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diff --git a/38549-8.txt b/38549-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..ea8f243 --- /dev/null +++ b/38549-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11954 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Complete Works of Richard Crashaw, Volume +I (of 2), by Richard Crashaw, Edited by Alexander Balloch Grosart + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: The Complete Works of Richard Crashaw, Volume I (of 2) + + +Author: Richard Crashaw + +Editor: Alexander Balloch Grosart + +Release Date: January 13, 2012 [eBook #38549] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE COMPLETE WORKS OF RICHARD +CRASHAW, VOLUME I (OF 2)*** + + +E-text prepared by Taavi Kalju, Rory OConor, and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net) from page images generously made +available by Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries +(http://www.archive.org/details/toronto) + + + +Note: Project Gutenberg also has Volume II of this work. + See http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/38550 + + + Images of the original pages are available through + Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries. See + http://www.archive.org/details/completeworksfor01crasuoft + + +Transcriber's note: + + In two places there is text enclosed by equal signs. That + text is in bold face. Elsewhere equal signs are used as + equal signs. + + + + + +The Fuller Worthies' Library. + +THE COMPLETE WORKS OF RICHARD CRASHAW. + +In Two Volumes. + +VOL. I. + +MEMORIAL-INTRODUCTION. +STEPS TO THE TEMPLE. CARMEN DEO NOSTRO. +THE DELIGHTS OF THE MUSES. AIRELLES. + + + + + + + +London: +Robson and Sons, Printers, Pancras Road, N.W. + + + + +The Fuller Worthies' Library. + +THE COMPLETE WORKS OF RICHARD CRASHAW. + +For the First Time Collected +and Collated with the Original and Early Editions, +and Much Enlarged with + +I. Hitherto unprinted and inedited Poems from Archbishop Sancroft's +MSS. &c. &c. + +II. Translation of the whole of the Poemata et Epigrammata. + +III. Memorial-Introduction, Essay on Life and Poetry, and Notes. + +IV. In Quarto, reproduction in facsimile of the Author's own +Illustrations of 1652, with others specially prepared. + +Edited by the + +REV. ALEXANDER B. GROSART, + +St. George's, Blackburn, Lancashire. + +In Two Volumes. + +VOL. I. + + + + + + +Printed for Private Circulation. +1872. + +156 copies printed. + + + + + TO + THE VERY REVEREND + + JOHN HENRY NEWMAN, D.D. + + AS AN EXPRESSION OF GRATITUDE FOR + FUNDAMENTAL INTELLECTUAL AND SPIRITUAL + QUICKENING AND NURTURE + FOUND IN AND SUSTAINED BY HIS WRITINGS + EARLIER AND LATEST, + THIS EDITION + OF A POET HE LOVES AS ENGLISHMAN AND CATHOLIC + IS DEDICATED BY + ALEXANDER B. GROSART. + + + + +CONTENTS. + + +Those marked [*] are printed for the first time from MSS.; those marked +[+] have additions for the first time given in their places. + + PAGE + +Dedication v + +Preface xi + +Memorial-Introduction xxvii + +Note xl + +The Preface to the Reader xlv + + +SACRED POETRY: I. _Steps to the Temple, and Carmen Deo +Nostro_, 1-181. + ++Sainte Mary Magdalene, or the Weeper 3 + +Sancta Maria Dolorvm, or the Mother of Sorrows: a patheticall +Descant upon the deuout Plainsong of Stabat Mater Dolorosa 19 + ++The Teare 25 + ++The Office of the Holy Crosse 29 + +Vexilla Regis: the Hymn of the Holy Crosse 44 + +The Lord silences His Questioners 47 + +Our Blessed Lord in His Circumcision to His Father 48 + +On the Wounds of our crucified Lord 50 + +Vpon the bleeding Crucifix: a song 51 + ++To the Name above every name, the Name of Iesvs: a hymn 55 + +Psalme xxiii 65 + +Psalme cxxxvii 68 + ++In the Holy Nativity of ovr Lord God: a hymn svng as by +the Shepheards 70 + +New Year's Day 76 + ++In the gloriovs Epiphanie of ovr Lord God: a hymn svng as +by the three Kings 79 + +To the Qveen's Maiesty 91 + +Vpon Easter Day 94 + +Sospetto d'Herode 95 + +The Hymn of Sainte Thomas, in Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament 121 + +Lavda Sion Salvatorem: the Hymn for the Bl. Sacrament 124 + ++Prayer: an Ode which was prefixed to a little Prayer-book +given to a young Gentle-woman 128 + +To the same Party: Covncel concerning her Choise 134 + +Description of a Religiovs Hovse and Condition of Life (out +of Barclay) 137 + +On Mr. George Herbert's Booke intituled the Temple of Sacred +Poems: sent to a Gentle-woman 139 + ++A Hymn to the Name and Honor of the admirable Sainte +Teresa 141 + ++An Apologie for the foregoing Hymn, as hauing been writt +when the Author was yet among the Protestants 150 + ++The Flaming Heart: vpon the Book and Picture of the seraphical +Saint Teresa, as she is vsvally expressed with a +Seraphim biside her 152 + +A Song of Divine Love 157 + ++In the gloriovs Assvmption of ovr Blessed Lady 158 + ++Upon five piovs and learned Discourses by Robert Shelford 162 + +Dies iræ, dies illa: the Hymn of the Chvrch, in meditation +of the Day of Ivdgment 166 + +Charitas Nimia, or the dear Bargain 170 + +S. Maria Maior: the Himn, O gloriosa Domina 173 + +Hope [by Cowley] 175 + +M. Crashaw's Answer for Hope 178 + + +SACRED POETRY: II. _Airelles_, 183-194. + +*Mary seeking Jesus when lost 185 + +*The Wounds of the Lord Jesus 187 + +*On ye Gunpowder-Treason 188 + +*Ditto 190 + ++Ditto 192 + + +SECULAR POETRY: I. _The Delights of the Muses_, 195-276. + +Musick's Duell 197 + +In the Praise of the Spring (out of Virgil) 207 + +With a Picture sent to a Friend 208 + ++In praise of Lessius's Rule of Health 209 + +The Beginning of Heliodorus 212 + +Cupid's Cryer (out of the Greeke) 214 + +Vpon Bishop Andrews' Picture before his Sermons 217 + +Vpon the Death of a Gentleman 218 + +Vpon the Death of Mr. Herrys 220 + +Vpon the Death of the most desired Mr. Herrys 222 + +Another 225 + +His Epitaph 228 + ++An Epitaph vpon a yovng Married Covple, dead and bvryed +together 230 + +Death's Lectvre and the Fvneral of a yovng Gentleman 232 + +An Epitaph vpon Doctor Brooke 234 + +On a foule Morning, being then to take a Journey 235 + +To the Morning: Satisfaction for Sleepe 237 + +Love's Horoscope 240 + +A Song (out of the Italian) 243 + +Out of the Italian 245 + +Out of the Italian 246 + +Vpon the Frontispeece of Mr. Isaackson's Chronologie 246 + +On the same by Bishop Rainbow 248 + +An Epitaph vpon Mr. Ashton, a conformable Citizen 250 + +Out of Catullus 251 + +Wishes 252 + ++To the Queen: an Apologie for the length of the following +Panegyrick 259 + +To the Queen, vpon her numerous Progenie: a Panegyrick 260 + +Vpon two greene Apricockes sent to Cowley by Sir Crashaw 269 + +Alexias: The Complaint of the forsaken Wife of Sainte Alexis: +three Elegies 271 + + +SECULAR POETRY: II. _Airelles_, 277-303. + +*Upon the King's Coronation 279 + +*Ditto 280 + +*Vpon the Birth of the Princesse Elizabeth 282 + +*Vpon a Gnatt burnt in a Candle 284 + +*From Petronius 286 + +*From Horace 287 + +*Ex Euphormione. 289 + +*An Elegy vpon the Death of Mr. Stanninow, Fellow of Queen's +Colledge 290 + +*Upon the Death of a Friend 292 + +*An Elegie on the Death of Dr. Porter 293 + ++Verse-Letter to the Countess of Denbigh 295 + +Ditto from Carmen Deo Nostro 301 + + + + +ILLUSTRATIONS, _in the illustrated Quarto only_: Vol. I. + + +1. The Weeper: engraved by W.J. Linton, Esq., after the +Author's own Design 4 + +2. Sancta Maria Dolorvm; or the Mother of Sorrows 19 + +3. The Office of the Holy Crosse 29 + +4. The Recommendation 43 + +5. To the Name above every name, the Name of Iesus 55 + +6. The Hymn of Sainte Thomas 55 + +7. The 'irresolute' Locked Heart 55 + +8. In the Holy Nativity of ovr Lord God 71 + +9. In the gloriovs Epiphanie of ovr Lord God. 79 + +10. Head of Satan: drawn and engraved by W.J. Linton, Esq. 95 + +11. Sainte Teresa 141 + +12. Dies iræ, dies illa 166 + +13. Maria Maior, O gloriosa Domina 173 + +14. A second Illustration from the Bodleian copy 173 + +15. The Dead Nightingale: drawn by Mrs. Blackburn, engraved +by W.J. Linton, Esq. 197 + +Nos. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14 are reproduced in facsimile +from the author's own designs of 1652, by Pouncey of Dorchester, +expressly for our edition of Crashaw. Besides the above there are a +number of head- and tail-pieces by W.J. Linton, Esq. + + + + +PREFACE. + + +I have at last the pleasure of seeing half-fulfilled a long-cherished +wish and intention, by the issue of the present Volume, being Vol. I. of +the first really worthy edition of the complete Poetry of RICHARD +CRASHAW, while Vol. II. is so well advanced that it may be counted on +for Midsummer (_Deo favente_). + +This Volume contains the whole of the previously-published English +Poems, with the exception of the Epigrams scattered among the others, +which more fittingly find their place in Vol. II., along with the Latin +and Greek originals, and our translation of all hitherto untranslated. +Here also will be found important, and peculiarly interesting as +characteristic, additions of unprinted and inedited poems by CRASHAW +from Archbishop SANCROFT'S MSS., among the TANNER MSS. in the Bodleian. +These I have named 'Airelles,' after the little Alpine flowers that are +dug out beneath the mountain masses of snow and ice, with abiding +touches of beauty and perfume, as though they had been sheltered within +walls and glass. The formerly printed Poems have been collated and +recollated anxiously with the original and other early and authoritative +editions, the results of which are shown in Notes and Illustrations at +the close of each poem. Many of the various readings are of rare +interest, and collation has revealed successive additions and revisions +altogether unrecorded by modern editors. In their places I have pointed +out the flagrant carelessness of the last Editor, W.B. TURNBULL, Esq., +in Smith's 'Library of Old Authors.' + +As was meet, I have adhered to the first titles of 'Steps to the Temple' +and 'The Delights of the Muses,' the former embracing the SACRED, and +the latter the SECULAR Poems. The original Editor (whoever he was), not +the Author, gave these titles. In the Preface to 'the learned Reader,' +he says, '_we stile_ his sacred Poems, Steps to the Temple.' At one time +I was disposed to assign the editorship of the volumes of 1646 and 1648 +to SANCROFT; but inasmuch as both contained Bp. RAINBOW'S verses +prefixed to ISAACSON'S 'Chronologie,' while the piece is not in the +SANCROFT MS., it seems he could not have been the editor. His pathetic +closing words reveal much love: 'I will conclude all that I have +impartially writ of this learned young Gent. (_now dead to us_) as hee +himselfe doth, with the last line of his poem upon Bishop Andrewes' +picture before his Sermons, _Verte paginas_--Look on his following +leaves, and see him breath.' + +I would now give an account of previous editions of our Worthy, and our +use of them. The earliest of his publications--excluding minor pieces in +University Collections as recorded in our Essay--was a volume of Latin +Epigrams published at Cambridge in 1634 in a small 8vo. The name of +CRASHAW nowhere appears, but his initials R.C. are appended to the +Dedication to his friend LANEY. The title-page was as follows: +'Epigrammatum Sacrorum Liber. Cantabrigiæ, ex Academiæ celeberrimæ +typographo, 1634.' Besides the Epigrams, this now rare volume contained +certain of his 'Poemata' before the Epigrams. A second edition was +published in 1670 with a few additional Epigrams, and those in Greek. A +third edition appeared in 1674. Fuller details, with collation of each, +are given in Vol. II. in their places. + +Nothing more of any considerableness was published until 1646, two years +after the Poet's ejection. Then appeared a small volume of Poems, +chiefly English, arranged in two distinct classes, Sacred and Secular, +the latter with a separate title-page. In the Note which follows this +Preface, the title-pages of the volume will be found, along with those +of the subsequent editions of 1648 and 1670. With reference to the +volume of 1646, a mistake in the printing was thus pointed out: 'Reader, +there was a sudden mistake ('tis too late to recover it): thou wilt +quickly find it out, and I hope as soone passe it over; some of the +humane Poems are misplaced amongst the Divine.' These 'humane' poems, +that belonged not to the 'Steps' but the 'Delights of the Muses,' were +fifteen in all. They were assigned their own places in the new edition +of 1648. With two exceptions, we have adhered to the classification of +the 1648 edition: the exceptions are, that we have placed 'Vexilla +Regis' immediately after the 'Office of the Holy Crosse,' as belonging +properly to that composition; and the 'Apologie' for the Hymn to TERESA +after the first, not after the second Hymn, seeing the 'Apologie' is +only for the first. The new edition bore on its title-page the +announcement: 'The second Edition, wherein are added divers pieces not +before extant.' Our contents of the present Volume (immediately +following our Dedication) shows these additions, which were important +and precious; viz. twenty-nine new English Poems and eighteen new Latin +Poems. + +The next edition was published in PARIS in 1652. In our Note (as +_supra_) the title-page is given. This volume is an elegant one, and is +adorned with twelve dainty engravings after the Author's own designs, +though we possess a copy without the engravings, having blanks left. +This exceedingly rare book contains most of the Sacred Poems and some of +the more serious of the Secular Poems; but as the contents (as _supra_) +show, there were large omissions, notably the Sospetto and Musick's +Duel. It was edited by THOMAS CAR, who prefixes two poems of his own, as +follows: + + +I. CRASHAWE, THE ANAGRAMME 'HE WAS CAR.' + + Was CAR then Crashawe; or was Crashawe Car, 1 + Since both within one name combinèd are? + Yes, Car's Crashawe, he Car; 'tis loue alone + Which melts two harts, of both composing one. + So Crashaw's still the same: so much desired 5 + By strongest witts; so honor'd, so admired; + Car was but he that enter'd as a friend + With whom he shar'd his thoughtes, and did commend + (While yet he liu'd) this worke; they lou'd each other: + Sweete Crashawe was his friend; he Crashawe's brother. 10 + So Car hath title then; 'twas his intent + That what his riches pen'd, poore Car should print; + Nor feares he checke, praysing that happie one + Who was belou'd by all; disprais'd by none: + To witt, being pleas'd with all things, he pleas'd all, 15 + Nor would he giue, nor take offence; befall + What might, he would possesse himselfe, and liue + As deade (deuoyde of interest) t' all might giue + Desease t' his well-composèd mynd; fore-stal'd + With heauenly riches; which had wholy call'd 20 + His thoughts from earth, to liue aboue in th' aire + A very bird of paradice. No care + Had he of earthly trashe. What might suffice + To fitt his soule to heauenly exercise + Sufficèd him: and may we guesse his hart 25 + By what his lipps brings forth, his onely part + Is God and godly thoughtes. Leaues doubt to none + But that to whom one God is all; all's one. + What he might eate or weare he tooke no thought; + His needfull foode he rather found then sought. 30 + He seekes no downes, no sheetes, his bed's still made; + If he can find a chaire or stoole, he's layd. + When Day peepes in, he quitts his restlesse rest, + And still, poore soule, before he's vp, he's dre'st. + Thus dying did he liue, yet liued to dye 35 + In th' Virgin's lappe, to whom he did applye + His virgine thoughtes and words, and thence was styld + By foes, the chaplaine of the virgine myld, + While yet he liued without. His modestie + Imparted this to some, and they to me. 40 + Liue happie then, deare soule! inioy the rest + Eternally by paynes thou purchacedst, + While Car must liue in care, who was thy friend, + Nor cares he how he liue, so in the end + He may inioy his dearest Lord and thee; 45 + And sitt and singe more skilfull songs eternally.[1] + + +II. AN EPIGRAMME + +Vpon the Pictures in the following Poemes, which the Authour first made +with his owne hand, admirably well, as may be seene in his Manuscript +dedicated to the Right Honourable Lady the L. Denbigh. + + 'Twixt pen and pensill rose a holy strife 1 + Which might draw Vertue better to the life: + Best witts gaue votes to that, but painters swore + They neuer saw peeces so sweete before + As thes fruits of pure Nature; where no Art 5 + Did lead the vntaught pensill, nor had part + In th' worke ... + The hand growne bold, with witt will needes contest: + Doth it preuayle? ah no! say each is best. + This to the eare speakes wonders; that will trye 10 + To speake the same, yet lowder, to the eye. + Both in their aymes are holy, both conspire + To wound, to burne the hart with heauenly fire. + This then's the doome, to doe both parties right: + This to the eare speakes best; that, to the sight. 15 + + THOMAS CAR.[2] + +It is clear from these lines in the former poem-- + + 'Car was but he that enter'd as a friend + With whom he shar'd his thoughtes, _and did commend_ + (_While yet he liu'd_) THIS WORKE___________________ + ____________________________________________________ + So Car hath title then; '_twas his intent + That what his riches pen'd, poore Car should print_'-- + +that the volume of 1652 carries the authority of CRASHAW with it as his +own Selection from what he had written. So that I have had no hesitation +in accepting its text of the Poems previously published (in 1646 and +1648): understanding that the Selection was regulated by his desire only +to offer the COUNTESS OF DENBIGH those he himself most valued. There are +inevitable misprints and a chaos of punctuation; but the text as a whole +is a great advance on those preceding, as our Notes and Illustrations to +the several poems prove. There are some very valuable additions +throughout, entirely overlooked by modern Editors. Our text of all not +in 1652 volume is based on that of 1648 collated with 1646. + +The engravings celebrated in the Epigram of CAR--of whom more, and of +the origin and purpose of the Volume, in our Essay--are as follows: + +1. 'To the noblest and best of ladyes:' a heart with an emblematical +lock. Beneath is printed 'Non Vi' ( = not by force), and the following +lines: + + 'Tis not the work of force but skill + To find the way into man's will. + 'Tis loue alone can hearts vnlock: + Who knowes the Word, he needs not knock. + +2. 'To the name above every name.' 'Numisma Urbani 6.' A dove under the +tiara, surrounded with a glory. The legend is, 'In unitate Deus est.' + +3. 'The Holy Nativity.' The Holy Family at Bethlehem. Beneath are these +lines in French and Latin: + + Ton Créateur te faict voir sa naissance + Deignant souffrir pour toy des son enfance. + + Quem vidistis, Pastores, &c. + Natum vidimus, &c. + +4. 'The Glorious Epiphanie.' The adoration of the Magi-kings. + +5. 'The Office of the Holy Crosse.' Christ on the Cross. Beneath (from +the Vulgate), + + Tradidit semetipsum pro nobis oblationem et hostiam + Deo in odorem suavitatis.--Ad Ephe. 5. + +6. 'The Recommendation.' The ascended Saviour looking down toward the +Earth. Above, this line, + + Expostulatio Jesu Christi cum mundo ingrato. + +Beneath, a Latin poem of thirteen lines, which appears in its place in +our Vol. II. + +7. 'Sancta Maria Dolorum.' The Virgin Mary under the Cross with the +instruments of the Passion, holding the dead Saviour in her arms. + +8. 'Hymn of St. Thomas.' A Remonstrance. 'Ecce panis Angelorum.' + +9. 'Dies Iræ.' The Last Judgment. 'Dies Iræ, dies illa.' + +10. 'O Gloriosa Domina.' The Virgin Mary and Child. Angels hold a crown +over her head, surmounted by the Holy Dove. Beneath: + + S. Maria Major. + Dilectus meus mihi, et ego illi, + Qui pascitur inter lilia. Cant. + +11. 'The Weeper.' A female head, showing beneath, a bleeding and burning +heart, surrounded by a glory. This couplet is below: + + Lo, where a wounded heart, with bleeding eyes conspire: + Is she a flaming fountaine, or a weeping fire? + +12. 'Hymn to St. Teresa.' Portrait: scroll above, inscribed 'Misericors +Domini in æternum cantabo.' Beneath, 'La Vray Portraict de Ste. Terese, +Fondatrice des Religieuses et Religieux réformez de l'ordre de N. Dame +de mont Carmel: Décédée le 4e Octo. 1582. Canonisée le 12e Mars 1622.' + +Besides these TWELVE, I discovered another in illustration of 'O +Gloriosa Domina,' substituted for No. 10 in the very fine copy of the +volume in the Douce Collection in the Bodleian. I have the satisfaction +of furnishing admirable reproductions in fac-simile of Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, +5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 12, and by the kindness of the Bodleian Trustees, +the unique illustration for No. 10. No. 11 by my friend W.J. LINTON, +Esq. The whole of these belong exclusively to our illustrated quarto +edition, and the impressions taken have been strictly limited thereto, +and a very few for my own gift-use. + +We have now done with genuine editions; but have yet to notice a +wretched medley which bears the name of the '2d edition.' Its title-page +is given in our Note (as before). This volume is fairly printed; but +whatever was meant by '2d edition,' whether it was so styled from +ignorance of the edition of 1648 or copying of its title, or because it +was meant for a 2d edition of 1652, it is a deplorable compilation made +out of 1646 and 1652. It first reprints 1646 and then 1652, omitting in +the second part such poems of 1652 as were in 1646, but without taking +the trouble of correcting any, so as to bring them into agreement with +the better text. Not to mention well-nigh innumerable misprints and +omissions, so blind is it, that it has twice printed two poems which in +1652 had their titles altered, not observing that it had already printed +them under the old titles. These were the poems, _On the Death of a +Young Gentleman_, and in _Praise of Lessius_. It contains only the eight +Latin Poems of 1646, and no others. Of this edition TURNBULL says, 'In +its text [it is] the most inaccurate of all'--and--What then? He +reprints it! and leaves undetected its inaccuracies and omissions, and +superadds as many more of his own--as our Notes and Illustrations +demonstrate, albeit we have left many blunders unrecorded, contenting +ourselves with seeing that our own is correct. And yet this Editor got +in a rage with a correspondent (Professor M'Carthy) of _Notes and +Queries_, who at the time corrected incidentally a misprinted +letter--oblivious of (literally) hundreds infinitely worse. + +PEREGRINE PHILLIPS in 1785 published a very well-printed volume of +'Selections' from CRASHAW; but, like TURNBULL, he blundered over the +(so-called) '2d edition' of 1670, and seems never to have seen those of +1648 and 1652. Of other more recent editions I shall speak in our Essay, +and, as already stated in our Memorial-Introduction, notice the +University Collections and others, to which our Poet contributed. In its +place, at close of the present Volume, see account of a hitherto unused +edition of a Verse-Letter to COUNTESS OF DENBIGH. + +Of the Poems now for the first time printed, the present Volume contains +no fewer than fifteen or sixteen with important additions: Vol. II. will +contain very many more, as well as our Translation of the hitherto +untranslated Poems and Epigrams. The source of all these erewhile +unprinted Poems is Vol. 465 among the TANNER MSS., which is known to be +in the handwriting (mainly) of Archbishop SANCROFT. The Volume is a +collection of contemporary Poetry, but as it now rests in the Bodleian +is imperfect, as the Index shows. The following details will probably +interest our readers. In the Index is first of all the following, 'Mr. +Crashaw's Epigrams, sacra Latina;' but it is erased. Then underneath is +written 'Mr. Crashaw's poems transcrib'd from his own copie, before they +were printed; amongst wch are some not printed.' 'Latin, On ye Gospels v +p 7. On other Subiects p 39, 95, 229. English Sacred Poems p 111. On +other Subiects--39, 162, 164 v 167 v 196. 202 v 206. 223. v Suspetto di +Herodi, translated from Car. Marino p 287 v.' Guided by this Index--for, +though to some 'R. CR.' is prefixed, others printed in 1646 and 1648 are +left without name or initials--page 7 to 22 contains Latin Poems and +Epigrams still unpublished. On page 22 is a large letter C = Crashaw. +The pagination then leaps to p. 39 and goes on to page 64, and consists +of Latin Poems and one in Greek 'On other Subjects,' also wholly +unpublished. Page 66 is blank, and a blank leaf follows. Then there is a +Latin poem by WALLIS, and pp. 95-6 contain other Latin poems by CRASHAW, +in part published. Pages 97-102 are blank, and the pagination again +leaps to p. 111, where begin the English Sacred Poems, continuing to +page 137, with 'Crashaw' written at end. These pages (111-137) contain +mainly Poems and Epigrams before published. On page 130 is a short poem +'On Good Friday' by T. Randolph. On page 135 are two poems by Dr. +Alabaster: then, on page 136, Crashaw's poem 'On the Assumption,' and on +page 137, a short poem by Wotton. Pages 138-142 are blank, and once more +the pagination passes to p. 159, where there is a poem by GILES FLETCHER +(pp. 159-160)--printed by us in Appendix to Poems of Dr. GILES FLETCHER +in our FULLER WORTHIES' MISCELLANIES. Pages 160-1 have poems by Corbett +(erroneously inserted as HERRICK'S by Hazlitt in his edition of +Herrick), and a Song by WOTTON. On page 162 'The Faire Ethiopian,' by +CRASHAW: p. 163, 'Upon Mr. Cl.' [Cleveland?], who made a Song against +the D.D.s--The complaint of a woman with child [both anonymous]. Then at +page 164 'Upon a gnatt burnt in a candle,' by Crashaw (being entered in +Index as _supra_), and never published. On pages 165-6, Love's Horoscope +(published): p. 166, _Ad Amicam_. T.R. (not by CRASHAW, being entered in +Index under Randolph): pp. 167-71, Fidicinis et Philomela Bellum +Musicum, and Upon Herbert's Temple: pp. 172-3, Upon Isaacson's +Frontispiece (the second piece): pp. 173-4, An invitation to faire +weather (all published before). Then translations from the Latin Poets +with 'R. CR.' above each, pp. 174-178--all unpublished: pp. 178-9, from +Virgil (published). Next on pp. 180-87 are the following: 'On ye +Gunpowder-Treason' (three separate pieces), and 'Upon the King's +Coronation' (two pieces). These have never been printed until now in our +present Vol., and they are unquestionably Crashaw's, inasmuch as (_a_) +All entered thus 164 v. 167 are by him, and so these being entered under +his name in Index as 167 v. 196 must belong to him; (_b_) 'Upon the +King's Coronation' are renderings in part of his own Latin; (_c_) As +shown in our Essay (where also their biographic value is shown) unusual +words used by Crashaw occur in them. Pp. 187-90, 'Panegyrick upon the +birth of the Duke of York' (published): pp. 190-2, 'Upon the birth of +the Princesse Elizabeth' (never before printed). Pages 192-196, poems by +Corbett, Wotton, and others. Pages 196-7, Translation from the Latin _Ex +Euphormione_ (not before published), and on Lessius (published). Then +pp. 197-201, poems by various, in part anonymous: pp. 202-3, An Elegy on +Staninough--not having his name or initials, but entered in Index under +his name--(never before published): pp. 203-5, In obitum desider. Mri +Chambers (published, but the heading new), and Upon the death of a +friend (not before published): p. 205, 'On a cobler' (anonymous): p. +206, In obitum Dr Brooke: Epitaphium Conjug. (published): page 207, poem +by CULVERWELL: p. 208, blank; and then the pagination passes to p. 223. +Pages 223-229, poems on Herrys [or Harris] (all published, but with +variations): pp. 229-30, Elegie on Dr. Porter (never before published, +and entered in Index under Crashaw): from p. 231 to 238, various poems, +but none by Crashaw; then the pagination leaps to p. 238, and goes on to +p. 255, with various pieces, but again none by CRASHAW. On pp. 297-8 are +eight of the published English Epigrams. All the other anonymous and +avowed poems being entered in the Index separately from CRASHAW'S, and +under either their titles or authors, makes us safe to exclude them from +our Volumes. On the other hand, the Index-entries and 'R.C.' together, +assure us that rich and virgin as is the treasure-trove of unprinted and +unpublished Poems--English and Latin, especially the Latin--it is +without a shadow of doubt RICHARD CRASHAW'S, and of supreme worth. I +have also had the good fortune to discover a Harleian MS. from Lord +Somers' Library (6917-18), which furnishes some valuable readings of +some of the Poems, as recorded and used by us. + +Throughout we have endeavoured with all fidelity to reproduce our Worthy +in integrity of text and orthography--diminishing only (slightly) +italics and capitals, and as usual giving capitals to all divine Names +(nouns and pronouns) and personifications. In Notes and Illustrations +all various readings are recorded, and such elucidations and filling-in +of names and allusions as are likely to be helpful. + + +It is now my pleasant duty to return right hearty, because heartfelt, +thanks to many friends and correspondents who have aided me in a +somewhat arduous and difficult work and 'labour of love.' To the +venerable and illustrious man whose name by express permission adorns +my Dedication, I owe a debt of gratitude for a beautiful, a pathetic, a +(to me) sacred Letter, that greatly animated me to go forward. By my +admirable friends Revs. J.H. CLARK, M.A., of West Dereham, Norfolk, and +THOMAS ASHE, M.A., Ipswich, my edition (as Vol. II. will evidence) is +advantaged in various Translations for the first time of the Latin +poems, valuable in themselves, and the more valued for the generous +enthusiasm and modesty with which they were offered, not to say how +considerably they have lightened my own work in the same field. To Dr. +BRINSLEY NICHOLSON, who retains in the Army his fine literary culture +and acumen; to W. ALDIS WRIGHT, Esq., M.A., Trinity College, Cambridge; +the very Reverend Dr. F.C. HUSENBETH, Cossey, Norwich; the Earl and +Countess of DENBIGH; Monsignor STONOR, Rome; to Correspondents at +LORETTO, DOUAI, PARIS, &c.; and to Colonel CHESTER and Mr. W.T. BROOKE, +London,--I wish to tender my warmest thanks for various services most +pleasantly rendered; all to the enrichment of our edition. + +The Illustrations (in the 4to) speak for themselves. I cannot +sufficiently express my acknowledgments for the spontaneous and +ever-increasing willinghood of my artist-poet friend W.J. LINTON, Esq., +who from his temporary Transatlantic home has sent me the exquisite +head- and tail-pieces in both volumes, besides cunningly interpreting +the two original Illustrations drawn for me by Mrs. HUGH BLACKBURN of +Glasgow, and the Poet's 'Weeper.' To Mrs. BLACKBURN her work is its own +abundant reward; but none the less do I appreciate her great kindness to +me. + +Anything else needing to be said will be found in the +Memorial-Introduction and Essay on the Life and Poetry, and Notes and +Illustrations. I cannot better close our Preface than with the fine +tribute of R. ARIS WILLMOTT, in his 'Dream of the Poets,' wherein he +catches up the echo of COWLEY across two centuries: + + Poet and Saint! thy sky was dark + And sad thy lonely vigil here; + But thy meek spirit, like the lark + Still showered music on the ear, + From its own heaven ever clear: + No pining mourner thou! thy strain + Could breathe a slumber upon Pain, + Singing thy tears asleep: not long + To stray by Siloa's brook was thine: + Yet Time hath never dealt thee wrong, + Nor brush'd the sweet bloom from thy line: + Thou hast a home in every song, + In every Christian heart, a shrine. + + ALEXANDER B. GROSART. + + 15 St. Alban's Place, Blackburn, Lancashire, + + 4th February 1872. + + + + +MEMORIAL-INTRODUCTION. + + +In a Study of the Life and Poetry of our present Worthy, which will be +found in our Volume II.