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
somewhat moyst and sweetly cōforting the tediousnes of them being otherwise gloomie and dark of themselues A Starre she is that liues but of loane and hath the visage alwayes vpon change She is the Mistris of the Sea the Queen of the Night the Mother of Deawes the sweet Nurse of the Earth the Guide of Mariners the Glasse of the Sun the Companion of his trauels the Guardian of his light and Depositariā of the day and treasures of the heauens the second Glory of the firmamēt the Empresse of Starres Regent of this world beneath where she hath her iurisdictiō demeanes She marks-out the months and yeares and the ages as they runne and through her sweetnes tempers the burning heats of her brother the Sun When she is diametrally set vnder the Sun interposed between him and the earth she ecclipseth him and robs the earth of the beames of the Sun and the shadow of the earth of the other side being cast ouer her ecclipses her and suffers her not to enioy the Sunnie rayes but the point of the shadow of the earth not mounting neere so high makes no ecclips at al in the other starres THE DISCOVRSE NOw what may this Moon denote and signify to vs but the glorious Queene of Heauen For she is al faire as the Moone She is as the Moone ful in her dayes and a perfect Moone because Her Throne as the Sun in my sight as a perfect Moone for euer She is a Moon therefore yea farre more beautiful then the Moon euer was or euer like to be For as the Moon indeed hath her light borrowed very gracious to behold but none of her owne being meerly a light reuerberated frō the Sun So the Virgin truly though her light be borrowed and none of her owne as simply hers yet hers it is indeed though borrowed of her Sonne the Sun of Iustice as daughter of the King For al the glorie of the King's daughter is within her c not outwardly only in the voice of people alwayes doubtful euer vncertain for the most part vndeserued and of little subsistence and permanencie but intrinsecally in her most certain meritorious and for euer Besides the Moon hath her light often ecclipsed and looseth wholy her light for a time but the blessed Virgin though she seemed to be ecclipsed through the vehemencie of her sorrow when she saw her Sonne so shadowed by a clowd in the time of his Passion yet for her cōstancie of fayth she could not be ecclipsed so as to despaire of his Resurrectiō I wil not cease vnto the end of the world Wel might the Apostles fayle at that time but Marie neuer Moreouer as the Moon is variable and subiect to changes in the light it affords to Mortals an argument accounted of weaknes of brayne while the foole as the Wise-man sayth is changed as the Moone let vs see what chāges mutabilities they are One is of the mind which is often moued through diuers affectīons another in the bodie which is subiect to manifold alteration and corruption an other of fortune because temporal things are alwayes a flowing or ebbing a flux or reflux the losse of guilt and offence which is in sinners who alwayes are sliding from vice to vice But our Ladie hath al these changes and mutabilities vnder her feet since the Moon indeed is placed vnder her feet while she alwayes retained the constancie of her mind and Vow of Virginitie she put on the glorie of Immortalitie on her bodie she trampled al terrene and temporal things vnder foot and lastly through a singular prerogatiue was euer priuiledged from sinne Furthermore the Moon hath her light al speckled ouer with little spots but our blessed Ladie had no blemish or spot at al either in her thoughts because alwayes pure and immaculate or in her bodie because Angelical Thou art wholy fayre my friend And there is no spot in thee I say most fayre in cogitations affections and intentions and spotles in al. Oh beautiful Moon transcending anie heauenlie Planet or Starre in the Firmament as farre in dignitie and excellencie as so heauenlie a Ladie and Queene of Heauens can surpasse her Rational Sensible or Insensible subiects The Moon is sometimes wholy obscure sometimes wholy lucid and bright and sometimes partly obscure and partly resplendent wherin it resembles the Virgin right For the Moon as S. Augustin sayth is obscured either when it is vnder a clowd or when ecclipsed or when renewed as in the new Moon So the blessed Virgin in this world was thrice or three manner of wayes obscured First through her excessiue humilitie which was a kind of obscure clowd