yet amazed stood belowe With eyes cast vp as greedie to be sed And hands vpheld themselues to ground did throwe So when the Troian boy was rauished As through th'Idalian woods they saie he fled His aged Gardians stood all dismai'd Some least he should haue fallen back afraid And some their hasty vowes and timely prayers said 15 Tosse vp your heads ye euerlasting gates And let the Prince of glorie enter in At whose braue voly of sideriall States The Sunne to blush and starres growe pale wear seene When leaping first from earth he did begin To climbe his Angells wings then open hang Your christall doores so all the chorus sang Of heau'nly birds as to the starres they nimbly sprang 16 Hearke how the floods clap their applauding hands The pleasant valleyes singing for delight And wanton Mountaines daunce about the Lands The while the fieldes struck with the heau'nly light Set all their flowr's a smiling at the sight The trees laugh with their blossoms and the sound Of the triumphant shout of praise that crown'd The flaming Lambe breaking through heau'n hath passage found 17 Out leap the antique Patriarchs all in hast To see the powr's of Hell in triumph lead And with small starres a garland intercha'st Of oliue leaues they bore to crowne his head That was before with thornes degloried After them flewe the Prophets brightly stol'd In shining lawne and wimpled manifold Striking their yuorie harpes strung all in chords of gold 18 To which the Saints victorious carolls sung Ten thousand Saints atonce that with the sound The hollow vaults of heau'n for triumph rung The Cherubins their clamours did confound With all the rest and clapt their wings around Downe from their thrones the Dominations flowe And at his feet their crownes and scepters throwe And all the princely Soules fell on their faces lowe 19 Nor can the Martyrs wounds them stay behind But out they rush among the heau'nly crowd Seeking their hean'n out of their heau'n to find Sounding their siluer trumpets out so loude That the shrill noise broke through the starrie cloude And all the virgin Soules in pure araie Came dauncing forth and making ioyeous plaie So him they lead along into the courts of day 20 So him they lead into the courts of day Whear neuer warre nor wounds abide him more But in that house eternall peace doth plaie Acquieting the soules that newe before Their way to heav'n through their owne blood did skore But now estranged from all miserie As farre as heau'n and earth discoasted lie Swelter in quiet waues of immortalitie 20 And if great things by smaller may be ghuest So in the mid'st of Neptunes angrie tide Our Britan Island like the weedie nest Of true Haleyon on the waues doth ride And softly sayling skornes the waters pride While all the rest drown'd on the continent And tost in bloodie waues their wounds lament And stand to see our peace as struck with woonderment 21 The Ship of France religious waues doe tosse And Greec it selfe is now growne barbarous Spains Children hardly dare the Ocean crosse And Belges field lies wast and ruinous That vnto those the heau'ns ar invious And vnto them themselues ar strangers growne And vnto these the Seas ar faithles knowne And vnto her alas her owne is not her owne 22 Here onely shut we Ianus yron gates And call the welcome Muses to our springs And ar but Pilgrims from our heav'nly states The while the trusty Earth sure plentie brings And Ships through Neptune safely spread their wings Goe blessed Island wander whear thou please Vnto thy God or men heau'n lands or seas Thou canst not loose thy way thy King with all hath peace 23 Deere Prince thy Subiects ioy hope of their heirs Picture of peace or breathing Image rather The certaine argument of all our pray'rs Thy Harries and thy Countries louely Father Let Peace in endles ioyes for euer bath her Within thy sacred brest that at thy birth Brought'st her with thee from heau'n to dwell on earth Making our earth a heav'n and paradise of mirth 24 Let not my Liege misdeem these humble laies As lick't with soft and supple blandishment Or spoken to disparagon his praise For though pale Cynthia neere her brothers tent Soone disappeares in the white firmament And giues him back the beames before wear his Yet when he verges or is hardly ris She the viue image of her absent brother is 25 Nor let the Prince of peace his beadsman blame That with his Stewart dares his Lord compare And heau'nly peace with earthly quiet shame So Pines to lowely plants compared ar And lightning Phoebus to a little starre And well I wot my rime albee vnsmooth Ne saies but what it meanes ne meanes but sooth Ne harmes the good ne good to harmefull person doth 26 Gaze but vpon the house whear Man embowr's With flowr's and rushes paued is his way Whear all the Creatures at his Seruitours The windes doe sweepe his chambers euery day And cloudes doe wash his rooms the seeling gay Starred aloft the guilded knobâ— embraue If such a house God to another gaue How shine those glittering courts he for himselfe will haue 27 And if a sullen cloud as sad as night In which the Sunne may seeme embodied Depur'd of all his drosse we see so white Burning in melted gold his warrie head Or round with yuorie edges siluered What lustre superexcellent will he Lighten on those that shall his sunneshine see In that all-glorious court in which all glories be 28 If but one Sunne whith his diffusiue fires Can paint the starres and the whole world with light And ioy and life into each heart inspires And euery Saint shall shine in heau'n as bright As doth the Sunne in his transcendent might As faith may well beleeue what Truth once sayes What shall so many Sunnes vnited rayes But dazle all the eyes that nowe in heau'n we praise 29 Here let my Lord hang vp his conquering launce And bloody