Oaths and Cries Tumbled and toss'd themselves from place to place And sought Lots Door in one anothers face 324. As Jesus spi'd this helplesse Wight for He Warch'd to surprise all Objects of Compassion Speeded by his own heav'nly Charity He to his Succour flies Such is the fashion Of generous Love which never stayes to be Woo'd and importun'd to a Courtesie 325. The simple Man perceiving one draw nigh Fell to the Beggers covetous Dialect Craving for Money Friend that is not my Largise thy Lord repli'd which doth infect Those who desire it Surely Thou would'st finde What Bane thou begg'st wert thou not double Blind 326. Money is that unhappy Dust which flies Full in the face of undiscerning Man And heaps such Mists of Blindnesse on his eyes That Heav'n He cannot see If thou did'st skan Thy state aright Thou might'st thy Blindness blesse Who seest not how monstrous money is 327. I l'e make a thinner Clay than Money which Shall far exceed the Worth of Gold to Thee They are not moneys beams which doe inrich The World with Light and Glory but from Me Alone flow forth those clear and genuine Raies Which blesse the Age with sweet and golden Days 328. This said three times He spit upon the ground And temper'd with his Hand a Soveraign Clay No Salve by deepest Art was ever found Which could so sure all Maladies allay Should pretious Balsame now prove sick and die This Ointment could work its Recovery 329. With this the Blinde Mans Eyes He Oynted yet Was pleased not forthwith to give them sight First an experiment He meant to get Whether his inner Eyes of Faith were bright Then with his Favour to reward and grace The Pool which long before so pious was 330. Bethesda Waters swell'd with full-tide Fame Wherefore though apt Occasion Him invited Time was when He refus'd to honor Them But pour'd his royall love into this sleighted Though worthy Pool which as his Partner He In this his Miracle vouchsaf'd to be 341. To Siloam goe said He and wash thine Eyes And thou shalt see what I to thee have given The joyfull Man with holy Credence hies Him to the Place No Hart was ever driven By scalding Thirst more greedily unto The Rivers than He to this Spring did goe 342. He went to drink not with his Mouth but Eyes Which as He washed loe they 'gan to ope Out flew black Night and all those duskie Ties By which his Sense before was chained up Straight his released sparkling Pupills show'd Like sprightfull Lightning from the broken Cloud 343. And now he lives and sees that he does live And Heav'n and Earth more than by hear-say knows Now every Parcell of the World doth give Him a Remembrance unto whom He owes His power of seeing it O happy hee Who must in every Thing his Saviour see 344. Since from the Darknesse of the first Abysse The Universe was wakened unto light Ne'r was atcheiv'd so strange a Cure as this Which on condemned Eyes bestowed fight In spight of Nature who had put them out Before she gave them leave to look about 345. Now Psyche turn thine Eye to yonder Town Great Salems little Neighbour Bethany A place of dear Remembrance to thine own Beloved Lord from Salems tumults He Would oft retire into that calmy place And still as oft's He came He welcome was 346. For there two Sisters dwelt an holy Pair Industrious Martha who the World did love Yet not so much but Jesus was more dear Although the practick Trade of Life she drove The Cream of her Solicitude she spent To purchase more than secular Content 347. Pathetick Mary one whom Mercy made Her chosen triumph This was 〈◊〉 She Who in the hottest Troop of Sinners had A leading Place such stout Impiety Incouraged her Heart that Hell could not Put her on any Task but she would do 't 348. For seav'n foule Devills had themselves possest Of all her Soule and with imperious Port In the usurped Palace of her Breast Their throne erected and maintain'd their Court What Proclamations or Warrants They So ever issu'd she did straight obey 349. But Jesus who did square his Pitty by No Merit hee in Mortall Man could read But for his Rule took their Capacity Of Succour found how much this Heart did need His potent Help which He forthwith applied And made her Live who now seav'n times had died 350. For from the bottome of Her poys'ned Breast Seav'n hideous Deadly Sins she vomited And having thus disgorged Hell which prest Her down so low to Heav'n she rais d her head Flaming with purest fire of Love as she Before had smoak'd in Lusts Impurity 351. Her brave Devotion she did measure now By the Large Size of Mercy she had gained For as that Mercy did no limits know So to Infinitude her Love she strained She strained hard and would have reach'd the Top If Mortall Passion could so high climb up 352. O Psyche hadst Thou but been by when She Unto her Lord upon Loves Errand came Thou might'st have seen impatient Piety Mount in the boldnesse of its noble Flame First at his Feet it 'gan and then it spred With fair and liberall Fulnesse to his Head 353. That fragrant Ointment which she us'd before To her own lustfull Skin to sacrifice She now on Jesu's sweeter Feet doth poure And adds another showre from her own eyes Then wiping them with her late crisped Tresses She offers there her consecrated Kisses 354. She mindes not what Spectators think or say Love is secnre and carelesse She does mean E'r from her Lovers Feet she goe away To oint or weep or wipe or kisse them clean And by this generous Zeal she Sanctifies Her Locks her Lips her Ointment and her Eyes 355. But as the sprightfull Flame disdains to stay Below and with undaunted Ardor strives To reach its lofty Sphear So she one Day The Reins unto her gallant Passion gives And takes aime at the Top of Heav'n for this I 'm sure said she on Jesu's Temples is 356. She had a Box of Ointment of high price Yet not so pretious as her loving Lord Could the Worlds wealth meet in one Sacrifice All this She freely could to him afford And now unbrideled Love such haste did make That straight the Box or her own Heart must break 357. Indeed both brake and both she poured on His Head who is of Sweets and Hearts the King Straight through both Heav'n Earth the Odours ran Which shall for ever with their Praises ring For now't has lost its Alabaster Cell The glorious Nard in all the World doth dwell 358. Thrift grumbled at the Cost but Jesus who Excessive in his Love to Mary was Vouchsaf'd her generous Soule free leave to goe In the same princely and licentious pace He knows the heats of this unweildy Passion And will allow it brave Immoderation 359. All other Passions eas'ly bounded are Because their Objects are in limits ti'd But Love alone
PSYCHE OR LOVES MYSTERIE In XX. CANTO'S Displaying the Intercourse Betwixt CHRIST and the SOULE 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S. Greg. Naz. in de Carminib suis. By JOSEPH BEAUMONT Mr. in Arts and Ejected Fellow of S. Peters College in Cambridge LONDON Printed by John Dawson for George Boddington and are to be sold at his Shop in Chancery-lain neer Serjants-lnn M. D. C. XL. VIII INTO THE MOST SACRED TREASURIE OF THE Praise and Glorie OF Incarnate GOD The Worlds most Mercifull REDEEMER THE Vnworthiest of His Majesties CREATURES in all possible Prostrate VENERATION Beggs Leave to Cast This His DEDICATED MITE The AUTHOR to the READER THE Turbulence of these Times having deprived mee of my wonted Accommodations of Study I deliberated For the avoyding of meer Idlenesse what Task I might safelyest presume upon without the Society of Books And concluded upon Composing this Poem In which I endeavour to represent a Soule led by divine Grace and her Guardian Angel in fervent Devotion through the difficult Temptations and Assaults of Lust of Pride of Heresie of Persecution and of Spiritual Dereliction to a holy and happy Departure from temporal Life to heavenly Felicitie Displaying by the way the Magnalia Christi his Incarnation and Nativitie his Flight into AEgypt his Fasting and Temptation his chief Miracles his being Sold and Betrayed his Institution of the Holy Eucharist his Passion his Resurrection and Ascension Which were his mighty Testimonies of his Love to the Soule I am not ignorant that very few Men are competent Readers of Poems the true Genius of Poetrie being little regarded or rather not subject at all to common Capacities so that a discourse upon this Theam would bee to smal purpose I know also how little Prefacing Apologies use to be credited Wherefore though I had much very much to say and justly in this kinde I will venture to cast my self upon thy Ingenuitie with this onely Protestation that If any thing throughout this whol Poem happen against my intention to prove Discord to the Concent of Christs Catholicke Church I here Recant it aforehand My Defire is That this Book may prompt better Wits to believe that a Divine Theam is as capable and happy a Subject of Poetical Ornament as any Pagan or Humane Device whatsoever Which if I can obtain and into the Bargain Charm my Readers into any true degree of Devotion I shall be bold to hope that I have partly reached my proposed Mark and not continued meerly Idle J. B. A Syllable of the CANTO'S 1. The Preparative 2. Lust Conquered 3. The Girdle or Love-token 4. The Rebellion 5. The Pacification 6. The Humiliation 7. The Great Little one 8. The Pilgrimage 9. The Temptation 10. The Marveils 11. The Traytor 12. The Banquet 13. The Death of Love 14. The Triumph of Love 15. The Poyson 16. The Antidote 17. The Mortification 18. The Persecution 19. The Dereliction 20. The Consummation PSYCHE OR LOVES MYSTERIE In XX. Canto's CANTO 1. The Preparative ARGUMENT INrag'd at Heav'n and Psyche Satan lay's His plots how to beguile the tender Mayd Phylax mean while a contrework doth raise And mustereth Joseph's Legend to her ayde That strengthned by this chaste example shee To lusts Assaults impregnable might bee 1. ETernal Love of sweetest Poetrie The sweeter King before thy gentle throne Deign to behold prostrate Vow and mee No Muse no Gods but thy sweet power alone I invocate for both his heads full low Parnassus to thy Paradise doth bow 2. Thy Paradise amongst whose Hils of Joy Those Springs of everlasting Vigour run Which makes souls drunk with heav'n clensing away All earth from Dust and angelizing men Great David and his Son drench'd in these streams With Poets wreaths did crown their Diadems 3. Defiance other Helicons O may These pretious founts my Vow and heart refine Deare Love thou art my task If ever bay Hereafter court my Muse it shall be thine My soule untun'd unstrung doth waite on thee To teach her how to sing thy MYSTERIE 4. A MYSTERIE wrapp'd in so close a cloud That Psyches young and well-acquainted eye Staggers about it yet more shades do croud And heap their night upon its secrisie Feirce Belzebub who doth in blacknesse dwell Would fain have all things else as dark as Hell 5. For He th' immortall Prince of equall spight Abhorr's all Love in every name and kinde But chiefely that which burn's with flames as bright As his are dark and which as long shall finde Their living fuell These enrage Him so That all Hel's Furies must to councell go 6. For as the wounded Lyon in his Den Roar's out his griefe so from his boyling heart A hideous groan broke forth which thundering in His hollow Realm bellow'd to every Part The frightfull summons All the Peers below Their Kings voice by its soveraign stink did know 7. Nor dar'd they stay by kembing to make neat Their snarled Snakes or draw their Tails huge trains Into a knot or trim their cloven feet With iron shoes or gather up their Chains Onely their hands they fill with Rage and bring That common Subsidie unto their King 8. Hel's Court is built deep in a gloomie Vale High wall'd with strong Damnation moated round With flaming Brimstone right against the Hall Burn's a black bridge of brasse the yards abound With all invenom'd Herbs and Trees more rank And fruitlesse than on Asphaltite's bank 9. The Gate where fire and smoak the Porters be Stands alwayes ope to them that be without Hither flock'd all the states of miserie As younger Snakes though crawling far about When the old Serpent's hisses summon them Into her patent mouth of poyson stream 10. The Hall was roof'd with everlasting Pride Deep paved with Dispaire checker'd with spight The Hangings were of Torments fair and wide The upper end presented to their sight Great Satans Arms drawn in an iron sheild A Crowned Dragon Gules in sable field 11. On his immortall throne of Death they see Their mounted Lord who in one hand did bear His Globe for all the world He take's to bee By right his own and in the other wear His Mace on which ten thousand Serpents knit With restlesse madnesse gnaw'd themselves and it 12. His awfull Horns above his Crown did rise And made them shrink in theirs his Forehead Was Plated with triple Impudence his Eyes Were Hell reflected in a double Glasse Two Comets stareing in their bloody stream Two Beacons boyling with their pitch and flame 13. His Mouth well-neer as wide's his Palace Door But much more black his Cheeks which never could Blush in their own had rak'd the world for store And deeply dy'd their guilt in humane Blood His griezly Beard all singed did confesse What kinde of Breath us'd through his lips to presse 14. Which as he op'd the Centre on whose back His Chair of ever-fretting Pain was set Frighted beside it self began to
