yet was admirably planted in the valley of Humilitie A strange thing truly and more then a Garden-miracle that our Violet should stil remaine in the valley and yet be placed on a Mountain yea the higher she was exalted on the Mountain the better she was rooted in the Valley both on the same Mountain and in the same Valley at one and the self-same time Now Philosopher tel me what would you more can not the same thing be in two places at once It may MARIE on the Hil of exaltation and the self-same MARIE in the Valley of demission fulfilling therin the precept of the Wife-man How much greater thou art do thou humble thyself in al. And now see I pray the haste the Violet makes aboue al flowers to entertaine the Spring and then to behold our Violet made to clime the mountaines would make you wonder to see her in such haste For who would not admire to see a tender Virgin great with child to fly from the valley ouer hils and dales through thick and thin to the mountain-tops But yet wonder not while we dayly see great engins moued and that most swiftly too by force of fire GOD is our consuming fire This fire then the Virgin carried in her bosome She is stirred and excited with the blast of the Holie-Ghost vnto offices of pietie The fire breaks forth what maruel then if it carries so the engine of the bodie with it I say what maruel while the Spirit of GOD whose Symbol is Fire carries her so fast through publick places to shun the aspect of men so contrarie to the inclination of Virginal modestie to hide herself in the house of her Cosen The Violet as the Rose also being planted neer the leek or garlick becomes more fragrant in odour so as the vngrateful sent of the one giues a sweeter fauour vnto the other and therefore the Gardiner plants it neer vnto them to haue it send forth a greater odour Now the Virgin-Mother being in herself a most odoriferous Violet aboue al other Violets and roses of the world breathed from herself the sweetest odour of al vertues The odour of her garments were as the odour of the fulfield But in her house at Nazareth which â—ignifyes Flowerie this Violet shined lesse and as a Violet lay hid within her leaues Wherefore it seemed good to the expert Gardiner her heauenlie Spouse in her womb to transferre this Violet with his Spirit into the mountains of Iudea being places al set with garlick and leeks as I may terme it Where Zacharie and Elizabeth sat sheading of teares for the Redemptsion of Israel the proper effect of those hearbs which She through her coming wiped away and further gaue forth a greater odour of sanctitie then euer for loe she filled the whole house with the odour of her Vertues THE EMBLEME THE POESIE IN Heauen the humble Angels GOD beheld And on the earth with Angels paralel'd The lowlie Virgin viewd Her modest eye Submissiue count'nance thoughts that did relye On him that would exalt an humble wight And make his Mother Alma ne're in sight With vertues fragrant odours round beset Close to the earth lay like the Violet Which shrowded with its leaues in couert lyes Found sooner by the sent then by the eyes Such was the Virgin rays'd to be Heauens Queene Who on the earth neglected was not seene THE THEORIES COntemplate first how as Plinie sayth the Violet is soueraigne against the Squinzi in the throat the Catharre in the eyes and Impostumes in the bodie So S. Iohn Baptist was before his Sanctification being as vlcerous and impostumat as we al before Baptisme through Original Sinne Elizabeth continually powring forth teares for the barrenes and sterilitie as wel of the Sinagogue as of herself and Zacharie's throat being stopt with the squinzi of Infidelitie so as he could not speake MARIE the Violet entering into this Hospital the impostumeâ— of Iohn vanished the defluxions of Elizabeth ceased and Zacharie's squinzies were vnstopt and finally health was restored to the whole house Consider then againe how as Plinie sayth the seed of the Violet is the infallible destruction of the Scorpion then which what more expresly in Symbolical Theologie declares the Mother of GOD to be a Violet For this malediction was giuen by GOD against the accursed Serpent from the first beginning I wil put enmities between thee and the woman and thy seed and her Seed and she shal tread or it shal tread thy head No seed more opposit to the Scorpion then that of the Violet nor none to the Serpent so much as the Seed of the Virgin IESVS Ponder lastly how the Violet by some is called the Flower of the Trinitie perhaps for the triple coulour which is found therin for that as in the Violet are seen the violet the purple and the golden coulour and as those coulours in the natural so in the Violet MARIE may you consider the Violet coulour of Humilitie the purple of her Chastiâ—â—e and the golden coulour of Maternitie or Charitie in her since her Charitie was the cause of her Maternitie and consequently she the Violet of a Trinitie THE APOSTROPHE O Faire and goodlie Flower the true Aurora of the Spring the gladsome Herbinger of the Spring of grace thou fairest of al flowers and yet who holdst the lowest place stil grounded in thy Nothing O that this true contempt of my-self were planted once and rooted in the ground of my hart that this lowlines of hart I say O Ladie Violet and humilitie of spirit were imprinted for euer in my soule Oh obtaine for me Alas due I coniure and besâ—eâ—h you to it by al the reuerences and respects which the Sonne of God the Wisedome of the Father hath yealded you in heauen and which the Great GOD your Sonne no lesse hath afforded you on earth THE V. SYMBOL THE HELIOTROPION THE DEVISE THE CHARACTER THE Heliotropion is the loftie Cedar of flowers wherin the Sun could he nestle himself would choose of al the rest to build his neast for birds we know breed where they hant most and delight to harbour and conuerse in al the day It is euen the Eye nothing els but Eye to behold the Sun which she neuer shuts til he sincks down in Tethis's bed where being drowned ouer head and eares she wincks and shrowds herself the while in the thin eyelids of her leaues to meditate vpon him It is the Arsenal of crimson-flags displayed to the Pithian Apollo in despite of Mars whom she adores as God of Armes as wel as Books wheras Mars if you take him from his speare and shield can neither write nor reade It is the Gnomon of the Garden a Dial artificially made in hearbs to expresse al the howers of the day a verie needle pointing to its radiant Starre which being so restles as it is makes her as restles euerie whit with this difference only that he measures infinit degrees
and there is no blemish in thee She is the Empyreal Heauen which is the habitation of the Saints and a Heauen al of light of an infinit capacitie and immeÌ„se sublimitie The blessed Virgin then is resembled to this Heauen First for her vnspeakable Claritie because she is now wholy radiant and resplendent in Celestial glorie hauing beneath the Moone vnder her feet and on her head a crowne of Starres for the rest clothed with the Sunne Secondly for her great capaciousnes for as there can be thought no place of greater capacitie then the Empyreal Heauen so can no creature be found of greater Charitie then Marie For she had an ample Womb which was able to receaue GOD She had an ample Vnderstanding which had the knowledge of al Diuine things an ample Affect she had for her singular compassion on the miseries of al the afflicted Thirdly for her highnes and sublimitie for as Heauen is the highest of al bodies so is she higher farre then al Spiritual creatures as wel Angelical as Reasonable Thy magnificence is raysed that is the Virgin Marie to whom GOD hath shewed very great things yea aboue al the Heauens as wel Material as Rational because appointed Queene ouer al Saints and therefore sayes of her self Who hath wrought great matters for me who is potent and holie is his name Which things S. Epiphanius considering in his SermoÌ„ of the Prayses of our Ladie breakes forth into these words O impolluted Womb hauing the circle of the heauens within thee which bare the incomprehensible GOD most truly compreheÌ„ded in thee O WoÌ„b more ample then Heauen which streightned not GOD within thee O Womb which art euen verie HeaueÌ„ indeed consisting of seauen Circles and art more capacious farre then them all O Womb more high and wider then are the seauen Heauens O Womb which are euen the eight Heauen itself more large then the seauen of the Firmament So he And S. Chrysologus thus O truly blessed who was greater then Heauen stronger then the Earth wider then the World For GOD whom the world could not containe She held alone and bare him that beares the world yea bare him who begat her and nursed the nourisher of al liuing things But yet heare what S Bonauenture sayth heerof Thou therefore sayth he most immense Marie art more capacious then Heauen since whom the Heauens could not hold thou hast held in thy lap thou art more capacious then the World for whom the whole world could not hold hath been enclosed within thy bowels being made Man But especially indeed is the blessed Virgin sayd to be the Empyreal Heauen because as that same being the proper place of Beatitude where GOD cleerly manifests himself to the Blessed face to face so the WoÌ„b of the blessed Mother of GOD was the first of al wherin GOD in a permament manner communicated to the soule of Christ our Lord the cleare and blessed vision of himself since certain it is that from the beginning of his Conception he was truly a comprehensour and yet in his way and a true viatour Which no doubt is a singular prayse of the Virginal womb that where the wombs of other women are meerly the shops of Original sinne as Dauid lamented And my mother conceaued me in sinnes which makes one vnworthie of the visioÌ„ of GOD the Virgins WoÌ„b of al others should be a place for the blessed Vision and the only first shop of Beatitude So as wel might the Woman of the Ghospel cry out Blessed is the Womb that bare thee THE EMBLEME THE POESIE THE Blessed Virgin euen from her birth Was like a Heauen without a clowd on earth Where fixed Starres did shine each in his place As she encreas'd by merits more in grace Til ful of grace as is with starres the sky Gabriel salurtes Then more to glorify This Heauen from his the Sunne of Iustice came Light of the world with his eternal flame Lo how the Angels from th' Empyreal sphere Admire this Heauen on earth that shines so cleare Contesting with their glorious Orbe aboue And with the Seraphins in burning loue Empyreal Heauen For in her makes abode The first blest Soule that had the sight of GOD. THE THEORIES COntemplate first that as the Heauens in their motions commit no errour because they are alwayes obedient to the Intelligences or mouing Angels that moue and guide them so likewise the Blessea Virgin could slide into no errour of sinne because she punctually obserued the Holie-Ghost her Motour and proper Intelligence as it were in al things while being moued with such motioÌ„s she was carryed to GOD through feruent loue as being the wheel of GOD wherof Ezechiel speaks Which was carryed wheresoeuer the spirit went for the spirit of life was in the wheels now in praying for vs to her Sonne now directing the Angels themselues vnto our ministerie and then exhorting the blessed Spirits to pray for vs Behold of what agilitie and motion this Heauen is CoÌ„sider then that euen as froÌ„ heauen and its â—ights we receaue al the chiefest benefits of Nature especially the growth and prosperitie of plants without which nothing would succeed or come to anie thing so from this glorious Virgin-Mother we likely receaue the most notable fauours guifts we haue froÌ„ GOD. For as the Heauen visits the earth affording its light by day night by meanes of the two great torches Sun and Moon and millions of lesser lights which with their influeÌ„ces besides doe fructify the same and with their sweet showers in a maÌ„ner inebriate it and coole it againe when need requires with dryer clowds yea enrich it also with gold siluer and precious stones so our incomparable Ladie visits and illustrats the whole vniuersal Church with her admirable examples and with the guifts of the Holie-Ghost inebriats the same stores it abundantly with good works and enriches it with an infinit treasure of al vertues and therefore is it sayd Thou hast visited the earth Ponder lastly how among al things which haue anie stuff matter or dimesion in them of length breadth or thicknes there is no incorruptible thing to be thought on but only the heauens for al mixt things whatsoeuer they be corrupt at last and the Elements we see continually corrupt saue only the Celestial bodie which is wholy incorruptible of its owne nature So in like maÌ„ner whenas al the ChildreÌ„ of Adam begot according to Nature are lyable and obnoxious to the corruption of Original sinne and al women loose in coÌ„ceauing the integritie of the bodie yet this Heauen of Marie through especial grace prerogatiue of her Sonne was made incorruptible according to either part of soule and bodie Of the soule truly because the coÌ„tagion and corruption of Original sinne touched not her so much as a momeÌ„t only of bodie also because though indeed she were a true natural Mother and coÌ„ceaued her Sonne most truly indeed
