was in his seaty my Nard gaue forth an odour to wit her Humilitie And these are the Lillies Virginitie Humilitie and Charitie which cheefly inuironed the Blessed Virgin while her litle IESVS was hanging at her breast being fed among Lillies for if these be not Lillies what are they Againe the Lillie hath a streight stem or stalk tending wholy and directed vpwards but the leaues pendant and hanging downwards and the Virgins mind like a staf was alwayes streight and tending to GOD in yealding him thanks for his benefits and euer magnifying his holie Name For as the Lillie whatsoeuer odour and candour it hath directs it to heauen-wards So MARIE what sanctitie or grace soeuer she had offered it vp al vnto GOD But for the leaues her words they were alwayes bent to the earth in speaking perpetually most humbly of herself Whence sayd she so affectuously My soule doth magnify our Lord behold the stem of this Lillie how streight it was and how directly ascended to the Heauens But see the leaues now and marke how they looke downwards He hath regarded the lowlines of his handmayd and the like The Lillie besides is alwayes fragrant and of a most sweet odour and our Lillie was perfumed with an odoriferous oyntment which made her so fragrant and redolent composed of three odoriferous spices aromatizing as Balme Mirrh and Cinamon For she was Embalmed by the Diuinitie when the Deitie was lodged in her spiced with Mirrh through the guift of Angelical puritie and Virginitie and enflamed with a sweet Diuine loue which is as the powder of Cinamon heer vnderstood hot in smel and tast hot in smel and therefore as loue draw me with the odour of thy Oyntments to wit with the loue of thy heauenlie graces hot in tast and therefore Diuine because we are bid to see and tast how sweet our Lord is Of which oyntment it is sayd in the Canticles The odour of thine oyntments is beyond al spices Besides the Lillie hath the root and stem six-square or corner-wise So the root of Charitie in this Paragon hath six points with it the first a loue of GOD aboue al things the second wherewith she loued her owne soule conseruing the same in al sanctitie the third wherewith she loued her bodie keeping it entirely for the Diuinitie the fourth wherewith she loued her domesticks and familiars instructing them in al vertue the fift wherewith she loued her friends in GOD The last wherewith she loued her enemies for GOD. And to conclude as the Bed-chambers of Kings are adorned with Lillies that they may rest more deliciously among them so the Virgin not the Chamber only of a King but of GOD also was dressed-vp and beset al with Lillies round-about according to that Thy womb as a heap of corn hedged-in with Lillies for she was al encompassed with Lillies aboue being enclosed with the Lillie of eminent Charitie beneath with the Lillie of profund Humilitie inwardly with the Lillie of internal Puritie outwardly with the Lillie of Virginitie on the right hand with the Lillie of Temperance in prosperitie on the left with the Lillie of Patience in aduersitie before with the Lillie of Prouidence in future things behind with the Lillie of Gratitude for passed benefits And since she was so enuironed and enclosed with Lillies of al sides the Church sings of her As the dayes of the Spring doe the flowers of the roses enuiron her round Among which flowers of Roses and Lillies the Beloued that is CHRIST is feeding My beloued to me and I to him who seeds among the Lillies THE EMBLEME THE POESIE A Pure-white Lillie like a siluer Cup The sacred Virgin humbly offers vp Her constant stedfast lowlie Hart the foot Which al supports is like this flower 's root The stemme her right Intention the bole The flower itself is her chast spotlesse Soule The yellow knobbes which sprowting forth are seen Isradiant Loue which guild's her Cup within In lieu of liquides is a fragrant sent Her vertues odours which she doth present Her Sonne accepts al that she offers vp GOD Part of her inheritance Cup. THE THEORIES Contemplate first how al thorns conceaue but thorns For what should thorns conceaue but meerly thorns Corrupt mothers bring forth into the world but men which meerly are but men and sinners But the Virgin-Mother conceaued the Holie of Holies She now a Lillie conceaued and afterwards produced the true Lillie of the vallies a Lillie of Virginitie the Lillie of Maiestie through whose candour is darknes expelled with whose odour are raysed the dead with whose touch are the leaprous cleansed and al the infirme and diseased cured And therefore how much this Lillie of ours is to be exalted aboue al the other Daughters iudge you and ponder it wel Consider then that though there were manie other Virgins besides conspicuons and eminent for sanctitie yet were as thorns for that they had some blemish in them since howbeit they were pure in themselues yet the fomes of sinne was not extinguished in them who were indeed as thorns to others that haue been touched and incited with concupiscence towards them Wheras the Virgin-Mother was wholy priuiledged from al guilt in whom was that fomes altogeather extinguished and was accomplished with so intense a Chastitie that with her inestimable Virginal puritie she so penetrated the harts of the beholders as she could not be coueted of anie but for the time rather extinguished al lust of concupiscence in them O beautie of Virginitie and Humilitie wherewith the Sonne of GOD was so allured and rauished Ponder lastly that as the Lillie hath a most efficacious vertue against leaprosie vlcers and the holiefire as also against the stinging of serpents So the blessed Virgin being conceaued as a Lillie was endued with such vertue of the Diuine grace that neither the leaprosie of Original sinne the fire of concupiscence nor the biting of the old Serpent could anie wayes hurt her THE APOSTROPHE O Lillie of Lillies and next the Lillie thy dearest Sonne the purest of al Lillies Alas most pure and immaculat Virgin shal I alwayes liue in the flauerie and seruitude of this impure flesh of mine And shal I euer be troubled and vexed with these vnchast cogitations and impure apprehensions which so macerate my vnwilling soule Oh thou eleuated and raysed aboue al pare creatures most blessed Virgin I say Blessed with al benediction how long Alas how shal I sustaine the bodie of this death this impure thistle of the bodie with its thorns Alas when shal I be deliuered and rid therof THE IV. SYMBOL THE VIOLET THE DEVISE THE CHARACTER THE Violet is truly the Hermitesse of flowers affecting woods and forests where in a lowlie humilitie mixt with solicitude she leads a life delicious in herself though not so specious to the eye because obscure She is a great companion to the Primrose and they little lesse then sworne sisters with whom when she is
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
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
Heauens the World and Hel. This Deaw of Grace was not engendred in the vpper Region that is in Heauen nor was the work of the Incarnation of CHRIST effectually wrought therin because he assumed not the Angelical nature He apprehended not the Angels Nor beneath that is in Hel because he redeemed not Diuels or spared thē or shewed mercie to them God pardoned not the Angels sinning But it was engendred in the midst that is the Incarnation was wrought in this middle Region because therin the Diuine hypostastis assumpted human nature to itself God sent his Sonne made of a woman Now was this Deawing or Incarnation made as I sayd of hot cold For God vouchsafed to become Man for two respects that is out of abundāce of charitie of the one side which was excessiue heat and out of a general miserie of ours which was a kind of benumming cold From this heat therfore to wit from this Charitie of GOD and from this cold the general miserie of mankind was wrought roration or Deawing that is the Incarnation of the Sonne of God with this onlie difference that there was a temperate heat and cold togeather but heer a heat with a great excesse through his too much charitie wherewith he loued vs and a great frigiditie of languour in vs or a languishing frigiditie Because al haue declined and are become vnprofitable Moreouer this roration or Deaw we speake of was made in our Virgin-earth who being watered with Celestial Deaw brings forth the Nazaraean flower that sayth of himself I am the flower of the field Againe Let flow thy speech like Deaw and as drops vpon the gras To which the Church alluding sayth Let him descend into the Virgins womb like Deaw therin This earth therefore so moystned and watered with Deaw produced the Lillie of Paradice I the Deaw of Israel budding like the Lillie This Israel is interpreted a man seing God and heer signifyes our incomparable Ladie who was truly Masculin in al her actions beholding as it were the Diuine Essence through Contemplation I wil now then maruel no more that GOD leauing al other creatures should take complacencie as he doth to be the Father of Deawes the Scriptures saying Who begat the drops of deaw and who is the Father of rayne You would say he meāt that there is nothing which better represents the Diuine generatiō of the Sonne which is begotten of the Father by way of Vnderstanding from whence as from a fruitful clowd distils the Diuine Deaw of the Word Let my word flow like deaw But for the Incarnation itself it seemes to be iust the verie same For the Sun of the Diuinitie therin vnited to the little poore vapour of our mortalitie hath fertilizd this beautiful Paradice of the Church the Deaw watering the same which fel from the Fiue Wounds of IESVS that deawie clowd suspended in the ayre and hanging on the tree of the Crosse. Hence it is that GOD makes so great accompt of this Deaw for when he would make a feast for his people in the wildernes he did it by meanes of the Deaw which was then conuerted into Manna and Manna virtually into al meats And if GOD would make him a chamber al of gold or a cabinet for himself surely he would choose the Deaw to be his house Who puts the clowds his bower c. God makes as exact esteeme of a simple drop of Deaw as of al the world besides Before thee sayth Salomon is the whole world as a drop of morning-deaw You wonder now at a smal matter but I wil tel you yet a thing more strange which is that since the Sonne GOD of a litle graine of mustard sayes The kingdome of heauen is like to a graine of mustard-seed c. me thinks I might say as wel The kingdome of heauen is like to a drop of Deaw For the Sauiour of the world who is the graine of mustard-seed is likewise this same rich drop of Deaw For as the Sonne of God in outward apparance was as it were no bodie nor seemed to make anie shew yet when the Sun of the Diuinitie once began to appeare in him he shewed himself to be the vertue of Paradice euen so a little drop of Deaw falling from the heauens for example on the Flowerdeluce would seeme perharps to you but a little round point of water and a meer graine of Cristal but if the Sun do but shine vpon it Ah! what a miracle of beautie it is while of the one side it wil looke like an Orient-pearl and being turnd some other way becomes a glowing Carbuncle then a Saphir and after an Emerald and so an Amethist and al enclosed in a nothing or a litle glasse of al the greatest beauties of the world that seeme to be engraued therin so manie drops so manie Orient-pearls so manie drops of Manna wherewith the Heauens seeme to nourish the earth and to enrich Nature as being the Symbol of the Graces wherewith GOD doth water and fertilize our soules For what should that Flcece of Gedeon signify but the Grace of graces the admirable grace of the Incarnation of Christ to be wrought in the conception of the Diuine Word in the virginal womb or fleece of the said Gedeon which was replenished with the Deaw of the Holie-Ghost in liew of the verie Deaw that is where descended the fulnes of the Diuinitie she being worthily called and compared to a fleece since she hath cloathed the true Lamb of God with her flesh who takes away the sines of the world O Virgin worthie of al grace How art thou graced indeed and fauoured aboue al the Daughters of Ierusalem since thy head IESVS CHRIST came so to thee ful of Deaw and reposes in thy chast bower THE EMBLEME Benedicta inter mulieres lucae c. i. THE POESIE NOt like a duskie clowde which Sol exhales Nor like a gloomie mist that shrowdes the vales But from the Earth the Sunne of Iustice drew A purer vapour which dissolu'd the Deaw Distilling from the Limbeck of the skies Our drie barren Earth doth fertilize The barren womb erst was accurst but she Though Virgin was a faire fruitful tree Women bring forth with paineful throbs throwes She was a Mother but not one of those Mongst women blest drawne by heauens radiant beames Twixt clowd mist pure Deaw twixt both extreames THE THEORIES COnsider first that as Eue our first Parent and Mother of vs al was not created immediatly of earth as Adam was but taken from his rib it being a priuiledge only due to Adam so to be framed of virgin-virgin-earth and was therefore called Virago fetching her extraction as it were a Viro So our second Eue our Spiritual and Celestial Mother adopting vs engendring vs as children through the Deawes of Celestial graces procured vs from heauen was not made of virgin-extraction herself that is was not framed of the Diuine or Angelical
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
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
himself was not contriued without them both And first for the Dining-roome King Salomon made him a Throne of the wood of Libanus which woodē Throne was the blessed Virgin because the heauenlie Prince and bride-groome sate and lay sweetly reposed in her armes and wombe delightful vnto him while he took flesh of her She was a Bride-chamber because a golden couch For as gold is beautiful incorruptible and refulgent So was her vertue golden because beautiful for sinceritie of manners incorruptible through priuiledge of Virginitie and refulgent for her luster of Vertues O how beautiful behold the beautie of her manners Chast generation see the priuiledge of Virginitie With clarity note the luster of Vertues Consider then that as a House hath also Galleries for recreation and delight so had our Mystical House heer delicious galleries to walke in and for varietie three to wit the lower the middle and the vpper gallerie The lower was sustained with siluer pillars and therefore is it sayd that wisedome erected siluer pillars The middle was paued with precious stones according to that The middle was strewed with charitie The highest was hangd with silks and purples and therefore is added a purple ascent The lower gallerie of this virginal house was the precious bodie of the Virgin the middle her purest soule and the highest her sublime and Angelical spirit Her bodie was the lower gallerie because her sensualitie was neuer prone to euil but alwayes cōformable to reason Her soule the second because strewed with precious stones that is Diuine vertues Her Spirit was the vpper gallerie adorned with purple hāgings for being so enflamed with charitie or wounded with the sorrow of her Sonne 's passion or sprinckled with his bloud Ponder lastly as a house especially the Pallace of Kings requires to be spacious and ample so was this House our Ladie being the House of GOD most spacious wide according to that which the Church sings of her Whom the heauens can not containe hast thou held in thy lap Secondly wide and ample in cōpassion while she receaues al and refuseth none into the bowels of her mercie receauing the tempted in prtoecting them from the snares of the Diuel Sinners in obtaining mercie and grace for them the Iust in conseruing thē in grace obtained and lastly the Dying in receauing their soules into her protection and therefore sayd to be Mother of grace and mother of mercie THE APOSTROPHE O Sacred House Temple of the