all naked they him nail And reare it vp and wound him in the â—yde VVhich all the blest of heauen do be wayl VVhyle of the earth th'accursedst it deryde The swoord of sorow peirseth now the hart Of his lamenting mother in her dolour moste VVhose deere Sonnes sorrow and surmounting smart Now takes an end in yeilding of his ghoste The first glorious mysterie Conteyning the resurrection of Christe SVbdued sorrow glory now ensues For from the crosse the soule of Christ descending Bringes to expecting soules the cheereful newes Of heauens entrance their deâ—ynments ending And to his corps his ghoste return'd againe Triumphant raiseth it from closed toombe Terror vnto the actors of his paine VVhose hate and death and hel is ouercome And glory that his sorowes now had chased Extinguisht wo in his kynde mothers hart And glory there and in all others placed That of his anguish had sustayned parte The second glorious mysterie Conteyning the ascention of Christe into heauen WHen forty dayes the day had ouerpast Of that now lyf that Christe from death had taken He did resolue his heauens returne at last To leaue the world that had him first forsaken And hauing to his mother now appeered And also vnto his apostles true Confirmd in faith and in his glory cheered On Oliue mount he biddes them all adieu And there liftes vp himself to sacred blis Th' unworthy world no more him so retaynes And all the glory that in heauen is To him is yeilded and to him remaynes The third glorious mysterie Conteyning the coming downe of the holy Ghost PLac'd in his throne and glorious chaire of state Our louing Lord regardful of oâ—â— weal VVould let no more then ten dayes run their date Ere he his keeping promis would reueal VVhat tyme his mother and disciples bent In secret wyse to inuocate his name Down vnto them his holy Ghost he sent VVith glorious fyre their hartes for to enflame And to conioyne to his Churche now begonne That spirit of truthe that euer must it guyde In only truthe whyle shyneth any Sun Maugre the woorst of daunted hellish pryde The fourth glorious mysterie Conteyning the assumption of our blessed Lady WHen hence to parte the virgin did obtayne The Hierarchies their due attendance gaue To bring her sin-lesse soule to endlesse raigne VVhyle saintes on earth brought her pure corps to graue VVhich therein laid and found thence â—o be tane Makes pietie to faith to recomend That soone her soule to earth return'd againe And tooke her corps and did therewith ascend A due prerogatiue and due alone Vnto that body that had borne a chyld As neuer did nor neuer shal do none That neuer was with thought of sin defyld The fyft glorious mysterie Conteyning the coronation of our blessed Lady ASsumpted so with soule and corps combyned As glorious as at last the blest shal-bee And placed in her princely seat asygned Lyke 〈◊〉 woorthy self appeered shee And that eternal euer three in one There crowned her the highest heauens Queene VVhere angels yeilded honor to her throne As seemly might to her estate bee seene And shee that earst replenisht was with grace Now plac'd where grace flowes out in plenties store VVhere as shee sees her sonnes most gratious face And sues for such as sue to her therefore AVE MARIA HAil Marie filled ful of grace Our Lord remaines with thee And thow among'st thy sexes race Remainest blest to bee And as thow blessed did'st become So did'st thow blessed bring The blessed frute that from thy wombe So blessedly did spring Both now and when wee yeild our ghoste To him prefer our case Because his mercy lasteth moste And thow art ful of grace EPITHETES OF OVR BLESSED LADY Templum Dei WHen God would from the heaueÌ„s to earth his progres take No pallace there he found that might him entertaine Saue one rare edifice which earth-quake could not shake The woorthiest woork of praise that might on earth remaine Faire court of sanctitie made holier for his sake That thee the Temple made his presence to conteyne O Temple where as God voutsafed for to bee Stil may wee him adore adoring stil in thee Porta Caeli WHen grace came froÌ„ aboue then wa'st thou made the gate By which it entred heer brought the hope of blis Which hope in hartes of men remaineth stil in state And stil through faith and loue aliue preserued is Then since thow wa'st the dore for grace this to relate So art thow heauens gate and wel accordeth this That as God vnto men did thee his entrance make Men entrance vnto God againe by thee may take Scale Caeli HOw may our heauy load enclyning to descend Ascend vp in the ayre beyond the egles flight Except by such a guyde as wil assistance lend And can from step to step direct the passage right Or rather her owne self vs better to defend The ladder wil become that scaleth heauens height By whose degrees of grace to blis we may attaine And in our mounting vp not to fall downe againe Electa vt Sol. BRaue ornament of heau'n and comforter of kynde Of whome the shyning Sun doth but the shadow