armour with late slaughter warme And looking downe on his weake Militants Behold his Saints mid'st of their hot alarme Hang all their golden hopes vpon his arme And in this lower field dispacing wide Through windie thoughts that would their sayles misguide Anchor their fleshly ships fast in his wounded side 30 Here may the Band that now in Tryumph shines And that before they wear inuested thus In earthly bodies carried heauenly mindes Pitcht round about in order glorious Their sunny Tents and houses luminous All their eternall day in songs employing Ioying their ende without ende of their ioying While their almightie Prince Destruction is destroying 31 Full yet without satietie of that Which whetts and quiets greedy Appetite Whear neuer Sunne did rise nor euer sat But one eternall day and endles light Giues time to those whose time is infinite Speaking with thought obtaining without see Beholding him whom neuer eye could see And magnifying him that cannot
Aristotle would be as blind as Homer If they retaine Musitians who euer doubted but that Poets infused the verie soule into the inarticulate sounds of musique that without Pindar Horace the Lyriques had beene silenced for euer If they must needes entertaine Soldiers who can but confesse that Poets restore againe that life to soldiers which they before lost for the safetie of their country that without Uirgil Aeneas had neuer beene so much as heard of How then can they for shame deny commonwealths to them who wear the first Authors of them how can they denie the blinde Philosopher that teaches them his light the emptie Musitian that delights them his soule the dying Soldier that defends their life immortalitie after his owne death let Philosophie let Ethiques let all the Arts bestowe vpon vs this guift that we be noâ— thought deadmen whilest we remaine among the liuing it is onely Poetrie that can make vs be thought liuing men when we lie among the dead and therefore I thinke it vnequall to thrust them out of our cities that call vs out of our graues to thinke so hardly of them that make vs to be so well thought of to deny them to liue a while among vs that make vs liue for euer among our Posteritie So beeing nowe weary in perswading those that hate I commend my selfe to those that love such Poets as Plato speakes of that sing divine and heroical matters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 recommending theas my idle howers not idly spent to good schollers and good Christians that haue ouercome their ignorance with â—eason and their reason with religion FOnd ladds that spend so fast your poasting time Too poasting time that spends your time as fast To chaunt light toyes or frame some wanton time Where idle boyes may glut their lustfull tast Or else with praise to cloath some fleshly shine With virgins roses and faire lillies chast While itching bloods and youthfull eares adore it But wiser men and once your selues will most abhorre it But thou most neere most deare in this of thine Ha'st proov'd the Muses not to Venus bound Such as thy matter such thy muse divine Or thou such grace with Merci's selfe hast found That she her selfe deign's in thy leaues to shine Or stol'n from heav'n thou broughts this verse to ground Which frights the nummed soule with fearefull thunder And soone with honied dewes melts it twixt ioy and wonder Then doe not thou malitious tongues esteeme The glasse through which an envious eye doth gaze Can easily make a molehill mountaines seeme His praise dispraises his dispraises praise Enough if best men best thy labours deem And to the highest pitch thy merit raise While all the Muses to thy song decree Victorious Triumph Triumphant Victorie Phin. Fletcher Regal TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPVLL AND REVEREND Mr. Doctour NEVILE Deane of CANTERBVRIE and the Master of TRINITIE Colledge in CAMBRIDGE RIght worthie and reverend Syr As I have alwaies thought the place wherein I liue after heauen principally to be desired both because I most want and it most abounds with wisdome which is fled by some with as much delight as it is obtained by others and ought to be followed by all so I cannot but next vnto God for euer acknowledge myselfe most bound vnto the hand of God I meane yourselfe that reacht downe as it were out of heauen vnto me a beâ—…fit of that nature and price then which I could wish none oneâ—… heauen itselfe excepted either more fruitfull and contenting â—…r the time that is now present or more comfortable and encouraging for the time that is alreadie past or more hopefull and â—…omising for the time that is yet to come For as in all mens iudgements that haue any iudgement Euâ—…pe is worthily deem'd the Queene of the world that Garland both of Learning and pure Religion beeing now become her crowne and blossoming vpon her head that hath long since laine withered in Greece and Palestine so my opinion of this Island hath alwaies beene that it is the very face and beautie of all Europe in which both true Religion is faithfully professed without superstition and if on earth true Learning sweetly flourishes without ostentation and what are the two eyes of this Land but the two Universities which cannot but prosper in the time of such a Prince that is a Prince of Learning aswell as of People and truly I should forget myselfe if I should not call Cambridge the right eye and I thinke King Henrie the 8. beeing the vniter Edward the 3. the Founder and your selfe the Repairer of this Colledge wherein I liue none will blame me if I esteeme the same since your polishing of it the fairest sight in Cambridge in which beeing placed by your onely fauour most freely without either any meanes from other or any desert in my selfe beeing not able to doe more I could doe no lesse