Virginalia, or, Spirituall Sonnets, in prayse of the most glorious Virgin MARIE vpon euerie seuerall Title of her Litanies of Loreto.
SONNET 1. SANCTA MARIA.
MARIA,(a) glorious sea-starre; thy cleare sight
Guides vs vpon the world's tempestuous waues;
And through the dreadfull shades of sinn's darke night
In th' port of blisse our crasie vessel saues.
Thy sacred name most aptly doth inferre
A bitter sea, t'expresse thy seas of greef,
when thou beheldst thy Sonne, who could not erre,
As faultie dye, iudg'd worser then a theef.
Well art thou(b) Ladie stil'd, since by that Sonne
Thou(c) both in heauen and earth art powerfull made
To ease their paines, who shall require thy ayde.
Help me ô then sinn's dang'rous shelues to shunne,
Giue me a feeling of my Sauiour's paynes,
And let me be of those, whome thou retaines.
SONNET 2. SANCTA DEI GENITRIX.
MOTHER OF GOD: ô rare prerogatiue!
O glorious title! what more speciall grace
Could vnto thee thy deare sonne dread God giue
To shew how farre thou dost(b) all creatures passe?
That(c) mightie Power with in the narrow folde
Did of thy ne're polluted wombe remaine,
Whom, whiles he doth th' all ruling scepter holde,
Nor earth nor yet the heauens can contayne.
Thou in the spring-tyde of thy age brought'st forth
Him, (d) who before all Matter, Time, and Place,
Begotten of th' eternall Father was.
O be thou then, whyle we admire thy worth,
A meanes vnto that Sonne not to proceede
In rigour with vs for each sinnefull deede.
SONNET 3. SANCTA VIRGO VIRGINVM.
VIRGIN OF VIRGINS, thou the(a) first did'st make
The sacred vowe of spottles chastitie,
Through which example manie now forsake
The vaine world's frayle delights to follow thee.
In the whole course of thy liues blessed race,
All the perfections of(b) virginitie,
As in a fayre vnblemish'd looking-glasse,
In their true coulours well reflected be.
Yet, though a Virgin, thou a Mother wast,
Whose fruitfull mayden wombe sent forth a ray
Of heauenlie beames, which all Hell's errours chas'd.
Daigne, Virgin-Mother, to thy Sonne to pray,
That he would grant, thy great Integritie
May be a salue for our Impuritie.
SONNET 4. MATER CHRISTI.
MOTHER OF CHRIST; thy vertuous life deseru'd
That light through thee should to vs all appeare,
And that thou shouldst before all others beare,
Him, who by death from death our soules preseru'd.
CHRIST is the oyle powr'd out, whereby we liue,
Which yeelds vs light our grieuous faults to see,
Which cures our sinnefull soules, and setts vs free
From Hell's dread paines, & doth new forces giue.
In thee, Chaste Mother, this most sacred, pure,
And soueraigne oyle, this pretious salue, did growe,
And from thee to all sinne-sicke mortalls flowe.
Request of him our spirituall wounds to cure,
To feed our hungry soules, and foot-steps guide,
That from his blessed wayes, we ne're may slide.
SONNET 5. MATER DIVINAE GRATIAE.
MOTHER OF DIVINE GRACE we iustly may
Stile thee, most gratious Ladie, since within
Thy heauen-like womb free from all guilt of sinne
The great Dispenser of all Graces(a) lay.
Graces chief treasure rested in thy hart,
What s'ere thou didst, was(b) wholy Puritie,
Truth, Mercie, Iustice:(c) only vnto thee
Full grace was giuen, t' others but in part.
From thy deare Sonne, by thee vnto vs all,
When for such guifts we doe our soules prepare,
All graces dayly distributed are.
Then let vs still, when s'ere we humbly call,
Be by thee heard; n'ere let vs pray in vaine,
But, when we aske for Grace, still Grace obtaine.
SONNET 6. MATER PVRISSIMA.