--thus postponed in order that the completed +Works may be before the student-reader along with it--I venture to hope +new light will be shed on both, and his character as a Man and Poet--one +of the richest of the minor Poets of England--vindicated and interpreted +as never hitherto they have been. Some memories cannot bear the '_cruel +light_' of close scrutiny, some poetries when tested prove +falsetto-noted. RICHARD CRASHAW grows on us the more insight we gain. If +he were as well known as GEORGE HERBERT, he would be equally cherished, +while his Poetry would be recognised as perfumed with all his devoutness +and of a diviner '_stuff_' and woven in a grander loom; in sooth, +infinitely deeper and finer in almost every element of true singing as +differenced from pious and gracious versifying. In this +hurrying-scurrying age, only twos-and-threes take time to hold communion +with these ancient Worthies; and hence my Essay, as with the FLETCHERS +and LORD BROOKE and HENRY VAUGHAN, may win-back that recognition and +love due to CRASHAW. + +Then, in a much fuller and more adequate Memoir than hitherto furnished +of WILLIAM CRASHAW, B.D., father of our Poet--also in our Volume +II.--the usually-given ancestral details will appear from new and unused +sources. So that here and now I intend to limit myself to a brief +statement of the few outward Facts, _i.e._ reserving their relation to +the central thing in RICHARD CRASHAW'S life--his passing from +Protestantism to Catholicism, and to contemporaries and inner friends, +and to his Poetry--to our announced Study. + +WILLMOTT in his 'Lives of the English Sacred Poets' (vol. first, 1834, +vol. second, 1839), begins his fine-toned little Notice thus: 'After an +anxious search in all the accessible sources of information, I am able +to tell little of one of whom every lover of poetry must desire to know +much. The time of his birth and of his decease is involved in equal +mystery.'[3] Our 'all' is still 'little' as compared with what we yearn +for; but we do not need to begin so dolorously as our predecessor, for +we have discovered both the 'time of his _birth_ and of his _decease_.' +He was born in London in 1612-3; this date being arrived at from the +register-entry of his age on admission to the University, viz. 18 in +1630-1 (as hereafter stated). SHAKESPEARE was then retired to his +beloved Stratford; MILTON was in the sixth year of his cherub-beauty. +His father being 'Preacher at the Temple' at the date would have +determined LONDON to have been his birthplace; but his admission to +Pembroke and his own signature at Peterhouse, 'Richardum Crashaw, +_Londinensem_,' prove it. Who was his mother I have failed to find. The +second Mrs. WILLIAM CRASHAW, celebrated in a remarkable contemporary +poetical tractate printed (if not published) by her bereaved husband (of +which more anon and elsewhere, as _supra_), could not have been the +Poet's mother, as she was not married to CRASHAW (_pater_) until 1619. +We should gladly have exchanged the 'Honour of Vertue or the Monument +erected by the sorrowfull Husband and the Epitaphs annexed by learned +and worthy men, to the immortall memory of that worthy Gentle-woman Mrs. +ELIZABETH CRASHAWE. Who dyed in child-birth, and was buried in +Whit-Chappel: Octob. 8. 1620. In the 24 yeare of her age'--for a page on +the first Mrs. Crashaw. Yet is it pleasant to know the motherless little +lad received such a new mother as this tribute pictures. In 1620 he was +in his ninth year. Thus twice a broad shadow blackened his father's +house and his home. Little more than a year had he his 'second' mother. + +Our after-Memoir of the elder CRASHAW shows that he was a man of no +ordinary force of character and influence. The Epistles-dedicatory to +his numerous polemical books are addressed with evident familiarity to +the foremost in Church and State: and it is in agreement with this to +learn (as we do) that MASTER RICHARD gained admission to the great +'Charterhouse' School through SIR HENRY YELVERTON and SIR RANDOLPH +CREW--the former the patron-friend of the saintly DR. SIBBES, the latter +of HERRICK, and both of mark. The Register of Charterhouse as now extant +begins in 1680. So that we know not the date of young Crashaw's entry on +the 'foundation' provided so munificently by SUTTON.[4] As we shall +find, one of the Teachers--Brooke--is gratefully and characteristically +remembered by our Worthy in one of his Latin poems, none the less +gratefully that 'the rod' is recalled. He was 'Schoolmaster' from 1627-8 +to 1643. The age of admission was 10 to 14: the latter would bring us to +1627-8, or Brooke's first year of office. Probably, however, he entered +sooner; but neither ROBERT GREY (1624-26) nor WILLIAM MIDDLETON, A.M. +(1626-28), nor others of the Masters or celebrities of the famous School +are celebrated by him, with the exception of (afterwards) BISHOP LANEY. +FRANCIS BEAUMONT was Head-Master in June 18, 1624, and I should have +liked to have been able to associate CRASHAW with the Beaumont family. +Probably DR. JOSEPH BEAUMONT of 'Psyche' was a school-fellow. + +How long the Charterhouse was attended is unknown; but renewed +researches at CAMBRIDGE add to as well as correct the usual dates of his +attendance there. WILLMOTT states that 'he was elected a scholar of +Pembroke Hall, March 26, 1632,' and remarks, 'and yet we find him +lamenting the premature death of his friend, William Herrys, a fellow of +the same College, which happened in the October of 1631.'[5] He quotes +from the COLE MSS. The original register in the Admission-book of +Pembroke College removes the difficulty, and is otherwise valuable, as +will be seen. It is as follows: + + 'Julij 6. 1631. Richardus Crashawe, Gulielmi presbyteri filius, + natus Londini annos habens 18, admissus est ad 2æ mensæ ordinem sub + tutela Mri Tourney.' + +He was 'matriculated _pensioner_ of Pembroke, March 26, 1632,' but, as +above, his 'admission' preceded. Belonging to Essex, it is not +improbable that CRASHAW and HARRIS were school-fellows at the +Charterhouse. His 'friendships' and associates, so winsomely 'sung' of, +will demand full after-notice. In 1632-3 appeared GEORGE HERBERT'S +'Temple;' an influential event in our Poet's history. He took the degree +of B.A. in 1634. In 1634 he published anonymously his volume of Latin +Epigrams and other Poems; a very noticeable book from a youth of 20, +especially as most must have been composed long previously. He passed +from Pembroke to Peterhouse in 1636; and again I have the satisfaction +to give, for the first time, the entry in the old College Register. It +is as follows: + + 'Anno Domini millesimo sexcentesimo tricesimo sexto vicesimo die + mensis Novembris Richardus Crashaw admissus fuit a Reverendo in + Christo Patre ac Dno Dno Francisco Episcopo Elæcisi ad locum sive + societatem Magistri Simon Smith legitime vacantem in Collegio sive + Domo Sti Petri, et vicesimo secundo die ejusdem mensis coram + Magistro et Sociis ejusdem Collegii personaliter constitutus, + juramentum præstitit quod singulis Ordinationibus et Statutis + Collegii (quantum in ipso est) reverenter obediret, et specialiter + præter hoc de non appellando contra amotionem suam secundum modum et + formam statutorum prædictorum et de salvando cistam Magistri Thomæ + de Castro Bernardi et Magri Thomæ Holbrooke (quantum in ipso est) + indemnum, quo juramento præstito admissus fuit a Magistro Collegii + in perpetuum socium ejusdem Collegii et in locum supradictum. Per me + Richardum Crashaw Londinensem.' (p. 500.) + +He was made Fellow in 1637, and M.A. in 1638; looking forward to +becoming a 'Minister' of the Gospel. His Latin Poems in honour of, and +in pathetic appeal regarding PETERHOUSE, are of the rarest interest, and +suggest much elucidatory of his great 'change' in religious matters; a +change that must have been a sad shock to his ultra-Protestant father, +but in which, beyond all gainsaying, conscience ruled, if the heart +quivered. While at the University he was called on to contribute to the +various 'Collections' issued from 1631 onward; and it certainly is once +more noticeable that such a mere youth should have been thus recognised. +His Verses--Latin and English--appeared thus with those of HENRY MORE, +JOSEPH BEAUMONT, EDWARD KING ('Lycidas'), COWLEY, and others; and more +than hold their own. In 1635 SHELFORD, 'priest' of RINGSFIELD, obtained +a laudatory poem from him for his 'Five Pious and Learned Discourses.' +According to ANTHONY A-WOOD, on the authority of one who knew (_not_ +from the Registers), he took a degree in 1641 at Oxford.[6] + +Of his inner Life and experiences during these years (twelve at least), +and the influences that went to shape his decision and after-course, and +his relation to the COUNTESS OF DENBIGH, I shall speak fully and I trust +helpfully in our Essay. We need to get at the Facts and Circumstances to +pronounce a righteous verdict. For his great-brained, stout-hearted, +iron-willed Father, the stormy period was congenial: but for his son the +atmosphere was mephitic; as the Editor's 'Preface to the Learned +Reader,' in his 'character' of him, suggests. Signatures were being put +unsolemnly to the Solemn League and Covenant,' and as a political not a +religious thing, by too many. RICHARD CRASHAW could not do that, and the +crash of 'Ejection' came. Here is the rescript from the Register of +PETERHOUSE once more unused hitherto:[7] + + 'Whereas in pursuite of an ordinance of Parliament for regulating + and reforming of the Universitie of Cambridge, I have ejected Mr. + Beaumont, Mr. Penniman, Mr. Crashaw, Mr. Holder, Mr. Tyringham, late + fellowes of Peterhouse, in Cambridge. And whereas Mr. Charles + Hotham, Robert Quarles, Howard Becher, Walter Ellis, Edward Sammes, + have been examined and approved by the Assembly of Divines now + sitting at Westminster, according to the said Ordinance as fitt to + be Fellowes: These are therefore to require you, and every of you, + to receive the said Charles Hotham, Robert Quarles, Howard Becher, + Walter Ellis, Masters of Arts; and Edward Sammes, Bachr, as fellowes + of your Colledge in room of the said Mr. Beaumont, Mr. Penniman, Mr. + Crashaw, Mr. Holder, Mr. Tyringham, formerly ejected, and to give + them place according to their seniority in the Universitie, in + reference to all those that are or shall hereafter bee putt in by + mee accordinge to the Ordinance of Parliament aforesaid. Given + under my hand and seale the eleaventh day of June anno 1644. + + 'MANCHESTER. + +'To the Master, President, and Fellowes of Peterhouse, in Cambridge.' +(p. 518.) + +'The ejection' of 1644, like that larger one of 1662, brought much +sorrow and trial to a number of good and true souls. To one so gentle, +shy, self-introspective as CRASHAW, it must have been as the tearing +down of a nest to a poor bird. His fellow-sufferers went hither and +thither. Our first glimpse of our Worthy after his 'ejection' is in +1646, when the 'Steps to the Temple' and 'Delights of the Muses' +appeared, with its Editor's touching saying at the close of his Preface +'now dead to us.' A second edition, with considerable additions, was +published in 1648. Previous to 1646 he had 'gone over' to Catholicism; +for in the 'Steps' of that year is 'An Apologie' for his 'Hymn'--'In +Memory of the Vertuous and Learned Lady Madre de Teresa, that sought an +early Martyrdome.' In 1646 it is headed simply 'An Apologie for the +precedent Hymne:' in the 'Carmen Deo Nostro' of 1652 it is more fully +inscribed 'An Apologie for the foregoing Hymn, as hauing been writt when +the author was yet among the Protestantes.' His two Latin poems, '_Fides +quæ sola justificat non est sine spe et dilectione_' and '_Baptismus non +tollit futura peccata_,' were first published in 1648. TURNBULL was +either ignorant of their existence or intentionally suppressed them. + +Our Worthy did not long remain in England. He retired to France; and his +little genial poem on sending 'two green apricocks' to COWLEY sheds a +gleam of light on his residence in Paris. COWLEY was in the 'gay city' +in 1646 as Secretary to LORD JERMYN; and inasmuch as the volume of that +year contained his own alternate-poem on 'Hope,' I like to imagine that +he carried over a copy of it to CRASHAW, and renewed their old +friendship. COWLEY, it is told, found our Poet in great poverty: but +CAR'S verses somewhat lighten the gloom. The 'Secretary' of LORD JERMYN +introduced his friend to the Queen of Charles I., who was then a +fugitive in Paris. So it usually runs: but CRASHAW had previously 'sung' +of and to her Majesty. From the Queen the Poet obtained letters of +recommendation to Italy; and from a contemporary notice, hereafter to be +used, we learn he became 'Secretary' at Rome to CARDINAL PALOTTA. He +appears to have remained in Rome until 1649-50, and by very 'plain +speech' on the moralities, that is immoralities, of certain +ecclesiastics, to have drawn down on himself Italian jealousy and +threats. His 'good' Cardinal provided a place of shelter in the +Lady-chapel of LORETTO, of which he was made a Canon. But his abode +there was very brief; for, by a document sent me from Loretto, I +ascertained that he died of fever after a few weeks' residence only, and +was buried within the chapel there, in 1650.[8] COWLEY shed 'melodious +tears' over his dear friend, in which he turns to fine account his +'_fever_' end: and with his priceless tribute, of which DR. JOHNSON +said, 'In these verses there are beauties which common authors may +justly think not only above their attainment, but above their +ambition,'[9]--I close for the present our Memoir: + + +ON THE DEATH OF MR. CRASHAW. + + Poet and Saint! to thee alone are giv'n + The two most sacred names of Earth and Heav'n, + The hardest, rarest union which can be + Next that of godhead with humanity. + Long did the Muses banish'd slaves abide, + And built vain pyramids to mortal pride; + Like Moses thou (tho' spells and charms withstand) + Hast brought them nobly home, back to their Holy Land. + + Ah, wretched we, Poets of Earth! but thou + Wert living, the same Poet which thou'rt now; + Whilst angels sing to thee their ayres divine, + And joy in an applause so great as thine. + Equal society with them to hold, + Thou need'st not make new songs, but say the old; + And they (kind spirits!) shall all rejoice to see, + How little less than they, exalted man may be. + + Still the old heathen gods in numbers dwell, + The heav'nliest thing on Earth still keeps up Hell: + Nor have we yet quite purg'd the Christian land; + Still idols here, like calves at Bethel stand. + And tho' Pan's death long since all or'cles broke, + Yet still in rhyme the fiend Apollo spoke; + Nay, with the worst of heathen dotage, we + (Vain men!) the monster woman deifie; + Find stars, and tie our fates there in a face, + And Paradise in them, by whom we lost it, place. + What diff'rent faults corrupt our Muses thus? + Wanton as girls, as old wives, fabulous. + + Thy spotless Muse, like Mary, did contain + The boundless Godhead; she did well disdain + That her eternal verse employ'd should be + On a less subject than eternity; + And for a sacred mistress scorn'd to take + But her whom God Himself scorn'd not His spouse to make: + It (in a kind) her miracle did do, + A fruitful mother was, and virgin too. + + How well (blest Swan) did Fate contrive thy death, + And made thee render up thy tuneful breath + In thy great mistress's arms! Thou most divine, + And richest off'ring of Loretto's shrine! + Where, like some holy sacrifice t' expire, + A fever burns thee, and Love lights the fire. + Angels (they say) brought the fam'd chappel there, + And bore the sacred load in triumph thro' the air: + 'Tis surer much they brought thee there; and they, + And thou, their charge, went singing all the way. + + Pardon, my Mother-Church, if I consent + That angels led him, when from thee he went; + For ev'n in error, sure no danger is, + When join'd with so much piety as his. + Ah! mighty God, with shame I speak't, and grief; + Ah! that our greatest faults were in belief! + And our weak reason were ev'n weaker yet, + Rather than thus, our wills too strong for it. + His faith, perhaps, in some nice tenets might + Be wrong; his life, I'm sure, was in the right: + And I, myself, a Catholick will be; + So far at least, great Saint! to pray to thee. + + Hail, Bard triumphant! and some care bestow + On us, the Poets militant below: + Oppos'd by our old enemy, adverse Chance, + Attack'd by Envy and by Ignorance; + Enchain'd by Beauty, tortur'd by desires, + Expos'd by tyrant-love, to savage beasts and fires. + Thou from low Earth in nobler flames didst rise, + And like Elijah, mount alive the skies. + Elisha-like (but with a wish much less, + More fit thy greatness and my littleness;) + Lo here I beg (I whom thou once didst prove + So humble to esteem, so good to love) + Not that thy sp'rit might on me doubled be, + I ask but half thy mighty sp'rit for me: + And when my Muse soars with so strong a wing, + 'Twill learn of things divine, and first of thee to sing.[10] + + ALEXANDER B. GROSART. + + + + + THE + + WORKS OF RICHARD CRASHAW. + + + VOL. I. + + ENGLISH POETRY. + + +NOTE. + +The title-pages, with collation, of the original and early editions of +'Steps to the Temple' and 'The Delights of the Muses' (1646 to 1670) are +here given successively: + +_1st edition_, 1646. (1) + + + + + STEPS + + TO THE + + TEMPLE. + + + Sacred Poems, + + With other Delights of the + MUSES. + + By RICHARD CRASHAW, _sometimes + of_ PEMBROKE _Hall, and + late Fellow of_ S. Peters _Coll._ + in Cambridge. + + + _Printed and Published according to Order._ + + + LONDON, + Printed by T.W. for _Humphrey Moseley_, and + are to be sold at his shop at the Princes + Armes in St _Pauls_ Church-yard. + 1646. + +(2) + + + + + THE + + DELIGHTS + + OF THE + + MUSES. + + OR, + + Other Poems written on + severall occasions. + + By RICHARD CRASHAW, _sometimes of_ Pembroke + _Hall, and late Fellow of_ St. Peters + _Colledge in_ Cambridge. + + Mart. Dic mihi quid melius desidiosus agas. + + London, + + Printed by T.W. for _H. Moseley_, at + the Princes Armes in S. _Pauls_ + Churchyard, 1646. [12o] + +Collation: Title-page; the Preface to the Reader, pp. 6; the Author's +Motto and short Note to Reader, pp. 2 [all unpaged]; 'Steps to the +Temple,' pp. 99; title-page of 'Delights,' as _supra_, and pp. 103-138; +the Table, pp. 4. + +_2d edition, 1648._ + + + + + STEPS + + TO THE + + TEMPLE, + + Sacred Poems. + + With + + The Delights of the Muses. + + + By RICHARD CRASHAW, _sometimes + of_ Pembroke Hall, _and + late fellow of_ S. Peters _Coll._ + in Cambridge. + + + _The second Edition wherein are added divers + pieces not before extant._ + + + LONDON, + + Printed for _Humphrey Moseley_, and are to be + sold at his Shop at the Princes Armes + in St. _Pauls_ Church-yard. + 1648. [12o] + +The title-page to the 'Delights of the Muses' is exactly the same with +that of 1646, except the date '1648.' Collation: Engraved title-page; +title-page (printed); the Preface to the Reader and the Author's Motto, +pp. 6; 'Steps,' pp. 110; the Table, pp. 4; the 'Delights;' title-page; +the Table, pp. 3; Poems, pp. 71. + +_3d edition, 1652._ + + + + + CARMEN + + DEO NOSTRO, + + TE DECET HYMNVS + + SACRED POEMS, + + Collected, + Corrected, + Avgmented, + Most humbly Presented. + To + My Lady + The Covntesse of + DENBIGH + By + Her most deuoted Seruant. + R.C. + + In heaty [_sic_] acknowledgment of his immortall + obligation to her Goodnes & Charity. + + + AT PARIS + + By PETER TARGA, Printer to the Archbishope + ef [_sic_] Paris, in S. Victors streete at + the golden sunne. + + M.DC.LII. [8vo] + + +Collation: Title-page; Verses by CAR, pp. 3; Verse-Letter to Countess of +Denbigh, pp. 3 [all unpaged]; the Poems, pp. 131. (See our Preface for +more on this and preceding and succeeding volumes, and for notice of a +separate edition of the Verse-Letter to the Countess of Denbigh.) + +_4th edition, erroneously designated 2d edition_, 1670. + + + + + STEPS + + TO THE + + TEMPLE, + + THE + DELIGHTS + Of The + Muses, + and + Carmen + Deo Nostro. + + By _Ric. Crashaw_, sometimes Fellow of _Pembroke + Hall_, and late Fellow of _St. Peters + Colledge_ in _Cambridge_. + + _The 2d. Edition._ + + In the Savoy, + + Printed by T.N. for _Henry Herringham_ at the + _Blew Anchor_ in the _Lower Walk_ of the + _New Exchange_. 1670. [8vo] + +Collation: Engraving of a 'Temple;' title-page; the Preface to the +Reader and the Author's Motto, pp. 8; the Table, pp. 6 [all unpaged]; +'Steps,' pp. 77; 'Delights,' pp. 81-137; 'Carmen Deo Nostro, Te Decet +Hymnvs,' pp. 141-208. For later editions see our Preface, as before, and +for details on all, early and recent, and Manuscripts; and also our +Memorial-Introduction and Essay. The 'Preface' of 1646 was reprinted in +1648 without change, save a few slight orthographical differences, and +these: p. xlvi. line 3, 'their' for 'its dearest:' p. xlvii. line 1, +'subburd' for 'suburb:' and ibid, line 19, 'then' for 'than:' 1648 our +text. It follows this Note in its own place. G. + + + + +STEPS TO THE TEMPLE, &c. + + +THE PREFACE TO THE READER. + + + LEARNED READER, + +The Author's friend will not usurpe much upon thy eye: This is onely for +those whom the name of our divine Poet hath not yet seized[11] into +admiration. I dare undertake that what JAMBLICUS[12] (_in vita +Pythagoræ_) affirmeth of his Master, at his contemplations, these Poems +can, viz. They shall lift thee, Reader, some yards above the ground: +and, as in _Pythagoras_ Schoole, every temper was first tuned into a +height by severall proportions of Musick, and spiritualiz'd for one of +his weighty lectures; so maist thou take a poem hence, and tune thy +soule by it, into a heavenly pitch;[13] and thus refined and borne up +upon the wings of meditation, in these Poems thou maist talke freely of +God, and of that other state. + +Here's _Herbert's_[14] second, but equall, who hath retriv'd Poetry of +late, and return'd it up to its primitive use; let it bound back to +heaven gates, whence it came. Thinke yee ST. AUGUSTINE would have +steyned his graver learning with a booke of Poetry, had he fancied its +dearest end to be the vanity of love-sonnets and epithalamiums? No, no, +he thought with this our Poet, that every foot in a high-borne verse, +might helpe to measure the soule into that better world. Divine Poetry, +I dare hold it in position, against SUAREZ on the subject, to be the +language of the angels; it is the quintessence of phantasie and +discourse center'd in Heaven; 'tis the very out-goings of the soule; +'tis what alone our Author is able to tell you, and that in his owne +verse. + +It were prophane but to mention here in the Preface those under-headed +Poets, retainers to seven shares and a halfe;[15] madrigall fellowes, +whose onely businesse in verse, is to rime a poore six-penny soule, a +suburb-sinner[16] into Hell:--May such arrogant pretenders to Poetry +vanish, with their prodigious issue of tumorous[17] heats and flashes of +their adulterate braines, and for ever after, may this our Poet fill up +the better roome of man. Oh! when the generall arraignment of Poets +shall be, to give an accompt of their higher soules, with what a +triumphant brow shall our divine Poet sit above, and looke downe upon +poore HOMER, VIRGIL, HORACE, CLAUDIAN, &c.? who had amongst them the ill +lucke to talke out a great part of their gallant genius, upon bees, +dung, froggs, and gnats, &c., and not as himself here, upon Scriptures, +divine graces, martyrs and angels. + +Reader, we stile his Sacred Poems, Steps to the Temple, and aptly, for +in the Temple of God, under His wing, he led his life, in St. Marie's +Church neere St. Peter's Colledge: there he lodged under TERTULLIAN'S +roofe of angels; there he made his nest more gladly than David's swallow +neere the house of God, where like a primitive saint, he offered more +prayers in the night than others usually offer in the day; there he +penned these Poems, STEPS for happy soules to climbe heaven by. And +those other of his pieces, intituled The Delights of the Muses, (though +of a more humane mixture) are as sweet as they are innocent. + +The praises that follow, are but few of many that might be conferr'd on +him: he was excellent in five languages (besides his mother tongue), +vid. Hebrew, Greek, Latin, Italian, Spanish, the two last whereof he had +little helpe in, they were of his own acquisition. + +Amongst his other accomplishments in accademick (as well pious as +harmlesse arts) he made his skill in Poetry, Musick, Drawing, Limming, +Graving (exercises of his curious invention and sudden fancy) to be but +his subservient recreations for vacant houres, not the grand businesse +of his soule. + +To the former qualifications I might adde that which would crowne them +all, his rare moderation in diet (almost Lessian temperance[18]); he +never created a Muse out of distempers, nor (with our Canary +scribblers[19]) cast any strange mists of surfets before the +intellectuall beames of his mind or memory, the latter of which he was +so much a master of, that he had there under locke and key in +readinesse, the richest treasures of the best Greek and Latine poets, +some of which Authors hee had more at his command by heart, than others +that onely read their works, to retaine little, and understand lesse. + +Enough Reader, I intend not a volume of praises larger than his booke, +nor need I longer transport thee to think over his vast perfections: I +will conclude all that I have impartially writ of this learned young +Gent. (now dead to us) as he himselfe doth, with the last line of his +poem upon Bishop Andrews' picture before his Sermons: _Verte paginas_, + + 'Look on his following leaves, and see him breath.'[20] + + THE AUTHOR'S MOTTO. + + Live Iesus, live, and let it bee + My life, to dye for love of Thee. + + + + + Sacred Poetry. + + + I. + + STEPS TO THE TEMPLE + + (1648), + + AND + + CARMEN DEO NOSTRO &c. + + (1652). + + + + +SAINTE MARY MAGDALENE, OR THE WEEPER.[21] + + + Loe! where a wounded heart with bleeding eyes conspire. + Is she a flaming fountain, or a weeping fire? + + * * * * * + + +THE WEEPER.[22] + + +I. + + Hail, sister springs! 1 + Parents of syluer-footed rills! + Euer-bubling things! + Thawing crystall! snowy hills + Still spending, neuer spent! I mean 5 + Thy fair eyes, sweet Magdalene! + + +II. + + Heauens thy fair eyes be; + Heauens of euer-falling starres. + 'Tis seed-time still with thee; + And starres thou sow'st, whose haruest dares 10 + Promise the Earth, to counter-shine + Whateuer makes heaun's forehead fine. + + +III. + + But we' are deceiuèd all: + Starres indeed they are too true; + For they but seem to fall, 15 + As heaun's other spangles doe: + It is not for our Earth and vs + To shine in things so pretious. + + +IV. + + Vpwards thou dost weep: + Heaun's bosome drinks the gentle stream. 20 + Where th' milky riuers creep, + Thine floates aboue, and is the cream. + Waters aboue th' heauns, what they be + We' are taught best by thy teares and thee. + + +V. + + Euery morn from hence, 25 + A brisk cherub something sippes, + Whose sacred influence + Addes sweetnes to his sweetest lippes; + Then to his musick; and his song + Tasts of this breakfast all day long. 30 + + +VI. + + When some new bright guest + Takes vp among the starres a room, + And Heaun will make a feast: + Angels with crystall violls come _phials_ + And draw from these full eyes of thine, 35 + Their Master's water, their own wine. + + +VII. + + The deaw no more will weep + The primrose's pale cheek to deck: + The deaw no more will sleep + Nuzzel'd in the lilly's neck; 40 + Much rather would it be thy tear, + And leaue them both to tremble here. + + +VIII. + + Not the soft gold which + Steales from the amber-weeping tree, + Makes Sorrow halfe so rich 45 + As the drops distil'd from thee. + Sorrowe's best iewels lye in these + Caskets, of which Heaven keeps the keyes. + + +IX. + + When Sorrow would be seen + In her brightest majesty: 50 + (For she is a Queen): + Then is she drest by none but thee. + Then, and only then, she weares + Her proudest pearles: I mean, thy teares. + + +X. + + + Not in the Euening's eyes, 55 + When they red with weeping are + For the Sun that dyes; + Sitts Sorrow with a face so fair. + Nowhere but here did ever meet + Sweetnesse so sad, sadnesse so sweet. 60 + + +XI. + + Sadnesse all the while + Shee sits in such a throne as this, + Can doe nought but smile, + Nor beleeves she Sadnesse is: + Gladnesse it selfe would be more glad, 65 + To bee made soe sweetly sad. + + +XII. + + There's no need at all, + That the balsom-sweating bough + So coyly should let fall + His med'cinable teares; for now 70 + Nature hath learnt to' extract a deaw + More soueraign and sweet, from you. + + +XIII. + + Yet let the poore drops weep + (Weeping is the ease of Woe): + Softly let them creep, 75 + Sad that they are vanquish't so. + They, though to others no releife, + Balsom may be for their own greife. + + +XIV. + + Golden though he be, + Golden Tagus murmures though. 80 + Were his way by thee, + Content and quiet he would goe; + Soe much more rich would he esteem + Thy syluer, then his golden stream. + + +XV. + + Well does the May that lyes 85 + Smiling in thy cheeks, confesse + The April in thine eyes; + Mutuall sweetnesse they expresse. + No April ere lent kinder showres, + Nor May return'd more faithfull flowres. 90 + + +XVI. + + O cheeks! Bedds of chast loues, + By your own showres seasonably dash't. + Eyes! Nests of milky doues, + In your own wells decently washt. + O wit of Loue! that thus could place 95 + Fountain and garden in one face. + + +XVII. + + O sweet contest! of woes + With loues; of teares with smiles disputing! + O fair and freindly foes, + Each other kissing and confuting! 100 + While rain and sunshine, cheekes and eyes + Close in kind contrarietyes. + + +XVIII. + + But can these fair flouds be + Freinds with the bosom-fires that fill thee! + Can so great flames agree 105 + Æternal teares should thus distill thee! + O flouds! O fires! O suns! O showres! + Mixt and made freinds by Loue's sweet powres. + + +XIX. + + 'Twas his well-pointed dart + That digg'd these wells, and drest this wine; 110 + And taught the wounded heart + The way into these weeping eyn. + Vain loues auant! bold hands forbear! + The Lamb hath dipp't His white foot here. + + +XX. + + And now where'ere He strayes, 115 + Among the Galilean mountaines, + Or more vnwellcome wayes; + He's follow'd by two faithfull fountaines; + Two walking baths, two weeping motions, + Portable, and compendious oceans. 