then acknowledge that debt which I shall neuer be able to pay and with old Silenus in the Poet vpon whome the boyes injiciunt ipsis ex vincula sertis making his garland his fetters finding my selfe bound vnto you by so many benefits that were giuen by your selfe for ornaments but are to me as so many golden cheines to hold me fast in a kind of desired bondage seeke as he doth my freedome with a song the matter whereof is as worthie the sweetest Singer as my selfe the miserable Singer vnworthie so divine a subiect but the same fauour that before rewarded no desert knowes now as well how to pardon all faults then which indulgence when I regard my selfe I can wish no more when I remember you I can hope no lesse So commending these few broken lines vnto yours and your selfe into the hands of the best Physitian IESVS CHRIST with whome the most ill affected man in the midst of his sicknes is in good health and without whoms the most lustie bodie in his greatest iollitie is but a languishing karcase I humbly take my â—eaue ending with the same wish that your deuoted Observer â—…nd my approoued Friend doth in his verses presently sequent that your passage to heauen may be slow to vs that shall want â—…ou here but to your selfe that cannot want vs there most secure â—nd certeyne Your Worships in all dutie and seruice G. FLETCHER THOMAS NEVYLE MOST HEAVENLY AS when the Captaine of the heauenly host Or else that glorious armie doth appeare In waters drown'd with surging billowes tost We know they are not where we see they are We see them in the deepe we see them mooue We know they fixed are in heauen aboue So did the Sunne of righteousnesse come downe Clowded in flesh and seem'd be in the deepe So doe the many waters seeme to drowne The starres his Saints and they on earth to keepe And yet this Sunne from heauen neuer fell And yet these earthly starres in heauen dwell What if their soules be into prison cast In earthly bodies yet they long for heauen
What if this worldly Sea they haue not past Yet faine they would be brought into their hauen They are not here and yet we here them see For euery man is there where he would be Long may you wish and yet long wish in vaine Hence to depart and yet that wish obtaine Long may you here in heauen on earth remaine And yet a heauen in heauen hereafter gaine Go you to heauen but yet O make no hast Go slowly slowly but yet go at last But when the Nightingale so neere doth sit Silence the Titmouse better may befit F. Nethersole QVid ô quid Veneres Cupidinesque Turturesque iocosque passeresque Lascivi canitis greges poëtae Ettam languidulos amantum ocellos Et mox turgidulas sinu papillas Iam risus teneros lachrymulasque Mox suspiria morsiunculasque Mille basia mille mille nugas Et vultus pueri puellululaeve Heu fusci pueri puellulaeque Pingitis nivibus rosunculisque Mentitis nivibus rosunculisque Quae vel primo hyemis rigore torpent Vel Phaebi intuitu statim relanguent Heu stulti nimiùm greges poëtae Vt quas sic nimis ah nimis stupetis Nives candidulae rosae pudentes Sic vobis pereunt statim labores Et solem fugiunt severiorem Vel solem gelidà rigent senectâ At tu qui clypeo haud inane nomen Minervae clypeo Iovisque sumens Victrices resonas dei Triumphos Triumphos lachrymis metuque plenos Plenos laetitiae spei triumphos Dum rem carmine Pieroque dignam Aggrederis tibi res decora rebus Praebet carmina Pieroque digna Quin ille ipse tuos legens triumphos Plenoâ— militia labore plenos Tuo propitius parat labori Plenos laetitiae spec triumphos Phin. Fletcher Regal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 BEatissima virginum Maria Sed materque simul beata per quam Qui semper fuit ille coepit esse Quae Vitae dederisque inire vitam Et Luci dederis videre lucem Quae fastidia morsiunculasque Passa es quas grauidae solent nec vnquam Audebas propier viro venire Dum clusus penetralibus latebat Matricis tunicâ vndique involutus Quem se posse negant tenere coeli Quae non virgineas premi papillas Passa virgineas tamen dedisti Lactandas puero tuo papillas Eia dic age dic beata virgo Cur piam abstineas manum timesque Sancta tangere Sanctuariumque Insolens fugias an inquinari Contactu metuis tuo sacrata Contactu metuit suo sacrata Pollui pia cernis en ferentem Lenimenta Dei furentis illa Foedatas sibi ferre quae iubebat Sis felix noua virgo-mater opto Quae mollire Deum paras amicum Quin hic dona licet licet relinquas Agnellumque repone turturemque Audax ingrediare inanis aedes Dei tange Deo sacrata tange Quae non concubitu coinquinata Agnellum peperitque Turturemque Exclusit facili Deo litabit Agno cum Deus insit columbae NOr can I so much say as much I ought Nor yet so little can I say as nought â—raise of this thy worke so heauenly pend â—at sure the sacred Dove a quill did lend â—…m her high-soaring wing certes I know 〈◊〉 other plumes that makes man seeme so low â—…his owne eyes who to all others sight 〈◊〉 mounted to the highest pitch of height â—here if thou seeme to any of small price â—…e fault is not in thee but in his eyes â—…t what doe I thy flood of wit restreine â—…ithin the narrow bankes of my poore veyne â—…re I could say and would but that to praise â—…y verses is to keepe them from their praise 〈◊〉 them who reades and doth them not aduance 〈◊〉 envie doth it or of ignorance F. Nethersole CHRISTS VICTORIE in Heaven 1 THe birth of him that no beginning knewe Yet giues beginning to all that are borne And how the Infinite farre greater grewe By growing lesse and how the rising Morne â—hat shot from heau'n did backe to heauen retourne The obsequies of him that could not die And death of life ende of eternitie â—ow worthily he died that died vnworthily 2 â—ow God and Man did both embrace each other â—et in one person heau'n and earth did kiss â—nd how a