MOTHER MOST PVRE: thou pure from any shewe
Did'st euer liue of any sinnefull staine;
Gainst all th' assaults of our accursed foe
Thy verie(a) thoughts did victorious still remaine.
From actuall sinnes and from Originall,
Thy soule alone, except thy Sonne's, was free;
Yea the profoundest Doctours, when they fall
To speake of sinne, refuse to mention thee.
Thy soule and bodie now reioyn'd do(b) shine,
Next to thy greater Sonne, and much more pure
Then Cherubins or other powers diuine.
Endeauour, purest Mother, to procure,
That, when our soules with sinnes we tainte, we may
With flouds of teares wash all such spottes away.
SONNET 7. MATER CASTISSIMA.
MOTHER MOST CHAST thou art; for thou alone
Of all thy sex a virgin(a) didst conceaue,
A pure chast Virgin broughtest forth thy sonne,
A Virgin also this frayle world didst leaue.
Thou(b) neuer didst (let Hell storme, shift, and lye)
After thy first-borne child a second beare;
Thou still wert(c) clearer then the world's bright eye,
Or all the lights which turne on euerie spheare.
Thy chastitie's strong bands no strength could cutt;
Thou art the gate through which but Israel's God
Doth come and goe, yet still remaineth shutt.
Vouchsafe, chaste Mother, to diuert the rod
Of god's iust iudgements from vs, when we be
S [...]outhfull to imitate thy chastitie.
SONNET 8. MATER INVIOLATA.
MOTHER INVIOLATED;(a) who can be
A perfect mother, and yet vndefil'd?
Did euer any aged woman see
A maide at once and mother of a child?
None but thy selfe, great Mother, thou alone
Of all thy sex this title canst receaue;
Thou only free from all(b) contagion
Of bodie's touch, a bodie didst conceaue.
Thy spotles(c) chastitie did not impeach
Thy wondrous child-birth, nor that birth againe
Make in thy Virgin's fortresse any breach.
Pray, we beseech thee, that we may refraine
From each lasciuious, fond, impure desire,
And to thy puritie in part aspire.
SONNET 9. MATER INTEMERATA.
MOTHER VNSPOTTED, thou art Moyse's(a) bush
Which flam'd indeede, but was not burn'd at all;
Thou art that woman, whose blest seede should (b) crush
The serpent's head, for to repaire our fall.
As in hote fornace Israel's three(c) yong-men
Th' Almighties prayses did vntouched sing;
And as(d) to Daniel in the lyon's den,
The doore shutt Abacuc did victuals bring:
So to redeeme the forfait of the tree,
Thy virgin-wombe true God true Man did beare
Without all touch vnto thy chastitie.
Grant that we may, ô spotles Mother, feare
To come before thee with a spotted, foule,
A sinne-infected, vnprepared soule.
SONNET 10. MATER AMABILIS.
AMIABLE MOTHER, Louelie, chast, and(a) faire
Faire through the beautie of that speciall grace,
And those rare vertues, which without compare
Thy bounteous Sonne in thy blest soule did place.
Faire through thy spotles pure(b) Conception,
Made for the temple of Heauens soueraigne Lord,
Faire through the wondrous Generation
Of th' Father's glorie, the Eternall Word.
These and thy other graces do inflame
Each vertuous hart so with thy sacred loue,
As all praise honour, and respect thy name.
Let vs not then, sweet Mother, backward proue,
While in this wretched vale of teares we liue,
To yeald thee that, which all the world doth giue.
SONNET 11. MATER ADMIRABILIS.
ADMIRABLE MOTHER,(a) wonder of the earth,
Wondrous in thy admir'd Conception,
Wondrous alike in thy most blessed Birth,
Thy course of life, death, and Assumption.
What is more wondrous then that thou a mayde
Didst beare a childe, and yet a mayde remain'dst?
Is ought more strange then that it may be saide:
Thou him,(b) whom nought could circumscribe, contain'dst?
