyre of ioy God on his foot-stool did his state decrease New amitie extinguisht old annoy Hate had no place on all the earth to dwel But did remoue vnto her how 's in hel O Infant ofspring of vnending lyne That in this world to spring would so begin And with old Adams race thy self combyne And bee the man to satisfy for sin True God true man except with sin defyld VVho for to bee a man became a chyld Thus God in chyld-heid did appeere on earth Admitting tyme his manly growth to shew VVhose dayes yet crossed were by crosse of death Ere tyme on him could mannes ful tyme bestow But since for man hee would lost lyf obtayne Hee death to kil would first of death bee slaine A SECONDARY exposition THe contemplation of the mistery Of the subiected state of heauens king And the reuyual of the memory That three tymes thryce a day the bel doth ring Leades downe my muse from height I earst began Vnto the lownesse of the lyf of man First how in darcknes of self-knowing state And as yf all foregoing tyme were night VVee enter in at this worldes cumbrous gate As doth the day new dawning with his light And that first treasure Tyme on vs bestowes In chyldish thinges vnwittingly wee lose Thence grow wee vp as do the howres of day Our dayes and yeares outrunning youthful rage From all repose Tyme carrying vs away Doth vnaware draw on our midle age And through his haste wil vs no leasure lend Once back to tutne youths errors to amend At noontyde of our dayes wee do arryue As doth the Sun at midday in his height VVhat tyme the bel a second sound doth giue To moue remembrance of the heauy waight Of sinnes huge burthen when high heauens grace In humaine flesh released humaine race The midday tyme hath but the name of tyme For tyme himself no moment hath of stay Nor wee repose before or after pryme But as the Sun declyneth with the day So we declyne euen at our highest rate Changing with tyme the change of our estate Eâ—t soones drawes on the euentyde of our yeares As doth the Sun draw down ward to the west VVhat tyme the bel reneweth to our eares The sound of ioy now twyce before exprest To shew how in the worldes declyning â—ase Attendant hope obtayn'd expected grace Now of our lyf is come the better parte And of our labors frute to reap the gaine Yf youthes endeuours wrought our wel desart Or yf in lyf so long wee do remaine For from the tree where wee behold the bud Much frute falles downe ere it bee rype and good Lastly as day our dayes theiâ— ending take And as before from darck night wee arose Our day our nightes returne againe doth make And wee yeild vp vnto our last repose Our claime to earth and all that nature gaue And lay vs downe where death shal dig our graue OF THE STATE OF SOLItary lyf dedicated to the seruice of God OVVel are you that haue subdude The force of worlds desyre And in the forte of solitude For safety do retyre Retyr'd from freedome so supos'd In straightnes freedome fynde Because true freedome is enclos'd In circuite of the mynde The world and fortune you depryue From doing you despight Dead vnto men to God alyue That giues liues true delight That soule saith God which I affect I wil with-draw aparte And tel vnto it in effect The secrets of my harte Think thâ—n you that retyred liue For Gods deere loue and dread His loue your soules desyre did giue Retyred liues to lead VVhere as with him you might confer VVhen sole your selues you deeme And so alone lesse neuer ar Then when alone you seeme Faith of yourfort is gouernor Loue is liftenant there Hope is ordained officer The ensigne for to bâ—are Contempt of welth is treasurer VVho woorkes no guyle for gaynes VVhithin whose coffers neuer there Corrupting drosse remaines Pure Chastitie the charge doth take The cloister cleane to keep And of her thoughtes the broome doth make VVherewith shee doth it sweep Obedience which doth sacrifise In valued woorth exceed Is redy for each exercyse As duty deemeth need Perseuerance is Centinel The watch-woord watch and pray VVhose due obseruance doing wel The heauens do repay THE SVBSTANCE OF humaine flesh AS once I did behold The potters actiue skil In ordring of his earthen pots According to his wil. And some for woorthy vse And some for seruile trade As hee them from one clod of clay In sundry fashons made And when they al were wrought And each was put a parte No cause they had If they had could To blame their makers arte To each it might suffise To serue his vse asygn'd Since each to serue some proper vse VVas vtile in his kynde Then as thereat I mus'd It came vnto my thought How God euen from one masse of clay All humaine kynd had wrought Aswel the silly wretch That liues in low degree As any mighty Emperor How puisant so hee bee And how at his estate None rightly may
And for his taste a bitter potion dresse Sibylla Cumana WHat tyme the third dayes sleep hath taken end The tyme prescry bed also end shal take Of death whose rule to that space did extend And then as from his sleep shal wax awake Hee whose now bringing liues reuyned ioy Shal shew how men from death may lyf enioy Sibylla Helispontiaca EVen from the heau'ns moste high stately throne The eyes of God the earth shal oueruiew And of all creatures take regard of one Of modest meeknesse and moste gratious hew And as a man God shal bee borne on earth And of an hebrew virgin haue his birth Sibylla Phrigia THe earth shal rent at feareful trumpet sound And kinges as vassals at Gods seat appeere In iustice all his iudgments shal abound Yeilding to men as men deserued heere vnto the good stil during heauenly ioy And to the il long-lasting helles annoy Sibylla Tiburtina THow Bethlem arte the birth-place of thy Lord That doth from Nazareth assume his name O blessed moother blis doth thee