ouercast and ful of sorrow And yet notwithstanding she shined euen then likewise because she kept the light of Fayth vnextinguished in her Her light shal not be extinguished in the night Surely two HeaueÌ„s there are which yet neuer lost their light nor euer are like to doe to wit Christ for one who neither with death did forgoe the light of his Diuinitie but his Deitie was both with his bodie in the Sepulcher and with his soule in Limbus and his Mother the other who neuer lost the light of grace and fayth within her THE EMBLEME THE POESIE THe Empresse of the Sea Latona bright Drawes like a load-stone by attractiue might The Oceans streames which hauing forward runne Calles back againe to end where they begunne The Prince of darknes had ecclipsed Eues light And Mortals clowded in Cymmerian night Were backwards drawne by Eue as is the Maine â—T was only Marie drew to GOD againe 〈◊〉 chast Diana with thy siluer beames Fluse reflux as in the Oceans streames â—Tis thou canst cause O draw and draw me so That I in vice may ebbe in Vertue flow THE THEORIES COntemplate first that if the Moon being so faire beautiful and perfect be so accounted of Mortals and for the manifold influences and fauours which she continually imparts to creatures be held in so great veneration as to share in their opinion with the Sun himself in the gouerment of the world whom the Paynim Gentilitie holds to be a GOD and her Brother and she his Sister notwithstanding she hath yet so manie blemishes defects and spots appearing in her who can except against the Churches deuotion in so magnifying our Ladie who is truly so faire beautiful perfect indeed without any the least blemish or spot in her so beneficial withal as to communicate her graces vnto vs in a far higher nature and those in a measure so immense Or who can tax vs for stiling her the Queen of heauen who is not only the Sister the Friend the Doue and beautiful Spouse of the Sun oâ— iustice but euen his most immaculate Mother the fountain of al her prerogatiues besides when especially we afford her no more honour then may worthily be due to a meer creature Consider then that as in the opinion of such as hold the Moon encreasing to haue her horns directed towards the rising of the Sun but decreasing or being in the wayne to haue the horns pointing to the setting of the Sun So our heauenlie Angelical and spiritual Moon the Incomparable Virgin-Mother had certain addresses and preparations of humilitie and Virginitie wherewith she disposed herself to embrace her Sun in her armes in the morning of his birth as he lay in the Crib And at his setting againe that is at his Passion regarded him with two other horns as it were to wit with the sorrow she had for his death of the one side and the ioy she receaued of the other for the Redemption of the world Ponder lastly how though the Moon while it is iust ouer the earth and the Sunne in oppositioÌ„ thervnto in a right diameter beneath the same is shadowed obscured or ecclipsed Yet our mystical Moone when Christ our true Sun indeed descended and abid in hel which is vnder the earth and our Moon remayning there ouer it lost not the light of Fayth of his present Resurrection for that the shadow of the earth that is the infidelitie of terrene things could not ascend vnto her whereby the darknes of Infidelitie comprehended her not THE APOSTROPHE O Empresse of the world Ladie of the Vniuers Queen of Angels standing in the Moon and crowned with Starres in Heauen by God Almightie most wise most good Oh regard me I beseech thee from the top of the heauens with thy sacred influences from thence and haue pittie vpon me most miserable wretched sinner in al points Present O sacred Virgin-Mother al my pouerties to GOD al my perils al my miseries and necessities to thy Sonne For so wil he take pittie on me and open his hand and afford me his Benediction through thy gracious intercession This grant I beseech thee most radiant and resplendent Moone who shinest in heauen and shal for al eternitie THE XI SYMBOL THE STARRE THE DEVISE THE CHARACTER THE Starres are the glittering laÌ„ps of Heauen set vp as so manie lights in the close or vpper seeling of the ample Theater of the world They are as sparckling Diamants strewed in the Firmament to entertaine the World with as a goodlie maister-piece of the great CREATOVR They are the siluer Oes al powdred heer and there or spangles sprinckled ouer the purple Mantle or night-gowne of the heauens the seed of pearle sowne in the spacious fields of the Heauens to bring forth light Haue you seen a statelie Mask in Court al set round and taken vp with a world of beautiful Ladies to behold the sports and reuels there Imagin the Starres then as sitting in the FirmameÌ„t to behold some spectacle on Earth with no other light then their owne beauties If that great Pan they speake of were that man sitting in the Cabin of the Moone the Starres would be his Sheep and lambs feeding in those ample downes of heauen which not appearing by day their proper night you must suppose to be lockt-vp in their folds for feare of those Beares and Lions in the Welkin As Cinthia in the HeaueÌ„s is euen the very same that Diana is in the woods and forests the Starres by coÌ„sequence are her Nimphs who encompas her about and daÌ„ce the Canaries in her presence while so they seeme in twinckling to dance and foot-it in the same place They are extremely giuen to mortification and to a strange annihilation of themselues that being so great as they are they appeare to be so litle in the eyes of men yea manie of them are so passionatly addicted to it as they appeare not at al. They affect equalities amongst them and be anie of them neuer so great they wil shew to be no greater then the rest Their greater height and eminencie in degrees swelles them not a whit or puffs them vp but diminisheth their creasts and abates them rather In fine they are a happie Common-wealth deuoyd of enuie or ambition where wel may you heare of coniunctions of Houses but no iarres and discords amongst them that euer I could heare of THE MORALS IN ITINERE PHARVS WHEN Theseus was puzled and entangled in Minos Labyrinth he found the twist of Ariadne to deliuer him thence The little Bird with the red breast which for his great familiaritie with men they cal a Robin if he meet anie one in the woods to goe astray and to wander he knowes not whither out of his way of common charitie wil take vpon him to guide him at least out of the wood if he wil but follow him as some think This am I sure of it is a comfortable and sweet companioÌ„ insuch a case
them at al. Wheras our Heliotropion heer neuer takes off her eyes froÌ„ her Sonne but hath them alwayes cast vpon him and therefore truly may say I to my beloued and his conuersion vnto me THE APOSTROPHE O Fairest Virgin-flower Thou most specious and amourous Heliotropion more happie then the rest of flowers for those especial fauours from thy Spouse being no lesse then the glorious and radiant Sun of Iustice. O gracious Queen of flowers O Sacred Prodigie of al Gardens and mâ—st stupendious Heliotropion the miracle of Paradice the amazement of Philosophie wonder of Nature fruitful Virgin Virgin-Mother O mediate for me with thy amourous Sun thy Sonne and obtaine for me through thy example I may become a true Heliotropion with mine eyes stil cast vpon thee my obiect and may receaue like glances from that al-seing Eye THE VI. SYMBOL THE DEAW THE DEVISE THE CHARACTER THE Deawes are the sugred stillicids of Nature falling from the Limbeck of the Heauens as so manie liquid pearls and euerie pearl as precious as the truest Margarits They are liquifyed Cristal made into so manie siluer-orbs as drops They are the verie teares of Nature dissolued soft through tendernes to see the Earth so made a Libian Desert which she supplies of meer compassion with the ruine of herself No teare she sheads that staÌ„ds her not in as much as a drop of her deerest bloud They are the grayne seed once reaped from the Ocean fields and sowne againe vpon the Earth for a better haruest They are the sweatie drops of Tethis face which the benigne Sol exhales wipes away for the vse of Tellus They are the MaÌ„na of Nature to vye with those Corianders food of Pilgrims made by Angels with this vnhappines they could not be coÌ„gealed to make a food so much for meÌ„ as a Nectar for the plaÌ„ts to drink They are the Protheus of fresh waters diuersifying into as manie coulours as they light vpon and are so courtlie withal as they wil easily comply with euerie thing they meete with and likely seeme to put-on the forme the garb and qualities of euerie one so as I verily beleeue had they but toungs to speake they would say the same with euerie one that can so temporize with al. And as the showres were wrung and drawne from Magdalen through contrition of her sad and clowdie hart so these Deawes are wrung and strained from heauen through compression and mutual collision of the clowds The Bees are the most laborious and industrious Factours for these Pearls and they wil venture for them as farre into the ayre as any Moor shal diue into the seas for the best pearls In fine they are the Milk of Nature wherewith she is disposed to suckle creatures at her owne breast THE MORALS RORE MADENS RORE LIQVESCENS THE sweats of that great Monark were held to be perfumes and why Perhaps because they took some Deitie to be in him for his so strange and prodigious Conquests The trees that haue a gummie viscous lickour in them looke what they haue within the same they oft put forth and if they sweat at al they sweat but gummes The Spouse when he knockt so long at his Spouses doore and could not be let in was al wet with Deawes from heauen and no maruel that Deawes should fal on him from whom al Deawes proceed since Deawes exhaled from the earth do thither distil againe When the Sauiour of the world was borne arose a Spring of oyle to signify the infused Oyle of Grace was then powred forth into the world And what is Oyle in drops but Deawes of oyle and what is it to spring but to ascend vpwards what to Deaw but to spring downe Our Sauiour then being Oyle of Grace was dissolued al into Deawes of graces when he was borne In this looke what the Sonne was the same the Mother is with this difference He the Fountaine of Grace and Mercie essentially the same she the fountaine likewise but participant of his and as He through her distils downe Deawes of Grace and Mercie so she from him distils the self-same Deawes of Grace and Mercie and therefore rightly RORE MADENS RORE LIQVESCENS THE ESSAY HEER now must I needs confesse mine ignorance for otherwise should I loose myself in considering of the one side the accompt which GOD and Nature make of the Deaw and of the other the poornes of this litle creature in itself The voice of men that set it forth is more rich and copious farre then what soeuer is in the Deaw ilself it is but euen a litle fume and oftentimes an vnholesome exhalation raysed from some corrupt marishes or other drawne-vp to the second stage of the Ayre being the Matrice as it were of Nature whence hayls snowes frosts and the like proced if it arriue so high where being dissolued and recollecting itself within a litle after thickens and turnes into litle teares which falling downe againe affords vs nothing but a meer Seren infected and breeds often very mortal catharres lighting on our heads See now a trim and goodlie thing for vs to make such reckoning of And yet how manie treasures doe I see enclosed within these litle drops within these graines of Cristal liquifyed What think you theÌ„ is it ought els then a litle water Oh do no think so of it for if Plinie say true that the Deaw takes the qualitie of the thing it lights on that which to you seemes to be a water only is Sugar in the Reeds of Madera Hypocras in the vine Manna in the fruits Musk in the flowers Medicines in the Simples Amber in the Poplers the verie milk of the breasts of Nature wherewith she nourisheth the Vniuers The Deaw it is which falling on our gardens empearls them with a thousand muskie gemmes Heer it makes the Rose there the Flower deluce heer the Tulips there the violets and a hundred thousand flowers besides It is the Deaw that couers the rose with scarlet that clothes the lillie with innoceÌ„cie the violets with purple which embroders the marygold with gold and enriches al the flowers with gold silk and pearls that metamorphosies itself heere into flowers there into leaues and then to fruits in sundrie sorts it is euen the Protheus and Chamaeleon of creatures clothing itself with the liuerie of al the rarest things heer scarlet there milk heer the emerald the carbuncle gold siluer and the rest THE DISCOVRSE BVt now come we to the mystical Deaw indeed the Incomparable Ladie Queene of al the Meteors of this Region of ours or of the other the thereal or Celestial Who if she were not the Deaw itself she was the Fleâ—ce al steept in Deaw and consequently may wel be held for Deaw for she is sayd to be ful of Grace which is a kind of Deaw The Deaw is properly engendred in the spaces and regions of the Ayre tempered with heat and cold Three Regions there are The