All thy discourses, nay each very thought,
Much more thy deeds, most rare and wondrous were,
And farre aboue our common merits wrought.
Grant that thy wondrous vertues may appeare
So liuely to our minds, that when we neede,
We, how to liue, in them may patterns reade.
SONNET 12. MATER CREATORIS.
MOTHER OF OVR CREATOVR; he, who first
Did build the house, himself was borne therein;
Thy purest(a) wombe without a breach he pearc't,
By whom thou hadst before created beene.
He, who fills all things, to whose powerfull might
All creatures bowe, thy help oftimes(b) receau'd:
Thou that GREAT-ONE, great Mother, broughtst to light,
Who(c) long before all ages was conceau'd.
At thy most chaste Annunciation,
Thou, what he had not, vnto him didst giue,
Who nothing wants: his Incarnation.
Grant that we may, not only while we liue,
But also at our death, partakers be
Of the blest fruit of this great mysterie.
SONNET 13. MATER SALVATORIS.
MOTHER OF OVR SAVIOVR; thou before all others
Wast chosen t' beare the ransome of vs all;
For which all Nations farre aboue all[a) Mothers
That euer were, thee euer blessed call.
Th'(b) eternall Fathers Sonne, by whom we see
Our ancient foe's malicious spleene represt,
That hidden, sacred, wondrous mysterie,
To wretched mortals thou didst manifest.
Thou art that glorious(c) clowd, from whence did flye
That radiant lightning, whose resplendent rayes
Clear'd all the world, which did in darknes lye.
Be thou a meanes, blessed Mother, when we praise
Thy heauenly vertues, we may vices hate,
And thy perfections truly imitate.
SONNET 14. VIRGO PRVDENTISSIMA.
VIRGIN MOST WISE thou rightly maist be stil'd,
Since thy rare wisedome did anticipate
So farre thy yeares, as yet a tender child,
Thy self to God thou diddest consecrate.
Thou, to thy wisdome's neuer dying praise
T'reach the Conception(b) of th' Eternal's Sonne
Did'st the high mountaine of thy merits rayse
Aboue all Saints, euen to th' Almighties throne.
Where like(c) a prudent Hester without cease,
Thou dost before thy sweet Sonne humbly pray
For our poore sinn-enthralled soul's release.
Obtaine, most prudent Virgin, that we may
Prepare our selues a right, to tast the fruit
Of this thy, till th' world end, nere ended suite.
SONNET 15. VIRGO VENERANDA.
VIRGIN MOST VENERABLE, thy Royall race,
Thy vertuous life, and now immortall rayes,
Deserue farre better, then all humane race,
Ciuill, Religious, and Coelestiall prayse.
Thou art the(a) bridge, by which God came to man;
Thou art the second Adam's(b) paradise;
To thee (so high a place thy merits wann)
Next(c) vnto God, chiefe honour doth arise.
Who but an Atheist will refuse to serue
So great a Mistresse? who doth euery way
Such supreme honour worthily deserue.
O let vs then, great Virgin, while we stay
In this frayle world, thy humble agents be,
To moue thy greatest foes to honour thee.
SONNET 16. VIRGO PRAEDICANDA.
VIRGIN MOST WORTHIE PRAISE, by much more great
Then(a) men, then Saints, or Angels can explaine:
For in thy blessed wombe he fix't his seat
Whom all the earth's huge mast cannot sustaine.
Thou the Mediatrix(b) art twixt God and man;
By thee whole Nations(c) are to pennance brought;
The All-creatour first with thee beganne,
When he the world's desir'd Saluation wrought.
Thou th' interposed(d) wall of hate did'st raise
Twixt God & man; thou heauen ioyn'dst to earth;
What can be greater? what more worthie praise?
Aske thy deare Sonne, we may eu'n from our birth
(Through these and all thy merits) ere we dye
For all our sinfull courses satisfye.
SONNET 17. VIRGO POTENS.