affoord His loue that leaues himself pledge of thesame O blessed bee that sweet milk-yeilding brest To no wrish God right happely adrest FINIS THE FIFTEEN MYSTERIES OF THE ROSARIE OF OVR BLESSED LADY VVHEREOF The first fyue are ioyful The second sorowful And the third glorious The first ioyful mysterie Conteyning the Anuntiation of our blessed Lady WHen heau'ns rare loue resolued mannes release From thrall to him that first produced sin It was decreed that this redeeming peace Must by a God and by a man begin Then on Ambassage was an Angel sent vnto the best of all the best on earth VVith grace-ful greeting to declare th' intent Of Gods designe in such a sacred berth And euen as shee assented to thesame Eft-soones in her conception did begin And blessednes gaue tytle to her name And ioy at her glad hart did enter in The second ioyful mysterie Conteyning our ladies visitation of S. Elizabeth HEr change exchang'd not humblenesse for pryde That bore Gods Sonne and yet would go to see Her in whose wombe Gods seruant did resyde vaine pointes could not with her pure vertue bee And as her coosins eares receau'd her voyce One chyld by Simpathy the other moued VVhich outwardly both moothers made reioyce VVhose ioy each chyld by inward ioy approoued From virgins mouth the dittie then begun How much her soule did magnify her lord VVhich since inur'd help-seekers from her sonne Therein her praise in his praise to record The third ioyful mysterie Conteyning the birth of Christe AT Ceasars hest to Bethlem shee repaires As duty wild where duty had no claime No harbenger her loging there prepares Her poore estate fyndes harbor lyke thesame But when as God in chyldheid would appere Odors and Angels brightnes it adorne And with deere loue her louing babe so deere Shee doth adore assoone as it is borne High priuilege exempted her from wo VVhich but Gods mother none could els obtaine And heauenly bounty did on her bestow That shee a mayden euer should remaine The fourth ioyful mysterie Conteyning the presentation of Christe in the temple AT tyme prefixt by ryte of auncient lore That now the moother must her babe present Though not impure but purer then before And purenesse bringing with her where shee went As warned then through hyre of hope and faith Good Simeon comes to see his wished sight VVhere as the Swan he singes before his death And in one ioy doth end all worlds delight And all they yeares old Anne deuoutly spent That with her age encreast her godly zeale Did now bring ioy vnto her hartes content And ioy to all where ioy shee did reueale The fift ioyful mysterie Conteyning our Ladies fynding of Christe in the temple SEquestred loue doth foster grief and ioy Twixt feare of losse and hope of happy gaine Such was her case that lost her litle Boy VVhose ioy reuyn'd in fynding him againe In Temple once buylt by the wysest king VVhere not til now the wise king took his place VVho yet no kingly porte did thether bring But wisdome vttred with a chyldish face VVith lyke in yeares shee haply might him seek But did him fynde with doctors in dispute He left repose to fraudlesse myndes and meek And took in hand wise folly to confute The first sorowful mysterie Conteyning the apprehension of Christe WO woorth that sorow should succeed to ioy Or for the il the good sustaine the smart But since the sonne would suffer wronges annoy The mother beares her vndeserued parte For when as hee destrest in garden prayd And bloody sweat ran downe his face amayne And Iudas false him Iudasly betrayd Lost ioy her left betrayed vnto payne And when with rage the Iewes led him away Then anguish her surprys'd and led in thrall And all that out wardly on him they lay Doth in wardly vnto her hart befall The second sorowful mysterie Conteyning the scourging of Christe T'Apease the rage of causelesse raging Iewes false Pylate wild true Christe should scourged bee Cryme knew he none and yet he did refuse vnpunished to set the guiltlesse free Then was sweet Iesus to a piller tyde And helhoundes lasht at his faire tender skin Embrude with blood al round on euery syde Thinck then how stood th'aquyter of our sin And in what sorrow his poore moother stood For his great good their so great il to view Her hart bled inward and distild the blood Foorth at her eyes though altred in the hew The third sorowful mysterie Conteyning the crowning of Christ with a crowne of thorne FOr change of torture not for ease of grief The Iewes do from the piller Christe vnlose VVhyle his sad mothers hopes of his relief Encrease her sorow in his lengthned woes For they his dolour to deryde and scorne The king of kinges in mockage king do call And on his head they fix a crowne of thorne And in his hand a reed to rule withall Yeilding pure loue impure dispight and hare Accursed rebels to a king of grace That purchase now the due disgraceful state Of their stil kinglesse and contemptuous race The fourth sorowful mysterie Conteyning Christe his bearing of his Crosse WHen Pylat pressed by the Iewish rage VVith wrested conscyence gaue the doome of death The Iewes made ha'st their fury to aswage In the extinguishing lyf-giuers breath And his deaths engyne burthen of his wo They make him beare that him to beare they made Him in the way to death to tortur so Til they his fainting force giue forced ayd VVel may his mother mourne this to obserue That from his burthen lodes her mynd with woes And he wel aske what withered stocks deserue VVhen fruteful trees are serued so of those The fyft sorowful mysterie Conteyning the crucifying of Christe OH wo is mee at this great end of grief Christe is arryued at his dying place Lamblyke he standes bereft of all relief Subiect of sorow vassal of disgrace For on his crosse