seeme Which as it is elect and hath his place assygn'd Aboue the planets all in earthly eyes esteeme Aboue all sainctes to thee is woorthely resygn'd The seat in supreame blis that best doth thee beseeme Where thy faire beauteous face no foggy cloudes can hyde But chosen there by grace in beauty do'st abyde Pulchra vt Luna WHen Phâ—bus fyrie steedes in compassing the ground Leaue night behynde their backs til they againe returne Then that there should some light in darcknes yet be found Faire Phobe staies behynde supplying Phâ—bus turne Where shee through borrowed light in beauty doth abound And cheers therewith the earth that might in darcknes mourne So thy faire influence faire Cynthia vs extend Which thy most bounteous sonne doth thee most freely lend Stella Maris BRight shyning star by sea in lands abandon'd fight At once apparent seene on either syde the spherre The goodly guyd of all and guyding all aright That in this raging sea ensue thy brightnes cleer And bending not there cours to such illuding light As may mislead to wrack ear danger do apeer For thy direction leades vnto the porte of rest Those guyded by thy self whose guydance is the best Ciuitas Dei FAire Citie stately buylt by singular deuyce Of that great Architeckt who is of greatest arte With all those goodly stones that are esteem'd of pryce Which to this fairest woork their fairnesse do conuert And through far aquaducts from springes of paradise The waters thether led which do refresh the hart And to octroy this towne with all-surpassing fame The buylder here himself a Citizen became Turris Dauid HIgh Tower of stately porte and far to be descry'd And far from thence againe the world about to view It self the centinel that therein doth abyde To giue aduyce of foes or danger to ensue Wel
stone VVas caste into the sea But Angels ayded her to land VVhere shee more woes did taste And as an arrow strake her hart Her soule to heauen paste VVhen Fausta in her faithful mynde Resolued did remaine The Idol priest wild with a saw To cut her corps in twain But when he saw it hurt her not Hee in her faith affied And comfort from the heauens receau'd VVith her when as he dyed â—udelia many did conuert Vnto her lordes belief VVhich in the Persian pagans did Enkindle irefull grief Vnto the Sun shee would not pray Nor yet the fyre adore And had the skin flead from her face And lastly dy'd therefore Sout Iuliâ—na did endure The torments of the euil And did in combat ouercome Th' accursed cruel deuil And after all her conquests gaynd Then gayned shee renowne For by the swoord vnto her due Remaynd a martirs crowne Victoria wel might called bee That woorthy mynded mayd That in her self subdued sin VVith courage vndismayd And gayned virgins vnto Christ And actes of woonder wrought And did by martirdome attain The garland that shee sought Because the Idoles to adore Lucia did refuse Shee threatned was shee should bee thrust Into the comon stewes No no quoth shee the mynd beeing pure The body is vnstaynd Then with the swoord shee martrid was And glorie so shee gaynd To Fortunata for her faith Much euil did betyd VVho fyrie flames fierce beastes clawâ—â— VVas willing to abyde And tortures and lim-streâ—ching â—ack From whence her sauiour pleased To cal her blessed soule to blis VVhere with her woes were eased Febronia with resolued force For chastitie and faith Endur'd with patience to the end The woorst of tyrants wrath The rack the fyre and rods shee felt Teeths losse and either brest And with the swoord all losse of wo And gaine of lasting rest Macra a mayd of heauenly mynde No earthly thinges did moue For prison fyre nor losse of brests Might not her faith remoue All naked o're hot-sheards of pots Her body rolled was VVhyle shee in praying vnto God To paradise did pas Zâ—a a glorious martyrs * Nicostrâ—tus wyf Before the aulter prayd VVhere-vnder blest saint Pâ—â—ters bones The faithful had conuayd And for this fact surprised then VVas hanged on a tree Both by her heâ—â—â— and by her neck And so her crowne had shee Charitina with fyre annoyd And cast into the seas Came foorth and had no hurt at all Nor feeling of vnease Then were her handes and feet cut of But he whome shee did loue Eu'n as shee prayd receau'd her ghoste Into his ioyes aboue Eulalia ardent in her zeal Vnto her louing lord To suffre torments many wayes Most midly did accord And lastly in the burning fyre Lauding his holy name To him her soule shee sacryfys'd And died in the â—lame The lyke in loue the lyke in zeal In some succeeding space A second good Eulaliâ— was A lyke endu'd with grace The rack she felt and sundry grieues The last of lyf the losse VVhen foes of Christe for faith of Christe Did naile her on a crosse VVhyle Emerâ—â—â—iâ—na yet was taught in Christian lore Her foster-sister 〈◊〉 tombe Shee prayd and kneeld before And taken at this martres tombe A martres shee was made And vnto happy heauenâ— ioyes Her ghoste straight was conueyd Chaste Theodora