Diuinitie Diuine Tabernacle of the liuing GOD A work surely much greater thē the workmāship of the world besides O sacred Pallace framed by the Diuine hand with admirable art and most exquisit choice matter a peece of workmāship without peer erected by the Diuine Wisedome imputrible Arck incorruptible vessel Celestial Tēple Cittie of God Oh what glorious things are sayd of thee Thou wast ordained eternally before the earth was made The Lord hath possessed thee frō the beginning of his wayes thou wast before his works Thou wast begot when as yet there was no abysses seen thou wast formed before moūtaines were yet placed Whē he prepared the heauēs was thou presēt By al the se faire prerogatiues we beseech thee Incōparable peece of his handie work so lōg designed premeditated before hād so exactly framed at last to his owne Idea designe that in vs likewise his eternal designe of predestinatiō through our defaults may not vtterly perish THE XVI SYMBOL THE HEN. THE DEVISE THE CHARACTER THE Hen is that gentle Hart that contents herself with the common Apellatiue of her sex as others ambitiously vsurp strange titles as in Hawkes for males or females as the māner is to be called Ladie Mistris the like she wil go no higher then the stile of plaine Goodwif be called the Hen and wil take it amisse to be termed otherwise Yet is she the dear consort of the generous Chantecler and his deerest beloued partner and most indiuidual cōpanion She is very familiar and domestical and that so truly as she wil neuer goe from home so much as a flights shot But is so kind-harted to al especially to her owne children as she hath not a dish which she shares not among them It is sport to see how she knocks to her dresser to haue thē come quickly if she haue but a bit worth the eating and then to see what strife there wil be amōgst the litle fry of them for a single graine of corn as the ambitious of the world for a Crowne scepter or as Caesar and Pompey for the Empire and Dictatourship of Rome itself while the Hen falles a deluing and digging afresh for more She wil be as fierce as a Tigre or Nemean Lionesse against the assassinats who are so bold at to seaze on her familie when she wil bristle her self and fly in the faces of the cruelest Bandites that are of the lād or Pirats of the ayre on behalf of her brood and triumph as fast if she come but handsomly off with her owne And then must al the world take notice of her conquests and she be recounting the same to her deer consort who wil swel therat and bristle as fast and euen menace the skyes in his greatestcholer She is no great Arithmetician and hath but a shallow memorie for she neuer knowes how manie yong she hath so she haue anie at al she is pleased alike She loues not her children so much as the name of Mother which holds in one as wel as a 100. She is not a Castle or Bulwark which keep their stands attending the assailants but as a Pinck at sea wel man'd wil meet and encounter the Aduersaries themselues and defye them to their teeth and with the sayles of her wings wil seeme to fetch the wind of them to fly the fuller into their faces But if she be let alone and not prouoked there is noe Doue more meek and gentle them she THE MORALS TVTELA FIDISSIMA IT is hard to say which is better to giue protection to others or to find it for themselues this am I sure of the first is more specious and glorious the latter more happie and secure It is sayd indeed Beatius est dare quà m accipere because it is supposed who hath to giue hath otherwise no need to craue wherin the beatitude consists wheras who finds protection now was of late in distresse or feare of danger so as though he hath the happines now to dry vp his waterie eyes yet not the priuiledge to haue them neuer to dry To giue protectiō inuolues a power to be able to afford it to take the same implyes a necessite to recurre vnto it the first hath a kind of obligation with it if not of iustice of charitie at least to yeald his succours in which estate he euer stands cōsequently in a state of seruitude because obliged But the secōd discouers his impotencie only and
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
and heer doe I present thee in honour of thee the Mystical Rose and thy Sonne thy soueraigne Bud the Hymne that followes Salue CHRISTI sacra Parens Flos de spina spinâ carens Flos Spinati gloria Nos spinetum nos peccati Spinâ sumus cruentari Sed tu spinae nescia THE III. SYMBOL THE LILLIE THE DEVISE THE CHARACTER THE Lillie is the Scepter of the chast Diana whose Flower-deluce the crowne and stemme the handle which she chastly wealds amidst the Nimphs of flowers It is a Siluer-Bel without sound to the eare but ful of sweets to the brim and where it can not draw the eares the eyes it wil and inebriats the curious with its ouer-sweets It is a Box of Ciuets which opens to the Zephirs and prodigally powers forth its spices to the standers round-about though they come not very nigh it Flora it seemes hath no other Purse then this of candid saffron without strings to shut it vp so prodigal she is of her sweets which she wel knowes can neuer al be disbursed Who had not seen a Lillie heertofore especially the Flower-deluce the Prince of Lillies would start no doubt as with the sight of a Garden-Comete and cal in his friends perhaps to gaze on a Blazing Starre or Garden-Miracle It is the ensigne of France euen vying with the Brittish or Lancastrian Whiter Rose if not so happie for her Vnion with the Red the Ensigne of Peace yet in this more happie that she neuer was diuided to haue need of such a Vnion as euer standing of herself It is a Quiuer of amourous shafts with golden heads which some cal hammers rather against lust to blunt the thorns of lewd Concupiscence A verie Purselin cup replenished within with the rarities of Nature enough to stupify and astonish the curious in the search of secrets It is besides a precious Pot of the purest Alablaster filled with the inualuable Spicknard of Arabia for sent and odour as it were fellow vnto that the blessed Magdalen powred on her Maister 's head and if you wil not beleeue me approach but to the vessel itself and you shal feel it streight To say no more no snow is found to be more white then it nor giues a greater flash of lightning in the eyes then it that sweetly dazels and not duls the sight THE MORALS NIVEO CANDORE NITESCEN THey are truly chast whose mind and bodie neuer yet admitted stayne in the virgin-wax of their pure integritie in either part Chast is she held to be and so is truly that vowes her chastitie and keepes the same howbeit once stayned perhaps at least with impurities of mind and washed againe with the Lauer made of the purest Bloud of the immaculate Lamb she seemes indeed to follow the Lamb wheresoeuer he goes The Turtle-Widowes are accompted chast and so they are that hauing lost their virginal integritie are re-borne anew as it were both in mind and bodie with a chaster purpose neuer more to choose another earthlie Mate or Turtle-Doue to follow and consort withal but insteed of such make choice to linck themselues from thence-forth to a heauenlie Spouse and who trow you but the Spouse of Spouses and that for euer The Vestal-Virgins were esteemed such by al their Flamins though they had but a bodilie integritie and no more while the mind perhaps was secretly a Prostitute to al impurities And if there was anie of them as some there might be who kept both the one and other sort of purities indeed yet were they not vowed perpetually to be such and so were chast though they shined not with that snowie chastitie which if it be were and euer shal be so is not yet the perfectest chastitie of al nor anie way such as the Queen of Virgins was and therefore worthily sayd to be NIVEO CANDORE NITESCENS THE ESSAY WHEN Nature is in her cheefest iolitie she tapistryes the whole Vniuers with a world of delicious flowers And to say truth these flowers are euen the smiles and laughters of the Earth that sees herself now deliuered of the cruelties of the Winter and long captiuitie She seemes therin to take pleasure recreate and disport herself to diaper the face of the earth in a thousand fashions enameled with as manierarities while the gentle breaths of Zephirus with the sweet influences of Heauen mixing their moystures with the heats of the April-Sun make that whole diuersitie which is in the bosome of the earth al sowed-ouer with a thousand seeds now mortifyed with the austerities of the winter When they are come forth Nature solicitous of these treasures so odoriferous seekes to guard them carefully and adorne them curiously arming some with thorns others with prickles couering these with rough and others with large and shadie leaues to conserue their luster Amōg the which the Lillie carries hers very long and green the stem high and round streight vnited fat firme al clothed with leaues On the top wherof grow out as it were certain wyers with heads therō or buttons somewhat long of the coulour of the hearb which in time grow white and fashion themselues in forme of a bel of satin or siluer From the bottome and hart therof grow vpright some litle wyers of gold with heads like hammers of the same The leaues wherof of an exquisit whitnes al streaked and striped without goe enlarging themselues like a bel as before is sayd The seed remaines in these hammers of gold The stem to carrie the head the better is knotted and strengthned through-out for that the Lillie is euer with the head hanging down-wards and languishing as not able to beare vp itself There are some of them red some of them azure These are al so delicious that euen to behold them were a great delight THE DISCOVRSE THE Liseron is a Lillie also though a bastard of that kind without odour and those wyers aboue made as an essay or practice and first draught of Nature endeuouring so to forme patterns to frame some maister-piece of the true Flower-deluce the Prince of Lillies Our incomprable VIRGIN is this Flower-deluce that Princesse of Lillies for the manie sympathies and faire resemblances it hath with it The Lillie is white without and gold within and both within and without most fragrant and odoriferous and the Blessed VIRGIN was most faire and beautiful in her flesh through the candour of her virginitie she the candour of the eternal light and the glasse without spot In mind she was al inflamed as the burnisht gold Gold as Aristotle sayth can not be corrupted nor could Her Charitie be euer extinguished For manie waters as it is sayd can not extinguish charitie And how sweet She was both inwardly and outwardly who sees not that considers her Humilitie in the lowlines of her hart within and outwardly in her conuersation Which Humilitie of hers sent forth such an odour vnto God as allured and attracted him to her When the King
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
powder of Industrie in her when conceauing with fire through the match of Fiat she flew so â—imbly ouer hils and dales to her Cosen Elizabeth the subiect of Charitie wherin truly she shewed herself OPEROSA ET SEDVLA THE ESSAY The Bee is the greatest Politick in the world the gouerment of their litle commoÌ„-wealth is most admirable The King is he that hath the best preÌ„seÌ„ce with him a Royal looke al his subiects obey him with submission reuerence not doing anie thing against their oath of alleageance The King himself is armed with Maiestie and beautie if he haue a sting he neuer makes vse of it in the whole manage of his estate He carryes nothing but honie in his coÌ„mands one would not beleeue the great seueritie and courtesie there is amongst them liuing in communitie with good intelligences abroad al goes with them with weight and measure without errour or mistakings In the winter they keep wholy within not knowing otherwise how to defend themselues from the force of the weather and violence of the winds hold their little assemblies in some place deputed for that effect and keep correspondencies one with another but for the drones and idle bees they banish them quite from their common-wealth They commit not themselues to the discretion of the weather abroad vntil such time as the beanes begin to blowe and from that time they wil loose no day from labour They frame the wax from the iuice which they suck from flowers hearbs and trees and for honie they deriue it also from trees gommie reeds hauing a glue and viscous lickour on theÌ„ They wil make their wax likewise of euerie herb and flower saue only they neuer light on a dead or withered one Their sting is fastned in their bellie and when they stick it so as they cannot draw it forth againe without leauing the instrument behind they dy of it and if the sting remaine but half they liue as castrat and become as droans not being able to gather either honie or wax THE DISCOVRSE THE mellifluous Doctour S. Ambrose in his sweet booke of Virgins sayth the Bee feeds of the deaw engenders not at al and frames the honie Which three properties peculiarly and singularly appertaine to Virgins but most expresly and sublimely of al to the Sacred Virgin herself the Queen of Virgins For as al other creatures liue of the earth or water as birds beasts and fishes some few excepted to wit the Camaeleon of the ayre and the Salamander of the fire the Bee as a choicer creature more curious then the rest feeds no worse then of the deaw that falles from Heauen and wheras al other creatures not bred of putrefaction are subiect to libidinous heat in their kinds the Bee is free therof and multiplies by a way more chast and where other creatures are wholy maintained at their Maister 's charge and some wil eate you more then their bodies are worth or their labour comes to the Bee makes its owne prouision of itself and leaues his owner rich with the bootie and spoyle they make of the flowers of the field without anie cost or charge of the Maister so industrious they are to the great confusion of men Iust so our Ladie not taken with the bayts and allurements of this world for spiritual life liued not but of the heauenlie deaw of Diuine grace being capable of no other heat then of the chast and amourous fire of Diuine Loue not conceauing Fruit but by an admirable mysterious and miraculous way through the work of the Holie-Ghost remaining a Virgin before in and after her Child-birth and lastly framed without anie cost or merits of ours that Honie of honies that Honie-comb distilling which carries the honie in his lips The honie indeed is engendred in the ayre through the fauour and influence of certain starres as in the Canicular dayes we may note betimes in the morning the leaues to be charged and sugred with it Such as go forth at that time before day shal find themselues to be moistned therewith which the Bees suck from the leaues and flowers and tunne-vp in their little stomaks to discharge againe and to make it perfect honie in al points for the vse of men So our incomparable Virgin receauing this Deaw or honie of the Eternal Word as it came from Heauen into her Virginal womb so wrought it in her as being deliuered therof it proued a honie most apt for the vse of man the true Bread of Life indeed Most happie Bee and a thousand times most blessed HONIE Where it is to be noted that Bees are exceedingly delighted with these things first with faire serene weather for then those deawes more plentifully fal are more delicious and of the contrarie in the raynie more boysterous weather they are wholy hindered from their vintage as it were or gathering those sugred deawes Secondly they are pleased much with abundance of flowers from whence they gather their purest honie for though the deawes fal vpon the leaues and they gather it no doubt from them also yet is it not so delicious and pure for the nature of deawes participats much of the places they light on which makes the Bee farre more busie and industrious on the flower then on the leaues Thirdly they are wonne with a sweet sound For Aristotle sayth they are exceedingly allured with the harmonie of musick and sweet sounds which we ordinarily practise now adayes to stay them with when they are in a great consult to take their flight and be gone for then with the striking of a pan only insteed of other musick are they brought to settle themselues neer home so Musical they are And lastly they ioy greatly insweet wine as we find by experience and daylie practise as often as they begin to swarme are now on the wing and point to trauel into forren parts Al these things the Blessed Virgin was exceedingly affected to and had them al as it were within her as first a serenitie in the internal conscience where appeared no clowd in the ayre of her Mind and where the pacifical Salomon sat peacefully indeed as in his Iuorie Throne Al the glorie of the King's daughter was wholy within her Then had she the flowers of al Vertues and Graces within her to wit the diuersities of al vertues the lillies of chastitie the blush and moâ—estie of the rose the hope of the Violet the charicie and Diuine loue of the Heliotropion and the like Her soule was a Garden of al flowers and no lesse then a Paradise which had the Archangel as Paranimph Guardian therof with the two-edged sword of Humilitie and the chast Feare of God O delicious Paradise and more then terrestrial euen when she was dwelling on the earth Thirdly she was affected to Musick and very rare and singular therin as appeares by that excellent and melodious Canticle of hers the Diuine Magniâ—â—at so chanted now adayes in the