they wore your gentle Name 110. Some woefull Comfort it had been if We Had to one single Tyranny been damn'd But We at Home in forrein slavery Were held A Grievance we would not have nam'd In reverence to your Credit could the thing Have easie grown by our long suffering 111. What is that Charis unto Us that she In our Free State such arrogant sway must bear Or what made you so weak a Prince that We Must be Commanded by a Forreiner We grant She 's brave and Princely Yet wee know We owe Allegiance to no Queen but You. 112. She came from Heav'n if wee her Word may take But what woo'd Her from such a place as that To dwell in this ignoble World and make Her high Selfe stoop unto she knew not what I would be loth to wrong Her Yet I fear There 's something in 't why Heav'n gatrid of Her 113. And being here what-was the Trade she drove But how to barbarize your gentle Breast With strange Austerity and to remove Us from your love with which We once were blest Your smiles she all monopoliz'd and left Us quit of all things but your Hate bereft 114. If this Devotion be and heav'nly Zeal What is Unnaturalnesse Alas that We None but destructive Piety must feel And by Religion consumed be Alas that Heav'n and Godliness must thus Be forc'd to suffer injury with Us 115. Nor is proud Phylax one who with less Art Hath conzen'd you into this Tyrannie Soft are his Wings but cruell is his Heart Sweets in his Looks Gall in his Thoughts doth lie Fair does He speak you but the bait is cheap His streams run smoothest where the chanell's deep 116. Were you a Youngling and devoid of Friends Whose riper Arms might help your tender Hand To sway the Scepter then what he pretends With tolerable Sense perhaps might stand But must your Nonage still goe on and He For evermore the Lord Protector be 117. Now by your honour mighty queen 't is time For you no more to think your self a Childe Know your own power and loose it not in Him Who has your credulous Love too long beguil'd 'T is no discredite for a Prince to throw Away an Error and with it a Foe 118. Your Confidence in Him which flames so high Was kindled by his service in the Grove Yet what if that were but a Mysterie Of deep deceir and no exploit of Love If Phylax and not Aphrodisius were In all that Sceen of Charms the Conjurer 119. Who but the noble Aphrodisius there Bravely forgetfull of his own life from Immediate Death wide-gaping in the Boar Your helpless soul did reskew And from whom Did Phylax 〈◊〉 you but from his Imbrace Who your deliverer and your Lover was 120. And then enrag'd With shameless spight to see You to another your protection owe Upon the courteous strasngers Piety The powers of magick Malice He did throw How much more Monster was you Phylax there Who made the goodly Knight so foule appeare 121. Yet well it were if he would onely trie His Charms on Aphrodisius and for bear To exercise on Us his Witcherie But We alas so Metamorphoz'd are With that Rough-cast of shapes He on Us cleaves That you in your owne Subjects He deceives 122. We seem like Fiends for Rebells sure are so And monstrous things in your abused Eye Although ev'n Phylax in his Heart doth know Our Lives are not so deare as Loyaltie To honest-meaning Us And whose was this Desperate Enchantment if it were not his 123. 'T is true He talks of Love and needs will be The Paranymphus of the heav'nly spouse But surely I should ken as well as He All Mysteries of Love The whole world knows That my Creation onely aims at this And is my naturall Art less mine than His 124. That the Etheriall Prince makes love to you As to the dearest she that treads his Earth I easily grant because so well I know Your Majesties incomparable Worth But Heav'n forbid that I should Him esteeme So strange a Spouse as Phylax maketh Him 125. Sure He is King of sweetnesse and Delight And with more zeal abhorrs all Tyrannie Than Phylax loves it Sure his gentle Might Strives for a correspondent Victorie Not all the world shall make Me think that He Will ever wooe his Spuose by Crueltie 126. Lents Embers Vigils Groans Humi-cubations Tears Pensiveness disconsolate Privacie Severest Arts of all Mortifications Are not conditions required by An earthlie Suiter and can Heavn'ly He Imbitter thus his deare Suits Suavitie 127. Can He expect his tender spouse should prove Her Loyaltie pants with intire affection By nothing but self-hatred can his Love Finde no Security but your Destruction Pardon my fear great Queen you love not Him Whom such a spightfull Lover you can deeme 128. But farr be all such Omens hence Had I Or Nature any Glass which could present Your totall self to your considering Eye The gallant sight would make your heart repent This dangerous Heresie that Heav'ns gentle King Would use so harshly such a lovely thing 129. What is there of Delight of Love of Joy Of Grace of Beautie in this World below Or that above which did escape a way From the Creator's fingers when on you Himself he wrote and bade your Bosome be The Vniverse's rich Epitomie 130. But Phylax brews this cruell-flattering Plot Because it is his Rack and Hell to see That Fate or Fortune Psyche should allot To any Spouse but Him This makes Him be So subtly active in his secret Art How he may you and your great Suiter part 131. O then first for your own illustrious sake And next for Us wrapp'd up in you beware Of his Designs in time Just courage 〈◊〉 In what deserves your speediest stoutest Care Nor you nor We can be secure winle He Both from your Court and Favour 〈◊〉 be 132. Nor can your Palace be a dwelling Place For safety so long as Logos or Charis thus revell in your Princely Grace One Edict may 〈◊〉 them all and farr From this their 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 Treachery Pack them to that foule place where Trayters lie 133. So shall your royall self securely dwell And your 〈◊〉 undeceived Hand Sway its own Scepter So shall We dispell By prest obedience unto your Command That caus lesse Error which upon our Head The foule Blot or Rebellion hath spred 134. So shall our reskew'd Liberries appear In their own Looks So We by Love shall doe More of your Will than disingenuous Fear And lawlesse 〈◊〉 e'r hal'd Us to So you no more shall mark'd and dreaded be For Rigor but reign Queen of Clemencie 135. So shall your sweetned Countenance proclaim That you Lov 's dear Adventure doe profess So shall you court with your Eys answering Flame Your Spouse's beams So shall His Tendernesse A soft capacity find in your Heart Of his destroying yet enlivening Dart. 136. Here bowing low Love sealed up her Lip With a Kisse on the
each busie blast Become's a stiff stout man whose face to store With beauties purest charm's unto the East The spirit flyes and in Aurora's cheeks The best of orientall sweetnesse seek's 40. But knowing that his breath was rank and spoke The place from whence he came he turn's his flight Into Arabia's gardens whence he took The flower of every flower and spice which might Perfume his words that from that double bed Of his soft lips hee vocall Balm might shed 41. The silk worm's wealth the dainty ermin's skin And every thing that makes young Princes fine Into one gorgeous suit hee crouds and in Each seam and jag doth gold and pearl in twine For in his passage as through earth he broke Great store of these hee from her bowels took 42. But for the fashion he was fain to run To Court and see how gallants there were drest Men of more various transformations than In Proteus wit and fiction e'r exprest Thus at the last accoutred to his minde He plots where Psyche hee may safest sinde 43. Sheeall the morning was retir'd at home Close in the sweets of his dear companie Who from her Lord the King of Soules was come His restlesse but delicious suit to plye And with exact attendance see the maid Might to no sudden danger be betray'd 44. In his al-ravishing looks you might descry More reall sweets than Lust in his had fain'd Heav'n clearly looked out at either ey And in his cheeks ten thousand graces reign'd As many little loves their nests had made In the curl'd amber of his daintie head 45. He from the Rainbow as he came that way Borrow'd the best of all that gorgeous store Which after gloominesse doth make heav'n gay And it about his mantles border wore A mantle spun of milkie down which from The Birds of his own Paradise did come 46. Upon his lovely shoulders dwel't a pair Of correspondent wings the driven snow On Scythian mountains doth in vain compare Its virgin plum's with these which feare no thaw Lesse white lesse soft are they and will at last In melting tears confesse they are surpast 47. High is his great extraction full as high As is the loftiest and the purest sphear There dwels his father Prince of Majesty And millions of his Bretheren are there Who all are Princes too that land alone Numberlesse Kingdoms doth contain in one 48. When Psyche first was born his wing he spred With ready tendernes her to imbrace That she might rest in that delicious Bed To which all other Feathers must give place Great was the Mother's care and love but yet The Infant was to Phylax more in debt 49. That was his Name and sure he made it good No tutor ever spent more learned care The stoutest Champion never bravelier stood For those who under his protection were Than Phylax did for Psyche being able To prove himself as strong as she was feeble 50. No Danger ever drew its forces neer But he was neerer still and did withstand All plots of mischeif that incounter'd her Arming her feebler Arm with his strong hand While she was weak and knew not how to goe He flew about her businesse to doe 51. As she grew greater so his care did grow Her weaning time being come he spends his art To make her quite disrellish things below Which likelier were to cheat and choak the heart Then make it live its proper life for she Was born to live unto eternitie 52. When she had learn'd to build a word aright He taught her heav'ns high language and the song Which lately in the quire of soveraign light Incessantly dwelt upon his own tongue Desiring virtue might be her first growth And Halalujah broach her holy mouth 53. But when she well could goe and well discern The way she went he spred before her eye Ten goodly Paths and these you needs must learn Say's he to trace as leading to the high Gate of beatitude God's own hand did Draw all these tracts upon mount Sina's head 54. Lo here is room enough the King's high-way Lesse kingly is then this All Hero's who Have climb'd above the world wish'd not to stray Beyond these bounds Be but content to go Where Saints and where thy Lord before hath gone That thou mayest overtake him at his throne 55. Thus did he gently grave upon her heart The Characters of blisse thus every day He reads some lecture least the tempters art Her young and pliant Soule should make his prey But they this morning being all alone She beg'd a story and he told her one 56. My Dear said hee there was a youth of old Almost as young and no lesse faire then thou Upon his head smil'd a soft grove of gold Two small half-heav'ns were bent in either Brow Nor were those Hemisphears sham'd by his eys Which the best stars above dar'd not despise 57. All Roses blush'd when neer his lips they came Whose purer crimson and whose sweeter breath They thought and well they might their double shame No Lily ever met him in his path But if his hand did touch it straight in spight 'T was pale to see it self out-vi'd in white 58. Faire was his stock his sire great Jacob was Not by the wife whose blear and waterie eye Did its dim self bewaile and was the glasse In which the world read her deformitie But by that Queen of Sweets whose price seven 〈◊〉 Doubled in service was yet seem'd not dear 59. He Rachel's son and her best beauties heire For her dear sake and no lesse for his own Sate pretious next his Fathers soule whose Care Was bent his own Delights in Him to crown He lov'd his children all yet far above The rest his Joseph he did love to love 60. He hunts about the proudest world to buy The choise of purest and of brightest cloth Brisk in the Tyrian and Sidonian die With which he cloth 's his darling being loth That fewer colours should adorn his coat Than all the world in him did beauties note 61. As when the gallant Peacock doth display His starry Train the winged People all In shame and discontent do sneak away Letting their plumes now all our-sparkled fall So Joseph's Roab by which himself did seem So fair his Brethren cloth's with wrath and shame 62. 'T is true said they our Father though hee were The puny Brother yet he ssiely did Incroach upon the Blessing which the Heir Was doubtlesse borne unto But yet He sped Onely by Craft had Jsaac had his eys As Jacob now hee would have been more wise 63. But though the old Man lov's his luckie Cheat So well that hee upon his younger Son Throw's all his Heart We hope no want of meat Shall force Us willingly to be undone Nor any Pottage that this Boy can make From the least He of Us our Birthright take 64. Thus they repin'd not knowing there was writ Upon Heav'ns adamantine leaves a Law By which this scorned Youth at length should
the place where she before had been Thither they go and thither Phylax flyes Perching upon a neighbour tree unseen The gallant wash'd his hands and she her eyes But in her own soft tears of joy to think How she had com from death's to that brook's brink 27. Then on the flowry Couch by her he sits And ushers in his talk with cunning sighs His feigned cheeks with lying tears he wets Three times he strikes his breast three times his eyes He casts up to wards heav'n three times he smiles And sigh's again and her as oft beguiles 28. At length I am said he a man who by My birth as deep ingag'd to fortune stand As any hee that lives if Majestie Crown not his head and Scepter load his hand My stock 's the noblest in this land but one Nor bears it any branch but me alone 29. This made my loving Lord and Father spare No pains or cost which might his Son adorn From learned Athens tutors hired were Whom first the wings of fame had hither born Athens they left but brought with them to me From thence the truer Universitie 30. Thus did the curious wit of Greece become A member of our private family And I with all the world convers'd at home Yea in their dialects too as fast as I Could my young breath transform nor was it long E'r many sate upon my single tongue 31. A quick survey of all those steps I took By which Philosophers have Nature traced Then Mathematicks were my busie books A thousand lines I placed and displaced To Heav'n upon the Artists Staff I went And studied round about the firmament 32. Of Optick lines and rays the powers I saw In Musicks mystick sweets unwearied Pains I spent long nights and dayes and strove to know What reason married concording strains What divorc'd discords never I confesse Did any knot so pose my brains as this 33. The treasures of Antiquity laid up In old Historick leav's I opened How Kingdoms sprung and how they made their stop I well observ'd with what brave Spirits did How they their honours managed and what The beams of their nobility did blot 34. My recreations were those which some Made their whole work and it was noble too When weary from my 〈◊〉 I was come To practise martiall feats I went and so In both her brave professions I strove To follow Pallas whom I most did love 35. Oft have I been abroad and seen the field With streaming ensigns goodly terror spred Where how much more I lov'd to die than yeild Upon my breast good witnesse you may read Ev'n these sev'n wounds whose mouths once open wide In mine own blood my virtue testifi'd 36. Oft have I rode alone into the Wood To finde some wilde Antagonist some Bear Some Boar some Lyon the accustomed foode Wherewith I diet this my hungry speare You well may gather by the certain Blow I gave yon' Beast I am no Learner now 37. And will you think Pride speaks the word if here I tell you that my Fame swell'd great and high In 〈◊〉 in City Country every where Reports of Aphrodisiu's Worth did flie No high strain'd Parallel was made but thus As good or brave as Aphrodisius 38. To Court I never went but fewer eyes Paid homage to the King 's than unto Mine Devoutly did the Ladies sacrifice Their Looks and Sighs and Languors at my shrine Oft has the Queen gone out alone whilst they Forgot to follow Her if I did stay 39. How many a prettie Embasie have I Receiv'd from them which put me to my Wit How not to understand but by and by Some Comment would come smiling after it But I had other thoughts to fill my head Books call'd Me up and Books put Me to bed 40. This my Disease being known a Lady sped To me an handfull of conceit cloth'd in So quaint a Cover that on it I read Full half an houre before I could begin To ope the book and what did that contain But a discourse to prove all Learning vain 41. Bold Title then said I if thou can'st make Thy Promise good by learning thou must do it With that I threw 't aside but could not slake My curious fond desire to look into it I look'd and read and saw how finely wit Had whip'd it self and then grew freinds with it 42. Then summon'd by Civility I went To court the Giver and my thanks repay Look not said I for polish'd complement I came not hither Madame to gain-say But thank you for your book if learning be So vain a thing Wit would prove foolerie 43. Between a blush and smile she welcome gave To her new Convert But sweet sir said she I sent another book in which you have More of my minde than in those leaves can be A faire-writ book if you it please to prove In rubrick lines and characters of love 44. I gave not that O no it was a Debt Which I did to all sweetnes pay in you How could I choose for had I more than it They would be more than due but having now But onely one poore heart your praise must be Not to disdain my helplesse povertie 45. I would not for a thousand Worlds receive It back again How delicate a Nest In your all-lovely bosome shall it have If by that favour you will make it blest If thence you cast it take 't who will for Me Ine'r shall love what hated is by thee 46. Yet give Me leave to ask what Lady 't is Thou wilt exalt to sit Queen in thy Heart Whether her face more gracefull be than this Which blusheth heer in pleading its own part Whether her Stock or her Estate afford More arguments than mine to wooe my Lord. 47. If not then by these loyall Tears I shed Before thy feet this my bold Truth forgive Thy love is due to me Heav'n never did Make such a Man for nothing but to Live Thou ow'st an Off-spring to the World which may With Hero's furnish it another day 48. As when the Pris'ner at the Barre has done His 〈◊〉 storie he does fix his eye Upon the Judge and from his mouth alone In hopes and fears expects his Destiny So look'd the Lady with prepared eyes To see her Joys or weep her Obsequies 49. Full loth was I to speak but lother by Inhumane lingring Silence to torment Her most suspended soul and make her dy Without her Sentence Many a sigh I sent Before to tell what Words were comming out At last this labouring Answer forth I brought 50. How wretched is his Blisse upon whose Heart Whil'st divers Ladies of choise Worth attend With Loyall passion He must either part And so destroy his own or empty send Them all away but One and thus be fain By many a losse to make one single Gain 51. Had I as many bosomes as I owe To such sweet Creditors as Thou with speed I would discharge my scores but first I vow To thee dear
