might heauen inherite O blessed sweete wounds fountaines of electre My wounded soules balme and saluations nectre SONNET III. SAcred redeemer let my praiers pearce Thine eares to contrite sinners open still At my harts altar made where to fulfill My vowes I sacrifice in humble verse Which doe with troubled penitence rehearse My ceaselesse sinnes repugnant to thy will Let mercie mittigate the large blacke bill Of my dead sinnes Deare iudge the doome reuerse Which with foule guilt agrieu'de my conscience gaue By iustice iustly damn'd to quenchlesse fire Oh my deare Sauiour crucifi'd mee saue Let my contricions incense vp aspire With true zeale kindled on my Altar hart And of thy sweete saluation purchase part SONNET IIII. Deare comforter with whose deare precious blood The costly ransome of my sinnes was paide For my redemption murthered and betraide Sole spotlesse Lambe before the throane which stoode Opening the seuen sealde Booke who for pure foode Thy precious selfe in sacrifice had'st laide To my soules sustenance which had decaide If thou hadst not beene lifted on the roode O let my soule thy Temple be perfum'de With sacred incense of thy vertuous grace Which hauing with repentant sighes presum'de Though charg'de with sinne to kneele before thy face Yet for like Almes in mercy doth implore Though last in worke with those which wrought before SONNET V. BLessed creatour let thine onely sonne Sweete blossome stocke and roote of Dauids line The cleare bright morning starre giue light and shine On my poore spirit which hath new begunne With his loues praise and with vaine loues hath donne to my poore Muse let him his eares incline Thirsting to tast of that celestiall wine Whose purple streame hath our saluation wonne O gracious bridegroome and thricelouely bride Which come and fill who will for euer crie Water of life to no man is deny'de Fill still who will if any man be drye O heauenly voice I thirst I thirst and come For life with other sinners to get some SONNET VI. PVre sacrifice once offred for vs all Euen all which were defilde with deadly sinne Let me poore deadly sinner who beginne With voice and hart repentant thee to call And cry that finde my selfe about to fall Into that quenchlesse lake repleate within With howling fiends which euer gnash and grin Haue Audience from thy throane celestiall Deere spotlesse sacrifice which didst discend And as a man for mankindes safetie dy'de And ransackt Hels foule dungeon without end Enlarging sinners which therein were ty'de Since thou didst die that sinners sau'de might bee I am a wicked sinner Lord saue mee SONNET VII WHite spotlesse Lambe whose precious sweete bloudshed The whole worlds sinnefull Debt hath satisfied For sinners scorn'd whipp'de wounded crucified Beholde my sinfull soule by Sathan led Euen to the gates of Hell where will be red My consciences blacke booke vnlesse suppli'de Be to those leaues past number thy wounds wide Whose purple issue which for sinners bled Shall wash the Register of my foule sin And thence blot out the vile memoriall Then let thy blessed Angell enter in My temple purg'd and that historiall Of my sinnes numberlesse in deepe Seas cast So shall I be new borne and sau'd at last SONNET VIII LYon of Iudah which dost iudge and fight With endlesse iustice whose annointed head Was once with wounding thornes inuironed But now with sacred Crownes by glorious right Whose glorious hoast succeedes in armour white Before whose face so many millions fled And whose Imperiall name no man could read Illuminate my thoughts with the beames bright Of that white powrefull and celestiall Doue Kindle my spirit with that sacred heate Which me may rauish with an heauenly Loue Whil'st I thy ceaselesse graces doe repeate Downe powrde in full aboundance to mankind Which comfort in my soule poore wretch I find SONNET IX O Gracious shephearde for thy simple flocke By guilefull Goates to rauening Wolues misled Who thine owne deare harts precious bloud didst shed And Lambelike offered to the butchers blocke O gracious shepheard vnremouing rocke Of succour to such all as thither fled Respect one of thy flocke which followed These cursed Goates and doth repentant knocke To be with mercy taken to thy folde I know thy grace doth still for wanderers looke I was a lost sheepe once deare Lord beholde And in compassion take me with thy hooke In one lost sheepe new found thou dost reioyce Then know thy sheepe which knowes his shepheards voice SONNET X. HEauenly Messias sweete annointed King Whose glorie round about the world doth reach Which euerie beast plant rocke and riuer teach And aerie birds like Angels euer sing And euery gale of winde in gustes doth bring