VIRGIN MOST POTENT: from that powerfull Lord,
Whom dwelling(a) high in heauen thou didst conceaue
Low vpon earth, thou still dost power(b) receaue▪
To all, that craue thy ayde, thy ayde t' afford.
Through thee th'Infernal(c) troupes are put to flight;
Through thee curst Sathan did from heauen fall;
Through thee all those, who nought adored at all
But senseles Idols, now belieue a right.
By thee thy Seruants well rewarded are,
And also diuers, who thy power(d) deride,
Receiue by thee due payment for their pride.
Grant we may haue, great Virgin, still a care
To feare and reuerence thy most powerfull name,
And striue in others to effect the same.
SONNET 18. VIRGO CLEMENS.
VIRGIN MOST MERCIFVLL, most milde, and meeke;
The ioy of euerie well-affected minde
What sinner e're to thee did humbly(a) seeke
Who thy assistance did not readie find?
Thou(a) art the hope and comfort of vs all;
Thou art a quiet hauen shut to none;
To such, as penitent for mercy call,
Thou(b) by thy prayers dost reconcile thy Sonne.
Thee(c) the whole world with vniforme consent,
The pledge with God of their true faith hath made;
Nor doth thy fauour frustrate their intent.
Mercifull Virgin, let it not be said,
That only we misse that, which all men haue,
But(d) guide our stepps, and foules vouchsafe to saue.
SONNET 19. VIRGO FIDELIS.
VIRGIN MOST FAITHFVLL: in that vertue none
Could euer neere be paralell'd with thee.
Faithfull thou wert in that from perils free
Thou still preseru'dst thine, and th' Almightie's Sonne.
When at his passion he was left alone,
Thou faithfull follow'dst to th' erected tree;
Who askt' thee ere his Patronesse(b) to be,
Whose wishes thou did'st frustrate? surely none.
Thou still art true, still faithfull vnto all,
Who faithfull aske thy aide; and oft preuents
The foe's deceipts, which may our soules enthrall.
Second then our good and iust intents.
Direct our actions all, and doe not faile.
To(c) guarde vs, least against vs Hell preuaile.
SONNET 20. SPECVLVM IVSTITIAE.
LOOkING-GLASSE OF IVSTICE: he who would
Forsaking vice a vertuous course embrace,
May in thy(a) life, as in a spotles glasse,
The perfect shape of vertues all behold.
Thou art the(b) glasse, through whose pure christall came
The glorious Sunne of Iustice from the Skye,
T' enlighten those who in sinne's shades did lye,
And with his rayes their frozen harts inflame.
No pale infernall spleene, though it repine
To see thy luster, can impose one staine
On thy pure splendour, but thy beames will shine.
O let vs still before this glasse remaine;
That, when we rise from sinn's dull sleep, we may
Learne our naked soules with vertues to array.
SONNET 21. SEDES SAPIENTIAE.
O SEAT OF WISEDOME: heauen's supreme Lord,
Th' eternall's Wisedome, he who did beget
All things of nothing, only by his word,
Esteem'd thee(a) worthie t' be his sacred seate.
That heauenlie(b) treasure, where all treasures lye
Of God's high wisedome, in thee seated was;
In thee he did our fraile humanitie
Besides thou maist be called Wisedome's seate,
In that great wisedomes euer flowing Well,
In streames of grace, into thy Soule still fell.
O doe thy Sonne (Wisedome's great throne) intreat
That he would please sometimes to be our guest,
And sometimes in our crasie Soules to rest.
SONNET 22. CAVSA NOSTRAE LAETITIAE.
CAVSE OF OVR IOY: th' Serpent(a) did Eue seduce;
Thou vnto Gabriel humbly gau'st consent;
But Eue's seducing, death and discord, sent;
Thy prompt obedience, life, and setled truce.
She made vs(b) sick; thou brought vs present health;
She sinne, thou merit, to the world did'st bring.