120 + + +XXI. + + O thou, thy Lord's fair store! + In thy so rich and rare expenses, + Euen when He show'd most poor + He might prouoke the wealth of princes. + What prince's wanton'st pride e'er could 125 + Wash with syluer, wipe with gold? + + +XXII. + + Who is that King, but He + Who calls 't His crown, to be call'd thine, + That thus can boast to be + Waited on by a wandring mine, 130 + A voluntary mint, that strowes + Warm, syluer showres wher're He goes? + + +XXIII. + + O pretious prodigall! + Fair spend-thrift of thy-self! thy measure + (Mercilesse loue!) is all. 135 + Euen to the last pearle in thy threasure: _thesaurus_, Latin. + All places, times, and obiects be + Thy teares' sweet opportunity. + + +XXIV. + + Does the day-starre rise? + Still thy teares doe fall and fall. 140 + Does Day close his eyes? + Still the fountain weeps for all. + Let Night or Day doe what they will, + Thou hast thy task: thou weepest still. + + +XXV. + + Does thy song lull the air? 145 + Thy falling teares keep faithfull time. + Does thy sweet-breath'd praire + Vp in clouds of incense climb? + Still at each sigh, that is, each stop, + A bead, that is, a tear, does drop. 150 + + +XXVI. + + At these thy weeping gates + (Watching their watry motion), + Each wingèd moment waits: + Takes his tear, and gets him gone. + By thine ey's tinct enobled thus, 155 + Time layes him vp; he's pretious. + + +XXVII. + + Time, as by thee He passes, + Makes thy ever-watry eyes + His hower-glasses. + By them His steps He rectifies. 160 + The sands He us'd, no longer please, + For His owne sands Hee'l use thy seas. + + +XXVIII. + + Not, 'so long she liuèd,' + Shall thy tomb report of thee; + But, 'so long she grieuèd:' 165 + Thus must we date thy memory. + Others by moments, months, and yeares + Measure their ages; thou, by teares. + + +XXIX. + + So doe perfumes expire, + So sigh tormented sweets, opprest 170 + With proud vnpittying fire. + Such teares the suffring rose, that's vext + With vngentle flames, does shed, + Sweating in a too warm bed. + + +XXX. + + Say, ye bright brothers, 175 + The fugitiue sons of those fair eyes, + Your fruitfull mothers! + What make you here? what hopes can 'tice + You to be born? what cause can borrow + You from those nests of noble sorrow? 180 + + +XXXI. + + Whither away so fast? + For sure the sluttish earth + Your sweetnes cannot tast, + Nor does the dust deserve your birth. + Sweet, whither hast you then? O say 185 + Why you trip so fast away? + + +XXXII. + + We goe not to seek + The darlings of Aurora's bed, + The rose's modest cheek, + Nor the violet's humble head. 190 + Though the feild's eyes too Weepers be, + Because they want such teares as we. + + +XXXIII. + + Much lesse mean we to trace + The fortune of inferior gemmes, + Preferr'd to some proud face, 195 + Or pertch't vpon fear'd diadems: + Crown'd heads are toyes. We goe to meet + A worthy object, our Lord's feet. + + +NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. + +With some shortcomings--superficial rather than substantive--'The +Weeper' is a lovely poem, and well deserves its place of honour at the +commencement of the 'Steps to the Temple,' as in editions of 1646, 1648, +and 1670. Accordingly we have spent the utmost pains on our text of it, +taking for basis that of 1652. The various readings of the different +editions and of the SANCROFT MS. are given below for the capable student +of the ultimate perfected form. I have not hesitated to correct several +misprints of the text of 1652 from the earlier editions. + +The present poem appears very imperfectly in the first edition (1646), +consisting there of only twenty-three stanzas instead of thirty-three +(and so too in 1670 edition). The stanzas that are not given therein are +xvi. to xxix. (on the last see onward). But on the other hand, exclusive +of interesting variations, the text of 1646 supplies two entire stanzas +(xi. and xxvii.) dropped out in the editions of 1648 and 1652, though +both are in 1670 edition and in the SANCROFT MS. Moreover I accept the +succession of the stanzas in 1646, so far as it goes, confirmed as it is +by the SANCROFT MS. A third stanza in 1652 edition (st. xi. there) as +also in 1648 edition, I omit, as it belongs self-revealingly to 'The +Teare,' and interrupts the metaphor in 'The Weeper.' Another stanza +(xxix.) might seem to demand excision also, as it is in part repeated in +'The Teare;' but the new lines are dainty and would be a loss to 'The +Weeper.' Our text therefore is that of 1652, as before, with +restorations from 1646. + +The form of the stanza in the editions of 1646, 1648 and 1670 is thus: + + _______________________________ + _______________________________ + __________________________ + _______________________________ + ____________________________________ + ____________________________________ + +In 1652 from stanza xv. (there) to end, + + _______________________________ + _______________________________ + _______________________________ + _______________________________ + ____________________________________ + ____________________________________ + +but I have made all uniform, and agreeably to above of 1652. + +I would now submit variations, illustrations and corrections, under the +successive stanzas and lines. + +Couplet on the engraving of 'The Weeper.' In 1652 'Sainte' is misprinted +'Sanite,' one of a number that remind us that the volume was printed in +Paris, not London. In all the other editions the heading 'Sainte Mary +Magdalene' is omitted. + +St. i. line 2. 1646, 1648 and 1670 editions read 'silver-forded.' Were +it only for the reading of the text of 1652 'silver-footed,' I should +have been thankful for it; and I accept it the more readily in that the +SANCROFT MS. from Crashaw's own copy, also reads 'silver-footed.' The +Homeric compound epithet occurs in HERRICK contemporarily in his +_Hesperides_, + + 'I send, I send here my supremest kiss + To thee, my _silver-footed_ Thamasis' + +[that is, the river Thames]. WILLIAM BROWNE earlier, has 'faire +_silver-footed_ Thetis' (Works by Hazlitt, i. p. 188). Cf. also the +first line of the Elegy on Dr. Porter in our 'Airelles'--printed for the +first time by us: 'Stay silver-footed Came.' + +With reference to the long-accepted reading 'silver-_forded_,' the +epithet is loosely used not for in the state of being forded, but for in +a state to be forded, or fordable, and hence shallow. The thought is not +quite the same as that intended to be conveyed by such a phrase as +'silver stream of Thames,' but pictures the bright, pellucid, silvery +whiteness of a clear mountain rill. As silver-shallow--a meaning which, +as has been said, cannot be fairly obtained from it--can it alone be +taken as a double epithet. In any other sense the hyphen is only an +attempt to connect two qualities which refuse to be connected. All +difficulty and obscurity are removed by 'silver-footed.' + +St. iii. line 1. The. 'we'' may be = wee, as printed in 1646, but in +1648 it is 'we are,' and in 1670 'we're,' and in the last, line 2, +'they're.' The SANCROFT MS. in line 2, reads 'they are indeed' for +'indeed they are.' + +St. iv. line 4, 1646 and 1670 have 'crawles' and 'crawls' respectively, +for 'floates,' as in 1648 and our text. The SANCROFT MS. also reads +'crawles.' In line 3, 1646 and 1670 'meet' is inadvertently substituted +for 'creep.' + +Lines 5 and 6, 1646 and 1670 read + + 'Heaven, of such faire floods as this, + Heaven the christall ocean is.' + +So too the SANCROFT MS., save that for 'this' it has 'these.' + +St. v. line 2. 'Brisk' is = active, nimble. So--and something +more--SHAKESPEARE: 'he made me mad, to see him shine so _brisk_' (1 +Henry IV. 3). + +Line 3. 1646, 1670 and SANCROFT MS. read 'soft' for 'sacred' of 1652 and +1648. + +Line 6, 'Breakfast.' See our Essay on this and similar homely words, +with parallels. 1648 reads 'his' for '_this_ breakfast.' + +St. vi. line 4, 'violls' = 'phials' or small bottles. The reading in +1646 and 1670 is 'Angels with their _bottles_ come.' So also in the +SANCROFT MS. + +St. vii. line 4. 'Nuzzeld' = nestled or nourished. In quaint old DR. +WORSHIP'S Sermons, we have 'dew _cruzzle_ on his cheek' (p. 91). + +Lines 1 and 3, 'deaw' = 'dew.' This was the contemporary spelling, as it +was long before in SIR JOHN DAVIES, the FLETCHERS and others in our +Fuller Worthies' Library, _s.v._ + +Lines 5 and 6. 1646, 1670 and SANCROFT MS. read + + 'Much rather would it tremble heere + And leave them both to bee thy teare.' + +1648 is as our text (1652). + +St. ix. A hasty reader may judge this stanza to have been displaced by +the xith, but a closer examination reveals a new vein (so-to-say) of the +thought. It is characteristic of Crashaw to give a first-sketch, and +afterwards fill in other details to complete the scene or portraiture. + +St. xi. Restored from 1646. + +St. xii. line 1. 1646, 1648 and 1670 read 'There is.' + +Line 4, '_med'cinable_ teares.' So SHAKESPEARE (nearly): 'their +_medicinal_ gum' (Othello, v. 2). + +St. xiii. line 2. 1646 and 1670 unhappily misprint 'case;' and TURNBULL +passed the deplorable blunder and perpetuated it. + +Line 5. Our text (1652) misprints 'draw' for 'deaw' = dew, as before. + +Line 6. 1646 and 1670 read 'May balsame.' + +St. xiv. line 3. 1646 and 1670 read + + 'Might he flow from thee.' + +TURNBULL misses the rhythmical play in the first and second 'though,' +and punctuates the second so as to read with next line. I make a +full-stop as in the SANCROFT MS. + +Line 4, ib. read + + 'Content and quiet would he goe.' + +So the SANCROFT MS. + +Line 5, ib. read + + 'Richer far does he esteeme.' + +So the SANCROFT MS. + +St. xv. lines 5 and 6, ib. read + + 'No April e're lent softer showres, + Nor May returned fairer flowers.' + +'Faithful' looks deeper: but the SANCROFT MS. agrees with '46 and '70. + +St. xvii. line 2, in 1648 misreads + + 'With loves and tears, and smils disputing.' + +TURNBULL, without the slightest authority, seeing not even in 1670 are +the readings found, has thus printed lines 2 and 4, 'With loves, of +tears _with smiles disporting_' ... 'Each other kissing and +_comforting_'!! + +St. xviii. line 2 in 1648 misreads + + 'Friends with the balsome fires that fill thee.' + +The 'balsome' is an evident misprint, but 'thee' is preferable to 'fill +you' of our text (1652), and hence I have adopted it. + +Line 3 in 1648 reads + + 'Cause great flames agree.' + +St. xix. line 3, 1648, reads 'that' for 'the.' + +Line 4, ib. 'those' for 'these.' + +Line 6. cf. Revelations xiv. 5, 'These are they which follow the Lamb +whithersoever He goeth.' + +St. xxi. line 6. 'wipe with gold,' refers to Mary Magdalene's golden +tresses, as also in st. xxii. 'a voluntary mint.' + +Line 4. 'prouoke' = challenge. + +St. xxii. line 2. Curiously enough, 1648 edition leaves a blank where we +read 'calls 't' as in our text (1652). TURNBULL prints 'call'st,' but +that makes nonsense. It is calls't as = calls it. So too the SANCROFT +MS. Probably the copy for 1648 was illegible. + +St. xxiv. line 1. 1646 and 1670 read + + 'Does the Night arise?' + +Line 2. Our text (1652) misprints 'starres' for 'teares' of 1646, 1648 +and 1670. + +Line 3. 1646 and 1670 read + + 'Does Night loose her eyes?' + +The SANCROFT MS. reads line 139 'Does the Night arise?' and line 141, +'Does Niget loose her eyes?' + +St. xxv. line 2. 1646 and 1670 read + + 'Thy teares' just cadence still keeps time.' + +So the SANCROFT MS. + +Line 3. Our text (1652) misprints 'paire' for 'praire.' 'Sweet-breath'd' +should probably be pronounced as the adjectival of the substantive, not +as the participle of the verb. + +Line 6. 1646, 1648 and 1670 read 'doth' for 'does.' + +St. xxvi. lines 1 and 2. 1646 and 1670 read + + 'Thus dost thou melt the yeare + Into a weeping motion. + Each minute waiteth heere.' + +So the SANCROFT MS. + +St. xxvii. Restored from 1646 edition. The SANCROFT MS. in line 168 +miswrites 'teares.' + +St. xxviii. line 5. reads in 1646 and 1670 + + 'Others by dayes, by monthes, by yeares.' + +So also the SANCROFT MS., wherein this st. follows our st. xv. + +St. xxix. line 3. Our text (1652) misprints 'fires' for 'fire' of 1648. + +St. xxx. line 1. Our text (1652) misprints 'Say the bright brothers.' +1646 and 1670 read 'Say watry Brothers.' So SANCROFT MS. 1648 gives +'ye,' which I have adopted. The misprint of 'the' in 1652 originated +doubtless in the printer's reading 'ye,' the usual mode of writing +'the.' + +Line 2. 1646 and 1670 read + + 'Yee simpering ...' + +So the SANCROFT MS. + +Line 3, ib. 'fertile' for 'fruitfull.' + +Line 4, ib. 'What hath our world that can entice.' So the SANCROFT MS. + +Lines 5 and 6, ib. + + 'what is't can borrow + You from her eyes, swolne wombes of sorrow.' + +So the SANCROFT MS. + +St. xxxi. line 2. 1646 and 1670 read + + 'O whither? for the _sluttish_ Earth:' + +and I accept 'sluttish' for 'sordid,' which is also confirmed by +SANCROFT MS. + +Line 4, ib. 'your' for 'their;' and as this is also the reading of 1648 +and SANCROFT MS., I have accepted it. + +Line 5. 1646 and 1670 omit 'Sweet.' + +Line 6, ib. read 'yee' for 'you.' + +St. xxxii. and xxxiii. In 1646 and 1670 these two stanzas are thrown +into one, viz. 23 (there), which consists of the first four lines of +xxxii. and the two closing lines of xxxiii. as follows, + + 'No such thing; we goe to meet + A worthier object, our Lords feet.' + +In the SANCROFT MS. also, and reads as last line 'A worthy object, our +Lord Jesus feet.' On the closing lines of st. xxxii. cf. Sospetto +d'Herode, st. xlviii. + +I have not thought it needful, either in these Notes or hereafter, to +record the somewhat arbitrary variations of mere orthography in the +different editions, as 'haile' for 'hail,' 'syluer' for 'silver,' 'hee' +for 'he,' and the like. But I trust it will be found that no different +wording has escaped record. G. + + + + +SANCTA MARIA DOLORVM, OR THE MOTHER OF SORROWS + +_A patheticall Descant vpon the deuout Plainsong of Stabat Mater +Dolorosa._[23] + + +I. + + In shade of Death's sad tree + Stood dolefull shee. + Ah she! now by none other + Name to be known, alas, but Sorrow's Mother. + Before her eyes, 5 + Her's, and the whole World's ioyes, + Hanging all torn she sees; and in His woes + And paines, her pangs and throes: + Each wound of His, from euery part, + All, more at home in her one heart. 10 + + +II. + + What kind of marble, than, + Is that cold man + Who can look on and see, + Nor keep such noble sorrowes company? + Sure eu'en from you 15 + (My flints) some drops are due, + To see so many unkind swords contest + So fast for one soft brest: + While with a faithfull, mutuall floud, + Her eyes bleed teares, His wounds weep blood. 20 + + +III. + + O costly intercourse + Of deaths, and worse-- + Diuided loues. While Son and mother + Discourse alternate wounds to one another, + Quick deaths that grow 25 + And gather, as they come and goe: + His nailes write swords in her, which soon her heart + Payes back, with more then their own smart. + Her swords, still growing with His pain, + Turn speares, and straight come home again. 30 + + +IV. + + She sees her Son, her God, + Bow with a load + Of borrow'd sins; and swimme + In woes that were not made for Him. + Ah! hard command 35 + Of loue! Here must she stand, + Charg'd to look on, and with a stedfast ey + See her life dy: + Leauing her only so much breath + As serues to keep aliue her death. 40 + + +V. + + O mother turtle-doue! + Soft sourse of loue! + That these dry lidds might borrow + Somthing from thy full seas of sorrow! + O in that brest 45 + Of thine (the noblest nest + Both of Loue's fires and flouds) might I recline + This hard, cold heart of mine! + The chill lump would relent, and proue + Soft subject for the seige of Loue. 50 + + +VI. + + O teach those wounds to bleed + In me; me, so to read + This book of loues, thus writ + In lines of death, my life may coppy it + With loyall cares. 55 + O let me, here, claim shares! + Yeild somthing in thy sad prærogatiue + (Great queen of greifes), and giue + Me, too, my teares; who, though all stone, + Think much that thou shouldst mourn alone. 60 + + +VII. + + Yea, let my life and me + Fix here with thee, + And at the humble foot + Of this fair tree, take our eternall root. + That so we may 65 + At least be in Loue's way; + And in these chast warres, while the wing'd wounds flee + So fast 'twixt Him and thee, + My brest may catch the kisse of some kind dart, + Though as at second hand, from either heart. 70 + + +VIII. + + O you, your own best darts, + Dear, dolefull hearts! + Hail! and strike home, and make me see + That wounded bosomes their own weapons be. + Come wounds! come darts! 75 + Nail'd hands! and peircèd hearts! + Come your whole selues, Sorrow's great Son and mother! + Nor grudge a yonger brother + Of greifes his portion, who (had all their due) + One single wound should not haue left for you. 80 + + +IX. + + Shall I, sett there + So deep a share + (Dear wounds), and onely now + In sorrows draw no diuidend with you? + O be more wise, 85 + If not more soft, mine eyes! + Flow, tardy founts! and into decent showres + Dissolue my dayes and howres. + And if thou yet (faint soul!) desert + To bleed with Him, fail not to weep with her. 90 + + +X. + + Rich queen, lend some releife; + At least an almes of greif + To' a heart who by sad right of sin + Could proue the whole summe (too sure) due to him. + By all those stings 95 + Of Loue, sweet-bitter things, + Which these torn hands transcrib'd on thy true heart; + O teach mine too the art + To study Him so, till we mix + Wounds, and become one crucifix. 100 + + +XI. + + O let me suck the wine + So long of this chast Vine, + Till drunk of the dear wounds, I be + A lost thing to the world, as it to me. + O faithfull friend 105 + Of me and of my end! + Fold vp my life in loue; and lay't beneath + My dear Lord's vitall death. + Lo, heart, thy hope's whole plea! her pretious breath + Pour'd out in prayrs for thee; thy Lord's in death. 110 + + +NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. + +St. i. line 10. In 1648 the reading is + + 'Are more at home in her Owne heart.' + +In 1670. 'All, more at home in her own heart.' I think 'all' and 'one' +of our text (1652) preferable. There is a world of pathos in the latter. +Cf. st. ii. line 8. + +St. ii. line 1. On the change of orthography for rhyme, see our PHINEAS +FLETCHER, vol. ii. 206; and our LORD BROOKE, VAUGHAN, &c. &c., show +'then' and 'than' used as in Crashaw. + +St. vi. line 3. In 1648 the reading is 'love;' 1670 as our text (1652). +The plural includes the twofold love of Son and mother. + +Line 7, ib. 'to' for 'in.' + +Line 9, ib. 'Oh give' at commencement. 1670, 'to' for 'too.' + +St. vii. and viii. These two stanzas do not appear in 1648 edition, but +appear in 1670. + +St. vii. line 4. By 'tree' the Cross is meant. Cf. st. i. line 1. + +St. ix. line 1. 1648 edition supplies the two words required by the +measure of the other stanzas, 'in sins.' They are dropped inadvertently +in 1652 and 1670. Turnbull failed as usual to detect the omission. + +Line 4. 1648 spells 'Divident.' + +Lines 5 and 6. I have accepted correction of our text (1652) from 1648 +edition, in line 6, of 'If' for 'Is,' which is also the reading of 1670. +1648 substitutes 'just' for 'soft;' but 1670 does not adopt it, nor can +I. + +St. x. line 1. 1648 reads 'Lend, O lend some reliefe.' + +Line 9 reads 'To studie thee so.' + +St. xi. line 3, ib. reads 'thy' for 'the.' + +Line 8, ib. reads 'Thy deare lost vitall death.' + +Line 10. I have adopted from 1648 'in thy Lord's death' for 'thy lord's +in death' of our text (1652). + +Turnbull has some sad misprints in this poem: _e.g._ st. ii. line 4, +'sorrow's' for 'sorrows;' st. iii. line 2, 'death's' for 'deaths;' st. +vi. line 9, 'Me to' for 'Me, too;' st. x. line 2, 'in' for 'an,' and +line 3, 'a' mis-inserted before 'sad.' Except in the 'Me to' of st. vi., +he had not even the poor excuse of following the text of 1670. G. + + + + +THE TEARE.[24] + + +I. + + What bright-soft thing is this, + Sweet Mary, thy faire eyes' expence? + A moist sparke it is, + A watry diamond; from whence + The very tearme, I think, was found, 5 + The water of a diamond. + + +II. + + O, 'tis not a teare: + 'Tis a star about to dropp + From thine eye, its spheare; + The sun will stoope and take it up: 10 + Proud will his sister be, to weare + This thine eyes' iewell in her eare. + + +III. + + O, 'tis a teare, + Too true a teare; for no sad eyne, + How sad so 'ere, 15 + Raine so true a teare, as thine; + Each drop leaving a place so deare, + Weeps for it self; is its owne teare. + + +IV. + + Such a pearle as this is, + Slipt from Aurora's dewy brest-- 20 + The rose-bud's sweet lipp kisses; + And such the rose it self that's vext + With ungentle flames, does shed, + Sweating in a too warm bed. + + +V. + + Such the maiden gem, 25 + By the purpling vine put on, + Peeps from her parent stem, + And blushes on the bridegroom sun; + The watry blossome of thy eyne + Ripe, will make the richer wine. 30 + + +VI. + + Faire drop, why quak'st thou so? + 'Cause thou streight must lay thy head + In the dust? O, no! + The dust shall never be thy bed: + A pillow for thee will I bring, 35 + Stuft with downe of angel's wing. + + +VII. + + Thus carried up on high + (For to Heaven thou must goe), + Sweetly shalt thou lye, + And in soft slumbers bath thy woe, 40 + Till the singing orbes awake thee, + And one of their bright chorus make thee. + + +VIII. + + There thy selfe shalt bee + An eye, but not a weeping one; + Yet I doubt of thee, 45 + Whether th' had'st rather there have shone + An eye of heaven; or still shine here, + In the heaven of Marie's eye, a TEARE. + + +NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. + +It is to be re-noted that st. v. is identical in all save 'watry' for +'bridegroom' with st. xi. of 'The Weeper' as given in text of 1652, and +that st. iv. has two lines from st. xxix. of the same poem. Neither of +these stanzas appear in 'The Weeper' of 1646. As stated in relative +foot-note, I have withdrawn the former from 'The Weeper.' We may be sure +it was inadvertently inserted in 1652, seeing that the very next stanza +closes with the same word 'wine' as in it: a fault which our Poet never +could have passed. It is to be noticed too that 'The Teare' did not +appear in the edition of 1652. By transferring the stanza to 'The Teare' +as in 1646, 1648 and 1670 editions, a blemish is removed from 'The +Weeper,' while in 'The Teare' it is a vivid addition. The 'such' of line +1 links it naturally on to st. iv. with its 'such.' + +Our text follows that of 1648 except in st. v. line 4, where I adopt the +reading of 1652 in 'The Weeper' (there st. xi.) of 'bridegroom' +(misprinted 'bridegrooms') for 'watry,' and that I correct in st. vii. +line 6, the misprint 'the' for 'thee,'--the latter being found in 1646 +and 1670. With reference to st. v. again, in line 5 in 'The Weeper' of +1648 the reading is 'balsome' for 'blossom.' The 'ripe' of line 6 +settles (I think) that 'blossom' is the right word, as the ripe blossom +is = the grape, to the rich lucent-white drops of which the Weeper's +tears are likened. 'Balsome' doesn't make wine. I have adopted from st. +xi. of 'The Weeper' of 1652 the reading 'the purpling vine' for 'the +wanton Spring' of 1646, 1648 and 1670. The SANCROFT MS. in st. i. line +2, reads 'expends' for 'expence;' st. iv. line 4, 'that's' for 'when;' +st. v. line 4, 'manly sunne' for 'bridegroome,' and line 5, 'thine' for +'thy;' st. viii. line 6, 'I' th'' for 'In th'.' G. + + + + +THE OFFICE OF THE HOLY CROSSE.[25] + + + Tradidit semetipsum pro nobis oblationem et hostiam Deo in odorem + suauitatis. _Ad Ephe._ v. 2. + + +THE HOWRES. + + +FOR THE HOVR OF MATINES. + + +_The Versicle._ + + Lord, by Thy sweet and sailing sign! + + +_The Responsory._ + + Defend us from our foes and Thine. + + _V._ Thou shalt open my lippes, O Lord. + + _R._ And my mouth shall shew forth Thy prayse. + + _V._ O God, make speed to saue me. 5 + + _R._ O Lord, make hast to help me. + + + Glory be to the FATHER, + and to the SON, + and to the H[oly] GHOST. + As it was in the beginning, is now, and euer 10 + shall be, world without end. Amen. + + +THE HYMN. + + The wakefull Matines hast to sing + The unknown sorrows of our King: + The Father's Word and Wisdom, made + Man for man, by man's betraid; 15 + The World's price sett to sale, and by the bold + Merchants of Death and Sin, is bought and sold: + Of His best freinds (yea of Himself) forsaken; + By His worst foes (because He would) beseig'd and taken. + + +_The Antiphona._ + + All hail, fair tree, 20 + Whose fruit we be! + What song shall raise + Thy seemly praise, + Who broughtst to light + Life out of death, Day out of Night! 25 + + +_The Versicle._ + + Lo, we adore Thee, + Dread LAMB! and bow thus low before Thee: + + +_The Responsor._ + + 'Cause, by the couenant of Thy crosse, + Thou hast sau'd at once the whole World's losse. + + +_The Prayer._ + + O Lord IESV-CHRIST, Son of the liuing God! 30 + interpose, I pray Thee, Thine Own pretious death, + Thy crosse and passion, betwixt my soul and Thy + iudgment, now and in the hour of my death. And + vouchsafe to graunt vnto me Thy grace and mercy; + vnto all quick and dead, remission and rest; to Thy 35 + Church, peace and concord; to vs sinners, life and + glory euerlasting. Who liuest and reignest with + the Father, in the vnity of the Holy Ghost, one + God, world without end. Amen. + + +FOR THE HOUR OF PRIME. + + +_The Versicle._ + + Lord, by Thy sweet and sailing sign! 40 + + +_The Responsor._ + + Defend vs from our foes and Thine. + _V._ Thou shalt open my lips, O Lord. + _R._ And my mouth shall shew forth Thy praise. + _V._ O God, make speed to save me. + _R._ O Lord, make hast to help me. 45 + _V._ Glory be to, &c. + _R._ As it was in the, &c. + + +THE HYMN. + + The early Prime blushes to say + She could not rise so soon, as they + Call'd Pilat vp; to try if he 50 + Could lend them any cruelty. + Their hands with lashes arm'd, their toungs with lyes + And loathsom spittle, blott those beauteous eyes, + The blissfull springs of ioy; from whose all-chearing ray + The fair starrs fill their wakefull fires, the sun him- + self drinks day. 55 + + +_The Antiphona._ + + Victorious sign + That now dost shine, + Transcrib'd aboue + Into the land of light and loue; + O let vs twine 60 + Our rootes with thine, + That we may rise + Vpon thy wings, and reach the skyes. + + +_The Versicle._ + + Lo, we adore Thee, + Dread Lamb! and fall 65 + Thus low before Thee. + + +_The Responsor._ + + 'Cause by the couenant of Thy crosse + Thou hast sau'd at once the whole World's losse. + + +_The Prayer._ + + O LORD IESV-CHRIST, Son of the liuing God! + interpose, I pray Thee, Thine Own pretious death, 70 + Thy crosse and passion, betwixt my soul and Thy + iudgment, now and in the hour of my death. And + vouchsafe to graunt vnto me Thy grace and mercy; + vnto all quick and dead, remission and rest; to + Thy Church, peace and concord; to vs sinners, 75 + life and glory euerlasting. Who liuest and reignest + with the Father, in the vnity of the Holy Ghost, + one God, world without end. Amen. + + +THE THIRD. + + +_The Versicle._ + + Lord, by Thy sweet and sauing sign, + + +_The Responsor._ + + Defend vs from our foes and Thine. 80 + _V._ Thou shalt open my lips, O Lord. + _R._ And my mouth shall shew forth Thy praise. + _V._ O God, make speed to save me. + _R._ O Lord, make hast to help me. + _V._ Glory be to, &c. 85 + _R._ As it was in the, &c. + + +THE HYMN. + + The third hour's deafen'd with the cry + Of crucify Him, crucify. + So goes the vote (nor ask them, why?), + Liue Barabbas! and let God dy. 90 + But there is witt in wrath, and they will try + A hail more cruell then their crucify. + For while in sport He weares a spitefull crown + The serious showres along His decent Face run sadly down. + + +_The Antiphona._ + + Christ when He dy'd 95 + Deceiu'd the Crosse; + And on Death's side + Threw all the losse. + The captiue World awak't and found + The prisoners loose, the iaylor bound. 100 + + +_The Versicle._ + + Lo, we adore Thee, + Dread LAMB, and fall + Thus low before Thee. + + +_The Responsor._ + + 'Cause by the couenant of Thy crosse + Thou hast sau'd at once the whole World's losse. 105 + + +_The Prayer._ + + O Lord IESV-CHRIST, Son of the liuing God! + interpose, I pray Thee, Thine Own pretious death, + Thy crosse and passion, betwixt my soul and Thy + iudgment, now and in the hour of my death. And + vouchsafe to graunt vnto me Thy grace and mercy; 110 + vnto all quick and dead, remission and rest; to + Thy Church, peace and concord; to vs sinners, + life and glory everlasting. Who liuest and reignest + with the Father, in the vnity of the Holy Ghost, + one God, world without end. Amen. 115 + + +THE SIXT. + + +_The Versicle._ + + Lord, by Thy sweet and sauing sign! + + +_The Responsor._ + + Defend vs from our foes and Thine. + + _V._ Thou shalt open my lips, O Lord. + + _R._ And my mouth shall shew forth Thy praise. + + _V._ O God, make speed to save me! 120 + + _R._ O Lord, make hast to help me! + + _V._ Glory be to, &c. + + _R._ As it was in the, &c. + + +THE HYMN. + + Now is the noon of Sorrow's night: + High in His patience, as their spite, 125 + Lo, the faint Lamb, with weary limb + Beares that huge tree which must bear Him! + That fatall plant, so great of fame + For fruit of sorrow and of shame, + Shall swell with both, for Him, and mix 130 + All woes into one crucifix. + Is tortur'd thirst itselfe too sweet a cup? + Gall, and more bitter mocks, shall make it vp. + Are nailes, blunt pens of superficiall smart? + Contempt and scorn can send sure wounds to + search the inmost heart. 135 + + +_The Antiphona._ + + O deare and sweet dispute + 'Twixt Death's and Loue's farr different fruit! + Different as farr + As antidotes and poysons are. + By that first fatall tree 140 + Both life and liberty + Were sold and slain; + By this they both look vp, and liue again. + + +_The Versicle._ + + Lo, we adore Thee, + Dread Lamb! and bow thus low before Thee. 145 + + +_The Responsor._ + + 'Cause by the couenant of Thy crosse, + Thou hast sau'd the World from certain losse. + + +_The Prayer._ + + O Lord IESV-CHRIST, Son of the liuing God! + interpose, I pray Thee, Thine Own pretious death, + Thy crosse and passion, betwixt my soul and Thy 150 + iudgment, now and in the hour of my death. And + vouchsafe to graunt vnto me Thy grace and mercy; + vnto all quick and dead, remission and rest; to + Thy Church, peace and concord; to vs sinners, + life and glory euerlasting. Who liuest and reignest 155 + with the Father, in the vnity of the Holy Ghost, + one God, world without end. Amen. + + +THE NINTH. + + +_The Versicle._ + + Lord, by Thy sweet and sauing sign, + + +_The Responsor._ + + Defend vs from our foes and Thine. + _V._ Thou shalt open my lips, O Lord. 160 + _R._ And my mouth shall shew forth Thy praise. + _V._ O God, make speed to save me! + _R._ O Lord, make hast to help me! + _V._ Glory be to, &c. + _R._ As it was in the, &c. 165 + + +THE HYMN. + + The ninth with awfull horror hearkened to those groanes + Which taught attention eu'n to rocks and stones. + Hear, Father, hear! Thy Lamb (at last) complaines + Of some more painfull thing then all His paines. + Then bowes His all-obedient head, and dyes 170 + His own lou's and our sins' GREAT SACRIFICE. + The sun saw that, and would haue seen no more; + The center shook: her vselesse veil th' inglorious Temple tore. + + +_The Antiphona._ + + O strange, mysterious strife + Of open Death and hidden Life! 175 + When on the crosse my King did bleed, + Life seem'd to dy, Death dy'd indeed.