yet knew she no corruption at al obseruing and keeping perpetually the Virginitie of mind and bodie How worthily therefore is she compared to Heauen for this so strange and admirable incorruptibilitie in her THE APOSTROPHE O Great Miracle of the world or little world of miracles not Queene so much of Heauen alone as the Heauen of the King of thee Queene Mistris of the Heauens thou only maister-peece of the Almightie hand O Diuine Throne not second vnto anie Thou liuing Ark of Alliance and the Elder Sister of al creatures who wast a Mother and a Virgin a Virgin a Mother al in one a Mayden a Nurse a Nurse yet a Mayden the Mother and the Nurse of God and Man a Virgin and a Mayd for euer By that glorious virgin-fruit of thine the astonishment of Angels which so miraculously thou broughtst into the world after thou hadst so long afforded him thy precious Womb as a gratful and delicious Paradise of Heauen Grant we beseech thee by that shower of grace in Him which fel through thee O mysterious Heauen that we may come at last to that Heauen of his glorie which he hath purchased for vs with his more then precious Bloud THE IX SYMBOL THE IRIS THE DEVISE THE CHARACTER THE Iris is the radiant and refulgent Bow of Heauen that shoots but wonders to astonish the world with It is the Thiara or fayrest dresse of Nature her shining Carkanet enchaced with the richest iewels It is the Triumphal Arch of the heauenlie Numens set-vp in triumph as a Trophey of Beautie to allure the eyes of al to stare and gaze vpon it The Protheus of the Seas could neuer take so manie shapes vpon him as the Iris diuersifyes its coulours And for the Camelion of the ayre she doubtles vsed no other pattern then it to coppie forth the great varietie of coulours she assumes This Prodigie of Nature liues in and by the Ayre but hath its whole subsistence in the Eye only Open the eyes and there it is but shut them vp and it wil vanish It is indeed the faire and goodlie mirrour of the heauenlie Intelligences themselues which they wil gaze on as their leasure serues them and breake at their pleasure if they like it not to make them new perhaps to please them better If the Angels would lay aside their wings and goe afoot I doe not think they could haue a better way to descend by and ascend againe then by this Causway paued al with iewels heer and there and where not al strewed with tapistries the Turkie ones are nothing like nor those of Barbarie come neere them while those the mothes wil eate and time destroy their coulours and they fade but these wil last til al be quite worne out They seeme al as made by the same hand they are so like looke what you haue to day the same you haue to morrow And surely no other Artizan then he that made you this can make you such another They say it is a nothing in itself which if it be it is a prettie Nothing that so with nothing should make the heauens so beautiful nay more so rich and al with nothing THE MORALS PACIS FERO SIGNA FVTVRAE THE Scythian Tamberlan the terrour of the House of Ottomans had in his warres three Ensignes the red the black and white which he vsed to aduance vpon occasions wherof the white especially signifyed Peace a reconciliation offered which if refused the red then the black succeeded Castor and Pollux in the Heauens are held to be sweet propitious and pacifical Starres The Halcion in time of a tempestuous storme at Sea appearing on the decks is a comfortable and little lesse then a certain signe of a calme and quiet Sea wherat Mariners wil cheer vp as no such thing had euer hapned The Spring immediatly followes the bitter and sharp Winter the signes are the buds appearing then in the tender and green twigs When the Lyon is in his chiefest rage and when he roars most dreadfully of al and for anger beats himself with his tayle in meer despite let come but a tender Virgin by the while and appeare in his sight his courage wil fayle him he be a Lamb in a Lion's skin The Lion of Iuda roared then when the Lord of Hoasts to extirpate human kind so let go the Cataracts of heauen to drowne the world with a total deluge of waters couering the earth when lo the white flag was spred in the Heauens in forme of an Iris representing the pure and immaculate Virgin of Virgins which made the Lion to let fal his creast and to enter into a league with al mankind to drowne it no more and therefore our Ladie herself was a true Iris and may rightly be called and truly is that PACIS FERO SIGNA FVTVRAE THE ESSAY THE Iris or Rainebow is that goodlie mirrour wherin the humane spirit sees very easily its owne ignorance and wherin the poore Philosopher becomes Banckrout who in so manie yeares can know no more of this Bow then this that he knowes nothing to the purpose that it is a Noli me tangere since as manie as haue mused thervpon haue but broken their braines about it to their owne confusion For of the one side there is nothing of lesse being in the whole pourtrait of Nature being framed of a goodlie Nothing diuersifyed and diaperd with false coulours dressed-vp with a feigned beautie the matter nothing its durance a moment It is a Bow without an arrow a bridge without a Basis a Crescent not encreasing a phantasme of coulours a Nothing that would faine shew to be somewhat And yet is this rich Nothing a miracle of beautie among the fairest things of the world which being compared thervnto are euen as nothing Would you haue riches The whole Bow is nothing els then the carkanet of Nature enameled with al the precious Iewels she hath some are Pearls others haue the sparcle of the Diamant the flames of the Carbuncle the twincle of the Saphir I should say rather it is the maister-peece wherin Nature had embrodered al her rarest stones and placed the richest peece of her treasures which she can seuer at her pleasure It is the Collar of her Order her chaine of pearles and the fairest of al her Cabinet wherewith she decks herself to please her Spouse the Heauens Good God! what a goodlie Nothing is this if it be no more that carryes such beautie and riches with it It is said that great High way of milke which appeares in the heauens was the way of the Gods whē they went vnto the Cōsistorie of Iupiter but it is a fable whereas I should think that were there any ordinary way for the Angels to descend down vnto the earth by or for men to mount vp to heauen there could be no fayrer thē this Bridge alwayes tapistryed and paued with so bewtiful stones THE DISCOVRSE GOD himself takes
such complacencie in the Rainebow that when he is in the highest point of his iust choler if he cast but his eye thervpon he is suddenly appeased I wil looke on my Bow and wil remember c sayth he And no maruel surely since the Bow he regards so much is the Symbol heer of his deerest Mother the Incomparable Virgin Let vs see then how this heauenlie Bow deciphers the Queen of Heauen this mirrour of Nature and the astonishment of man-kind The Generation and extract of anie thing discouers it most This Iris then or Raynebow is caused by the reflexion of the Sunnie beames vpon a lucid clowd concaue and waterish Clowdes are engendred of the marine vapours or exhalation of the seas where the vapoural parts of the Ocean are attracted by the vertue of the Sun which conglomerated togeather engender a clowd when the brackishnes of the Sea-water is turned to sweetnes And so was our Ladie a true clowd since in her were found these marine vapours that is incredible tribulations bitter and brackish of themselues though to her made sweet through the force and vertue of Diuine Loue. The Sunnie beames therefore that is the grace of GOD being a ray as it were of the Diuine Essence reflecting on the purest Virgin a lucid clowd concaue and waterish produced the Iris or Rainebow in the Hierarchie of the Church as in the firmament of the Heauens and therefore called the Iris or Celestial Bow a signe of the Reconciliation of GOD with al mankind She was concaue through humilitie and therefore very apt to receaue the rayes of the Sunne of Iustice the influence of Diuine graces as she was waterish no lesse through compassion and pietie because her hart was a Spring and her eyes as continual-standing pooles of teares A bow commonly hath a string is bent with an arrow in it and hath the horns conuerted towards vs as menacing the Foes Our Blessed Vigin is a Bow indeed but without the string of seueritie because most iust and without menaces and feare because most sweet and hath two horns withal to wit Grace and Mercie which she holdeth towards vs while grace she affordeth to the iust and mercie to sinners and is therefore called the Mother of Grace and Mother of Mercie Aboue al the Rayne-bow hath its proper subsistence in coulour which it seemes to borrow as Bede sayth of the foure Elements For of the fire it contracts a ruddie coulour from the water a Cerulean from the ayre the coulour of the Hyacinth and from the earth the green it hath al which seeme spiritually to be found in our Celestial Bow the Incomparable Ladie for red she was being wholy inflamed with the fire of Diuine loue which she tooke from the Diuine fire God being our consuming fire a fire indeed that burns and consumes others but not her because although she were a bush and burning too yet incombustible She might borrow that coulour likewise from her dead Sonne as he lay on her lap being taken from the Crosse al bathed with his precious Bloud which mixed with her faire complexion might wel appeare like to flames in our heauenlie Iris. She had the Cerulean which is the coulour of the Sea because she is properly the Starre of the Sea and hath therefore a great correspondencie with that liquid Element and through meer compassion was become as it were al liquid according to that of the Psalmist My hart is become as dissolued or liquifyed wax as wel for the abundance of teares she was wont to shed as the puritie of her mind which made them so limpid and cleare She had thirdly the coulour of the Hyacinth which she tooke as from the ayre since al her conuersation was in the ayre as it were abstracted from the earth or terrene cogitations She was wholy as the Bird of Paradise which hath no feet to touch the earth with from the time that her Sonne ascended to heauen from the mount Oliuet she could do nothing but cast vp her eyes thither-wards and so powerfully perhaps contracted that coulour through the vehemencie of her attention and application to that object til her Assumption haply when she left it by the way in her Bow to remayne for euer as a signe of her puritie But now to conclude with the green which she tooke from the earth what might it be but a continual Spring of al Graces and Vertues which she practised on