A Diuine Poeme diuided into two Partes: The Rauisht Soule, and the Blessed VVeeper.
Compiled by Nicholas Breton ▪ Gentle-man▪
Imprínted at London, for Iohn Browne, and Iohn D [...]ne. 1601.
❧ TO THE RI [...]HT Honourable, discreete, and vertuous Lady, the Nourisher of the Learned, and fauourer of the Godly: my singuler good Lady, the Lady Mary, Countesse of Penbrooke: Nich: Breton wisheth all the good, that the heauens will & the world can giue, to the pleasure of the Highest, and her worthy heartes desire.
RIght Honorable, matter of most worth, to most worthy mindes, is most worthily presented. What matter, in worth may compare with diuine meditation? What minde more worthy honour, then the heauenly enclined? and whose minde more truly worthy of that blessed Title, then your Ladiships, I would there were many; but I know too fewe. Being th [...]n, in that excellent sense, truly your selfe, whom (for more worth, then I will speake of) the wise admire, the learned followe, the vertuous loue, and the honest serue; vouchsafe me leaue among those poore people, that being throwen from the world, looke only towards heauen & heauenly graces, to lay before your eyes a diuine humour of a rauisht soule: which (being aboue it selfe caried into the heauenly meditations of the mercies of the Almightie) by the blessing of his Holy Spirit, hath brought forth such fruits of his praise, as I hope wil be pleasing to your good fauour. To the honour of whose commaundement auowing the duty of my hearts seruice, in al humble thāk [...]lnesse for your bountifull vndeserued goodnesse, praying for your eternall happinesse, I take my leaue.
Your Ladiships, in all humblenesse, Nicholas Breton.
To the Reader.
YOV, that with a zealous loue of Religion, with an indifferent regard of Learning, and without disdaine of Poetry, will vouchsafe to bestow a little time, in the perusing of this little volume of verses; it may be, you wil not repent you of your Labour, nor thinke much of your cost, but when you haue once read it ouer, perhaps beginne it againe, and ende it without wearinesse. If you note it well, you may finde matter of comforte, and nothing to the contrarie: God truely glorified, in his manifould blessinges: and man greatly blessed, that being endued with his Graces, by faithe taketh hould of his mercies: the Athists confounded in their follies: and the vertuous blessed in their election. This if you finde not, blame either your selfe, or me: but if you note what I write, much good doe you in the Reading, and God encrease you in his blessing. And so in the best nature of loue, leauing you to the ioy of the best life, I end▪
Your frend, Nicholas Breton.
In Auctorem.
TWo hopefull Twinnes, [...]oynt issues of one braine,
A [...]auisht Soule, and longing Spirit sends,
Into your bosomes high and heauenly traine,
That are wits k [...]nsemen, and the Muses friends.
Embrace them, loue them, and with iudgements view
Eye them. Beleeue me, Re [...]der, thou shalt finde
Their limmes well measur'd, and proportions t [...]u [...].
No part dissenting from their perfect kinde.
Onely the fashion sits not on their clothes,
To make them sightly to fantasticke eyes.
Pallas, not Venus, did the worke dispose,
Cutting their garments from Angellickè skies.
Plaine is their habite, yet Diuine and sweete.
Fit for the wise, but for the wisest meete.
H. T. Gent.
The rauisht Soule.
Gloria in excelsis Deo.
SIng, my soule, to God thy Lord,
All in glories highest keye:
Laie the Aungells quier aboorde:
In their highest holy daie:
Craue their helps, to tune thy heart,
Vnto praises highest parte.
Tell the world, no wo [...]ld can tell
What the hand of heauen deserueth:
In whose onely Mercies dwell,
All that heauen and earth preserueth;
Deaths confounding, Sinnes forgiuing;
Faiths relieuing, Comforts liuing.
Grace, and glory, life, and loue
Be the su [...]me of all thy dittie;
Where a sinners teare [...] may proue
Comforts [...]oy in merci [...]s pitty:
Euery note in lou [...] alluding,
Endlesse glory in concluding▪
Prayse of prayses where thou dwelles [...],
Tell me (if the world may know thee)
In what sense thou most [...]xcellest,
When thy wonder worth doeth shew thee▪
In that state of honours story,
Where thou gain'st thy highest glorie▪
[...]s not earth, nor earthly wonder,
Can discerne thy dearest honour:
All her praises are put vnder,
When thy glory lookes vpon her.
No [...] in heauen, thy glorie dwelleth;
Where thy wonder most excelleth.
Yet in heauen was neuer liuing
Virgin, Saint, nor Angels spirit;
VVhere thy Grace may haue the giuing
Of thine honours highest Merite.