to the stewes To be deflowred led Gat thence in habyt of a youth That stayd there in her sted But for this fact for his faith VVhen hee was led to death Shee came and yeilded vp her self And with him yeilded breath Crispina of renowmed race Did by her vertues mynde More honour in her self atchiue Then came to her by kynde Shee would vnto the Idol Gods No sacrifise affoord But yeided for her Lord and God Her neck vnto the swoord Susanna of a woorthy stock VVas of as woorthy fame As shee that false defamed was And first did beare her name Shee Christe his seruants did relieue And liued in his lore And for the same shee lost her head And gayned heauen therefore Imprisned Leocadia long Did for her faith remayne VVhose faithful mynde remained free In moste afflicting payne Til God at length for her release Her ghoste tooke thence away Her suffrance by a martirs crowne In glory to repay The virgin Bibiana was Establisht in belief VVhich faithlesse foes could not subuert By guerdon nor by grief So long her body lashed was VVith knotted whips with lead That her sweete soule to heauen past And left it lying dead Euphrasia with more maidens chaste In place vnchaste was placed But hee their puritie preseru'd That purely him embraced Then by their death-contryuing-crue Stones to their nectes were bound And so into the water cast The innocentes were drown'd Antonia had her tender limmes Beyond all measure payned And three dayes hanged by one arme Moste constant stil remayned And two yeares hauing prisned bene Receau'd at last her hyre VVhat tyme her soule her body left Consuming in the fyre Lucretia not that Lucres once VVhich did her self destroy Did for true faith and faithful loue Beare wrongful griefes annoy The one in earth her glory left The other in heauen and earth Because more woorthy was the cause VVhy shee endured death VVith tearing hookes and iron combes VVas Tatiana torne Cointha trayld along the streetes Her flesh from bones was worne Paula that gathred martyrs blood Her owne for Christ did shed Crescentia for her faith to Christ VVas thrust in boyling lead Corona torne betwene two trees Her crowne in blis did fynde As did Cirilla when shee left Her bleeding corps behynde Balbina daughter to a saint * S. 〈◊〉 Her fathers steps did trace And Aquilina by her death Did deathlesse lyf embrace Helconis that great grief endur'd Did lastly lose her hâ—d Calliopa her scortched corps Left with tormentors dead Felicula by tortur kild And Paula ston'd to death And with the swoord Constantia Constantlyâ—yeilded breath Regina many paynes endur'd Heau'ns diademe to gayne Mustiola did suffer wo For gayning ioyes againe Irene that good bookes did hyde Her lyf for Christe bestowed Dominica that Idoles brake By death her feruour shewed Dafrosa that to martirdoâ—e Her husband * Fabiâ—â—â— hath ensued And Marciona with whose blood The wyld beastes were imbrued Mannea that with her three sonnes And with her husband dy'd Valeria saint Vitals wyf Gainst death her courage tryd Pelagia in a brazen Ox Red hot aliue was thrust Anthusia throwne into a wel To please the tirants lust Maxima vnto cruel death VVith cudgels beaten was Agathoclia lost her toung Ere shee to blis did pas Blanda with her deer husband dyd VVhose heddes on stakes on hic Through pagan pollicy were set Christians to terrify VVith Leonis and Libia The faithful sisters twaine Eutropia twelue yeares old â—ndur'd Death and moste deadly payne The vertuous virgin Sophia Cornelia loyal euer Albina and Asteria Did vnto death perseuer Prisca and Lâ—ocâ—itia Martha and Antoâ—ina VVith
lyke-wise Should with lyke food lyke faithful soules suffyse Hence is descended that successyue power Of celebrating this soule-feeding feast Aud that remaining reuerence to this howre As elder tymes deuotion hath exprest And hence it comes that to our lasting ioy This heauenly meat our soules on earth enioy And as by kynde loues-grief encreaseth loue So loue that caus'd that God with men did liue Caus'd that for loue hee did great sorrow prooue VVhose sorrow to his loue more force did giue And so lesse wonder his great loue did moue To leaue himself the caution of his loue Thus comes it that the seeming bread wee see Is that same corps our sauiour Christ had heere Yet not in that self manner is it hee But as in couert veil so doth apeere His body true in Sacramental wise Beheld by faith more then by earthly eyes And as hee had his body at his wil VVhen dores and walles gainst it could not resist But did it vse and yet no place did fil And wrought therewith such woonders as him list So stil remaines his wil his woord and might In heau'n and earth in his all power-ful plight His body doth his soule import withall A body by effect of sacred sawes A soule by sequele which is natural Conioynd in one by his efficient cause Touch-stone of fath whereby God would vs teach His heau'nly woorkes exceed our earthly reatch And when our soules presume vnto this feast In cleane