Virgin did become a Mother â—nd bare that Sonne who the worlds Father is â—nd Maker of his mother and how Bliss Descended from the bosome of the High To cloath himselfe in naked miserie â—yling at length to heau'n in earth triumphantly 3 〈◊〉 the first flame wherewith my whiter Muse â—oth burne in heauenly loue such loue to tell 〈◊〉 thou that didst this holy fire infuse â—nd taught'st this brest but late the graue of hell Wherein a blind and dead heart liu'd to swell With better thoughts send downe those lights that lenâ— Knowledge how to begin and how to end The loue that neuer was nor euer can be pend 4 Ye sacred writings in whose antique leaues The memories of heau'n entreasur'd lie Say what might be the cause that Mercie heaues The dust of sinne aboue th' industrious skie And lets it not to dust and ashes flie Could Iustice be of sinne so ouer-wooed Or so great ill be cause of so great good That bloody man to saue mans Sauiour shed his blood 5 Or did the lips of Mercie droppe soft speech For traytrous man when at th'Eternalls throne Incensed Nemesis did heau'n beseech With thundring voice that iustice might be showne Against the Rebells that from God were flowne O say say how could Mercie plead for those That scarcely made against their Maker rose Will any slay his friend that he may spare his foes 6 There is a place beyond that flaming hill From whence the starres their thin apparance shed A place beyond all place where neuer ill Nor impure thought was euer harboured But Sainctly Heroes are for euer s'ed To keepe an euerlasting Sabbaoths rest Still wishing that of what th' ar still possest Enioying but one ioy but one of all ioyes best 7 â—ere when the ruine of that beauteous frame Whose golden building shin'd with euerie starre â—f excellence deform'd with age became MERCY remembring peace in midst of warre â—â—ft vp the musique of her voice to barre Eternall fate least it should quite erace That from the world which was the first worlds grace â—â—d all againe into their nothing Chaos chase 8 〈◊〉 what had all this All which Man in one â—…d not vnite the earth aire water fire â—…e sense and spirit nay the powrefull throne 〈◊〉 the diuinest Essence did retire â—…d his owne Image into clay inspire So that this Creature well might called be Of the great world the small epitomie 〈◊〉 the dead world the liue and quicke anatomie 9 â—…t Iustice had no sooner Mercy seene â—…oothing the wrinkles of her Fathers browe 〈◊〉 vp she starts and â—â—rowes her selfe betweene 〈◊〉 when a vapour from a moory slough â—…eting with fresh Eous that but now Open'd the
despises and the world and all 65 Deepely alas empassioned she stood To see a flaming brand tost vp from hell Boyling her heart in her owne lustfull blood That oft for torment she would loudely yell Now she would sighing sit and nowe she fell Crouching vpon the ground in sackcloath trust Early and late she prayed and fast she must And all her haire hung full of ashes and of dust 66 Of all most hated yet hated most of all Of her owne selfe she was disconsolat As though her flesh did but infunerall Her buried ghost she in an arbour sat Of thornie brier weeping her cursed state And her before a hastie riuer fled Which her blind eyes with faithfull penance fed And all about the grasse with tears hung downe his head 67 Her eyes though blind abroad at home kept fast Inwards they turn'd and look't into her head At which shee often started as aghast To see so fearfull spectacles of dread And with one hand her breast shee martyred Wounding her heart the same to mortifie The other a faire damsell held her by Which if but once let goe shee sunke immediatly 68 But Faith was quicke and nimble as the heau'n As if of loue and life shee all had been And though of present sight her sense were reauen Yet shee could see the things could not be seen Beyond the starres as nothing wear between She fixt her sight disdeigning things belowe Into the sea she could a mountaine throwe And make the Sun to stande and waters backewards flowe 69 Such when as Mercie her beheld from high In a darke valley drownd with her owne tears One of her graces she sent hastily Smiling Eirene that a garland wears Of guilded oliue on her fairer hears To crowne the fainting soules true sacrifice Whom when as sad Repentance comming spies The holy Desperado wip't her swollen eyes 70 But Mercie felt a kinde remorse to runne Through her soft vaines and therefore hying fast To giue an end to silence thus begunne Aye-honour'd Father if no ioy thou hast But to reward desert reward at last The Deuils voice spoke with a serpents tongue Fit to hisse out the words so deadly stung And let him die deaths bitter charmes so sweetely sung 71 He was the father of that hopeles season That to serue other Gods forgot their owne The reason was thou wast aboue their reason They would haue any Gods rather then none Aâ—beasily serpent or a senselesse stone And these as Iustice bates so I deplore But the vp-plowed heart all rent and tore Though wounded by it selfe I gladly would restore 72 He was but dust Why fear'd he not to fall And beeing fall'n how can he hope to liue Cannot the hand destroy him that made all Could be not take away aswell as giue Should man depraue and should not God depriue Was it not all the worlds deceiuing spirit That bladder'd vp with pride of his owne merit Fell in his rise that him of heau'n did disinherit 73 He was but dust how could he stand before him And beeing fall'n why should he feare to die Cannot the hand that made him first restore him Deprau'd of sinne should he depriued lie Of grace can he not hide infirmitie That gaue him strength vnworthy the forsaking He is who euer weighs without mistaking Or Maker of the man or manner of his making 74 Who shall thy temple incense any