Lady in whose Worth I read Such sweet Attraction that were I to choose My Heav'n for Thee I would all other loose 52. But now my choise is made and long agoe Unto another I affianc'd was But who 's that Lady is a secret so Divine that from these Lipps it ne'r did passe My reverend Mother oft with tears hath sought But never could prevail to wring it out 53. Yet I thy noble Bosome honour so That I dare trust it there onely be sure To keep this Jewell close as thou would'st doe My Heart a thing lesse pretious and lesse pure Yet give me leave to cast this Charm about For fear thou lett'st it and my Life slip out 54. So may thy Heart-strings hold thy Heart as Thou This Mysterie of mine so may thy Love Be true to Thee and to thy Wishes bow As to my secret Thou shalt trusty prove So may thine Angell hugg thy soul and keep It close as in thy Breast this Thing shall sleep 55. A Thing which mine own Guardian Angell did Acquaint and blesse Me with When through mine Eys Love first began his amorous beams to shed And with his soft Desires my Heart surprise This winged Friend of mine look'd through a frown And told me that my Heart was not mine own 56. It is said he thy priviledge and see Thou thank Heav'n for it not to run and spend Thy Youth upon this wanton Mysterie Let Others study how to Walk to Bend To Vault to Dance to Kisse to Wooe For thee More sweet and generous Arts reserved be 57. Goe court thy Books and gaine such Treasure there As may inhance thy worth and make thee be A fitting Match for Her whom Heav'ns prepare To be thy Spouse whose face when thou shalt see The reading on that fair-writ Book of Love For all thy studies ample Pay will prove 58. Yet to yon' southern Grove thou every Day Must Pilgrim goe where thou thy Saint shalt meet And of a Monsters make her thine own Prey That with no other Word she thee may greet But plain Confession that thine is her Life Thus Heav'n contriv's that thou shalt win thy Wife 59. These are my Fortunes Madam yet unknown Ev'n by the sweeter Half unto my Self And sure your hand would help to thrust me down Into the bottom of all torments gulph Should Wantonnesse invite Me to despise A Blessing higher than my Pride could rise 60. Then happy She the Lady crie's who e'r She be that must hugg Happines in you And yet permit mine Eye one other Teare 'T is not of Envy No Deare Sir Adieu It pittied me to see this gentle fashion Of her sincere but unsuccesfull Passion 61. We parting thus I hasted to this Grove Amongst whose spicy trees I knew would grow My sweeter Hopes But Heav'n it seems would prove The valour of my Patience and throw Procrastinations in my way that I Might earne its favour by my Constancy 62. How often came I and with bended knee On every flowrie Cushion of the Grove Implor'd the speed of my Felicity How oft in this sweet Temple has great Love Receiv'd mine Heart an Off'ring all on Fire With flames of soft but vehement desire 63. At length my Prayers were heard and this deare day Did in that blessed Moment send mee hither Which shew'd mee that my long expected Joy Was now full grown and ripe enough to gather Had I not pluck'd it streight the Monster had Of all its Sweetnes his foule Booty made 64. First then to Heav'n my full-tide thanks I pay And next to Thee my noble Guardian who Before my hopes no forged Bait did'st lay Each smallest Circumstance agreeth so That this the Lady is and none but She Design'd by Heav'n to crown my joys and Me. 65. All Blessings on thy head my Psyche that I know for certain needs must be thy Name That Angell told me it whose counsell put Me on this bless'd adventure when I came To save thy life both for thy self and mee And make of thine my joynt Felicity 66. Heer then my Heart I give thee and I seal The Deed with this true Kisse May Curses rain Thick on my head if ever I repeal What I have done or challenge back again This gift of mine whose fault is onely this Of thy Desert it to unworthy is 67. The Seaman by some furious Tempest thrown Into the seeming Depth of roaring Death If he by suddaine Fortune back be blowne Into the gentle Harbour wondereth At his strange safety and scarce trusts his eys But doubts a long time whither he live's or die's 68. So Psyche snatch'd from Dangers desperate jaws Into the Arms of this illustrious Lover The truth of her condition hardly knows But in suspensive thoughts a while doth hover Deceive me not saith she a frighted Mayd To poore great Sir by you to be betray'd 69. If still I live and all this be no Dream For sure your story 's such an heavn'ly thing That simple I alas unworthy seeme To be concern'd in it Be pleas'd to bring Some further proof Where Miracles are done Faith must have open Helps to bring her on 70. Then be the first proof Aphrodisius cries This Diamond Ring in which thy self mayst see The radiant Copy of thine owne fair eys The next this Jewell what thou art to Me Let that attest yet pardon me that I Gave it that pretious Name now thou art by 71. The third that delicate Imbrace shall be For which all Loves are kindled that which will The sweetest of Assurance give to thee And my great Guardians Prophesie fulfill Come I can give thee leave to blush a Maid Of what she loves most must be most afraid 72. Were not our Case Divine awhile I 'd stay And by our Humane Ceremonies marry But we did Wed above and what can they Add to Heavn's Rites O no 't is sinne to tarrie My Angell would have told me never feare Had it been otherwise Come then my Deare 73. Forgetfull Psyche now enchanted quite By these his glorious Wiles set ope her Breast Unto the Fancies of unclean Delight Forthwith a Knot of unseen Serpents prest Into her heart and set it so on fire That straight it flamed out with foul Desire 74. But Phylax instantly descry'd the flame And wakeing up Syneidesis He cries Run run and help to save your dying Dame Look how her funerall flames already rise Up gets the Mayd and instantly thrusts in Between the Lovers and their ready sin 75. Psyche starts back whil st shame so heavy sate Upon her Eyes that down it pressed them 〈◊〉 Wretch cries Aphrodifius what Has made thy Life so vile that thou dost come To forfeit it to me I prithee goe Die somewhere else I 'd be no Womans Foe 76. O then says she Forbear to stain my pure And spotlesse Mistris Fie cries Psyche fie I know her not My Lord will you indure I should such saucie Servants own as she Be it another proof of your strong Love
and cast my love away Upon impostur'd Lusts foule Mystery O Me was ever Heart so mad as mine Which would be divelish rather than divine 103. Surely I will revenge my self on Her I will a Tempest raise of Sighs and Groans To scourge that Gale which blew so soft and fair To steal a shipwrack on Me With rude stones $$Work$$ make this harder Breast without appear As black as 't was within when Hell dwelt there 104. I with my Howlings will these Ears torment Which were intentive to the Cheaters Charms These Lipps which lov'd his Kisses shall be spent In courting nasty Dust these lustfull Arms Which hugg'd His Body shall mine own chastise Which now I hate more than I loved His. 105. O all ye Griefs which ever fix'd your sting Upon a guilty treacherous Bosome hear Unhappie Psyche's earnest Prayers and bring Your stoutest Powers my Heart has room to spare For your full Train Adieu all Loves I now Must onely study to wooe Hate and You. 106. Why was I born may Darknesse choke that Day Which lighted Me into the World Or why When in the Boars my Death its mouth did lay Upon my throat had I not leave to dy Why did I scape that Monster to be thrown To fouler ones Hells Treason and mine own 107. Why dwelt such flaming Beauties in mine Eye As might allure and shew to Lust its way Why smil'd my face with such sweet Majesty As bade false Love be bold Me to betray Why rather was I not so vile that in Safe scorn I might have scap'd the Gallant 's sin 108. The universall Worlds Contempt could not Have wrong'd or wounded Me so deep nor thrown Upon my Beauties such a fatall Blot As they upon themselves and Me have drawn I 〈◊〉 not now been Heir to all Heav'ns scorn If in Earths Eye I Had but been forlorn 109. O righteous Profit of unrighteous Pleasure Whos 's Totall summ's made up of desperate Losse How justly when We trade away our Treasure Requit'st thou Us with rusty fretfull Drosse For all the Gains that Wantonnesfe brings in Prove but a Bank of Veng'ance on the sin 110. Still still I burn my Fire but changed is And though my Lust be cool'd my Guilt is hot And belks and boils for wroth Syneidesis Blows up its more incensed Coals O what Can help my enigmatick sorrows who Thus on my selfe my execution do 111. As thus she lay lamenting on the floor Which with her Tears was slubber'd Charis who Had all this while but stepp'd behinde the door Comes cheerly in and cries Break off thy Woe Dear Psyche t is enough thy hearty cry Has pterc'd already and appeas'd the skie 112. The Copies of thy Tears which there ly shed Upon the ground reflected high and are Already in Heav'ns Casket botteled Thy griefes now smile above and have made clear Gods lowring face look up and see how Day Shines friendly on thee and does bid thee Joy 113. With that she breath'd into her Breast the Powers Of unconceived Sweets the thirsty ground Ne'r look'd so cheerfully when Summer showers The deep Pains of its gasping Drought had drown'd As over-joyed Psyche now she feeles Warm in her bosome Grace's gentle Gales 114. Gales on whose dainty Wings Heav'ns Influence rides An Influence of such speedy Operation That though all Opposition's highest Tides Roar in its way through their proud Conjuration With instant Might it flies and every where Findes Victory attending its Carrieer 115. To Heav'n to Charis to Syneidesis Her thanks she mustereth but all array'd In scarlet from her cheeks For still she is Asham'd to have been lately so betray'd When Phylax flutters in and Come said He You to the Grove must back again with Me. 116. As when the place of Robberie you name The Thiefe in White or Red betrays his fear So conscious Psyche's Heart shot through with shame At that unlook'd for Word makes it appear In her apalled looks Alas said she And com'st Thou to renue my Miserie 117. Bid Me goe finde some desperate Rock from whence I may plunge down into the deepest Maine Bid me post headlong to th' Infernall Prince And covenant with him for eternall Paine Nay bid me do 't Or bid me not do this Which is to goe where my far worse Hell is 118. I like thine Anger well says Phylax but The Grove is not the same 't was yesterday Another Visage I on it have put Both chaste and safe and so thy selfe wilt say No Boar no Lover's there come let Us goe Both Charis and thy Maid will with Us too 119. This high Assurance cheer'd her timorous Heart Which stood in reverentiall awe of Him Besides her faithfull Consorts bore their Part In this incouragement Yet did there swim About her brest some tender trembling Doubts Which spred like Mist upon her cleerer Thoughts 120. Along they went but comming neer the Grove Psyche began to quake and closer cling To Phylax who reach'd out his shield of love The downie shelter of his heav'nly Wing Under whose cheerly shaddow her He led Into the gloomy shades the Wood had spred 121. For now those flattering Beauties which of late Had made that Place a Temple to Delight Were all unmask'd and Melancholy sate Shrowding her 〈◊〉 selfe in mid-day night The heavy nodding Trees all languished And every sleepy Bough hung down its Head 122. There Aphrodisius his best Teeth had tri'd And foure of them lay broken on the ground With spightfull restlesse gnawing to divide The Withe by which He to his shame was bound More than unto the Tree which He so shook That all its frighted Leaves their Boughs forsook 123. But seeing that new Company He bit His Lipps and Tongue and spit them in their face See Psyche Phylax cries the Gallant 's Wit Who hopes to scape confessing his Disgrace But by and by I 'le make him finde a tongue To speak out his imposture and thy wrong 124. With that he snatch'd from Him all He had stoln From Earth from Water or from Aire before The beauteous Veil'no sooner off was faln But Aphrodisius appears no more It proves an hideous Fiend and Psyche cries Running behinde the Tree God blesse mine Eyes 125. Forthwith a poysnous stink seiz'd on the Aire But Phylax quickly blew it down to Hell And Come says He come Psyche ther 's no fear Behold the Monster and observe him well There hung his cursed Periwig but now Two coal-black Horns is all his Head can show 126. The rest is Bald or with soars over-grown With which his Forehead too rough-casted is Though over it He polish'd Flesh had drawn Too fair a Plaster for such Ouglinesse See how the Boils run down into his eye To finde him fitting Tears when He would crie 127. Like to some Ovens black Arch so hang his Brows Over the furnace of his Eyes wherein Delitious Flames did lately take up house But now the Fire 's as dark as his own sin And being fed with