atyre they must themselues present Least els they fare as th◠vnwelcome gest That il atyred to the wedding went That so this bread of lyf such vertue giue That eating it with it wee euer liue And that esteeme and condigne reuerence That graue Antiquitie of duty gaue Vnto a thing of so great excellence Let in all ensuyng seasons haue And liue that faith whereof Christ gaue the groūd As long as faith may on the earth bee found A COMPLAINT OF S. MArie Magdalen At her not fynding Christ in his sepulchre A Las my Lord is gon How must I now deplore VVhere may hee bee that is each where And I him see no more Hope led mee here to seeke Recure of my destresse But sorrow here hath sought mee out And found mee comfortlesse Here lyf late seemed dead Head dead I seeme aliue It is my death him thus to misse That may my lyf reuyue Yee windowes on my face That serue mee not to see Serue now of water stild of wo The conducts for to bee In stede him to annoint VVhome here I cannot haue Make that the plenty of my teares May ouerflow his graue Perhaps it may him moue His presence to imparte To see how moistning these dry stones I therewith dry my harte Good Gardner that arte here To kepe this garden place Lo how I water al thy plants VVith raine falne from my face Be grateful for this good And tel mee I thee pray VVhere is hee laid yf so thy self Haste caried him away If it haue troobled thee Here to affoord him roome O let me know but where hee is My harte shal be his toombe And thow thereon maist wryte This epitaph in verse Heer lyf that lately lay for dead Liues and reuyues his hearse OF THE INVENTION OR fynding of the Crosse of Christ IN Britaine soile faire Helena was bred The woorthy Empresse of the world of yore The cause that Yorck Romes glory more did spred Then Rome it self could euer spred before There was shee borne and there shee brought him foorth That brought Roomes diade me to greatest woorth To greatest woorth for that hee it adorned Eu'n with the Crosse in midle top of all Raising to honor that which pagans scorned And honouring therein him self withall VVhose tytle now Great Constantyne became First Romaine Emperor of Christian name Good Siluister that sat in Peeters chaire Succeeding those that all had suffred death Now to saluation did the soule prepare Of Constantyne by teaching him the faith VVhereby himself an endlesse lyf might haue VVhos 's now conuersion many lyues did saue For when his mercy mercy him had gayned And hee in sacred font had bathed bin His soule and bodies weal hee both obtayned In beeing cur'd of leprosy and sin Then that the more hee might Christes glory reare He on his creast his cognisance did weare It was the signe that heau'n to him did shew For patron of the ensigne he should beare VVhen gainst Maxentius hee in armes did go And vnto his encouragement did heare An Angels voice that in the ayre did cry Thow in this signe shalt haue the victory All which did so this noble moother moue To due esteeme of such a sacred signe As this of him that so much merits loue To whome her hearts deere loue shee did resigne That ardent zeale did animate her mynde To seeke where shee his hiddē crosse might fynde Led by desyre that kindled was of loue She tooke her voyage to the holy land Faith was her guyde hope did her wil approue Speed did assist to what shee tooke in hand Desyre and loue and faith and hope speed Did all concur to her deseruing meede And as her feet did trauaile on the ground Her inward mynde did vp to heauen stie VVhere the right holy land was to be found Of him whose presence this did sanctify So what in earth her bodyes trauaile sought In heauen her mynde in more perfection wrought And there high God beholding her intent And knowing wel whereto deuotion tends And that it all vnto himself is ment That vnto ought approching him intends Did eu'n accept her ardent feruour futch As earst her faith that did his vesture tutch And so concurr'd to what shee went about That his hid crosse so hidden might not bee But shee at last it happely found out Though doubtful which the right one was of three Vntil a corps laid on it dyd renyue Shewing withal her faith to bee alyue It was the third day of the month of May. The worlde 's faire may-pole thus was found againe And now rear'd vp that long obscured lay As yf reseru'd for her owne honors gayne whome faith and loue hope zeale did raise To raise therein her glorious fame and praise L'ENVOY SOmtyme the Crosse as sundry recordes tel Deryuing vertue from our Sauiours death Hath had the force the diuel to expel And by the same confirmed Christian faith But now it seemes faith hath sustayned losse Because the diuel hath chaste away the crosse COMPLAINT OF CHVRCH CONTROVERSY THe golden world long since is worne away As now the golden yeare hath taken end The Iron world doth stil remaine and stay And in his rust doth to his ruyne tend And in the shew of vertue and of truthe Seeme-good seeme-gospel turneth all to ruthe At Babel tower where tounges confusion came It stayd the woork that fond aduice begun But fond aduice now seeketh to disframe A tabernacle seated in the Sun And tounges confusion Church-war hath procured