And euery man with reason euer preach Behold behold that lamentable breach Which my distressed conscience to sting False spitefull Sathan in my soule doth make Oh sweete Messias lend some gracious oyle To cure that wound euen for thy mercies sake Least by that breach thy temple he dispoyle Helpe helpe my conscience thether him doth leade And hee will come if thou bruse not his head SONNET XI MErcifull Iesus thine eyeliddes of grace Decline vnto a wicked sory sinner Humbly prostrate who but a new beginner Begges that thine holy Ghost might Sathan chase From his foule soule ordaind for thy pallace as it did Mary Mag'daline saue and winne her From seuen foule spirits which did raigne within her But now behold a more contagious place A place where the seuen mortall sinnes roote take From whence beside all ougly crimes braunch out With each of these seuen legions doe pertake Of vncleane spirits raging round about Oh now deare Iesus Iesus shew thy power And driue them forth least they my soule deuoure SONNET XII BOuntifull Lord Christ whose hand liberall Is still outstretched for mans sustenance Which wee much thankelesse with small souenance recount when in such larges it doth fall But that which all men in especiall Ought to maintaine in high rememberance Naylde feete and hands and hart pearc'de with a Launce For our redemption from the sinfull thrall With feruent zeale true Loue feare reuerent Is quite forgot of most and yet these bee The chiefe deare signes for our saluation sent Oh blessed Christ bestow thy grace on mee Bestow this blessed grace deare Christ that I May hope new life by thy death when I die SONNET XIII DEare Dauids sonne whom thy forefathers haue In Psalmes and prophecies vnborne foretolde That hell in Adamantine chaines should holde And thence poore sinners both inlarge and saue Whom former blindnes to damnation gaue Mee swallowed in the gulfe of sinne behold A Lambe amongst wilde wolues once of thy fold Whom Sathan now doth for his porcion craue Deare sonne of Dauid helpe yet helpe with speede Thy wounds bleede fresh in my remembrance yet Which blessed wounds did for offenders bleede These wounds I will not in distresse forget For all cheefe hope of my saluation grounds In Nectre of those comfortable wounds SONNET
whose holy spirit outrage calmes Calme thou my sinfull spirits which intend To thy great praise their faculties to lend On my soules knees I lift my spirits Palmes With humble penitence to purchase grace These eyes this mortall bodies skies downe power Teares of contrition on my blushing face Fruites of repentance flourish with this shower My soule I feele is comforted and eas'de Then Lord with my poore offring bee well pleas'de SONNET LXXXXIII WIth my poore offring bee well pleasde sweete Lord And then with ghostly peace and hart vpraised Thy Temple celestiue where thou liu'st praised With ceaselesse Canticles and Hymnes record And meekenes which mine humble thoughts afforde I will approche not any wise amazed To see those sacred misteries rich blazed To my sinne blinded eyes before abhorr'de In thy deare presence their due tribute paying For their misgouernance and riotise My soule afflicted with harts incense praying It selfe deuoutly Lord doth sacrifice To that Lambe blemishlesse which offring made Himselfe for my sinnes and deathes forfeite paide SONNET LXXXXIIII O What a gracious burthen huge and heauie What charge importable and painefull weight Those deadly sinnes which with our soules doe fight And fresh supplies of vile offences leuie Yeelding more puisance to their powrefull might In hope with shade of euerlasting night To blind the beamesome rayes of my poore soule Which doth a restlesse stone of labour roule Till thy deare gracious mercies from thy sight Do banish them and with the glorie bright Of thy sweete pardon lighten them againe And then albeit no volumes can containe Thy praise and mercies yet will I contend From East to West their memorie to send SONNET LXXXXV THat golden Planet Lampe of this worlds light Whose glorious Easterne insurrection showes His ceasclesse course whose tearme no creatures knowes That siluer Planet torch of silent night Which when the Sunne reposeth her beames bright In Westerne Seas her Planet-darts forth throwes Whose influence doth strange euents compose That boystrous turbulence of North winds might Which swels and ruffles in outragious sort Those chearefull Southerne showers whose fruitefull dew Brings forth all sustenance for mans comfort East West North South if none thy puissance knew Relate thy wondrous vertues and with praise From West to East from North to South them raise SONNET LXXXXVI FIrme Rocke of during stone sure