that ouershadowed her brightnes or splendour in the eyes of the world Black I am but beautiful as if she had sayd I am outwardly black through humilitie but inwardly beautiful in grace and maiestie Secondly through acerbitie and bitternes of sorrow and this in the Passion of her Sonne as I sayd aboue where she suffered an ecclips in the vehemēcie of her greef The Sun that is to say Christ shal be turned into darknes through death and the Moon to wit the blessed Virgin into bloud that is into dolour And thirdly through corporal death for then became she obscure in a sort when her soule departed frō her precious bodie so obscured as it were to become a new Moone againe in her Assumption and then indeed was she a moone most perfect for euer Secondly this Moon of ours was wholy lucid in her Assumption because she was glorified in soule and bodie and receaued there her double Stole and likewise shines vpon vs with her infinit fauours and graces which she dayly sends vs. For then indeed as the Moon is wholy bright and lucid when she shines in the beginning midst and to the end of the night by which night is tribulation both signified and vsually vnderstood And as some Saints there are who help the afflicted in the beginning of the night as it were others who suffer men to fal into tribulation and to be tempted in the beginning and middle but help and succour them at the end the blessed Virgin shines with her fauours vpon the distressed as wel in the beginning in affording courage and in the midle in giuing perseuerance as in the end in placing the crowne on their heads This is she when others fayle who neuer fayles whom other Saints for sinnes iustly forsake she neuer leaues and while others seeme to subtract their suffrages she alwayes helps Thirdly this Moon was partly lucid and partly obscure and this truly in the Passion of her Sonne where both she was obscured and yet gaue light obscure through intēse sorrow yet lucid by most firme Fayth For as whē the Sun is ecclipsed the Moon being opposed between vs the Sun appeares wholy obscure so when the Sun of Iustice suffered ecclips at his death the blessed Virgin became wholy dark that is quite
cheekes curled hayre and wreathed knots with inexplicable Meanders Seeke not Vermilion or Ceruse in the face bracelets of Oriental-pearles on her wrist Rubie-carknets on the neck rich pendants in the eares and a delicious fan of most exquisit feathers in her hand nor al that magasin of Feminin riches or richest ornaments of Beautie enough to belye beauties rather and destroy them quite then to afford them where they are not found they being nothing els then a precious Scene of fopperies which they only seeke with a curious wastfulnes who wil needs be wholy mad with the greatest sumptuousnes and cost wheras surely true Beautie is but one which euen integritie of the mind makes being the liuelie coulour of God and was no doubt that which so much graced our PARTHENES and set her forth whom the entire and intemerate comlines of Vertues hath crowned with such a gloriet on her head and such splendour and glorie in heauen as in a pure creature nothing may be imagined more magnificent in riches nor in suauities sweeter And surely when I think more attētiuely of her it seemes to me the highest Architect of All and great GOD the sole Moderatour of all in creating this one Soule hath so admirably exprest himself in her and with his most exquisit fingars hath bestowed so much art and industrie in her delineation and so pleased himself with the delicat draughts he hath shewed in this one image of himself as if in the shop of human things he would expose her to all to be imitated Wherefore when as that Soule farre purer then the Starres and flowing with so manie exquisit ornaments glided into the Tabernacle of her bodie that impure Firebrand was not cast into her which first was kindled in the Authours of our kind and flamed forth afterwards farre and wide to the waste and vtter ruine of the whole world but as a Saphyr or purer Adamant appeares and growes vp in pure and burnisht gold so a most chast Soule by the hands of God disposing so therof was put into her inuiolable and sanctified bodie that no least stayne of her stock and progenie might light vpon her Then after SHE that golden issue of her Mother was borne and brought forth to light I easily beleeue that Nature recreated and refreshed from the daylie miserie it lay in euen laughed to behold her supposing the