To free from thrall to make affliction ceasse The more may Sion now sound foorth his fame Ierusalem his praises may proclame VVhere in his Churche his people do accord And whereas kings are subiects to their Lord. VVho may o Lord thy datelesse dayes relate That of all ages ouerpasse the date It 's thow to vs haest put apointed space O stop not me ere half I run my race The world and welkin first by thee were made Thow heauens sphere thow earths foundation laid Thow shalt endure they shal consumed bee Thow madest tyme tyme hath no force on thee Thease elements by alteration strange Shal changed bee and so remaine in change But thow o Lord that woorkes all at thy wil VVa'st earst the same the same remayning stil Vousafe o Lord there ofspring to preserue That thee in feare and faith and loue do serue And in thy wayes directed to remaine A lasting lyf in lasting blisse to gaine Vnto the Father Sonne and holy Ghoste All praise and glory be ascrybed moste As herefore before the world begun And as it now and euer shal be donne AMEN In imitation of the sixt penitential Psal Beginning De profundis clamaui ad te Domine Psal 129. EV'n from the depth of woes VVherein my soule remaines To thee in supreame blis O Lord that highest raignes I do both call and cry T' is deep hart-sorrowes force That moues me thus to waile T' is pittie Lord in thee Must make it to auaile Thyne eares therfore aply If stricktly thow o Lord Obserued haest my sinne Alas what shal I do VVhat case then am I in If rigour thow extend But wel o Lord I know Sweet mercy dwelles with thee And with thy iustice then It must expected bee And I therefore attend My soule doth wait on thee Thy grace confirmes my trust My warrant is thy woord Thow keepest promis iust Keep me o Lord secure Let thy afflicted flock Comfort in thee retaine From dauning day to night From night to day againe Let stil their hope endure There is with our good God Much mercie stil in store Redemption doth remaine VVith him for euer more Aboundant is his grace His people he affects He wil not leaue destrest The thralled he wil free VVith ease of their vnrest And all their faultes deface All glory be therefore O Father vnto thee And so vnto the Sonne The lyke great glory bee And to the holy Ghoste Such as it wonted was Before the world began Such as now yet it is And euer shal remaine Aboue all glorie moste AMEN In imitatiō of the seauenth penitētial Psal Beginning Domine exaudi orationem meam Psalm 142. VOutsafe admit thy gratious eares VVith myld regard for to attend The prayers that a playning hart VVith sorowing sighes to thee doth send And let thereto o louing Lord Thy iustice and thy truthe accord In rigour of thy righteous doome O do not skan thy seruants cause For there is none on earth alyue Through faultlesse lyf free'd from thy lawes Then how may I in sinful plight Seeme iust in thy all-seeing sight The freind of sin the foe of soules Down to the earth my soule hath brought VVhich to the heauen should aspyre Since from the heauen it was wrought O raise it vp againe to blis From earth and all that earthly is Amids the darck mis-led am I VVhere lack of light sinnes view denies I hue a lyf more lyke to death VVhyle dead from grace my body lies And whereas care through secret smart Sends anguysh to afflict my hart But I o Lord recall to mynde VVhat thow hast donne in tyme before And how thy iustice hath bene great But how thy mercy hath bene more Thus hope of help stil comfort giues VVhile mercy stil with iustice liues My stretched hands to thee display The ensignes of my yeilding hart My soule as earth that water wants Of vertues frute can beare no parte I faint send soone relief of raine Least els vnfruteful I remaine Thy face of pittie not of wrath Turne not o louing Lord from mee And let not Lord my owne misdeedes Haue lasting force to anger thee For so might I compare my case To theirs that furthest fal from grace But since my hope is firme in thee Let me betymes thy mercy haue The way of helth make knowne to mee My feete from erring paths to saue Only to thee my soule retyres Only thy mercy it desyres O free mee from my sinful foes To thee I fly to be secure Teach me the lesson of thy wil And let me put it wel in vre Thow art my God and God of all That for thy ayd and comfort call Thow wilt voutsafe to mee o Lord Thy holy spryt to bee my goyd My faith and hope in thee is sutch And sutch it euer shal abyde Reuyue thow wilt mee for thy name Goodnes in thee requyres thesame So that at last by thee o God My soule from bale to blis bee brought And that in mercy thow sub◅ert All those my soules destruction sought And force of foes destroy'd may bee And I made safe for seruing thee All glory bee to thee o God The Father of eternal might And to the