world and taken-vp in the Church for an admirable peece of that Art to vye with the Angels the Cherubins and Seraphins themselues to frame the like Nor yet was she so pleased to heare herself sing only as to listen to her Spouse the voice of her beloued knocking and saying My sister open vnto me to whom she would answer againe Behold my beloued speaks vnto me Oh let thy voice stil sound in mine eares and a thousand other affects of her Musical hart would she dayly sing besides to the Angelical troups which enuironed her round And lastly for her loue to wine that is to the Angelical Nectar she was dayly feasted with of spiritual gladnes as tasts before hand of her future ioyes which might appeare by the quantitie she tooke of those wines and the qualitie againe by the frequent extasies of loue she would breake into remaining in her Closet as we may piously beleeue being inebriated therewith THE EMBLEME THE POESIE TO Bethlem's sillie shed me thinkes I see The Virgin hasten like a busie Bee Which in a tempest subiect to be blowne In lieu of ballast beares a little stone As 't were with oares beats to and fro his wings Collects heauens deaw which to the hiue he brings Within that store-house lyes the daylie frait Le ts fal the stone Euen so of greater weight Cut without hands the Virgin now is gone To lay the prime and fundamental stone Heauens Deaw condens'd was in the honie-comb She was the Bee the Hiue her Sacred Womb. THE THEORIES COntemplate first how little soeuer the Bee seemes yet how great its excellencies and eminencies are and measure not the singular properties it hath with the outward shew it giues forth For though it seeme no more indeed then as raysed but a little higher then an ordinarie fly yet is it a miracle in nature an astonishment to men and a liuelie Symbol of our Blessed Ladie who being so singular and eminent in al prerogatiues and graces Celestial and Diuine made no greater a shew then she did in being so priuate in her Closet or Oratorie where she was as a Bee in her Cel a-framing the delicious honie of her admirable examples of life to sweeten the world with for after-ages Where you may note her stupenduous humilitie that seing herself elected the Mother of God and consequently the Queene of Angels and men yet held herself to be no more then as a seruiceable Bee to worke the precious honie of Man's Redemption in her Virginal Womb when she sayd Behold the hand-mayd of our Lord. Consider then that as one of the properties of the Bee is when it is on the wing and feares to be carried away with the winds of the ayre to take vp a stone to keep itself steadie therin through the poyse therof So our blessed Virgin in her highest contemplation of heauenlie mysteries which was frequent and ordinarie with her would take herself to her little Iesus the mystical stone for Christ was a Stone for feare of being carryed away with the wind of vanitie she would fly and soare aloft but yet hold her to her little Nothing which she euer tooke herself to be O admirable humilitie of our incomparable and industrious Bee Ponder lastly that if the Bee is so admired for its singular guists of Continencie of Policie and Industrie and especially so affected by al men for the benefit of the honie they receaue from it how admirable needes must the blessed Virgin be so chast as to be the first and onlie patterne of al Chastitie both Virginal Coniugal and Vidual so wise politick wel-gouerned in herself to haue Sensualitie so obedient to Reason and Reason to GOD as to haue no deordination in her either of the inferiour to the superiour part and so industrious withal as to work so exquisit a loome of al Perfection as wel Human as Angelical in the whole course of her diuine life Yea how ought she to be honoured and worshipped of vs al for the Celestial Diuine fruit she brought vs forth that mellifluous Honie of the Diuine Word Incarnate and made Man in her most precious and sacred Wombe THE APOSTROPHE O Great Monarkesse and Princesse of intercession in heauen most constant and immoueable in thy Virginal purpose who hadst rather not to haue been so great in the kingdome of God then to falsify thy promise vow of perpetual Virginitie if in being the Mother of God the same had been put in the least danger O help me then to guard this inestimable treasure of Chastitie in my state of life by that sweetest Honie-comb thou hredst within thee and broughtst into the world thy deerest Sonne Ah let me not be perfidious disloyal or a breaker of my faith nor rash in my good purposes made to His Diuine Maiestie For that O soueraigne Ladie displeases him highly and offends thee likewise deare Princesse of Virgin-soules THE VIII SYMBOL THE HEAVENS THE DEVISE THE CHARACTER THE Heauens are the glorious Pallace of the Soueraigne Creatour of al things the purple Canopie of the Earth powdred ouer and beset with siluer-oes or rather an Azure Vault enameld al with diamants that sparckle where they are And for that there is aloft aboue this seeling they make a pauiment likewise for the Intelligences and Angelical Spirits strewed as become such inhabitants with starres It is a Court where those blessed Spirits as Pensioners stand continually assisting in the King's presence with the fauour to behold him to face in his greatest glorie while the Starres as Pages attend in those spacious Hals lower roomes If al togeather should make vp the bodie of an Armie ranged and marshalled in the field the Spirits themselues would make the Caualrie and the Infanterie the Starres S. Muhael General of the one and Phoebus of the other where euen as the Foot that are as the Corps of the whole Batallions make a stand so remaine the whole multitude of Starres al fixt in the Firmament while the Planets which are as the Collonels of the rest with the speedie Coursers of their proper Orbs fly vp and down to marshal the Legions and to keepe the Companies in their due squadrons If they shoot their shafts and darts they send are but their influences they powre on mortals and terrene things good and bad some sweet of loue as those which Venus shoots from her Regiment headed with gold some with steel as those of Mars and his troups and some againe as more malignant dipt in venome as those of Saturn and the Caniculars As the Earth hath beasts the Heauens haue their Lion and Beare the great and lesse Where the Sea hath fish the Heauens haue theirs and waters enough as wel aboue as vnder the Firmament As the Ayre hath birds the Heauens haue Angels as birds of Paradise And if the vpper Region of the Elements be of fire the Seraphins are al of amourous fires of Diuine loue and the
highest order of the blessed Spirits THE MORALS CAPACITATIS IMMENSAE THat great Galleasse or Argosey of Noe clapt vnder hatches the Epitome of the world which yet virtually contained that vast volume or tome of the greater World The Troyan horse held a whole Ambuscado in his bellie of warlick Grecians in compleat armour Yea the Eye of man though de facto it reach no farther then the Hemisphere only yet of itself is able to extend to the ful immensitie of the whole Sphear were it placed as Center therof But that were to make the Heauens the visible Obiect of the Eye only I wil then go further The Hart of man as it is how litle soeuer if it be wel purged is able to walke through the heauenlie vaults both aboue and beneath I meane contemplate the Starres and Spirits themselues with the immense capacitie of that wast dwelling of theirs But what were al this but a meer extension and perlustration of the mind only wholy occupyed in measuring Intellectual Obiects It is the Local continencie I meane as the kernel is contained in the shel and the like I say that great Amphitheater of Pompey was but a nutshel as it were of so manie sonnes of men compared with the Globe of the Earth and the earth with the Zodiack of the Sun and the Sun againe being paraleld with GOD himself It is GOD only who truly beholds al Obiects both Intellectual and Visible and truly containes them al being present to al comprehends al is Al in Al. And yet this great AL whom the Heauen of Heauens can not coÌ„taine hath the Virgin-Womb of the immaculate Mother of God conceaned and held in her lap as the Church sings an therefore is sayd to be and that most rightly and worthily too CAPACITATIS IMMENSAE THE ESSAY THe Heauens with their circuit cloathe and mantle al the world with the sweetnes of their influences nourish the same and distil a life into it They are the House of GOD the floare and pauiment of Paradise the Garden of the Angels al beset with starres insteed of flowers with an eternal Spring the Temple of the Diuinitie and the azured Vault of the Vniuers The number of the Heauens hath not alwayes been agreed vpon for one while they beleeued there was but one onlie wherin the â—tarres did sweetly glide heer and there and glance along as in a liquid cristal floud Sometimes haue they allowed of eight by reason of so manie diuers Motions and Agitations very different in them then nine then ten and then eleuen and if perhaps some new Galâ—laeus should deuise and frame vs other spectacles or opticons to see with we are in danger to find out yet some new Starres and Heauens neuer dreamed of before This round Machine makes its circular reuolutions through an vnspeakable swiftnes But that is a meer tale which Plato tels to busie mens braynes with to say the Starres and Heauens yeald a sound or delicicus melodie through their motion and stirring vp and downe whereas truly the sweet sliding and shuffling of the Heauens the accords so discordant of contrarie motions those sweet coniunctions and diuorces of Starres is it truly which is called the sweet harmonie of the Heauens They would likewise make vs beleeue the Heauens were al engraued ouer because the Zodiack is composed and distinguished into twelue Figures of Beasts therin cut as with a chisel and the whole Figure and face of Heauen were as fully stockt with beasts carued and fashioned so to beautify the Heauens and therefore wil some haue Caelum to take its denomination from caelatum as much to say as carued and engraued But in effect are nothing els but certain assemblies and congregations of Starres togeather which the fantasies of men hath fashioned in Figures and Constellations which being so taken resemble some kinds of beasts but in truth haue so smal resemblance with them as that which they cal a Beare might as wel be tearmed an Ape and Necessitie makes vs to accept it for good coyne and GOD himself with Iob makes vse of such manner of speach in naming them Orion the Hyades and the like This great Bowle of the Heauens roules and turnes about an Axeltree fixt in a certain place and flyes with the winged swiftnes it hath the Angel giues it the whirle about and makes it turne round according to the Diuine prouidence crowning the world with its vaulted Arch enameled al with starres THE DISCOVRSE THvs are the Heauens expressed in themselues and now let vs seeke another Heauen these ancients neuer dreamed of One Authour diuides the Heauens into seauen parts the Aërean Aetherean Olympian Firie Firmamental Waterie and Empyreal But we wil content ourselues with these three only the Syderean the Cristalin and Empyreal And for the first we shal find our Queene of Heauen to be so the Queene therof as she is a Syderean or Starrie Heauen herself if we regard but the ornaments she is decked with as so manie starres For as that Heauen is adorned with varietie of Starres so she with diuersitie of al Vertues The beautie of HeaueÌ„ to wit of Marie is the celestial glorie of the Starres that is the glorious varietie of al Vertues For as for the ornaments of this Heauen it is sayd in the Apocalyps She had a crowne of twelue starres vpon her head Now in this nuÌ„ber of Twelue is a double nuÌ„ber of Six which is the number of Perfection and signifyes the Saints as wel those which are in glorie Celestial Paradise as those who are as yet on their way thither who al honour crowne and adore this blessed Virgin as their Queene and Ladie For as the Heauen with its proper Orb and certain reuolutions carries al the mouing starres along with it so she induceth al the Saints to ioyne in intercession with her The Cristalline Heauen she is being a Heauen as composed of the waters aboue the heauens which is hardned as it were made solid like Cristal the matter being nothing els but waters hardned and condensed as some think not much vnlike to the crust of Cristal which is solid lucid and most pure And so the waters of our Ladie were solid that is her Vertues were confirmed and lucid that is transparent because through them she might contemplate and behold the glorie of GOD according to that But we with face reuealed shal speculate the glorie of GOD. The forme of this Cristalline Heauen is Spheral and round which is truly the most Capacious the Perfectest and Fairest of al figures so is she most Capacious as becomes the habitatioÌ„ of GOD according as the Church deliuers WhoÌ„ the HeaueÌ„s could not containe hast thou held in thy Womb the Perfectest because endued with al vertues In me is grace of the way veritie most Faire because stained with no blot nor euer touched with anie blemish so much as Venial Thou art wholy faire my friend