[26] + + +_The Versicle._ + + Lo, we adore Thee, + Dread Lamb! and fall + Thus low before Thee. 180 + + +_The Responsor._ + + 'Cause by the couenant of Thy crosse + Thou hast sau'd at once the whole World's losse. + + +_The Prayer._ + + O Lord Iesv-Christ, Son of the liuing God! + interpose, I pray Thee, Thine Own pretious death, + + + Thy crosse and passion, betwixt my soul and Thy 185 + iudgment, now and in the hour of my death. And + vouchsafe to graunt vnto me Thy grace and mercy; + vnto all quick and dead, remission and rest; to + Thy Church, peace and concord; to vs sinners, + life and glory euerlasting. Who liuest and reignest 190 + with the Father, in the vnity of the Holy Ghost, + one God, world without end. Amen. + + +EVENSONG. + + +_The Versicle._ + + Lord, by Thy sweet and sauing sign! + + +_The Responsor._ + + Defend vs from our foes and Thine. + _V._ Thou shalt open my lips, O Lord! 195 + _R._ And my mouth shall shew forth Thy praise. + _V._ O God, make speed to save me! + _R._ O Lord, make hast to help me! + _V._ Glory be to, &c. + _R._ As it was in the, &c. 200 + + +THE HYMN. + + But there were rocks would not relent at this: + Lo, for their own hearts, they rend His; + Their deadly hate liues still, and hath + A wild reserve of wanton wrath; + Superfluous spear! But there's a heart stands by 205 + Will look no wounds be lost, no deaths shall dy. + Gather now thy Greif's ripe fruit, great mother-maid! + Then sitt thee down, and sing thine eu'nsong in the sad tree's shade. + + +_The Antiphona._ + + O sad, sweet tree! + Wofull and ioyfull we 210 + Both weep and sing in shade of thee. + When the dear nailes did lock + And graft into thy gracious stock + The hope, the health, + The worth, the wealth 215 + Of all the ransom'd World, thou hadst the power + (In that propitious hour) + To poise each pretious limb, + And proue how light the World was, when it weighd with Him. + Wide maist thou spred 220 + Thine armes, and with thy bright and blissfull head + O'relook all Libanus. Thy lofty crown + The King Himself is, thou His humble throne, + Where yeilding and yet conquering He + Prou'd a new path of patient victory: 225 + When wondring Death by death was slain, + And our Captiuity His captiue ta'ne. + + +_The Versicle._ + + Lo, we adore Thee, + Dread LAMB! and bow thus low before Thee. + + +_The Responsor._ + + 'Cause by the couenant of Thy crosse 230 + Thou hast sau'd the World from certain losse. + + +_The Prayer._ + + O Lord Iesv-Christ, Son of the liuing, &c. + + +COMPLINE. + + +_The Versicle._ + + Lord, by Thy sweet and sauing sign! + + +_The Responsor._ + + Defend vs from our foes and Thine. + _V._ Thou shalt open my lips, O Lord! 235 + _R._ And my mouth shall shew forth Thy praise. + _V._ O God, make speed to save me! + _R._ O Lord, make hast to help me! + _V._ Glory be to, &c. + _R._ As it was in the, &c. 240 + + +THE HYMN. + + The Complin hour comes last, to call + Vs to our own lives' funerall. + Ah hartlesse task! yet Hope takes head, + And liues in Him that here lyes dead. + Run, Mary, run! Bring hither all the blest 245 + Arabia, for thy royall phoenix' nest; + Pour on thy noblest sweets, which, when they touch + This sweeter body, shall indeed be such. + But must Thy bed, Lord, be a borrow'd graue + Who lend'st to all things all the life they haue. 250 + O rather vse this heart, thus farr a fitter stone, + 'Cause, though a hard and cold one, yet it is Thine own. Amen. + + +_The Antiphona._ + + O saue vs then, + Mercyfull King of men! + Since Thou wouldst needs be thus 255 + A Saviour, and at such a rate, for vs; + Saue vs, O saue vs, Lord. + We now will own no shorter wish, nor name a narrower word; + Thy blood bids vs be bold, + Thy wounds giue vs fair hold, 260 + Thy sorrows chide our shame: + Thy crosse, Thy nature, and Thy name + Aduance our claim, + And cry with one accord + Saue them, O saue them, Lord! 265 + + +THE RECOMMENDATION.[27] + + These Houres, and that which houers o're my end, + Into Thy hands and hart, Lord, I commend. + + Take both to Thine account, that I and mine + In that hour, and in these, may be all Thine. + + That as I dedicate my deuoutest breath 270 + To make a kind of life for my Lord's death, + + So from His liuing and life-giuing death, + My dying life may draw a new and neuer fleeting breath. + + +NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. + +In the original edition of this composition, as _supra_ (1648), it is +entitled simply 'Vpon our B[lessed] Saviour's Passion.' What in our text +(1652) constitute the Hymns, were originally numbered as seven stanzas. +A few various readings from 1648 will be found below. Our text is given +in full in 1670 edition, but not very accurately. + +_Various readings of the Hymns in 1648 'Steps.'_ + + I. Line 1. 'The wakefull dawning hast's to sing.' + + " 2. The allusion is to the petition in the old Litanies, + 'By all Thine _unknown_ sorrows, good Lord, deliver us.' + + " 8. 'betray'd' for 'beseigd:' the former perhaps superior. + + II. " 1. 'The early Morne.' + + " 2. 'It' for 'she.' + + III. " 5. 'ther's' for 'there is.' + + IV. " 6. 'The fruit' instead of 'for'--a misprint. + + V. " 6. 'our great sins' sacrifice.' + + VII. " 1. 'The Nightening houre'--a curious coinage. + + +In the 'Prayer,' 'unto all quick and dead' is dropped, and reads 'the,' +not 'Thy,' Church. In line 55 Turnbull reads 'weakful,' and, line 243, +'heed' for 'head,'--two of a number of provoking blunders in his text. +G. + + + + +VEXILLA REGIS: + +THE HYMN OF THE HOLY CROSSE.[28] + + +I. + + Look vp, languisting soul! Lo, where the fair 1 + Badge of thy faith calls back thy care, + And biddes thee ne're forget + Thy life is one long debt + Of loue, to Him, Who on this painfull tree 5 + Paid back the flesh He took for thee. + + +II. + + Lo, how the streames of life, from that full nest + Of loues, Thy Lord's too liberall brest, + Flow in an amorous floud + Of water wedding blood. 10 + With these He wash't thy stain, transferred thy smart, + And took it home to His own heart. + + +III. + + But though great Love, greedy of such sad gain, + Vsurpt the portion of thy pain, + And from the nailes and spear 15 + Turn'd the steel point of fear: + Their vse is chang'd, not lost; and now they moue + Not stings of wrath, but wounds of loue. + + +IV. + + Tall tree of life! thy truth makes good + What was till now ne're understood, 20 + Though the prophetick king + Struck lowd his faithfull string: + It was thy wood he meant should make the throne + For a more than Salomon. + + +V. + + Large throne of Loue! royally spred 25 + With purple of too rich a red: + Thy crime is too much duty; + Thy burthen, too much beauty; + Glorious or greiuous more? thus to make good + Thy costly excellence with thy King's own blood. 30 + + +VI. + + Euen ballance of both worlds! our world of sin, + And that of grace, Heaun-way'd in Him: + Vs with our price thou weighed'st; + Our price for vs thou payed'st, + Soon as the right-hand scale reioyc't to proue 35 + How much Death weigh'd more light then Loue. + + +VII. + + Hail, our alone hope! let thy fair head shoot + Aloft, and fill the nations with thy noble fruit: + The while our hearts and we + Thus graft our selues on thee, 40 + Grow thou and they. And be thy fair increase + The sinner's pardon and the iust man's peace. + + Liue, O for euer liue and reign + The Lamb Whom His own loue hath slain! + And let Thy lost sheep liue to inherit 45 + That kingdom which this Crosse did merit. Amen. + + +NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. + +These variations &c. as between 1648 and 1652, deserve record: + +St. i. line 1. 'Languishing,' which is the reading in 1648. + +Ib. line 2. Here, and in v. line 1, I have added 'e' to 'badg' and +'larg' respectively from 1648. + +St. vi. line 2. Our text (1652) corrects a manifest blunder of 1648, +which reads 'wag'd' for 'way'd' = weighed. In 1648, lines 3-4 read + + 'Both with one price were weighed, + Both with one price were paid.' + +St. vii. appeared for the first time in our text (1652). In the closing +four lines, line 4, 1648, reads noticeably + + 'That Kingdome which Thy blessed death did merit.' + +The allusion in st. iv. is to the old reading of Psalm xcvi. 10: 'Tell +it among the heathen that the Lord reigneth from _the tree_.' The +reference to Solomon points to the mediæval mystical interpretations of +Canticles iii. 9-10. + +I place 'Vexilla Regis' immediately after the 'Office of the Holy +Crosse,' as really belonging to it, and not to be separated as in 1648. +G. + + + + +[THE LORD SILENCES HIS QUESTIONERS.][29] + + + 'Neither durst any man from that day aske Him any more questions.' + + _St. Matthew_ xxii. + + Mid'st all the darke and knotty snares, 1 + Black wit or malice can, or dares, + Thy glorious wisedome breaks the nets, + And treds with uncontroulèd steps; + Thy quell'd foes are not onely now 5 + Thy triumphs, but Thy trophies too: + They both at once Thy conquests bee, + And Thy conquests' memorie. + Stony amazement makes them stand + Wayting on Thy victorious hand, 10 + Like statues fixèd to the fame + Of Thy renoune, and their own shame, + As if they onely meant to breath + To be the life of their own death. + 'Twas time to hold their peace, when they 15 + Had ne're another word to say; + Yet is their silence unto Thee, + The full sound of Thy victorie; + Their silence speaks aloud, and is + Thy well pronounc'd panegyris. 20 + While they speak nothing, they speak all + Their share, in Thy memoriall. + While they speake nothing, they proclame + Thee, with the shrillest trump of Fame. + To hold their peace is all the wayes 25 + These wretches have to speak Thy praise. + + + + +OUR B[LESSED] LORD IN HIS CIRCUMCISION TO HIS FATHER.[30] + + + 1. To Thee these first-fruits of My growing death 1 + (For what else is My life?), lo! I bequeath: + + 2. Tast this, and as Thou lik'st this lesser flood + Expect a sea; My heart shall make it good. + + + 3. Thy wrath that wades here now, e're long shall swim, 5 + The floodgate shall be set wide ope for Him. + + 4. Then let Him drinke, and drinke, and doe His worst + To drowne the wantonnesse of His wild thirst. + + 5. Now's but the nonage of My paines, My feares + Are yett but hopes, weake as my infant yeares. 10 + + 6. The day of My darke woe is yet but morne, + My teares but tender, and My death new-borne. + + 7. Yet may these unfledg'd griefes give fate some guesse, + These cradle-torments have their towardnesse. + + 8. These purple buds of blooming death may bee, 15 + Erst the full stature of a fatall tree. + + 9. And till My riper woes to age are come, + This knife may be the speare's præludium. + + + + +ON THE WOUNDS OF OUR CRUCIFIED LORD.[31] + + + O, these wakefull wounds of Thine! 1 + Are they mouthes? or are they eyes? + Be they mouthes, or be they eyne, + Each bleeding part some one supplies. + + Lo! a mouth! whose full-bloom'd lips 5 + At too dear a rate are roses: + Lo! a blood-shot eye! that weeps, + And many a cruell teare discloses. + + O, thou that on this foot hast laid + Many a kisse, and many a teare; 10 + Now thou shalt have all repaid, + What soe're thy charges were. + + This foot hath got a mouth and lips + To pay the sweet summe of thy kisses; + To pay thy teares, an eye that weeps, 15 + Instead of teares, such gems as this is. + + The difference onely this appeares, + (Nor can the change offend) + The debt is paid in ruby-teares + Which thou in pearles did'st lend. 20 + + + + +VPON THE BLEEDING CRUCIFIX: A SONG.[32] + + +I. + + IIESU, no more! It is full tide: + From Thy head and from Thy feet, + From Thy hands and from Thy side + All the purple riuers meet. + + +II. + + What need Thy fair head bear a part + In showres, as if Thine eyes had none? + What need they help to drown Thy heart, + That striues in torrents of it's own? + + +III. + + Water'd by the showres they bring, + The thornes that Thy blest browe encloses + (A cruell and a costly spring) + Conceiue proud hopes of proving roses. + + +IV. + + Thy restlesse feet now cannot goe + For vs and our eternall good, + As they were euer wont. What though? + They swimme, alas! in their own floud. + + +V. + + Thy hand to giue Thou canst not lift; + Yet will Thy hand still giuing be. + It giues, but O itself's the gift: + It giues though bound; though bound 'tis free. + + +VI. + + But O Thy side, Thy deep-digg'd side! + That hath a double Nilus going: + Nor euer was the Pharian tide + Half so fruitfull, half so flowing. + + +VII. + + No hair so small, but payes his riuer + To this Red Sea of Thy blood; + Their little channells can deliuer + Somthing to the generall floud. + + +VIII. + + But while I speak, whither are run + All the riuers nam'd before? + I counted wrong: there is but one; + But O that one is one all ore. + + +IX. + + Rain-swoln riuers may rise proud, + Bent all to drown and overflow; + But when indeed all's ouerflow'd, + They themselues are drownèd too. + + +X. + + This Thy blood's deluge (a dire chance, + Dear Lord, to Thee) to vs is found + A deluge of deliuerance; + A deluge least we should be drown'd. _lest_ + N'ere wast Thou in a sense so sadly true, + The well of liuing waters, Lord, till now. + + +NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. + +The title in 1646 is 'On the bleeding wounds of our crucified Lord:' in +1648 has 'body' for 'wounds:' in 1670 as 1646. I record these +variations, &c.: + +St. i. lines 2 and 3, in 1646 and 1670 read + + 'From Thy hands and from Thy feet, + From Thy head and from Thy side.' + +So the SANCROFT MS. + +St. ii. In 1646 and 1670 this stanza is the 5th, and in line 2 has +'teares' for 'showres.' + +St. iii. This stanza, by some strange oversight, is wholly dropped in +1652. St. iii. not in SANCROFT MS., and our st. ii. is the last. On one +of the fly-leaves of the copy of 1646 edition in Trinity College, +Cambridge, is the following contemporary MS. epigram, which embodies the +sentiment of the stanza: + + '_In caput Xti spinis coronatum._ + Cerno Caput si Christe tuum mihi vertitur omne + In spinis illud, quod fuit ante rosa.' + +Turnbull gives the stanza, but misplaces it after our st. vi., +overlooking that our st. ii. is in 1646 edition st. v. + +St. iv. line 1: in 1646 and 1670 'they' for 'now.' + +Line 3, ib. 'as they are wont'--evident inadvertence, as 'ever' is +required by the measure. + +Line 4, ib. 'blood' for 'floud:' so also in 1648. + +St. v. line 1, ib. 'hand' for 'hands:' 'hand' in 1648, and in SANCROFT +MS.: adopted. Line 4, 'dropps' in SANCROFT MS. for 'gives.' + +St. vi. line 3. Our text (1652) prints 'pharian,' the Paris printer +spelling (and mis-spelling) without comprehending the reference to +Pharaoh. + +St. vii. line 1, in 1646 and 1670 'not a haire but ...' + +St. ix. line 3, in 1648 a capital in 'All's.' G. + + + + +TO THE NAME ABOVE EVERY NAME, THE NAME OF IESVS: + +A HYMN.[33] + + + In Vnitate Devs Est + Numisma Vrbani 6. + + I sing the name which none can say 1 + But touch't with an interiour ray: + The name of our new peace; our good: + Our blisse: and supernaturall blood: + The name of all our liues and loues. 5 + Hearken, and help, ye holy doues! + The high-born brood of Day; you bright + Candidates of blissefull light, + The heirs elect of Loue, whose names belong + Vnto the euerlasting life of song; 10 + All ye wise sovles, who in the wealthy brest + Of this vnbounded name, build your warm nest. + Awake, my glory, Sovl (if such thou be, + And that fair word at all referr to thee), + Awake and sing, 15 + And be all wing; + Bring hither thy whole self; and let me see + What of thy parent Heavn yet speakes in thee. + O thou art poore + Of noble powres, I see, 20 + And full of nothing else but empty me: + Narrow, and low, and infinitely lesse + Then this great morning's mighty busynes. + One little world or two + (Alas) will neuer doe; 25 + We must haue store. + Goe, Sovl, out of thy self, and seek for more. + Goe and request + Great Natvre for the key of her huge chest + Of Heauns, the self-inuoluing sett of sphears 30 + (Which dull mortality more feeles then heares). + Then rouse the nest + Of nimble Art, and trauerse round + The aiery shop of soul-appeasing sound: + And beat a summons in the same 35 + All-soueraign name, + To warn each seuerall kind + And shape of sweetnes, be they such + As sigh with supple wind + Or answer artfull touch; 40 + That they conuene and come away + To wait at the loue-crowned doores of this illustrious day. _love_ + Shall we dare this, my Soul? we'l doe't and bring + No other note for't, but the name we sing. + Wake lvte and harp, and euery sweet-lipp't thing 45 + That talkes with tunefull string; + Start into life, and leap with me + Into a hasty fitt-tun'd harmony. + Nor must you think it much + T' obey my bolder touch; 50 + I haue authority in Love's name to take you, + And to the worke of Loue this morning wake you. + Wake, in the name + Of Him Who neuer sleeps, all things that are, + Or, what's the same, 55 + Are musicall; + Answer my call + And come along; + Help me to meditate mine immortal song. + Come, ye soft ministers of sweet sad mirth, 60 + Bring all your houshold stuffe of Heaun on earth; + O you, my Soul's most certain wings, + Complaining pipes, and prattling strings, + Bring all the store + Of sweets you haue; and murmur that you haue no more. 65 + Come, ne're to part, + Nature and Art! + Come; and come strong, + To the conspiracy of our spatious song. + Bring all the powres of praise, 70 + Your prouinces of well-vnited worlds can raise; + Bring all your lvtes and harps of Heavn and Earth; + Whatere cooperates to the common mirthe: + Vessells of vocall ioyes, + Or you, more noble architects of intellectuall noise, 75 + Cymballs of Heau'n, or humane sphears, + Solliciters of sovles or eares; + And when you are come, with all + That you can bring or we can call: + O may you fix 80 + For euer here, and mix + Your selues into the long + And euerlasting series of a deathlesse song; + Mix all your many worlds aboue, + And loose them into one of loue. 85 + Chear thee my heart! + For thou too hast thy part + And place in the Great Throng + Of this vnbounded all-imbracing song. + Powres of my soul, be proud! 90 + And speake lowd + To all the dear-bought Nations, this redeeming Name, + And in the wealth of one rich word, proclaim + New similes to Nature. May it be no wrong + Blest Heauns, to you and your superiour song, 95 + That we, dark sons of dust and sorrow, + A while dare borrow + The name of your dilights, and our desires, + And fitt it to so farr inferior lyres. + Our murmurs haue their musick too, 100 + Ye mighty Orbes, as well as you; + Nor yeilds the noblest nest + Of warbling Seraphim to the eares of Loue, + A choicer lesson then the ioyfull brest + Of a poor panting turtle-doue. 105 + And we, low wormes, haue leaue to doe + The same bright busynes (ye Third Heavens) with you. + Gentle spirits, doe not complain! + We will haue care + To keep it fair, 110 + And send it back to you again. + Come, louely Name! Appeare from forth the bright + Regions of peacefull light; + Look from Thine Own illustrious home, + Fair King of names, and come: 115 + Leaue all Thy natiue glories in their gorgeous nest, + And giue Thy Self a while the gracious Guest + Of humble soules, that seek to find + The hidden sweets + Which man's heart meets 120 + When Thou art Master of the mind. + Come louely Name; Life of our hope! + Lo, we hold our hearts wide ope! + Vnlock Thy cabinet of Day, + Dearest Sweet, and come away. 125 + Lo, how the thirsty Lands + Gasp for Thy golden showres! with long-stretcht hands + Lo, how the laboring Earth + That hopes to be + All Heauen by Thee, 130 + Leapes at Thy birth! + The' attending World, to wait Thy rise, + First turn'd to eyes; + And then, not knowing what to doe, + Turn'd them to teares, and spent them too. 135 + Come royall Name! and pay the expence + Of all this pretious patience; + O come away + And kill the death of this delay! + O, see so many worlds of barren yeares 140 + Melted and measur'd out in seas of teares: + O, see the weary liddes of wakefull Hope + (Love's eastern windowes) all wide ope + With curtains drawn, + To catch the day-break of Thy dawn. 145 + O, dawn at last, long-lookt for Day! + Take Thine own wings, and come away. + Lo, where aloft it comes! It comes, among + The conduct of adoring spirits, that throng + Like diligent bees, and swarm about it. 150 + O, they are wise, + And know what sweetes are suck't from out it: + It is the hiue, + By which they thriue, + Where all their hoard of hony lyes. 155 + Lo, where it comes, vpon the snowy Dove's + Soft back; and brings a bosom big with loues: + Welcome to our dark world, Thou womb of Day! + Vnfold Thy fair conceptions, and display + The birth of our bright ioyes, O Thou compacted 160 + Body of blessings: Spirit of soules extracted! + O, dissipate Thy spicy powres, + (Cloud of condensèd sweets) and break vpon vs + In balmy showrs! + O, fill our senses, and take from vs all force of so + prophane a fallacy, 165 + To think ought sweet but that which smells of Thee! + Fair, flowry Name, in none but Thee + And Thy nectareall fragrancy, + Hourly there meetes + An vniuersall synod of all sweets; 170 + By whom it is definèd thus, + That no perfume + For euer shall presume + To passe for odoriferous, + But such alone whose sacred pedigree 175 + Can proue itself some kin (sweet Name!) to Thee. + Sweet Name, in Thy each syllable + A thousand blest Arabias dwell; + A thousand hills of frankincense, + Mountains of myrrh, and beds of spices 180 + And ten thousand paradises, + The soul that tasts Thee takes from thence. + How many vnknown worlds there are + Of comforts, which Thou hast in keeping! + How many thousand mercyes there 185 + In Pitty's soft lap ly a-sleeping! + Happy he who has the art + To awake them, + And to take them + Home, and lodge them in his heart. 190 + O, that it were as it was wont to be! + When Thy old freinds of fire, all full of Thee, + Fought against frowns with smiles; gaue glorious chase + To persecutions; and against the face + Of Death and feircest dangers, durst with braue 195 + And sober pace, march on to meet A GRAVE. + On their bold brests, about the world they bore Thee, + And to the teeth of Hell stood vp to teach Thee; + In center of their inmost soules, they wore Thee, + Where rackes and torments striu'd, in vain, to reach Thee. 200 + Little, alas, thought they + Who tore the fair brests of Thy freinds, + Their fury but made way + For Thee, and seru'd them in Thy glorious ends. + What did their weapons but with wider pores 205 + Inlarge Thy flaming-brested louers, + More freely to transpire + That impatient fire, + The heart that hides Thee hardly couers? + What did their weapons but sett wide the doores 210 + For Thee? fair, purple doores, of Loue's deuising; + The ruby windowes which inricht the East + Of Thy so oft-repeated rising! + Each wound of theirs was Thy new morning, + And reinthron'd Thee in Thy rosy nest, 215 + With blush of Thine Own blood Thy day adorning: + It was the witt of Loue oreflowd the bounds + Of Wrath, and made Thee way through all those wovnds. + Wellcome, dear, all-adorèd Name! + For sure there is no knee 220 + That knowes not Thee: + Or, if there be such sonns of shame, + Alas! what will they doe + When stubborn rocks shall bow + And hills hang down their heaun-saluting heads 225 + To seek for humble beds + Of dust, where in the bashfull shades of Night + Next to their own low Nothing, they may ly, + And couch before the dazeling light of Thy dread majesty. + They that by Loue's mild dictate now 230 + Will not adore Thee, + Shall then, with just confusion bow + And break before Thee. + + +NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. + +The title in 1648 'Steps' is simply 'On the name of Jesus.' In 1670 it +is 'To the Name above every Name, the Name of Jesus, a Hymn,' and +throughout differs from our text (1652) only in usual modernisation of +orthography. The text of 1648 yields these readings: + + Line 7, 'the bright.' + + " 42, 'of th's.' + + " 49, 'Into a habit fit of self tun'd Harmonie.' + + " 79, 'you're.' + + " 92, 'aloud.' + + " 105, 'Seraphins.' + + " 106, 'loyall' for 'joyfull.' + + " 132, 'heavens.' + + " 182 spells 'sillabell.' + + " 187, 'The soules tastes thee takes from thence.' + + " 202, 'bare.' + + " 204, 'ware.' + + " 209, 'For Thee: And serv'd therein thy glorious ends.' + +See our Essay for critical remarks on the measure and rhythm of this +poem as printed in our text (1652). G. + + + + +PSALME XXIII.[34] + + + Happy me! O happy sheepe! 1 + Whom my God vouchsafes to keepe; + Even my God, even He it is, + That points me to these paths of blisse; + On Whose pastures cheerefull Spring, 5 + All the yeare doth sit and sing, + And rejoycing, smiles to see + Their green backs weare His liverie: + Pleasure sings my soul to rest, + Plentie weares me at her brest, 10 + Whose sweet temper teaches me + Nor wanton, nor in want to be. + At my feet, the blubb'ring mountaine + Weeping, melts into a fountaine; + Whose soft, silver-sweating streames 15 + Make high-noon forget his beames: + When my wayward breath is flying, + He calls home my soul from dying; + Strokes and tames my rabid griefe, + And does wooe me into life: 20 + When my simple weaknes strayes, + (Tangled in forbidden wayes) + He (my Shepheard) is my guide, + Hee's before me, on my side, + And behind me, He beguiles 25 + Craft in all her knottie wiles: + He expounds the weary wonder + Of my giddy steps, and under + Spreads a path, cleare as the day, + Where no churlish rub says nay 30 + To my joy-conducted feet, + Whilst they gladly goe to meet + Grace and Peace, to learne new laies, + Tun'd to my great Shepheard's praise. + Come now all ye terrors sally, 35 + Muster forth into the valley, + Where triumphant darknesse hovers + With a sable wing, that covers + Brooding horror. Come, thou Death, + Let the damps of thy dull breath 40 + Over-shadow even that shade, + And make Darknes' selfe afraid; + There my feet, even there, shall find + Way for a resolvèd mind. + Still my Shepheard, still my God, 45 + Thou art with me; still Thy rod, + And Thy staffe, whose influence + Gives direction, gives defence. + At the whisper of Thy word + Crown'd abundance spreads my boord: 50 + While I feast, my foes doe feed + Their ranck malice not their need, + So that with the self-same bread + They are starv'd and I am fed. + How my head in ointment swims! 55 + How my cup o'relooks her brims! + So, even so still may I move, + By the line of Thy deare love; + Still may Thy sweet mercy spread + A shady arme above my head, 60 + About my paths; so shall I find, + The faire center of my mind, + Thy temple, and those lovely walls + Bright ever with a beame, that falls + Fresh from the pure glance of Thine eye, 65 + Lighting to Eternity. + There I'le dwell for ever; there + Will I find a purer aire + To feed my life with, there I'le sup + Balme and nectar in my cup; 70 + And thence my ripe soule will I breath + Warme into the armes of Death. + + +NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. + +In the SANCROFT MS. this is headed 'Ps. 23 (Paraphrasia).' In line 4 it +reads 'paths' for 'wayes,' which I accept; line 27 'weary' for 'giddy,' +and line 28 'giddy' for 'weary,' both adopted; line 29 reads as we have +printed instead of 'Spreads a path as cleare as day;' line 33, 'learne' +for 'meet,' adopted; line 41, 'that' for 'the,' adopted. Only +orthographic further variations. In line 30 'rub' = obstruction, reminds +of SHAKESPEARE'S 'Now every _rub_ is smoothèd in our way' (Henry V. ii. +2), and elsewhere. G. + + + + +PSALM CXXXVII.[35] + + + On the proud banks of great Euphrates' flood, 1 + There we sate, and there we wept: + Our harpes, that now no musick understood, + Nodding, on the willowes slept: + While unhappy captiv'd wee, 5 + Lovely Sion, thought on thee. + They, they that snatcht us from our countrie's breast, + Would have a song carv'd to their eares + In Hebrew numbers, then (O cruell jest!) + When harpes and hearts were drown'd in teares: 10 + Come, they cry'd, come sing and play + One of Sion's songs to-day. + Sing? play? to whom (ah!) shall we sing or play, + If not, Jerusalem, to thee? + Ah! thee Jerusalem! ah! sooner may 15 + This hand forget the masterie + Of Musick's dainty touch, than I + The musick of thy memory. + Which when I lose, O may at once my tongue + Lose this same busie-speaking art, 20 + Vnpearch't, her vocall arteries unstrung, + No more acquainted with my heart, + On my dry pallat's roof to rest + A wither'd leaf, an idle guest. + No, no, Thy good Sion, alone, must crowne 25 + The head of all my hope-nurst joyes. + But Edom, cruell thou! thou cryd'st downe, downe + Sinke Sion, downe and never rise, + Her falling thou did'st urge and thrust, + And haste to dash her into dust: 30 + Dost laugh? proud Babel's daughter! do, laugh on, + Till thy ruine teach thee teares, + Even such as these; laugh, till a venging throng + Of woes, too late, doe rouze thy feares: + Laugh, till thy children's bleeding bones 35 + Weepe pretious teares upon the stones. + + + + +IN THE HOLY NATIVITY OF OVR LORD GOD: + +A HYMN SVNG AS BY THE SHEPHEARDS.[36] + + +THE HYMN. + + +_Chorvs._ + + Come, we shepheards, whose blest sight 1 + Hath mett Loue's noon in Nature's night; + Come, lift we vp our loftyer song + And wake the svn that lyes too long. + + To all our world of well-stoln joy 5 + He slept; and dreamt of no such thing. + While we found out Heaun's fairer ey + And kis't the cradle of our King. + Tell him He rises now, too late + To show vs ought worth looking at. 10 + + Tell him we now can show him more + Then he e're show'd to mortall sight; + Then he himselfe e're saw before, + Which to be seen needes not his light. + Tell him, Tityrus, where th' hast been, 15 + Tell him Thyrsis, what th' hast seen. + + +TITYRUS. + + Gloomy night embrac't the place + Where the noble Infant lay. + The Babe look't vp and shew'd His face; + In spite of darknes, it was day. 20 + It was Thy day, Sweet! and did rise + Not from the East, but from Thine eyes. + + _Chorus._ It was Thy day, Sweet. + + +THYRSIS. + + Winter chidde aloud, and sent + The angry North to wage his warres. 