more Or to thy altar crowne the sacrifice Or strewe with idle flow'rs the hallow'd flore Or what should Prayer deck with hearbs and spice Her vialls breathing orisons of price If all must paie that which all cannot paie O first begin with mee and Mercie slaie And thy thrice-honour'd Sonne that now beneath doth strey 75 But if or he or I may liue and speake And heau'n can ioye to see a sinner weepe Oh let not Iustice yron scepter breake A heart alreadie broke that lowe doth creep And with prone humblesse her feets dust doth sweep Must all goe by desert is nothing free Ah if but those that onely woorthy be None should thee euer see none should thee euer see 76 What hath man done that man shall not vndoe Since God to him is growne so neere a kin Did his foe slay him he shall slay his foe Hath he lost all he all againe shall win Is Sinne his Master he shall master sinne Too hardy soule with sinne the field to trie The onely way to conquer was to flie But thus long death hath liu'd and now deaths selfe shall die 77 He is a path if any be misled He is a robe if any naked bee If any chaunce to hunger he is bread If any be a bondman he is free If any be but weake howe strong is hee To dead men life he is to sicke men health To blinde men sight and to the needie wealth A pleasure without losse a treasure without stealth 78 Who can forget neuer to be forgot The time that all the world in slumber lies When like the starres the singing Angels shot To earth and heau'n awaked all his eyes To see another Sunne at midnight rise On earth was neuer sight of pareil fame For God before Man like himselfe did frame But God himselfe now like a mortall man became 79 〈◊〉 Child he was and had not learn't to speake That with his word the world before did make His Mothers armes him bore he was so weake That with one hand the vaults of heau'n could shake â—ee how small roome my infant Lord doth take Whom all the world is not enough to hold Who of his yeares or of his age hath told â—euer such age so young neuer a child so old 80 â—nd yet but newely he was insanted â—nd yet alreadie he was sought to die â—et scarcely borne alreadie banished â—ot able yet to goe and forc't to flie But scarcely fled away when by and by The Tyrans sword with blood is all defil'd And Rachel for her sonnes with furie wild Cries O thou cruell King and O my sweetest child 81 Egypt his Nource became whear Nilus springs Who streit to entertaine the rising sunne The hasty haruest in his bosome brings But now for drieth the fields wear all vndone And now with waters all is ouerrunne So fast the Cynthian mountaines powr'd their snowe When once they felt the sunne so neere them glowe That Nilus Egypt lost and to a sea did growe 82 The Angells caroll'd lowd their song of peace The cursed Oracles wear strucken dumb To see their Sheapheard the poore Sheapheards press To see their King the Kingly Sophies come And them to guide vnto his Masters home A Starre comes dauncing vp the orient That springs for ioye ouer the strawy tent Whear gold to make their Prince a crowne they all present 83 Young Iohn glad child before he could be borne Leapt in the woombe his ioy to prophecie Old Anna though with age all spent and worne Proclaimes her Sauiour
And almes and fasts and churches discipline And dead might rest his bones vnder the holy shrine 17 But when he neerer came he lowted lowe With prone obeysance and with curt'sie kinde That at his feete his head he seemd to throwe What needs him now another Saint to finde Affections are the sailes and faith the wind That to this Saint a thousand soules conueigh Each hour ' O happy Pilgrims thither strey What caren they for beasts or for the wearie way 18 Soone the old Palmer his deuotions sung Like pleasing anthems moduled in time For well that aged Syre could tip his tongue With golden foyle of eloquence and lime And licke his rugged speech with phrases prime Ay me quoth he how many yeares haue beene Since these old eyes the Sunne of heau'n haue seene Certes the Sonne of heau'n they now behold I weene 19 Ah mote my humble cell so blessed be As heau'n to welcome in his lowely roose And be the Temple for thy deitie Loe how my cottage worships thee aloofe That vnder ground hath hid his head in proofe It doth adore thee with the seeling lowe Here honie milke and chesnuts wild doe growe The boughs a bed of leaues vpon thee shall bestowe 20 But oh he said and therewith sigh't full deepe The heau'ns alas too enuious are growne Because our fields thy presence from them keepe â—or stones doe growe where corne was lately sowne So stooping downe he gather'd vp a stone But thou with corne canst make this stone to eare What needen we the angrie heau'ns to feare Let them enuie vs still so we enioy thee here 21 Thus on they wandred but those holy weeds A monstrous Serpent and no man did couer So vnder greenest hearbs the Addes feeds And round about that stinking corps did houer The dismall Prince of gloomie night and ouer His euer-damned head the Shadowes err'd Of thousand peccant ghosts vnseene vnheard And all the Tyrant feares and all the Tyrant fear'd 22 He was the Sonne of blackest Acheron Whear many frozen soules doe chattring lie And rul'd the burning waues of Phlegethon Whear many more in flaming sulphur frie At once compel'd to liue and forc't to die Whear nothing can be heard for the loud crie Of oh and ah and out alas that I Or once againe might liue or once at length might die 23 Ere long they came neere to a balefull bowre Much like the mouth of that infernall caue That gaping stood all Commers to deuoure Darke dolefull dreary like a greedy graue That still for carrion carkasses doth craue The ground no hearbs but venomous did beare Nor ragged trees did leaue but euery whear Dead bones and skulls wear cast and