sulphure doth confesse What is its work and where it kindled was 128. A double Alablaster Conduit hung Down from his Forehead where is nothing now But those two rotten Pipes not to be wrung Least with the Moisture down the Nose do flow That banefull Moisture which 't is hard to say Whether it be more Poyson than its Way 129. Two Rows of Roses on those Lipps did grow To sweeten every word that passed by But now scorch'd black as Hel's own mouth they show What kind of Breath is wont through them to flie A Breath like that which from the Chimneys topp Speaks it owne stink by what it vomits up 130. His Cheeks which lifted up but yesterday Two Hills of Spices now are sunk so low That like two hollow untill'd valleys they With nothing else but Desolation grow Now grizly Haire has spoil'd his polish'd skin Shewing what He to Satyrs is of kin 131. His lovely Hands are now two monstrous Paws Whose Nail's much longer than their Fingers be Sure his Imbrace is daintie when he throws Those Arms about his Love But prithe see What now behind the Gallants back doth trail His courtly Sword 's turn'd to a dangling Tail 132. Behold his goodly Feet where one great Cleft Davides two Toes pointed with iron Claws The rest of his fine Body must be left Sealed up close by Modesties chast Laws Yet mayst thou safely look into his Breast And see what Treasures there have made their Nest. 133. Look where ten thousand Charmes and kisses lie And Complements of every garbe and kind With which He doth on herdlesse Virgins flie And Correspondent Entertainment find Look where upon the Topp those Courtships be By which He wooed and inchanted Thee 134. In that slie corner and observe it well Lie various Shapes which alway changing be Shapes trim and smooth and faire without but full Of inward Poyson which industrious He Subtlie improv'd and dayly did devise Handsome Impostures and well-favoured lies 135. See'st thou not there the model of the Beast That hideous Witchery which chased Thee With all the amorous Story fairely drest To Court and cheat thy credulous Chastity Never did Cozenage with more lovely Art Or Face more honest act its divelish Part. 136. But there is something stranger yet behind See'st thou that Scroll It is a full Commission By which he made this Voyage ready sign'd And strengthned by the broad Seal of Perdition Come I 'l untwine the knot of Snakes which tie It up and lay it open to thine Eye 137. Loe here a scheem of such confounding Letters And scrambling Lines as never Conjurer writt His Forks Hooks Prongs Racks Gibbets Gridirons Fetters And other Tools of his infernall spight Are Belzebub's mad Alphabet But hear How well I ken his mystick Character 138. Satan the great by mine owne Power alone God of Hell Earth and Aire Immortall Foe To Men to Angels to Heav'n and Heavn's Son Monarch of Pride Rage Blasphemy and Woe Out of our royall grace to our right vicious And trustie friend and Cosen Aphrodisius 139. By these our Letters Patents We doe give Thee full Authoritie the Souleto seize Of hated Psyche that she may receive What share of Pangs our royall Self shall please Given at our flaming Court of Desperation This sixt Age of our Soveraigne Damnation 140. This being read He folds it up againe And thrusting it into the Furies breast Goe home says He and ask thy Soveraigne A larger Patent See thou art releas'd But here I hang the Withe if ever thou Returnst this Way thou mayst this token know 141. The loosned Fiend fetching a deep drawn Sigh And tearing his owne breast with helplesse wrath Flung downe his Patent and away did flie The Grove smoak'd as He went in all his Path No Tree did meet him though the place were full But downe He tore it and made hast to Hell 142. This Spectacle so wrought on Psyche's Heart That fill'd brimme full of holy shame and Ioy Her equall thanks and blushes she doth part Between he carefull friends Never may Day Shine on this face if I forget says she Your Loves and mine own reskew'd Chastity 143. Farewell fond Passions Heav'n above I 'm sure Is full as faire within as 't is without No Aphrodisius there but all as pure As is the spotlesse Chrystall or your thought Deare Phylax which from thence its pattern takes And a new Heav'n in your sweet Bosome makes 144. There will I fix my Heart there dwells my Love My Life my Lord much purer than his Home Whose Paradise shall be the onely Grove Henceforth to which my soul shall strive to come Forbid it Jesu any thing below Be master of this Soule whose Lord art thou 145. Thus sweetly breathing out her holy Passion To ease her high-swolln heart she homeward goes With her dear Consorts yet at every station Renews her thanks and her pathetike Vows At length got home She to her Closet hasts Where all her Soul at her Loves feet she casts 146. What praiers were there what thanks what sighs what tears What Languishments what amorous extasies What confidence what shame what hopes what fears What pains what joys what thoughts what words she dies And yet she lives and yet she dies againe And would for ever live so to be slain 147. But fainting Nature for 't was midnight now And farr sh' had travell'd and wrought hard that day Permitted sleep to grow upon her brow And though unwilling downe at last she lay Sweet was that rest but yet much sweeter was The Dream which now before her Soul did passe 148. Imagination swiftlie carried Her Into a Garden where more Beauties smil'd Than did in Aphrodisiu's Grove appeare And gentler Gales the aire with odours fill'd Lillies alone on every bed did grow Which scornd comparison with Northerne Snow 149. The goodly Walks with Alablaster were Pav'd all alone whose smooth and spotlesse face Layd fairlie ope unto the silver sphear Which roll'd above a comely looking glasse Whither upward she or downward turnd her Eye Still she 〈◊〉 the same Heaven's Majesty 150. No Fountaine bubled there but fed with springs Of purest Milk upon whose dainty shoare Unsported Pidgeons sate and wash'd their wings Though full as white and pure as it before But thus one Candor powr'd upon another Does kindely kiste and sport it with his brother 151. High in the midst a princelie Castle stands Invincible for strength and for delight Built all of Virgin-christall and by Hands As pure as the Materials were bright A cleerer Court was ne'r by Poets braine Built for Queen Thet is in her watery Main 152. Ten thousand Blushes stood before the Gate With Magnanimities all hand in hand As many Purities behind them sate And after those as many Beauties and Young smiling Graces whose sweet task it was To be the Guard of that delicious Place 153. As Psyche wonder'd at the stately sight She turns and spies her Phylax standing by What Place is
does answer it and now Becomes a Needle and its Eye can show 32. Then from his golden Locks that curled Grove Where thousand little Loves for ever play He pluck'd an Haire and this said He will prove Sufficient Thred to finish all thy gay Imbroyderie 't will stretch and alwaies be Longer and longer to Eternity 33. Heer take thy Tools and let th' Invention be Thine owne Conceit for who can better fitt The Emblematick gift of Chastitie Than thou the Mother both of Me and it She bowing low her thanks and Dutie throws Before his feet and to her work she goes 34. Millions of Graces tripped after hâ—r The fair attendants on her 〈◊〉 rain Unto that Tower of living Chrystall where Thy Vision lately Thee did entertaine That Miâ—â—ie Way which downe Heavn's Mountain flows Its beauteous smoothnes to her footsteps ows 35. Oft had she trac'd it for you see the Way Is broad and Heavn's faire amplitude doth suit Yet ne'r with cheerlier Count'nance than that Day 〈◊〉 the decotum she did well compute Rejoycing that this Virgin-work should be 〈◊〉 to the Mother of Virginity 36. The Castle Gares did in a smile stand ope To see their Queen and bid her wellcome in She looks about her in that curious shop Of Purities uncertain where to ' gin Nothing dislikes Her but she spends her care Among so many Bests which to preferre 37. The lofty Roofe of the illustrious Hall With Sighs and amorous Languishment was seel'd From whence upon the princely floor did fall Full many an hearty Teare which there did yeeld A 〈◊〉 Pavement which the cool Grounds Kisse Into chast firmitude did chrystalize 38. The Twilights teares 〈◊〉 in the Laps of flowers Reflected not so 〈◊〉 Heavn's rising Eye When Phebus let in the diurnall Howres And trimm'd his face upon the Morning skie As these reverberated that fair Look Which from the Virgins entring face they took 39. The Walls impeopled were with all the stories Of those whom Chastity had cloth'd in White From antient Abels most unspotted Glories Unto the latest Beames of Virgin-light That Abel who first to his 〈◊〉 tied Martyrdomes 〈◊〉 in whose Bed he died 40. But at the upper end a Table hung All of one sparkling Diamond faire and high Whose brighter lines can by no Angells tongue Be fully read It was the History Of Love himself crav'd by art so divine That every Word the Table did out shine 41. Long look'd shee on this pourtract and forgot By looking long almost for what shee came The Sight 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 her eys that shee had not Her wonted power to be Queen of them At 〈◊〉 shee calls them home and bids withall Her heart come back which out with them had stole 42. Then ô. cries shee that this unworthy Hand Could draw those lines of Blisse of Life of Love A thousand yeares I d be content to stand And practise heer so I at length might prove Artist enough to forme one Copy which With more than all Heav'n would the Earth inrich 43. But my Almighty Lord and Sonne who did React his stories on this diamond sceen By his owne finger can be copied Onely by it Though He would make a Queen Of worthlesse Me yet He was pleased still In his poor Handmaid some defect should dwell 44. This Word straight summoned into the Cheek Of all the Graces which about her prest An universall Blush to see how meek Their Empresse was And give us leave at least Say they to copy this Humility More due to Us than unto royall Thee 45. But turning to the next her studious eye And reading in that Table fairely drawn The sweet Exploits of her Virginitie She blushed more than they and of their owne Blush made them all asham'd to see how farr It was out-blushed and out-grain'd by her 46. What help cries she for He is Lord and King What help if he be pleas'd to have it so If He my Memorie next his owne will bring And print it in a Book of Diamond too 'T is not the picture of what I did merit But what his love hath made me to inherit 47. With that the Graces all upon their knecs In a conspiracy of reverend Love Assault her thus Seek no more stories these Of thine the best imbroyderie will prove Degrade not what thy Son preferres nor be Because he loves thee thine owne Enemie 48. Nay gentle Sisters sweetly she replies I love my selfe too well to be so proud Let other Hands applaud my Victories But to mine own it must not be allow'd Were that my Work this Needle at each letter Would prick my Heart because I was no better 49. Loe in that Rubie Table there I see A heav'nly Storie well the Man I know A pretious Friend both to my Lord and Me When We with Him were Sojourners below Pure was his Life pure was his Office too Cleansing the Way where Purenesse was to goe 50. Whil'st on the noble Baptist thus her Eye And Praises dwelt a Grace had fill d in haste Her lappe with Lilies and the mayden prize Into a Chair of Alablaster cast The gentle Virgin smil'd at first to see 't Then down she sate and made her Cushion sweet 51. Her diligent Maydens compasse Her about And with a Jewell each one ready stands To her pure Work she falls and as she wrought A sweet Creation followed her Hands Upon her Knee apace the Table grew And every Figure to the Texture flew 52. As active Fancy in a Midnights Dream With strange extemporall dexterity What Sceens what Throngs what Worlds she lists doth frame Making the most divided things agree And most united quarrell though one Cell Be all the room for this vast spectacle 53. So wrought the nimble Artist and admired Her selfe to see the Work go on so fast Sure the ambitious Historie desired To this its own new honour to make haste And purchase to its single Rubie Beams The various Lustres of ten thousand gems 54. The forward Figures crowded close for all Would needs come in and rather chose to be Justled and throng'd and nipp'd into a small Yet a well ordered Epitomie Than in that little Dwelling loose their seat Where sweet Contraction would make them more great 55. And now the Girdle proves a Multitude Of sundry things made friends and tied in one But eminent among the rest is shew'd The lovely Master of the businesse John One-different John who as the Work doth rise Lives preaches washes suffers prison dies 56. Th' Imbroyderie finish'd thus that with more speed She might present it to her mighty Sonne She gives command her Birds be harnested Quick as the Word her ready Maydens run And from the milkie shore of the next spring Five Paire of her immortall Pidgeons bring 57. Her Coach was double gilt with that pure Light Whose grosser part fills Phebu's face with glory Not glaring like his Eyes but Milde and White Shining much like its Owners Virgin-storie Her Coursers take their place and
And though the holy Omen to his gross Though learned Foes were unperceived He Rejoyced in his Crosses Mysterie 112. A Cross which shall e'r long so glorious be Wearing his Name upon it crucifi'd That it shall crowne the Scottish Heraldrie And in the Topp of all its Banners ride What Glories then shall Saints themselves obtain If in such state their Suffrings Badges reign 113. Nayld fast unto this Honour was the Saint Array'd in Scarlet from his own rich Veins The Graecians took it for a torturing Paint And thought his Cross a Throne of Soveraign Pains But He his noble Pulpit made this Tree A Pulpit which did preach as well as He. 114. Long was his Sermon for his last it was Two days it measur'd and yet seem'd but short What are two poor and flitting Days alas To that which doth Eternitie import He preach'd Eternitie unto whose light His hood-winkt Torturers He did invite 115. At length perceiving Death no hast would make With strong Desires he wooed it to come Not that his Pains his Patience did break But that his Heart did long to be at home He could be nothing but a Stranger where His Masters blessed face did not appear 116. And am I nail'd in vain deer Lord said he Unto this Pillar of renouned Death Though not poor I yet thou Deserv'st for Me That in this Honour I may yeild my Breath These potent Words to Heav'n with violence flew Whence a fair light they for his Convoy drew 117. As in the bosome of his Chariots flames Illustrious Phehus through the Sphears doth speed So resting in the Arms of these sweet Beams The Saints brave Soule was thither carried Thus in her funerall Fire the Phaenix dies And by her Death to fairer life doth rise 118. On Zeals undaunted Wings great Bartholmew To meet the Dayes Flame where it kindled is Unto the furthest brink of India flew And taught the East to bend their wakening Eyes Upon a new Son who no Gold did need To dresse his Locks and more than golden Head 119. Then having left His goodly Picture there Which Matthews Pen had drawn fair in a Book He posted backward to Armenia where The same illustrious Work in hand hee took But promising his Hearers Kings to make The King grew wroth and thus his Fury spake 120. Bold Wretch who pratest of the idle Throne Of thy vain Christ I 'le make thee know that I In my Armenia will have but one And that 's the Seat of my own Majesty If Jesus be a God his Heav'n will be Realm large enough He need not trench on Me. 121. 