She made vs weepe, thou gau'st vs cause to sing:
Our soules she rob'd but thou increas'd our wealth
In brief, thou art that instrument(c) of ioy,
Which Eue's sad curses did to blessings turne,
And makest vs (if we will) we ne're neede mourne.
Help vs, we may our talents so employ,
That, when we doe this house of cares forsake,
We may with thee of heauenly ioyes partake.
SONNET 23. VAS SPIRITVALE,
SPIRITVALL VESSELL; thou did'st so containe
All spirituall riches of celestiall grace,
That to the height of thy most glorious place
None of thy sex ere could, e're can, attaine.
Thy vessell's beautie thou did'st n'ere deface
With any sinfull death-importing staine;
But still thy heauenlie lustre did'st retaine
And all foule soule-deforming vices chase.
Which to effect thou did'st more grace obtaine,
In that thou wa'st to beare so long a space
The sole procurer of our spirituall gaine.
Graunt we may still (ô spirituall vessel) trace
Thy spotles pathes and neuer striue in vaine
From th' impure stench of loathsome sinne t' refraine.
(a),
(b),
SONNET 24. VAS HONORABILE.
HONORABLE VESSELL which th'eternall word
Did for his owne, best seruice only frame,
And vnto thee on eu'ry syde afforde
The glittering(a) luster of a heauenly flame.
Thou art that pretious vessell which to man
Did from the skye life-giuing MANNA beare,
In thee th' Allmighty's mighty sonne began
A health to all, who doe his dread name feare.
Thou art that honour'd vessell which(c) contain'd
Th' water of life; in thee that powerfull One,
Which all thinges fills, whole & intyre remain'd.
Help vs to be (most honour'd vessell) prone
To vertue euer vnto vices slowe,
And perfectly our imperfections knowe.
SONNET 25. VAS INSIGNE DEVOTIONIS.
RENOWNED VESSELL OF DEVOTION
Fountaine(a) of Sanctity which euermore
With ne're decreasing Springes of grace dost runne
Weake soules to wonted vigour to restore.
Thy great CREATOR by(b) abundant streames
With out restraint infused into thee
Like to the glorious Sunn's cleare-shining beames,
Deuoutest flames of feruent Charity.
Whose neuer-quenched heate, dispersed still
Among'st vs, doth our frosen harts inflame,
And our cold brest with true deuotion fill.
Our dayly actions (sacred vessell) frame
So that wee may deseruedly aspire,
To gaine but one sparke of so great a fyer.
SONNET 26. ROSA MYSTICA.
MYSTICALL ROSE, diuinely white & red,
Whyte through the Candour of virginity
Red through the heate of burning charity
Whyte in thy spotlesse flesh, in mind still red.
In following vertue's pure directiones, white;
Red by thy trampling vpon vices head;
Through the care thou hast of our good courses, red;
And by thy loue to thy Creator, white.
Thou from the Iewes, as from sharpe thornes, didst rise
And through the word all banefull fumes expell,
By thy rare vertues euer fragrant smell.
Driue from our soules th' infectious stench of vice
That wee before thy sonne may without feare
Perfum'd(c) with vertues at our death appeare.
(a),
SONNET 27. TVRRIS DAVIDICA.
TOWER(a) OF DAVID, as that pious king
Did, for his cities strength, this tower erect,
So spiritual DAVID thee to th' world did bring
The holy Church (his citie) to protect.
This tower prouision through the towne did spread;
By thee, according vnto Natures law
In humane bodies, wee, from Christ the head,
As by the necke, all spirituall victualls drawe.
In DAVID'S tower all warlike armes were layd;
Thou still art ready, as the Church'es sheed,
Our soules against all Hell's assaults to ayd.
Helpe then ô least wee vnprotected yeeld,
Succour the weake, & those who humbly weepe,
And flye to thee, in thy tuitions keepe.
SONNET 28. TVRRIS EBVRNEA.