light was newly risen to her when first she fixt her eyes on her from whose precious and Virginal womb was the Fountain of light itself to spring The Virgin-infant heervpon was nursed-vp and trayned betwen chast walls in a most holie discipline of Patrial lawes and instructed with those studies of arts that might addresse her as a noble Sacrarie of God Anticipating vertue she vrged and pressed more hard the flower paces of her years which hardly could endure the long demurres of age of vhom was Nature ashamed as it were to impose anie lawes of longer attendance For euen now in her first age there shined manie Dotes in her as starres in the heauens in a serene night like sparkling gemmes fixed in their orbs since SHE had in her whole life as you know a maruelous societie of al Vertues wherewith SHE woue that loome of her age as with singular and most excellent figures in whom the absolute consent and harmonie of al Vertues haue magnificently conspired that Beautie should not violate Shamefastnes grauitie infringe lowlines meekenes grauitie Simplicitie Maiestie facilitie constancie lastly which til then was neuer heard of that the name of Mother should be nothing iniurious to Virginitie Al Vertues stroue alike in HER and al had the victorie Nor yet was SHE destiture of the guifts of Nature likewise while a certain Diuinitie of beautie dazeled the aspects of men The bashful forhead seate of shamfastnes soft and gently arose beneath the black and archie browes shined forth the bright lamps of HER eyes which how powerfully they pierced and penetrated the heauens who knowes not The nose most gracefully inflecting made a handsome kind of pillaster to her forhead lips somewhat thinner the receptacle of a meeke elocution and celestial graces a great affabilitie of speach a singular modestie of gate a countenance graceful without softnes or leuitie graue without statelines set alwayes in a perpetual sereanes which hardly could admit the least impression of laughter It were long to prosecute the rest I shal haue sayd al things saying SHE is the MOTHER of GOD. But this dignitie when al the tongues I say not of men only but euen of the Angels themselues shal proclaime and set forth doe what they can shal be enforted to cry out De dilecta nunquam satis THE PLAT-FORME OF THE GARDEN WHerefore my GENIVS I would wish thee to enter into the large spacious and ample GARDEN of our SACRED PARTHENES and there behold those specious and most delicious Obiects all so wholy consecrated to her seruice that they seeme as borne to expresse her prayses euerie one to help thee out to accomplish and performe this task so hard to vndertake and impossible to be done so worthily as SHE deserues Goe I say suruey her GARDEN beset with the bashful ROSE the candid LILLIE the purple VIOLET the goodlie HELIOTROPION sprinckled al with DEWES which the busie BEE gathers as it falles from the HEAVENS dressed with an IRIS as with a siluer MOON insteed of a torch and enameled with miriads of STARRES as lesser lamps to afford it light in the obscuritie of the night enclosed round and compassed-in with a wal where on an OLIVE you may behold the iollie PHILOMEL to pearch chanting her Roundelayes and on the other side a flourishing and statelie PALME and likewise see a goodlie HOVSE of pleasure standing therin before you and if you mark it wel you shal discerne that domestical and almost inseparable companion therof the HEN there scraping in the dust for food wherin She finds a precious Margarit or PEARL and on the top therof espy an innocent and meek DOVE as white and candid as the driuen snow for in this GARDEN are al things pure Where likewise in a place more eminent and conspicuous then the rest you may behold a faire and beautiful FOVNTAIN artificiously contriued with pipes so vnder ground as waters al when need requires And if my Genius al these wil not suffise to make vp ful thy Quire of Laudes to magnify thy SACRED PARTHENES ascend vpon that MOVNT before thy face and with an Opticon discouer thence the Ocean SEA and inuite it likewise with the rest to beare a part and for a fuller complement of al waue but a little banner to some SHIP or other to come-in with al her fraught of magnificent prayses For al within ken or view of that same MOVNT are subiects and deare Deuotes of our Sacred and Incomparable PARTHENES But soft my Genius ere thou leade thy Reader into the Maze or Labyrinth of the beauties therin contained pause heer a