such complacencie in the Rainebow that when he is in the highest point of his iust choler if he cast but his eye thervpon he is suddenly appeased I wil looke on my Bow and wil remember c sayth he And no maruel surely since the Bow he regards so much is the Symbol heer of his deerest Mother the Incomparable Virgin Let vs see then how this heauenlie Bow deciphers the Queen of Heauen this mirrour of Nature and the astonishment of man-kind The Generation and extract of anie thing discouers it most This Iris then or Raynebow is caused by the reflexion of the Sunnie beames vpon a lucid clowd concaue and waterish Clowdes are engendred of the marine vapours or exhalation of the seas where the vapoural parts of the Ocean are attracted by the vertue of the Sun which conglomerated togeather engender a clowd when the brackishnes of the Sea-water is turned to sweetnes And so was our Ladie a true clowd since in her were found these marine vapours that is incredible tribulations bitter and brackish of themselues though to her made sweet through the force and vertue of Diuine Loue. The Sunnie beames therefore that is the grace of GOD being a ray as it were of the Diuine Essence reflecting on the purest Virgin a lucid clowd concaue and waterish produced the Iris or Rainebow in the Hierarchie of the Church as in the firmament of the Heauens and therefore called the Iris or Celestial Bow a signe of the Reconciliation of GOD with al mankind She was concaue through humilitie and therefore very apt to receaue the rayes of the Sunne of Iustice the influence of Diuine graces as she was waterish no lesse through compassion and pietie because her hart was a Spring and her eyes as continual-standing pooles of teares A bow commonly hath a string is bent with an arrow in it and hath the horns conuerted towards vs as menacing the Foes Our Blessed Vigin is a Bow indeed but without the string of seueritie because most iust and without menaces and feare because most sweet and hath two horns withal to wit Grace and Mercie which she holdeth towards vs while grace she affordeth to the iust and mercie to sinners and is therefore called the Mother of Grace and Mother of Mercie Aboue al the Rayne-bow hath its proper subsistence in coulour which it seemes to borrow as Bede sayth of the foure Elements For of the fire it contracts a ruddie coulour from the water a Cerulean from the ayre the coulour of the Hyacinth and from the earth the green it hath al which seeme spiritually to be found in our Celestial Bow the Incomparable Ladie for red she was being wholy inflamed with the fire of Diuine loue which she tooke from the Diuine fire God being our consuming fire a fire indeed that burns and consumes others but not her because although she were a bush and burning too yet incombustible She might borrow that coulour likewise from her dead Sonne as he lay on her lap being taken from the Crosse al bathed with his precious Bloud which mixed with her faire complexion might wel appeare like to flames in our heauenlie Iris. She had the Cerulean which is the coulour of the Sea because she is properly the Starre of the Sea and hath therefore a great correspondencie with that liquid Element and through meer compassion was become as it were al liquid according to that of the Psalmist My hart is become as dissolued or liquifyed wax as wel for the abundance of teares she was wont to shed as the puritie of her mind which made them so limpid and cleare She had thirdly the coulour of the Hyacinth which she tooke as from the ayre since al her conuersation was in the ayre as it were abstracted from the earth or terrene cogitations She was wholy as the Bird of Paradise which hath no feet to touch the earth with from the time that her Sonne ascended to heauen from the mount Oliuet she could do nothing but cast vp her eyes thither-wards and so powerfully perhaps contracted that coulour through the vehemencie of her attention and application to that object til her Assumption haply when she left it by the way in her Bow to remayne for euer as a signe of her puritie But now to conclude with the green which she tooke from the earth what might it be but a continual Spring of al Graces and Vertues which she practised on earth Looke into a garden in that season of the Spring and whatsoever your eyes can behold truly delicious there in the greennes of the plots and arbours both open and close and in the green-sword allies and bancks your vnderstanding shal be able to paralel and find-out her vertuous conuersation on earth For if you consider her green walks they were al as streight as garden-walks for streight were the paths of her whole life If on the arbours you shal find her continually in her closet her plots were nothing els but how to become more gratful to her Sonne her Spouse her Lord and those alwayes new euer green so as in the garden of her mind was a perpetual Spring to be seen of al vertues while she liued amongst vs no maruel then the green was so dear vnto her to be put into her bow THE EMBLEME THE POESIE FRom heauen the Father viewes his Sonne below Vpon the Crosse as on a clowde a Bowe When vapours from the earth exhal'd arise The Mother likewise sees with mourning eyes Her Sonne al black blew pale wan red Green with a crowne of thornes fixt on his head Al which reflect by reflexion die The Mother like a Raine-bow in the skie To her for mercie when the Sinner sues The Sonne his Mother as a Raine-bow viewes That pleades for mercie to her Sonne appeales Who signes the Pardon and his Wounds are Seales THE THEORIES COntemplate first that if Nature be able to frame so rare a peece of workmanship as the Rayne-bow and that no wit of man can truly comprehend the reasō of its forme and figure with the admirable diuersitie of coulours in it so as among her other works most choice and rare the same is accounted as a cheef miracle in Nature in the visible Heauens I imagin the while what GOD himself is able to doe in his works of Grace being disposed as it were to vye with Nature in framing an Iris likewise in this Heauen of Heauēs to astonish not Mortals only but the Angels and blessed Spirits themselues better able to iudge of the diuersitie of coulours in her to wit the mysteries and graces wherewith he hath adorned her Consider then that as the Rayne-bow of it-self is no more then a meer Meteor in the ayre if it be so much whose whole luster it takes from the Sun and vanisheh as soone as he is either in a clowd or hath his aspect some other way since it is wholy of him and so of him as
without him it is nothing So our Incōparable Virgin-Iris whatsoever she was of herself she esteemed as nothing not so much as a Meteor as it were in the Celestial Hierarchie of Heauen attributing al to the Sun of Glorie reflecting his rayes so powerfully vpon her to make her appeare so glorious as she doth the most refulgent Bow or Carkanet of Heauen the delight of the Angels and the gracious signe of Reconciliation to Mortals with her onlie Sonne the Sun of Iustice whose she is wholy and euer was Ponder lastly how as the Rayne-bow of itself is nothing els but exhalations and vapours extract from the Seas and drawne-vp into the ayre by the heat of the Sun So this Iris is the Quintessence as it were extracted from the Sea of the generation of Adam through particular fauour and priuiledge of the Sun of Iustice to become first a light clowd that is capable of Celestial rayes and then being concaued through humilitie to beare him in her womb and to haue the forme of a Celestial Bowe enriched with such diuersities of al Graces THE APOSTROPHE OH specious Iris Hand-mayd of the Sun of Iustice in thine owne account and yet esteemed of al the world besides the glorious Queene of Heauen and placed as a radiant Iris or Anckour of our hope and reconciliation to GOD thy Sonne whose vnbent Bow thou art sure Signe of Peace Ah then shal I alwayes liue thus Shal I alwayes walke the labyrinth of the fraylties and inordination of my soule for want of a Clue to guid me forth and to leade me vnto the true loue of my GOD the only Louelie and Amiable aboue al louelie and amiable things Shal I alwayes walke thus by the brinck of Hel vnrulie unmortifyed curious sensual and vayne O my most deer Diuine Mother guard me with the bow of thy safeguard and protection and make intercession for me O thou proclaymed Happie through al nations heare my desires haue pittie on my teares let my sights mount vp vnto thee O receaue them I pray most gracious and auspitious Iris of the Empyreal Heauens THE X. SYMBOL THE MOONE THE DEVISE THE CHARACTER THE Moone is the Dowager and Queen-Regent of the Firmamēt that rules that Monarchie by turnes with Titan her brother with this happines aboue him that his gouerment ouer some of his prouinces is found too hot intolerable held as tyranous but hers more benigne sweet ouer al. She is so good as she seems to spend her whole demeanes vpon the poore indigēt And as she is charitable to al she is euē prodigally profuse of the treasure of her influēces of on her neerest kin about her especially Tellus her Sister more necessitous then stands with her gentle breast to see her in and therefore as made for her alone she seemes to apply herself to her only And to the end she may stil haue to giue she is stil borrowing from her elder Brother new and fresher lights from the rich Magasin of his greater splendour wherof she spends so fast as she is often forced to breake and become Bankerout and as often by her Brother set aflote againe with a new stock as brisk as euer She holdes besides very faire correspondences and good intelligence with the Seas and those so good as neuer fayle without some prodigie or other They vse to taxe her of inconstancie but they doe her wrong for She is constant stil in that inconstancie of hers they charge her with how then inconstant The spots they note her for shew but how good a glasserepresentatiue she is that so figures something which they cal a Man which I scan not heer She is faire and beautiful yealds to none but to the Sun and that for reuerēce and good respects She is a great riser in the night which she doth to good purpose stil obliging the whole world through manie fauours She is indeed the precious Diamant of the rest of Starres cut round of the larger size and sometimes Crescent-wise as she is pleased to communicate herself take away the veyle before her face THE MORALS BENIGNA ET FACILIS THe Children of Israël indeed though they acknowledged GOD for the Authour and Creatour of al things yet not to be dazeld with his glorie were stil calling vpon Moyses to speake to them and not the Lord. The Kings of China are neuerseen to their Subiects but negotiate their Royal affaires by the trustie hands of their Eunucks about them and they dispense his fauours heer and there according to his mind By them giues he audience to Embassadours and by their hands receaues the presents suits and requests of al and giues dispatches by them and so his Subiects doe more sweetly tast his benignities and fauours and seeme more freely to communicate with him The Vnderstanding or Reason hath the common Sense for chief dispenseresse and the Executiue powers for ministers while al things are not done immediatly by himself Tyberius had Seianus as it were his right hand He that would haue a fauour at the hands of Alexander would apply himself streight to his deerest Ephestion and he was sure to haue his suit Yea the great S. Peter himself how great soeuer in his Maister 's fauour would stil be pulling of S. Iohn by the sleeue to put forth his doubts and his requests to his Maister for him And the great Assuerus had his gracious and benigne Hester alwayes by his side who did nothing but communicate the Prince's fauours to his people with a pious and prudent hand This was the Virgin-Mother right to our great Assuerus indeed therefore is she heer most truly and aptly stiled BENIGNA ET FACILIS THE ESSAY THE Moon of al others is a Planet the neerest to the earth and most familiar with it It is the Sun of the night her course and decourse neuer fayles her glasse is cleer according as she lookes on the Sun and sometimes do we see but a certain list as it were and Crescent of Siluer sometimes it waxeth againe and makes a demie O or half circle then growes it to be wholy orbicular and round her Argent is alwayes dimmed with some shadowes and certain obscurities that seeme to fashion a face with them She supplyes the defaults of the Sun and often shines in fellowship with him and mingles her rayes with his euen at midday The simplicitie of Painters heerin is discouered in that ordinarily painting her in companie with the Sun they make her horns to looke to the Sun-wards wherein truly are they quite mistaken for the back is it which is turnd to the Sun and not the horns for she hath no claritie in her but that which she borrowes of the Sun presenting him in lieu therof her mirrour and glasse to looke vpon She is the Sister of the Sun and as I sayd before the Sun of the nights which pearceth the thicknes of their darknes with her siluer rayes
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
It is the manner in al countries likely in doubtful wayes especially where they seeme to crosse one another to set vp Pillars with hands directing and pointing this way or that way and you wil not beleeue what comfort it affords to wearie Pilgrims whose euerie step out of their right way is a greeuous corrasiue to them The Kings had a Starre as companion in their pilgrimage to the Crib And the Pastours of the Church are as so manie Starres to leade their Sheep and to guide their subiects in the pilgrimages of their owne saluation When the hauens are crooked and perilous to passe to and fro the publick care of common safeties in the night especially prouides some burning torch or other vpon some turret-top to admonish the Marriners where they are and fayrly to guide and direct them into the wished port This same prouision hath the Wisedome likewise of the great CREATOVR found out to comfort and direct vs no lesse in the open Seas exposing a certain Starre among the rest as a sure and infallible Pharus But more truly and abundantly farre in ordaining the Incomparable Virgin Marie his blessed Mother to be our Starre in the dangerous and tempestuous Sea of the world and therefore is heer very truly sayd in the Motto IN ITINERE PHARVS THE ESSAY THE Starres as sowne vp and downe the Heauens are the thicker and massiue parts of Heauen certain Buttons of Crystal as it were which serue as a grace and entertainment to Heauen By these siluer channels Nature distills her influences vpon vs and insensibly distributes fauours They are the eyes of Nature which without cease serue vs as a Court-of-guard for watchfulnes the Iewels of Nature wherewith ordinarily she dresses herself Sometimes they send forth their fire rayes sometimes they ecclipse their beautie and strip themselues of al refulgence There are some who can punctually tel you the course and trauails of the Starres their aspects their encounters and their fruits the marriages and diuorces of the Planets their defects and ecclipses their risings their settings their asceÌ„dants their coniunctions and the whole â—economie of the Heauens For the swiftnes of their motions it is a thing almost incredible what they write that one Starre in the firmament should goe 200000. Italian miles in a minute of an hower so as neither the flight of a bird nor force of an arrow nor the furious shot of a CanoÌ„ nor anie thing of the world can approach or come neere the imaginable swiftnes of these Starres bus yet most true Besides al this there is no Starre thahath not a particular vertue with it though vnt knowne to vs. The clowded Starres cause infallibly rayne others frost some snow others shead abundant deawes some sow their hayle others open the mouth and gates of the winds others fold the world in clowds others send downe mistie fogs and others contribute to the production and generation of Minerals and when the Sun and the Canicular Starre are in coniunction and match togeather the world burnes with outrageous heats It is a dreadful thing to consider the greatnes of these Starres their distaÌ„ce in the Heauens and the inexplicable swiftnes of their courses and reuolutions You shal haue a Starre which shewes no bigger then a crowne that is a â—15 times greater then the earth Goodnes of GOD Who would imagin this beautie to see such a Boule of Cristal al of fire to cast downe here beneath a thousand benedictions on the earth by meanes of its rayes and the sweetnes of its influences THE DISCOVRSE THvs farre then of Starres in general which being thus decyphered may seeme as so manie glorious Suns in the Firmament of the Heauens but are indeed as the Common-people of that Celestial Citie and Kingdome compared with the Sun himself sitting in the midst of Planets as the King of Heauen to whom al the rest of Starres make vp a Court among whom as a choice Hester is one especially selected by that great Assuerus of Starres to cast his most amorous glances and