Bulwarke of defence Strong arme of fortitude Shielde of protection Courage of puisance and vertues of perfection Eorne of saluation and diuinest essence Thou shalt sustaine my spirite least it backeward fall Thou shalt my soule relieue from Sathans fierce giuen charge Thou shalt my cause maintaine and combate him at large Thou shalt huige blowes of sin ward from my soule in thrall Thou shalt with ghostly valour my soules strength inspire Thou shalt annointe my head with oyle of peace and ioye Thou mee shalt purifie with pure zeales holy fire By these I shall my spirites enemie destroye By these I shall effect my soules chiefe happinesse By these I shall my soule vnhalowed redresse SONNET LXXXXVII MY soule through manifold assaults of sinne In grieuous combate with my flesh retain'de Declining faintes vnlesse it bee sustain'de Then send thy mercies which might enter in To seuer them least further broyles beginne And if my soule with wounds affliction payn'de Haue penitently to thy grace complayn'de Let it by gracious mnee as some mercie winne Pure grace sweete mercie comfortable peace Zeale truth and righteousnesse are dearely met Whose fame from East to West can neuer cease Nor those which in these their affiance set Can euer bee for glories want obscure But with Saluation eternizde endure SONNET LXXXXVIII WHere shall I vex'de my sinfull head repose If that in errour and conceiued vice Which with deceitefull Blandishments intice My feeble nature mortified with sinne Then hope shall gates of my saluation close Against my soule and my dispaire beginne If that in open sight then open shame The Scarlet of my conscience will disclose And sound the shamefull Trumpet of my fame Where then shall I my vexed soule dispose If not in blind obscuritie nor light Then there euen there impenitence with those Which weepe downe teares of comfort to delight Their soule enlarged from eternall night SONNET LXXXXIX OH whether shall my troubled Muse encline When not the glorious Scaffolde of the skies Nor highest heauens resplendent hierarchies Where heau'nly Soldiours in pure armor shine Nor ayer which thy sweete spirite doth refine Nor earth thy precious bloud vnworthy prise Nor Seas which when thou list ebbe and arise Nor any creature profane or Diuine Can blaze the flourish of thy tearmelesse praise Surreaching farre by manifold large space All Diuine fabricke of thy sacred hands Euen thether shall my Muse her Musicke raise Where my soules euerlasting pallace stands Sweete refuge of saluation Court of grace SONNET 100. SAcred directour of diuine Syon With gracious handes and mercy-mouing eyes With eares attentiue take my sacrifice Beholde my teares heare my playntes which crie on Lighten my pensiue soule which woulde flye on To thy sweete mercies seate heauens Paradise Thy pure Dooues white Winges that my soule may rise And mount from this base earth deare Lorde tye on So shall my Spirite flye from starre to starre And in consent of musickes sweete reporte Beare thy rich Glories forth from farre to farre When Cherubines with Seraphines resorte And Angelles with Archangelles still to sing The glorious wonders of their heauenly King FINIS HYMNE TO THE GLORIOVS HONOVR OF THE most blessed and indiuisible Trinitie SACRED deere Father of all thinges created Whose ioyfull throane of endlesse triumph stands In glorious heauen whose name earth animated Proclaymeth through the compasse of all landes I lift these humble handes Vpheau'de with courage of a zealous harte Confirm'de with fortitude of constant fayth Assur'd in grace of some sweete mercies parte Which Treasures my deare hope in high heauen layth Which comforte my soule hath And thou deare onely Sonne of God alone Thou precious Immolacion of mankinde Who sits on right hande of thy Fathers throne Who fearefull Sathan did in fetters binde Whome death alone did finde To be the peerelesse Champion of his foyle Thou that redeemed'st from infernall payne Our great graundfathers and our selues assoyle Of our foule sinnes nor humbled didst disdayne For mankinde to be slayne And lastly thou sweete comfortable Spirite Of meekenesse holinesse and spotlesse loue By whose deare incense not our vayne demerite We purchase heritage in heauen aboue Thou that in fourme of Doue Thy sanctified Apostles didst salute Spirite of trueth which doth our comforte bring Without whose heauenly motions men are mute By whose power in the Virgines wombe did spring Our comforter and King And thou deare sacred Father of like power With thy most deare Sonne sacrifice for sinne And thou sweete holy Ghost who didst downe shower Clouen tongues of fire true glorie for to winne All which three powers cloase in One sacred and