earth Looke into a garden in that season of the Spring and whatsoever your eyes can behold truly delicious there in the greennes of the plots and arbours both open and close and in the green-sword allies and bancks your vnderstanding shal be able to paralel and find-out her vertuous conuersation on earth For if you consider her green walks they were al as streight as garden-walks for streight were the paths of her whole life If on the arbours you shal find her continually in her closet her plots were nothing els but how to become more gratful to her Sonne her Spouse her Lord and those alwayes new euer green so as in the garden of her mind was a perpetual Spring to be seen of al vertues while she liued amongst vs no maruel then the green was so dear vnto her to be put into her bow THE EMBLEME THE POESIE FRom heauen the Father viewes his Sonne below Vpon the Crosse as on a clowde a Bowe When vapours from the earth exhal'd arise The Mother likewise sees with mourning eyes Her Sonne al black blew pale wan red Green with a crowne of thornes fixt on his head Al which reflect by reflexion die The Mother like a Raine-bow in the skie To her for mercie when the Sinner sues The Sonne his Mother as a Raine-bow viewes That pleades for mercie to her Sonne appeales Who signes the Pardon and his Wounds are Seales THE THEORIES COntemplate first that if Nature be able to frame so rare a peece of workmanship as the Rayne-bow and that no wit of man can truly comprehend the reasō of its forme and figure with the admirable diuersitie of coulours in it so as among her other works most choice and rare the same is accounted as a cheef miracle in Nature in the visible Heauens I imagin the while what GOD himself is able to doe in his works of Grace being disposed as it were to vye with Nature in framing an Iris likewise in this Heauen of Heauēs to astonish not Mortals only but the Angels and blessed Spirits themselues better able to iudge of the diuersitie of coulours in her to wit the mysteries and graces wherewith he hath adorned her Consider then that as the Rayne-bow of it-self is no more then a meer Meteor in the ayre if it be so much whose whole luster it takes from the Sun and vanisheh as soone as he is either in a clowd or hath his aspect some other way since it is wholy of him and so of him as
It is the manner in al countries likely in doubtful wayes especially where they seeme to crosse one another to set vp Pillars with hands directing and pointing this way or that way and you wil not beleeue what comfort it affords to wearie Pilgrims whose euerie step out of their right way is a greeuous corrasiue to them The Kings had a Starre as companion in their pilgrimage to the Crib And the Pastours of the Church are as so manie Starres to leade their Sheep and to guide their subiects in the pilgrimages of their owne saluation When the hauens are crooked and perilous to passe to and fro the publick care of common safeties in the night especially prouides some burning torch or other vpon some turret-top to admonish the Marriners where they are and fayrly to guide and direct them into the wished port This same prouision hath the Wisedome likewise of the great CREATOVR found out to comfort and direct vs no lesse in the open Seas exposing a certain Starre among the rest as a sure and infallible Pharus But more truly and abundantly farre in ordaining the Incomparable Virgin Marie his blessed Mother to be our Starre in the dangerous and tempestuous Sea of the world and therefore is heer very truly sayd in the Motto IN ITINERE PHARVS THE ESSAY THE Starres as sowne vp and downe the Heauens are the thicker and massiue parts of Heauen certain Buttons of Crystal as it were which serue as a grace and entertainment to Heauen By these siluer channels Nature distills her influences vpon vs and insensibly distributes fauours They are the eyes of Nature which without cease serue vs as a Court-of-guard for watchfulnes the Iewels of Nature wherewith ordinarily she dresses herself Sometimes they send forth their fire rayes sometimes they ecclipse their beautie and strip themselues of al refulgence There are some who can punctually tel you the course and trauails of the Starres their aspects their encounters and their fruits the marriages and diuorces of the Planets their defects and ecclipses their risings their settings their asceÌ„dants their coniunctions and the whole â—economie of the Heauens For the swiftnes of their motions it is a thing almost incredible what they write that one Starre in the firmament should goe 200000. Italian miles in a minute of an hower so as neither the flight of a bird nor force of an arrow nor the furious shot of a CanoÌ„ nor anie thing of the world can approach or come neere the imaginable swiftnes of these Starres bus yet most true Besides al this there is no Starre thahath not a particular vertue with it though vnt knowne to vs. The clowded Starres cause infallibly rayne others frost some snow others shead abundant deawes some sow their hayle others open the mouth and gates of the winds others fold the world in clowds others send downe mistie fogs and others contribute to the production and generation of Minerals and when the Sun and the Canicular Starre are in coniunction and match togeather the world burnes with outrageous heats It is a dreadful thing to consider the greatnes of these Starres their distaÌ„ce in the Heauens and the inexplicable swiftnes of their courses and reuolutions You shal haue a Starre which shewes no bigger then a crowne that is a â—15 times greater then the earth Goodnes of GOD Who would imagin this beautie to see such a Boule of Cristal al of fire to cast downe here beneath a thousand benedictions on the earth by meanes of its rayes and the sweetnes of its influences THE DISCOVRSE THvs farre then of Starres in general which being thus decyphered may seeme as so manie glorious Suns in the Firmament of the Heauens but are indeed as the Common-people of that Celestial Citie and Kingdome compared with the Sun himself sitting in the midst of Planets as the King of Heauen to whom al the rest of Starres make vp a Court among whom as a choice Hester is one especially selected by that great Assuerus of Starres to cast his most amorous glances and fayrest influence vpon This happie and auspicious Starre is knowne and called by diuers names according to the offices she discharges in the great Assuerus his house For first is she stiled by the name of Venus not as the Goddesse of Loue which the Poets feigne but for that she disposes them to loue whom she lwayes and exercises her vertues on Secondly she is called the Morning-Starre because she shewes and declares the Morning now at hand and euen begins the same herself with her burning torch to glad the world withal who then begins to shake off sleepe and disperse the mistie vapours which so long had shadowed clowded ouer the Gemell Starres or Eyes of the Microcosmes of men Thirdly they cal her Lucifer in that her light exceeds so much the other Starres so as wel she may be sayd the Hester of theÌ„ al. And fourthly she is tearmed the Hesperus for as much as she respects the ensuing night and greatly illustrats the same with her more then ordinarie splendour and light so as she glads the world therewith drawes al eyes to gaze vpon her Such is this special Starre indeed the glorie of the Heauenlie Orbs but loe we haue another Starre in hand dwelling in the vpper Region of the Empyreal Heauens that greatly symbolizes with this but as farre exceeds it Analogically speaking as the great Assuerus Sun of Iustice excelles the same of this our Firmament or as much as this same Firmament itself where GOD eternally raignes in his Empyreal and Celestial Court to whom I say these seueral titles may aptly agree according to these other things which are sayd of her I am the Mother of faire dilection of feare of knowledge of holie hope This Starre is the blessed Virgin that may wel be tearmed Venus because she enflames mens harts with Diuine loue and therefore is sayd to be the Mother of faire dilection Then the Morning-Starre for that she is the beginning of a new life as the morning is the commencement of the ensuing day and therefore of feare For feare is the beginning of grace and of a new life according to that of the Psalmist The feare of GOD is the beginning of wisedome Againe she is sayd to be the Lucifer for that she giues the beginning of Diuine knowledge and so is the Mother of knowledge And lastly Hesperus since she so piously regards and illumines sinners who are in the darknes of wickednes and sinne and for that cause is fayd to be the Mother of holie hope She is likewise called the Morning-Starre because appearing to Mortals she is the most certain and infallible signe of the approach of the day of grace and rising of the Sun of Iustice This Starre besides is called the Starre of the Sea and that most fitly if Philo most skilful of the Hebrew tongue be worthie to be beleeued to whose interpretation Beda assents and the
was in his seaty my Nard gaue forth an odour to wit her Humilitie And these are the Lillies Virginitie Humilitie and Charitie which cheefly inuironed the Blessed Virgin while her litle IESVS was hanging at her breast being fed among Lillies for if these be not Lillies what are they Againe the Lillie hath a streight stem or stalk tending wholy and directed vpwards but the leaues pendant and hanging downwards and the Virgins mind like a staf was alwayes streight and tending to GOD in yealding him thanks for his benefits and euer magnifying his holie Name For as the Lillie whatsoeuer odour and candour it hath directs it to heauen-wards So MARIE what sanctitie or grace soeuer she had offered it vp al vnto GOD But for the leaues her words they were alwayes bent to the earth in speaking perpetually most humbly of herself Whence sayd she so affectuously My soule doth magnify our Lord behold the stem of this Lillie how streight it was and how directly ascended to the Heauens But see the leaues now and marke how they looke downwards He hath regarded the lowlines of his handmayd and the like The Lillie besides is alwayes fragrant and of a most sweet odour and our Lillie was perfumed with an odoriferous oyntment which made her so fragrant and redolent composed of three odoriferous spices aromatizing as Balme Mirrh and Cinamon For she was Embalmed by the Diuinitie when the Deitie was lodged in her spiced with Mirrh through the guift of Angelical puritie and Virginitie and enflamed with a sweet Diuine loue which is as the powder of Cinamon heer vnderstood hot in smel and tast hot in smel and therefore as loue draw me with the odour of thy Oyntments to wit with the loue of thy heauenlie graces hot in tast and therefore Diuine because we are bid to see and tast how sweet our Lord is Of which oyntment it is sayd in the Canticles The odour of thine oyntments is beyond al spices Besides the Lillie hath the root and stem six-square or corner-wise So the root of Charitie in this Paragon hath six points with it the first a loue of GOD aboue al things the second wherewith she loued her owne soule conseruing the same in al sanctitie the third wherewith she loued her bodie keeping it entirely for the Diuinitie the fourth wherewith she loued her domesticks and familiars instructing them in al vertue the fift wherewith she loued her friends in GOD The last wherewith she loued her enemies for GOD. And to conclude as the Bed-chambers of Kings are adorned with Lillies that they may rest more deliciously among them so the Virgin not the Chamber only of a King but of GOD also was dressed-vp and beset al with Lillies round-about according to that Thy womb as a heap of corn hedged-in with Lillies for she was al encompassed with Lillies aboue being enclosed with the Lillie of eminent Charitie beneath with the Lillie of profund Humilitie inwardly with the Lillie of internal Puritie outwardly with the Lillie of Virginitie on the right hand with the Lillie of Temperance in prosperitie on the left with the Lillie of Patience in aduersitie before with the Lillie of Prouidence in future things behind with the Lillie of Gratitude for passed benefits And since she was so enuironed and enclosed with Lillies of al sides the Church sings of her As the dayes of the Spring doe the flowers of the roses enuiron her round Among which flowers of Roses