Tis their glories admiration,
That deserues thy commendation.
Since then by all consequences,
In the notes of Glories nature,
And the Graces influences,
Tis no earth, nor heauenly creature;
In my God alone on high,
Is this onely mysterie.
And since in his Maiestie,
All, and onely euer dwelleth
That most glorious Deity,
That all prayses praise excelleth;
Say, although thy soule attend him,
It can neuer comprehend him.
If thou speak'st of power, all powers
To his power, are in subiection:
If thou speak'st of time, all houres
Run their course by his direction:
If of wisedome, all is vanitie;
But in his Diuine humanitie.
If of trueth, it is his triall:
If of loue, it is his treasure:
If of life, it is his diall:
If of grace, it is his pleasure:
If of goodnesse, tis his storie:
If of mercy, tis his glorie.
If of iustice, Iudgement sheweth
His proceeding is impartiall:
If of valour, all hell knoweth
Who is heauens high Marshall:
If of bountie, tis his blessing:
If of place, tis his possessing.
If of pat [...]ence, his perfection:
If of comfort, tis his fauour:
If of vertue, his affection:
If of sweete, it is his [...]auour:
If of triumph, tis his merite:
If perfection, tis his spirit.
If aboue all these thou singest,
Rauisht in thy reasons glory:
Tell the world, what ere thou bringest,
Admirations wonders story,
To such height my Sauiour raiseth,
As aboue all praises prayseth.
Let all kings, and princes then▪
In submission fall before him;
Virgins, Angels, holy men,
Both in heauen and earth adore him▪
In his onely mercie seeing▪
All, and onely all your being.
Babes and children, shew his Glory,
In your silly soules preseruing.
Men and Women note this storie
Of the life of loues deseruing:
Heauen and earth be euer reading
Of this essence of exceeding.
Sunne, and Moone, and euery creature,
In that shining starrie skie,
All confesse your brightnesse feature,
In the hand of mercies eye:
And for all your blessed powers,
Shew it Gods, and none of yours.
And when all the world together
Ioyne, with Angels harmonie:
Let my soule come singing thither,
With that blessed company;
God, in mercies power victorious,
Be aboue all Glory glorious. Amen.
Sacred Muse, that onely sittest,
In the Spirits of the Blessed:
And the faithfull onely fittest,
With their thoughts to heauen addressed;
Helpe my humble soule to sing▪
To my Glorious heau'nly King.
All abandon earths coniecture,
Thinke not on so meane an instance:
Make thine honours Architecture,
But on Graces glorious substance:
There, in comforts confirmation,
Build thy heauenly habitation.
Study not Astronomy,
Least to darkenesse turne thy light:
But tha [...] high Diuinitie,
Where the day hath neuer night:
There finde out that worke of worth,
That may bring thy wonder forth.
In the teares of true contrition,
Think on Mercies blessednes:
And in care of loues condition,
Of perfections holinesse:
Then, in notes of Graces glory,
Make the state of all thy story.
Il Christiano al honore di Christo.
BEfore there was a light, there was a light,
Which saw the world, the world could neuer see▪
From which the world receiues his brightest sight;
Yet cannot see, what brightnesse there may be.
From this faire light, there came a liuing loue;
A loue, which giues the liuing all their seeing:
And in the life of all th [...]ir seeing prooue
The onely essence of their onely being.
From this bright loue, there came a liuing word:
A word that doeth in wisedome signifie,
What heauen and earth in wonder can afford,
Is, but in life this loue to dignifie.
For in this Word was that Almightie power,
Which was before that power was euer named:
Begun before the first beginning houre,
Framing each substance that was euer framed.
And in that word, that onely wisedome dwelleth,
That onely knowes, what onely may be knowne:
And in that knowle [...]ge, knowledge all excelleth;
Because it knowes, all knowledge is his owne.
This worthy word of wisedomes wonderment
(To giue some notice of his powerfull nature)
In wisedome, made his will an instrument,
To shew himselfe, vnto his silly creature.
This holy essence of the Deitie,
In Virgins wombe did take the vaile of flesh:
Bringing the dewe of blessed charitie,
Our withring spirits sweetly to refresh▪
This highest height of heauenly Maiestie,
This word of wisedomes, gracious, glorious loue,
Inuested in all vertues vnitie,
That perfect God, and perfect man approue,
From the sweet bosome of his Fathers brest,
Eternall Babe, of all eternall blisse;
All blessed babe, that made the mother ble [...]t,
By that sweet blessed holy loue of his▪
From the high Throne of heau'nly glories seate,
Vnto this world, this worthlesse world descended,
With their crosse spirits kindely to intreat
For their owne good, that highly him offended.