Which thy deare Sonne did for sole thee reserue,
Which thy graue mind's ne're moued constancy,
This worthy title iustly doth deserue,
Thou art compar'd to purest Iuory
In that from(c) all, euen from the least foule staine
Of eu'ry sort of sinne, thou euer free
Euen from thy first giuen being did'st remaine
Infinit valyes of Infernall shott
Hell's cursed feenes discharg'd against thy brest,
Yet neuer hope of least aduantage got.
Permit vs euer when wee are opprest
With fierce assaults of our ne're resting foe,
That vnto thee wee may for succour goe.
SONNET 29. DOMVS AVREA.
O HOVSE OF GOVLD, as wisest SALOMON
Th' Allmighty's temple did with great respect
Adorne with gould, so thy farr wiser sonne
With gould of vertue, thee, his(a) temple, deckt.
Thou art that rare, then gould farr brighter, house,
Where the two(b) natures both vnited were,
Where our(c) humanity Christ did espouse,
And first beganne our miseries to beare.
Thou art the mansion both of heauen and earth,
Thou art(d) Gods liuing temple, hee who was
Before ought was, of thee receau'd his birth.
Inuite my soule vnto this glorious place,
That there she may with fruitfull wonder gaze
Vppon thy merits gould-surpassing rayes.
SONNET 30. FAEDERIS ARCA.
ARKE OF THE COV'NANT in that (a) arke did rest
The tables of God's holy testament,
In thee, a farr more blest, farr richer chest
The Testament's great heire was willing pent;
Within that costly arke the lawes repos'd,
In thee thy sonn's heauen-giuing Ghospell laye,
In that was still th' Aeternall voyce inclos'd,
In thee th' eternall word it self did stay.
That wood was(b) incorruptible, so thou;
Earthly decaying gould did that adorne,
Thou did'st all gould, which was not heauenly. scorne,
Suffer(c) me then, most sacred arke, to bowe
Before thee still, and with submissiue feare
Thy sonn's will thence in all my actions heare.
SONNET 31. IANVA CAELI.
O GATE OF HEAVEN open vnto all,
Who with the hammer of repentance knocke;
Noe barr of malice, noe reuengfull locke
Exclude(a) such soules as with submission call.
Through which that powerfull all reuealing eye
Gods onely sonne past, when hee came to buye
Our captiue soules at so extreame a rate.
Eue(d) was the dore of death, through which to hell
Diuers haue pass'd, thou art the(e) gate of life,
By which in heauen millions now doe dwell.
Help me, blest gate to cause a pious strif
Here in the world, who first amongst vs shall
At this most sacred gate for entrance call.
SONNET 32. STELLA MATVTINA.
O MORNING STAR, when wee this star behould
Wee are forewarned of th' approaching Sonne,
Thy glorious rising to the world foretold
The comming of a brighter Sun, thy Sonne.
The sky's most glorious star cannot compare
In glitt'ring clearnes with the morning star;
Al(a) Angels thou and greatest Saints that are
In glorie, worth, and place surpassest farre.
This star, though great, seemes to our eyes but small
So thou with thy profound(b) humility
Didst couer stil thy glorious Sanctity.
Rest in our soules bright star, and thither call
The Sunne of Iustice, that his heauenly light
May thence expell darkesin's Infernall night.
SONNET. 33. SALVS INFIRMORVM.
HEALTH OF THE SICK, the impotent, and lame
Thou oft hast heal'd, thou(a) cur'd the deaf and blind:
What infirme person euer humbly came
To thee for help, who did not succour find?
In thy chast wombe th' worlds al preseruing King?
The eternall health did of our soules beginne:
Thou did'st to all the great(b) phisitian bringe,
Who cures the world from leprosies of sinne.
Thou by the vertue of that soueraigne fruit
Which thou brought'st forth(c) heald'st vp the rankling soare.
Which by Eues fruit empoison'd was before.
Heare ô celestiall baulme, thy patients suite,
That when we sinn-sick are, thou would'st be sure
T' entreat thy sonne to take in hand our cure.
SONNET 34. REFVGIVM PECCATORVM.