and Lillies the Beloued that is CHRIST is feeding My beloued to me and I to him who seeds among the Lillies THE EMBLEME THE POESIE A Pure-white Lillie like a siluer Cup The sacred Virgin humbly offers vp Her constant stedfast lowlie Hart the foot Which al supports is like this flower 's root The stemme her right Intention the bole The flower itself is her chast spotlesse Soule The yellow knobbes which sprowting forth are seen Isradiant Loue which guild's her Cup within In lieu of liquides is a fragrant sent Her vertues odours which she doth present Her Sonne accepts al that she offers vp GOD Part of her inheritance Cup. THE THEORIES Contemplate first how al thorns conceaue but thorns For what should thorns conceaue but meerly thorns Corrupt mothers bring forth into the world but men which meerly are but men and sinners But the Virgin-Mother conceaued the Holie of Holies She now a Lillie conceaued and afterwards produced the true Lillie of the vallies a Lillie of Virginitie the Lillie of Maiestie through whose candour is darknes expelled with whose odour are raysed the dead with whose touch are the leaprous cleansed and al the infirme and diseased cured And therefore how much this Lillie of ours is to be exalted aboue al the other Daughters iudge you and ponder it wel Consider then that though there were manie other Virgins besides conspicuons and eminent for sanctitie yet were as thorns for that they had some blemish in them since howbeit they were pure in themselues yet the fomes of sinne was not extinguished in them who were indeed as thorns to others that haue been touched and incited with concupiscence towards them Wheras the Virgin-Mother was wholy priuiledged from al guilt in whom was that fomes altogeather extinguished and was accomplished with so intense a Chastitie that with her inestimable Virginal puritie she so penetrated the harts of the beholders as she could not be coueted of anie but for the time rather extinguished al lust of concupiscence in them O beautie of Virginitie and Humilitie wherewith the Sonne of GOD was so allured and rauished Ponder lastly that as the Lillie hath a most efficacious vertue against leaprosie vlcers and the holiefire as also against the stinging of serpents So the blessed Virgin being conceaued as a Lillie was endued with such vertue of the Diuine grace that neither the leaprosie of Original sinne the fire of concupiscence nor the biting of the old Serpent could anie wayes hurt her THE APOSTROPHE O Lillie of Lillies and next the Lillie thy dearest Sonne the purest of al Lillies Alas most pure and immaculat Virgin shal I alwayes liue in the flauerie and seruitude of this impure flesh of mine And shal I euer be troubled and vexed with these vnchast cogitations and impure apprehensions which so macerate my vnwilling soule Oh thou eleuated and raysed aboue al pare creatures most blessed Virgin I say Blessed with al benediction how long Alas how shal I sustaine the bodie of this death this impure thistle of the bodie with its thorns Alas when shal I be deliuered and rid therof THE IV. SYMBOL THE VIOLET THE DEVISE THE CHARACTER THE Violet is truly the Hermitesse of flowers affecting woods and forests where in a lowlie humilitie mixt with solicitude she leads a life delicious in herself though not so specious to the eye because obscure She is a great companion to the Primrose and they little lesse then sworne sisters with whom when she is
of Heauens and she as manie points It is a verie Mart of silks sarcenets taffeties and satins al of Gingeline in graine because in fashion If the Rose excel in sauour which she professes not to vtter in her shop she vowes to be more loyal and constant to her Paramour then it She is so amourous dotes so much vpon him that she can not liue without his conuersation which she hath so much as she almost is turn'd and quite metamorphosied into him and now become already in the Garden what he is in his Zodiack the true and real flower of the Sun or Sun of Flowers as he himself the Sun of starres or that great Starre they cal a Sun It is the true Alferes of hearbs bearing vp the standard of Flora amidst the rest of flowers the Pharus to direct the GardeÌ„-Nimphs wheÌ„ they loose themselues in the labyrinth of flowrie knots or Maze of flowers the Beacon al on fire to giue warning to the rest of flowers of the arising of the Sun to beware of his parching rayes for feare of withering before their times It is euen the Daphne of flowers whom Phoehus followes al the day and if she fly she hath her eye on her shoulder to looke behind her as she runnes THE MORALS AD ME CONVERSIO EIVS PIctures likely are so framed that be you in the roome in anie part they wil seeme to look vpon you Looke where the Panther is in woods and forests there wil commonly other beasts resort to look and gaze vpon him whether it be the beautie of his spotted coat or sweetnes of his breath which attracts I know not but this is sure the effect is so as I haue heard The Turtle seemes to haue no eye but for his mate and where they sit togeather their eyes wil be as glued vpon each other The Pole that drawes the Needle to it the load-stone that attracts the iron the ieat that puls the fescue what is it el's but a natural instinct or Moral rather I may say of more then mutual loue that makes the one so powerfully to allure and the other to be so easie and wiling to be drawne This I am sure of Vertue is so specious and so goodlie a thing that it drawes the eyes of al to look vpon her and where they haue not harts to follow her faire steps yet wil they stand to gaze vpon her and admire at least The litle IESVS lying in the Crib like a Loadstone drew the Shepheards from their flocks Kings from their peoples a Starre from the rest of the fellowship of starres yea euen the Angels from the Heauens to sing a Gloria in excelsis vnto God and peace to men What trow you but a secret instinct that could be no lesse then HeaueÌ„lie and Diuine made so great a conuersion of Terrestrials and Celestials to a litle Infant And as for the Mother her self that held him in her lap the while she before sitting in her little Nazareth obscure drew so the eyes of the Almightie to her that He could not choose but so conuert himself vnto her as to descend and lodge within her and she truly say AD ME CONVERSIO EIVS THE ESSAY THE honour of our Gardens and the miracle of flowers at this day is the Heliotropion or Flower of the Sun be it for the height of its stem approaching to the heauens some cubits high or beautie of the flower being as big as a man's head with a faire ruff on the neck or for the number of the leaues or yellow vying with the marigold or which is more for al the qualities nature and properties of the Flower which is to wheel about with the Sun there being no Needle that more punctually regards the Poles then doth this Flower the glorious Sun For in the morning it beholds his rising in his iourney attends vpon him and eyeth him stil wheresoeuer he goes nor euer leaues following him til he sink downe ouer head and eares in Tethis's bed when not being able to behold him anie longer she droops and languishes til he arise and then followes him againe to his old lodging as constantly as euer with him it riseth with him it falles and with him riseth againe Nature hath donne wel in not affording it anie odour at al for with so much beautie and admirable singularities had there been odour infused therinto and the sweetnesse of odoriferous flowers withal euen men who are now half mad in adoring the same for its excellent guifts would then haue been stark mad indeed with doting vpon it But Nature it seemes when first she framed a pattern for the rest not being throughly resolued what to make it tree or flower hauing brought her workmanship almost vnto the top after a litle pause perhaps at al aduenture put a flower vpon it and so for haste forgot to put the Musks into it Whervpon to countervaile her neglect heerin the benigne Sol of meer regard and true compassion graced her by his frequent and assiduous looke with those golden rayes it hath And as the Sun shewes himself to be enamoured with her she as reason would is no lesse taken with his beautie and by her wil if by looks we may guesse of the wil would faine be with him But like an Estrich with its leaues as wings it makes vnprofitable offers to mount vp vnto him and to dwel with him but being tyed by the root it doth but offer and no more It is like the Scepter which the Paynâ—ms attribute to their Deitie that beares an Eye on the top while this flower is nothing els but an Eye set on the point of its stem not to regard the affayres of Mortals so much as to eye the Immortal Sunne with its whole propension the midle of which flower where the seed is as the white of the eye is like a Turkie-carpet or some finer cloth wrought with curious needle-work which is al she hath to entertaine her Paramour THE DISCOVRSE COuld there be deuised a more noble Symbol of our Incomparable LADIE then this flower regarding indeed the true Sunne 〈◊〉 Iustice whom she followed stil in the wholâ— course of her life vnto her death Therefore whom we haue already represented as a Rose Lillie and Violet let vs now contemplate as a true Heliotropion Compare we then first by certain Analogies the Sunne being the king of Planets with the Sunne of Iustice King of the Sunne and Planets and the Heliotropion with the Virgin Marie The Sun chief of Planets fils the earth with his influences the Sun of Iustice the world with the effects of his power The Sun of Planets is the First cause among the Seconds the Sun of Iustice the First before them al that trauerses al places this penetrates al harts that lends his light to the moon and starres this giues both life and being to al creatures The Sun the Planet is the origin of life the Sun of Iustice
highest order of the blessed Spirits THE MORALS CAPACITATIS IMMENSAE THat great Galleasse or Argosey of Noe clapt vnder hatches the Epitome of the world which yet virtually contained that vast volume or tome of the greater World The Troyan horse held a whole Ambuscado in his bellie of warlick Grecians in compleat armour Yea the Eye of man though de facto it reach no farther then the Hemisphere only yet of itself is able to extend to the ful immensitie of the whole Sphear were it placed as Center therof But that were to make the Heauens the visible Obiect of the Eye only I wil then go further The Hart of man as it is how litle soeuer if it be wel purged is able to walke through the heauenlie vaults both aboue and beneath I meane contemplate the Starres and Spirits themselues with the immense capacitie of that wast dwelling of theirs But what were al this but a meer extension and perlustration of the mind only wholy occupyed in measuring Intellectual Obiects It is the Local continencie I meane as the kernel is contained in the shel and the like I say that great Amphitheater of Pompey was but a nutshel as it were of so manie sonnes of men compared with the Globe of the Earth and the earth with the Zodiack of the Sun and the Sun againe being paraleld with GOD himself It is GOD only who truly beholds al Obiects both Intellectual and Visible and truly containes them al being present to al comprehends al is Al in Al. And yet this great AL whom the Heauen of Heauens can not coÌ„taine hath the Virgin-Womb of the immaculate Mother of God conceaned and held in her lap as the Church sings an therefore is sayd to be and that most rightly and worthily too CAPACITATIS IMMENSAE THE ESSAY THe Heauens with their circuit cloathe and mantle al the world with the sweetnes of their influences nourish the same and distil a life into it They are the House of GOD the floare and pauiment of Paradise the Garden of the Angels al beset with starres insteed of flowers with an eternal Spring the Temple of the Diuinitie and the azured Vault of the Vniuers The number of the Heauens hath not alwayes been agreed vpon for one while they beleeued there was but one onlie wherin the â—tarres did sweetly glide heer and there and glance along as in a liquid cristal floud Sometimes haue they allowed of eight by reason of so manie diuers Motions and Agitations very different in them then nine then ten and then eleuen and if perhaps some new Galâ—laeus should deuise and frame vs other spectacles or opticons to see with we are in danger to find out