This blessed Infant of Eternitie,
And onely glorious Essence of the same,
By the cleare light of his all-seeing eye,
Beholding all things, all, so out of frame,
Vnto his seruants, to make knowne his loue,
And to redeeme what lacke of loue had lost,
In tender age, and elder yeeres did prooue
How patience care might be in passions crost.
When first sweet Infant in the mothers armes,
Fed with the milke of pure Virginitie,
How did he scape the Tyrant Herods harmes?
That little knew of his Diuinitie.
But, Oh, when first his presence sweet appear'd,
Vnto the silly shepheards in the field:
With how much ioy, were all their spirits chear'd,
Whose humble eyes his heauenly face beheld.
While in the heauens the Angels sung for ioy,
That peace by him vnto the world was come:
By him, who should both death and hell destroy,
And be the Sauiour of his Chosen summe.
The Virgin mother ioyed in her childe;
And in her ioy did call her sonne her Sauiour:
Whose gracious spirit in her countenance milde,
Did shew the blessing of her meeke behauiou [...].
Oh blessed Sonne, the Fathers best belou'd,
In whom, he all and onely did delight:
How many wayes his workes in wonder proou'd:
He held the scepter of his Fathers right.
In simplenesse, all harmelesse as the Doue:
In learning, putting all the Doctours downe:
In power, the hand of highest heau'ns behoue:
In state, the king of kings in glories crowne.
In patience, the true proofe of su [...]erance:
In truth, the touch-stone of all vertues trialll:
In loue, director of lifes ordinance:
In life, the hande of the eternall Diall.
In charitie, the giuer of all good:
In bountie, the bestower of all blisse:
In mercie, faithes eternall blessed food:
In grace, the guide, that cannot leade amisse.
In wisedome, founder of all wit and sense:
In will, the worker of all wonders worth:
In essence, all the Summe of excellence:
In all, that good, that bringes all glorie forth.
This essence all incomprehensible,
Yet, willing in his mer [...]ies to be knowne;
That glorie might not be offensible,
That in a shadowe onely should be showne,
First, in the time of feeble Infancie,
When natures weaknesse fled a feared force:
Then, in the yeeres of Reasons constancie;
When gratious mercie gloried in Remorse,
Came to the worlde, to call the worlde to come,
Vnto his Call, that had the heauens at Call:
Healing the sicke, the blinde, lame, deafe, and dumme,
And rais'd them vp, that readie were to fall.
Contented with the badge of pouertie;
Who might commaund both heauen and earth at wil:
Lodg'd in a manger in humilitie:
Who in himselfe, both heauen and earth did fill.
Threatned with death, who was the life of life:
Sought to be slaine, who was the death of death:
The ground of peace, yet with the world at strife:
And suffred death, yet gaue the liuing breath.
Seeke heauen and earth, and finde out such another.
So might command, and so would be commanded:
Who was our King, yet would become our brother:
Might strike all dumbe, and yet wold be demanded.
VVould leaue such pleasure, and endure such paine,
And, for their liues, that crucified his loue:
VVith losse of life, to make their liuing gaine,
That prooued Turkies to their Turtle-doue.
VVho euer crau'd his help? and was denied:
VVho loued him so? but left him at his death:
VVho euer fail'd, whose faith on him relied?
Yet, who for him would spare one fauours breath?
Oh Lord, what madnesse could be more in men?
Then when they knew the trueth, to make a doubt;
And long in darkenesse, hauing light euen then,
To blinde themselues, to put the candle out.
And blessed women that his death bewailed,
While hearts deepe griefe, found comforts high perfection:
When passions teares so much with loue preuailed,
As first to them reueal'd his resurrection.
The mother wept, to see her sonne so vsed:
The sinner wept, to see her Sauiour dying:
The cousin wept, to see her kin abused:
All for his death fell to a deadly crying.
The Sunne eclipst, the day did loose his light;
And stones did rise against their makers foes:
The Temple rent, the people were affright,
And from the graues the troubled spirits rose.
All these were tokens of his holy trueth;
To make men know, how they were woe begon them:
But gracelesse spirits, voyd of gracious ruth,
Ventred to take the guiltlesse blood vpo [...] them▪
Here then behold th [...] m [...]iestie of blisse,
That pray'd for them, that pre [...]'d vpon him so:
Content with all might come to him amisse,
So his with him might to their comfort goe.
His life, the Lantherne of eternall light:
His death, the p [...]age [...]o eternall rest:
His grace, [...]h [...] [...]rke of the most blessed sight:
His loue, the life of the eternall bl [...]st.