REFVGE OF SINNERS, wee when e're we haue
In curre'd the iust displeasure of thy Sonne,
To thy protection, there our selues to saue,
As to a Sacred Sanctuarie runne.
Thou pardon beggst,(a) and where our merits are
Wholy defectiue, to entreat for grace,
Thou with thy owne supplyes thy only care
Is how from vs thou may'st al perils chace.
Thou art the port, where wee may safely lye,
Th' speedy repayrer of our wrecht estate,
To thee for ayd, and saueguard all do flye.
Open, blest refuge, thy compassion's gate,
That when wee are with Hell's assaults opprest,
Wee safe in thee may lye, and take our rest.
SONNET 35. CONSOLATRIX AFFLICTORVM.
O CONFORTRESSE OF AFFLICTED, thou
Send's spirituall(a) comfort in our miseries,
Thou doest reuenge our greatest miseries,
And stil thy help on al our dangers shewe.
What greater comfort can we euer haue,
Then t' thinke that when wee most afflicted are,
Wee haue a patronesse, whose only care
Is how shee may vs from all perils saue.
Our souls(b) craysd barke thou doest in tempests guide,
Thou the disperser of our sadst annoye,
Thou art the sickly worlds health, peace, and ioye,
When the most dangerous troubles wee abide
Doe not, ô do not thy best helpe denie,
And wee'll all Hell's most powerfull power defye.
SONNET 36. AVXILIVM CHRISTIANORVM.
(a)SVCCOVR OF CHRISTIANS, who can e're expresse
The infinite(b) helps wee all receiue from thee?
From perils oft, of war thou set's vs free,
And dost the furie of our foes represse.
If e're we be in spirituall distresse,
Wee by thee(c) help't, by thee protected bee,
Thou reconcilest frends by thee we see
Dispaire expel'd, thou doest our wronges redresse.
At the hower of death, when our most dāgerous state
Requires most succour, thou still readie art
To crosse our, then most busie, hellish foe.
Guide now our steps, and(e) when at deaths pale gate
Wee quaking stand, force thou our foe't depart,
That we to heauen with thee may ioyful goe.
SONNET 37. REGINA ANGELORVM.
O QVEENE OF ANGELLS, since thy blessed child,
Whose death, true life did to our dead souls bring
Is (al doe know it) a most powerfull thing
Thou wel, and iustly mayst a(a) queene be stil'd.
The highest, and most glorious Hierarchy
Of Angels cannot with thy height compare;
The greatest Angels, and the purest that are,
Thou doest by much surpasse in purity.
O how they al, in thee, thy sonne admire
Who gaue thee such a place, to whose great height
The great'st of them ner'e could, nor can aspire.
Aske thy sweete son, that when with Hell we fight,
He would vouchsafe his blessed Angels send
T'helpe vs, our soules against our foes defend.
SONNET 38. REGINA PATRIARCHARVM.
O QVEENE OF PATRIARCKS, how this blessed troope
Of fathers wisht to see thee whose chast wombe
(a)The Temple, throne, & heauen should become
Of the great power, to which all powers stoope.
On thee their hopes, and expectations laye,
(b)Thou art the honor, grace, and ornament
Of all their name, thou(c) not lesse eminent
In the perfection of true faith then they.
Thou in the whole course of thy lif's pure race
Them in their owne rar'st vertues did'st excell
And now in glorie doest them all surpasse.
Helpe that wee may, great Queene, such thoughts expell
As may against vs moue thy sons dread wrath,
And shew vs how to imitate thy Faith.
SONNET 39. REGINA PROPHETARVM.
O QVEENE OF PROPHETS, the art that pure white
At which the words of these great Saints did ayme,
How oft haue they, taught by th'alteaching spirite
(a)Extold the glorie of thy sacred name?
How oft haue they that virgin wisht to see
Which the(b) rare gemme, the fayrgrape bearing vine
The armorie of life, the radiant(c) starr should be
From whence to vs Christ's heauenly beames should shine.