Sonne and holy Ghoste Three in an vndeuyded plight As now it is and was of yore And shal endure for euermore AMEN EXTRACTS OF THE SIBYLLAES PROPHESIES OF CHRISTE Sibylla Persica THow serpent fraught with craft and crueltie Shalt by a mightier strength bee troden low And on base earth the high God borne shal bee And from a maid the branch of blis shal grow And that true woord vnseene before of all Shal now be seene and shal be felt withall Sibylla Libyca IN obscure darcknes light shal glistring shyne The Synagogs straight bands vnbound shal bee The king of lyf be seene of mortal eyen And in a maidens lap shal nowrisht bee And high aboue the gentils hee shal raigne And shal in mercie his estate maintaine Sibylla Delphica ATtend o earth thy soueraigne Lord to see And know thy God which is Gods only sonne Chyld of the highest and moste high is hee VVhose beeing by no earthly wight begun Hee shal the great expexted prophet bee Of woorthy greatnesse and great dignitie Sibylla Cumea AMaid excelling all in sainctitie And whose cleere beauty shal the starres exceed Of Chyld in future tyme conceau'd shal be And of the rarest sacred blood and seed And from the heauens the sweet dew downe shal fal Into her brests to nowrish him withal Sibylla Erithrea IN later age high God wil him abase And vnto low estate himself inclyne Mixing his nature with our humaine race His Godheid to our manheid to combyne And lo the litle lamb in strawy bed Shal of a maid be nowrished and fed Sibylla Samia O Fond Iudea why do'st thow neglect The certaine knowlege of thy very God Thy happy dayes why do'st thow so reiect O why do'st thow prepare for him a rod VVith thorny crowne his head why do'st thow presse
furnisht for defence for e'ury tyme and tyde For there a thowsand sheilds are hanging on a rew Not weapons of offence but for defence to bee Of all such innocents as from oppression flee Nauis Institoris IF certitude of gaine may stit the searching mynde To venter in the ship from whence misfortunes flee That gouerneth the â—yde and doth comaund the wynde And speedely returnes with goodes that pretious bee The barck of blis is shee and fortunate by kynde With grace shee fraighted is and is of custome free Taking but for her hyre and her inritching trade Loue of deuoted myndes that rich by her are made Puteus Aquarum CLeere wel that ouerflowes with water fresh and fyne More pure then vnicorne could water euer make Made by the hand of him that water turn'd to wyne Who giuing it the force dry sorrow to aslake Made that it neuer should to any drought enclyne But that at all assaies men might refreshing take And oure their healthes decay in deadly agonies Since from the flud of lyf the issue doth atise Quasi plantatio Rosae in Iericho EV'n as the fragrant Rose on prickling stalk doth grow In fairnesse and sweet smel and vertue to bee seene And woorthyest to be worne and wel beseeming so In place of diademe in garland of a Queene So thow which heau'n did once on bryry earth bestow In fairnes smel and force and burgeoâ—s euer greene Shew'st that this goodly flower may thy resemblance bee Saue in his vading kynde which cannot bee in thee Lilium Conualium THe litle lilly flower that groweth in the dale Leaues not in low degree sweet fairnes for to shew Which Salomon himself could neuer counteruaile With all his gorgeous cost he lyked to bestow So thow sweet smelling flower whome sorrowes did assaile And worldes esteeme debase to fortune that was low Did'st not therefore restraine the splendure of thy face Nor now from heauen to earth the greatnes of thy grace Flos Campi THe faire flower of the feild the dayes-eye doth apere When thence al flowers besyde retyre and vade away For to this only slower doth each month of the yeare For comely beauties cause become the month of may Bnt that dayes-eye in deed which doth all seasons cheere And keepes her beauty stil which no tyme can decay The dayes-eye is of day where night may neuer bee And thow celestial flower thy self art only shee Lilium inter Spinas AMiddes a gard of thorne this goodly lilly grew Defended from the foe that would it faine deface Who neere it to aproche the entrance neuer knew With poison to infect where filth had neuer place Yet such might bee the hate that heeron did ensue That hee reseru'd reuenge vnto succeeding space What tyme a crowne of thorne the sonnes head did sustaine To make the mothers hart be pricked with the payne Quasi Cedrus LYke as the Cedar doth her nurs Libantis hil Pay with begotten fame of her deere nowrishing In that so talle a tree as all trees doth excel Moste stately there doth stand in verdure flourishing And doth through sauor sweet serpents away expel So that high tree of blis that from the earth did spring Vnto the earth againe her sweetnesse doth extend Il thinges to driue a way that may the good offend Quasi Palma THrough burden of thy grief long did'st thow liue deprest Part-bearer of the wo thy deere sonne did sustaine But