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
life itself that is soueraignly visible this most soueraignly intelligible In the Sun of Planets is fruitfulnes light and heat essentially but one and the self same thing and the Sun of Iustice with the Father and the Holie-Ghost substantially is but One God The Sun of Planets was neuer without these properties nor the holie Diuinitie of the Sun of Iustice without these Three eternal Persons And for our Ladie herself our faire Heliotropion as the Sun of Planets illumines the Starres so the Sun of Iustice enlightned her thoughts The Sun of Planets is the eye of the world the ioy of the day the glorie of heauens the measure of times the vertue of plants and flowers the perfection of the starres and the Sun of Iustice is the eye of her thoughts the ioy of her hart the glorie of her soule the rule of her desires the vigour of her spirit the maister of her loues and euen the center of her propensions He was I say the obiect of her looks the Monark of her wils the thought of her thoughts the light of her vnderstanding and the absolute Moderatour of al her passions Looke where the Sun is the Heliotropion being nothing els but eye hath the same stil cast vpon it and so the Virgin had the eye of her soule stil on the Sun of Iustice. I to my beloued and his conuersion to me Examine each day of her blessed life runne ouer the howers tel the quarters discusse the moments and you shal alwayes find her turned to the Sun In her Natiuitie an Heliotropion in the Presentation an Heliotropion in the Annunciation an Heliotropion in the Purification and euerie action a true Heliotropion For she neuer sayd did or thought anie thing which she directed not to GOD as to the Authour which she reduced not to him as to the last end which she began not for his seruice and finished not for his glorie and lastly wherin she followed not her Sonne that true Sun of iustice which is to be a true Heliotropion indeed And for her bodilie eyes she was directly so when she stood dolourous by the tree of the Crosse on the top wherof was CHRIST the true Sun indeed in the height of the Zodiack as in his proper Orbe whē not only with the face but with the whole bodie also she regarded her Sonne and with eyes fixt attentiuely indeed beheld him fully and as the flower Heliotropion is wont to flag with the leaues at the setting of the Sun so likewise was she had she been left only to the strength of nature readie to fal and sinck to the ground when her Sonne drooped Plinie wonders at the Holiotropion for conuerting itself to the Sun euen vnder a clowd and that in the night also but MARIE our true Heliotropion heer takes not her eye of Contemplation of from her Sonne so much as in the night For manie Doctours most constantly hold her Contemplation was neuer interrupted so much as in her sleep and that she slept in bodie but waked in hart I sleep and my hart wakes There was neuer knowne a time more clowdie nor euer night more obscure then that wherin the Sun of Iustice being set the whole light seemed quite extinguished nor anie Heliotropion appeared in the Garden of the Church so to gaze on the Sun vnder a clowd but only those two beautiful Heliotropions Iohn and MARIE neuer creatures better resembled that flower being of the self-same posture of the same pale sad coulour and with the whole countenance cast stil vpon him and she especially not taking off her eye from him who was enwrapped in the clowd of Death Behold now this rare Heliotropion of Ours euen at the point of death as she lay a-dying dying doe I say or sleeping rather For if the death of anie mortal wight may be tearmed a sleep surely that of the Mother of God is not to be called a death so much as a sweet Sleep She lyes in her death-bed as burning al with loue like a true Heliotropion turning to her Sonne stil casting her eyes vpon him I to my beloued and his conuersion vnto me The Eternal Father like the Sun darts most radiant beames of loue vpon her she endeauours of the other side with reciprocal looks of loue as darts to returne to him the like but sincks and fayles in the midst of the endeauour and like a flower hangs downe the head and dyes With this kind of death the Fathers of the Church clients of that great Mother affirme she was translated from the earth and assumpted into heauen THE EMBLEME THE POESIE HEer you behold the handmaide of the Sunne That waites vpon him as his stallions runne There in the Moone an other