Noe vertue they nor priuiledge enioy'd,
Which on thee (as on farr aboue them all)
In farr more great aboundance did not fall.
Graunt, gracious queene, our time may be employd
So that with these blest Saints wee euer may
To all the world thy matchles worth displaye.
SONNET 40. REGINA APOSTOLORVM.
QVEENE OF TH' APOSTLES, the dread King thy sonne
Being by them, he most affected, slayne
Thou, then the great'st on earth (thy sonne being gone)
Didst Queene & Mistresse to these saynts remayne.
When thou this world chang'dst for a heauenly croune,
(a) All, as at fun'ralls of their sou'rayne Queene,
Though they before to fortaine lands are gone,
Present at thy blest sepulcher were seene.
Although their zeale, as by their actes appeere,
Their loue of God and sanctity was great,
Yet they in all, by thee surpassed were.
Thy powerfull sonne, most gratious Queene, entreat [...]
That at our death we perfectly may see
How they all ioy, to be surpas't by thee.
SONNET 41. REGINA MARTYRVM.
O Queene of Martyrs who can e're expresse
The wondrous griefe, which when thy deerest sonne
To giue his seruants life gaue vp his owne,
Did all the powers of thy soule oppresse?
The sword of sorrow which then pearc't thy hart,
Causd' thee such paines as thou mayst well compare
With greatest Martyrs:(a) nay the great'st that are
Bee farre surpast by thee, in euery part.
Theyr glorie may(b) bee equalled to thyne
As may the starres vnto th' irradiant rayes
Of sol, when as he doth most clearely shine.
If euer Hell death-threatning stormes doe rayse
Against our constancy, thou for vs pray
And th' suttle force of all such tempestes stay.
SONNET 42. REGINA CONFESSORVM.
QVEENE OF CONFESSORS, thy diuine-wrought minde
Was with(a) all vertues soe exactly dec't,
Soe free from sinne, soe voyde of all defect,
As sinnes, to thee th' world could no equall finde.
Who had a more firme liuely fayth then thou?
Who was more glad, more ready for that fayth
To suffer paines? the cruell'st tyrant's wrath
Could n'ere haue force thy constancy to bowe.
The great'st Confessor neuer did excell
In any vertue(c) which we do not see
T'haue shin'd more truely, and more full in thee.
Obtayne we may our soules adorne soe well
With these thy vertues that when as we dye
We may through thee the deuill's force defye.
SONNET 43 REGINA VIRGINVM.
O QVEENE OF VIRGINS, thou the glorius(a) croune
And chief'st grace art of that spottles state;
Thy(b) sacred wombe to man was neuer knowne!
Yet hee's thy child, whoe doeth Hell's pride abate:
Thou though a mother, yet without compare
Then purest virgins wast by farre more pure
From the deceits of each intrapping snare:
Thy thoughts, words, deedes were euer all secure:
None but thy greatest sonne whose wondrous birth
Did not at all thy virgin-bands(c) vntye,
Deserued(d) in thy virgin wombe to lye.
Vouchsafe (chast queene) while yet we liue on Earth,
With all blest Virgins which still waite on thee,
Before thy sonne our aduocate to bee.
SONNET 44. REGINA SANCTORVM OMNIVM.
QVeene of all Saints, ô supreame gouernesse
Next to thy sonne, of all thy sonne hath made:
But onely he noe other can be sayd
Soe powerfull as thy selfe, Hell's force t' represse.
Thou not all women onely didst(b) excell
In vertue, but th' great'st saynts, yea(b) all that are:
Th' Æternall thee, his mountaine, did prepare
On topp of mountaines, there him selfe to dwel.
In fine there is 'twix't other saynts and thee,
As great a diff'rence, as betwixt the taste
And smell of th' most delicious fruits that bee.
Make intercession that wee may be plac't
Great Queene, among these saynts with them to sing.
Th' immortall prayses of thy sonne, our King.
(a),
FINIS.