which bestowes each hower With hand of mercie sending forth a shower In large aboundance to produce good seedes My wounded hart with pearsed conscience bleedes When I remember thee my soules succour Who was so many times by mee forgot Who by mee wicked vilest hainous wretch Prophaned oft hast beene but praised not At length though late mine armes mine hart I stretch My soule my sinfull soule I lift to thee Who with thy praises triumph cleare would bee SONNET XXVI GReat God of larges bountifull good giuer Of endlesse blessings as thou didst bestow On me poore wretch that reason how to know Thee without all beginnig endlesse liuer Powre likewise downe thy graces louely Riuer And let it Lord my poore hart ouerflow These like sweete fire which Diuine spirits blow May clearely burne in zeale of thy Loues euer That all my thoughts thy Testament embrace That all my wits thy tearmelesse grace set out That by thee praising I may shew thy grace Which in large Talent thou to mee let out That after good accompt past terme of ages I may receiue a trustie stewards wages SONNET XXVII HIgh King of Kings who with thine awfull cheeke Controles the sterne windes sinfull land rough Seas Who chides in thunder when wee doe displease Whome all things feare and tremble at his becke Yoking in one the Kings and beggers necke Without respect in wrath yet will appease His wrath when sinners penitent shall prease His throne in zeale sincere without contecke Oh God iust mercifull and gracious Full of all plentie blessing and kindnesse Whose endlesse rule past limit spacious Illuminate my soule and banish blindnesse Consider how this sinfull soule opprest With nature by thy grace would bee redrest SONNET XXVIII FOrtresse of hope Anchour of faithfull zeale Rocke of affiance Bulwarke of sure trust In whome all nations for saluation must Put certaine confidence of their soules weale Those sacred misteries deare Lord reueale Of that large volume righteous and iust From mee though blinded with this earthly dust Doe not those gracious misteries conceale That I by them as from some beame some Lampe May finde the bright and right direction To my soule blinded marching to that Campe. Of sacred soldiours whose protection Hee that victorious on a white horse rideth Taketh and euermore triumphant guideth SONNET XXIX RAyons of glorie beames of endlesse ioy Cheerish my soule illuminate my wits Rauish my sences with celestial fits That mistes infernall doe not them anoy All carnall motions weaken and acoy Eu'n from that beame some throne where glorious sits The Lord of light whose eye no shade admits That filthy Dragon my sonles foe destroy Which in foule pit of dreadfull darkenes liues Repleat with horrour and contagious smell Whose shadow noysome mist and blindnes giues Raysde from th'infectious damps of vgly Hell Rayons of comfort through my Temples pearse And consecrate my Muse to sacred verse SONNET XXX HIgh mightie God of Gods and King of Kings Whose awful charge through the round world doth runne Eu'n from the rising of the glorious Sunne Vnto the Seas where hee his Chariot brings What instruments or what harmonious strings Shall to thy graces which bee new begunne And haue so many soules with comfort wonne Giue praises due to such celestiall things Praise and thankesgiuing to the Lord surrender And pay thy duties to thy God most highest Least thou before his throane a vile offender Appeare when sinne and Hell to conscience nighest Accuse thee wicked sinner for that grace Which God bestowde and thou cast in his face SONNET XXXI O Glorious Patrone of eternall blisse Victorious conquerour of Hell and death Oh that I had whole westerne windes of breath My voice and tongue should not bee so remisse My notes should not bee so rare and demisse But euery riuer forrest hill and heath Should eccho forth his praise and vnderneath The worlds foundations sound that it is his Hee which did place the worlds foundations Hee which did make the Sunne the Moone and starres Who with his blood redeem'd all nations And willing none from Paradise debarres Shall not all instruments and voyces sounde His glories which in all these things abounde SONNET XXXII THe well of life the forte of happinesse Rocke of affiance Piller of sure trust Anchor of hope Treasure repining rust Starre of direction Ease of wretchednesse Great Lord of largesse Iudge of wickednesse Balme of saluation Ayder of the iust Fountaine of grace Quickner of Clay and dust Cure of disease Releeuer of distresse Bright Sunne of comfort Iustice of true peace The branch of glory and the Fruite of blisse Kingdomes disposer Husband of increase For penitence who pardons things amisse And in contrition