fayrest influence vpon This happie and auspicious Starre is knowne and called by diuers names according to the offices she discharges in the great Assuerus his house For first is she stiled by the name of Venus not as the Goddesse of Loue which the Poets feigne but for that she disposes them to loue whom she lwayes and exercises her vertues on Secondly she is called the Morning-Starre because she shewes and declares the Morning now at hand and euen begins the same herself with her burning torch to glad the world withal who then begins to shake off sleepe and disperse the mistie vapours which so long had shadowed clowded ouer the Gemell Starres or Eyes of the Microcosmes of men Thirdly they cal her Lucifer in that her light exceeds so much the other Starres so as wel she may be sayd the Hester of theÌ„ al. And fourthly she is tearmed the Hesperus for as much as she respects the ensuing night and greatly illustrats the same with her more then ordinarie splendour and light so as she glads the world therewith drawes al eyes to gaze vpon her Such is this special Starre indeed the glorie of the Heauenlie Orbs but loe we haue another Starre in hand dwelling in the vpper Region of the Empyreal Heauens that greatly symbolizes with this but as farre exceeds it Analogically speaking as the great Assuerus Sun of Iustice excelles the same of this our Firmament or as much as this same Firmament itself where GOD eternally raignes in his Empyreal and Celestial Court to whom I say these seueral titles may aptly agree according to these other things which are sayd of her I am the Mother of faire dilection of feare of knowledge of holie hope This Starre is the blessed Virgin that may wel be tearmed Venus because she enflames mens harts with Diuine loue and therefore is sayd to be the Mother of faire dilection Then the Morning-Starre for that she is the beginning of a new life as the morning is the commencement of the ensuing day and therefore of feare For feare is the beginning of grace and of a new life according to that of the Psalmist The feare of GOD is the beginning of wisedome Againe she is sayd to be the Lucifer for that she giues the beginning of Diuine knowledge and so is the Mother of knowledge And lastly Hesperus since she so piously regards and illumines sinners who are in the darknes of wickednes and sinne and for that cause is fayd to be the Mother of holie hope She is likewise called the Morning-Starre because appearing to Mortals she is the most certain and infallible signe of the approach of the day of grace and rising of the Sun of Iustice This Starre besides is called the Starre of the Sea and that most fitly if Philo most skilful of the Hebrew tongue be worthie to be beleeued to whose interpretation Beda assents and the
Doctour S. Bonauenture in his Glosse of the Blessed Virgin yea the Catholick Church while she sings the Aue Maris stella and againe Stella Maris succurre cadenti And truly if Stella be sayd of stando for its stabilitie and immobilitie then needs must Marie be a Starre whose firmitie stabilitie in good is known to be such as she neuer stept a whit froÌ„ the wil of GOD which to no other creature once of riper yeares was yet afforded since as the Apostle S. Iames sayth We haue al offended in manie things But for the glorious Virgin as S. Bernard Sayth She was a Starre because that as the Starre sheads its rayes without corruptioÌ„ so she powred forth her Sonne without impeachment of her Virginitie And as the Starre thereby looses no light â—o the Virgins Sonne empayred not the light of her integritie anie wayes Reade but S. Bonauenture in his foresaid Glasse and he wil tel you how fitly the Virgin heer bears the office of the marine Starre For it is read sayth he and true it is that the custome of Marriners is that when they determine to sayle vnto some land to make choice of some one Starre by whose signe they may be lead without errour into that part they desire to arriue vnto And such truly is the office heer of Marie our Starre who directs the Marriners through the vast sea of the world in the Ship of Innocencie or Pennance to the shore of the Heauenlie countrey And not vnlike to this Pope innocent writes being cited likewise by the sayd S. Bernard in the same place By what helps sayth he may ships among so manie perils arriue at the shore of that Heauenlie countrie Surely by these two that is through the Wood Starre to wit through fayth of the Crosse and vertue of that Light which Marie that Starre of the Sea hath brought vs forth Now therefore as that Starre guides and directs the saylers to their port So this blessed Virgin is worthily called the Starre of this teÌ„pestuous Sea of the world while in the midst of the stormes of this life she lends so her light to such as sayle to heauen-wards and through her example and patronage continually directs them to the Hauen of the Heauenlie countrie Which S. Bernard knew wel when he sayd This is the glorious and renowned Starre very needfully raysed vpon this great and spacious sea shining with merits and illustrious in examples if the winds of temptatioÌ„s arise if thou lightst vpon rocks of tribulations if thou beest tossed by the waues of pride hoysed vp with the surges of ambition looke on the Starre cal vpon Marie let her not depart from thy hart let her not depart from thy mouth And sayth preseÌ„tly thervpoÌ„ In following her thou strayest not imploring her thou despayrest not in thinking on her thou errest not while she protects thou fearest not thou art not wearie while she guides and she propitious thou landst securely at the part and shalt find in thy felf how worthily it was sayd the Virgins name was Marie THE EMBLEME THE POESIE THe glorious Sunne withdrew his beames of light My sinne was cause So I in dismal night Am sayling in a stormie dangerous Maine And ere the sunne I feare returne againe Shal suffer shipwrack where the fraite's my Soule My onlie Hope 's a Starre fixt neere the pole But that my Needle now hath lost its force Once touchd with grace and saile out of course Starre of the Sea thy sun hath giuen thee light Til he brings day guide me in sinnes dark night I seeke what Sages heertofore haue donne Guided by thee a Starre to find the sunne THE THEORIES COntemplate first that howbeit a Starre be sayd by many degrees to be greater then the Earth yet seemes it to be but a spangle or fierie point only in that immense and vast vault of the Firmament So likewise the Blessed Virgin though she be the greatest Starre in the Heauenlie Hierarchie yet thought she alwayes humbly of herself and seemed the least meanest of al the Daughters of Hierusalem while she liued on earth For she was humble in mind in word fact in mind because she euer preferred others before herself as Ioseph Thy Father and I with heauines haue sought thee In word because she called not herself the Mother of GOD nor Ladie of the world nor Queene of Heauen but the handmayd of CHRIST when she replyed so Behold the haÌ„dmayd of our Lord and agayne He hath regarded the lowlines of his handmayd And lastly in fact because that after she was now become the Mother of GOD she made herself the handmayd of Elizabeth when she ministred to her for three months togeather that she remayned with her Consider then how this Starre of ours is as the Pole Starre or axeltree of the Firmament For as the whole circumference of the lesser Starres encompasseth the Pole and the wheel enuirons the axeltree round So is the whole Firmament of Saintlie and Angelical Starres about this singular soueraigne Starre that is the whole Celestial Court of blessed Spirits wheele as it were and beset the Virgin round because they encoÌ„passe enuiron her about as the Queen Ladie of theÌ„ al according to that which the Church sings Like the dayes of the spring-time doe the flowers of roses lillies of the vallies beset her round that is the Orders of Confessours and Virgins and the Prophet sayth The Queen stood at thy right haÌ„d in a garmeÌ„t al of gold with varietie beset round For the Saints are a certain robe or garment of the blessed Virgin adorning her richly indeed like a Ladie or Queen where the Apostles afford the embroderie of gold Martyrs the ground of scarlet Confessours Saphyrs and Emeralds and the Virgins the Orient Pearls and Diamonds PoÌ„der lastly that as this Starre is moued most swiftly by the motion of its Superiour to wit of the vpper firmament or chief Mouer because it dayly carries it about the world but moues most slowly of its owne motion for that they say it moues but one degree in a hundred yeares So the blessed Virgin our delicious Starre moued neuer of her proper motion but through the motion of her Superiour to wit the Holie-Ghost for as much as moued by the Holie-Ghost made she a vow of Chastitie and kept her virginitie inuiolable and that perpetual moued by the Holie-Ghost she gaue her assent to the Conception of the Sonne of GOD in an instant being moued to goe to serue her Coseu presently she climbd the mountains being moued so great with child and neer her time to goe to Bethlem she went her wayes and lastly moued to returne againe immediatly she returned Behold how she moued not of herself but meerly of the Holie-Ghost which was within her and guided and directed her in al things for other motion in moral actions had she none THE APOSTROPHE O Glorious Starre O Mother of
they are not seen they are easily distinguished one frō another saue only the Nightingal which hath no proper Note of its owne but rather alone is a Quire of al the Musical birds in the world So is it right with our heauenlie and diuine Nightinga for as al other creatures chant forth the prayses of their Creatour with Notes each one in their seueral kinds our Nightingal warbles them with the diuersitie of al voices with the voice of the Angels of men of things that want both reason and sense Consider then that as Plinie sayth the Nightingal sings not so artificiously by nature so much as by art while the yong are taught to warble of the elder The yonger sayth he do meditate and receaue their verses frō the elder to practise to imitate the schollars attentiuely listen and proue their Notes and by turnes hold their peace You may note a correction in the learner and a kind of reprehension in the teacher Where behold how S. Iohn was a yong Nightingal and if you doubt it aske of him if he be so or no he wil tel you He is the voice of the desert Which is nothing els but a Nightingal For if you pul but the feathers of his titles from him you wil find but a voice and nothing els and what is that but a Nightingal that sings as it is taught by an elder one whē being in his Mothers womb and hearing this our Nightingal to lead him a verse of her Canticle of Magnificat he prouing to follow and sing likewise as then could no more but skip and dance Ponder lastly that as the Nightingal though often she be iouial ful of glee out of iolitie of hart doth often sing in the publick groaues among a thousand of other quiristers besides vying and inuiting them al to sing to the prayse of their common Creatour Yet wil she sometimes by herself alone be singing in priuate also in a bush where hauing a thorn at her breast it is incredible the varieties she wil put forth that were euen able to rauish the Intelligēces themselues could they heare her at leasure and were not occupyed already with their owne Musick So our blessed Virgin the Nightingal of Heauen though she would often sing in the companie of Angels as likely was she rarely without their companie with whom she would chant Alleluyas more audible and melodiously yet sometimes againe she would retire herself and the thorns of her deerest beloued through a liuelie memorie sticking at her breast pricking the hart it can not be imagined how dolefully and yet how sweetly she would sing THE APOSTROPHE BEhold great Chorist and Rectrice of the Angelical Quire we poore petty-Quiristers beneath haue our eyes cast vpon thy al-commanding Rod to moderate our Time that with due proportiō heer on earth we may answer in some maner to that vpper Quire in heauen chanting the prayses of our cōmon Lord great Creatour ô Marie ô Diuine Nightingal thy Quire beneath is held in the whole Church but thy priuate Schoole is kept in the Cōclaue of the Hart where thou art wont to teach thy Deuotes to sing aright how with the Voice the Hart should iump withal the hand and foot be keeping a iust Time that is with our hart voice example and good works that we keep an euen time with thee in correspondencie of that great Magnificat of thine Come then great Chantresse of heauen and errect thy schoole within my hart teach it to sing forth his praises with out cease Lo heer I say let thy voice sound in mine eares for thy voice is sweet THE XIV SYMBOL THE PALME THE DEVISE THE CHARACTER THE Palme is the inuincible Champion among trees whose chiefest point of valour consists in bearing iniuries and oppressiōs without shrinking It is euen a verie Atlas for the breadth and sturdines of its shoulders which the more you loade the stoutlyer it stands to it It is for name and qualities a Phenix right therefore as they sympathize much the Phenix wil lightly take vp his Inne no where els And verily I think if the Phenix were to be a tree it would be no other and I doubt much whether if the Palme could metamorphize itself it would wish to be anie other then it is It is a whole prouisiō for the vse of man so as a new marryed couple might wel go o◠howse with such a stock They are euen as Turtles among trees constant Louers to each other They are so amourous one of an other as they wil hardly liue without the societie of each other and yet so chast as they breed and bring forth without contaction As the Turtle-widowes sit mourning on a withered branch or die of greef so wil the Palme in loosing his mate become a withered tree and pine away If diuers sexes they haue with them as some think they are the constant Vlisses and chast Penelope if not a Damon and Pithias Of al trees the Palme comes neerest to a reasonable soule if Loyaltie and friendship be according to reason who are so passionatly carryed towards each other No maruel then the Palme alone is so taken vp to heauen as Scepter of the Martyrs where nought but reasonable things can haue admittance The Male that beares no fruit himself in a manner is endles and euerlasting because Dateles as without dates and the femal though fruitful ful of dates yet bearing pulles her not downe but is for al her dates as durable euery whit as the other They are the Hermit's Kitchin Refectorie at once whose dates they eate no otherwise then as they come already cooked and dressed on the tree They shew a far off like Tropheys hangd with Fauchions or Turkie Scimiters but neerer hand as loaden and adorned with strange leaues insteed of armes or branches without boughes By reason wherof no bird can hansomely pearch vpon them which priuiledge is only reserued to the Phenix where she willingly and deliciously plants her cradle her couch her Temple of the Sun her Aultar of holocausts and finally her tomb at one THE MORALS DEPRESSA RESVRGENS THE Vertues of Fortitude and Patience may seeme as two but are easily reduced to one that is to a stout Patience or patient Fortitude If you deuide them Fortitude attempts without temeritie and hauing once begun without al feare goes through with it Patience hath large shoulders and fit to beare a burden of iniuries which it suffers not of pusillanimitie or basenes as not daring to reuenge it self but out of a true and Christian magnanimitie because he may not Fortitude seekes not dangers but meeting with them beares them brauely indeed with courage and good successe Patience is so subiect to it self as iniuries can not subdue it as holding this Maxim that the whole victorie consists in yealding Fortitude is sole Mistris of it self submitting passions to Reason's lore through which interiour victorie it