His miracles, the witnesse of his power:
His Sacraments, remembrance of his loue:
His resurrection, his triumphant houre:
And his Ascension, Angels ioyes aboue.
His trauaile, all, to bring our soules to rest:
His prayer, for our preseruation:
His worke, to ioy the spirits of the blest:
His word the assured trueth of our s [...]uation.
His warre a fight, but onely for our peace:
His peace, th [...] ioy, wherin our soules doe liue▪
His woundes, the salue, that doth our woes release:
His triumph, freely of his grace to giue.
Oh, should I runne into that world of worth,
Wherin his glory duely doth increas [...]:
I should more wonder of most worth bring forth,
Then thought can reach, vntill all thinking cease.
But, since true loue requi [...]ed with vnkindnesse,
Grace with disgrace, Comfort with miserie:
Wisedome with folly, Truth with falshoods blin [...]nes▪
Honour with shame, and right with iniury:
Since all the contraries of true content,
That wit and reason, rightly maie receiue,
His heauenly mercy, truely patient,
All for our good, full meekely did receiue.
And being gon from our vngratious handes,
Vnto the right hand of his fathers rest:
There in his hourely intercession standes,
For our remission making lo [...]es request.
And by his worde, the Message of his will,
Sent by the Preachers of his prooued truthe,
Doth call our soules, from all accursed ill,
Vnto the good of gracious mercies ruth.
And bids our faith, to feare no hurt of sinne,
And leaues vs lessons in the [...]les of grace:
VVhere true repentance doth remission winne,
And humble faith doth finde in heauen a place.
And lets vs see each day, and euerie night,
A kinde of figure, both of heauen and hell:
And how that sinnes doe alwaies fly the light,
VVhile blessed graces doe in brightnes dwell:
And howe the vertuous in the heauens are blessed,
And how the vicious in their horrors hated:
And howe the Iust shall haue their wrongs redressed,
And how the proude shall haue their pride abated.
How Charitie shall be in heauen rewarded:
How patience care shall richly be contented:
How Bribrie shall be vtterly discarded,
And Tyrannie shall be in hell tormented.
How humble faith shall be in heau'n beloued,
And gracious spirits blessedly embraced:
And faithlesse spirits from all grace remooued,
And gracelesse spirits vtterly disgraced.
When life shall be pronounc' [...] to the elected;
And loue shall take the charge of the beloued:
And hell receiue the soules of the reiected,
To endlesse paines of gracelesse will reproued:
VVhen this (I say) and all that can be sayd,
That may reuiue the vertuous in their death:
And iustly make the reprobate afraide,
VVith looking downe into their hell beneath.
Our Lo [...]d hath left vs in those lines of loue,
That heau'nly wisedom wrote for our instruction:
Yet we, all carelesse of our soules be [...]oue,
VVill headlong runne vpon our owne destruction.
VVhat shall I say? but, let the Atheist frie
VVithin [...]he coles of his owne conscience fire:
Torments too true, too late will make him trie,
He cannot scape the furie of Gods ire.
And let the faithfull in their fearelesse hope,
Assure their spirits of especiall Grace:
The breadth of heauen doeth bea [...]e so large a scope,
That none so poore but there shall haue a place.
And let the prince not glory in his crowne,
But lay it at the feet of mercies loue:
And let the haughtie pull those humours downe,
That onely worke for wicked hels behoue.
Oh, let the faire leaue painting of their faces,
And onely seeke the beautie of the minde:
For God alon [...] doeth loue the inward graces,
And not the shadowes, that the eye doe blinde.
And let the rich not let his riches rust,
But seeke the wealth, but of the spirits worth.
Fo [...] God doth know, your treasu [...]e is but dust,
And ye but stewards for to let it forth.
And let the wise, so well employ their wits▪
They may attaine the knowle [...]e to doe well:
And shun the follies of those madding fits,
That leauing heauen doe run the way to hell.
Oh, let that Queene be truely Angel-like,
With graces Scepter, holdes the Sword of peace:
And, by her faith, in mercies hande doth seeke
A ioyfull Kingdome, that shall neuer cease.
And, let that Ladie thinke her selfe a Queene,
That hath possession of her spirite so;
That she could leaue all comfo [...]ts she hath seene,
And her owne selfe vnto her God to goe.
And let that Souldier most that valour loue,
Where God assistes the faithfull in their fight:
While lacke of faith in Coward feare doth prooue,
Each shadowe doth the faithlesse soule affright.
And, let the Lawyer looke on iustice lines,
And knowe that God will right the poore mans wrong;
And that such Lawyers, as are true Diuines,
Doe loue the Muses sing of mercies songe.