yet some new Starres and Heauens neuer dreamed of before This round Machine makes its circular reuolutions through an vnspeakable swiftnes But that is a meer tale which Plato tels to busie mens braynes with to say the Starres and Heauens yeald a sound or delicicus melodie through their motion and stirring vp and downe whereas truly the sweet sliding and shuffling of the Heauens the accords so discordant of contrarie motions those sweet coniunctions and diuorces of Starres is it truly which is called the sweet harmonie of the Heauens They would likewise make vs beleeue the Heauens were al engraued ouer because the Zodiack is composed and distinguished into twelue Figures of Beasts therin cut as with a chisel and the whole Figure and face of Heauen were as fully stockt with beasts carued and fashioned so to beautify the Heauens and therefore wil some haue Caelum to take its denomination from caelatum as much to say as carued and engraued But in effect are nothing els but certain assemblies and congregations of Starres togeather which the fantasies of men hath fashioned in Figures and Constellations which being so taken resemble some kinds of beasts but in truth haue so smal resemblance with them as that which they cal a Beare might as wel be tearmed an Ape and Necessitie makes vs to accept it for good coyne and GOD himself with Iob makes vse of such manner of speach in naming them Orion the Hyades and the like This great Bowle of the Heauens roules and turnes about an Axeltree fixt in a certain place and flyes with the winged swiftnes it hath the Angel giues it the whirle about and makes it turne round according to the Diuine prouidence crowning the world with its vaulted Arch enameled al with starres THE DISCOVRSE THvs are the Heauens expressed in themselues and now let vs seeke another Heauen these ancients neuer dreamed of One Authour diuides the Heauens into seauen parts the Aërean Aetherean Olympian Firie Firmamental Waterie and Empyreal But we wil content ourselues with these three only the Syderean the Cristalin and Empyreal And for the first we shal find our Queene of Heauen to be so the Queene therof as she is a Syderean or Starrie Heauen herself if we regard but the ornaments she is decked with as so manie starres For as that Heauen is adorned with varietie of Starres so she with diuersitie of al Vertues The beautie of HeaueÌ„ to wit of Marie is the celestial glorie of the Starres that is the glorious varietie of al Vertues For as for the ornaments of this Heauen it is sayd in the Apocalyps She had a crowne of twelue starres vpon her head Now in this nuÌ„ber of Twelue is a double nuÌ„ber of Six which is the number of Perfection and signifyes the Saints as wel those which are in glorie Celestial Paradise as those who are as yet on their way thither who al honour crowne and adore this blessed Virgin as their Queene and Ladie For as the Heauen with its proper Orb and certain reuolutions carries al the mouing starres along with it so she induceth al the Saints to ioyne in intercession with her The Cristalline Heauen she is being a Heauen as composed of the waters aboue the heauens which is hardned as it were made solid like Cristal the matter being nothing els but waters hardned and condensed as some think not much vnlike to the crust of Cristal which is solid lucid and most pure And so the waters of our Ladie were solid that is her Vertues were confirmed and lucid that is transparent because through them she might contemplate and behold the glorie of GOD according to that But we with face reuealed shal speculate the glorie of GOD. The forme of this Cristalline Heauen is Spheral and round which is truly the most Capacious the Perfectest and Fairest of al figures so is she most Capacious as becomes the habitatioÌ„ of GOD according as the Church deliuers WhoÌ„ the HeaueÌ„s could not containe hast thou held in thy Womb the Perfectest because endued with al vertues In me is grace of the way veritie most Faire because stained with no blot nor euer touched with anie blemish so much as Venial Thou art wholy faire my friend
works its owne peace Patience walkes aboue Nature so long as it is beneath itself Fortitude is troubled at nothing but for displeasing the Soueraigne Good and feares nothing but Sinne. Patience makes vse of Lawes for its onlie protection not for reuenge and its owne forces to eschew indignities and not to offer them If Fortitude haue a quarel in hand it regards not the arme but the cause not how stout it is but how innocent and where it hath equitie for warrant wel may it be maistered but not vanquished The contrarie euents do only exercise but not affright it and whensoeuer it is pressed with afflictiō it acknowledgeth the inuisible hand to be ouer it that layes very sensible scourges vpon it against which it dares not rebel or murmur a whit This stout Patience then or patient Fortitude this Heroical constancie I say the glorious Virgin had through the whole course of her blessed life but especially in bearing the dolours of her Sonne 's passiō so equal and perseuering so long at the foot of the Crosse and not fainting the while but remaining firme on her feet so victorious a Palme of Cades as wel might she say indeed DEPRESSA RESVRGENS THE ESSAY THE Palme of trees is it that beares away the palme It is euen the Tower of Plants both for height and strength at once for if the Pine be higher it is the weaker if the Oak be stronger it is nothing neer so high and therefore with Antiquitie it was the Symbol of constancie and victorie It is as I may say the Phenix of trees with which it hath such simpathies as what with the Etimologie of the name being the same in Greek and the faire correspondencies they haue with each other in Authours they are much confounded And for the Phenix she wil neast herself in none other The Palmes are likewise the Turtles amōg trees for they are Male and Female as they they match and payre togeather as they and are as loyal as they and ful as chast as they For in the absence of each other they produce no fruit and yet wherin they much exceed the Turtles they bring thē forth without cōtaction of branch or root but it is enough that they enioy each others companie and so great a sympathie they haue withal that if they be transplanted from each other they mourne and languish likewise if not dye The Palme is euen the Magazin of al prouisions for the vse and sustentation of man The Indians haue need of manie things and lo the Palme supplyes thē al so as if anie one be industrious among them or anie thing be very profitable they wil say immediately Behold the Palme It affords them oyle wine and bread as they hādle it with the leaues they couer their houses as we with tiles they write theron insteed of paper if they put themselues to sea the Palmes doe furnish them with al things necessarie thereto and not only with victuals but euen the very vessel in itself is nothing els but Palme The trunck and branches yeald them masts and boards the leaues being wouen make vp their sayles with the bark they frame their tacklings and cordage So as not without some miracle as it were may you say when you see a Man-of-warre of theirs or a marchant's ship behold a Palme how it rides vpon the seas THE DISCOVRSE BEhold heer the true triumphant Palme indeed the Queen of Heauen who notwithstanding al her combats and bitter agonies in the passion of her Sonne yet stil she triumphed ouer al especially in her glorious Assumption I am exalted as a Palme in Cades that is in my Assumption since Cades is interpreted Translation for who sees not the Assumption of the Mother of GOD to be nothing els but a certain translation of her frō this Militant to the Triumphant Church A Palme being oppressed with a heauie weight was put vp in the Obsequies of Marguerit of Austria with this Deuise Subacta mole resurgo representing therin how the Iust shal arise at the last Resurrection like the Palme more faire and beautiful then before though formerly oppressed by the burden of death and of human necessitie And so was it with our incomparable Ladie in an eminent degree especially I say at her glorious Assumption Among the Palmes there are Male and Female and the Female neuer brings forth fruits but standing opposit by her Male and hence it is that two Palmes being planted by two banck-sides of a riuer are the Hieroglifick of Nuptials with Valerius especially say I of the Spiritual Nuptials between the Spouse his Spouse between Christ and his blessed Mother Amōg these Palmes likewise is noted this difference that the Male growes and flourishes sooner then the Femal and so fares it heer with our two Palmes our Sauiour Christ and his deare Mother Where of the first sayth the Prophet The iust shal flourish like the Palme And the latter sayth of herself I am exalted like a Palme in Cades with this difference that Christ much sooner then his Mother arising to immortal life seemed to flourish sooner as he testifyes of himself And my flesh hath flourished But the blessed Virgin dying some yeares afterwards and gloriously resuscitated did flourish indeed but so as after him It is sayd moreouer that though the Palme grow higher then manie trees yet neuer arriues it to the height of the Cedar So likewise though our mystical Palme our admirable Ladie were raysed and exalted so high as she far transcended the glorie of al men and Angels yet to the height of the glorie of Christ very aptly signified by the Cedar was she neuer assumpted as wel for sublimitie as innated incorruptibilitie because our Lord Christ as wel in the Triumphant as Militant Church is the Head of the mystical Bodie whereof his Mother was a member only though the noblest part of al as being the neck Heerto may be added that prettie Deuise of Mark Anthonie being this a Pillar wreathed and composed about with two branches the one of Palme the other of Cypresse with this Motto Erit altera merces signifying thereby the recompence of a generous man was either a noble Victorie or an honourable Death for that the Palme representing victorie the Cypresse of the other side is a Symbol of death being ordinarily vsed in the Funerals and Sepulchers of the dead So was al the life of the blessed Virgin a perpetual standing pillar or Trophey as is were of incredible Mysteries especially in the palme of her glorious Assumption yet by the meanes of the Cypresse of her death since that was to be the way and the next step to her highest aduancement and the greatest victorie of al. The Palme is sharp and rough beneath but smooth and handsome aboue wherein S. Gregorie sayth in his Morals the life of the iust man is aptly represented being bitter and rough in the exteriour shew and in the sensitiue part but yet