25 + The North forgott his feirce intent, + And left perfumes in stead of scarres. + By those sweet eyes' persuasiue powrs + Where he mean't frost, he scatter'd flowrs. + + _Chorus._ By those sweet eyes. 30 + + +BOTH. + + We saw Thee in Thy baulmy-nest, + Young dawn of our æternall Day! + We saw Thine eyes break from their East + And chase the trembling shades away. + We saw Thee; and we blest the sight, 35 + We saw Thee by Thine Own sweet light. + + +TITYRUS. + + Poor world (said I), what wilt thou doe + To entertain this starry Stranger? + Is this the best thou canst bestow? + A cold, and not too cleanly, manger? 40 + Contend, the powres of Heau'n and Earth, + To fitt a bed for this huge birthe? + + _Chorus._ Contend the powers. + + +THYRSIS. + + Proud world, said I, cease your contest + And let the mighty Babe alone. 45 + The phænix builds the phænix' nest, + Lov's architecture is his own. + The Babe whose birth embraues this morn, + Made His Own bed e're He was born. + + _Chorus._ The Babe whose.... 50 + + +TITYRUS. + + I saw the curl'd drops, soft and slow, + Come houering o're the place's head; + Offring their whitest sheets of snow + To furnish the fair Infant's bed: + Forbear, said I; be not too bold, 55 + Your fleece is white but 'tis too cold. + + _Chorus._ Forbear, sayd I. + + +THYRSIS. + + I saw the obsequious Seraphims + Their rosy fleece of fire bestow. + For well they now can spare their wing, 60 + Since Heavn itself lyes here below. + Well done, said I; but are you sure + Your down so warm, will passe for pure? + + _Chorus._ Well done, sayd I. + + +TITYRUS. + + No, no! your King's not yet to seeke 65 + Where to repose His royall head; + See, see! how soon His new-bloom'd cheek + Twixt's mother's brests is gone to bed. + Sweet choise, said we! no way but so + Not to ly cold, yet sleep in snow. 70 + + _Chorus._ Sweet choise, said we. + + +BOTH. + + We saw Thee in Thy baulmy nest, + Bright dawn of our æternall Day! + We saw Thine eyes break from their East + And chase the trembling shades away. 75 + We saw Thee: and we blest the sight, + We saw Thee, by Thine Own sweet light. + + _Chorus._ We saw Thee, &c. + + +FVLL CHORVS. + + Wellcome, all wonders in one sight! + Æternity shutt in a span! 80 + Sommer in Winter, Day in Night! + Heauen in Earth, and God in man! + Great, little One! Whose all-embracing birth + Lifts Earth to Heauen, stoopes Heau'n to Earth. + + Wellcome, though not to gold nor silk, 85 + To more then Cæsar's birth-right is; + Two sister-seas of virgin-milk, + With many a rarely-temper'd kisse, + That breathes at once both maid and mother, + Warmes in the one, cooles in the other. 90 + Shee sings Thy tears asleep, and dips + Her kisses in Thy weeping eye; + She spreads the red leaves of Thy lips, + That in their buds yet blushing lye; + She 'gainst those mother-diamonds, tries 95 + The points of her young eagle's eyes. + Wellcome, though not to those gay flyes, + Guilded i' th' beames of earthly kings; + Slippery soules in smiling eyes; + But to poor shepheards' home-spun things; 100 + Whose wealth's their flock; whose witt, to be + Well-read in their simplicity. + Yet when young April's husband-showrs + Shall blesse the fruitfull Maja's bed, + We'l bring the first-born of her flowrs 105 + To kisse Thy feet and crown Thy head. + To Thee, dread Lamb! Whose loue must keep + The shepheards, more then they the sheep. + + To Thee, meek Majesty! soft King + Of simple Graces and sweet Loves: 110 + Each of vs his lamb will bring, + Each his pair of sylver doues: + Till burnt at last in fire of Thy fair eyes, + Ourselues become our own best sacrifice. + + +NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. + +In the SANCROFT MS. the heading is simply 'A Hymne of the Nativitie sung +by the Shepheards.' It furnishes these various readings, though it wants +a good deal of our text (1652): + +Lines 1 to 4, + + 'who haue seene + Daie's King deposèd by night's Queene. + Come lift we up our lofty song, + To wake the sun that sleeps too long.' + + " 5 to 7, + + 'Hee (in this our generall joy) + Slept ... + ... the faire-ey'd boy.' + + " 24, 'Winter chid the world ...' + + " 32, 'Bright dawne ...' + + " 58 to 63, + + 'I saw the officious angells bring + The downe that their soft breasts did strow: + For well they now can spare their wings, + When heauen itselfe lies here below. + Faire youth (said I) be not too rough, + Thy downe (though soft)'s not soft enough.' + +'Officious' = ready to do good offices: 'obsequious' = obedient, eager +to serve. + +Lines 65 to 68, + + 'The Babe noe sooner 'gan to seeke + Where to lay His louely head; + But streight His eyes advis'd His cheeke + 'Twixt's mother's breasts to goe to bed.' + + " 79, 'Welcome to our wond'ring sight.' + + " 83, 'glorious birth.' + + " 85, 'not to gold' for 'nor to gold:' adopted. + + " 96, 'points' = pupils (?). + +Lines 101 to 103, + + 'But to poore shepheards' simple things, + That vse not varnish; noe oyl'd arts, + But lift cleane hands full of cleare hearts.' + + " 108, '... while they feed the sheepe.' + + " 114, 'Wee'l burne ...' + +These variations agree with the text of 1646. See our Essay for critical +remarks. G. + + + + +NEW YEAR'S DAY.[37] + + + Rise, thou best and brightest morning! + Rosy with a double red; + With thine own blush thy cheeks adorning, + And the dear drops this day were shed. + + All the purple pride, that laces + The crimson curtains of thy bed, + Guilds thee not with so sweet graces, + Nor setts thee in so rich a red. + + Of all the fair-cheek't flowrs that fill thee, + None so fair thy bosom strowes, + As this modest maiden lilly + Our sins haue sham'd into a rose. + + Bid thy golden god, the sun, + Burnisht in his best beames rise, + Put all his red-ey'd rubies on; + These rubies shall putt out their eyes. + + Let him make poor the purple East, + Search what the world's close cabinets keep, + Rob the rich births of each bright nest + That flaming in their fair beds sleep. + + Let him embraue his own bright tresses + With a new morning made of gemmes; + And wear, in those his wealthy dresses, + Another day of diadems. + + When he hath done all he may + To make himselfe rich in his rise, + All will be darknes to the day + That breakes from one of these bright eyes. + + And soon this sweet truth shall appear, + Dear Babe, ere many dayes be done; + The Morn shall come to meet Thee here, + And leaue her own neglected sun. + + Here are beautyes shall bereaue him + Of all his eastern paramours. + His Persian louers all shall leaue him, + And swear faith to Thy sweeter powres; + Nor while they leave him shall they lose the sun, + But in Thy fairest eyes find two for one. + + +NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. + +St. ii. line 1, + + 'All the purple pride that laces;' + +the reference is to the empurpled lighter and lace- (or gauze-) like +clouds of the morning. The heavier clouds are the 'crimson curtains,' +the 'purple laces' the fleecy, lace-like, and empurpled streakings of +the lighter and dissolving clouds, which the Poet likens to the lace +that edged the coverlet, and possibly other parts of the bed and +bedstead. SHAKESPEARE describes a similar appearance with the same word, +but uses it in the sense of inter or cross lacing, when he makes Juliet +say (iii. 5), + + 'look, love, what envious streaks + Do _lace_ the severing clouds in yonder East.' + +So too in stanza v. 'each sparkling nest,' the flame-coloured clouds are +intended. 'Nest,' like 'bud,' is a favourite word with CRASHAW, and he +uses it freely. In 1648 edition, st. iii. line 2 reads 'showes;' stanza +v. line 2, 'cabinets;' stanza viii. line 5, 'and meet;' stanza ix. +'paramours' = lovers, wooers, _not_ as now signifying loose love. G. + + + + +IN THE GLORIOVS EPIPHANIE OF OVR LORD GOD: + +A HYMN SVNG AS BY THE THREE KINGS.[38] + + + _1 Kinge._ Bright Babe! Whose awfull beautyes make 1 + The morn incurr a sweet mistake; + + _2 Kinge._ For Whom the officious Heauns deuise + To disinheritt the sun's rise: + + _3 Kinge._ Delicately to displace 5 + The day, and plant it fairer in Thy face. + + _1 Kinge._ O Thou born King of loues! + + _2 Kinge._ Of lights! + + _3 Kinge._ Of ioyes! + + _Chorus._ Look vp, sweet Babe, look vp and see 10 + For loue of Thee, + Thus farr from home + The East is come + To seek her self in Thy sweet eyes. + + _1 Kinge._ We, who strangely went astray, 15 + Lost in a bright + Meridian night. + + _2 Kinge._ A darknes made of too much day. + + _3 Kinge._ Becken'd from farr + By Thy fair starr, 20 + Lo, at last haue found our way. + + _Chorus._ To Thee, Thou Day of Night! Thou East of West! + Lo, we at last haue found the way + To Thee, the World's great vniuersal East, + The generall and indifferent Day. 25 + + _1 Kinge._ All-circling point! all-centring sphear! + The World's one, round, æternall year: + + _2 Kinge._ Whose full and all-vnwrinkled face + Nor sinks nor swells with time or place; + + _3 Kinge._ But euery where and euery while 30 + Is one consistent, solid smile: + + _1 Kinge._ Not vext and tost + + _2 Kinge._ 'Twixt Spring and frost; + + _3 Kinge._ Nor by alternate shredds of light, + Sordidly shifting hands with shades and Night. 35 + + _Chorus._ O little all! in Thy embrace + The World lyes warm, and likes his place; + Nor does his full globe fail to be + Kist on both his cheeks by Thee. + Time is too narrow for Thy year, 40 + Nor makes the whole World Thy half-sphear. + + _1 Kinge._ To Thee, to Thee + From him we flee. + + _2 Kinge._ From him, whom by a more illustrious ly, + The blindnes of the World did call the eye. 45 + + _3 Kinge._ To Him, Who by these mortall clouds hast made + Thyself our sun, though Thine Own shade. + + _1 Kinge._ Farewell, the World's false light! + Farewell, the white + Ægypt; a long farewell to thee 50 + Bright idol, black idolatry: + The dire face of inferior darknes, kis't + And courted in the pompus mask of a more specious mist. + + _2 Kinge._ Farewell, farewell + The proud and misplac't gates of Hell, 55 + Pertch't in the Morning's way _perched._ + And double-guilded as the doores of Day: + The deep hypocrisy of Death and Night + More desperately dark, because more bright. + + _3 Kinge._ Welcome, the World's sure way! 60 + Heavn's wholsom ray. + + _Chorus._ Wellcome to vs; and we + (Sweet!) to our selues, in Thee. + + _1 Kinge._ The deathles Heir of all Thy Father's day! + + _2 Kinge._ Decently born! 65 + Embosom'd in a much more rosy Morn: + The blushes of Thy all-vnblemisht mother. + + _3 Kinge._ No more that other + Aurora shall sett ope + Her ruby casements, or hereafter hope 70 + From mortall eyes + To meet religious welcomes at her rise. + + _Chorus._ We (pretious ones!) in you haue won + A gentler Morn, a iuster sun. + + _1 Kinge._ His superficiall beames sun-burn't our skin; 75 + + _2 Kinge._ But left within + + _3 Kinge._ The Night and Winter still of Death and Sin. + + _Chorus._ Thy softer yet more certaine darts + Spare our eyes, but peirce our harts: + + _1 Kinge._ Therfore with his proud Persian spoiles 80 + + _2 Kinge._ We court Thy more concerning smiles. + + _3 Kinge._ Therfore with his disgrace + We guild the humble cheek of this chast place; + + _Chorus._ And at Thy feet powr forth his face. + + _1 Kinge._ The doating Nations now no more 85 + Shall any day but Thine adore. + + _2 Kinge._ Nor--much lesse--shall they leaue these eyes + For cheap Ægyptian deityes. + + _3 Kinge._ In whatsoe're more sacred shape + Of ram, he-goat, or reuerend ape; 90 + Those beauteous rauishers opprest so sore + The too-hard-tempted nations. + + _1 Kinge._ Neuer more + By wanton heyfer shall be worn + + _2 Kinge._ A garland, or a guilded horn: 95 + The altar-stall'd ox, fatt Osyris now + With his fair sister cow + + _3 Kinge._ Shall kick the clouds no more; but lean and tame, + + _Chorus._ See His horn'd face, and dy for shame: + And Mithra now shall be no name. 100 + + _1 Kinge._ No longer shall the immodest lust + Of adulterous godles dust + + _2 Kinge._ Fly in the face of Heau'n; as if it were + The poor World's fault that He is fair. 105 + + _3 Kinge._ Nor with peruerse loues and religious rapes + Reuenge Thy bountyes in their beauteous shapes; + And punish best things worst; because they stood + Guilty of being much for them too good. + + _1 Kinge._ Proud sons of Death! that durst compell 110 + Heau'n it self to find them Hell: + + _2 Kinge._ And by strange witt of madnes wrest + From this World's East the other's West. + + _3 Kinge._ All-idolizing wormes! that thus could crowd + And vrge their sun into Thy cloud; 115 + Forcing His sometimes eclips'd face to be + A long deliquium to the light of Thee. + + _Chorus._ Alas! with how much heauyer shade + The shamefac't lamp hung down his head + For that one eclipse he made, 120 + Then all those he suffered! + + _1 Kinge._ For this he look't so bigg; and euery morn + With a red face confes't his scorn. + Or hiding his vex't cheeks in a hir'd mist + Kept them from being so vnkindly kis't. 125 + + _2 Kinge._ It was for this the Day did rise + So oft with blubber'd eyes: + For this the Evening wept; and we ne're knew + But call'd it deaw. + + _3 Kinge._ This dayly wrong 130 + Silenc't the morning-sons, and damp't their song: + + _Chorus._ Nor was't our deafnes, but our sins, that thus + Long made th' harmonious orbes all mute to vs. + + _1 Kinge._ Time has a day in store + When this so proudly poor 135 + And self-oppressèd spark, that has so long + By the loue-sick World bin made + Not so much their sun as shade: + Weary of this glorious wrong + From them and from himself shall flee 140 + For shelter to the shadow of Thy tree: + + _Chorus._ Proud to haue gain'd this pretious losse + And chang'd his false crown for Thy crosse. + + _2 Kinge._ That dark Day's clear doom shall define + Whose is the master Fire, which sun should shine: 145 + That sable judgment-seat shall by new lawes + Decide and settle the great cause + Of controuerted light: + + _Chorus._ And Natur's wrongs rejoyce to doe Thee right. + + _3 Kinge._ That forfeiture of Noon to Night shall pay 150 + All the idolatrous thefts done by this Night of Day; + And the great Penitent presse his own pale lipps + With an elaborate loue-eclipse: + To which the low World's lawes + Shall lend no cause, 155 + + _Chorus._ Saue those domestick which He borrowes + From our sins and His Own sorrowes. + + _1 Kinge._ Three sad hours' sackcloth then shall show to vs + His penance, as our fault, conspicuous: + + _2 Kinge._ And He more needfully and nobly proue 160 + The Nations' terror now then erst their loue. + + _3 Kinge._ Their hated loues changd into wholsom feares: + + _Chorus._ The shutting of His eye shall open their's. + + _1 Kinge._ As by a fair-ey'd fallacy of Day + Miss-ledde, before, they lost their way; 165 + So shall they, by the seasonable fright + Of an vnseasonable Night, + Loosing it once again, stumble on true Light: + + _2 Kinge._ And as before His too-bright eye + Was their more blind idolatry; 170 + So his officious blindnes now shall be + Their black, but faithfull perspectiue of Thee: + + _3 Kinge._ His new prodigious Night, + Their new and admirable light, + The supernaturall dawn of Thy pure Day; 175 + While wondring they + (The happy conuerts now of Him + Whom they compell'd before to be their sin) + Shall henceforth see + To kisse him only as their rod, 180 + Whom they so long courted as God. + + _Chorus._ And their best vse of him they worship't, be + To learn of him at last, to worship Thee. + + _1 Kinge._ It was their weaknes woo'd his beauty; + But it shall be 185 + Their wisdome now, as well as duty, + To injoy his blott; and as a large black letter + Vse it to spell Thy beautyes better; + And make the Night it self their torch to Thee. + + _2 Kinge._ By the oblique ambush of this close night 190 + Couch't in that conscious shade + The right-ey'd Areopagite + Shall with a vigorous guesse inuade + And catch Thy quick reflex; and sharply see + On this dark ground 195 + To descant Thee. + + _3 Kinge._ O prize of the rich Spirit! with what feirce chase + Of his strong soul, shall he + Leap at thy lofty face, + And seize the swift flash, in rebound 200 + From this obsequious cloud, + Once call'd a sun, + Till dearly thus vndone; + + _Chorus._ Till thus triumphantly tam'd (O ye two + Twinne svnnes!) and taught now to negotiate you. 205 + + _1 Kinge._ Thus shall that reuerend child of Light, + + _2 Kinge._ By being scholler first of that new Night, + Come forth great master of the mystick Day; + + _3 Kinge._ And teach obscure mankind a more close way + By the frugall negatiue light 210 + Of a most wise and well-abusèd Night + To read more legible Thine originall ray; + + _Chorus._ And make our darknes serue Thy Day: + Maintaining 'twixt Thy World and oures + A commerce of contrary powres, 215 + A mutuall trade + 'Twixt sun and shade, + By confederat black and white + Borrowing Day and lending Night. 219 + + _1 Kinge._ Thus we, who when with all the noble powres + That (at Thy cost) are call'd, not vainly, ours: + We vow to make braue way + Vpwards, and presse on for the pure intelligentiall prey; + _2 Kinge._ At least to play + The amorous spyes 225 + And peep and proffer at Thy sparkling throne; + + _3 Kinge._ In stead of bringing in the blissfull prize + And fastening on Thine eyes: + Forfeit our own + And nothing gain 230 + But more ambitious losse at last, of brain; + + _Chorus._ Now by abasèd liddes shall learn to be + Eagles; and shutt our eyes that we may see. + + + _The Close._ + + [_Chorus._] Therfore to Thee and Thine auspitious ray + (Dread Sweet!) lo thus 236 + At last by vs, + The delegated eye of Day + Does first his scepter, then himself, in solemne tribute pay. + Thus he vndresses 240 + His sacred vnshorn tresses; + At Thy adorèd feet, thus he layes down + + _1 Kinge._ His gorgeous tire + Of flame and fire, + + _2 Kinge._ His glittering robe. _3 Kinge._ His sparkling crown; 245 + + _1 Kinge._ His gold: _2 Kinge._ His mirrh: _3 Kinge._ His frankincense. + + _Chorus._ To which he now has no pretence: + For being show'd by this Day's light, how farr + He is from sun enough to make Thy starr, + His best ambition now is but to be 250 + Somthing a brighter shadow, Sweet, of Thee. + Or on Heaun's azure forhead high to stand + Thy golden index; with a duteous hand + Pointing vs home to our own sun + The World's and his Hyperion. 255 + + +NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. + +The title in 1648 edition is simply 'A Hymne for the Epiphanie. Sung as +by the three Kings.' Except the usual slight changes of orthography, the +following are all the variations between the two texts necessary to +record: and I give with them certain corrective and explanatory notes: + +line 25, 'indifferent' is = impartial, not as now 'unconcerned.' + +Line 52, 1648 edition misprints 'his't' for 'kis't.' In the 51st line +the 'bright idol' is the sun. + +Line 83, ib. reads 'thy' for 'this.' + + " 95, 'a guilded horn.' Cf. Juvenal, Satire x. + + " 99, ib. is given to 3d King. Throughout we have corrected + a number of slips of the Paris printer in his figures. + +Line 108, ib. spells 'to' for 'too.' + + " 117, '_deliquium_' = swoon, faint. In chemistry = melting. + + " 122, 1648 edition reads 'his' for 'this;' and I have + adopted it. + +Line 143, ib. reads 'deere:' a misprint. + + " 155, ib. reads 'domesticks.' + + " 180, ib. reads 'the' for 'their.' + + " 186, ib. drops 'it.' + + " 195, ib. reads 'what' for 'that,' and in next line 'his' + for 'this,' of 1652: both adopted. + +Line 212, 'legible' is = legibly. + + " 224 and onward, in 1648 is printed 'least,' in our text + (1652) 'lest.' Except in line 224 it is plainly = last, and so I + read it in 231st and 237th. + +See our Essay for Miltonic parallels with lines in this remarkable +composition. Line 46, 'these mortal clouds,' _i.e._ of infant flesh. Cf. +Sosp. d' Herode, stanza xxiii. + + 'That He whom the sun serves should faintly peep + Through _clouds of infant flesh_.' + +Line 114, 'And urge their sun into Thy cloud,' _i.e._ into becoming Thy +cloud, forcing him to become 'a long deliquium to the light of thee.' +Line 189, our text (1652) misprints 'in self.' Line 190, 'By the oblique +ambush,' &c. The Kings continuing in the spirit of prophecy, and with +words not to be understood till their fulfilment, pass on from the +dimming of the sun at the Crucifixion to a second dimming, but this time +through the splendour of a brighter light, at the conversion of him who +was taken to preach to the Gentiles in the court of the Areopagites. The +speaker, or rather CRASHAW, takes the view which at first sight may seem +to be implied in the gospel narrative, that the light brighter than +midday shone round about SAUL and his companions but not on them, they +being couched in the conscious shade of the daylight. Throughout, there +is a double allusion to this second dimming of the sun as manifesting +Christ to St. Paul and the Gentiles, and to the dimming of the eyes, and +the walking in darkness for a time of him who as a light on Earth was to +manifest the True Light to the world. Throughout, too, there is a kind +of parallelism indicated between the two lesser lights. Both rebellions +were to be dimmed and brought into subjection, and then to shine forth +'right-eyed' in renewed and purified splendour as evidences of the Sun +of Righteousness. Hence at the close, the chorus calls them 'ye +twin-suns,'--and the words, 'Till thus triumphantly tamed' refer equally +to both. The punctuation to make this clear should be '... sun, ... +undone; ...' 'To negotiate you' (both word and metaphor being rather +unhappily chosen) means, to pass you current as the true-stamped image +of the Deity. 'O price of the rich Spirit' (line 197) may be made to +refer to 'thee [O Christ], price of the rich spirit' of Paul, but 'may +be' is almost too strong to apply to such an interpretation. It is far +more consonant to the structure and tenor of the whole passage, to read +it as an epithet applied to St. Paul: 'O prize of the rich Spirit of +grace.' I have also without hesitation changed 'of this strong soul' +into 'of _his_ strong soul.' 'Oblique ambush' may refer to the oblique +rays of the sun now rays of darkness, but the primary reference is to +the indirect manner and 'vigorous guess,' by which St. Paul, mentally +glancing from one to the other light, learned through the dimming of the +sun to believe in the Deity of Him who spake from out the dimming +brightness. The same thought, though with a strained and less successful +effort of expression, appears in the song of the third King, 'with that +fierce chase,' &c. + +Line 251. 'Somthing a brighter shadow (Sweet) of Thee.' Apparently a +remembrance of a passage which THOMAS HEYWOOD, in his 'Hierarchie of the +Angels,' gives from a Latin translation of PLATO, 'Lumen est umbra Dei +et Deus est Lumen Luminis.' On which see our Essay. Perhaps the same +gave rise to the thought that the sun eclipsed God, or shut Him out as a +cloud or shade, or made night, _e.g._ + + 'And urge their sun ... + ... eclipse he made:' (lines 115-120). + 'Not so much their sun as shade + ... by this night of day:' (lines 138-151). G. + + + + +TO THE QVEEN'S MAIESTY.[39] + + + MADAME, 1 + 'Mongst those long rowes of crownes that guild your race, + These royall sages sue for decent place: + The day-break of the Nations; their first ray, + When the dark World dawn'd into Christian Day, 5 + And smil'd i' th' Babe's bright face; the purpling bud + And rosy dawn of the right royall blood; + Fair first-fruits of the Lamb! sure kings in this, + They took a kingdom while they gaue a kisse. + But the World's homage, scarse in these well blown, 10 + We read in you (rare queen) ripe and full-grown. + For from this day's rich seed of diadems + Does rise a radiant croppe of royalle stemms, + A golden haruest of crown'd heads, that meet + And crowd for kisses from the Lamb's white feet: 15 + In this illustrious throng, your lofty floud + Swells high, fair confluence of all high-born bloud: + With your bright head, whole groues of scepters bend + Their wealthy tops, and for these feet contend. + So swore the Lamb's dread Sire: and so we see't, 20 + Crownes, and the heads they kisse, must court these feet. + Fix here, fair majesty! May your heart ne're misse + To reap new crownes and kingdoms from that kisse; + Nor may we misse the ioy to meet in you + The aged honors of this day still new. 25 + May the great time, in you, still greater be, + While all the year is your epiphany; + While your each day's deuotion duly brings + Three kingdomes to supply this day's three kings. + + +NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. + +In 1648 the title is 'To the Queene's Majestie upon his dedicating to +her the foregoing Hymne, viz. "A Hymne for the Epiphanie,"' which there +precedes, but in 1652 follows, the dedicatory lines to the Queen. 1648 +furnishes these variations: line 7 misprints 'down' for 'dawn:' line 11 +reads 'deare' for 'rare:' line 14 'royall' for 'golden:' line 18 +corrects our text's misprint of 'whose' for 'whole,' which I have +accepted: line 20 reads 'great' for 'dread.' + +In line 3 we read + + 'Those royall sages sue for decent place.' + +We know that the King on Twelfth-day presented gold, frankincense and +myrrh, and so perhaps did the Queen. But these gifts were not presented +to the magi-kings, and CRASHAW seems to sue on behalf of 'these royall +sages.' The explanation doubtless is that this was a verse-letter to the +Queen, enclosing as a gift his Epiphany Hymn 'sung as by the three +Kings.' + +In line 5 'the purpling bud,' &c. requires study. Led by the (erroneous) +punctuation (face,) I supposed this clause to refer to the 'Babe.' But +would our Poet have said that the 'dawn of the world smiled on the +Babe's face,' and in the same breath have called the face a 'rosy dawn'? +Looking to this, and his rather profuse employment of 'bud,' I now +believe the clause to be another description of the kings, and punctuate +(face;). The rhythm of the passage is certainly improved thereby and +made more like that of CRASHAW, and the words 'right royall blood,' +which may be thought to become difficult, can be thus explained. The +races of the heathen kings were not 'royal,' their authority being +usurped and falsely derived from false gods, and the kingly blood first +became truly royal when the kings recognised the supreme sovereignty of +the King of kings and the derivation of their authority from Him, and +when they were in turn recognised by Him. Hence the use of the epithet +'purpling,' the Christian or Christ-accepting kings being the first who +were truly 'born in the purple,' or '_right_ royall blood.' + +In lines 15-18, as punctuated in preceding editions, the Poet is made to +arrange his words after a fashion hardly to be called English, and to +jumble his metaphors like a poetaster or 4th of July orator in America. +But both sense and poetry are restored by taking the (!) after 'blood' +as at least equal to (:), and by replacing 'whose' by 'whole,' as in +1648. This seems to us restoration, not change. Even thus read, however, +the passage is somewhat cloudy; but the construction is--the groves of +sceptres of your high-born ancestors bend with you their wealthy tops, +when you bow down your head. Our Poet is fond of inversions, and they +are sometimes more obscure than they ought to be. Line 20 = Psalm i., +and cf. Philip. ii. 11. G. + + + + +VPON EASTER DAY.[40] + + + Rise heire of fresh Eternity 1 + From thy virgin tombe! + Rise mighty Man of wonders, and Thy World with Thee! + Thy tombe the uniuersall East, + Nature's new wombe, 5 + Thy tombe, fair Immortalitie's perfumèd nest. + + Of all the glories make Noone gay, + This is the Morne; + This Rock buds forth the fountaine of the streames of Day; + In Joye's white annalls live this howre 10 + When Life was borne; + No cloud scoule on His radiant lids, no tempest lower. + + Life, by this Light's nativity + All creatures have; + Death onely by this Daye's just doome is forc't to dye, 15 + Nor is Death forc't; for may he ly + Thron'd in Thy grave, + Death will on this condition be content to dye. + + + + +SOSPETTO D' HERODE. + +LIBRO PRIMO.