And, let the Marchant loue that traffique best,
Where trauaile findes the treasure of Gods grace:
VVhile greedie mindes, that fill the golden chest,
Shall neuer see their Sauiour in the face.
And, let the Scholler that doth studie most,
Finde out the truth of lifes eternall treasure:
And, thinke all labour in his studie lost,
VVhere God his grace giues not the spirit pleasure.
And, let the louer leaue his wanton looke,
VVith such illusions as enchaunt the minde:
And, onely loue the beautie of that Booke,
VVhere God alone is in his loue to finde.
Abhorre the Diuell, and he will depart.
Grace is as neere as sinne, if you will craue it;
So faith doe begge it with repentant heart:
For feare, nor pride are euer like to haue it.
Crie vnto Christ, whome you haue crucified:
In teares of loue, reueale your hate of sinne:
So, in your greefe, when grace is glo [...]ified,
Be sure, in mercie doth your blisse beginne.
Beleeue his worde, seeke to obey his will,
And know the worke is his, and none of yours:
Striue to doe well, and flye the way to ill:
And be submissiue to supernall powe [...]s.
Be patient in the crosse of any care;
Repentant in remembrance of amisse:
Const [...]nt in faith; loue God without compare;
And giue all glory to that name of his.
Hate him that speakes against his Maiestie,
Loue him in soule, that will forsake him neuer:
And know, the scorners of the Deity
Shall all be damn'd, and frie in hell for euer.
Goe to your closet, louely there alone,
Bleede forth in teares, the trueth of your beliefe:
And you shall see, your smallest spirits groane
Will finde a grace to ease you of your griefe.
For he that knowes the secrets of your thought,
And knowes the natures of your sinnes disease,
Will neuer see your spirit ouer-wrought;
But in the instant giue you present ease.
You shal be the deare daughter of his loue,
And like a father he will looke vpon you:
And in his mercy so much comfort proue,
That you shall neuer more be woe-begon you.
Your soule in heauen shall halfe already be,
The Angels ginne to set your part to sing:
Your spirits eye shall, in som [...] grace [...], se [...]
Some shadowing glory of your heauenly king.
And you all rauisht with your heauenly ioy,
Will so his gracious, glorious Name [...]dore▪
That being healed of your soules annoy,
This hatefull world shall be your loue no more.
And you, of men, that haue bene long admir'd,
For many worthes, well worthy admiration,
Shall then of Angels be as much desir'd▪
For heauenly grounds of graces confirmation.
And God himselfe, so neere himselfe will set you,
In graces seate, where mercy so will loue you,
That faiths regard will neuer more forget you;
Nor [...]inne, nor death, nor deuill shall remoue yo [...].
But where the Saints and Angels are reciting
The heau'nly trueth of high I [...]houahs story:
Your rauisht soule, in such diuine [...]diting,
Shall euermore be singing of his [...]lory.
To the assured hope of which high grace,
In humble prayer, let my poore humble penne,
In your good fauour, begge that blessed place,
Where my poore heart, may happ'ly say, Amen.
Gloria in excelsis Deo.
The blessed Weeper.
MY thoughts amaz'd, I knowe not how, of late,
Halfe in a slumber, and more halfe a sleepe,
My troubled senses, at a strange debate,
VVhat kind of care should most my spirit keepe,
Me thought, I sawe a silly woman weepe,
And with her weeping, as it seem'd, so pleas'd,
As if her heart had with her teares beene eas'd.
The place, neere which she sate, was like a graue,
But all vncouer'd, and the bodie gone:
VVhere, in her care, she nothinge seem'd to craue,
But, that stolne bodie how to looke vpon.
VVhen, weeping so, appear'd to her anon
Two blessed Angels, and one Lord of blisse,
VVho came to comfort this poore wretch of his.
But ere they came, how she in bitter teares
Bewail'd the losse, or lacke of her de [...]re loue:
As to her words my vision witnesse beares,
And my remembrance, may for truth approoue,
The whole discourse, her passions seem'd to moue,
In hearts deepe griefe, & soules high [...]oy conceiued,
Was as I write▪ were not my thoughts deceiued.
If euer sorrow in a sin [...]ers hart
Liud', to distill those droppes of bitter teares,
That to the world in passions can impart
Part of that paine, the troubled spirit beares;
Smoothring the woes, wherein all pleasure weares,
Oh let her shewe the deepest of her skill,
In drawing out the essence of mine ill.
The losse of health the heart may somewhat craze,
The losse of wealth distemper may the minde;
The losse of honou [...] is a fearefull Maze;
The losse of freends, a care of greeuous kinde:
But, all these woes, vpon one heart to winde,
Were much to thinke: but much more to beleeue,
How it could liue, whom farre more Crosses greeue.