himself was not contriued without them both And first for the Dining-roome King Salomon made him a Throne of the wood of Libanus which woodē Throne was the blessed Virgin because the heauenlie Prince and bride-groome sate and lay sweetly reposed in her armes and wombe delightful vnto him while he took flesh of her She was a Bride-chamber because a golden couch For as gold is beautiful incorruptible and refulgent So was her vertue golden because beautiful for sinceritie of manners incorruptible through priuiledge of Virginitie and refulgent for her luster of Vertues O how beautiful behold the beautie of her manners Chast generation see the priuiledge of Virginitie With clarity note the luster of Vertues Consider then that as a House hath also Galleries for recreation and delight so had our Mystical House heer delicious galleries to walke in and for varietie three to wit the lower the middle and the vpper gallerie The lower was sustained with siluer pillars and therefore is it sayd that wisedome erected siluer pillars The middle was paued with precious stones according to that The middle was strewed with charitie The highest was hangd with silks and purples and therefore is added a purple ascent The lower gallerie of this virginal house was the precious bodie of the Virgin the middle her purest soule and the highest her sublime and Angelical spirit Her bodie was the lower gallerie because her sensualitie was neuer prone to euil but alwayes cōformable to reason Her soule the second because strewed with precious stones that is Diuine vertues Her Spirit was the vpper gallerie adorned with purple hāgings for being so enflamed with charitie or wounded with the sorrow of her Sonne 's passion or sprinckled with his bloud Ponder lastly as a house especially the Pallace of Kings requires to be spacious and ample so was this House our Ladie being the House of GOD most spacious wide according to that which the Church sings of her Whom the heauens can not containe hast thou held in thy lap Secondly wide and ample in cōpassion while she receaues al and refuseth none into the bowels of her mercie receauing the tempted in prtoecting them from the snares of the Diuel Sinners in obtaining mercie and grace for them the Iust in conseruing thē in grace obtained and lastly the Dying in receauing their soules into her protection and therefore sayd to be Mother of grace and mother of mercie THE APOSTROPHE O Sacred House Temple of the Diuinitie Diuine Tabernacle of the liuing GOD A work surely much greater thē the workmāship of the world besides O sacred Pallace framed by the Diuine hand with admirable art and most exquisit choice matter a peece of workmāship without peer erected by the Diuine Wisedome imputrible Arck incorruptible vessel Celestial Tēple Cittie of God Oh what glorious things are sayd of thee Thou wast ordained eternally before the earth was made The Lord hath possessed thee frō the beginning of his wayes thou wast before his works Thou wast begot when as yet there was no abysses seen thou wast formed before moūtaines were yet placed Whē he prepared the heauēs was thou presēt By al the se faire prerogatiues we beseech thee Incōparable peece of his handie work so lōg designed premeditated before hād so exactly framed at last to his owne Idea designe that in vs likewise his eternal designe of predestinatiō through our defaults may not vtterly perish THE XVI SYMBOL THE HEN. THE DEVISE THE CHARACTER THE Hen is that gentle Hart that contents herself with the common Apellatiue of her sex as others ambitiously vsurp strange titles as in Hawkes for males or females as the māner is to be called Ladie Mistris the like she wil go no higher then the stile of plaine Goodwif be called the Hen and wil take it amisse to be termed otherwise Yet is she the dear consort of the generous Chantecler and his deerest beloued partner and most indiuidual cōpanion She is very familiar and domestical and that so truly as she wil neuer goe from home so much as a flights shot But is so kind-harted to al especially to her owne children as she hath not a dish which she shares not among them It is sport to see how she knocks to her dresser to haue thē come quickly if she haue but a bit worth the eating and then to see what strife there wil be amōgst the litle fry of them for a single graine of corn as the ambitious of the world for a Crowne scepter or as Caesar and Pompey for the Empire and Dictatourship of Rome itself while the Hen falles a deluing and digging afresh for more She wil be as fierce as a Tigre or Nemean Lionesse against the assassinats who are so bold at to seaze on her familie when she wil bristle her self and fly in the faces of the cruelest Bandites that are of the lād or Pirats of the ayre on behalf of her brood and triumph as fast if she come but handsomly off with her owne And then must al the world take notice of her conquests and she be recounting the same to her deer consort who wil swel therat and bristle as fast and euen menace the skyes in his greatestcholer She is no great Arithmetician and hath but a shallow memorie for she neuer knowes how manie yong she hath so she haue anie at al she is pleased alike She loues not her children so much as the name of Mother which holds in one as wel as a 100. She is not a Castle or Bulwark which keep their stands attending the assailants but as a Pinck at sea wel man'd wil meet and encounter the Aduersaries themselues and defye them to their teeth and with the sayles of her wings wil seeme to fetch the wind of them to fly the fuller into their faces But if she be let alone and not prouoked there is noe Doue more meek and gentle them she THE MORALS TVTELA FIDISSIMA IT is hard to say which is better to giue protection to others or to find it for themselues this am I sure of the first is more specious and glorious the latter more happie and secure It is sayd indeed Beatius est dare quà m accipere because it is supposed who hath to giue hath otherwise no need to craue wherin the beatitude consists wheras who finds protection now was of late in distresse or feare of danger so as though he hath the happines now to dry vp his waterie eyes yet not the priuiledge to haue them neuer to dry To giue protectiō inuolues a power to be able to afford it to take the same implyes a necessite to recurre vnto it the first hath a kind of obligation with it if not of iustice of charitie at least to yeald his succours in which estate he euer stands cōsequently in a state of seruitude because obliged But the secōd discouers his impotencie only and
in the dust which especially they do for three causes as wel by busking therinto satisfy the itching they haue in thēselues to mēd their plumes feathers as also to shakeoff the venī about thē Our Hen likewise most willingly busked rould herself in herdust ashes also Dust is the beginning of humā generatiō the origin of our vile extractiō Ashes the verie Epilogue therof whence both are the Symbol of our birth end thēce Humilitie Al mē are earth ashes Why art thou proud thou earth ashes In these cogitations the like as in a heap of dust the most Blessed Virgin continually volued herself reuoluing nothing so much in mind as her dust and proper extraction Whence that Behold the handmayd of our Lord. God hath regarded the lowlines of his hand mayd But how then O mysterious Hen louest thou dust so wel hating al fowlnes and sordities so much Feltst thou the itching of Vanitie a whit that thou shouldst scrape in that sort No not the least itching of vaine ostentation infested thee the immaculate Virgin Or wouldst thou haue pranckt thy quils plumage of supernal affects It was not needful since they were without anie lets to hinder them at al. Or was thy intention to shake off at least any euil cogitations Not so likewise no such thing had euer accesse or ingresse into that purest mind No temptation of arrogancie ostentation or pride could euer find admittance there But truly this it was thou louedst Humilitie which thou knewest to be gratful and acceptable to thy Sonne which could no where more appeare then in the dust of human nullitie then in the ashes of mortalitie and thy proper annihilation An other reason may be also why thou diggest so in the dust of thy Nothing to find as Hens are wont in the dust some food more acceptable to them for this is a maine cause likewise of their so frequent scraping in the dust who knowes perhaps whether they may not light on a gemme or no for so it hath been knowne The most humble Virgin Marie indeed euen nourished herself with humilitie as a most sauourie food vnto her this she supposed to lye in the dust of her proper abiection and therefore with clawes of consideration neuer left she digging and scraping it forth nor was she anie whit deceaued the earth of her abstraction gaue her abundantly to feed most deliciously And which is more she found in so doing the precious gemme indeed which was so enamoured with her humilitie as he euen stoopt into the dust to be there found by this mysterious and blessed Hen. THE EMBLEME THE POESIE NO mother like the Hen preserues her yong Protects shelters with her wings her tongne Is clucking with a sad and doleful note Call's back her chickens when they are remote And if they come not chides sharp shril lowd With beck tallions fights for them Thus shrow'd OVirgin Mother while the Puttock flies The Prince of darknes who with watchful eyes Seekes for my Soule his prey The Hen is knowne Careful of al. Yet if she hath but one Her care 's as great So 's thine of one or other Then to me Sinner shew thy self a mother THE THEORIES COntemplate first the great magnanimitie of the Hen in defence of her chickens as aboue sayd And then reflect vpon the courage and fortitude of our victorious Patronesse the glorious Virgin especially in the protection likewise of her Children for to her enemies is she terrible as a battail wel arrayed As an armie wel marshalled is a terrour to the enemies and makes them fly at the sight thereof before they enter into fight so are the Diuels danted at the presence of this inuincible Champion standing in defence of her Clients and Children Consider then the great compassion of the Hen towards her yong which appeares in this that with the sick and infirme she wil be infirme she is so sollicitous in feeding them as she finds not a graine but she calles them to her to participate therof And for her care of preseruing them from danger she clucks them vnder her wings from the rapin of the kites and the like rauenous fowle And then weigh withal the tender compassion the Virgin-Mother hath euer shewen towards vs her Children and Seruants in being so sollicitous to feed vs while she was on earth with the food of her doctrine She hath opened her mouth in wisedome and the law of clemencie in her toung and for custodie how she hides vs vnder her wings and protects vs from the snares of the Diuel For this is she to whom was sayd that two great wings were giuen her The one the wing of Mercie to which Sinners do fly to be reconciled to GOD according to the Prophet Protect me vnder the shadow of thy wings The other that of Grace vnder which the Iust remaine to be conserued in grace and may say with him likewise She hath shadowed vs with her shoulders Ponder lastly how the Hen not only sits vpon her owne egs but sometimes strangers likewise as the egs of Ducks and pea-hens put into her nest which being hatched the Ducks according to kind wil betake themselues to the waters and there diue and plunge themselues ouer head and eares and the yong pea-hens enamoured with their owne beautie wil forsake their tender nurse that bred them vp And then weigh withal how manie strange and vngratful children our mysterious Hen the admirable Virgin cherishes and nurse with her daylie protection who requite her il for al her care in trayning them vp THE APOSTROPHE O Queen of Angels saluted hy the Archangel adored by the Powers of Heauen Mistrisse of Vertues Dutchesse of Principalities Ladie of Dominations Princesse of Thrones more highly aduanced then the Cherubins themselues more enflamed with ardour os Diuine loue then al the Seraphins The first next to God the second in the Role or Register of the Predestinate Thou most terrible to thy foes as an Host wel arrayed and yet infirme with the infirme as a Hen amid her chickens most tender of them a most sure bulwark for them against al incursions and assaults of forren and domestick enemies either visible or inuisible O thou who through thy Sonne and thy matchles humilitie hast crushed the Serpent's head through thy holie prayer and intercession I beseech thee let Sathan be trampled likewise vnder thy Seruants feet O grant this same mysterious and Indulgent Bird of Paradice THE XVII SYMBOL THE PEARL THE DEVISE THE CHARACTER THE Pearl or Margaret the Lillieamōg Iewels is the peerlesse Gemme of Nature so much happier then the rest as nobler descended then they this being bred in the womb of the sea and they in the bowels of the earth If they be stillicides from Heauen as some think they are the milkie drops distilled from Iuno's breast which Sol parcheth into seeds which seeds empearle in