[41] + + +ARGOMENTO. + + _Casting the times with their strong signes, + Death's master his owne death divines: + Strugling for helpe, his best hope is + Herod's suspition may heale his. + Therefore he sends a fiend to wake + The sleeping tyrant's fond mistake; _foolish_ + Who feares (in vaine) that He Whose birth + Meanes Heav'n, should meddle with his Earth._ + + +I. + + Muse, now the servant of soft loves no more, + Hate is thy theame, and Herod, whose unblest + Hand (O what dares not jealous greatnesse?) tore + A thousand sweet babes from their mothers' brest: + The bloomes of martyrdome. O be a dore + Of language to my infant lips, yee best + Of confessours: whose throates answering his swords, + Gave forth your blood for breath, spoke soules for words. + + +II. + + Great Anthony! Spain's well-beseeming pride, + Thou mighty branch of emperours and kings; + The beauties of whose dawne what eye may bide? + Which with the sun himselfe weigh's equall wings; + Mappe of heroick worth! whom farre and wide + To the beleeving world, Fame boldly sings: + Deigne thou to weare this humble wreath, that bowes + To be the sacred honour of thy browes. + + +III. + + Nor needs my Muse a blush, or these bright flowers + Other than what their owne blest beauties bring: + They were the smiling sons of those sweet bowers + That drink the deaw of life, whose deathlesse spring, + Nor Sirian flame nor Borean frost deflowers: + From whence heav'n-labouring bees with busie wing, + Suck hidden sweets, which well-digested proves + Immortall hony for the hive of loves. + + +IV. + + Thou, whose strong hand with so transcendent worth, + Holds high the reine of faire Parthenope, + That neither Rome nor Athens can bring forth + A name in noble deeds rivall to thee! + Thy fame's full noise, makes proud the patient Earth, + Farre more then, matter for my Muse and mee. + The Tyrrhene Seas and shores sound all the same + And in their murmurs keepe thy mighty name. + + +V. + + Below the bottome of the great Abysse, + There where one center reconciles all things: + The World's profound heart pants; there placèd is + Mischiefe's old master. Close about him clings + A curl'd knot of embracing snakes, that kisse + His correspondent cheekes: these loathsome strings + Hold the perverse prince in eternall ties + Fast bound, since first he forfeited the skies. + + +VI. + + The judge of torments and the king of teares, + He fills a burnisht throne of quenchlesse fire: + And for his old faire roabes of light, he weares + A gloomy mantle of darke flames; the tire + That crownes his hated head on high appeares: + Where seav'n tall hornes (his empire's pride) aspire. + And to make up Hell's majesty, each horne + Seav'n crested Hydras, horribly adorne. + + +VII. + + His eyes, the sullen dens of Death and Night, + Startle the dull ayre with a dismall red: + Such his fell glances, as the fatall light + Of staring comets, that looke kingdomes dead. + From his black nostrills, and blew lips, in spight + Of Hell's owne stinke, a worser stench is spread. + His breath Hell's lightning is: and each deepe groane + Disdaines to think that Heav'n thunders alone. + + +VIII. + + His flaming eyes' dire exhalation, + Vnto a dreadfull pile gives fiery breath; + Whose unconsum'd consumption preys upon + The never-dying life of a long death. + In this sad house of slow destruction, + (His shop of flames) hee fryes himself, beneath + A masse of woes; his teeth for torment gnash, + While his steele sides sound with his tayle's strong lash. + + +IX. + + Three rigourous virgins waiting still behind, + Assist the throne of th' iron-sceptred king. + With whips of thornes and knotty vipers twin'd + They rouse him, when his ranke thoughts need a sting. + Their lockes are beds of uncomb'd snakes that wind + About their shady browes in wanton rings. + Thus reignes the wrathfull king, and while he reignes, + His scepter and himselfe both he disdaines. + + +X. + + Disdainefull wretch! how hath one bold sinne cost + Thee all the beauties of thy once bright eyes! + How hath one black eclipse cancell'd, and crost + The glories that did gild thee in thy rise! + Proud morning of a perverse day! how lost + Art thou unto thy selfe, thou too selfe-wise + Narcissus! foolish Phaeton! who for all + Thy high-aym'd hopes, gaind'st but a flaming fall. + + +XI. + + From Death's sad shades to the life-breathing ayre, + This mortall enemy to mankind's good, + Lifts his malignant eyes, wasted with care, + To become beautifull in humane blood. + Where Iordan melts his chrystall, to make faire + The fields of Palestine, with so pure a flood, + There does he fixe his eyes: and there detect + New matter, to make good his great suspect. + + +XII. + + He calls to mind th' old quarrell, and what sparke + Set the contending sons of Heav'n on fire: + Oft in his deepe thought he revolves the darke + Sibill's divining leaves: he does enquire + Into th' old prophesies, trembling to marke + How many present prodigies conspire, + To crowne their past predictions, both he layes + Together, in his pondrous mind both weighs. + + +XIII. + + Heaven's golden-wingèd herald, late he saw + To a poore Galilean virgin sent: + How low the bright youth bow'd, and with what awe + Immortall flowers to her faire hand present. + He saw th' old Hebrewe's wombe, neglect the law + Of age and barrennesse, and her babe prevent _anticipate_ + His birth by his devotion, who began + Betimes to be a saint, before a man. + + +XIV. + + He saw rich nectar-thawes, release the rigour + Of th' icy North; from frost-bound Atlas hands, + His adamantine fetters fall: green vigour + Gladding the Scythian rocks and Libian sands. + He saw a vernall smile, sweetly disfigure + Winter's sad face, and through the flowry lands + Of faire Engaddi, hony-sweating fountaines + With manna, milk, and balm, new-broach the mountaines. + + +XV. + + He saw how in that blest Day-bearing Night, + The Heav'n-rebukèd shades made hast away; + How bright a dawne of angels with new light + Amaz'd the midnight world, and made a Day + Of which the Morning knew not. Mad with spight + He markt how the poore shepheards ran to pay + Their simple tribute to the Babe, Whose birth + Was the great businesse both of Heav'n and Earth. + + +XVI. + + He saw a threefold Sun, with rich encrease + Make proud the ruby portalls of the East. + He saw the Temple sacred to sweet Peace, + Adore her Prince's birth, flat on her brest. + He saw the falling idolls, all confesse + A comming Deity: He saw the nest + Of pois'nous and unnaturall loves, Earth-nurst, + Toucht with the World's true antidote, to burst. + + +XVII. + + He saw Heav'n blossome with a new-borne light, + On which, as on a glorious stranger gaz'd + The golden eyes of Night: whose beame made bright + The way to Beth'lem and as boldly blaz'd, + (Nor askt leave of the sun) by day as night. + By whom (as Heav'ns illustrious hand-maid) rais'd, + Three kings (or what is more) three wise men went + Westward to find the World's true orient. + + +XVIII. + + Strucke with these great concurrences of things, + Symptomes so deadly unto Death and him; + Faine would he have forgot what fatall strings + Eternally bind each rebellious limbe. + He shooke himselfe, and spread his spatious wings: + Which like two bosom'd sailes, embrace the dimme + Aire, with a dismall shade; but all in vaine: + Of sturdy adamant is his strong chaine. + + +XIX. + + While thus Heav'n's highest counsails, by the low + Footsteps of their effects, he trac'd too well, + He tost his troubled eyes: embers that glow + Now with new rage, and wax too hot for Hell: + With his foule clawes he fenc'd his furrowed brow, + And gave a gastly shreeke, whose horrid yell + Ran trembling through the hollow vaults of Night, + The while his twisted tayle he gnaw'd for spight. + + +XX. + + Yet on the other side, faine would he start + Above his feares, and thinke it cannot be. + He studies Scripture, strives to sound the heart + And feele the pulse of every prophecy; + He knows (but knowes not how, or by what art) + The Heav'n-expecting ages hope to see + A mighty Babe, Whose pure, unspotted birth + From a chast virgin wombe, should blesse the Earth. + + +XXI. + + But these vast mysteries his senses smother, + And reason (for what's faith to him?) devoure. + How she that is a maid should prove a mother, + Yet keepe inviolate her virgin flower; + How God's eternall Sonne should be Man's brother, + Poseth his proudest intellectuall power. + How a pure Spirit should incarnate bee, + And Life it selfe weare Death's fraile livery. + + +XXII. + + That the great angell-blinding Light should shrinke + His blaze, to shine in a poore shepherd's eye: + That the unmeasur'd God so low should sinke, + As pris'ner in a few poore rags to lye: + That from His mother's brest He milke should drinke, + Who feeds with nectar Heav'n's faire family: + That a vile manger His low bed should prove, + Who in a throne of stars thunders above. + + +XXIII. + + That He Whom the sun serves, should faintly peepe + Through clouds of infant flesh: that He the old + Eternall Word should be a child, and weepe: + That He Who made the fire, should feare the cold: + That Heav'n's high Majesty His court should keepe + In a clay-cottage, by each blast control'd: + That Glorie's Self should serve our griefs and feares, + And free Eternity, submit to yeares. + + +XXIV. + + And further, that the Lawe's eternall Giver + Should bleed in His Owne Lawe's obedience: + And to the circumcising knife deliver + Himselfe, the forfet of His slave's offence: + That the unblemisht Lambe, blessèd for ever, + Should take the marke of sin, and paine of sence. + These are the knotty riddles, whose darke doubt + Intangles his lost thoughts, past getting out. + + +XXV. + + While new thoughts boyl'd in his enragèd brest, + His gloomy bosome's darkest character + Was in his shady forehead seen exprest: + The forehead's shade in Griefe's expression there, + Is what in signe of joy among the blest + The face's lightning, or a smile is here. + Those stings of care that his strong heart opprest, + A desperate, Oh mee! drew from his deepe brest. + + +XXVI. + + Oh mee! (thus bellow'd he) Oh mee! what great + Portents before mine eyes their powers advance? + And serves my purer sight, onely to beat + Downe my proud thought, and leave it in a trance? + Frowne I: and can great Nature keep her seat? + And the gay starrs lead on their golden dance? + Can His attempts above still prosp'rous be, + Auspicious still, in spight of Hell and me? + + +XXVII. + + Hee has my Heaven (what would He more?) whose bright + And radiant scepter this bold hand should beare: + And for the never-fading fields of light, + My faire inheritance, He confines me here + To this darke house of shades, horrour and night, + To draw a long-liv'd death, where all my cheere + Is the solemnity my sorrow weares, + That mankind's torment waits upon my teares. + + +XXVIII. + + Darke, dusky Man, He needs would single forth, + To make the partner of His Owne pure ray: + And should we powers of Heav'n, spirits of worth, + Bow our bright heads before a king of clay? + It shall not be, said I, and clombe the North, + Where never wing of angell yet made way: + What though I mist my blow? yet I strooke high, + And to dare something, is some victory. + + +XXIX. + + Is He not satisfied? meanes He to wrest + Hell from me too, and sack my territories? + Vile humane nature means He not t' invest + (O my despight!) with His divinest glories? + And rising with rich spoiles upon His brest + With His faire triumphs fill all future stories? + Must the bright armes of Heav'n, rebuke these eyes? + Mocke me, and dazle my darke mysteries? + + +XXX. + + Art thou not Lucifer? he to whom the droves + Of stars that gild the Morne, in charge were given? + The nimblest of the lightning-wingèd loves, + The fairest, and the first-borne smile of Heav'n? + Looke in what pompe the mistrisse planet moves + Rev'rently circled by the lesser seaven: + Such, and so rich, the flames that from thine eyes, + Opprest the common-people of the skyes. + + +XXXI. + + Ah wretch! what bootes thee to cast back thy eyes, + Where dawning hope no beame of comfort showes? + While the reflection of thy forepast joyes, + Renders thee double to thy present woes: + Rather make up to thy new miseries, + And meet the mischiefe that upon thee growes. + If Hell must mourne, Heav'n sure shall sympathize, + What force cannot effect, fraud shall devise. + + +XXXII. + + And yet whose force feare I? have I so lost + My selfe? my strength too with my innocence? + Come try who dares, Heav'n, Earth, what ere doth boast + A borrowed being, make thy bold defence. + Come thy Creator too: What though it cost + Me yet a second fall? wee'd try our strengths: + Heav'n saw us struggle once; as brave a fight + Earth now should see, and tremble at the sight. + + +XXXIII. + + Thus spoke th' impatient prince, and made a pause: + His foule hags rais'd their heads, and clapt their hands, + And all the powers of Hell in full applause + Flourisht their snakes, and tost their flaming brands. + We (said the horrid sisters) wait thy lawes, + Th' obsequious handmaids of thy high commands: + Be it thy part, Hell's mighty lord, to lay + On us thy dread command, our's to obey. + + +XXXIV. + + What thy Alecto, what these hands can doe, + Thou mad'st bold proofe upon the brow of Heav'n, + Nor should'st thou bate in pride, because that now + To these thy sooty kingdomes thou art driven. + Let Heav'n's Lord chide above lowder than thou + In language of His thunder, thou art even + With Him below: here thou art lord alone, + Boundlesse and absolute: Hell is thine owne. + + +XXXV. + + If usuall wit, and strength will doe no good, + Vertues of stones, nor herbes: use stronger charmes, + Anger and love, best hookes of humane blood. + If all faile, wee'l put on our proudest armes, + And pouring on Heav'n's face the Sea's huge flood + Quench His curl'd fires: wee'l wake with our alarmes + Ruine, where e're she sleepes at Nature's feet: + And crush the World till His wide corners meet. + + +XXXVI. + + Reply'd the proud king, O my crowne's defence, + Stay of my strong hopes, you of whose brave worth, + The frighted stars tooke faint experience, + When 'gainst the Thunder's mouth we marchèd forth: + Still you are prodigall of your Love's expence + In our great projects, both 'gainst Heav'n and Earth: + I thanke you all, but one must single out: + Cruelty, she alone shall cure my doubt. + + +XXXVII. + + Fourth of the cursèd knot of hags is shee, + Or rather all the other three in one; + Hell's shop of slaughter shee do's oversee, + And still assist the execution. + But chiefly there do's she delight to be, + Where Hell's capacious cauldron is set on: + And while the black soules boile in their own gore, + To hold them down, and looke that none seeth o're. + + +XXXVIII. + + Thrice howl'd the caves of Night, and thrice the sound, + Thundring upon the bankes of those black lakes, + Rung through the hollow vaults of Hell profound: + At last her listning eares the noise o're takes, + She lifts her sooty lampes, and looking round, + A gen'rall hisse from the whole tire of snakes + Rebounding, through Hell's inmost cavernes came, + In answer to her formidable name. + + +XXXIX. + + 'Mongst all the palaces in Hell's command, + No one so mercilesse as this of her's. + The adamantine doors, for ever stand + Impenetrable, both to prai'rs and teares; + The walls inexorable steele, no hand + Of Time, or teeth of hungry Ruine feares. + Their ugly ornaments are the bloody staines + Of ragged limbs, torne sculls, and dasht-out braines. + + +XL. + + There has the purple Vengeance a proud seat + Whose ever-brandisht sword is sheath'd in blood: + About her Hate, Wrath, Warre and Slaughter sweat; + Bathing their hot limbs in life's pretious flood: + There rude impetuous Rage do's storme and fret, + And there as master of this murd'ring brood, + Swinging a huge sith stands impartiall Death: _scythe_ + With endlesse businesse almost out of breath. + + +XLI. + + For hangings and for curtaines, all along + The walls (abominable ornaments!) + Are tooles of wrath, anvills of torments hung; + Fell executioners of foule intents, + Nailes, hammers, hatchets sharpe, and halters strong, + Swords, speares, with all the fatall instruments + Of Sin and Death, twice dipt in the dire staines + Of brothers' mutuall blood, and fathers' braines. + + +XLII. + + The tables furnisht with a cursèd feast + Which Harpyes, with leane Famine feed upon, + Vnfill'd for ever. Here among the rest, + Inhumane Erisicthon too makes one; + Tantalus, Atreus, Progne, here are guests: + Wolvish Lycaon here a place hath won. + The cup they drinke in is Medusa's scull, + Which mixt with gall and blood they quaffe brim-full. + + +XLIII. + + The foule queen's most abhorrèd maids of honour, + Medæa, Jezabell, many a meager witch, + With Circe, Scylla, stand to wait upon her: + But her best huswife's are the Parcæ, which + Still worke for her, and have their wages from her: + They prick a bleeding heart at every stitch. + Her cruell cloathes of costly threds they weave, + Which short-cut lives of murdred infants leave. + + +XLIV. + + The house is hers'd about with a black wood, _hearsed_ + Which nods with many a heavy-headed tree: + Each flowers a pregnant poyson, try'd and good, + Each herbe a plague. The wind's sighes timèd bee + By a black fount, which weeps into a flood. + Through the thick shades obscurely might you see + Minotaures, Cyclopses, with a darke drove + Of Dragons, Hydraes, Sphinxes, fill the grove. + + +XLV. + + Here Diomed's horses, Phereus' dogs appeare, + With the fierce lyons of Therodamas. + Busiris has his bloody altar here: + Here Sylla his severest prison has: + The Lestrigonians here their table reare: + Here strong Procrustes plants his bed of brasse: + Here cruell Scyron boasts his bloody rockes + And hatefull Schinis his so fearèd oakes. + + +XLVI. + + What ever schemes of blood, fantastick Frames + Of death, Mezentius or Geryon drew; + Phalaris, Ochus, Ezelinus: names + Mighty in mischiefe; with dread Nero too; + Here are they all, here all the swords or flames + Assyrian tyrants or Egyptian knew. + Such was the house, so furnisht was the hall, + Whence the fourth Fury answer'd Pluto's call. + + +XLVII. + + Scarce to this monster could the shady king + The horrid summe of his intentions tell; + But shee (swift as the momentary wing + Of lightning, or the words he spoke) left Hell. + She rose, and with her to our World did bring + Pale proofe of her fell presence; th' aire too well + With a chang'd countenance witnest the sight, + And poore fowles intercepted in their flight. + + +XLVIII. + + Heav'n saw her rise, and saw Hell in the sight: + The fields' faire eyes saw her, and saw no more, + But shut their flowry lids for ever: Night + And Winter strow her way: yea, such a sore + Is she to Nature, that a generall fright, + An universal palsie spreading o're + The face of things, from her dire eyes had run, + Had not her thick snakes hid them from the sun. + + +XLIX. + + Now had the Night's companion from her dew, + Where all the busie day she close doth ly, + With her soft wing wipt from the browes of men + Day's sweat; and by a gentle tyranny + And sweet oppression, kindly cheating them + Of all their cares, tam'd the rebellious eye + Of Sorrow, with a soft and downy hand, + Sealing all brests in a Lethæan band. + + +L. + + When the Erinnys her black pineons spread, + And came to Bethlem, where the cruell king + Had now retyr'd himselfe, and borrowed + His brest a while from Care's unquiet sting; + Such as at Thebes' dire feast she shew'd her head, + Her sulphur-breathèd torches brandishing: + Such to the frighted palace now she comes, + And with soft feet searches the silent roomes. + + +LI. + + By Herod___________________now was borne + The scepter, which of old great David swaid; + Whose right by David's linage so long worne, _lineage_ + Himselfe a stranger to, his owne had made; + And from the head of Judah's house quite torne + The crowne, for which upon their necks he laid + A sad yoake, under which they sigh'd in vaine, + And looking on their lost state sigh'd againe. + + +LII. + + Vp, through the spatious pallace passèd she, + To where the king's proudly-reposèd head + (If any can be soft to Tyranny + And selfe-tormenting sin) had a soft bed. + She thinkes not fit, such, he her face should see, + As it is seene in Hell, and seen with dread. + To change her face's stile she doth devise, + And in a pale ghost's shape to spare his eyes. + + +LIII. + + Her selfe a while she layes aside, and makes + Ready to personate a mortall part. + Ioseph, the king's dead brother's shape, she takes: + What he by nature was, is she by art. + She comes to th' king, and with her cold hand slakes + His spirits (the sparkes of life) and chills his heart, + Life's forge; fain'd is her voice, and false too, be + Her words: 'sleep'st thou, fond man? sleep'st thou?' said she. + + +LIV. + + So sleeps a pilot, whose poore barke is prest + With many a mercylesse o're-mastring wave; + For whom (as dead) the wrathfull winds contest + Which of them deep'st shall digge her watry grave. + Why dost thou let thy brave soule lye supprest + In death-like slumbers, while thy dangers crave + A waking eye and hand? looke vp and see + The Fates ripe, in their great conspiracy. + + +LV. + + Know'st thou not how of th' Hebrewes' royall stemme + (That old dry stocke) a despair'd branch is sprung: + A most strange Babe! Who here conceal'd by them + In a neglected stable lies, among + Beasts and base straw: Already is the streame + Quite turn'd: th' ingratefull rebells, this their young + Master (with voyce free as the trumpe of Fame) + Their new King, and thy Successour proclame. + + +LVI. + + What busy motions, what wild engines stand + On tiptoe in their giddy braynes! th' have fire + Already in their bosomes, and their hand + Already reaches at a sword; they hire + Poysons to speed thee; yet through all the Land + What one comes to reveale what they conspire? + Goe now, make much of these; wage still their wars + And bring home on thy brest, more thanklesse scarrs. + + +LVII. + + Why did I spend my life, and spill my blood, + That thy firme hand for ever might sustaine + A well-pois'd scepter? does it now seeme good + Thy brother's blood be spilt, life spent in vaine? + 'Gainst thy owne sons and brothers thou hast stood + In armes, when lesser cause was to complaine: + And now crosse Fates a watch about thee keepe, + Can'st thou be carelesse now? now can'st thou sleep? + + +LVIII. + + Where art thou man? what cowardly mistake + Of thy great selfe, hath stolne king Herod from thee? + O call thy selfe home to thy self, wake, wake, + And fence the hanging sword Heav'n throws upon thee. + Redeeme a worthy wrath, rouse thee, and shake + Thy selfe into a shape that may become thee. + Be Herod, and thou shalt not misse from mee + Immortall stings to thy great thoughts, and thee. + + +LIX. + + So said, her richest snake, which to her wrist + For a beseeming bracelet she had ty'd + (A speciall worme it was as ever kist + The foamy lips of Cerberus) she apply'd + To the king's heart: the snake no sooner hist, + But Vertue heard it, and away she hy'd: + Dire flames diffuse themselves through every veine: + This done, home to her Hell she hy'd amaine. + + +LX. + + He wakes, and with him (ne're to sleepe) new feares: + His sweat-bedewed bed hath now betraid him + To a vast field of thornes; ten thousand speares + All pointed in his heart seem'd to invade him: + So mighty were th' amazing characters + With which his feeling dreame had thus dismay'd him, + He his owne fancy-framèd foes defies: + In rage, My armes, give me my armes, he cryes. + + +LXI. + + As when a pile of food-preparing fire, + The breath of artificiall lungs embraves, + The caldron-prison'd waters streight conspire + And beat the hot brasse with rebellious waves; + He murmurs, and rebukes their bold desire; + Th' impatient liquor frets, and foames, and raves, + Till his o're-flowing pride suppresse the flame + Whence all his high spirits and hot courage came. + + +LXII. + + So boyles the firèd Herod's blood-swolne brest, + Not to be slak't but by a sea of blood: + His faithlesse crowne he feeles loose on his crest, + Which a false tyrant's head ne're firmely stood. + The worme of jealous envy and unrest + To which his gnaw'd heart is the growing food, + Makes him, impatient of the lingring light, + Hate the sweet peace of all-composing Night. + + +LXIII. + + A thousand prophecies that talke strange things + Had sowne of old these doubts in his deepe brest. + And now of late came tributary kings, + Bringing him nothing but new feares from th' East, + More deepe suspicions, and more deadly stings, + With which his feav'rous cares their cold increast. + And now his dream (Hel's fireband) still more bright, + Shew'd him his feares, and kill'd him with the sight. + + +LXIV. + + No sooner therefore shall the Morning see + (Night hangs yet heavy on the lids of Day) + But all the counsellours must summon'd bee, + To meet their troubled lord: without delay + Heralds and messengers immediately + Are sent about, who poasting every way + To th' heads and officers of every band, + Declare who sends, and what is his command. + + +LXV. + + Why art thou troubled, Herod? what vaine feare + Thy blood-revolving brest to rage doth move? + Heaven's King, Who doffs Himselfe weak flesh to weare, + Comes not to rule in wrath, but serve in love. + Nor would He this thy fear'd crown from thee teare, + But give thee a better with Himselfe above. + Poor jealousie! why should He wish to prey + Vpon thy crowne, Who gives His owne away? + + +LXVI. + + Make to thy reason, man, and mock thy doubts, + Looke how below thy feares their causes are; + Thou art a souldier, Herod; send thy scouts, + See how Hee's furnish't for so fear'd a warre? + What armour does He weare? A few thin clouts. + His trumpets? tender cries; His men to dare + So much? rude shepheards: what His steeds? alas + Poore beasts! a slow oxe and a simple asse. + + _Il fine del primo Libro._ + + +NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. + +See our Essay for critical remarks on the original and CRASHAW'S +interpretation. These things may be recorded: + +St. viii. line 6. '(His shop of flames) he _fries_ himself.' This verb +'fries,' like 'stick' and some others, had not in Elizabethan times and +later, that colloquial, and therefore in such a context ludicrous, sound +that it has to us. In MARLOWE'S or JONSON'S translation of Ovid's +fifteenth elegy (book i.) the two lines which originally ran thus, + + 'Lofty Lucretius shall live that hour + That Nature shall dissolve this earthly bower,' + +were afterwards altered by JONSON himself to, + + 'Then shall Lucretius' lofty numbers die, + When earth and seas in fire and flame shall _frie_.' + +In another way one of our most ludicrous-serious experiences of +printers' errors was in a paper contributed by us to an American +religious periodical. The subject was Affliction, and we remarked that +God still, as of old with the 'three children' (so-called) permits His +people to be put into the furnace of 'fiery trials,' wherein He _tries_ +them whether they be ore or dross. To our horror we found the _t_ +changed into _f_, and so read sensationally '_fries_'--all the worse +that some might think it the author's own word. + +St. xxviii. and xxx. The star Lucifer or Phosporos, to whom 'the droves +of stars that guild the morn, in charge were given,' can never climb +the North or reach the zenith, being conquered by the effulgence of the +sun of day. When did the fable of the angel Lucifer, founded on an +astronomical appearance, mingle itself as it has done here, and grandly +in MILTON, and in the popular mind generally, with the biblical history +of Satan? + +St. xxxvi. line 2. TURNBULL perpetuates the misprint of 'whose' for 'my' +from 1670. + +St. li. line 3, 'linage' = 'lineage.' For once 1670 is correct in +reading 'linage' for the misprint 'image' of 1646 and 1648. The original +is literally as follows: + + 'Herod the liege of Augustus, a man now agèd, + Then ruled over the royal courts of David: + Not of the royal _line_ ...' + +St. lix. line 3, 'a special worm:' so SHAKESPEARE (Ant. and Cleopatra, +v. 2), 'the pretty worm' and 'the worm.' + +St. lx. Every one will be reminded of the tent-scene in Richard III. + +At end of this translation PEREGRINE PHILLIPS adds 'cetera desunt--heu! +heu!' + +MARINO and CRASHAW have left proper names in the poem unannotated. They +are mostly trite; but these may be noticed: st. xlii. l. 4, Erisichton +(see Ovid, _Met._ viii. 814 &c.); he offended Ceres, and was by her +punished with continual hunger, so that he devoured his own limbs: line +5, Tantalus the fabled son of Zeus and Pluto, whose doom in the 'lower +world,' has been celebrated from Homer (_Od._ xi. 582) onward: ib. +Atreus, grandson of Tantalus, immortalised in infamy with his brother +Thyestes: ib. Progne = Procne, wife of Tereus, who was metamorphosed +into a swallow (Apollod. iii. 14, 8): l. 6, Lycaon, like Tantalus, with +his sons changed by Zeus into wolves (Ovid; Paus. viii. 3, § 1): st. +xliii. line 2, Medea, most famous of the mythical sorcerers: ib. +Jezebel, 2 Kings ix. 10, 36: line 3, Circe, another mythical sorceress: +Scylla, daughter of Typho and rival of Circe, who transformed her (Ovid, +_Met._ xiv. 1-74); cf. Paradise Lost: line 4, the Paræ = the Fates, ever +spinning: st. xliv. lines 7-8, all classic monsters: st. xlv. line 1, +'Diomed's horses' = the fabled 'mares' fed on human flesh (Apollod. ii. +5, § 8): 'Phereus' dogs,' or Fereus of mythical celebrity: line 2, +Therodamas or Theromedon, king of Scythia, who fed lions with human +blood (Ovid, _Ibis_ 385, _Pont._ i. 2, 121): line 3, Busiris, associated +with Osiris of Egypt; but Herodotus denies that the Egyptians ever +offered human sacrifices: line 4, Sylla = Sulla: line 5, Lestrigonians, +ancient inhabitants of Sicily who fed on human flesh (Ovid, _Met._ xiv. +233, &c.): line 6, Procrustes, _i.e._ the Stretcher, being a surname of +the famous robber Damastes (Ovid, _Met._ vii. 438): line 7, Scyron, or +Sciron (Ovid, _Met._ vii. 444-447), who threw his captives from the +rocks: line 8, Schinis, more accurately Sinis or Sinnis, a celebrated +robber, his name being connected with {sinomai}, expressing the manner +in which he tore his victims to pieces by tying them to branches of two +trees, which he bent together and then let go (Ovid, _Met._ vii. 440); +according to some he was surnamed Procrustes, but MARINO and CRASHAW +distinguish the two: st. xlvi. line 2, Mezentius, a mythical king of the +Etruscans (Virgil, _Æneid_, viii. 480, &c.); he put men to death by +tying them to a corpse: ib. Geryon, a fabulous king of Hesperia +(Apollod. ii. 5, § 10); under this name the very reverend Dr. J.H. +Newman has composed one of his most remarkable poems: line 3, Phalaris, +_the_ tyrant of Sicily, whose 'brazen bull' of torture gave point to +Cicero's words concerning him, as 'crudelissimus omnium tyrannorum' (in +Verr. iv. 33): ib. Ochus = Artaxerxes III. a merciless king of Persia: +ib. Ezelinus or Ezzelinus, another wicked tyrant. + + + + +THE HYMN OF SAINTE THOMAS, + +IN ADORATION OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT.[42] + + + Ecce panis Angelorum, + Adoro te. + + With all the powres my poor heart hath 1 + Of humble loue and loyall faith, + Thus lowe (my hidden life!) I bow to Thee + Whom too much loue hath bow'd more low for me. + Down, down, proud Sense! discourses dy! 5 + Keep close, my soul's inquiring ey! + Not touch, nor tast, must look for more + But each sitt still in his own dore. + + Your ports are all superfluous here, + Saue that which lets in Faith, the eare. 10 + Faith is my skill: Faith can beleiue + As fast as Loue new lawes can giue. + Faith is my force: Faith strength affords + To keep pace with those powrfull words. + And words more sure, more sweet then they, 15 + Loue could not think, Truth could not say. + + O let Thy wretch find that releife + Thou didst afford the faithful theife. + Plead for me, Loue! alleage and show + That Faith has farther here to goe 20 + And lesse to lean on: because than _then_ + Though hidd as God, wounds with Thee man: + Thomas might touch, none but might see + At least the suffring side of Thee; + And that too was Thy self which Thee did couer, 25 + But here eu'n that's hid too which hides the other. + + Sweet, consider then, that I + Though allow'd nor hand nor eye + To reach at Thy lou'd face; nor can + Tast Thee God, or touch Thee man, 30 + Both yet beleiue; and witnesse Thee + My Lord too and my God, as lowd as he. + + Help, Lord, my faith, my hope increase, + And fill my portion in Thy peace: + Giue loue for life; nor let my dayes 35 + Grow, but in new powres to Thy name and praise. + + O dear memoriall of that Death + Which liues still, and allowes vs breath! + Rich, royall food! Bountyfull bread! + Whose vse denyes vs to the dead; 40 + Whose vitall gust alone can giue + The same leaue both to eat and liue; + Liue euer bread of loues, and be + My life, my soul, my surer-selfe to mee. + + O soft self-wounding Pelican! 45 + Whose brest weepes balm for wounded man: + Ah! this way bend Thy benign floud + To a bleeding heart that gaspes for blood. + That blood, whose least drops soueraign be + To wash my worlds of sins from me. 50 + + Come Loue! come Lord! and that long day + For which I languish, come away. + When this dry soul those eyes shall see, + And drink the vnseal'd sourse of Thee: + When Glory's sun, Faith's shades shall chase, 55 + And for Thy veil giue me Thy face. Amen. + + +NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. + +The original title is 'A Hymne to our Saviour by the Faithfull Receiver +of the Sacrament.' As before in the title of 'The Weeper' 'Sainte' is +misspelled 'Sanite.' + +Line 1 in 1648 reads 'power.' + + " 8, 'sitt still in his own dore.' + + " 9, 'ports' = openings or gates. So in Edinburgh the + 'West-port' = a gate of the city in the old west wall. + +Line 21, 'than' = 'then.' See our PHINEAS FLETCHER, as before. + +Line 29, TURNBULL leaves undetected the 1670 misprint of 'teach' for +'reach.' + +Line 33, 1648 supplies 'my faith,' which in our text is inadvertently +dropped; 1670 continues the error, which of course TURNBULL repeated. + +Line 36, 1670 edition reads 'Grow, but in new pow'rs to name thy +Praise.' + +Lines 37-38 are inadvertently omitted in 1648 edition. + +Our text, as will be seen, is arranged in stanzas of irregular form. In +1648 edition it is one continuous poem thus printed: + + --------------------- + --------------------- + --------------------- + --------------------- G. + + + + +LAVDA SION SALVATOREM: + +THE HYMN FOR THE BL. SACRAMENT.