bodies hanged wear 24 Vpon the roofe the bird of sorrowe sat Elonging ioyfull day with her sad note And through the shady aire the fluttring bat Did waâ—e her leather sayles and blindely flote While with her wings the fatall Shreechowle smote Th' vnblessed house thear on a craggy stone Celeno hung and made his direfull mone And all about the murdered ghosts did shreek and grone 25 Like clowdie moonshine in some shadowie groue Such was the light in which DESPAIRE did dwell But he himselfe with night for darkenesse stroue His blacke vncombed locks dishevell'd fell About his face through which as brands of hell Sunk in his skull his staring eyes did glowe That made him deadly looke their glimpse did showe Like Cockatrices eyes that sparks of poyson throwe 26 His cloaths wear ragged clouts with thornes pind fast And as he musing lay to stonie fright A thousand wilde Chimera's would him cast As when a fearefull dreame in mid'st of night Skips to the braine and phansies to the sight Some winged furie strait the hasty foot Eger to flie cannot plucke vp his root The voyce dies in the tongue and mouth gapes without boot 27 Now he would dreame that he from heauen fell And then would snatch the ayre afraid to fall And now he thought he sinking was to hell And then would grasp the earth and now his stall Him seemed hell and then he out would crawle And euer as he crept would squint aside Lest him perhaps some Furie had espide And then alas he should in chaines for euer bide 28 Therefore he softly shrunke and stole away Ne euer durst to drawe his breath for feare Till to the doore he came and thear he lay Panting for breath as though he dying were And still he thought he felt their craples teare Him by the heels backe to his ougly denne Out faine he would haue leapt abroad but then The heau'n as hell he fear'd that punish guilty men 29 Within the gloomie hole of this pale wight The Serpent woo'd him with his charmes to inne Thear he might baite the day and rest the night But vnder that same baite a fearefull grin Was readie to intangle him in sinne But he vpon ambrosia daily fed That grew in Eden thus he answered So both away wear caught and to the Temple fled 30 Well knewe our Sauiour this the Serpent was And the old Serpent knewe our Sauiour well Neuer did any this in falshood passe Neuer did any him in truth excell With him we fly to heau'n from heau'n we fell With him but nowe they both together met Vpon the sacred pinnacles that threat With their aspiring tops Astraeas starrie seat 31 Here did PRESVMPTION her paullion spread Ouer the Temple the bright startes among Ah that her foot should trample on the head Of that most reuerend place and a lewd throng Of wamon boyes sung her a pleasant song Of loue long life of mercie and of grace And euery one her deerely did embrace And she herselfe enamour'd was of her owne face 32 A painted face belied with vermeyl store Which light Eüëlpis euery day did trimme That in one hand a guilded anchor wore Not fixed on the rocke but on the brimme Of the wide aire she let it loosely swimme Her other hand a sprinkle carried And euer when her Ladie wauered Court-holy water all vpon her sprinkeled 33 Poore foole she thought herselfe in wondrous price With God as if in Paradise she wear But wear shee not in a fooles paradise She might haue seene more reason to despere But him she like some ghastly fiend did feare And therefore as that wretch hew'd out his cell Vnder the bowels in the heart of hell So she aboue the Moone amid the starres would dwell 34 Her Tent with sunny cloudes was seel'd aloft And so exceeding shone with a false light That heau'n it selfe to her it seemed oft Heau'n without cloudes to her deluded sight But cloudes withouten heau'n it was aright And as her house was built so did her braine Build castles in the aire with idle paine But heart she neuer had in all her body vaine 35 Like as a ship in which no ballance lies Without a Pilot on the sleeping waues Fairely along with winde and water flies And
Sonnes to wound their mothers side And gage the depth to search for flaring shells In whose bright bosome spumie Bacchus swells That neither heau'n nor earth henceforth in safetie dwells 55 â—… sacred hunger of the greedie eye Whose neede hath end but no end covetise Emptie in fulnes rich in pouertie That hauing all things nothing can suffice How thou befanciest the men most wise The poore man would be rich the rich man great The great man King the King in Gods owne seat Enthron'd with mortal arme dares flames and thunder threat 56 Therefore aboue the rest Ambition sat His Court with glitterant pearle was all enwall'd And round about the wall in chaires of State And most maiestique splendor wear enstall'd A hundred Kings whose temples wear impal'd In goulden diadems set here and thear With diamounds and gemmed euery whear And of their golden virges none disceptred wear 57 High ouer all Panglories blazing throne In her bright turret all of christall wrought Like Phaebus lampe in midst of heauen shone Whose starry top with pride infernall fraught Selfe-arching columns to vphold wear taught In which her Image still reflected was By the smooth christall that most like her glasse In beauty and in frailtie did all others passe 58 A Siluer wande the sorceresse did sway And for a crowne of gold her haire she wore Onely a garland of rosebuds did play About her locks and in her hand she bore A hollowe globe of glasse that long before She full of emptinesse had bladdered And all the world therein depictured Whose colours like the rainebowe euer vanished 59 Such watry orbicles young boyes doe blowe Out from their sopy snells and much admire The swimming world which tenderly they rowe With easie breath till it be waued higher But if they chaunce but roughly