But, from the bagge of naked pouertie,
To haue more wealth, then all the world can giue:
And from the care of all calamitie,
In all the comfort of content to liue,
Where settled ioy all greefe away doth driue,
And sodenly, growe sicke, and poore againe,
Who c [...]n conceiue the plague of such a paine?
I wretched, I, the out-cast of all grace,
And banisht for my sinne, from heauenly blisse▪
I, that to Hell, did headlong runne my race,
Not caring how my soule was led amisse,
While I was cosoned, by the Serpents hisse;
I Caitiffe wretch, of all the world the worst,
By sinnes iust doome [...]o endlesse sorrow curst.
I, wretched soule, whome sinne had bared so,
As left me naked of all Natures grace:
I sinke of sinne, and also full of woe,
As knew not how in heauen to haue a place;
And in the depth of all this desperate case,
To be relieu'd, and cloth'd, grac't, and belou'd,
And on the sodaine, from all these remou'd.
To lose the Vesture of that vertues grace,
That cloth'd my naked soule, asham'd of sinne;
To lose the beautie, of that blessed face,
Where mercies loue did comforts life beginne:
To lose the ioyes, that heauens were glad to winne;
To lose the life of such a louely Freend,
Oh let me weepe, and neuer make an end.
The child, that hath his Father deerely louing,
Who sees his faults, and greatly doth abhorre them,
Yet so from wrath, will haue his thoughts remoouing,
As he will neither checke, nor chide him for them;
But puts them backe, while pitie standes before them:
And doth not onely all his faults forgiue,
But makes him kindely in his grace to liue▪
That happie Child, that in his heart hath felt
The blessed life of such a Fathers loue,
Thinke how his heart must needes in sorrow melt,
That must the losse of such a Father prooue,
And curse the death doth such a life remooue:
And, as a Creature, in all comforts freendlesse,
Bleede out his time, in teares of sor [...]ow endlesse.
That wicked Child of too much ill am I,
That had a Father held me all too deere:
Who from my sinnes, did turne his angrie eye,
And on my sorrow shew'd a smyling cheere,
And to his grace did take my soule so neere,
As when asham'd to come his face before,
He sayd but this, Take heede thou sinne no more.
My sinnes forgiuen, what ioy my soule receiu'd,
None can expresse but the repentant heart:
Nor can that sorrow euer be conceiu'd,
To see that Father from that Child depart;
But in that soule, that in the bitter smart
Of the true feeling of that Fathers loue,
Had rather death, then his departure prooue.
The carelesse Seruant, that the goods misspends,
Which his kinde Maister to his trust committ [...] ▪
And his neat house to Theeues and Varlets lends,
And cares for nought, but what his humour fitteth,
That gracious Lord, that all such faults remittteth,
And in his goodnesse doth so deerely loue him,
That from his fauour nothing shall remooue him.
So [...]ll a Seruant, that doth finde the loue
Of such a Lord, as neuer like was found▪
And in the midst of all his ioy must prooue
The death, to see his comfort all a ground,
His blessed Lord, by Theeues and Varlets bound,
Scoft, scourg'd, & beaten, sorrowing, sighing, dying;
How can that Seruant cease continuall crying?
That wicked Seruant, w [...]etched wretch am I:
That louing Maister, was my liuing Lord:
Whose gratious giftes, abus'd vngratiously,
VVhose house, my soule, fowle spirits laide aboard,
Fild full of sinnes, of graces all abhord:
Yet for all this, and all that I [...]ould doe,
My Lord forgaue me, and did loue me too.
He cleans'd my soule, from all my filthy sinne:
And with my teares, did wash it cleane againe,
Draue out the Feends, and kindly entred in,
With grace to heale, that sorrow would haue slaine:
And in his loue, did so my teares retaine,
That euerie droppe that fell vpon his feete,
Vnto my soule did giue a heauenly [...]weet.
Now, such a Maister, as was neuer such;
So good, vnto a Seruant, none so ill:
So much abus'd, abuses, oh too much;
A cursed crue, to worke their hellish will,
Like rauening VVoolues, a silly Lambe to kill,
Foule darkenesse so, to gouerne ouer light,
VVho would not weepe to death at such a sight?
A sorrie Sister that hath such a brother,
As for her loue would venter losse of life,
And her vnkindnesse so in kindnesse smother,
As twixt their lo [...]es, should kill all cause of strife;
Though her ill course were his hearts cutting knife:
To see that brother lose his liuing breath,
How can that Sister choose but weepe to death?
That Sister I, that brother was my Lord,
VVho in his loue laide downe his life for me.