[43] + + +I. + + Rise, royall Sion! rise and sing + Thy soul's kind shepheard, thy hart's King. + Stretch all thy powres; call if you can + Harpes of heaun to hands of man. + This soueraign subject sitts aboue + The best ambition of thy loue. + + +II. + + Lo, the Bread of Life, this day's + Triumphant text, prouokes thy prayse: _incites_ + The liuing and life-giuing bread + To the great twelue distributed; + When Life, Himself, at point to dy + Of loue, was His Own legacy. + + +III. + + Come, Loue! and let vs work a song + Lowd and pleasant, sweet and long; + Let lippes and hearts lift high the noise + Of so iust and solemn ioyes, + Which on His white browes this bright day + Shall hence for euer bear away. + + +IV. + + Lo, the new law of a new Lord, + With a new Lamb blesses the board: + The agèd Pascha pleads not yeares + But spyes Loue's dawn, and disappeares. + Types yield to truthes; shades shrink away; + And their Night dyes into our Day. + + +V. + + But lest that dy too, we are bid + Euer to doe what He once did: + And by a mindfull, mystick breath + That we may liue, reuiue His death; + With a well-bles't bread and wine, + Transsum'd and taught to turn diuine. + + +VI. + + The Heaun-instructed house of Faith + Here a holy dictate hath, + That they but lend their form and face;-- + Themselues with reuerence leaue their place, + Nature, and name, to be made good, + By a nobler bread, more needfull blood. + + +VII. + + Where Nature's lawes no leaue will giue, + Bold Faith takes heart, and dares beleiue + In different species: name not things, + Himself to me my Saviovr brings; + As meat in that, as drink in this, + But still in both one Christ He is. + + +VIII. + + The receiuing mouth here makes + Nor wound nor breach in what he takes. + Let one, or one thovsand be + Here diuiders, single he + Beares home no lesse, all they no more, + Nor leaue they both lesse then before. + + +IX. + + Though in it self this soverain Feast + Be all the same to euery guest, + Yet on the same (life-meaning) Bread + The child of death eates himself dead: + Nor is't Loue's fault, but Sin's dire skill + That thus from Life can death distill. + + +X. + + When the blest signes thou broke shalt see + Hold but thy faith intire as He + Who, howsoe're clad, cannot come + Lesse then whole Christ in euery crumme. + In broken formes a stable Faith + Vntouch't her precious totall hath. + + +XI. + + So the life-food of angells then + Bow'd to the lowly mouths of men! + The children's Bread, the Bridegroom's Wine; + Not to be cast to dogges, or swine. + + +XII. + + Lo, the full, finall Sacrifice + On which all figures fix't their eyes: + The ransom'd Isack, and his ramme; + The manna, and the paschal lamb. + + +XIII. + + Iesv Master, iust and true! + Our food, and faithfull Shephard too! + O by Thy self vouchsafe to keep, + As with Thy selfe Thou feed'st Thy sheep. + + +XIV. + + O let that loue which thus makes Thee + Mix with our low mortality, + Lift our lean soules, and sett vs vp + Con-victors of Thine Own full cup, + Coheirs of saints. That so all may + Drink the same wine; and the same way: + Nor change the pastvre, but the place, + To feed of Thee, in Thine Own face. Amen. + + +NOTES. + +In 1648, line 3 has 'thou' for 'you:' line 4 'and' for 'to:' line 6, +'ambitious:' line 19, 'Lord' is misprinted 'Law:' line 39, 'names:' line +42 spells 'one' as 'on:' line 55, our text (1652) misprints 'shall:' +line 75, 1648 reads 'mean' for 'lean.' G. + + + + +PRAYER: + +AN ODE WHICH WAS PRÆFIXED TO A LITTLE PRAYER-BOOK GIVEN TO A YOUNG +GENTLE-WOMAN.[44] + + + Lo here a little volume, but great book! 1 + (Feare it not, sweet, + It is no hipocrit) + Much larger in itselfe then in its looke. + A nest of new-born sweets; 5 + Whose natiue fires disdaining + To ly thus folded, and complaining + Of these ignoble sheets, + Affect more comly bands + (Fair one) from thy kind hands; 10 + And confidently look + To find the rest + Of a rich binding in your brest. + It is, in one choise handfull, Heauvn; and all + Heaun's royall host; incampt thus small 15 + To proue that true, Schooles vse to tell, + Ten thousand angels in one point can dwell. + It is Loue's great artillery + Which here contracts it self, and comes to ly 19 + Close-couch't in your white bosom; and from thence + As from a snowy fortresse of defence, + Against the ghostly foes to take your part, + And fortify the hold of your chast heart. + It is an armory of light; + Let constant vse but keep it bright, 25 + You'l find it yields + To holy hands and humble hearts + More swords and sheilds + Then sin hath snares, or Hell hath darts. + Only be sure 30 + The hands be pure + That hold these weapons; and the eyes, + Those of turtles, chast and true; + Wakefull and wise: + Here is a freind shall fight for you; 35 + Hold but this book before your heart, + Let prayer alone to play his part; + But O the heart + That studyes this high art + Must be a sure house-keeper: 40 + And yet no sleeper. + Dear soul, be strong! + Mercy will come e're long + And bring his bosome fraught with blessings, + Flowers of neuer-fading graces 45 + To make immortall dressings + For worthy soules, whose wise embraces + Store vp themselues for Him, Who is alone + The Spovse of virgins and the virgin's Son. + But if the noble Bridegroom, when He come, 50 + Shall find the loytering heart from home; + Leauing her chast aboad + To gadde abroad + Among the gay mates of the god of flyes; + To take her pleasure, and to play 55 + And keep the deuill's holyday; + To dance in th' sunshine of some smiling + But beguiling + Spheare of sweet and sugred lyes; + Some slippery pair 60 + Of false, perhaps, as fair, + Flattering but forswearing, eyes; + Doubtlesse some other heart + Will gett the start + Meanwhile, and stepping in before 65 + Will take possession of that sacred store + Of hidden sweets and holy ioyes; + Words which are not heard with eares + (Those tumultuous shops of noise) + Effectuall whispers, whose still voice 70 + The soul it selfe more feeles then heares; + Amorous languishments; luminous trances; + Sights which are not seen with eyes; + Spirituall and soul-peircing glances + Whose pure and subtil lightning flyes 75 + Home to the heart, and setts the house on fire, + And melts it down in sweet desire + Yet doth not stay + To ask the windows' leaue, to passe that way; + Delicious deaths; soft exalations 80 + Of soul; dear and diuine annihilations; + A thousand vnknown rites + Of ioyes and rarefy'd delights; + A hundred thousand goods, glories, and graces: + And many a mystick thing 85 + Which the diuine embraces + Of the deare Spouse of spirits, with them will bring, + For which it is no shame + That dull mortality must not know a name. + Of all this hidden store 90 + Of blessings, and ten thousand more + (If when He come + He find the heart from home) + Doubtlesse He will vnload + Himself some other where, 95 + And poure abroad + His pretious sweets + On the fair soul whom first He meets. + O fair, O fortunate! O riche! O dear! + O happy and thrice-happy she 100 + Deare silver-breasted dove + Who ere she be, + Whose early loue + With wingèd vowes + Makes hast to meet her morning Spouse, 105 + And close with His immortall kisses. + Happy indeed, who neuer misses + To improue that pretious hour, + And euery day + Seize her sweet prey, 110 + All fresh and fragrant as He rises, + Dropping with a baulmy showr, + A delicious dew of spices; + O let the blissfull heart hold it fast + Her heaunly arm-full; she shall tast 115 + At once ten thousand paradises; + She shall haue power + To rifle and deflour + The rich and roseall spring of those rare sweets + Which with a swelling bosome there she meets: 120 + Boundles and infinite ___________ + ___________ Bottomles treasures + Of pure inebriating pleasures. + Happy proof! she shal discouer + What ioy, what blisse, 125 + How many heau'ns at once it is + To haue her God become her Lover. + + +NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. + +The text of 1648 corresponds pretty closely, except in the usual changes +of orthography, with our text (1652): and 1670, in like manner, follows +that of 1646. 1646 edition furnishes some noticeable variations: + +Line 1, 'large' for 'great.' + + " 2-4 restored to their place here. TURNBULL gives them + in a foot-note with this remark: 'So in the Paris edition of + 1652. In all the others, + + Fear it not, sweet, + It is no hypocrite, + Much larger in itself, than in its book.' + +This is a mistake. The only edition that omits the lines (5-13) besides +the first (1646) and substitutes these three is that of 1670. + +Lines 5-13 not in 1646 edition: first appeared in 1648 edition. + + " 14, 'choise' for 'rich.' + + " 15, 'hoasts' for 'host.' + + " 17, 'Ten thousand.' + + " 20. Our text (1652) here and elsewhere misreads 'their:' + silently corrected. + +Line 22. Our text (1652) misprints 'their' for 'the:' as 'the' is the +reading of 1648 and 1670, I have adopted it. + +Line 24, 'the' for 'an.' + + " 27, 'hand' for 'hands.' + + " 37, 1648 edition has 'its' for 'his.' + + " 44. Our text (1652) oddly misprints 'besom' for 'bosome:' + the latter reading in 1646, 1648 and 1670 vindicates + itself. 1646 reads 'her' and 1648 'its' for 'his.' + +Line 50, 'comes' for 'come.' + + " 51, 'wandring' for 'loytering.' + + " 54. The allusion is to one of the names of Satan, viz. + Baal-zebub = fly-god, dunghill-god. + +Line 55, 'pleasures.' + + " 57. Our text (1652) inadvertently drops 'in.' 1648 + has 'i' th'.' + +Line 59. Our text misprints 'spheares:' 1648 adopts 'spheare' from 1646 +edition. 1670 misprints 'spear.' + +Line 62, 'forswearing:' a classic word. + + " 64, 'git' is the spelling. + + " 65. All the editions save our text (1652) omit 'meanwhile.' + +Line 66, 'the' for 'that.' + + " 69, 'These' for 'Those,' by mistake. + + " 78, 'doth' for 'does' I have adopted here. + + " 83, 1648, by misprint, has 'O' for 'Of.' + + " 84, 'An hundred thousand loves and graces.' + + " 90. I have accepted 'hidden' before 'store' from 1646 + edition. + +Line 101. I have also adopted this characteristic line from 1646 +edition. In all the others (except 1670) it is 'Selected dove.' + +Line 107, 'soule' for 'indeed.' + + " 114, 'that' for 'the.' + + " 121-122. In 1648 printed as _supra_, the lines probably + indicating a blank where the MS. was illegible. In our text + (1652) we have two lines, but no blank indicated. + +Line 124, 'soul' for 'proof.' + + " 127, 'a' for 'her.' G. + + + + +TO THE SAME PARTY: + +COVNCEL CONCERNING HER CHOISE.[45] + + + Dear, Heaun-designèd sovl! 1 + Amongst the rest + Of suters that beseige your maiden brest, + Why may not I + My fortune try 5 + And venture to speak one good word, + Not for my self, alas! but for my dearer Lord? + You have seen allready, in this lower sphear + Of froth and bubbles, what to look for here: + Say, gentle soul, what can you find 10 + But painted shapes, + Peacocks and apes; + Illustrious flyes, + Guilded dunghills, glorious lyes; + Goodly surmises 15 + And deep disguises, + Oathes of water, words of wind? + Trvth biddes me say 'tis time you cease to trust + Your soul to any son of dust. + 'Tis time you listen to a brauer loue, 20 + Which from aboue + Calls you vp higher + And biddes you come + And choose your roome + Among His own fair sonnes of fire; 25 + Where you among + The golden throng + That watches at His palace doores + May passe along, + And follow those fair starres of your's; 30 + Starrs much too fair and pure to wait vpon + The false smiles of a sublunary sun. + Sweet, let me prophesy that at last t'will proue + Your wary loue + Layes vp his purer and more pretious vowes, 35 + And meanes them for a farre more worthy Spovse + Then this World of lyes can giue ye: + Eu'n for Him with Whom nor cost, + Nor loue, nor labour can be lost; + Him Who neuer will deceiue ye. 40 + Let not my Lord, the mighty Louer + Of soules, disdain that I discouer + The hidden art + Of His high stratagem to win your heart: + It was His heaunly art 45 + Kindly to cross you + In your mistaken loue; + That, at the next remoue + Thence, He might tosse you + And strike your troubled heart 50 + Home to Himself; to hide it in His brest: + The bright ambrosiall nest + Of Loue, of life, and euerlasting rest. + Happy mystake! + That thus shall wake 55 + Your wise soul, neuer to be wonne + Now with a loue below the sun. + Your first choyce failes; O when you choose agen + May it not be amongst the sonnes of men. + + +NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. + + The first line, 'To Mistress M.R. + Dear, Heav'n-designed soul,' + +as in 1670, is not to be considered as an unrhymed line, but as the +address or superscription, though so contrived as not to interfere with +the metre, but to make a five-foot line with the two feet of the true +first line of the poem. So Parolles prefaces his verse with + + 'Dian, the count's a fool and full of gold.' + + (_All's Well that ends Well_, iv. 3.) + +and Longaville (_Love's Labour Lost_) prefixes to his sonnet, + + 'O sweet Maria, empress of my love.' + +In fact, it is the 'Madam' of a poetical epistle brought into metrical +harmony with the verse. G. + + + + +DESCRIPTION OF A RELIGIOVS HOVSE AND CONDITION OF LIFE. + +(OVT OF BARCLAY.)[46] + + + No roofes of gold o're riotous tables shining 1 + Whole dayes and suns, deuour'd with endlesse dining. + No sailes of Tyrian sylk, proud pauements sweeping, + Nor iuory couches costlyer slumber keeping; + False lights of flairing gemmes; tumultuous ioyes; 5 + Halls full of flattering men and frisking boyes; + What'ere false showes of short and slippery good + Mix the mad sons of men in mutuall blood. + But walkes, and vnshorn woods; and soules, iust so + Vnforc't and genuine; but not shady tho. 10 + Our lodgings hard and homely as our fare, + That chast and cheap, as the few clothes we weare. + Those, course and negligent, as the naturall lockes + Of these loose groues; rough as th' vnpolish't rockes. + A hasty portion of præscribèd sleep; 15 + Obedient slumbers, that can wake and weep, + And sing, and sigh, and work, and sleep again; + Still rowling a round spear of still-returning pain. + Hands full of harty labours; paines that pay + And prize themselves: doe much, that more they may, 20 + And work for work, not wages; let to-morrow's + New drops, wash off the sweat of this daye's sorrows. + A long and dayly-dying life, which breaths + A respiration of reuiuing deaths. + But neither are there those ignoble stings 25 + That nip the blossome of the World's best things, + And lash Earth-labouring souls.... + No cruell guard of diligent cares, that keep + Crown'd woes awake, as things too wise for sleep: + But reuerent discipline, and religious fear, 30 + And soft obedience, find sweet biding here; + Silence, and sacred rest; peace, and pure ioyes; + Kind loues keep house, ly close, make no noise; + And room enough for monarchs, while none swells + Beyond the kingdomes of contentfull cells. 35 + The self-remembring sovl sweetly recouers + Her kindred with the starrs; not basely houers + Below: but meditates her immortall way + Home to the originall sourse of Light and intellectuall day + + +NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. + +In 1648 the heading is simply 'Description of a religious house.' The +original occurs in BARCLAY'S _Argenis_, book v. These variations include +one important correction of a long-standing blunder: + +Line 3, 1648 misprints 'weeping' for 'sweeping.' + + " 4, 'costly' for 'costlyer.' + + " 6, 'flatt'ring' for 'flattering.' + + " 19-20. Our text (1652), followed by 1670, strangely confuses + this couplet by printing, + + 'Hands full of harty labours; doe much, that more they may.' + +TURNBULL, as usual, unintelligently repeats the blunder. Even in using +the text of 1652 exceptionally, if only he found it confirmed by 1670, +there was no vigilance. The reading of 1648 puts all right. + +Line 23. Our text misspells 'ding.' + + " 26. Misprinted 'bosome' in all the editions, and perpetuated + by TURNBULL. Line 27 that follows is a break (unrhymed). + +Line 33. 1648 misreads 'keep no noise.' G. + + + + +ON MR. GEORGE HERBERT'S BOOKE INTITULED THE TEMPLE OF SACRED POEMS. + +SENT TO A GENTLE-WOMAN.[47] + + + Know you, faire, on what you looke? 1 + Divinest love lyes in this booke: + Expecting fier from your faire eyes, + To kindle this his sacrifice. + + When your hands untie these strings, 5 + Think, yo' have an angell by the wings; + One that gladly would be nigh, + To waite upon each morning sigh; + To flutter in the balmy aire + Of your well-perfumèd praier; 10 + These white plumes of his hee'l lend you, + Which every day to Heaven will send you: + To take acquaintance of each spheare, + And all your smooth-fac'd kindred there. + And though HERBERT'S name doe owe 15 + These devotions; fairest, know + While I thus lay them on the shrine + Of your white hand, they are mine. + + + + +A HYMN TO THE NAME AND HONOR OF THE ADMIRABLE SAINTE TERESA: + + + Fovndresse of the Reformation of the discalced Carmelites, both men + and women; a Woman for angelicall heigth of speculation, for + masculine courage of performance more then a woman: who yet a child, + out-ran maturity, and durst plott a Martyrdome; + + Misericordias Domini in Æternvm cantabo. + + Le Vray portraict de Ste Terese, Fondatrice des Religieuses et + Religieux reformez de l'ordre de N. Dame du mont Carmel: Decedee le + 4e Octo. 1582. Canonisee le 12e Mars. 1622.[48] + + +THE HYMNE. + + Loue, thou art absolute, sole lord 1 + Of life and death. To proue the word + Wee'l now appeal to none of all + Those thy old souldiers, great and tall, + Ripe men of martyrdom, that could reach down 5 + With strong armes, their triumphant crown; + Such as could with lusty breath + Speak lowd into the face of death, + Their great Lord's glorious name, to none + Of those whose spatious bosomes spread a throne 10 + For Love at large to fill; spare blood and sweat: + And see him take a priuate seat, + Making his mansion in the mild + And milky soul of a soft child. + Scarse has she learn't to lisp the name 15 + Of martyr; yet she thinks it shame + Life should so long play with that breath + Which spent can buy so braue a death. + She neuer vndertook to know + What Death with Loue should haue to doe; 20 + Nor has she e're yet vnderstood + Why to show loue, she should shed blood, + Yet though she cannot tell you why + She can love, and she can dy. + Scarse has she blood enough to make 25 + A guilty sword blush for her sake; + Yet has she a heart dares hope to proue + How much lesse strong is Death then Love. + Be Loue but there; let poor six yeares + Be pos'd with the maturest feares 30 + Man trembles at, you straight shall find + Love knowes no nonage, nor the mind; + 'Tis love, not yeares or limbs that can + Make the martyr, or the man. + Love touch't her heart, and lo it beates 35 + High, and burnes with such braue heates; + Such thirsts to dy, as dares drink vp + A thousand cold deaths in one cup. + Good reason: for she breathes all fire; + Her white brest heaues with strong desire 40 + Of what she may with fruitles wishes + Seek for amongst her mother's kisses. + Since 'tis not to be had at home + She'l trauail to a martyrdom. + No home for hers confesses she 45 + But where she may a martyr be. + She'l to the Moores; and trade with them _Moors_ + For this vnualued diadem: + She'l offer them her dearest breath, + With Christ's name in't, in change for death: 50 + She'l bargain with them; and will giue + Them God; teach them how to liue + In Him: or, if they this deny, + For Him she'l teach them how to dy: + So shall she leaue amongst them sown 55 + Her Lord's blood; or at lest her own. _least_ + Farewel then, all the World! adieu! + Teresa is no more for you. + Farewell, all pleasures, sports, and ioyes + (Never till now esteemèd toyes) 60 + Farewell, what ever deare may bee, + Mother's armes or father's knee: + Farewell house, and farewell home! + She's for the Moores, and martyrdom. + Sweet, not so fast! lo thy fair Spouse 65 + Whom thou seekst with so swift vowes; + Calls thee back, and bidds thee come + T'embrace a milder martyrdom. + Blest powres forbid, thy tender life + Should bleed vpon a barbarous knife: 70 + Or some base hand haue power to raze + Thy brest's chast cabinet, and vncase + A soul kept there so sweet: O no, + Wise Heaun will neuer have it so. + Thou art Love's victime; and must dy 75 + A death more mysticall and high: + Into Loue's armes thou shalt let fall + A still-suruiuing funerall. + His is the dart must make the death + Whose stroke shall tast thy hallow'd breath; 80 + A dart thrice dip't in that rich flame + Which writes thy Spouse's radiant name + Vpon the roof of Heau'n, where ay + It shines; and with a soueraign ray + Beates bright vpon the burning faces 85 + Of soules which in that Name's sweet graces + Find euerlasting smiles: so rare, + So spirituall, pure, and fair + Must be th' immortall instrument + Vpon whose choice point shall be sent 90 + A life so lou'd: and that there be + Fitt executioners for thee, + The fair'st and first-born sons of fire + Blest seraphim, shall leaue their quire, + And turn Loue's souldiers, vpon thee 95 + To exercise their archerie. + O how oft shalt thou complain + Of a sweet and subtle pain: + Of intolerable ioyes: + Of a death, in which who dyes 100 + Loues his death, and dyes again + And would for euer so be slain. + And liues, and dyes; and knowes not why + To liue, but that he thus may neuer leaue to dy. + How kindly will thy gentle heart 105 + Kisse the sweetly-killing dart! + And close in his embraces keep + Those delicious wounds, that weep + Balsom to heal themselves with: thus + When these thy deaths, so numerous 110 + Shall all at last dy into one, + And melt thy soul's sweet mansion; + Like a soft lump of incense, hasted + By too hott a fire, and wasted + Into perfuming clouds, so fast 115 + Shalt thou exhale to Heaun at last + In a resoluing sigh, and then + O what? Ask not the tongues of men; + Angells cannot tell; suffice + Thy selfe shall feel thine own full ioyes, 120 + And hold them fast for euer there. + So soon as thou shalt first appear, + The moon of maiden starrs, thy white + Mistresse, attended by such bright + Soules as thy shining self, shall come 125 + And in her first rankes make thee room; + Where 'mongst her snowy family + Immortall wellcomes wait for thee. + O what delight, when reueal'd Life shall stand, + And teach thy lipps Heaun with His hand; 130 + On which thou now maist to thy wishes + Heap vp thy consecrated kisses. + What ioyes shall seize thy soul, when she, + Bending her blessed eyes on Thee, + (Those second smiles of Heau'n,) shall dart 135 + Her mild rayes through Thy melting heart. + Angels, thy old friends, there shall greet thee + Glad at their own home now to meet thee. + All thy good workes which went before + And waited for thee, at the door, 140 + Shall own thee there; and all in one + Weaue a constellation + Of crowns, with which the King thy Spouse + Shall build vp thy triumphant browes. + All thy old woes shall now smile on thee, 145 + And thy paines sitt bright vpon thee, + All thy sorrows here shall shine, + All thy svfferings be diuine: + Teares shall take comfort, and turn gemms + And wrongs repent to diademms. 150 + Eu'n thy death shall liue; and new- + Dresse the soul that erst he slew. + Thy wounds shall blush to such bright scarres + As keep account of the Lamb's warres. + Those rare workes where thou shalt leaue writt 155 + Loue's noble history, with witt + Taught thee by none but Him, while here + They feed our soules, shall clothe thine there. + Each heaunly word, by whose hid flame + Our hard hearts shall strike fire, the same 160 + Shall flourish on thy browes, and be + Both fire to vs and flame to thee; + Whose light shall liue bright in thy face + By glory, in our hearts by grace. + Thou shalt look round about, and see 165 + Thousands of crown'd soules throng to be + Themselues thy crown: sons of thy vowes + The virgin-births with which thy soueraign Spouse + Made fruitfull thy fair soul. Goe now + And with them all about thee, bow 170 + To Him; put on (Hee'l say) put on + (My rosy loue) that thy rich zone + Sparkling with the sacred flames + Of thousand soules, whose happy names + Heau'n keep vpon thy score: (Thy bright 175 + Life brought them first to kisse the light, + That kindled them to starrs,) and so + Thou with the Lamb, thy Lord, shalt goe, + And whereso'ere He setts His white + Stepps, walk with Him those wayes of light, 180 + Which who in death would liue to see, + Must learn in life to dy like thee. + + +NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. + +The original edition (1646) has this title, 'In memory of the Vertuous +and Learned Lady Madre de Teresa, that sought an early Martyrdome;' and +so also in 1648. 1670 agrees with 1652; only the Latin line above the +portrait and the French verses are omitted. + +The text of 1646 furnishes a number of variations corrective in part of +all the subsequent editions. These are recorded below. 1648 agrees +substantially with 1652: but a few unimportant readings peculiar to it +are also given in these Notes. + +_Various readings from 1646 edition._ + + Line 3, 'Wee need to goe to none of all.' + + " 4, 'stout' for 'great.' + + " 5, 'ripe and full growne.' + + " 8, 'unto' for 'into;' the latter preferable. + + " 10, 'Of those whose large breasts built a throne.' + + " 11-13, + + 'For Love their Lord, glorious and great + Weel see Him take a private seat, + And make ...' + +I have hesitated whether this ought not to have been adopted as our +text; but it is a characteristic of CRASHAW to introduce abruptly long +and short lines as in our text, and to carry a thought or metaphor +through a number of lines. + + Line 15, 'had' for 'has,' and 'a' for 'the.' + + " 21, 'hath,' and so in 1648 edition. + + " 23, our text (1652) misprints 'enough:' I correct from 1648. + + " 25, 'had,' 1648 'hath.' + + " 27, 1648, 'hath.' + + " 31, 'wee' for 'you.' + + Line 37, 'thirst' for 'thirsts,' and 'dare' for 'dares.' + + " 38 spells 'coled.' + + " 40, 'weake' for 'white;' the latter a favourite epithet + with CRASHAW: 1648 'weake.' + + Line 43, 1648 drops 'at' inadvertently. + + " 44 spells 'travell:' 1648 has 'for' instead of 'to.' + + " 45, 'her,' by misprint for 'her's.' + + " 47, 1648 has 'try' for 'trade.' + + " 49, 'Shee offers.' 57 spells 'adeiu.' + + " 61, this line is by oversight dropped from our text + (1652). + + Line 70, spelled 'barborous' in our text, but I have adopted + 'a' from 1646 and 1648. + + Line 71, 'race' for 'raze;' a common contemporary spelling. + + " 77, 'hand' for 'armes.' + + " 93, 'The fairest, and the first borne Loves of fire.' + + " 94, 'Seraphims,' the usual misspelling of the plural + of seraph in our English Bible. + + Line 104, 'To live, but that he still may dy.' + + " 106, our text (1652) misreads 'sweetly-kissing.' I + have adopted 'sweetly-killing' from 1646, 1648 and 1670. + + Line 108, 1648 has 'thine' for 'his.' + + " 118, 'disolving.' + + " 123, our text (1652) inadvertently drops 'shalt,' and + misreads 'you' for 'thou.' I accept the text of 1646, 1648 + and 1670. + + line 129, 'on.' + + " 130, 'shee' for 'reueal'd Life;' and in next line 'her' + for 'His.' Our text (1652) is preferable, as pointing to Christ + the Life, our Life. See under lines 11-13. + + Line 133, 'joy.' + + " 146, 'set;' a common contemporary spelling. + + " 147, this line, dropped inadvertently from our text + (1652), is restored from 1646, 1648 and 1670. + + Line 148, 'And' for 'All.' + + " 151, 'Even thy deaths.' + + " 152, 'Dresse the soul that late they slew.' + + " 167 misprints 'nowes;' corrected in 1648, but not in 1670. + + " 168 drops 'soueraign.' See under lines 11-13. + + " 175, 'keeps.' + + " 178, 'shall.' Cf. Rev. xiv. 5, as before. G. + + + + +AN APOLOGIE FOR THE FOREGOING HYMN, + +AS HAUING BEEN WRITT WHEN THE AUTHOR WAS YET AMONG THE PROTESTANTS.[49] + + + Thus haue I back again to thy bright name 1 + (Fair floud of holy fires!) transfus'd the flame + I took from reading thee: 'tis to thy wrong + I know, that in my weak and worthlesse song + Thou here art sett to shine where thy full day 5 + Scarse dawnes. O pardon, if I dare to say + Thine own dear bookes are guilty. For from thence + I learn't to know that Loue is eloquence. + That hopefull maxime gaue me hart to try + If, what to other tongues is tun'd so high, 10 + Thy praise might not speak English too: forbid + (By all thy mysteryes that here ly hidde) + Forbid it, mighty Loue! let no fond hate + Of names and wordes, so farr præiudicate. + Souls are not Spaniards too: one freindly floud 15 + Of baptism blends them all into a blood. + Christ's faith makes but one body of all soules, + And Loue's that body's soul; no law controwlls + Our free traffique for Heau'n; we may maintaine + Peace, sure, with piety, though it come from Spain. 20 + What soul so e're, in any language, can + Speak Heau'n like her's, is my soul's country-man. + O 'tis not Spanish, but 'tis Heau'n she speaks! + 'Tis Heau'n that lyes in ambush there, and breaks + From thence into the wondring reader's brest; 25 + Who feels his warm heart hatcht into a nest + Of little eagles and young loues, whose high + Flights scorn the lazy dust, and things that dy. + There are enow whose draughts (as deep as Hell) + Drink vp all Spain in sack. Let my soul swell 30 + With the strong wine of Loue: let others swimme + In puddles; we will pledge this seraphim + Bowles full of richer blood then blush of grape + Was euer guilty of. Change we our shape + (My soul) some drink from men to beasts, O then 35 + Drink we till we proue more, not lesse, then men, + And turn not beasts but angels. Let the King + Me euer into these His cellars bring, + Where flowes such wine as we can haue of none + But Him Who trod the wine-presse all alone: 40 + Wine of youth, life, and the sweet deaths of Loue; + Wine of immortall mixture; which can proue + Its tincture from the rosy nectar; wine + That can exalt weak earth; and so refine + Our dust, that at one draught, Mortality 45 + May drink it self vp, and forget to dy. + + +NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. + +The title in 1646 'Steps' is 'An Apologie for the precedent Hymne:' in +1648 the 'Flaming Heart' also precedes the 'Apologie,' and its title, +'Hymnes on Teresa,' is added. 