grow without rayne or waters cast vpon them where this plantation hath no need of waters but rather al industries are vsed to keep them out The Tortoyes in this respect is better housed not charged with reparations as long as his Lease lasts for terme of his life but yet hauing none els to trust to looke vnto it he is faine to carrie it about him The Cockle hath his house tiled with slate which hauing no lock and key too he is forced to keep at home for feare of theeues And not so much as the poore snayle but hath a house of his owne which in his pace like a Pedler with his pack wil he carrie about him throughout the world and do that with time which the Sunne can no more then do with al his swiftnes Nay you eate not an Oyster but you vn-house him and put him out of his tenement The Sun is the house of light that needs no windowes being nothing els but light And for the 12. principal houses and Pallaces in the Heauens they are but weakely built without foundation more then the Astronomers working braines The Moone is the house of the Flux and Reflux of the Seas who thence go in and out by turnes at their pleasures The Almond is a house of the kernels within which neuer comes forth til the roof comes fluttering downe about her eares that costs her life The Hiue is a house and Colledge of Bees where they liue Collegially togeather the Combs are their Refectorie The Birds for proper houses haue their neasts whose children are the yong ones and she the good huswif that keeps at home THE MORALS SEDES SAPIENTIAE LOoke where the Prince is there is the Court and where the Court there his Seate Wisedome is the Prince of the whole Microcosme of man His Court then and seate must needs be in the Power of the Vnderstanding where he chiefly resides and not where soeuer his dominion stretcheth for so should he be in euerie place in person which stands not with the Maiestie of so great a Prince Wel may his Ministers like Purseuants and Heralds performe and execute the Royal commands as the hands to make prouisions to maintaine the State the feet to trauel for that purpose the eyes to keep Centenel in the turrets of his pallace and that neer to his person against forren iuuasions and the like but yet the Prince himself in his Royal person departs not a whit from his proper Chamber of presence the Intellect And GOD himself the Monarck of the whole Vniuers is seen to be euerie where within his Dominions through his essence power and presence but not in that particular manner as he is in heauen in his proper seat or as he was in earth in his humanitie or in the Sacrament itself most mysteriously and Diuinely For to speake in general his seat is euerie where The Heauens are the roof the Starres the Seelings the earth al diaperd and diuersifyed with infinit coulours his footstool and pauements and the maruels of Nature his shop of wonders but his proper and peculiar seat where he resides in as in his Court is either in the Empyreal Heauē as I sayd or in Christ's excellent Humanitie or in the most Venerable and dreadful Sacrament of the Aultar nor hath he made choice of anie other seats to dwel in as not worthie or able to comprehend him Where then had Wisedome properly set vp his seat but in that pallace he had built for himself founded in so great an humilitie and so wel sustained with the seauen-fold pillars of the Holie-Ghost I meane in the Virgin-Womb of the Incomparable Ladie who receauing and so long entertaining the Wisedome Increated in her virginal Lap as the true Salomon indeed reposing sweetly in his Iuorie Throne may wel be stiled SEDES SAPIENTIAE THE ESSAY A House being a meer artificial and no natural thing hath its first subsistence in the Idea of Man's brayne according to whose model good or il the house so built proues good or il We recurre then to the Architect for direction in al. This Architecture is a soueraigne Mistris of building which giues the addresses for disposing al the parts of a house with relations in themselues in comlines proportion ornaments situation distances eleuations and a thousand of the like of al which yealds it a pertinent and satisfactorie reason to the curious examiners why euerie thing is so done this and not that Some are Architects by hand only and no more who frame their buildings by roat taking forth copyes heer and there but can afford no reason at al for what they do nor inuent ought that is worth a rush and for a final reason say nothing but such is the custome so to do Others are Architects by booke only and by discourses which they haue read but they haue no hands to put in practise and know but the Theorie only such as they are good for nothing but to build a house for Plato of Ideas al suspending in the ayre The good Architect should linck his spirit with his hand and the compas with his reason setting his hand to work as wel as the brayne The first do frame but bodies without a soule the second soules without a bodie the third do build the whole and are men of note and reputation indeed The perfect Architect indeed should be ignorant in no Science otherwise if he do wel it is by chance or els by nature as beasts do which do manie goodlie things and know not why nor wherefore He had need be a Painter to make his plaines eleuations designes to copie-out a thousand rarities to please the phantasie withal a Geometrian to handle the compas for the vse of Circles rulers squares plummets and the like To haue the Perspectiue to let-in lights into his house to steale-in the day in certain corners to content the eye with diuers aspects and if not directly to introduce the Sunnie rayes at least obliquikly through reflexions The Arithmetick to cast vp and calculate the charges he is at to number the materials and degrees that belong thereto The Historie for al the enrichments of buildings Armes statues and other ornaments are nothing els but Historie true and fayned which if he knowes not he shal commit a thousand errours To haue Philosophie to know the nature of beasts the seas the elements flowers fruits and al whatsoeuer in nature Astrologie and Phisick in planting his house in a holsome and sound climat in choosing the best Sun a good wind the purest ayre holesome waters a faire and free prospect a good situation for pleasure and profit This is certain that al art is then in truest perfectiō when it may be reduced to some natural Principle or other For what are the most iudicious Artizans but the Mimiks of Nature This same in our House is seen comparing it with the fabrick of our natural bodies wherin the high Architect of the world hath
in the dust which especially they do for three causes as wel by busking therinto satisfy the itching they haue in thēselues to mēd their plumes feathers as also to shakeoff the venī about thē Our Hen likewise most willingly busked rould herself in herdust ashes also Dust is the beginning of humā generatiō the origin of our vile extractiō Ashes the verie Epilogue therof whence both are the Symbol of our birth end thēce Humilitie Al mē are earth ashes Why art thou proud thou earth ashes In these cogitations the like as in a heap of dust the most Blessed Virgin continually volued herself reuoluing nothing so much in mind as her dust and proper extraction Whence that Behold the handmayd of our Lord. God hath regarded the lowlines of his hand mayd But how then O mysterious Hen louest thou dust so wel hating al fowlnes and sordities so much Feltst thou the itching of Vanitie a whit that thou shouldst scrape in that sort No not the least itching of vaine ostentation infested thee the immaculate Virgin Or wouldst thou haue pranckt thy quils plumage of supernal affects It was not needful since they were without anie lets to hinder them at al. Or was thy intention to shake off at least any euil cogitations Not so likewise no such thing had euer accesse or ingresse into that purest mind No temptation of arrogancie ostentation or pride could euer find admittance there But truly this it was thou louedst Humilitie which thou knewest to be gratful and acceptable to thy Sonne which could no where more appeare then in the dust of human nullitie then in the ashes of mortalitie and thy proper annihilation An other reason may be also why thou diggest so in the dust of thy Nothing to find as Hens are wont in the dust some food more acceptable to them for this is a maine cause likewise of their so frequent scraping in the dust who knowes perhaps whether they may not light on a gemme or no for so it hath been knowne The most humble Virgin Marie indeed euen nourished herself with humilitie as a most sauourie food vnto her this she supposed to lye in the dust of her proper abiection and therefore with clawes of consideration neuer left she digging and scraping it forth nor was she anie whit deceaued the earth of her abstraction gaue her abundantly to feed most deliciously And which is more she found in so doing the precious gemme indeed which was so enamoured with her humilitie as he euen stoopt into the dust to be there found by this mysterious and blessed Hen. THE EMBLEME THE POESIE NO mother like the Hen preserues her yong Protects shelters with her wings her tongne Is clucking with a sad and doleful note Call's back her chickens when they are remote And if they come not chides sharp shril lowd With beck tallions fights for them Thus shrow'd OVirgin Mother while the Puttock flies The Prince of darknes who with watchful eyes Seekes for my Soule his prey The Hen is knowne Careful of al. Yet if she hath but one Her care 's as great So 's thine of one or other Then to me Sinner shew thy self a mother THE THEORIES COntemplate first the great magnanimitie of the Hen in defence of her chickens as aboue sayd And then reflect vpon the courage and fortitude of our victorious Patronesse the glorious Virgin especially in the protection likewise of her Children for to her enemies is she terrible as a battail wel arrayed As an armie wel marshalled is a terrour to the enemies and makes them fly at the sight thereof before they enter into fight so are the Diuels danted at the presence of this inuincible Champion standing in defence of her Clients and Children Consider then the great compassion of the Hen towards her yong which appeares in this that with the sick and infirme she wil be infirme she is so sollicitous in feeding them as she finds not a graine but she calles them to her to participate therof And for her care of preseruing them from danger she clucks them vnder her wings from the rapin of the kites and the like rauenous fowle And then weigh withal the tender compassion the Virgin-Mother hath euer shewen towards vs her Children and Seruants in being so sollicitous to feed vs while she was on earth with the food of her doctrine She hath opened her mouth in wisedome and the law of clemencie in her toung and for custodie how she hides vs vnder her wings and protects vs from the snares of the Diuel For this is she to whom was sayd that two great wings were giuen her The one the wing of Mercie to which Sinners do fly to be reconciled to GOD according to the Prophet Protect me vnder the shadow of thy wings The other that of Grace vnder which the Iust remaine to be conserued in grace and may say with him likewise She hath shadowed vs with her shoulders Ponder lastly how the Hen not only sits vpon her owne egs but sometimes strangers likewise as the egs of Ducks and pea-hens put into her nest which being hatched the Ducks according to kind wil betake themselues to the waters and there diue and plunge themselues ouer head and eares and the yong pea-hens enamoured with their owne beautie wil forsake their tender nurse that bred them vp And then weigh withal how manie strange and vngratful children our mysterious Hen the admirable Virgin cherishes and nurse with her daylie protection who requite her il for al her care in trayning them vp THE APOSTROPHE O Queen of Angels saluted hy the Archangel adored by the Powers of Heauen Mistrisse of Vertues Dutchesse of Principalities Ladie of Dominations Princesse of Thrones more highly aduanced then the Cherubins themselues more enflamed with ardour os Diuine loue then al the Seraphins The first next to God the second in the Role or Register of the Predestinate Thou most terrible to thy foes as an Host wel arrayed and yet infirme with the infirme as a Hen amid her chickens most tender of them a most sure bulwark for them against al incursions and assaults of forren and domestick enemies either visible or inuisible O thou who through thy Sonne and thy matchles humilitie hast crushed the Serpent's head through thy holie prayer and intercession I beseech thee let Sathan be trampled likewise vnder thy Seruants feet O grant this same mysterious and Indulgent Bird of Paradice THE XVII SYMBOL THE PEARL THE DEVISE THE CHARACTER THE Pearl or Margaret the Lillieamōg Iewels is the peerlesse Gemme of Nature so much happier then the rest as nobler descended then they this being bred in the womb of the sea and they in the bowels of the earth If they be stillicides from Heauen as some think they are the milkie drops distilled from Iuno's breast which Sol parcheth into seeds which seeds empearle in
At certain times of the yeare to wit in the Spring and Autumne the cockles oysters or scollops or cal them what you wil approach to the Sea-shore and lye there gaping and opening themselues and receaue the celestial deaw into their bowels from the coagulation wherof as abouesayd are the Margarits engendred Now this Shelfish oyster or Mother-Pearl for the Mother or issue Pearl are al of a substance as mothers and embrions vse to be is the Virgin-Mother-Pearl it self which opened her Virginal soule at her mysterious Annunciation in the Spring of the yeare by the quiet shore of her tacit and silent contemplation to receiue the heauenlie Deaw the new Margarit that is to conceaue that precious Pearl Christ Iesus in her womb For she opened her consent to the great Angel her singular Paranimph to obey GOD in al things saying Behold the handmayd of our Lord c. and her soule likewise to the Holie-Ghost to ouershadow her and after the opening thus of her free consent and her Angelical soule the Celestial deaw of the Holie-Ghost descended into her and so this infant Pearl was diuinely begot in the virginal womb of the Virgin-mother Pearl Of which deawing of the Holie-Ghost and opening of the Blessed Virgin therevnto it is prophetically sayd Deaw you heauens thervpon and let the clouds rayne downe the Iust let the earth open and bring forth the Sauiour These Pearls besides if they be right Margarits indeed are faire white and cleer for such as are so are truly of the best and a great deale better then those which are dimmer and of a yellow and duskish coulour For those which are faire white and cleer are bred of the morning-deaw and the others of thar which falles in the euenings And our Incomparable Margarit was predestinate so from the morning of the eternal Decree in Heauen so created as it were ab initio ante secula while the other pearls of lesse regard were only produced in the euening after that sinne was brought into the world This Margarit therefore so faire so white and cleer signifyes our heauenlie Margarit and glorious Virgin who was beautiful and faire in mind through a more then Angelical puritie of hers consisting in the mind most snowie and white in bodie through an immaculate chastitie and virginitie and cleer and sincere in works through a simple sanctitie and Saintlie simplicitie in al her actions in the whole course of her blessed and incomparable life which she led on earth I sayd aboue that Pearls being stampt and beat to powder are holesom soueraigne and medicinal for manie maladies wherof I find the Naturalists chiefly to reckon three First they are purgatiue because they purge and euacuate the bodie of al noxious and superfluuous humours secondly restrictiue staying the flux of bloud or venter and thirdly they comfort and