as it was a grief to see him so destrest Loue made it seeme some ioy to help to beare his payne Yet grief had neuer force so far thee to molest That thow did'st vertue want thy courage to maintaine No more then is the palme deprest by heauy waight Who doth thereby the more endeuour to bee straight Quasi Cypressus LYke to the Cypres tree on holy Sion hil That faire and vncorrupt in vigour doth endure And with sweet smelling breath her neere aprocher fil And doth for Temples yeild her timber euer pure So on that sacred mount thow arte remaining stil And in that Temple wrought whence grace men must procure And where aproching soules do thy sweet sent recâ—aue And where no suâ—er thow do'st vnrelieued leaue Quasi Oliua WHen earths foule face of sin might not the heauen see The waters all did hyde that vnto earth pertayn'd Except the Arck wherein few were reserued free There to expect the tyme that mercie might be gayn'd From whence the hopeful Noe a pigeon did let flee Who by an Oliue branch brought newes that hope remayn'd So thow the Oliue tree whereout our ioy did spring Becam'st the signe of ioy and ioy it self did'st bring Quasi Platanus LYke as the goodly plane doth beautify the feild And far her root extend more stedfast for to stay To make her farspred boughes refreshful shadow yeild For trauelers repose in hotest tyme of day So thow exalted art of heauen to be beheld Where in assured state thy boughes thow do'sâ— desplay To the refreshful shade of trauelers desyre That pas in dangers dread of soule afflicting fyre Hortus Conclusus MOste pleasant garden plot true Paradise of praise Erected in the roome of Paradise of iore But yet that garden far exceeding sundry wayes As perfect second woorkes exceed things wrought before All closely wall'd about inmolate it stayes No serpent can get in nor shal for euermore All goodly flowers and fruâ—â—s here in perfection grow Vertue on stockes of grace hath them engraffed so Fons signatus PVre â—ountaine surely seald from each infectious thing Whose water doth exceed the taste of Nectar sweet And in two milk-whyte streames did issue out and spring And for one only taste allowed to bee meet Who by diuineful power did to it vertue bring That turn'd it to a red whose colour could not fleet And taken from thy brest did yeild it from his syde To salue the sinnes of men when on the crosse hee dy'd Speculum sine Macula CLeere christal earst conseald in rock of heauens height Was fram'd into a glas to mirrour vertues face Whence lookers on receaue conseruatiue of sight And can no spot espy to make it beare disgrace But serueth as a booke and moueth much delight By purenesse therein seen impurenesse to deface And sacred was the skil that pullisht it so cleere That through it vnto men saluation did appeere L'enuoy LEt not offence mistake dispraising this my praise As to dispraise the same in deeming it too much Whose woorth demaundeth more of duty many wayes And doth deserue dispraise in that it is not sutch But since deuotion hath afforded these assayes Let not vncaus'd offence all causelesse seeme to grutch For heau'n did by behest most blessed her ordayne And shee ordayn'd her praise successyue to remaine FINIS OVR BLESSED LADIES LVLLABY Vpon my lap my soueraigne sitâ— And sucks vpon my brest Meane whyle his loue sustaines my lyf And giues my body rest Sing lullaby my litle boy Sing lullaby my liues ioy VVhen thow ha'st taken
my soule did apprehend Poore soule of myne deseruer of thy thralle VVhose fault no manner skuses can defend Only vnfayned teares told my destresse And with my grief declar'd my guiltinesse In sorrowes iayle thus captiue did I ly And there lament and there my case complaine And there did pittie ouer-heare my cry And did in my behalf accesse obtaine To sue to him whome I deny'd to know To let him know my grief for doing so VVho daigning then vpon my hart to look vpon my hart the spectacle of wo Hee there-vpon so great compassion took That hee on it sweet mercy did bestow Sweet mercy that it self so far extends As to accept contrition for amends And that the world heer of might witnes bee His mercy renouated al his loue Th' effects whereof all men in mee might see But none more then my self did euer prooue The good I had before that stil I hild Only my guylt hee only hath annild For where my soule for mercy only sought It mercy found eu'n in the moste degree And mercy loue with it vnited brought Deer loue my dying soules restauratie Lyf of my lyf which did me now restore To lyuely strength which I did lack before The wound is heal'd yet must the skar remaine The skar my stil remembrance of the sore For which kynde grief stil wil I entertaine That neuer may sufficiently deplore Kynd-grief it is close in my hart it lies To vrge the euer-dutie of myne eyes For though my hart all comfort haue receaued That heauens comfort did on it bestow Yet can it not of that grief be bereaued That doth eu'n out of that self comfort grow For