'T were speciall Credit for Armenia's King To entertain as a great Deity A stable-born and manger-cradeled Thing Whose ignominious Death did justifie The vilenesse of his Birth because a poor Resolved doting Wretch doth Him adore 122. O no! the Gods by whose great Blessing I Possesse my Crown are Gods enough Away With shamefull Jesu's uselesse Dietie Yet for some use Thou mayst be fitting Say Serjeants will not this Carrion serve to flea Though He be naught yet good his Skin may be 123. That onely Word sufficient was to let The Tygres loose who straight the Saint undresse Both of his Cloths and Skin which at the feet Of their fell Lord they threw for it was his Due right the blessed Martyrs skin to keep In token that He slew the harmlesse Sheep 124. But He now grown far fairer than before As when the Sun from Clouds unveiled is Did shine and sparkle in his glorious Gore Quite dazling by his noble Nakednesse The Devills eyes who could have wish'd the skin To hide his own shame on the Saint agin 125. Yet 't was in vain for Bartholmew was now Fit for the Roabs of Immortality Which Jesus hand ready was to throw Upon his most deserving Back for hee Might without Pains and Crouding now get in At Heav'ns strait Gate who first put off his skin 126. But Matthew into AEthiopia ran Ventring upon a strange Designe for there He strove to purge the Crow into a Swan To make Pitch Chrystall Ink Snow Darknesse cleer Spots beauteous Sables lucid Shaddows bright I mean to wash the Pagan Negro's white 127. And this by Baptisms searching Streams he did Which drown'd their Hearts in Life and Purity Soon the full Torrent of his Name did spread And in the Channell of the Court grow high The Court soon catch'd the News but little thought That in the Newse's Net it selfe was caught 128. Caught was its dearest Gem the Virgin Heart Of Iphigenia daughter to the King And now not all the flattering frowning Art Of royall Hirtacus her Soul could bring To leave her mystick Spouses love and wed Himselfe who panted after her sweet Bed 129. O no! She cri'd My Vow is past and I Unto my God my Body must restore As I receiv'd it My Virginity Is now intirely His and mine no more Matthew is witnesse and it were in vain For Me to call my Promise back again 130. O if you love me then love what I am Love Love himselfe and so you shall love me Be truely Royall Love the Christian Name And let my Sacred Vow still Sacred be For I may to no Pagan Spouse be tied Who to an heav'nly Bridgroom am affied 131. The Prince with Wrath and Folly blinded saw Not how this Match most matchlesse was nor that She had already chose a King And though The shame of meer Humanity would not Permit his Rage to take its swindge on Her Yet He o'r Matthew let it domineer 132. His choisest Bloodhounds in all haste he sent With correspondent charge against the Saint Whom finding busie at the Sacrament With His and his Lords blood the floor they paint And at the Altar thus the Martyr dies To Heav'n a willing and sweet Sacrifice 133. Matthias whose heav'n-witness'd Faith commended Him to supply the Traytor Juda's place To finish Matthews great Designe contended In AEthiopia whence He turn'd his Race To Jewry where his blood hee forth did poure For Him who gave him all his own before 134. John was the last but first and highest in His dear Esteem who is Himselfe most High O blessed Saint which did'st the Riches win Of all Heav'ns sweetest fullest Treasury Jesus indeed does all Men love but hee Not onely lov'd but was in love with Thee 135. He was in love with thy Virginity Which with all blooming Graces was bedeckt Of all his Twelve choise privileg'd Chaplanes He Did for his amorous Favours Thee select He did select Thee his soft Spouse in whose Delicious Eyes He meant his own to loose 136. He was in love with the reflexion Of his own Sweetnesse shining in thy face With sympathetick Joy hee dwelt upon His iterated Selfe in that pure Glasse Striving all Lovers Arts on it to prove O blessed Soule with whom Love fell in love 137. From off the troubled Main he lured Thee Into a deeper Sea of calmest Pleasures The bosome of supream
Serenity To which the Ocean is but poor in Treasures His own dear Breast to Thee hee opened wide And let Thee in unto its fullest Tide 138. There did'st Thou lie and learn thy Soule to glow By the dear Copy of thy Pillows Heat A Pillow in whose soft Protection Thou Put'st all thy Cares and Fears to rest And yet Slep'st not thy Selfe for how could any Eye Indure to close when Jesus was so nigh 139. There did'st Thou lie next to the Heart of Love Whose ravishing Imbraces kept thee warm With all the best of Heav'n no more above But folded up in his incircling Arm Which forc'd all wise Spectators to conclude Thou wert aforehand with Beatitude 140. The loftiest Stories where pure Seraphs dwell Exalted in Felicities bright Sphear Thy dainty Habitation did excell For at his Foot-stoole They lie prostrate there Amidst the Sweets of whose all-balmey Breast Thine onely Head makes its delicious Nest. 141. What potent Joyes what mysticall Delight Woo'd and besieg'd thy Soule on every side Whil'st thy inamoured Spouse spent all the Might Of heav'nly Tendernesse on his dear Bride How many healing Wounds gave his Loves Dart How many living Deaths to thy soft Heart 142. How did hee study to epitomize His Incarnation's amorous Designe And trie the best of Mercie 's Mysteries Upon thy single Soule in which divine Experiment it was thine onely Grace To fill his universall Churches place 143. Thus while he liv'd he sweetly liv'd in Thee And when hee di'd Thou saw'st him nayled fast Unto his Death Yet no Mortality Could seize upon His love for by his last And tenderest Words whil'st hee Himselfe did die To Thee he gave Loves living Legacie 144. Into his dearest Mothers Bosome hee Commended Thee and bid her own her Son What Nature could not Love contriv'd to be And Mary must be Mother unto John Jesus and John Love had so closely ti'd That in their Mother they must not divide 145. Mary no other Glass could findè where she So fair an Image of her Sonne might read Nor John so pure a Mirrour wherein He His ever looking-longing Eyes might feed On his dear Lord Thus Love though dead and gone Sweetly leaves John his Spouse Mary her Sonne 146. No wonder gentlest Saint that on thy Tongue Love built his Hive and dropp'd his Hony thence Whilst thy Soul-charming Words rellish so strong Of Heav'ns best Sweets and choycest influence That Love from his own Wing lent Thee the Quill Which all thy Lines with Charity doth fill 147. No wonder Thou brave Eagle soar'dst so high And div'dst so deep into the Suns bright face Where Thou didst read the Words great Mystery By which thine Eye refin'd not dazeled was No wonder that Thou didst thy Gospeli fashion And Calculate by God's own Elevation 148. No wonder that Port Latin saw the Oile Scalding in vain Thou who didst live by Fire And in whose breast such amorous streams did boile Could'st feel no other Flames O no! some higher Fervor of Love must melt thine own and send It to the flaming Bosome of thy Friend 149. The Languishments of never-faint Desire Must crown thy Life with correspondent Death Though by sharp Pains thy Brethren did expire This dainty Martyrdom must end thy Breath So Heav'n has privileg'd thy Piety Thou who did'st Live by Love of Love must Die 150. Pardon me Psyche I could not forbear This deare Apostrophe John was the Man Whose virgin flaming Worth made Him be neer Of kin to our Angelick Tribe and can We mention him and not salute him too Whom Honors Soveraign Lord has honor'd so 151. And pardon Me that I have dwelt so long On his Apostolick Bretheren the Glory Of whose death-scorning Valour does no wrong Nor interrupts their Masters royall Story He and his heav'nly Might in them appear'd And o'r the vanquish'd Earth his Banner rear'd 152. Mark now that Mount which lifts its lofty Head Neer to Bethsaida whence it takes a view Of all the Countries round about it spread Nor Zebulon nor Nephthali out-flew Its Prospect which through Trachonitis too And Ituraea did sublimely goe 153. Yea though far distant it acquaintance took With other Mountains unto Hermon 〈◊〉 And stately Libanus it reach'd a Look This was that noble Oratory where Thy Lord so oft retired that the Place Thenceforth the Mount of Christ 〈◊〉 was 154. A Mount where liberall Nature did her best Witnesse the flowrie Beauties smiling there But Grace far more 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Than that bright Pomp which and of old prepare For the Lawgivers feet the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of Sina mix'd with Thunder Smoak and Dread 155. For here no Trumpet spake the Frightfull Minde Of stern Imperiousnesse no rigid Law Back'd with an everlasting Curse injoyn d The World to its hard Yoak their Necks to bow But Love himselfe upon his gentle Throne Gave the soft Lawes of Benediction 156. Eight Springs of Blessednesse abroach hee set And woo'd the weary World to bathe in Them Their Cares and Fears hee taught Them to transmit And bury all Solicitude in Him He pass'd his Word Heav'n should their Purveyor be Who served in the Warrs of Pietie 157. His Evangelicall Oeconomie He instituted here and so improved The highest Pitch of Legall Sanctitie That though incumbering Burdens hee removed Yet more Bonds of Perfection on hee laid And wonderous strict his Mercies Candor made 158. His Reins were Silk but yet hee held them strait And drove amain providing by that Art That in their Passage no enchanting Bait Might his Disciples lure and tempt to start Out of the King of Heav'ns high Way but to His Kingdome safely and directly goe 159. His blessed Rules and none but His are They Which past the Puritie of Gold refine Gross Mortall Hearts and sublimate poor Clay Into a State Angelick and Divine Whilst by his Spirit He scours off sinfull Rust And into Heav'n blows up the purged Dust. 160. But turn and view those Desert Fields which lie Next Neighbours to the Galilean Sea Into that hopefull quiet Privacie Devotion had withdrawn thy Spouse but He Had given the People too much tast of his Sweetness to think He long could scape their Press 161. For as the busie Bees who once have found 〈◊〉 Garden haunt it day by day 〈◊〉 out every flower and humming round About the Tops of their delicious Prey So to that Garden for thy Lord had by His presence made it so did People flie 162. Jesus who bow'd from Heav'n poor Man to meet Could not refraine to entertaine the Throng With gracious ready Welcome He did greet Each Troop and Party as they came along Dealing his Courtesie to great and small Who came to be the Saviour of All. 163. Then as the wise Physitian first takes care That all the Vitall Parts be sound within Before He spend his pains on any Soare Which sinks into the Flesh or on theSkin Doth swimme So did his Tenderness to those His numerous Patients his art dispose 164. Their Hearts
Proving that every Eye was worse then blinde Which no discoverie in Her could make Of richer Beauties then those faint and thin Graces which hover in a polish'd Skin 45. 'T is true She 's pale so is the Lilie too So is her heav'nly Daughter Chastitie So is the Milk so is the virgin Snow And yet when Modestie would dressed be In her brave Scarlet She doth raise a Flood Of Purple and shine fair in Blushing Blood 46. She is contented to be lank and lean As one who counts it Martiall Policie To keep her Amunition close within The better to confront the Seige for She Laughs at those plump and boasting Gallants who Can nothing but their swelling Outworks show 47. For whilst her Walls are lesse she hath lesse need Of numerous Powers to maintain the fight But being Mistresse of all active Heed She stands upon her guard both day and night Being of creacherous ease and sleep afraid By which fat lazie bulwarks are betrai'd 48. She knows what ballast will her Bulk suffice To keep her steady in this dangerous Sea And layes in but enough The Merchandise Which fraughts her stowage pretious virtues be And provident she no bigger than her self Securely sails by every Rock and Shelf 49. Her Parts and Passions all their duties know And she as little fears a storm within As from without her humble flesh doth bow To all Commands no Officers repine What course so e'r she steers but all conspire To make their own still saile with her desire 50. Thus she does safely at that Port arrive Which leads into the Continent of Blisse The Port at which her restlesse aym did drive The onely Key and Gate of Paradise For Paradise's sweets her stomack she Reserv'd which there at length shall filled be 51. This difficult but advantageous Grace Was that which Jesus strove on earth to sow But most ungratefull Earth so shamelesse was As not to suffer the faire seed to grow Though a few honest beds did entertain it The most part of the Garden did disdain it 52. Those who unto the King of Abstinence Have sworn Allegiance blush not to enrole Themselves the servants of Intemperance And the mad virtue of their Revelling Bowle More sacred and obligatory count Then the bless'd Streams of the Baptismal Fount 53. Else how comes that abominable Trade Of daily turning swine to be profest With most applans not where the Pagan shade Upon prevented Reasons eyes hath east Blinde irreligions night but where the Rayes Of most revealed heav'n gild Christian dayes 54. Else how cam'st thou unhappy Britaih which Barr'st out all other Oceans by thy shore To let the Sea of Drunkennes with such Unrulie fury in thy bowels roar O that thy feeble Sands should stronger be Then is thy Reason or thy Pietie 55. How has this deluge drown'd in Sottishnesse Thy once renouned sense of Braverie Since in thy Helmeti Swords and Bucklers place A cowardly succession we see Of Pots and Glasses and ô valours shame 〈◊〉 drinker turned into Credits name 56. How come those Bacchanalian wars so dear In thy Repute who prid'st thy self that thou So well appointed art as not to fear Or Dutch or Danish bowls but knowest how Foes and friends lives by the Grapes blood to shed And though not strike yet surely drink them dead 57. How comes the Name of Cynik or of Clown To dwell on them who never learn'd the Arts Of roaring Revels How is goodnes grown No more by virtues standard but by quarts And Pottles to be measured whil'st alas Carousers for the good companions pass 58. O how hast thou forgot what sumptuous Care Almighty Love hath taken to requite Thine Abstinence what Soule refreshing fare For Pieties untainted Appetite His bounteous hand prepares and proves how He Excessive is in hospitalitie 59. Heav'n stood amaz'd at the magnificence Of that high banquet nor could Phylax now Longer conceale the brave ecstatik sense He had of it for heav'nly bosoms glow So hot with Loves sublime exploits that they Must split did not their tongues their hearts display 60. The famous Traytors storie being done And Psyche having her short supper eat The 〈◊〉 Guardian thus again begun My Dear this Evening seaion and the 〈◊〉 Thou from thy Lords hand hast received be The items of a greater feast to Me. 61. He the sweet Doctor of chaste Abstinence Who taught his Servants not to clog their heart With corruptible Viands when from hence Already Sold he shortly was to part So great and rich a Banquet made as may The whole Worlds Temperance 〈◊〉 then 〈◊〉 62. A 〈◊〉 not of gross and earthly chear Where Birds or Beasts or Fish might convives be But of immortall Delicates so dear So sweet so pretious that onely He The God in whom all Power sweetnes live Could such Celestiall entertainment give 63. 'T was now the solemne time among the 〈◊〉 Their memorable Passover to ear Nor would thine inoffensive Lord refuie That grand solemnitie to celebrate And honour it which like the faithfull 〈◊〉 On Him the Sun so long attended had 64. With his Disciples down the Master sate And in the spotlesse and unblemish'd Lamb Beheld the Copy of his purer State In which no Criticks eye found room for blame Yet could not Innocence secure his life More than the Lamb it saved from the knife 65. The Lamb his tender fleece skin had lost And naked to the fire exposed was Where all its harmlesse helplesse flesh was roste And here he read atorehand his own case How to his Cross the Jewish furie tost him And how the flaming wrath of Heav'n did rost him 66. The sad attendance of that bitter sauce Which sourest Herbs about the Meat had thrown The dark resemblance of those torments was With which his Dish of deepest woe was strown The Weeds of humane sins which far exceed In bitternes all Herbs that earth can breed 67. The Haste which quickned on this transient feasi Was not so winged as the noble speed With which He posted in desire to rest Upon the cruel Cross his tender Head A wofull resting place was that and yet To Love no Pillow seem'd so soft as 68. But having 〈◊〉 this 〈◊〉 And with due honor brought it 〈◊〉 its geave He makes way for that tender 〈◊〉 Which as his finall favour he did save To print his dearest Memory most deep In the soft Sonles of his beloved Sheep 69. He with a Towel having laid aside His Mantle girds himself for humble he Would not the least impediment abide Of his officious Activitie With water then filling a Basin full Down at his own Disciples feet he fell 70. The Conscience of his own eternall worth And of his universall Soveraigntie The certain knowledge that He 〈◊〉 forth From his bright Fathers arms and was to be There re-inthroned could not hold him up All this he knew and yet he down did stoop 71. Stoop then prood Mortals whosoe'r yee be Who have