corroborate the hart being readie to faynt or swoune through debilitie of the spirits or the vital parts To these infirmities the applications of these pownded Pearls so beat to powder are of singular auayle In this manner the Blessed Virgin being seriously pressed with importunitie of prayers and often vrged and called vpon with incessant vowes relenting and mollifyed at last as fallen into powder applyes herself first through a purgatiue power to purge vs of our sinnes by procuring vs the grace of Contrition and the holesome Sacrament of Pennance to bewayle and purge our sinnes past secondly with her restrictiue vertue to restraine the soule from flowing and falling againe into future sinnes and thirdly with her restoratiue comfortatiue and corroboratiue power to strengthen and fortify the hart in present occasions of sinnes THE EMBLEME THE POESIE A Rare and precious Pearl is hardly found That 's Great Heauie Smooth pure-white and Round The Sonne of God came from his heauenlie Throne Factour for Pearles aet last found such an one Great to containe himself Heauie ful of grace And therefore sunck vnto a Handmayds place Smooth without knob of Sinne. Virgin pure-white Round in perfection more then mortal wight This pleas'd his eye a long time hauing sought Gaue al that ere he had this he bought Vnion's a Pearle no twinnes it-self but one Such was the Virgin-Mother Paragon THE THEORIES COntemplate first how this Pearl or Margarit is vsually called as we sayd by the name of Vnion whether it be for the great vnion and sympathie there is between the Mother and the Pearl I know not for you can not mention the Mothers name but needs must you bring-in the Pearl withal or for the vnion of the Celestial deaw with the Conchal nature to make vp a Pearl in the lap of the fish I wil not say this I am sure of that our blessed Pearl heer is called Deipara as much to say as the Mother of GOD nor can she be so called a Mother as she is but GOD must needs be vnited to her to make vp her name Consider then that as the Mother-pearl being otherwise only a meer shel-fish of its owne nature and of no greater a ranck then a playne oyster of the Sea yet through the appetite she had to suck and draw in the heauenlie deaw into her bowels obtained the especial priuiledge and prerogatiue to become indeed the Mother of the true oriental Pearl So the virgin-mother though she were as she sayd herself the sillie handmayd of our Lord and of our human nature subiect to the natural fray leties therof yet through a singular immunitie with the puritie of her intention integritie of bodie and Angelical candour of mind disposing herself most affectuously and ardently indeed to receaue the Celestial deawes frō heauen that is the grace of perfect Vnion with GOD in her pure soule she deserued to become the Mother of the Pearl of Pearles sweet IESVS Ponder lastly that if a meer Pearl being so basely bred in an oyster-shel whose extract at the best is but meer Deawes let fal from the nether Region of the Ayre and those but drops of fresh water as it were impearled in the fish through benefit of the Sun should come to be so highly prized as we haue sayd being no more then a meer seed of Pearl somwhat fairer then the rest of that kind how are we to prize and magnify trow you our heauenlie Pearl heer whether you meane the Pearl or Mother herself the Pearl himself for being such a Pearl so truly descending from heauen and her for being the Mother of such a Pearl THE APOSTROPHE MOST sweet most debonnaire Virgin-Mother the Immaculate through emphasis the Mother of faeyre dilection Mother of Iesus regard me poore wretched soule and obtaine that my hart and affection be pure and clean at least like the seed pearl according to the proportion of my litlenes and my bodie wholy free from the duskish blemishes of the least sinnes and that by day and night my thoughts being repurged from al immundicities and vncleane obiects the flourishing bed
A Virgin chast pure Doue as white as snow Fethred a like consort she without gal Simple mild he Loue essential Thus they accord as they in colour sute And to the flower correspond's the fruit The Virgin 's shadowd yet remaines pure white Shadowes expeld the substance brings to light But while her Sonne is shadowd on the Crosse The mourning Doue in blackes laments her losse THE THEORIES COntemplate first how the Doue being a most pure creature feares to be defiled abhorres whatsoeuer is foule and sordid as appeares by that which hapned in Noe's Floud Noë sent forth a Doue after fourtie dayes to discerne whether the waters were fallen and ceased vpon the face of the earth or no who not finding wheron to rest her foot returned into the Ark againe and the reason was as S. Augustm thinks that though the tops of hils appeared bare yet they remained moist and slymie and therefore the Doue being a nice and delicate bird and extremly amourous of puritie and cleannes would by no meanes put her foot theron And heer reflect vpon the Virgin pure in whome no spot appeared of Original Sinne at al in that great inundation deluge therof in Adam but remayning in the Ark of her Innocencie Immaculate because the mother of the Immaculate Lamb. Consider then the singular prouidence of the Doue which is a part indeed of the prudence of this creature in that to shun the hawke she shrouds herself in the secret holes of the Rock and there securely reposeth in great peace And then consider how this Doue of Doues this same most prudent Virgin being higher then the rest and more profound had placed her nest or chamber in Christ her Rock where being alwayes safe and kept inuiolable the slights of the Diuels and the subtleties of Hereticks could doe nothing against her but what they did was against the Rock itself rebounding back vpon the impious themselues like the waues against the cliffes the ships against the shelfs the rusling of the winds against the towers the fomie froth against the beach the edge of the sword against the Adamant the reed against a target drifts of snow against a helmet fire against gold lastly a slender cloud against the Sun Ponder lastly the great similitude and resemblaÌ„ce which is between the saluation of mens liues in Noës Ark and that of Soules in the Church whose foundatioÌ„ was layd in the Virgin-mothers womb our true Doue indeed at the Annunciation of the Angel Gabriel when that stupeÌ„dious miracle of grace was wrought within her But as then that Doue of the Ark carryed only the message of saluation the figure of that embassage heer brought by Gabriel whom when you behold so painted with a braÌ„ch of Oliue in his hand as a token of peace and mercie what see you els but Not's Doue bearing a bough of oliue in the feet THE APOSTROPHE O Most innocent Doue Lady of meeknes O would you please to remember me for my good most sober â—emure Virgin amourous Mother of my deerest Spouse Oh pray the eternal Loue for me reiect me not poore wretch most wretched Sinner so wholy immortifyed in al my senses who heer present myself before your goodnes in the demaÌ„d and pursuit of man suetude of mind Oh grant most precious Virgin-Mother that I perish not for euer and be lost O admirable Ladie Ladie I say of heauen and earth next GOD your deerest Sonne placed aboue al the Hierarchies of Heauen Let me not quite perish Queen of the heauenlie Empirâ— for alas what profit wil there be in my vtter ruine Alas Alas let me not fal a caytif and vnworthie worme as I am to nothing or worse then nothing so wholy drowned in Sinne and vice THE XIX SYMBOL THE FOVNTAIN THE DEVISE THE CHARACTER THE Fountain is the liquid Glasse or Mirrour of the Naiades where they haunt to contemplate their beauties in or rather is the Nimph herself who gazing on her proper beautie through a strange Metamorphosis of self-loue had lost herself in her owne Glasse Hence it is she runnes the Hay as it were in the meadowes to seeke herself in the waters which she is herself got forth to take the ayre in the fields abroad and as it runnes it playes on the Harpsicon the while whose iacks are the pible stones checking the litle waues as strings that so with purling frames the harmonie it makes The feathered Nimphs there are much taken with it especially the Swan that wil be tuning her Descant to that ground Al the care she takes is but to haste to pay her rents which she doth to the Brooks and Riuers as Bay lifes to that great Exactour who takes them grumbling as neuer satisfyed She is the breast of Nature and Nature the Nurse that suckles al things with her milke and is so good a Nurse and so prodigal of her sugred lickours as where she can not els communicate herself of her owne accord wil she break out into Springs Springs so called indeed because they leap and spring forth of the earth For so shal you see the litle lambs and kids prickt with this milk of Nature wel concoct with youthful heat to spring to iump and frisk whence doubtles the season of the Spring tooke first the name For what is the blossomes trow you to spring and bud forth but for Nature to breake out as into Springs The Rose springs forth while Nature breaks a veyne as it were that springs into a Rose The Lillie springs while Nature spilles her crystal milk that sprouts into a Lillie The Springs and Fountains therefore are the life of Nature if the life as some maintaine abide in the veynes which may wel be They are the verie ticklings of Natures hart that make her sprug vp herself in the season of the Spring to court the world with in her best array For then she crownes herself with a garland of al flowers puts on the mantle of her goodlie meadowes diapred al ouer and tricks and decks vp her hayre the fruitful trees with gemmes of blossomes of infinit varieties to feast and entertaine the new-borne world THE MORALS PERENNIS ET INDEFICIENS AL things that are haue their certain tearmes and ther is a stint and period to be seen in al things Be they treasures of immense riches how vast soeuer they may be summed with good Arithmetick to a last farthing The Cataracts of waters in Noe's time that powred downe so fast at last were exhausted quite and gaue leasure to the Earth to swallow and digest so huge a draught They were neither perpetual for they lasted but a time nor yet without measure for it may be supposed the Springs were dryed or that the hand of GOD had put a sluce to the torrents Elias called for rayne and it powred downe so fast as manie were affrayd of a second deluge but the glut and tempest ceased in a certain time
to nought but is a Cestern rather that wil in time be exhausted and that ere very long They haue left me the Fountain oâ— liuing Water and framed to themselues broken Cesterns that leake and can hold no water Lastly this Fountain of Ours is sweet and pleasant For as Springs and Fountains of waters arising from the Sea and passing through veynes as it were and subterranean places become very fauourie and sweet and that by certain degrees hauing first of al a kind of bitternes with them and then a more gratful and lastly a pleasant and delicious tast So the blessed Virgin like a Fountain springing from the source and origin of the bitter and harsh people of the Iewes was through a singular and especial prerogatiue preserued from the least tack of those brackish waters whence she came and being diuinely sanctifyed by the Holie-Ghost became a most delicious Fountain of al graces according to that of Iudith The bitter fountains are made sweet to drink From whence as from a publick Conduit of a Cittie the vniuersal Church deriues infinit streames of graces and fauours And as in great Citties there is wont to be some Conduit or Concha or most ample and spacious Channels erected in the open market-place from whence may al at their pleasure fetch waters without limit or restraint for al their vses besides some special pipes conueighed into some mens houses as a singular fauour So the blessed Virgin like a copious and endles Conduit abundantly affords the waters of her graces to al that haue their recourse to her for them and more particularly and familiarly to those that are her special Deuotes as being of her families and holie Sodalities Let vs now see then what waters she affords for surely her waters are ful of Vertues And first they coole and refrigerate and are therefore most welcome to the thirstie soule And as Fountain-water in Sommer is more cold and hotter in Winter so the Incomparable Virgin in the sommer of prosperitie giues fresh and coole waters to wit a cooling and refrigerating grace that the mind be not too much enflamed with terrene affects but in the winter of Aduersitie yealds her waters hot that is inflaming least the mind with aduersities being too much depressed might coole and at last grow vtterly cold in the loue and seruice of God As these waters coole so do they quicken and viuify withal and are therefore called liuing or the waters of life Heart the clamour of this people and open them the treasure the fountain of liuing water These Fountain-waters haue an humectiue and vegetatiue vertue with them to water and to make things prosper and grow vp A fountain ascended from the earth watering the vniuersal superficies So Genesis And for growing Esay sayth The shower falles and snow from heauen and returns no more but inebriates the earth powers vpon it and makes it to spring and grow vp For the earth indeed is sayd first to put forth the blade of the wheat then the green eare and lastly it becomes a ripe and ful-grayned eare of corne And this heauenlie Fountain of ours first makes the earth of our soule to put forth the green hearb of the feare of God which is the beginning of a new life then the green eare of Pennance which is bitter and sharp lastly a ful perfect fruit in the ripe eare which is Charitie since Dilection is the fulnes of the Law And to conclude the vertues of these waters haue the power to ascend and mount vp according to that The water which I shal giue you shal be in her a Fountain of water arising and springing to eternal life And as the nature and propertie of the water is especially in pipes to arise the higher the lower it falles so the Virgin stooping to the center of her Nothing is aduanced so high aboue the Cherubins and Seraphins themselues and so consequently the waters of grace that flow to vs from her rayse vs the higher in Heauen while by her example we stoop downe and abase our selues and especially despise these base and terrene things THE EMBLEME THE POESIE IT had not rayn'd and so the earth was dry No showres of Grace were falling from the sky An vniuersal drought possest the Land With dearth famine God's reuengeful hand On Eue pass'd to her progenie For sinne Man's soule like earth dried vp had euer byn But that there did a cristal Spring arise To drench the barren soile and fertilize For Naamans Iordan-like it made a floud That flowd with Grace 'T was Troubled not with mud While She 's cal'd ful of grace But sinner I Am troubled 'cause I want Fountain supply THE THEORIES COntemplate first that as an Aqueduct hath length and breadth with it so our glorious Virgin the Fountain I mentioned aboue of liuing waters as an Aqueduct hath so great a length as she reaches euen from heauen to the earth according to that mellifluous Doctour Marie is an Aqueduct whose top like Iacob's ladder reaches to Heauen And the breadth of this Aqueduct is such as she was able to containe the Diuine Fountain itself as the same S. Bernard affirmes A Fountain is borne to vs because that Celestial veyne hath descended by the Aqueduct though not affording vs the whole plentie of the fountain yet powring out certain stillicides of grace into our dry and arid harts Consider then that as we can not deriue the waters of the Heauens into our Conduits on earth without some conueyance or other so can we not expect the waters of Grace to come from thence without some Aqueduct of Grace which is the blessed Virgin the Incomparable Fountain therof for that as S. Bernard sayth the flouds of graces were wanting so long to human kind for that as yet no Aqueduct had made intercession for it Seeke we therefore grace through the inuocation of Marie Mother of Grace and whatsoeuer we offer to GOD commend we to Marie that grace may returne back by the same channel by which it flowed Ponder lastly the manner how this Aqueduct or Fountain of ours communicates its waters for to some she communicates in manner of a Well to some againe in manner of a Spring and thirdly to others in manner of Riuer-waters The Well hath its waters hid in the bottom of the pit and not to be drawne without some difficultie in which manner she communicates herself to sinners only to whom the waters of grace are hidden but yet to be fetcht and had with the labour of contrition and pennance but the water of the Spring is drawne without labour at al and flowes continually and in this manner she communicates herself to pious Soules and her Deuotes because continually she affords them graces with much facilitie and lastly as touching the Riuer that flowes so with great abundance she communicates and powres forth herself to the Blessed Soules with ineffable graces which are