VVhose death, oh C [...]osse of crosses to record,
Ah wretch that euer I was borne to see:
Though by his death, my life must onely be.
To lose a Father, Maister, Brother such,
Child, Seruant, Sister, how ca [...] I weepe too much?
Shame bad me weepe ynough, to see how sinne
Besmeered had my soule with ougly spottes,
And weepe to feele how I was feltred in
The wretched snarles of wicked natures knots,
And weepe to looke vpon those loathsome blots,
That fild me so with greefe of all disgrace,
I durst not see my Sauiour in the face.
At whose sweete feete I kneeling wept with feare,
I had offended to presume so neere,
But, sinne so fled away at euerie teare,
That grace beganne my heauie heart to cheere:
When my deere Lord sayd not, VVhat dost thou here?
Or get thee hence: or like a dogge out spurne mee:
But from my sinne vnto his mercie turne me.
He felt my tea [...]es, though no man heard my weeping,
And gaue me grace, though no man for me mou'd him.
Which made me know, he had my soule in keeping▪
Though sinne too long, too far from me remou'd him.
For sinne once fled, how deare in soule I lou'd him,
His words can witnesse, that my soule did tuch,
Much is forgiuen her, for she loued much.
He loued much that me so much forgaue.
Such my forgiuer how much should I loue?
Forgaue my sinnes, and from the Feend did saue
My wounded soule that could no comfort prooue,
Till grace and mercie did my greefe remooue.
But, when I felt my paine of sinne once past,
In mercies grace, I wept with ioy as fast.
But, oh my soule, vnworthy of this sweete,
Could not enioy these ioyfull teares too long:
For sinne and sorrow did so soundly meete,
As made my heart to sing another songe,
VVhen I beheld, the too apparant wronge,
My Lord, my Loue, my life, my King and God,
For my poore soule, and for my sinnes abode.
To see the Lambe, that bleated but our blisse,
Brought all by Woolues, vnto a bleeding end:
To see that cruell shamefull death of his,
VVho did his course but for our comfort bend,
And held our foe, that was our deerest Freend:
VVho did such good, and to receiue such ill,
VVeepe heart to death, and die in weeping still.
Vngratefull wretches, worthlesse of al grace,
Rebellious Subiects, Traytours to your King,
Could yee behold his workes before your face,
VVhat choise of good his charitie did bring?
And from your hearts could so much venom springe,
As with the Lord of peace, to stirre such strife,
To seeke his death, who onely gaue you life?
Slaues, Dogg [...]s, and Diuels, worse if I could call yee,
That so haue showne the malice of your mindes,
I cannot wish more ill then shall befall yee,
That are the impes of such accursed kindes,
As ougly Sathan with illusions blindes:
I weepe not for your sorrow; but to see,
That all yee did not die, to set him free.
And better had it beene for yee to die,
Then haue beene borne to bringe him to his death,
And by your deeds to die eternally,
Or liue in death within the Hell beneath,
Where neuer ayer shal breath you wholesome breath:
But by your choise of torments make you know,
VVhat yee haue done to breede my weeping so.
Alas, what sinne but did my soule possesse?
But that accursed crucifying sinne,
That would not let your wicked soules confesse
His glorious grace, whose grace did first beginne,
By true desert, all glorie due to winne:
And by such grace did winne my soule so to him,
My death were sweete if it might seruice doe him.
Oh that my teares, kept number with my sinnes:
Or that my sinnes were drowned in my teares:
Then should my weeping shew how ioy beginnes,
In faithfull heart, where fearefull sorrow weares,
And comforts blisse, so much contentment beares,
That hope shold shew, that halfe a heauen do [...]h win;
Better to weepe in grace, then laugh in sinne.
But, what speake I of either sinne or grace?
My sinnes too greeuous, and my gace is gone:
My life [...]s dead, the earth is all too base,
For my loues Lord, to deigne to looke vpon,
Where liues not one good creature, no not one▪
And what should I but weepe to liue to see,
I cannot see where my sweete Lord may be.
But since mine eyes haue liued to behold
The heauenly substance of my life and loue,
Wherein my faith doth gratiously vnfould
The onely blessing of my soules behoue,
All in the glorie of the heauens aboue,
Why should I liue and looke vpon the light?
Now I haue lost the ioy of such a sight.
No, I doe hope my darkenesse will not hold,
The night will passe and Sunne againe will shine.
Although my heart in comfort be a cold,
My soule doth tell me, that these teares of mine
Shall all be dri'd vp by his hand diuine:
Who so will cure me of my sinfull sore,
That I shall ioy in grace, and weepe no more.