and trim vp their nests or to seeke for the softest downes to prepare their beds with against the hatching of their yong So our Ladie the mystical Doue we treat of built not a whit nor placed her hart in the baser earth of terrene desires nor in the higher thrones of princelie Maiesties but euē in the wounds and passions of her dearest Sonne Arise my friend make hast my Doue I say make hast and come into the holes of the rock where our Doue is sayd to inhabit In the holes of the rock I say because in her thoughts and remembrance was she stil conuersant and lodged as it were in the wounds of Christ. Or we may say and not vnaptly to that Christ had sundrie nests to wit the Crib the Crosse and his Sepulcher or monument In these nests now of Christ our Doue would oftē inhabit because she would often visit these places with incredible ardour deuotions Of which opiniō is doubtles S. Hierom thoughhe say perhaps Perhaps sayth he through excesse of loue she is sayd to haue dwelt in the place where her Sonne was buryed For one hardly would beleeue how much internal loue and affection is fed with looks The Doue againe feeds not on the flesh of other fowles birds as some do but of the graynes of corne and that the select most choice of al. Nor was our Doue the blessed Virgin affected or giuen to terrene and worldlie things but to Celestial and eternal she fed not on the flesh-pots of Egipt nor yet of Manna being but only the bread of Angels but rather fed of the Bread of life the thing represented by that Manna she fed on the sweet thoughts of the Diuine Word it self Incarnate in her womb and fed of that grayne of corne wherof it is sayd Vnles the grayne of corne falling into the earth be mortifyed and dy c. This grayne of corne refreshes and satiats and therin may signify our Sauiour Christ according to the Psalmist He satiats thee with the fat of corne and hath rednes without in regard wherof may it signify the flesh of Christ agreable to that How red is thy garment c and besides is white within and expresseth the soule which is fulgent and bright with the candour and splendour of puritie For indeed it is the candour of light And therefore in the Canticles the Virgin sayth My heloued is white and red and chosen of a thousand White for his blessed and diuinifyed soule red for his precious flesh embrued with is bloud and the choice of a thousand for his soueraigne and supreme Diuinitie This Doue then fed of such a grayne because she was wholy and fully delighted with the Diuinitie and the Humanitie of Christ. And for her groanes the ordinarie musick of the Lyre of her hart they were the lamentable and sad accents which the Passion of her deer Sonne had caused in her For lo this Doue with the rest of that desolate and mourning flight of Maries her fellow-doues did nothing els but sigh and groane in beholding the onlie Pearl of doues her deerest Sonne in so piteous a plight so hampered and entangled in the fowler's nets Like Doues that meditate they groned sore as the Prophet sayth especially this Doue aboue the rest the incomparable Virgin-Doue being the natural Dam and parent of the poore distressed one most sadly powring forth a floud of teares without measure Whence S. Anselm sayth in a certain place My most merciful Ladie what fountains may I say brake forth of thy purest eyes when thou sawest thy onlie innocent Sonne to be scourged bound so cruelly entreated before thee and the flesh of thy flesh so mangled in thy sight what groanes shal I imagin thy breast sent forth the while when thou heardst him say Woman behold thy Sonne and agayne Behold thy mother For she could not see her Sonne to be so crucifyed without groanes and motherlie laments for her dying Sonne the ioy of her hart and hart of al her ioyes so pierced with a souldiers speare that euen transfixed withal the mothers breast a verie Niobe of teares or rather Noome of bitter groanes Now for the wing which so eternizeth the Doues and makes them most illustrious among fowles of the highest pitch this I note they loue not much to fly alone bur to assemble themselues in flights The blessed Virgin is that Woman cloathed with the sunne of whome it is sayd in the Apocalyps that two wings were giuen her to fly with in the desert which two wings are the wings of Loue and Hope wherewith she flyes into Heauen Who wil afford me wings as the Doue But yet she would not fly alone but draw others also to fly along with her to wit the Apostles during her life and through her example afterwards al other Saints They were accustomed of old the better to attract strange pigeons to their houses to vse this industrie or slight to annoynt some one tame and domestical Doue with an oyntment which they knew most grateful vnto them and so annoynted to let it fly at large when she so flying in the ayre through the fragrance of the odours about her would draw to her a number of them so she who first flew alone would returne back againe in triumphing manner The Virgin of herself alone at first was the onlie louer of vowed Chastitie who professed she knew not nor euer would know man This Doue then the heauenlie Fowler had sent forth into the ayre of the world as annoynted with the perfume of al graces and especially of Chastitie but now she flyes with an innumerable number of Virgins led by her example singing altogeather with one consent that verse We wil runne after the odour of thine oyntments the yong virgins haue loued thee O louelie Doue Lastly for the sitting of the Doue by the waters side heare what the Holie-Ghost in the Canticles sayth Thine eyes like Doues vpon riuer-waters which are washed with milk and sit by the fullest streames S. Hierom that great Contemplatour of Celestial Secrets vpon the Canticles speaking of this most holie Virgin how she was assumpted to Heauen sayth I saw one specious as a Doue ascending from the waters She was a beautiful Doue as it were because she shewed the forme and simplicitie of that Doue which came vpon Christ coming out of the streames of waters Now as the Doue is sayd to dwel vpon the streames as wel to discouer the shadow of the hawke as to refresh herself against the heats So the blessed Virgin rests abides vpon the fulnes of the flouds of the Holie-Ghost as wel to admonish her Deuotes to beware the Diabolical snares as to enioy the plenitude of the waters of the same Holie-Ghost to wit the guifts therof THE EMBLEME THE POESIE THE Holie-Ghost that nestles like a Doue Betwixt the Father the Sonne aboue Is flowne from Heauen to seek a mate below
aspirations of thy hart while contemplating with thyself this great rich Magazin of the treasures of Nature enclosed in this spacious and ample GARDEN of our SACRED PARTHENES thou enter into thyself a while gathering the fruits and flowers at least of good desires from the obiects themselues Not be a whit dismayd though they put thee to the blush to be taught thy dutie so from irrational and insensible things but yeald and submit thy hart to learne of each creature how to serue the common Creatour of vs al. And as thou walkest vp and downe taking a view of those curious knots of euer-flourishing and green hearbs say this vnto thyself When shal I order and compose my greener and inordinat affections in so faire and goodlie a decorum and so sweet proportion Walking in the Allyes say Lord conduct me by the streight and readie way and shew me thy kingdome Noting the neatnes of those walkes how trim and smooth they are say When shal it be I be so curious to purge and take away the impurities from my hart The great diuersitie of flowers wil present to thee the great multiplicitie and wel-nigh infinitie of thy thoughts as various as numerous al as trāsitorie as they If thou seest a swarme of Emōts at thy feet charged and loaden al with graynes of corne and carrying them with toyle vnto their litle Grayneries one groaning with his load another newly discharged therof most lightly and nimbly running for another say vnto thyself Oh slothful wretch looke on these people heer how they labour to mayntaine that paltrie litle carkas of theirs of smal continuance and thou to mayntaine thy soule in good estate so created for Eternitie art so litle laborious and industrious When thou beholdst the trees ful loaden with their fruits so faine to be shored vp beneath remember the menace of fire the Sauiour made against the barren tree When thou seest the plants to be watered so against the scor ching of the Sun thinke and say inwardly in thyself When shal we with our teares appease the auenging Wrath of the Diuine Iustice The faire and beautiful Pansyes but without al sent or odour wil tel thee of the vnprofitable agitations of thy soule the Tyme the bitternes of displeasures the Poppie that lulles the soule a-sleep wil admonish thee of the sweet extasies and rauishments of heauenlie Contemplation thou neglectest so much the Rubarb or hearb called Patience wil put thee in mind of that Vertue which giues it the name the Balme of a good and faire reputation Nor stay thou heer but runne to resalute the proper and peculiar Familie likewise the genuine Symbols of the Sacred Parthenes so mentioned aboue and note the documents they wil yeald thee for thine owne behoof and then take thy leaue of al. The priuate Garden wil teach thee to keep thy vertues close if thou hast anie and not very easily to loose their odour through a voluntarie publishing the same to others Saluting the Rose enuironed with thorns think there is no contentment to be found without displeasures Beholding the Lillie among bryars imagin Chastitie is so conserued amid austerities The Violet wil figure thee a low and humble esteeme of thyself which yet is a fragrant and delicious flower The Heliotropion which hath alwayes its look to the Sun-wards and followes it by day and closes vp agayne with the night wil put thee in conceipt of the true Sun of Iustice indeed thou oughtst to follow and should be the whole obiect of thy soule The Deaw that falles from Heauen wil remember thee of the heauenlie graces that were shed and distilled from Heauen by the coming of the Holie-Ghost in forme of fierie tongues The busie and industrious Bee which bounds and rebounds so aloft in the ayre as she flyes wil cal to thy mind those words of thy great Maister Work and negotiate while tune lasts The Heauens wil attract thy thoughts to heauenlie things the Rain-bow moue thee to pardon iniuries and immediatly to reconcile thee to thine enemies The Moon wil tax thee of inconstancie like to hers the Starre rayse vp thy thoughts to a vertuous emulation to become a Starre indeed in the heauenlie Hierarchie as it is so fixed in the celestial Firmament The Oliue wil warne thee to be alwayes green in thy good purposes and fruitful in good works The Nightingal wil let thee heare a taste or relish as it were of the heauenlie Quiers and sacred Alleluya's sung by the Angels in Heauen The Palme wil stirre thee to Martyrdome at least to fortitude in difficult atchieuements The House wil cal the heauenlie mansions and Tabernacles into thy thoughts which are permanent for euer The Hen wil cause thee to fly to the heauenlie protection The Pearl wil inuite thee to sel al thou hast to purchase that of the Heauenlie Kingdome The Doue wil retire thee and draw thee into solitude The Fountain wil allure thee to drinck of the waters which the Sauiour mentioned that spring to eternal life The Mount wil cal thee to a higher degree of perfection the Sea represent to thee an Ocean of grace to launch forth thy Soule as a webrigd Ship into that Mayne to arriue at last into the Hauen of Eternal Happines and that especially through the steering of our Sacred Parthenes Cui Laus gloria in secula Amen THE EPILOGVE TO THE PARTHENIANS THus Gentle Parthenians you haue viewed reflected reviewed surueyed paused on and contemplated the Mysterious and delicious GARDEN of our Sacred PARTHENES and after al implored and importuned your soueraigne Ladie-Mistris and mine vnder so manie apt and rich Symbols So graciously she hath daigned to condescend for our pleasure and deuotion as it were to deliciate with vs in these irrational Species of things made al but to expresse you would think her prayses and al the peculiar Deuotes of hers our deare Companions in her seruice Where you must note that these are but they only which wayte and attend vpon her in her GARDEN and that she hath infinit other Clients and Deuotes besides in created things as forward al to offer vp themselues in her seruice I meane in this Symbolical Theologie to giue forth Elogies Encomiums and Panegyricks to her sacred prayse For testimonie wherof you might obserue the GARDEN being shut vp two noble creatures likewise though too late to be admitted with the rest to come in with their Deuises and Emblemes to expresse no lesse in her honour then the rest had done But the GARDEN as I sayd was shut already nor would our leasure afford vs more then to receaue their Escuchions only to hang them thus on the Postern as you see THE PHOENIX THE DEVISE THE MORALS NEC SIMILIS VISA NEC SECVNDA ONE Cittie holds not two Lisanders the ancient Prouerb sayth nor the Heauens two Suns say I which neuer appeare in shew only without a Prodigie Hercules had thought he had set a spel to the world