once aspire The painted bubble instantly doth fall Here when she came she gan for musique call And sung this wooing song to welcome him withall Loue is the blossome whear thear blowes Euery thing that liues or growes Loue doth make the heau'ns to moue And the Sun doth burne in loue Loue the strong and weake doth yoke And makes the yâ—ie climbe the oke Vnder whose shadowes Lions wilde Soft'ned by Loue growe tame and mild Loue no med'cine can appease He burnes the fishes in the seas Not all the skill his wounds can stench Not all the sea his fire can quench Loue did make the bloody spear Once a leuie coat to wear While in his leaues thear shrouded lay Sweete birds for loue that sing and play And of all loues ioyfull flame I the bud and blossome am Onely bend thy knee to me Thy wooeing shall thy winning be See see the flowers that belowe Now as fresh as morning blowe And of all the virgin rose That as bright Aurora showes How they all vnleaued die Loosing their virgintie Like vnto a summer-shade But now borne and now they fade Euery thing doth passe away Thear is danger in delay Come come gather then the rose Gather it or it you lose All the sande of Tagus shore Into my bosome casts his ore All the valleys swimming corne To my house is yeerely borne Euery grape of euery vine Is gladly bruis'd to make me wine While ten thousand kings as proud To carry vp my traine haue bow'd And a world of Ladies send me In my chambers to attend me All the starres in heau'n that shine And ten thousand more are mine Onely bend thy knee to mee Thy wooing shall thy winning bee 60 Thus sought the dire Enchauntress in his minde Her guilefull bayâ— to haue embosomed But he her charmes dispersed into winde And her of insolence admonished And all her optique glasses shattered So with her Syre to hell shee tooke her flight The starting ayre flew from the damned spright Whear deeply both aggriev'd plunged themselues in night 61 But to their Lord now musing in his thought A heauenly volie of light Angels flew And from his Father him a banquet brought Through the fine element for well they knew After his lenten fast he hungrie grew And as he fed the holy quires combine To sing a hymne of the celestiall Trine All thought to passe and each was past all thought divine 62 The birds sweet notes to sonnet out their ioyes Attemper'd to the layes Angelicall And to the birds the winds attune their noyse And to the winds the waters hoarcely call And Eccho back againe revoyced all That the whole valley rung with victorie But now our Lord to rest doth homewards flie See how the Night comes stealing from the mountains high CHRISTS TRIVMPH Ouer and after death Vincenti dabitur CONFIDO IN DOMINO Printed by C. LEGGE 1610. CHRISTS TRIVMPH over Death 1 SO downe the siluer streames of Eridan On either side bank't with a lilly wall Whiter then both rides the triumphant Swan And sings his dirge and prophesies his fall Diuing into his watrie funerall But Eridan to Cedron must submit His flowry shore nor can he enuie it If when Apollo sings his swaâ—s doe silent sit 2 That heau'nly voice I more delight to heare Then gentle ayres to breath or swelling waues Against the sounding rocks their bosomes teare Or whistling reeds that rutty Iordan laues And with their verdure his white head embraues To chide the windes or hiuing bees that flie About the laughing bloosms of sallowie Rocking asleepe the idle groomes that lazie lie 3 And yet how can I heare thee singing goe When men incens'd with hate thy death foreset Or els why doe I heare thee sighing so When thou inflam'd with loue their life doest get That Loue and hate and sighs and songs are met But thus and onely thus thy loue did craue To sende thee singing for vs to thy graue While we sought thee to kill and thou sought'st vs to saue 4 When I remember Christ our burden beares I looke for glorie but finde miserie I looke for ioy but finde a sea of teares I looke that we should liue and finde him die I looke for Angels songs and heare him crie Thus what I looke I cannot finde so well Or rather what I finde I cannot tell These bankes so narrowe are those streames so highly sâ—… 5 Christ suffers and in this his teares begin Suffers for vs and our ioy springs in this Suffers to death here is his Manhood seen Suffers to rise and here his Godhead is For Man that could not by himselfe haue ris Out of the graue doth by the Godhead rise And God that could not die in Manhood dies That we in both might liue by that sweete sacrifice 6 Goe giddy braines whose witts are thought so fresh Plucke all the flowr's that Nature forth doth throwe Goe sticke them on the cheekes of wanton flesh Poore idol forc't atonce to fall and growe Of fading roses and of melting snowe Your songs exceede your matter this of mine The matter which it sings shall make diuine As starres dull
world which all in darkenesse lay Doth heau'ns bright face of his rayes disaray â—…d sads the smiling orient of the springing day 10 〈◊〉 was a Virgin of austere regard â—…t as the world esteemes her deafe and blind â—…t as the Eagle that hath oft compar'd 〈◊〉 eye with heau'ns so and more brightly shin'd Her lamping sight for she the same could winde Into the solid heart and with her eares The silence of the thought loude speaking heares And in one hand a paire of euen scoals she weares 11 No riot of affection reuell kept Within her brest but a still apathy Possessed all her soule which softly slept Securely without tempest no sad crie Awakes her pittie but wrong'd pouertie Sending his eyes to heau'n swimming in teares With hideous clamours euer struck her eares Whetting the blazing sword that in her hand she beares 12 The winged Lightning is her Mercury And round about her mightie thunders sound Impatient of himselfe lies pining by Pale