did flie Unto the bottome of Nights nideous Sea That now Sins Blacknesse chased was away Earth might behold a double glorious Day 421. But will no Pitty on the Body look Which now has born the utmost spight of spight Yes Arimathean Joseph undertook To pay unto it its Sepulchral Right And now with loving Loyaltie doth mean To prove that he had a Disciple been 422. A true Disciple though a Secret one Witnesse his Fear to generous Courage grown For though his Master now were dead and gone His Faith revives nor shall the High-priests Frown Or Peoples Fury fright his Duty from Yeilding his Saviour his own costly Tombe 423. A Man of honorable Place was he And Pilate easily grants him his Request The Corps resigned is unto his free Disposall which he straight-way doth invest With daintiest Linen that the Winding Sheet Might Delicacie learn by Kissing it 424. Right well he Knew this solemn Paschal Feast For bad him all Pollution by the Dead And yet his pious Love durst not desist Till he this votive Task had finished Being assur'd he could not stained be By handling the dead Corps of Purity 425. But is Ho busie was another Freind Came in good Nicodemus who by Night On Iesus whilst He lived did attend To gain for his obscured Judgment Light And in his blacker Night of Death doth now His gratefull Pietie upon Him bestow 426. Of pretious aromatick Mixtures He An hundred Weight doth bring to sacrifice Unto this Bodies service so to be Enobled and enhanced in its price The O dours smiled as they kiss'd the Skin For by that Touch more Sweetnes they did win 427. Mean while the Instruments of Death for this The manner was were younder buried Where they shall sleep untill a Queen shall rise Out of thy Albion from whose blessed Bed A Prince shall spring who shall exalt above His Roman Eagles the meek Christian Dove 428. Their deer Discovery is reserv'd for none But venerable Helen who when here Hot in her passionate Devotion Her Saviours Sufferings She her selfe shall bear Transfiguring her Miditating Heart Into each severall Torture Wound and Smart 429. Those noble Relicts shall revealed be In recompence of her brave Love and Zeal There for the Jewells She shall Dig and see At length the rude but glorious Spectacle The Crosse and Nail She there shall finde Which her Lords Body pain'd and her own Minde 430. Inestimable shall their Worth be held One of those Nailes to Constantine shall seem Illustrious enough his Head to gild And sit enthron'd upon his Diademe Two in his Bridle shall triumph when He Rides through the World like King of Victory 431. The Fourth shall tame the Adriatik Man And naile it fast unto its bottome so That on its equall pacisied Plain The unmolested Ships may safely goe Then by this Gem shall that enriched Sea More wealthy than the eastern Ocean be 432. But for the noble Crosse no Toung can tell The Wonders that shall spring from that drie Tree Which hew'd out by Devotions Edge shall fill The zealous World and quit that Injury Which from the fatall Bough in Eden spread Through all the 〈◊〉 sown with humane Seed 433. Persia shall take it Captive yet not dare To look upon its Pris'ner Pietie Shall thence redeem it by a 〈◊〉 War And then return it to its Calvarie When great Heraclius his own royall Back A willing Chariot for it shall make 434. But come my Dear here on the Western side Of this now holy Mountain Thou mayst see The pretious Sepulchre of Him who di'd And who was also Buried for Thee This Rock is it Come lets 's into the Cave No Temple is more holy than this Grave 435. Loe here good Joseph did the Body lay Here lay the blessed Head and here the Feet Hard was the Couche and yet no Princes may Compare their Beds with it which was more sweet Than Solomons although Arabia did With all her sweetest Sweets goe there to bed 436. The Phaeni'x balmie grave could never show Such soveraign Riches of perfumes as here Did from thy blessed Saviours Body flow Who soon the truer Phoenix did appear O pretious Place No Mau 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Into comparison with this must come 437. What are the Monuments of Kings but 〈◊〉 Memorials of their putid Rottennesse Whilst odious Worms and Dust inshrined are Iu specious Gold and Marble But in this Plain Sepulchre bold 〈◊〉 found Her Hands were more than the dead 〈◊〉 bound 438. This is that Oratorie Psyche now Whither the 〈◊〉 Soules 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 Themselves and their best 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they Here all their Zealous 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 With their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And in this Air their warmest 〈◊〉 they 〈◊〉 439. Yet time 's at hand when bold Idolatrie Will venture to prophane this sacred Place To turn this Paradise into a stie And holinesses beauty to deface To build Hels soveraign Monster odious Jove Upon this monument of divinest love 440. But all in vain for Christian Eagles still Will to the place of the dear carcase fly And their impatient devotions fill By feasting on its pretious memory Jove though the most impure of things is not So foule as this Toombs puritie to blot 441. And here may'st thou for I thy heats discover Sweet Psyche stay and ease thy burning heart Thy Uows and Prayers here thou may'st run over And with the pious world take thy free part Doe riot in thy zeal I will attend And keep the door till thou hast made an end 442. Psyche who scarcely for this cue could wait Fell on her face and kiss'd the reveren'd floor Where her brave flames so melted her that strait Her armorous sighs and soule she forth did pour And by the strong embrace of Faith and Love Seem'd there to hug Him who was high above 443. Through all his pains and all his wounds she went And on her own heart printed every one Her bowels with his wofull cry she rent And wish'd not 〈◊〉 seeing he found none By bitter thoughts his nails his throns his spear She copied out by tears his Vinagre 444. But comming to his death she fetch'd a sigh Up from the bottome of her soule in hope Her life would have flown in its company And made her passion too compleatly up Striving in meek ambitious love to have The ready honor of her Saviours Grave 445. Desire lay boyling in her ardent breast With secret groans her Aspirations beat With restlesse panting she reach'd at that rest To which her Lord was flown and in the heat Of this contention she was towr'd so high That scarce her Body upon earth did lye 446. But when life held her on this dainty Rack In a full Ocean of Inamorations And mighty Ecstasies she strove to wrack Her labouring heart And yet these perturabtions And strong assaults of loves intestine war She by diviner loves assistance bare PSYCHE OR LOVES MYSTERIE CANTO XIV The Triumph of Love ARGUMENT LOve bindes in his own
streams let flow Which his tempestuous grief did thither blow 108. And now his Lips no more had power to speak In Zealous Kisses He does them imploy He kiss'd the Soile where once that Blood did reek Which all the Earths Redemption did pay And every Kisse did new Desire beget Of more affectionate Imbracing it 109. Psyche observing his sweet Passion swell With such Devotion soon forgot her own And with the Stranger in such love she fell That at his feet her self she bowed down She bowed down and little thought that then She stoop'd to enter the forbidden Gin. 110. But as the wary Seaman when He spies The amiable Mermaid floating nie Turns from the dangerous Bait his jealous Eyes Hoiseth his sail up and his Oars doth plie So this Devoto seeing Psyche there Confess'd and fortifi'd his holy fear 111. For starting at the unexpected sight Shield me my blessed Guardian said He Satan who doth with everlasting spight Disturb the Course of Zealous Piety Hath to facilitate my molestation In this fair Damosell sent me my Temptation 112. But whosoe'r thou art goe seek thy Prey Where rampant Lust in furious Bonfires reigns Thy Beauties Lustre must not thaw its way Thorow my tame and now long-cooled veins How know I but thou art some fair dress'd Feind To make Me foule and here Himself He sign'd 113. Ravish'd with this Religious Jealousie Sweet Sir said Psyche I was hither come Upon that errand which your Piety Hath here dispatched in that very room I purpos'd my devoted sighs to blow And make mine Eyes their liquid Dutie know 114. My bounteous Lord took my Intent I see For actual Deed and hath rewarded it He knew no blessing would more welcome be Unto my Heart then this which here I met And this art Thou in whom I plainly read The love of Him of whom my soul is Head 115. I heard thy holy Sighs and hearty Grones As towards Heav'n from thy Sweet Breast they flew I heard thy generous Lamentations And by those zealous Characters I knew That Jesus had by his Soule-conquering Dart Engrav'd Heav'ns best impression on thy Heart 116. I thank Thee that thou wert of Me afrayd For much I reverence that pious fear Yet be assured thou hast met a Maid In whom no Embers of black fervor are No no my Heart will no such Guests allow For it too well doth Aphrodisim know 117. Indeed I might have been what you suspected Foule Satans Agent and a feind of Hell Had our deer Lord the care of Me neglected And not seal'd sure on mine his blessed Will And so might'st Thou had He not spread above Thy helplesse head the Banner of his Love 118. That Love which wheresoe'r I finde it shine Doth humble Reverence from my heart command Wonder not at my Case but make it thine And think how thou could'st shun or how withstand Thy Charming Self If I immodest be Like Love will pardon Loves Immodestie 119. Yet 't is no Boldnes to admire the Sunn To love the starrs and what more lovely is Their Sovercign and ours what I have done To Thee great Jesus gave me leave to his Own Self to doe Wherefore no more admire That I grow warm now I come neer thy fire 120. My Warmth is pure as is its spring in thee I mix'd it not at all with other fires And onely on thy Zealous Pietie I feast the Hunger of my chaste Desires I am a stranger here and hither come On Loves deer businesse from my British Home 121. But in this Land of Holinesse I meet Such deer Remembrances of Heav'n that I Desire my native Albion to forget And where my Saviour did both live and die Me thinks I heer am neerest Him who is Whither I live or die mine onely Blisse 122. Yet some Acquaintance and Companion I Would gladly gain with whom my foul might live In holy freindships sweet society And mutual Heats of Zeal from Him receive Heav'n puts you in my way and if you be What you appear you will be kinde to Me. 123. This said sometimes to Him her pleading Eye Sometimes to Heav'n She turn'd and by that mute But most mysterious Importunity Sollicited her earnest bashfull suit Urging by this her yeelding silence more Strong Arguments than she had spoke before 124. Mov'd with her soft Expressions and her Tears For these flow'd out as thick and sweet as they The Man gives credit unto both and cheers His clowded Looks and cries O happy Day Which hast discover'd unto Me a Breast Of Heav'ns pure dove the chaste unspotted Nest. 125. Pardon dear Stranger pardon my Mistake And be no longer in that Name to me What recompence I can I vow to make To thy misprised slandered Pietie I at thy bounteous Offer catch and will Both thy Desire and mine own Joyes fulfill 126. Rare are those friends as Birds of Paradise In this unworthy world but seldome seen Whose Harts in one no other Cement ties But heav'nly Zeal and Love and had I been As good as I am vile thy Offer were Worthy to be unto my Soule most deer 127. If by the royall Law of our great Lord Pretious in our esteem our Foes must be O what Embraces must We then afford To them who Us out vie in Charitie Come gentle Soule and this chaste Token take That to thy Wish my heart I pliant make 128. Here by an Holy Kisse for that of old The Symbole was of Christian Consent He seal d his Words then reverently took hold Of her right Hand and down the Mountain went Leading Her to his Dwelling whither she Went cheerly on fearing no Treacherie 129. Into the Vulturs Nest thus slies the Dove Thus to the smiling Shelfs the Ship doth run The stranger thus to the enchanted Grove Goes for delight Thus to the fatal Den Of the fair tongu'd Hyoena skips the Lamb The Childe thus leaps into the playing flame 130. Come to his House Authades for his Name Was so pray's Psyche not to take it ill That since she in a busy season came His sacred Office He did first fulfill Before on her He waited But said He The work though great will soon dispatched be 131. In his eighth journey Phoebus now did run Since his first-born Authades did enjoy Who by the rule of his Religion Was bound to circumcise the Childe that Day Which with a consecrated knife of stone He did and gave his own name to his Son 132. The Infants Wound the softer heart did slay Of Psyche who strait wrep'd and knock'd her breast And then with indignation turn'd away But cunning He perceiving how his Guest Dis-rellished her welcome to her stepp'd And 〈◊〉 first demanded why shee weep'd 133. In sullen silence she made her Replie Compos'd of Frowns and of compleat disdain Till forc'd by his milde Importunitie She gave her angry Tongue a liberal Rein Shame on my credulous Love which thus said she Bewithc'd me to the Den of Heresie 134. Are you