flower attends And followes her that borrow'd brightnes sends Vpon its gazing eyes Eue like this flower Was al for change Her happines an howre Continued not Alas 't was altred soone Affected Deitie was like the Moone Which she beheld But Marie's thoughts were high Vpon the Sunne of Iustice fixt her eye Her Soule with al her powers were stil theron As flowers leaues of Heliotropion THE THEORIES CONTEMPLATE first how as soone as the golden Sun peers and puts forth his head in the morning the Heliotropion displayes itself to the Sunnie beames circles with the Sun and when he comes to the West bowes downe the head and sits with him So MARIE as sooneas CHRIST the Sun of Iustice arose in his natiuitie framed and composed her countenance to his with him fetching her compas in the Zodiack of his life she ordered her course as it were by the same coasts by the South of Loue when he redeemed mankind by the North of Patience in so manie aduersities by the East of Resignation whē he satisfyed the Eternal Father by his passion and lastly in the West in the setting of her Sonne the Sun in her solitarie retirement til his glorious Resurrection the new Aurora of the Eternal day Consider then how we first conuert not ourselues to the Sun of Iustice nor attract the rayes of the Diuine benignitie vnto vs but he with a gracious cast of his beames vpon the Heliotropion of our hart excites the flower and allures it to turne the face vnto it back againe Conuert me and I shal be conuerted sayth the Prophet But the Mother of God the true Heliotropion indeed doth otherwise and therefore I to my beloued that is I conuert myself vnto him and so it followes and his conuersion vnto me Imagine you behold artificially painted a IESVS sporting in his Mothers armes looke which way you wil of anie side he alwayes seemes to haue his eyes cast vpon you So surely the most sweet face of IESVS whose eyes shine like starres of their parts are alwayes conuerted towards thee so as if thou perceauest not thyself to be especially regarded by them it proceeds no whit from them but from thyself who turnest away thy face or dost not marke or eye
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
displayd such skil as euen stupifyes the human reason to enter into it Where the Hart as the Fountain of life is placed in the midle for the more equal communication of the vital spirits the Eyes seated aloft to comprehend the greater circuit in their view the armes proiected on each side for the vse and commoditie of reaching Briefly the place of euerie part is determined by the vse Wherefore the principal chambers of delight as Studies and Libraries should be towards the East for the Morning is a friend to the Muses Al offices requiring heat as Kitchins Stil-houses stoues and roomes for baking brewing washing or the like would be Meridional Al that needs a coole fresh temper as Cellars Pantries Butteries granaryes to the North and so likewise al Galleryes appointed for gentle motion especially in warme climes to the West THE DISCOVRSE THe chiefest grace splendour and glorie of a house is that the Maister therof who dwelles therin be markable illustrious for singular eminent vertues since the chiefest ornament of a house is the vertue of the Lord therof Now then the blessed Virgin being eternally ordayned to be a House and habitation of the Diuine Word Incarnate and wherin the Holie of holies for nine months and the endles Fountaine of al sanctitie was corporally to inhabite this sacred House must borrow needs so great a spleÌ„dour dignitie as no other nor the Empyreal heauen itself might anie wayes coÌ„pare with it What more Howbeit the glorie of that ancient house and Temple of Salomon were great yet can none deny this defect in it for being incapable to hold the greatnes of GOD in its ample galleries spaces euen by the genuin confession of Salomon himself If the Heauen and the Heauen of heauens can not containe thee how much lesse this house which I haue built But the golden house of the blessed Virgin more capacious then the heauens themselues did close in and encoÌ„pas the greatnes of GOD on euerie side as Ieremie sayth A woman shal encompas a maÌ„ And the holie Catholick Church itself sings Whom the Heauens can not containe hast thou held in thy Lap. Besides that which highly aduanceth sets forth the glorie of a house this same prerogatiue is of no smal moment to haue been deciphered delineated plotted and contriued euen raysed and built