Sicknes with his kercher'd head vpwound And thousand noysome plagues attend her round But if her clowdie browe but once growe foule The flints doe melt and rocks to water rowle And ayrie mountaines shake and frighted shadowes howâ—… 13 Famine and bloodles Care and bloodie Warre Want and the Want of knowledge how to vse Abundance Age and Feare that runnes afarre Before his fellowe Greefe that aye pursues His winged steps for who would not refuse Greefes companie a dull and rawebon'd spright That lankes the cheekes and pales the freshest sight Vnbosoming the cheerefull brest of all delight 14 Before this cursed throng goes Ignorance That needes will leade the way he cannot see And after all Death doeth his flag aduaunce And in the mid'st Strife still would roaguing be Whose ragged flesh and cloaths did well agree And round about amazed Horror flies And ouer all Shame veiles his guiltie eyes And vnderneth Hells hungrie throat still yawning lies 15 Vpon two stonie tables spread before her She lean'd her bosome more then stonie hard There slept th'vnpartiall iudge and strict restorer Of wrong or right with paine or with reward There hung the skore of all our debts the card Whear good and bad and life and death were painted Was neuer heart of mortall so vntainted But when that scroule was read with thousand terrors fainted 16 Witnes the thunder that mount Sinai heard When 〈◊〉 hill with firie clouds did flame And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Israel with the sight afeard Blinded 〈◊〉 seeing durst not touch the same But like a wood of shaking leaues became On this dead Iustice she the Liuing Lawe Bowing herselfe with a maiestique awe All heau'n to heare her speech did into silence drawe 17 Dread Lord of Spirits well thou did'st deuise To fling the worlds rude dunghill and the drosse Of the ould Chaos farthest from the skies And thine owne seate that heare the child of losse Of all the lower heau'n the curse and crosse That wretch beast caytiue monster Man might spend Proude of the mire in which his soule is pend Clodded in lumps of clay his wearie life to end 18 His bodie dust whear grewe such cause of pride His soule thy Image what could he enuie Himselfe most happie if he so would bide Now grow'n most wretched who can remedie He slewe himselfe himselfe the enemie That his owne soule would her owne murder wreake If I were silent heau'n and earth would speake And if all fayl'd these stones would into clamours breake 19 How many darts made furrowes in his side When she that out of his owne side was made Gaue feathers to their flight whear was the pride Of their newe knowledge whither did it fade When running from thy voice into the shade He fled thy sight himselfe of sight bereau'd And for his shield a leauie armour weau'd With which vain maÌ„ he thought Gods eies to 〈…〉 20 And well he might delude those eyes that see And iudge by colours for who euer sawe A man of leaues a reasonable tree But those that from this stocke their life did drawe Soone made their Father godly and by lawe Proclaimed Trees almightie Gods of wood Of stocks and stones with crownes of laurell stood Templed and fed by fathers with their childrens blood 21 The sparkling fanes that burne in beaten gould And like the starres of heau'n in mid'st of night â—lacke Egypt as her mirrhours doth behould â—re but the denns whear idoll-snakes delight â—gaine to couer Satan from their sight Yet these are all their gods to whome they vie The Crocodile the Cock the Rat the Flie. 〈◊〉 gods indeede for such men to be serued by 22 â—…e Fire the winde the sea the sunne and moone â—…e flitting Aire and the swift-winged How'rs â—…d all the watchmen that so nimbly runne â—…d centinel about the walled towers 〈◊〉 the worlds citie in their heau'nly bowr's And least their pleasant gods should want delight Neptune spues out the Lady Aphrodite â—…d but in heauen proude Iunos peacocks skorne to lite 23 â—…e senselesse Earth the Serpent dog and catte â—…d woorse then all these Man and woorst of men â—…rping Ioue and swilling Bacchus fat â—…d drunke with the vines purple blood and then â—…e Fiend himselfe they coniure from his denne Because he onely yet remain'd to be Woorse then the worst of men they flie from thee â—…d weare his altar-stones out with their pliant knee 24 〈◊〉 that he speakes and all he speakes are lies â—…e oracles 't is he that wounded all â—…res all their wounds he that put out their eyes â—…at giues them light he that death first did call Into the world that with his orizall Inspirits earth he heau'ns al-seeing eye He earths great Prophet he whom rest doth flie That on salt billowes doth as pillowes sleeping lie 25 But let him in his cabin restles rest The dungeon of darke flames and freezing fire Iustice in heau'n against man makes request To God and of his Angels doth require Sinnes punishment if what I did desire Or who or against whome or why or whear Of or before whom ignorant I wear Then should my speech their sands of sins to mountaines â—eaâ— 26 Wear not the heau'ns pure in whose courts I sue The Iudge to whom I sue iust to requite him The cause for sinne the punishment most due Iustice her selfe the plaintiffe to endite him The Angells holy before whom I cite him He against whom wicked vniust impure Then might he sinnefull liue and die secure Or triall might escape of triall might endure 27 The Iudge might partiall be and ouer-pray'd The place appeald from in whose courts he sues The fault excus'd or punishment delayd The parties selfe accus'd that did accuse Angels for pardon might their praiers vse But now no starre can shine no hope be got Most wretched creature if he knewe his lot And yet more wretched farre because he knowes it not 28 What should I tell how barren earth is growne â—…ll for to