the Faith of Reasonable Men That which against all Reason doth conclude And founded is on Contradiction Sure God so strange a Law did never give That Men must not be Men if they Beleeve 215. No 't was not God but Man who made that Law And by enacting it usurped more Than God-like Power on those he won to bow Their Superstitious Necks to this new Lore By which to brutish Sottishnesse they are Enslav'd who free by Christian Title were 216. 'T is not enough forsooth that We beleeve Mary the Mother was to Jesus but Into the bargain too We must receive That she a Virgin still remain'd And what More ready Way her Sons Birth to deny Than by continuing her Virginity 217. If she a Mother be she must be so But if a Virgin she a Virgin is And he that can in One tie up these 〈◊〉 May reconcile the Poles into a Kisse May Midnight in the face of 〈◊〉 throw May cement in one Centre I and No 218. Yet well it were had Mary been alone The subject of this holy Nonsense But With greater impudence upon her Son It ventured and madly forging what All Rational Creatures cannot but Detest This as the sacred Rule of Faith profest 219. For though the Marvell-mongers grant that He Was moulded up but of a Mortal Metall And that his Substance was the same which we Finde in our Selves to be so weak and 〈◊〉 Yet an eternal God they make Him too And angry are that We will not doe 〈◊〉 220. Thus the quaint Madnesie of a dreaming Brain Holds the same Thing a Mountain and a Mite Fancies the Sun Lights royal Soveraign To look like swarthy and ignoble Night Imagines wretched Worms although it see Them crawl in Dirt illustrious Kings to be 221. But Heav'n forbid that we should so 〈◊〉 And think our God as poor a Thing as We How can Eternity be born in Time How can Infinitude a Baby be Or how can Heav'n and Earths almighty Lord To AEgypt flie for rear of Herod's Sword 222. Can He be hungry who doth All Things feed Can it become the King of Joy to weep Can He the God of Spirits refreshment need Can He who is all Eye e'r fall asleep Can Man the Prince of Power Crucifie Can He Lifes everlasting Fountain die 223. Such Gods as these indeed were Jupiter Mars Saturn Neptune Mercury Apollo And all that Rout to whom the Pagans rear Their cursed Altars And must we goe follow Such goodly Leaders and our Pleasure take Religion worse than Atheisme to make 224. Sure God is much beholden unto them Whose glorious Faith hath been so carefull to Heap all those vile Indignities on Him Which they Themselves abhorr to undergoe If God be such a wretched Thing no more Will I and 't is no proud Word Him adore 225. But He is as Impassible as They Would make him weak and poor He cannot bow To yeild his high almighty Selfe a Prey To our Infirmities who crawl below His super-glorious most refined Nature As far from Suffring is as from a Creature 226. I know they strive to mince the Matter by Distinguishing His Natures for their Art Being asham'd of no Absurdity Himselfe from his own Selfe presumes to part Yet we durst not admit a Deity Which must on a Distinction builded be 227. But how much more than mad their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And how transcending Pagan Blasphemy Who not content to make a God of this Both 〈◊〉 and mortal Jesus try To thrust him into one Substantial Knot With his eternal Sire who him begot 228. Two yet not Two but One these Two must be Nay and a Third into the Knot they bring The Spirit must come in to make up Three And yet tnese Three be but One single Thing Thus fast and loose they play or ev'n and oda And we a juggling Trick must have for God 229. If God be One then let him be so still Why jumble We We know not what together Did all the World not know their God untill This old Blinde Age discover'd Him Did neither The Patriarks Beleeve nor Prophets See Aright because they took not One for Three 230. I and my Brethren are full well content T' aspire unto no other Paradise Than that to which those Holy Hero's went Whose Faith knew no such curious Prodigies No Faith 's a grave and sober Mayd and she Loves neither Quirk nor Trick nor Forgerie 231. Let Love and Duty make of Christ as high And glorious a Thing as Wit can reach Provided that against the Deity No injury nor Sacriledge they preach If onely on such Terms He lov'd may be Him to neglect is Pietie say We. 232. But We neglect him not who merits more Of Us than all our Reverence can pay Our Necks we bow unto his gentle Lore And his Commands ambitiously obey Love is his blessed Law and hated be Those who contemn so sweet a Lord as He. 233. You see how freely our Profession We Impart to Strangers being confident That honest Truth can never shamed be Yet whether you will bow downe your consent Unto our Doctrines I uncertain am And therefore will no further lavish them 234. For if your Faith relies on Men who are Themselves but founded and built up of Dust If you by Reasons Rule disdain to square Your Pietie and take your God on Trust Which Heav'n forbid you onely are a Prize Unto Imposters fair-tongu'd Fallacies 235. He ceased here When Logos louting low His fawning head to Psyche gave her Joy That she had met so grave a Doctor now Whose radiant Knowledge might light her the way To genaine Truth through those thick Foggs which here Make dim and black Religions Hemisphear 236. And take good heed said He sweet Madame that You serve Him not as you Authades did O what substantial Arguments and what Religious Motives hath he mustered In this concise Discourse whose depth might well Be owned by the holiest Oracle 237. Psyche whose tender Heart not long agoe Would have abhorr ' d this venomous Language more Than doth the Lamb the Wolfe or Lyon who Nothing but barbarous Death to it doth roar Had now forgot her pious jealous fear And knew not what it meant to be aware 238. Haeretick Poyson she already had Suck'd from Authades which no sooner wun Her fond Hearts Approbation but it made An open Chanel for more streams to run Into Her Bosome Thus an Army by One little Breach poures in its Victory 239. She yeilds to swallow the Cerinthian Bait And thanks unto her Murderer strives to pay Dear Sir said she your solid Reasons Weight Doth on my Heart such sound Persuasion lay That needs it must submit and study how To be for ever gratefull unto you 240. Scarce had she spoke but loe her Doctor who Espyed Phylax flying thither took His hasty leave but pass'd his Promise to Meet her again and bad her for him look The next day there Alas the Cheater was Afraid the Angel might his
Throughout the Universe thy Minde fullfill And Netures Laws unto thy Pleasure bow 〈◊〉 Pleasure which is not thine own but His Who of Omnipotence the Soveraign is 434. The dainty Peace which thou didst prize so high Hath now its Lodging taken in thy Breast Nor could the Tempter's potent Subtiltie Disturb thy Calme or undermine thy Rest. Be then Content for ever to possesse By holding fast thine Hold thine Happinesse 435. For if thou let'st it slip and weary be Of blessed Ease it soon will flie away In this low flitting World no Certainty Was ever yet Inhabitant and they Alone be out of Change's reach who are Infeof d above in endlesse Quiet 's Sphear 436. 'T is true those everlasting Chains which tie Heav'ns Destinations to their Ends excell All Adamantine Power and can by No opposition of Eartn or Hell Be forced to betray their Hold yet this No ground of Confidence to Mortals is 437. For those Decrees profoundly treasur'd are In that bright Bosome which no Angels Eye Can peep into This maketh pious Fear Religious Awe and holy Jealousie The onely Anchors which Assurance can Afford unto the tossed Heart of Man 438. And 't is Heav'ns mighty Favour too least He Should bold and carelesse grow if once he saw The Patent of his own Felicity Were sign'd and seal'd so sure that by the Law Of absolute Necessity he through All Tempests safely to his Port must row 439. For then were He no better than a Slave Unto that Blisse whose Crown prepared is For them who venture at it by the brave Ambition of humble holinesse Then if He would his mighty God might He Disdain and dare Him with his own Decree 440. O then with reverent dread march on my dear In the designe of thy high virtue and Think it sufficient happines if here Thy Fear can Desperation countermand If thou by trembling canst Victorious be And win at length supream Felicitie 441. As for these Spoiles the Trophies they shall be Of what by Loves assistance Thou hast done This Memorandum of thy Victorie May keep awake thy wise Devotion Lo here I hang them up and if agin The Serpent hither creep shew Him his skin PSYCHE OR LOVES MYSTERIE CANTO XVIII The Persecution ARGUMENT SAtan makes war on Psyche's Constancie Both by his own and Persecution's Hand Yet still impregnably-resolved She Their Ambushes and Onsets did withstand Vntill her Guardian by a Blessed Cheat Enforc'd her to a glorious Retreat 1. THough Joies and Loves and Bliss their Nest do make In Peace's bosome often times beneath That surface of Securitie a Snake His unsuspected Venomous spight doth breathe For 't is an everlasting statute That No genuine Rest can here below be got 2. The Creatures courteous Faithlesnes who still Shrink from our grasping Hands and Cheat our Hope Admonish our desires themselves to fill At those pure Spings of fulnesse which stand ope In Heav'n alone and never fancie here Compleat Content's and Satisfaction 's sphear 3. This maketh brave and hardy Exercise Dearer to Virtue than is lazie Quiet This maketh her so highly Patience prize So constantly her selfe with Suffrings diet That this sharp Sauce may wholesomly represse Of Peace's Sweets and Fat the Fulsomnesse 4. Affiction is the onely Schole where she In Magnanimities high Rules is taught The Theatre on which her Gallantrie Before the royal Eyes of Heav'n is brought For both the Angels and their Severaign there Ernest Spectators of her Courage are 5. Full well she knows that stealing Rust will creep Upon the briskest Sword if lazilie In its blinde quiet Scabberd it doth sleep And be not rubb'd uor chaf'd nor vexed by Harsh Scouring churlish Whetting or kept bright By its perpetual Bus'nes in the fight 6. That never Horse was made of so much Fire Nor temper'd for so proud impatient speed Though a true Pegasus had been his Sire Or He of Phoebu's Coursers had been bred But it he from his Manger ne'r did move Would restie lame and illcondition'd prove 7. That when the Air by long tranquillity Lies loytering in the Sun it putrid grows But when 't is startled and afllicted by Thunder and Lightning when it feels the Blows Of boistrous Windes its drowsy dull Disease Wakes at the frightfull News and vanishes 8. That sluggish Lakes which always sleeping lie Upon their easy Beds of Mud beget Of Toads and Stinks a nasty Progeny But those brisk Rils which though they be beset With craggy Hindrances still running be Preserve intire their Native Puritie 9. That never Soil was so ingenuous yet But if it were not often digg'd and plow'd Harrow'd and torn aud forced to be fit And Weeded oftner far than it was Sow'd In stead of Herbs and Floures and honest Corn With peevish Bryars and Thorns would be forlorn 10. That never Tree was known so thrifty as To spare its stock of Juice and use it right But to loose idle Twigs would let it passe Which onely sery'd and scarcely that for Sight Till the strict Discipline of the Pruning Hook Lopp'd off those Wantons and reform'd the Stock 11. That finest Roabs when they did idle lie Would gather nasty Dust and fertile prove In an ungratefull ever-fretting Frie Of Mothes unlesse the Wands and Brushes strove Against their lazinesse and day by day Those busy bold Incroachers whipp'd away 12. That Mariners who in the easy Bay Did both their Winter and their Summer waste Would never learn to steet their Bark till they Were by some Tempest into Danger cast And had accustomed their venturous Mindes To ken the boystrous Language of the Windes 13. That Soldiers listed are in vain and wear Steel by their Side and Brasse upon their head If in the pitched Feild they ne'r appear To See the hostile Ranks and Standards spread To meet the Shock and bring away their Skars As Letters Testimonial of their Wars 14. And though no Life scarce any Name doth merit But that of War so many Enemies Poor Man doth by his wtetched Birth inherit Since all the World did in Rebellion rise Against unhappy Adam yet no State More than the Christian is beseig'd with Hate 15. The Christian Life the furest Warfare is And though a thousand Victories it gains Yen still more and more Armies on it presse More Care more Sweat more Labour still remains Though Peace may an internal Calme beget Affliction still will Us without beset 16. Though all the stickling Senses and the Passions Which breed intestine Perturbations be Bow'd to the Yoke though all the 〈◊〉 Of Will and Reason by the industrie Of the 〈◊〉 Soule be tam'd yet still There is a World without to work her ill 17. For by her Christian Course against the Tide Of all the World she rows and therefore by Eternal Opposition is tri d And hardned to victorious Constancy For had she floated down the willing stream No way was there Magnanimous to seem 18. But now her gallant Metall whetted is Her vain luxuriant Twigs are
thonghts took up When to the Fountain of her Drink the sweet 〈◊〉 of Heav'n her Course and Thirst did stop When to her sleep she was disturbed by The 〈◊〉 Rest of Fternity 190. The dear Remembrance of her Soverdign Lord Boild in her Soule and would not slaked be So that while tortured she could not afford Unto her Body what Necessitie Crav dat her Hands she faint and feeble grew And by Degrees her Mortal self she slew 191. She slew her Flesh which pin'd and sunk away She slew the Vigor of her Senses which Like unbent Bows all damp'd and uselesse lay But by these Slaughters she did but inrich The Life of her afflicted Heart which still With stouter and more active Fire did swell 192. So high it swell'd that what soe'r came neer The mighty Torrent strait became its Prey Yea ev n the Bridles too subdned were Which still she hop'd and strove on it to lay Her Meditations all to Passion turned And whatso'er she Did or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 193. In 〈◊〉 unto such a 〈◊〉 The Sceptie of his 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 194. 〈◊〉 be it of a Thing But weak and mortal and Dust's wretched Heir Doth with immortal Pains and Wishes sting And spur the Soule unto unwearied Care Discouragement in vain doth muster up All Troops of Obstacles 〈◊〉 way to stop 195. No no the generous Lovers Heart disdains Not to approve his Passion infinite With gallant Obstinacie he maintains Against the Will of Heav'n and Earth the fight 〈◊〉 win his Idol for whose sake had he Ten thousand 〈◊〉 they all should ventur'd be 196. For in her Image which He hath enshrin'd High in the 〈◊〉 of his loyal Breast Such Charms and strong Attractions He doth finde As rob Him of all Power to resist He runs and in such strange and furious wise That Love is slandered with want of Eys 197. The whole World knows how Hamors royal Son Scorn'd his Religion and his foreskin too When Dinah's Love had full possession Of his subdued Soule How David who Was Heav'ns choise Darling durst Heav'ns Law despise For what he read in Bathsheba's fair Eys 198. Who hath not heard what Power one Heart 〈◊〉 Upon two mighty Nations both content For love or her to run so strangely mad Upon a mortal War whose furie rent Up Ilium by the roots which to the 〈◊〉 Of Lust a wofull Holocaust became 199. No 〈◊〉 then 〈…〉 With such mtolerable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whose 〈…〉 〈◊〉 Charms whose royall 〈◊〉 Draw with 〈…〉 Outvi'd by 〈…〉 〈◊〉 201. For all those Wounds bleed nothing else but Fire Fire which remembring its original Flame With never-wearied struggling doth aspire Back to the radiant place from whence it came It s proper Element are Jesu's eyes And thither in heroick Zeal it flies 202. And what can tortured Psyche doe who by This most unruly Heat to Heav'n is haled And yet by Mortal Lifes repugnancy Fast to her Body and dull Earth is sealed What can she doe in this Extremity Of raging Life and Death at once but Crie 203. Hardy and bold she grows in her Complaint For lifting upward her enamored Eyes Although her sickly Voice were low and faint Yet full of sinews were her serious Cries Which thus she suiting them unto her Passion Tun'd by the stout Key of Expostulation 204. O Lord of Gentlenesse ô why dost Thou Make Love so cruel to tormented Me Why would thy bounteous Justice not allow Me any other Rack but Suavitie Why must my Gall be onely Honey why Of nothing else but Life must Psyche die 205. Why didst Thou not permit Me to decease When thou hadst left Me to my Selfe alone So had thine Handmaid been repriev'd from these Extremities of Pangs so had I gone Whole to my Grave who now must Melted be By thine unsufferable Sweets and Thee 206. And am I not a Worm or worse than so Why dost Thou build such Triumph then on Me Why dost thou not pick out some Seraph who With this sublime and blessed Misery Might bravely grapple or why might'st Thou not At Phylax's nobler Breast my Dart have shot 207. O be not angry 't is not I that speak But tortured Necessity my Heart A thousand times desir'd but cannot break Else had my Lips not dared thus to part And ope themselves into Complaints but now Excuse together with my Fault doth