from the first foundatioÌ„ by a skilful exquisit Architect Behold GOD himself the Supreme Architect not only designed this House but euen finished it himself brought the same to that eminent perfection it is of I haue been eternally ordayned Behold the plotting coÌ„triuing designing of our House The Highest himself hath founded her where note the foundation I know how Ouid in his Metamorphosis describes the house of the Sun very elegantly in this manner The Pallace of the Sun on pillars highly placed With burnisht gold did shine and Pyrops stone And seeling roofs with purest Iu'rie graced But who sees not how this House heer wherin the Sun of Iustice dwelt did farre exceed the same whose ornaments surpasseth those by infinit degrees for whose golden pillars were the Guifts of the Holie-Ghost erected in her for whose Pyropus or Carbuncle which euen glowes like a burning cole her most ardent Charitie abundantly supplyed for the white purest iuourie her inuiolable immaculate Virginitie Whence while the most blessed Virgin Marie more pleÌ„tifully abounded with the guifts of the Holie-Ghost she burned more ardently with Charitie and in virginal puritie was more neat then the heauenlie Spirits themselues surely more strong and statelie Pillars sustained this house more precious Carbuncles enriched it purer Iuourie adorned it then those others did the Ouidian Pallace of the Sun I haue sanctifyed this House which thou hast built to put my name eternally therin sayd GOD to Salomon not being yet as I suppose affected so to that material house as he pretended thereby rather to shew the loue he bare to his spiritual house yet corporal both of his Incomparable Mother whom he hath so sanctifyed with his eternal predestination before and enriched so with his personal presence to put his name eternally in her For that saying can not so wel be verified of the house built by Salomon which was afterwards demolished razed but rather of Marie heer who shal be sayd preached for euer the Temple of GOD the holie House where al glorie hath entred in as to a chast Bower which hath neuer been ruined like that of Salomon for that her foundations haue been planted in the holie mountaines as Dauid sayth that is to say by the Diuine PersoÌ„s of the Holie Trinitie while the power of the Father hath confirmed her in goodnes the Sonne hath illustrated her with Wisedome the Holie-Ghost preserued and established her in his grace Material houses which are built but of frayle matter traÌ„sitorie stuff diuersly fal to rubbage are soone demolished quite as Iob sayth Who dwel in clay houses haue a terrene foundatioÌ„ But the bodie of Marie howbeit otherwise framed of a frayle matter is neuertheles so consolidated coÌ„firmed through the fire of the Holie Ghost as she is subiect to no demolishment or dissolution at al as she sayd in the Canticles that leaning or resting on her wel-beloued she was strong as the mountaine of Sion hauing such confidence in him So as truly the prophecy of Aggeus was fully accomplished in her That the glorie of the latter house should be greater then that of the former For as in the building of the first was heard no noyse or the least stroke of anie hammer so heer in this House of Marie could not be heard so much as the least sound or touch of Original Sinne so built by the Diuine Wisedome who was a more expert Architect by far then Salomon was of whom is verifyed that which Dauid so long before had prophecyed foretold That glorie and riches should be in the house of the Diuine Wisedome and its iustice shal be perpetual THE EMBLEME THE POESIE HAu Who dwels heer A Virgin What are you A Paranymph sent far am come to sue For one that pilgrime-like would lodge this night Vnder your roof and be a mortal wight Comes as a Bride-groome Heer 's no harbouring seat But h 'is a Monarch Then for me too great H 'is GOD. He now euer lodg'd with me Would be a child your Sonne How can this be By th' Holie-Ghost you shal be shadow'd ore You let him in by keeping closd your doore Then be it donne One Fiat banisht night And now an other brings from heauen the Light THE THEORIES COntemplate first that as in euerie House wel built and orderly disposed there is a Dining-roome at least and a hansome chamber for some principal guest to lodge in so this golâ—eÌ„ House the Mother of GOD which he had so eternally prepared for
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
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