in admyring so great grace extended I grieue that I so sweet a Christe offended My deerest Lord oh might I dy for thee That brag'd to dy with thee and the deny'd By thy strong ayd I must assisted bee For neuer thought shal in my brest abyde To say I wil and not assistance craue Because my wil must thy wil also haue That shepe was I which did his way mistake And he the shepheard that recalled mee Of mee his mercies-miracle to make By abling mee his deputy to bee For hee my self a shepheard did ordain That not deseru'd to bee a shepheards swain Thus not my cry me and punishment therefore His pardon only stretched to deface But he me rais'd to what I was before And did renew and ampliphy his grace And I that fel the lowest of eleauen Stil hold my charge to keepe the keyes of heauen The Rock of stone hee hath confirmed mee VVhereon the buylding standes that cannot fail Gainst which helles puissance and superbitie May offer force but neuer shal preuail Thus I that late through feeble fainthes fel Support the force that breakes the force of hel Do'st thow mee loue thryce did he ask of mee In three demaundes of fayned doubtfulnes For what my loue to him was bound to bee And what it was I needed not expresse VVel hee it wist and would but let mee see By such demaundes how wel he loued mee And more then these do'st thow mee loue quoth hee God wot more cause had I my Lord to loue Yet such hee did allow my loue to bee As that it did a more reward behooue Giuing to mee the office for my meed At parting hence his lambes and sheep to feed Loue is my debt for loue and mercy due And gratitude the intrest thereon rising The obligation standes in heauens view And was set downe by equities deuising The date it beares is endlesse to auail My soule the pawne to forfait yf I fail Performance of thy promis Lord I see Strengthned am I my brethren strength to giue My faith shal neuer fail thow warrant'st mee Then in my mouth truthe must for euer liue And though I dy succession wil supply Vndying truthe vnto posteritie And all the graces thow ha'st giu'n to mee To bynd and lose the free and bond of sin Must not in my liues-ending ended bee Though by thy gift they do in mee begin But in successiue power remaine for euer To yeild the lasting graces of the giuer O endlesse comfort ending thus my care Vn-ending thankes must therefore bee my parte VVhich for thy due I duly wil prepare To offer on the Alter of my hart VVhereas the syre of loue for euer lies To serue for my eternal sacrifise SACRVM CONVIVIVM WHen tyme approched that the lamb of lyf Must yeild himself among the wolues to dy VVho did repay his peace with mortal stryf And his meek patience with most crueltie Then in the space that yet to him remaynd For his few freindes his fare-wel hee ordaynd It was the night before the dismol day He caus'd prepare his last and fare-wel feast Desyr'd before deferred by delay Delayed wel to tyme befitting best For woordes and deedes at parting donne or said In memories conseruance best are laid And as his wil and custome had decreed That at this feast a lamb must bee the meat So hee that was th' unspotted lamb indeed Gaue them therein his Image for to eat Retayning yet for their more greater good Far better meat then his self-seeming food For that no sooner was the Paschal donnâ— And custome and their bodies satisfy'd But that eft soones another feast begonne And of a lamb and that before he dy'd Himself was hee and hee himself did giue Eaten to bee the whyle himself did liue VVhich to ordayne he bread and wyne did take And with his sacred breath did blesse thesame And did thereof his blood and body make Through that self might that all of nought did frame And could not now bee destitute of arte One thing into an other to conuert And as the lamb their bodies had suffys'd The true Lambes body turned into bread VVas now the supper for their soules deuys'd True bread of lyf alyue and seeming dead Flesh of his flesh bread his true body made VVhen as eternal truth the woord had said Take eat this is my body were the woordes VVhich vnrepugnant hartes did so receaue For humble faith gainsaying not affoordes And wel they wist hee would them not deceaue And in his wisdome he right wel foreknew VVhat faith their would should heeron ensue For from that instant in succeeding space In en'ury region that is far or ny VVhere Christian lore did paganisme displace As all fore-going tymes do testify Thus was the faith this is the faith of old Held by the whole now by the parte controld Christ said not eat this in my memorie But that his body take and eat they should Nor said hee that it did him signify But was himself that for them giue hee would His truth and iustice could not beare the staine One thing to say and it vnsay againe And for he would that those whose soules hee fed By his example so should others feed Least but themselues none might bee nowrished His plenteous goodnesse hereupon decreed That they in memorie of him