flow 208. Not for innumerable Worlds would I Have been without that Apparition but Should full as many Worlds their Tyranny Combine against my Soul they could not put Me unto any Torture so extream As the Remembrance of my blessed Dream 209. In Sweetnesse why art thou so Infinite Or why must that Infinitude appear Unto a Soule to fire it with Delight If to the Fountain it must not draw neer To quench its burning Thirst O Jesu be Still what thou art but then be so to Me. 210. Be so to Me and ô be so with Speed Death is not Death compared with Delay Alas one Moment now doth far exceed All those long years which I till this sad Day Have tediously measured and now I older by an Age each Minute grow 211. Fain fain would I Let thee alone and be Content to wait thy longest Leisure still But ô all-lovely Thou still urgest Me And violently dragg'st my Conquer'd Will Thou dragg'st me yet wilt not permit that I Should follow home to my Felicity 212. If thou wilt Kill Me loe I am Content But ô vouchsafe to let my Slaughter be By Death not by this breathing Banishment From my best Life most ameable Thee O pitty pitty thy poor Handmaids Crie Whose Tongue cleaves to her Mouth whose Throat is drie 213. Fain would she here have fainted but her Pain Whose load so heavy on her Shoulders lay With courteous Cruelty help'd to sustein Her parched Vigour that it still might prey Upon her Patience and consume her still O strange Disease which doth by Curing Kill 214. Phylax mean while unseen perceiv'd that she Unto Heav'ns Suburbs was arrived now And that the Springs of her Mortality By this high Stretch began to crack for though Her Selfe her Change's Dawn could not descry He saw her final Houre was drawing nigh 215. This rous'd his Love in due time to prepare For his dear Pupills neverending End About her funeral he took decent Care Because himselfe could not stay to attend Those Rites when she had once Expir'd for he Her noble Paranymphus was to be 216. He was to be her Convoy when she flew Unto her royal Spouses marriage Bed This made him dresse his Count nance with a new Festivity his Wings this made him spread With fresh and snowie Down that his Lords Bride In that soft Coach of triumph home might ride 217. And in this joyous Hue to her he came Yet his sweet Presence She regarded not For Burning in her more delicious flame She of all other Things the Sense forgot The Phaenix thus amidst her funeral fires See's nothing else and nothing else
of Maturity Thou to this Light lesse fair than him shalt shew Nor need'st thou study to contrive the frame Of his due Title JESUS is the Name 66. More reason shall that Name finde in thy Son Than it of old did in Nuns warlike Heir More noble shall be that Salvation By which his Israel he will repair Than that which from Beersheba unto Dan Gave them no more but earthly Canaan 67. He shall be Great as Great as Might and Worth Can swell an Heros or as stoutest Fame Can with her fairest widest Trump blow forth Which shall be stretch'd with his magnifick Name For to proclaim his Soveraignitie His Stile shall run The Son of the Most High 68. He who is Lord of Crowns and supream King Of Scepters shall establish him upon His Seat from whose high linage he shall spring His most renowned Father Davids Throne Where hee a King of nobler Peace shall sit Than Solomon with all his Wealth and Wit 69. All Jacobs Seed to him shall homage doe And govern'd be by his more gentle Law Yea Time it selfe shall be his Subject too And his long Sithe unto his Sceptre bow The Earth shall sink the Heav'ns shall melt but hee Shall reach his Kingdome to Eternitie 70. And here the Angell paus'd But trembling she Veild in the scarlet of her modest Cheek Repli'd Bright Sir it seems you know not Me A worthless Maid who for your high Mistake Wear no pretence nor may so great a King From a vile Worms polluted Bowells spring 71. Yet though this Vilenesse be sufficient to Excuse Me from such Exaltation Be pleas'd to know I am that Mary who Finding my selfe too mean for any Son Of Princely Davids Progeny to wed Resolv'd to die upon my virgin Bed 72. So shall no sprouts from my unhappy Root Clog the World with their fruitlesse Company So shall I scape Parentall Tasks and not With Childrens Education burdned be Who finde such Work as poseth all my Art In ordering mine own untoward Heart 73. Though I to Joseph now espoused am 'T is but to shelter my Virginity In whose defence he wears an Husbands Name And of my Weakness will Protector be My Word is past that I to God will give My Body back as I did it receive 74. Alas what other Sacrifice have I To render Him for all his patient Love Wherewith he hath thus long sustained my Rebellious Life and mercifully strove With my Demerits O bid me not aspire To what transcends my Reach and my Desire 75. Miraculous Meeknesse How would other Hearts Have leap d to catch this matchlesse Dignity From which this most deserving Virgin starts O how would st thou thy selfe have joy'd to see So high an offer What would'st thou have said Had thy Agenor Gabriels Promise made 76. Her Answer forc'd his Admiration higher And op'd the Door to this sublime Replie Heav'n is not ignorant of thy sweet Desire Thy gallant Vow stands register'd on high Upon a Table neer as white and fair As thine own Heart and Resolutions are 77. Such Vows are Jewells ev'n in Heav'ns esteem Which is the pure Realm of Virginity For there th' Eternall Father wears this Gem With whom the Son and Spirit Virgins be After whose fair Example We aspire And copie it in all our Winged Quire 78. Through Mounts of Miracles God breaks ope a way To keep thee'still as pure as thy Desire When All Things in their first Confusion lay Being a shapeless groveling Mass of Mire Who would have thought the Womb of that Abysse Could have produc'd so fair a World as this 79. But then th' Almighty Spirit spread his Wing Upon those hopelesse Volumes of the Deep And by his generative Warmth did bring To light those Seeds which in that Night did sleep Thus all this populous Universe you see Sprung from the Bowells of Virginity 80. This Holy Spirit over Thee shall hover And with prolifick Virtue thee endow He who on Powers Top doth reign shall cover Thee with his Might a Might which will allow Nature no leave nor possibility To contradict a Virgin-pregnancie 81. This is one Cause and 't is a noble one Why He who shall thy glorious Off-spring be Shall wear the Soveraign Title of the Son Of God for genuine Divinity Shall be 〈◊〉 but in a mystick fashion In the great Businesse of his Generation 82. Doubt not his Power whose well-known Limits spread Wide as his boundless Will the whole World knows How Sarahs dead Wombe now doth live in seed Which past the shores of Numeration flows How the Preists Rod its sudden Almonds ought Neither to Soile nor Seed nor Sap nor Root 83. But I have mighty News to tell thee She Whose snowie Head confest her Springs was past Thy Cousen both in Blood and Piety Cold drie Elizabeth hath now at last Conceiv'd a Son an argument to thee How Nature can by Heav'n corrected be 84. The World had stamp'd the Name of Barren on Her sealed Womb and damm'd the way to Hope Of any Seed yet five full Moneths are gone And now the Sixt succeeds since Heav'n did ope That froazen Seal good cause have I to know The Time who was imployed then as now 85. I bare the Tidings to great Zachary And when his trembling jealous Soul would not Credit my supernaturall Embassie I on his Tongue a Lock of Silence put That he might know God could as easily ope His Spouses Womb as I his Mouth could stop 86. His Silence bids thee trust these Words of mine And since the Hopes of Heav'n and Earth attend With panting Expectation for thine Assent on which their noblest Joyes depend For their sakes yeild and for thy Makers who By Me his best-beloved Spouse doth wooe 87. He e'r since Times first Birth did wait for thee And has endur'd a World of Sin below Stretching his strongly-patient Constancie Through every Age of Wickednesse till now Knowing that Time at length would bring forth thee The sweet Reward of all his Lenitie 88. And now thy mighty Houre is come ô why Mak'st thou a gentle Virtue prove so hard Why by thy rigorous Humility Must ripened Joy and Happinesse be barr'd From all the Universe O why wilt thou Not let the golden Age have leave to grow 89. Why must the gloomy Shaddows which have now Weighed their heavy Wings in hopes to flie Return their Night upon Religion's Brow Which 'gan to clear up at the Dawn of thy Long long'd-for Birth and would'st thou but give way Would straight break open into Grace's Day 90. As when the Moisture which contented was To dwell below and nestle in the Earth Is by the powerfull Sun entic'd to passe Unto an higher Home it issues forth With gentle Resignation and doth rise In meer submission to dwell neer the Skies 91. So now the lowly Virgin conquer'd by The potent Pleasure of her loving Spouse Exceeds her old by new Humility And with her selfe her former Meeknesse throws Before his feet content
to be whate'r His most victorious Love would make of Her 92. Behold said she The Handmayd of the Lord For he hath given Me leave to use that Stile Since Heav'n will have it so may thy great Word My worthless Bowells with Performance fill To Him who made Me I my Selfe resign 'T is fit His Pleasure and not mine be Mine 93. This blessed Word no sooner brake from her Sweet Lipps but to the Top of Heav'n it flew Where in the Mouthes of all the winged Quire It found its Echo and was made a new And pretious Anthem for the Sphears that Day Measur'd their high Dance by this onely Lay. 94. All Nature heard the Sound which in her Eare Spake Life and Joy and Restauration O blessed Musick which so cheared Her That her old Wrinkles into Smiles did run Fresh Fire she glowing felt in every Vein And briskly thought of growing young again 95. For now that Spirit which first quickned her Return'd again and flew to Maryes breast O what Excesse of Sweets and Joyes did bear Him company unto his Virgin Nest O what pure streams of Light what glorious showrs Of most enlivening and prolifick Powers 96. With these flew down Enternities great Son To be a Son of Time and parting from His Fathers Bosome Glories sweetest Throne Chose Ashes for his House Dust for his Home Having taught Exaltation to bow And of the Most High made Himselfe Most Low 97. In vain should I or all the Angells strive To reach at that impossible Eloquence Which might a paralled Description weave For that immense mysterious Confluence Of purest Joyes with which in this Imbrace The most enobled Virgin ravish'd was 98. Onely her spatious Soul the blessed Sea Where all those Floods of pretious Things did meet Knew what it comprehended Glorious She Did taste the rellish of each mystick Sweet In one miraculous Instant and did trie The various Dainties of Divinity 99. For though this Generation had been The deepest Project of Eternity Yet were its Wonders all transacted in Durations most concise Epitomie One single Moment crowned was with this Exploit of most unbounded Power and Bliss 100. O mighty Moment at whose feet all Dayes And Moneths and Years and Ages homage pay Upon whose Head Time all its Glories lays Wishing that thou migt'st never slide away Eternity holds it selfe deep in debt To thee in whom its sweetest Wonders meet 101. This Universe for ever thou dost tie Close to its greater Maker Thou dost join These Mortall Things to Immortality And in one Knot both Heav'n and Earth combine Thou giv'st Fertility a new-found Home And bid'st it flourish in a Virgin-Womb 102. For Mary now the Mansion-house became Of her conceived God who deign'd to take His Pattern from her reverend Bodies frame And borrow part of Her thereby to make A Garment for himselfe that hee might be As true and genuine Flesh and Blood as she 103. O Paradise how poore a Soile art Thou To the rare Richnes of this Virgin Bed That Tree of Life which in thy Heart did grow It self but as the shade of this was spread Here is the Garden where the noble Tree Of everlasting Life would planted be 104. Blush all yee Heav'ns the gallant Virgins Wombe Hath left no Looks but those of shame for You All Glories here have chose their dearer Home And fairer shine because They make no show Here dwells a Sunn whose Count ' nance is a Book So bright your Phebus dares not on it look 105. The most resplendent equall Character The flaming Brightnes of the Fathers Face Hath now vouchsafed to exchange his Sphear And in this lesser Heav'n to plant his Rays Which yet He hath so sweetned and allayd That He consumeth not the tender Mayd 106. Thus when to Moses He came down of old Arrayed all in fire and took his Seat Upon a simple Bush his flaming Gold In mercie to the shrubb reind in its Heat And all the leaves with harmlesse Brightnes fill'd Which He was pleased not to Burn but Gild. 107. When Gabriell had seen this wonderous sight He bow'd his holy Head first to adore His new-conceived Lord wishing he might Have made his dwelling on this blessed Floor And then to take his reverent leave of Her Whom yet to Heav'n He in his mind did bear 108. Whether as He mounted up the News He tells To every Orb and Star but cheifly to Th' inquisitive Spirits whose ears and hearts he fils With all the Wonders He had seen below Till with applause from every Angels Tongue The pretious Name or humble Mary rung 109. Thus Phylax spake When Psyche fill'd with Joy And Admiration cri'd Why may not I Have leave in this dear Mansion to stay Where can I better live or sweetlier die Humilities own Palace best will fit Me who through Pride stand most in need of it 110. If that be thy Desire thou strait shalt see Phylax reply'd a fairer House than this Fairer in more transcendent Poverty And nobler farr in higher Lowlines With that into the Chariot again He takes her up and gently moves the Rein. 111. The ready steeds no more Monition needed For through the Ayr they Snatch'd their greedy way And o're the Galilean Regions speeded No Hills were high enough to bid them stay No windes out-ran them but to Bethlehem Well neer as soon's their Drivers thought they came 112. There lighting down Behold this Town my Dear The Guardian cri'd where Fame once lov'd to grow Jesse's illustrious Sonn was nurtured here Here reverend Samuell did prepare his Brow For royall Honour when upon his Head The Crowns rich Ernest holy Oile he shed 113. This chosen Root in Kings was fertile whose Successive Hands through many Ages bore The Jewish Sceptre till with other Foes Sin stronger than the rest combin'd and tore It from its guilty Owners farr from Home First unto Babylon and next to Rome 114. Rome holds it still and makes this wretched Land Pay that sad Debt its Wickednes contracted How oft has an imperious Command Heavy blood-squeazing Taxes here exacted Drowning in Gall this servile Country now Which did of old with Milk and Honey flow 115. Such miserable Gains fond wilfull Men Condemned are to reap who needs will be Driving the self-destoying Trade of sin To such heart-galling Bonds of Tyranny All those unhappy Nations make haste Who from their Necks Heav'ns gentle Yoke do cast 116. This golden Trick Augustus learned and Summon'd the People to a generall Taxe The Warrants strait awak'ned all the Land And every One to pay his Homage packs To his Parentall Town the Register Of Tribes and Kindreds being setled there 117. This cost good Joseph and his blessed Spouse A tedious journey for the Way was long But short the Days in Winters inmost House Cold churlish Capricorne the Sunn had clung The Morning and the Ev'n so close together That there was left no room for cheerly Wether 118. The holy Travellers through Cold and Frost And