But he is gone, my spirits onely sweete▪
And I am left, a wretched sinner heere:
Oh that my teares could with my comfort meete,
And I might see my sauing health so neere,
As with his sight my heauie heart might cheere:
Then should I loue mine eyes for such a seeing:
Without which sight, they ioy not in their being.
Let me then seeke, where I may hope to see
The onely substance of my ioying sight:
And neuer rest nor euer wearie be,
Vntill I come vnto that starre of light,
Which may direct my heart and spirit right,
Vnto that place, where gracious loue will show
My soule his presence, that it loueth so.
To clime to heauen it is too high a place:
Sinne weighes me downe to loue, to seeke him there:
For hell, it is vnworthy of such grace:
And for the world, my sorrow witnesse beare,
It is not worthy of his name to heare.
Then since, nor heere, nor there▪ without all doubt,
Within the graue I must goe seeke him ou [...].
Oh ground, more gracious then the world besides,
Which do'st enclose that all the world commaundes:
And blessed earth, that in thy Center hides
His Corpse, for whom my weeping soule demaunds:
Tell me, oh heauens, into what holy handes,
He is conuey'd, and where he now may be,
VVhome thus my heart with teares desires to see?
Thus weeping still, two Angels did appeare,
VVho, as it seem'd, desirous for to know
The monefull cause of this her mourning cheere,
Wherefore she wept, and what she sought for so;
Briefely she thus her greefe beganne to shewe
(Wringing her hands, with many a bitter teare)
Her Lord was stolne, and laid she knew not where.
O blessed Angels▪ blessed as yee be,
Tell me where is my highest blisse become?
Your Lord and mine, oh tell me where is he,
May cheere the heart that sorrow doth benumme:
Starue not my teares, vouchsafe my soule one crumme
Of comforts care, to let me truely know,
VVhere is my Lo [...]d, that I lament for so.
But doe yee aske me whome I seeke for so?
Or why I weepe? Because I cannot finde him.
O heauenly creature helpe my soule to knowe
But where he is, that I may come behinde him,
That he may know, but how my loue doth mind him:
If dead, I may vnto his tombe restore him,
And if aliue, I may on knees adore him.
Oh happie Gardiner of this holy ground,
Blest art thou borne, if thou hast liu'd to see
That blessed bodie where it may be found,
That here lay buried: tell me (if thou be,
Sent from my Lord to come and comfort me)
VVho hence hath stolne the substance of my blisse▪
And where bestowed that holy Corps of his.
But doe you aske me why I weepe so much?
And what I [...]eeke? I seeke my soules delight:
And weepe, because I finde not any such,
As can direct me to so sweete a sight:
This is the cause of my hearts heauie plight.
Oh tell me then, and put me out of doubt,
Dead, or aliue, where I may finde him out.
Thus while her ey [...]s continuall weeping kept,
Came Christ himselfe, although a while vnknowne:
VVho askt her what she sought, and why she wept:
She, as before vnto the Angels showne,
Began in teares to make her pitious mone;
Her Lord wa [...] stoln, & born [...] she knew not whither,
But if he knew, he would di [...]ect her thither.
But, while the Lord of all her life and loue,
Beheld her teares, the witnes of her truth,
To make her faith in heauenly fauour prooue
The sweete reward of mercies sacred ruth,
And know what life of such a loue ensueth,
Spake but one word, but that word was so sweete,
As would haue made her soule to kisse his feete.
Marie, quoth he, Oh Maister, blessed voice,
From which my heart recei [...]es so sweet a sound,
As makes my soule in rauisht ioy reioyce,
To thinke to liue, that I my Lord haue found:
Oh let my sinnes be in my te [...]es so drown'd,
That in my ioyes, my [...]oule be eue [...] weeping,
To haue thy presence in my Comforts keeping.
I will not presse one foote beyond the line
Of thy loues leaue, vouchsafe me but a looke
Of that sweete heauenly holy eye of thine,
Of my deere Loue the euer- [...]iuing Booke:
VVherein my teares haue such t [...] comfort tooke,
That, let the world torment [...] nere so sore,
Let me see thee, and I desire no more.
Oh, sight more pretious then tongue can expresse,
VVherein the eye doth comfort so the heart,
The heart, the soule, and all in their distresse,
Doe find an ease, and end of euerie smart,
VVhen [...]ie and heart, and soule and euerie part
Conclude in ioy, that comfort did beginne;
Better to weepe in grace, then laugh in sinne.
And with that word, she vanisht so away,
As if that no such woman there had beene.
But yet me thought, her weeping seem'd to say,
The Spirit was of Marie Magdalen;
VVhose bodie now, although not to be seene,
Yet by her speech, it seemed it was she,
That wisht all women might such VVeepers be.
FINIS.