dayly who delightes What man can giue due glorious Epithites SONNET XXXIII THrice puissant generall of true Christian hoast Whose voyce it selfe is dreadfull thundercracke Whose wrath doth nether fire nor lightning lacke Whose stormie frowne makes tremble euerie coast Chasing thy fearefull foes from post to post Whose hands force can all the worlds forces sacke Who turnes his foemens colours into blacke Whose murthering thunderboults for arrowes bee Whose sworde victorious Trenchant double edg'd His holy Scripture is whose foes conuert The pointe to their owne brest and haue alledg'd Vaine arguments thy deare Saints to subuert As thou deare God art iudge so giue thy doome In iustice to subuert ambitious Rome SONNET XXXIIII BEhold deare Father with those gracious eyes Which all the world with their beames glorie brighten My plaints and then my cause in iustice righten My soule repentant still for mercy cries Prick'd with vaine sinnes which in my thoughts arise Hope of thy mercy doth my sorrow lighten Feares least more sinnes ensue with my soule fighten And true zeales of thy loue my thoughts surprise But angrie iustice seemes with irefull threate To giue blacke sentence of damnation vnto my soule distress'd and doth repeate Olde sinnes prouoking desperation Oh saue mee saue mee Lord least that I fall Into damnation saue Lord when I call SONNET XXXV A Rise thou mightie God of heau'n rise vp Against thy sinfull foes of Babell rise And scatter thou like dust thine enemies Let them dregges of thine indignation suppe That haue beene drunken with the strumpets cuppe Like smoke which vanisheth into the skies Disseuer them and like the waxe which fries Before the fire so melt and burne them vp O magnifie the Lord and praises sing Vnto the mightie God of heau'n who makes The clouds to thunder and his boults doth wing With fire and furie who the round world shakes Before whose face Kings with their Armies flie And at whose feete proud Emperours dead lie SONNET XXXVI LOrd with the light of thy cleare countenance My sinfull troubled soule illuminate And with thy mightie shoulders eleuate My feeble spirit and his state aduaunce From thy sweete brest pearc'd sometimes with a Launce For my redeemption from accursed state Lend one deare droppe whose force shall animate My soule
A DIVINE CENTVRIE OF Spirituall Sonnets Altera Musa venit quid nisit alter Apollo LONDON Printed by Iohn VVindet 1595. TO THE RIGHT REVERENDE FATHER IN GOD the Right honourable and my very good Lorde TOBIE by the grace of God Bishop and Counte Palatine of Duresme and Sadberge Increase of all true zeale honour perpetuall consolation of mind and bodye RIGHT gracious and my very good Lorde if in any measure I coulde haue better deuised consonant with the weaknesse of my slender faculties how for so many your honourable great fauours to mee worthlesse neyther of any the least deserueable publiquely to divulge and promulgate the reuerende gratuitye which I still by numberlesse respects of duetie pretend and beare to your worthinesse it should haue beene euen in the mightiest power of my wittes and vertuousest indeuors more though not better manifested But since it both proceedeth from a francke spirite the chiefest treasures of my better parte I beseech your good Lordship not onely as in tollerating this boldenesse braunching from the firme confidence of my meere loue and duetie but that also in gracious admittance of your honourable Patronage you would dignifie these spirituall Poemes which this last yeere in my late litle trauails had through some partes of Fraunce as tribute of that measure of witte and inuention which it hath pleased almighty God of his super aboundant grace and mercie to endue my feeble spirite withall I daily to his honour and seruice by prescribed taske deuoted And albeit it nothing neere by millions of sacred degrees attayneth to the glorie of this diuine subiect and argument yet was it written I call his sacred Maiestie to record that I neyther for vayne glorie nor my iustification speake it in liuely touche motion and feeling-anguishe of spirite voyde of all colourable varnishe and hypocrisie and therefore more fitte for their spirituall consolatiō to bee perused of diuerse whome numerous Orations moue much more then proase and to that ende these at motion of some others my wel-deseruing friendes I haue committed to the publique tipographicall Theatre of generall censure which if they shall his omnipotencie in whose honour by mee most vnworthie vassall of sinne and mortallitie they were composed please then am I most pleased fortunate and comforted for euer And then I doubt not but they shall also hightly stande with your