from the Mountain Head brest armes and al By striking of the feet demolisht fal O with that Stone this Monsters feet misled May she breake downe that crusht the Serpeâ—â—â— THE THEORIES COntemplate first that as Libanus is a Mount of indeficient waters for that there according as we haue it in the CaÌ„ticles are springs of liuing waters which flow with a force and violence Libanus itself is a fountain and spring of flouds while on the foot therof two fountaines arise the one Ior the other Dan which sliding falling into one do make the Iordan at last as S. Hierom sayth So our Incomparable Virgin is truly a Libanus likewise of endles indeficieÌ„t waters whose graces and fauours continually flow to Mortals nor can those springs of hers be euer dry to wit her perpetual virginitie and stupendious humilitie which being so vnited in her AnnunciatioÌ„ produced such a Iordan of al graces in the person of her deerest Sonne our Sauiour Christ. Consider then that as Mount Libanus is a Mount of fragancie and sweet odours and therefore it is sayd Like Libanus hauing the odour of sweets For there are trees that beare the incence and many odoriferous herbs besids do there grow So in our sacred Libanus the Virgin Marie are the delicious odours of al vertues with the Incence of sublime prayer and contemplation the perfumes of sanctitie holie conuersation the mirrh of mortification memorie of death while her life was nothing els but a continual languor of perpetual mortification as wel in denying herself the pleasures contentments and delights of the world as in sighing groning so much after heauen where her whole conuersation was And therefore is it sayd in the Canticles Fly my beloued resemble the goat fawn of the deer on the Mountains of spices as much to say as fly from the vanities of the world hygh you to Libanus the mount of Spices to the Blessed Virgin the Libanus of al graces Ponder lastly that as Libanus is interpreted white for the candour of the snow which perpetually couers the same so is our Libanus no lesse white yea a great deale more through the candour of perpetual Virginitie which is a kind of whitnes of the flesh as Libanus through the abundance of the Deawes much quantitie of raynes that fal vpon it abounds with principal hearbs fat pastures and excellent fruits so in our Libanus of the Blessed Virgin do flow the deawes of Diuine grace and the raynes of spiritual knowledge and therefore abounds she so with the rich pastures of the sacred Scriptures and Celestial vnderstandings of high Mysteries with plentiful hearbs of the flourishing green of al vertues especially loaden with the gallaÌ„t fruits of soules Her root shal break forth as that of Libanus her boughes shal grow out and her glorie shal be as the Oliue and her odour as of Libanus sayth the Prophet THE APOSTROPHE O Queen of Angels and Archangels of Patriarks Prophets and Euangelists of Apostles Martyrs and Confessours of Doctours Anchorits and Hermits and especialâ—y the Crowne and glorie of Virgins Widowes and of al holie Woemen in the couiâ—gal state o Mountain among the lesser hils of al those Saints that haue been euer are or euer shal be O excellent Mountain O eminent Mountain O Mount whose aire is temperate and neuer troubled where no Serens of inordinate concupiscences euer fal and where no iniurie of times euer works anie mischief Mountain of pleasure delicious Paradice the Libanus of sanctitie the Sinaj of Maiestie and terrour to the reprobate the Caluarie of compassion of thy Sonne 's passion the Thabor of Diuine mysteries the Oliuet of ioy and eternal happines In a word O mount of heauen fayre habitation of the Heauen of Heauens O Virgin Alas make me of thy condition draw my soule from the seruitude of sinne from the affection of the world tyrannie of the flesh put my feet on the Mountain of perfectioÌ„ that so approching neerer to thee I may come to inbabit with thee aboue the clowds O grauÌ„t this same I beseech thee for his sake who came downe from heauen to meet thee in the clowds accoÌ„panied with miriads of Saints blessed Spirits at thy glorious AssumptioÌ„ THE XXI SYMBOL THE SEA THE DEVISE THE CHARACTER THE Seas are the great Diet or Parliament held of Waters at the first creation of the world when GOD himself was the onlie Speaker of the House where they met of compulsion rather then faire accord while euerie whispering of sinister breath puts them al into combustion when for the time there wil be no dealing with theÌ„ so implacable they are that the stoutest are faine to vale-bonet stoop vnto them They are great Vsurers likelie neuer let go anie pawnes they once lay hold of which they extort ful sore against their wils who leaue theÌ„ in their clutches They are infinit rich with such booties may wel compare with their neighbour Pluto or MamoÌ„ himself They wil sometimes notwithstanding be very calme courteous seren so as they wil inuite the houshold-Nimphes Halcions to sing dance to the noyse of their musick of a sudden change the key and tune so as none but Dolphins caÌ„ brook the stage or keep measure with their boysterous time in the vnrulie Reuels they keep As the Earth haue they also their mines of richest wealth lying in the bowels of their Abysses which enioy no other light theÌ„ their owne lusters nor euer are like to do such couetous misers they are of their pelf They haue likewise their dales mountains to but those so restles as no beasts can graze vpoÌ„ them going vpon foure but such as take anie benefit of those pastures are faine to go on their breasts They are the humid firmament without firmnes where al the starres are mouing Planets They are the clowdie or waterie ayre where the birds make vse of fins insteed of wings Only the Element of fire hath no frienship with theÌ„ but is at deadlie fewd with them therefore goes as farre froÌ„ them as possibly it can because they neuer meet but it payes wel for it with its owne destruction They scarcely acknowledge anie deitie aboue them or homage due to anie but the Moon to whome they are very punctual obsequious nor misse her a moment with their seruice at her beck to go come as hawkes in a line or horses with the bit that dare not go amisse Most think they are flegmatick because so humid but rather I take them to be of a melancholie complexion with the guift of teares only for that their waters are euer brackish bitter as teares are In fine they are another world in theÌ„selues wherin GOD hath pluÌ„ged and drencht the diuersities of al earthlie creatures THE MORALS AB A MARO MARE A MARI MARIA THE Egiptians for characters had pictures of pictures made they books
voyce to the miracle of his strings he made euen the people of the Seas to cast themselues in sholes vpon the Strond to listen to him and the Sirens to come forth and dance vpon the green banck-side al diaperd with flowers the Beares and Lions to quit the Forrests running in troupes to lye at the feet of their sweet Tyrant But away with these fables now and cast we our eyes eares vpon that Diuine Harp fallen from Heauen to the earth into the hands of Dauid who causing his strings to speake and chant forth his Heauenlie and Diuine Psalmes so did exorcise and dispel the Diuel from his Hold. This Musick therefore is an essay as it were and tast of Paradise itself while in Heauen they seeme to do nothing but sing the greatnes maruels of GOD in two Quiers of the Angels of the one side of the blessed Saints of the other But then what musick made the white delightful SwaÌ„ sitting on the Bancks not of Po Meander or Euridanus but on the brinck of Death Not of Cocitus Stix or fierie Flegiton but of the playnes of Elizeum that is by the shores of Paradice when like the Swan feeling her purest bloud to tickle her hart for ioy of her approaching passage out of this world we may piously coniecture she tuned forth her Diuine Cantiâ—le anew for a Farwel to the world and a last Adieu and therefore worthily is sayd AD VADA CONCINENS ELIZEI THE CHARACTER THE sweet delightful Swan is that delicious Siren of the Brook the liuing Ghost that walks and hants those humid playnes as if confined to her Eliseum there She is much taken with the pleasant banck of the Continent and spends much time therin but yet wil not trust it with her houshold nor there be brought to bed but rather hires some Iland for the purpose the rent she payes is some part of her children She likes to haue her walks and gardens there for her delights but her mansion-house for more securitie wil she haue wel gyrt with an ample and spacious Moat It is strange to see how solitarie she liues and yet otherwise you would think her though she seemes highly to affect that life made for Citties and the Court her clothing al saue her Spanish-leather buskins from top to toe of the richest Mineuers her gate statelie and Maiestical her garb and fashion graue yet not affected or sprung from an ouer-weening of herself She rather pitties the companie of men and their good fellowships as feastings bancketings and pastimes then hates them for it and so neglects them rather with a demisse eye then with a brow contracted or a lookmore Cinick to appeare Diogenes or a TymoÌ„ a hater of men rather then the deboishments of their maÌ„ners As she is solitarie and melancholie by nature she is very Musical as likely are al such but chiefly doats she on the wind-instruments and is neuer seen without her Howboy wherewith when she list wil she enchant the verie Sirens themselues with the melodie she makes but then especially when feeling the chimes of her passage out of this world to sound within her as a presage of her death to others she wil ring forth such a peale of delicious and chromatick straines mixt togeather as would moue deuotion in the hearers rather then compassion while they wil iudge streight she had a pure soule of her owne She is a right Hermitesse and hath her sallets proper to herself alone and as she loues them wel she wil feed of no man's picking but her owne Other whiles she liues in state and keeps her kitchin as the manner is in some places in the Cellars and lower roomes which by reason of the moystnes of those places are alwayes vnder waters but she likes them neuer the worse for that but rather so much the better for so she feeds on her sallets very fresh but new-gathered She is further much delighted to take her pleasure on the waters for her meer disport and recreation and wil haue no other boat then her owne Barge nor other oares then her owne and being so good a Swimmer makes a pastime of it to tilt her boat quite ouer head and eares She is very hale and hath a long breath and wil keep her head vnder water longer then any Moor shal doe that hunts for pearls WHEN milde Fauonius breathes with warbling throat The milk-white Swan chants with a sweeter note But sweeter yet her Musick farre excels When death approches which her tune fore-tels So th' holie Spirit breathing from aboue Vpon the Virgin râ—ys'd with wings of loue Her heauenlie Muse vnto a higher straine In her melodious Sonnet But againe When gentle death drew neare she high aspires To tune an Antheme with the Angels Quires Thy Cygnets mother Swan on thee relye O make them white that they may singing dye FINIS So Epiphanius very nigh describes her The Impresâ—â—â— The Morâ— Capit comme deâ—â—us The Review The Suruey * Alma signifyes Inclosed a Virgin shut vp in Hebrew The Contemplation Cant. 4. The Colloquie The Impresa The Motto The Reuiew The Suruey 〈…〉 Cant. 1. Hâ—st 2. psal Iudith 14. Cant. 4. The Pause The Contemplation Cant vlt. Thess 5 Ecel 24 The Colloquis The Impresa The Motto The Reuiew The Suruey Sap. 7. Cant 8. c 1. Cant 1 Eccl 24. Cant. 2. Cant. 7. Cant. 2. The Pâ—use The CoÌ„templation The Colloqute The Impresa The Motto The Reuiew The Suruey Eccles. Deut 4. The Pause The Contemplation The Colloquie The Impresa The Motto The Reuiew The Suruey Cant 1. 10. The Pause The Contemplation Ierem. 31. 18. Cant. The Colloquie The Impresa The Motto The Reâ—iew The Suruey 2. Pet 2. Gal. 4. Ephes. 2 Psal. â—see 14. Iob 38. Psal. The Pause The Contemplation The Collâ—quie The Impresa The Motto The Reuiew The Suruey The Pause The Contemplation S. Paul The Colloquie The Impresa The Mottâ— The Reuiew The Suruey â—arth Angl. l. 8. c. 2. Eccl. 4â— Apoc. 12. 1. Cor. 3. Eccl. 24. Cant. Psal. Epip in laud. Mariae Cherisoh Ser. 11s Bonau in spec c. 50. Psal. 50 The Pause The Contemplation Ezech. Psal. The Colloquie The Impresa The Motto The Reuiew The Suruey Gen. The Pause The Contemplation The Colloquie The Impresa The Motto The Reuiew The Suruey Cant. 5 Eccl. 53 Psal. Eccl 22. Eccl. 22. Cant. 4. Cant. 1. Iâ—el 2. Prou. vlt. The Pause The Contemplation The Colloquiâ— The Impresa The Motto The Reuiew The Suruey Eccl 24. Phil. de Marâ—no Bonau in opera Iacob 3. Bern. Ser. Super Mis. Bonau in spec Bern. Ser. 20. The Pause The Contemplation The Colloquie The Impresa The Motto The Reuiew The Suruey Iudic. 9. Eccl. 24. The Pause The Contemplation Isid. Cant. 1. Leuit. 23. Isay. 69. The Colloquie Eccl. 25. The Impresa The Motto The Reuiew The Suruey Cant. Alex 9 l. Galen Vliss. Aldr. Ornith l. 28. p. 780. The Pause The Contemplation The Colloquie The Impresa The Motto The Reuiew The Suruey Psal. 31 Eccl. 24. Psal. 27. The Pause The Contemplation Eccl. 24. The Colloquie The Impresa The Motto The Reuiew The Suruey 3. Reg. 8 Ier. 31. Eccl. Prou. 86. Psal. 86. 3. Reg. 9. Iob. 4 Cant 2. Agg. 2. Ps. 111. The Pause The Contemplation Sap. 4. The Colloquie Psal. 86 Eccl. 24. Prou. 8. The Impresae The Motto The Reuiew The Suruey Arist l. 9. c. 49. Ec. 19. Ecâ— 10. The Pause The Contemplation Pro. 31. Ap. 12. The Colloquie The Impresa The Motto The Reuiew The Reuiew Isay. 45 The Pause The Contemplation The Collâ—quie The Impresa The Motto The Reuiew The Suruey Canâ— 20. S. Hier. Ioan. 10. Isay. 63. Sap. 7. Cant. 3. S. Anselm Can. 5. The Pause * Columbam nigram pingebaÌ„t Aegypty ad significandaÌ„â—iduaÌ„ câ—stam constantem inquit Pierius The Contemplation Gen 88. The Golloquie The Impresa The Motto The Reuiew The Suruey Cant 4. Hest. 11. Prou 5. Esay 1. 6. Hier. 2. Iud. 5. Num. 13. Câ—n. 2. Esa. 55. Rom. 13. I. 4. The Pause * Turbata est in sermone cius The Contemplation S. Ber. Idem The Colloquie The Impresa The Motto The Reuiew The Suruey Pagnin Eccl. 24. Exod. Act 7. Psal. 71 Ps. 110. Psal. 75. 67 41. Isai. 2. Th. Pâ— The Contemplation Ec. 39. Oset. 14. The Colloquie The Imâ—resa The Motto The Reuiew The Suruey Gen. 1. Gen. 2. Esech 1 â—ern Psal. The Pause The Contemplation The Colloquie The Impresa The Mottâ— The Reuiew The Suruey Eccl. 24. Cant. 8. Luc. 1. Luc. 23. Heb. 7. Ex. 27. Pro 31. Lue. 6. The Pause The Contemplation Reg 3. Ec. 43. The Colloquie The Motto The Inpresa The Motâ—â— The Impresa