Lordshippes good liking and contentment to whome if in fauour these shall in this worlde passe I much lesse depende of other mens opinions referring them alone next vnder God to your honours vertuous protection and the protection of your honour to the great Protectour and disposer of all honours and blessinges With which I beseech his mightinesse indue your good Lordship and yours to his best pleasure and your deere soules comforte From London this 30. of August 1595. Your Honours in all spirituall deuotion assured Bar. Barnes To the fauourable and Christian Reader I Haue published curteous Reader an hundreth Quatorzaines in honour of the greatest disposer of all great honours wherin if through secret and inseperable combat betwixt earth and my spirite the priuie motions and sting of diuers wounds as they did succeede and grieue my soule manifested appeare Let them though not in these that singular vertue to contricion may mouingly perswade and stirre vp your Spirite to Diuine contemplation of your Ghostly comfort remaine yet as remembrancers to kindle more gracious and rich spirits of zeale and pure holinesse in your more Copious and Facile prepared wittes natures Which only as they be in respect of all other creatures reasonable and most Diuine so ought they to bee likewise in all reason imployed to the propagation honour and mightinesse of his Diuinitie whose vertue abundantly moueth vpon all vnworthie creatures of his handes but vpon vs the models of his similitude liknes in that large measure which as it is ineffable so doth it by nature enioyne vs to glorifie the singular operations of his omnipotent handes The glorious subiect as it is matchlesse and incomparable for Tytles and Mightinesse so woulde it in some richer more copious Inuentions rayse the tryumphant charyot of your sacred Muses aboue the starre-bearing firmament vpō the spirituall Pegasus of celestiall poesie in diuine harmonie of spirite beare the writer to that maiesticall Throane and Hemicycle of incomparable state and comfortable dignitie where he should with consent and assistaunce of Angelles and heauenly Spirites to the musicall stringes of royall crowned Harper's for euer sing ALLELVYA Saluation Honor Glory Renowne and Eternitie bee ascribed alwayes to the greatest God of gods King of kinges Lorde of lordes onely victorious tryumphant mercifull and gracious And if any man feele in himselfe by the secret fire of immortall Entheusiasme the learned motions of strange and diuine passions of spirite let him refine and illuminate his numerous Muses with the most sacred splendour of the holy Ghost then he shall with diuine Salust the true learned frenche Poet finde that as humane furie maketh a man lesse then a man and the very same with wilde vnreasonable beastes so diuine rage and sacred instinct of a man maketh more then man and leadeth him from his base terrestriall estate to walke aboue the starres with Angelles immortally The seuerall passions of comforte ghostly combates albeit they stand in my booke confused peraduenture therefore may to some readers seeme disordered and straunge as in their vnequall coherence of praises penitence and fearefull afflictions yet vpon some especiall occasions and in earnest true motions of the spirite were they deuised and I therefore in this respecte implore your generall fauours Reade I beseeche you and with singlenesse of zeale and true spirit giue censure according to my good will and indeuours Farewell Bar. Barnes INVOCATION To the Diuine Father of sacred Muses SONNET I. NO more lewde laies of Lighter loues I sing Nor teach my lustfull Muse abus'de to flie With Sparrowes plumes and for compassion crie To mortall beauties which no succour bring But my Muse fethered with an Angels wing Diuinely mounts aloft vnto the skie Where her loues subiects with my hopes doe lie For Cupids darts prefigurate hell's sting His quenchlesse Torch foreshowes hell's quenchles fire Kindling mens wits with lustfull laies of sinne Thy wounds my Cure deare Sauiour I desire To pearce my thoughts thy fierie Cherubinne By kindling my desires true zeale t' infuse Thy loue my theame and holy Ghost my Muse. SONNET II. SWeete Sauiour from whose fiuefold bleeding wound That comfortable Antidote distilde Which that rancke poyson hath expeld and kild In our old wretched father Adam found In Paradise when he desertlesse crown'd Receau'd it as th' enuenomde Serpent willde In steede of lustfull eyes with arrowes fillde Of sinfull loues which from their beames abound Let those sweete blessed wounds with streames of grace Aboundantly sollicite my poore spirite Rauish'de with loue of thee that didst debase Thy selfe on earth that I