1670 has 'was yet a Protestant.' + +_Various readings from 1646._ + + Line 2, 'sea.' + + " 9, 'heavenly.' + + " 12, 'there' for 'here.' + + " 14, 'prejudicate.' + + " 16, 'one' for 'a:' 1670 has 'one.' + + " 18, 1648 spells 'comptrolls.' + + " 20, 'dwell in' for 'come from.' + + " 21, 'soever.' + + " 26, 'finds' for 'feels:' our text (1652) drops 'hatcht,' + which we have restored after 1646 and 1648; 1670 reads 'hatch,' + and TURNBULL follows blindly. + + Line 29, our text (1652) misreads 'now:' we restore 'enow,' + after the editions as in No. 9. + + Line 34, our text misreads 'too' after 'we:' I omit it, as + in 1646 and 1670. 1648 has 'to.' + + Line 41, 'Wine of youth's Life.' + + " 45, 'in' for 'at.' As the 'Apologie' refers only to + the Hymn preceding, and not to what follows, I have placed it + after the former, not (as in 1648) the latter, which would make + it refer to both. G. + + + + +THE FLAMING HEART: + +VPON THE BOOK AND PICTURE OF THE SERAPHICAL SAINT TERESA, AS SHE IS +VSVALLY EXPRESSED WITH A SERAPHIM BISIDE HER.[50] + + + Wel-meaning readers! you that come as freinds 1 + And catch the pretious name this peice pretends; + Make not too much hast to admire + That fair-cheek't fallacy of fire. + That is a seraphim, they say 5 + And this the great Teresia. + Readers, be rul'd by me; and make + Here a well-plact and wise mistake: + You must transpose the picture quite, + And spell it wrong to read it right; 10 + Read him for her, and her for him, + And call the saint the seraphim. + Painter, what didst thou vnderstand + To put her dart into his hand? + See, euen the yeares and size of him 15 + Showes this the mother seraphim. + This is the mistresse flame; and duteous he + Her happy fire-works here, comes down to see. + O most poor-spirited of men! + Had thy cold pencil kist her pen, 20 + Thou couldst not so vnkindly err + To show vs this faint shade for her. + Why, man, this speakes pure mortall frame; + And mockes with female frost Loue's manly flame. + One would suspect thou meant'st to paint 25 + Some weak, inferiour, woman-saint. + But had thy pale-fac't purple took + Fire from the burning cheeks of that bright booke, + Thou wouldst on her haue heap't vp all + That could be found seraphicall; 30 + What e're this youth of fire, weares fair, + Rosy fingers, radiant hair, + Glowing cheek, and glistering wings, + All those fair and fragrant things + But before all, that fiery dart 35 + Had fill'd the hand of this great heart. + Doe then, as equall right requires, + Since his the blushes be, and her's the fires, + Resume and rectify thy rude design, + Vndresse thy seraphim into mine; 40 + Redeem this iniury of thy art, + Giue him the vail, giue her the dart. + Giue him the vail; that he may couer + The red cheeks of a riuall'd louer. + Asham'd that our world now can show 45 + Nests of new seraphims here below. + Giue her the dart, for it is she + (Fair youth) shootes both thy shaft, and thee; + Say, all ye wise and well-peirc't hearts + That liue and dy amidst her darts, 50 + What is't your tastfull spirits doe proue + In that rare life of her, and Loue? + Say, and bear witnes. Sends she not + A seraphim at euery shott? + What magazins of immortall armes there shine! 55 + Heaun's great artillery in each loue-spun line. + Giue then the dart to her who giues the flame; + Giue him the veil, who giues the shame. + But if it be the frequent fate + Of worst faults to be fortunate; 60 + If all's præscription; and proud wrong + Hearkens not to an humble song; + For all the gallantry of him, + Giue me the suffring seraphim. + His be the brauery of all those bright things, 65 + The glowing cheekes, the glistering wings; + The rosy hand, the radiant dart; + Leaue her alone the flaming heart. + Leaue her that; and thou shalt leaue her + Not one loose shaft but Loue's whole quiver. 70 + For in Loue's feild was neuer found + A nobler weapon then a wovnd. + Loue's passiues are his actiu'st part, + The wounded is the wounding heart. + O heart! the æquall poise of Loue's both parts 75 + Bigge alike with wound and darts. + Liue in these conquering leaues; liue all the same, + And walk through all tongues one triumphant flame. + Liue here, great heart; and loue and dy and kill; + And bleed and wound; and yeild and conquer still. 80 + Let this immortall life wherere it comes + Walk in a crowd of loues and martyrdomes. + Let mystick deaths wait on't; and wise soules be + The loue-slain wittnesses of this life of thee. + + O sweet incendiary! shew here thy art, 85 + Vpon this carcasse of a hard, cold hart; + Let all thy scatter'd shafts of light, that play + Among the leaues of thy larg books of day. + Combin'd against this brest at once break in + And take away from me my self and sin; 90 + This gratious robbery shall thy bounty be, + And my best fortunes such fair spoiles of me. + O thou vndanted daughter of desires! + By all thy dowr of lights and fires; + By all the eagle in thee, all the doue; 95 + By all thy liues and deaths of loue; + By thy larg draughts of intellectuall day, + And by thy thirsts of loue more large then they; + By all thy brim-fill'd bowles of feirce desire, + By thy last morning's draught of liquid fire; 100 + By the full kingdome of that finall kisse + That seiz'd thy parting soul, and seal'd thee His; + By all the Heau'n thou hast in Him + (Fair sister of the seraphim!) + By all of Him we have in thee; 105 + Leaue nothing of my self in me. + Let me so read thy life, that I + Vnto all life of mine may dy. + + +NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. + +The title in 1648 omits the words 'the seraphical saint,' and the text +there lacks the last twenty-four lines. + +_Various readings from 1648._ + + Line 3, 'so' for 'too.' + + " 11, 'And' for 'read.' + + " 18, 'happier.' + + Line 31 misreads 'But e're,' and 'were' for 'weares.' + + " 33, 'cheekes.' + + " 34 flagrantly misreads 'flagrant' for 'fragrant,' which + TURNBULL as usual blindly repeats. + + Line 48, 'shafts.' + + " 58 reads '... kindly tells the shame.' It is a characteristic + of CRASHAW to vary his measures, else I should have + adopted this reading from 1648. The line is somewhat obscure + through the conceitful repetition of 'gives.' The sense is, + who, being pictured red, shows the blushing shamefacedness + of being outdone in his own seraphic nature by an earthly + saint. G. + + + + +A SONG OF DIVINE LOVE.[51] + + + Lord, when the sense of Thy sweet grace 1 + Sends vp my soul to seek Thy face, + Thy blessed eyes breed such desire, + I dy in Loue's delicious fire. + O Loue, I am thy sacrifice! 5 + Be still triumphant, blessed eyes! + Still shine on me, fair suns! that I + Still may behold, though still I dy. + + +SECOND PART. + + Though still I dy, I liue again; + Still longing so to be still slain; 10 + So gainfull is such losse of breath, + I dy euen in desire of death. + Still liue in me this longing strife + Of liuing death and dying life; + For while Thou sweetly slayest me 15 + Dead to my selfe, I liue in Thee. + + + + +IN THE GLORIOVS ASSVMPTION OF OVR BLESSED LADY.[52] + + +THE HYMN. + + Hark! she is call'd, the parting houre is come; 1 + Take thy farewell, poor World! Heaun must go home. + A peice of heau'nly earth; purer and brighter + Then the chast starres, whose choise lamps come to light her, + Whil'st through the crystall orbes, clearer then they 5 + She climbes; and makes a farre more Milkey Way. + She's call'd! Hark, how the dear immortall Doue + Sighes to His syluer mate, 'Rise vp, my loue'! + Rise vp, my fair, my spotlesse one! + The Winter's past, the rain is gone; 10 + The Spring is come, the flowrs appear, + No sweets, (save thou,) are wanting here. + Come away, my loue! + Come away, my doue! + Cast off delay; 15 + The court of Heau'n is come + To wait vpon thee home; + Come, come away! + The flowrs appear, + Or quickly would, wert thou once here. 20 + The Spring is come, or if it stay + 'Tis to keep time with thy delay. + The rain is gone, except so much as we + Detain in needfull teares to weep the want of thee. + The Winter's past, 25 + Or if he make lesse hast, + His answer is, why she does so, + If Sommer come not, how can Winter goe? + Come away, come away! + The shrill winds chide, the waters weep thy stay; 30 + The fountains murmur, and each loftyest tree + Bowes low'st his leauy top, to look for thee. + Come away, my loue! + Come away, my doue &c. + She's call'd again. And will she goe? 35 + When Heau'n bidds come, who can say no? + Heau'n calls her, and she must away, + Heau'n will not, and she cannot stay. + Goe then; goe, gloriovs on the golden wings + Of the bright youth of Heau'n, that sings 40 + Vnder so sweet a burthen. Goe, + Since thy dread Son will haue it so. + And while thou goest, our song and we + Will, as we may, reach after thee. + Hail, holy queen of humble hearts! 45 + We in thy prayse will haue our parts. + And though thy dearest lookes must now give light + To none but the blest heavens, whose bright + Beholders, lost in sweet delight, + Feed for ever their faire sight 50 + With those divinest eyes, which we + And our darke world noe more shall see; + Though our poore eyes are parted soe, + Yet shall our lipps never lett goe + Thy gracious name, but to the last 55 + Our loving song shall hold it fast. + Thy pretious name shall be + Thy self to vs; and we + With holy care will keep it by vs. + We to the last 60 + Will hold it fast, + And no Assvmption shall deny vs. + All the sweetest showres + Of our fairest flowres + Will we strow vpon it. 65 + Though our sweets cannot make + It sweeter, they can take + Themselues new sweetness from it. + Maria, men and angels sing, + Maria, mother of our King. 70 + Live, rosy princesse, live! and may the bright + Crown of a most incomparable light + Embrace thy radiant browes. O may the best + Of euerlasting ioyes bath thy white brest. + Live, our chast loue, the holy mirth 75 + Of Heau'n; the humble pride of Earth. + Liue, crown of woemen; queen of men; + Liue, mistresse of our song. And when + Our weak desires haue done their best, + Sweet angels come, and sing the rest. 80 + + +NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. + +The heading in the SANCROFT MS. is 'On the Assumption of the Virgin +Marie.' In line 5 it reads 'whil'st,' and so in line 43: line 7, 'againe +th' immortal Dove:' line 12, our text (1652) reads 'but;' we prefer +'saue' of 1648 and the MS.: line 30, our text (1652) misprints 'heauy' +for 'leavy' of 1648: line 42, the MS. reads 'great:' line 47, 'give' for +'be;' adopted: line 53, 'eyes' for 'ioyes;' adopted: line 57, 'sacred:' +line 76, 'bragg:' line 77, '_praise_ of women, _pride_ of men.' + +By an unaccountable inadvertence, our text (1652) omits lines 47-56. +They are restored from 1648: they also appear in 1670. Line 18 in 1648 +reads 'Come, come away:' in 1670 it is 'Come away, come away;' but this +edition strangely, but characteristically, omits lines 19-34; and +TURNBULL, following it, though pronounced by himself 'the most +inaccurate of all' (Preliminary Observations, p. xi. of his edition), +has overlooked them. Confer, for a quaint parallel with these lines +(19-34), our JOSEPH FLETCHER. It may also be noted here that TURNBULL +betrays his habitual use of his self-condemned text of 1670 by +misreading in line 12, 'No sweets since thou art wanting here;' so +converting the fine compliment into ungrammatical nonsense. Earlier +also (line 3) he similarly reads, after the same text, 'light' for +'earth.' So too in line 7 he reads 'She's call'd again; hark! how th' +immortall dove:' and line 42, for the favourite 'dread' of our Poet the +weaker 'great,' as _supra_: and the following line 63 omits 'the:' line +64, 'our:' line 65 reads 'We'll:' line 76, 'and' for 'the.' On lines +9-10, cf. Song of Solomon, ii. 10-13. G. + + + + +UPON FIVE PIOVS AND LEARNED DISCOURSES: + +BY ROBERT SHELFORD.[53] + + + Rise, then, immortall maid! Religion, rise! 1 + Put on thy self in thine own looks: t' our eyes + Be what thy beauties, not our blots, have made thee; + Such as (ere our dark sinnes to dust betray'd thee) + Heav'n set thee down new drest; when thy bright birth 5 + Shot thee like lightning to th' astonisht Earth. + From th' dawn of thy fair eyelids wipe away + Dull mists and melancholy clouds: take Day + And thine own beams about thee: bring the best + Of whatsoe're perfum'd thy Eastern nest. 10 + Girt all thy glories to thee: then sit down, + Open this book, fair Queen, and take thy crown. + These learnèd leaves shall vindicate to thee + Thy holyest, humblest, handmaid, Charitie; + She'l dresse thee like thy self, set thee on high 15 + Where thou shalt reach all hearts, command each eye. + Lo! where I see thy altars wake, and rise + From the pale dust of that strange sacrifice + Which they themselves were; each one putting on + A majestie that may beseem thy throne. 20 + The holy youth of Heav'n, whose golden rings + Girt round thy awfull altars; with bright wings + Fanning thy fair locks, (which the World beleeves + As much as sees) shall with these sacred leaves + Trick their tall plumes, and in that garb shall go 25 + If not more glorious, more conspicuous tho. + --------Be it enacted then, + By the fair laws of thy firm-pointed pen, + God's services no longer shall put on + Pure sluttishnesse for pure religion: 30 + No longer shall our Churches' frighted stones + Lie scatter'd like the burnt and martyr'd bones + Of dead Devotion; nor faint marbles weep + In their sad ruines; nor Religion keep + A melancholy mansion in those cold 35 + Urns: Like God's sanctuaries they lookt of old; + Now seem they Temples consecrate to none, + Or to a new god, Desolation. + No more the hypocrite shall th' upright be + Because he's stiffe, and will confesse no knee: 40 + While others bend their knee, no more shalt thou, + (Disdainfull dust and ashes!) bend thy brow; + Nor on God's altar cast two scorching eyes, + Bak't in hot scorn, for a burnt sacrifice: + But (for a lambe) thy tame and tender heart, 45 + New struck by Love, still trembling on his dart; + Or (for two turtle-doves) it shall suffice + To bring a pair of meek and humble eyes. + This shall from henceforth be the masculine theme + Pulpits and pennes shall sweat in; to redeem 50 + Vertue to action, that life-feeding flame + That keeps Religion warm: not swell a name + Of Faith; a mountain-word, made up of aire, + With those deare spoils that wont to dresse the fair + And fruitfull Charitie's full breasts (of old), 55 + Turning her out to tremble in the cold. + What can the poore hope from us, when we be + Uncharitable ev'n to Charitie? + Nor shall our zealous ones still have a fling + At that most horrible and hornèd thing, 60 + Forsooth the Pope: by which black name they call + The Turk, the devil, Furies, Hell and all, + And something more. O he is Antichrist: + Doubt this, and doubt (say they) that Christ is Christ: + Why, 'tis a point of Faith. What e're it be, 65 + I'm sure it is no point of Charitie. + In summe, no longer shall our people hope, + To be a true Protestant's but to hate the Pope. + + +NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. + +I have taken the text of this poem as it originally appeared, because in +all the editions of the Poems wherein it is given the last ten lines are +omitted. TURNBULL discovered this after his text of the Poems was +printed off, and so had to insert them in a Postscript, wherein his +genius for blundering describes Shelford's volume as 'Five ... _Poems_.' +These slight variations may be recorded: + +The title in all is 'On a Treatise of Charity.' + + Line 12, 1648 has 'thy' for 'this.' + + " 16, ib. 'shall' for 'shalt.' + + " 17, all the editions 'off'rings' for 'altars.' + + " 30, ib. 'A' for the first 'pure.' + + " 36, our text misprints 'look' for 'look't.' + +The poem is signed in Shelford's volume 'RICH. CRASHAW, Aul. Pemb. A.B.' +It appeared in 'Steps' of 1646 (pp. 86-8), 1648 (pp. 101-2), 1670 (pp. +68-70). G. + + + + +DIES IRÆ, DIES ILLA: + +THE HYMN OF THE CHVRCH, IN MEDITATION OF THE DAY OF IVDGMENT.[54] + + +I. + + Hear'st thou, my soul, what serious things + Both the Psalm and sybyll sings + Of a sure Iudge, from Whose sharp ray + The World in flames shall fly away. + + +II. + + O that fire! before whose face + Heaun and Earth shall find no place. + O those eyes! Whose angry light + Must be the day of that dread night. + + +III. + + O that trump! whose blast shall run + An euen round with the circling sun, + And vrge the murmuring graues to bring + Pale mankind forth to meet his King. + + +IV. + + Horror of Nature, Hell, and Death! + When a deep groan from beneath + Shall cry, We come, we come, and all + The caues of Night answer one call. + + +V. + + O that Book! whose leaues so bright + Will sett the World in seuere light. + O that Iudge! Whose hand, Whose eye + None can indure; yet none can fly. + + +VI. + + Ah then, poor soul, what wilt thou say? + And to what patron chuse to pray? + When starres themselues shall stagger; and + The most firm foot no more then stand. + + +VII. + + But Thou giu'st leaue (dread Lord!) that we + Take shelter from Thy self, in Thee; + And with the wings of Thine Own doue + Fly to Thy scepter of soft loue. + + +VIII. + + Dear, remember in that Day + Who was the cause Thou cam'st this way. + Thy sheep was stray'd; and Thou wouldst be + Euen lost Thyself in seeking me. + + +IX. + + Shall all that labour, all that cost + Of loue, and eu'n that losse, be lost? + And this lou'd soul, iudg'd worth no lesse + Then all that way, and wearyness. + + +X. + + Iust mercy then, Thy reckning be + With my Price, and not with me; + 'Twas pay'd at first with too much pain, + To be pay'd twice; or once, in vain. + + +XI. + + Mercy (my Iudge), mercy I cry + With blushing cheek and bleeding ey: + The conscious colors of my sin + Are red without and pale within. + + +XII. + + O let Thine Own soft bowells pay + Thy self; and so discharge that day. + If Sin can sigh, Loue can forgiue: + O say the word, my soul shall liue. + + +XIII. + + Those mercyes which Thy Mary found, + Or who Thy crosse confes't and crown'd; + Hope tells my heart, the same loues be + Still aliue, and still for me. + + +XIV. + + Though both my prayres and teares combine, + Both worthlesse are; for they are mine. + But Thou Thy bounteous Self still be; + And show Thou art, by sauing me. + + +XV. + + O when Thy last frown shall proclaim + The flocks of goates to folds of flame, + And all Thy lost sheep found shall be; + Let 'Come ye blessed,' then call me. + + +XVI. + + When the dread '_Ite_' shall diuide + Those limbs of death, from Thy left side; + Let those life-speaking lipps command + That I inheritt Thy right hand. + + +XVII. + + O hear a suppliant heart, all crush't + And crumbled into contrite dust. + My hope, my fear! my Iudge, my Freind! + Take charge of me, and of my end. + + +NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. + +In st. vi. line 4, 'then' is = than, on which cf. our PHINEAS FLETCHER, +as before: in st. xvi. line 1, '_Ite_' = 'go ye' of the Vulgate. 1670, +st. ii. line 3, misprints 'these' for 'those:' st. viii. line 3, 'And +Thou would'st be,' _i.e._ didst will to be,--not merely wished to be, +but carried out Thy intent. G. + + + + +CHARITAS NIMIA, OR THE DEAR BARGAIN.[55] + + + Lord, what is man? why should he coste Thee 1 + So dear? what had his ruin lost Thee? + Lord, what is man? that thou hast ouerbought + So much a thing of nought? + + Loue is too kind, I see; and can 5 + Make but a simple merchant-man. + 'Twas for such sorry merchandise, + Bold painters haue putt out his eyes. + + Alas, sweet Lord, what wer't to Thee + If there were no such wormes as we? 10 + Heau'n ne're the lesse still Heau'n would be, + Should mankind dwell + In the deep Hell: + What haue his woes to doe with Thee? + + Let him goe weep 15 + O're his own wounds; + Seraphims will not sleep + Nor spheares let fall their faithfull rounds. + Still would the youthfull spirits sing; + And still Thy spatious palace ring; 20 + Still would those beauteous ministers of light + Burn all as bright. + + And bow their flaming heads before Thee: + Still thrones and dominations would adore Thee; + Still would those euer-wakefull sons of fire 25 + Keep warm Thy prayse + Both nights and dayes, + And teach Thy lou'd name to their noble lyre. + + Let froward dust then doe it's kind; + And giue it self for sport to the proud wind. 30 + Why should a peice of peeuish clay plead shares + In the æternity of Thy old cares? + Why shouldst Thou bow Thy awfull brest to see + What mine own madnesses haue done with me? + + Should not the king still keepe his throne 35 + Because some desperate fool's vndone? + Or will the World's illustrious eyes + Weep for euery worm that dyes. + + Will the gallant sun + E're the lesse glorious run? 40 + Will he hang down his golden head + Or e're the sooner seek his Western bed, + Because some foolish fly + Growes wanton, and will dy? + + If I were lost in misery, 45 + What was it to Thy Heaun and Thee? + What was it to Thy pretious blood + If my foul heart call'd for a floud? + + What if my faithlesse soul and I + Would needs fall in 50 + With guilt and sin; + What did the Lamb, that He should dy? + What did the Lamb, that He should need, + When the wolf sins, Himself to bleed? + + If my base lust, 55 + Bargain'd with Death and well-beseeming dust: + Why should the white + Lamb's bosom write + The purple name + Of my sin's shame? 60 + Why should His vnstaind brest make good + My blushes with His Own heart-blood? + + O my Saviovr, make me see + How dearly Thou hast payd for me, + That lost again my life may proue, 65 + As then in death, so now in loue. + + + + +S. MARIA MAIOR. + + + Dilectus meus mihi, et ego illi, qui pascitur inter lilia. _Cant._ + ii. + +THE HIMN, O GLORIOSA DOMINA.[56] + + + Hail, most high, most humble one! 1 + Aboue the world, below thy Son; + Whose blush the moon beauteously marres + And staines the timerous light of stares. + He that made all things, had not done 5 + Till He had made Himself thy Son: + The whole World's host would be thy guest + And board Himself at thy rich brest. + O boundles hospitality! + The Feast of all things feeds on thee. 10 + The first Eue, mother of our Fall, + E're she bore any one, slew all. + Of her vnkind gift might we haue + Th' inheritance of a hasty grave: + Quick-burye'd in the wanton tomb 15 + Of one forbidden bitt; + Had not a better frvit forbidden it. + Had not thy healthfull womb + The World's new eastern window bin, + And giuen vs heau'n again, in giuing Him. 20 + Thine was the rosy dawn, that spring the Day + Which renders all the starres she stole away. + Let then the agèd World be wise, and all + Proue nobly here vnnaturall; + 'Tis gratitude to forgett that other 25 + And call the maiden Eue their mother. + Yee redeem'd nations farr and near, + Applaud your happy selues in her; + (All you to whom this loue belongs) + And keep't aliue with lasting songs. 30 + Let hearts and lippes speak lowd; and say + Hail, door of life: and sourse of Day! + The door was shut, the fountain seal'd; + Yet Light was seen and Life reueal'd. + The door was shut, yet let in day, 35 + The fountain seal'd, yet life found way. + Glory to Thee, great virgin's Son + In bosom of Thy Father's blisse. + The same to Thee, sweet Spirit be done; + As euer shall be, was, and is. Amen. 40 + + +NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. + +The heading in 1648 is simply 'The Virgin-Mother:' in 1670 it is 'The +Hymn, O Gloriosa Domina.' + + Line 2, 1648 reads 'the Son.' + + " 10, our text (1652) misprints 'the' for 'thee.' + +Line 21, I follow here the text of 1648. 1652 reads + + 'Thine was the rosy dawn that sprung the day.' + +and this is repeated in 1670 and, of course, by TURNBULL. + +Line 26, 1648 has 'your' for 'their.' + + " 35 is inadvertently dropped in our text (1652), though + the succeeding line (with which it rhymes) appears. I restore + it. 1670 also drops it; and so again TURNBULL! + +Lines 43-44, 'Because some foolish fly.' This metaphorical allusion to +the Fall and its results (as described by MILTON and others) is founded +on the dying of various insects after begetting their kind. G. + + + + +HOPE.[57] + + + Hope, whose weak beeing ruin'd is 1 + Alike if it succeed or if it misse! + Whom ill and good doth equally confound, + And both the hornes of Fate's dilemma wound. + Vain shadow; that dost vanish quite 5 + Both at full noon and perfect night! + The starres haue not a possibility + Of blessing thee. + If thinges then from their end we happy call, + 'Tis Hope is the most hopelesse thing of all. 10 + + Hope, thou bold taster of delight! + Who in stead of doing so, deuourst it quite. + Thou bringst vs an estate, yet leau'st vs poor + By clogging it with legacyes before. + The ioyes which we intire should wed 15 + Come deflour'd-virgins to our bed. + Good fortunes without gain imported be + Such mighty custom's paid to thee + For ioy, like wine kep't close, doth better tast; + If it take air before, his spirits wast. 20 + + Hope, Fortun's cheating lottery, + Where for one prize, an hundred blankes there be. + Fond anchor, Hope! who tak'st thine aime so farr + That still or short or wide thine arrows are; + Thinne empty cloud which th' ey deceiues 25 + With shapes that our own fancy giues. + A cloud which gilt and painted now appeares + But must drop presently in teares: + When thy false beames o're reason's light preuail, + By _ignes fatvi_ for North starres we sail. 30 + + Brother of Fear, more gaily clad, + The merryer fool o' th' two, yet quite as mad. + Sire of Repentance, child of fond desire + That blow'st the chymick's and the louer's fire. + Still leading them insensibly on 35 + With the strong witchcraft of 'anon.' + By thee the one does changing nature, through + Her endlesse labyrinths pursue; + And th' other chases woman; while she goes + More wayes and turnes then hunted Nature knowes. 40 + + M. COWLEY. + + +NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. + +In all the editions save that of 1652 the respective portions of COWLEY +and CRASHAW are alternated as Question and Answer, after a fashion of +the day exemplified by _Pembroke_ and RUDYARD and others. The heading in +1646, 1648 and 1670 accordingly is 'On Hope, by way of Question and +Answer, between A. COWLEY and R. CRASHAW.' + +_Various readings from 1646 edition._ + + Line 3, 'and' for 'or,' and 'doth' for 'does.' + + " 7, 'Fates' for 'starres:' but as Fate occurs in line 4, + 'starres' seems preferable. + + Line 9, 'ends' for 'end.' + + " 18, 'so' for 'such.' + + " 19, 'doth' for 'does;' adopted. + + " 20, 'its' for 'his;' the personification warrants 'his.' + + " 25. All the other editions misread + + 'Thine empty cloud, the eye it selfe deceives.' + +There can be no question that 'thinne' not 'thine' was the poet's word. +Cf. CRASHAW'S reference in his Answer. TURNBULL perpetuates the error. + + Line 30, 'not' for 'for.' + + " 33, 'shield' in all the editions save 1652 by mistake. + + " 34, 'blows' and 'chymicks' for 'chymick;' the latter adopted. + + Line 37, as in line 19. + + " 38, spelled 'laborinths.' + +In our Essay see critical remarks showing that COWLEY and CRASHAW +revised their respective portions. It seems to have escaped notice that +COWLEY himself wrote another poem '_For_ Hope,' as his former was +'_Against_ Hope.' See it in our Study of Crashaw's Life and Poetry. G. + + + + +M. CRASHAW'S ANSWER FOR HOPE.[58] + + + Dear Hope! Earth's dowry, and Heaun's debt! 1 + The entity of things that are not yet. + Subtlest, but surest beeing! thou by whom + Our nothing has a definition! + Substantiall shade! whose sweet allay 5 + Blends both the noones of Night and Day: + Fates cannot find out a capacity + Of hurting thee. + From thee their lean dilemma, with blunt horn, + Shrinkes, as the sick moon from the wholsome morn. 10 + + Rich hope! Loue's legacy, vnder lock + Of Faith! still spending, and still growing stock! + Our crown-land lyes aboue, yet each meal brings + A seemly portion for the sonnes of kings. + Nor will the virgin ioyes we wed 15 + Come lesse vnbroken to our bed, + Because that from the bridall cheek of Blisse + Thou steal'st vs down a distant kisse. + Hope's chast stealth harmes no more Ioye's maidenhead + Then spousal rites preiudge the marriage bed. 20 + Fair hope! Our earlyer Heau'n! by thee + Young Time is taster to Eternity: + Thy generous wine with age growes strong, not sowre, + Nor does it kill thy fruit, to smell thy flowre. + Thy golden, growing head neuer hangs down 25 + Till in the lappe of Loue's full noone + It falls; and dyes! O no, it melts away + As doth the dawn into the Day: + As lumpes of sugar loose themselues, and twine + Their subtile essence with the soul of wine. 30 + + Fortune? alas, aboue the World's low warres + Hope walks; and kickes the curld heads of conspiring starres. + Her keel cutts not the waues where these winds stirr, + Fortune's whole lottery is one blank to her. + Her shafts and shee, fly farre above, 35 + And forage in the fields of light and love. + Sweet Hope! kind cheat! fair fallacy! by thee + We are not where nor what we be, + But what and where we would be. Thus art thou + Our absent presence, and our future now. 40 + + Faith's sister! nurse of fair desire! + Fear's antidote! a wise and well-stay'd fire! + Temper 'twixt chill Despair, and torrid Ioy! + Queen regent in yonge Loue's minority! + Though the vext chymick vainly chases 45 + His fugitiue gold through all her faces; + Though Loue's more feirce, more fruitlesse, fires assay: + One face more fugitiue then all they; + True Hope's a glorious huntresse, and her chase, + The God of Nature in the feilds of grace. 50 + + +NOTES. + +_Various readings from 1646 edition._ + +Line 2, 'things' for 'those;' adopted. But in HARLEIAN MS. 6917-18, it +is 'those.' As this MS. supplies in poems onward various excellent +readings (_e.g._ 'Wishes'), it may be noted that the Collection came +from Lord Somers' Library of MSS., and is accordingly authoritative. + +Lines 5-6 read + + 'Faire cloud of fire, both shade and light + Our life in death, our day in night.' + +Our text (1652) seems finer and deeper, and to put the thought with more +concinnity. + + Line 9, 'thinne' for 'lean.' + + " 10, 'like' for 'as.' + + " 11, 'Rich hope' dropped in all the other editions; but + as it is parallel with the 'dear Hope' and 'fair Hope' of the + preceding and succeeding stanzas, I have restored the words. + The line reads elsewhere, + + 'Thou art Love's Legacie under lock' + +and the next, + + 'Of Faith: the steward of our growing stock.' + + Line 13, 'crown-lands lye.' + + " 18, 'Thou thus steal'st downe a distant kisse.' + + " 19, 'Hope's chaste kisse wrongs.'... + + " 24, 'Nor need wee.'... + + " 25, 'growing' is dropped. + + " 28, 'doth' for 'does;' adopted. + + " 30, 'subtile' for 'supple;' adopted: but in HARLEIAN MS. as before, + it is 'supple.' + + Lines 31-32. This couplet is oddly misprinted in all the other editions, + + 'Fortune, alas, above the world's law warres, + Hope kicks the curld'.... + +In 1670 there is a capital L to Law: but 'low' yields the evident +meaning intended. Alas is = exclamation simply, not in our present +limitation of it to sorrow. See Epitaph of HERRYS onward, lines 49-52. + +Line 33, 'our' for 'these;' the latter necessary in its relation to +'low' not 'law,' the 'winds' being those of the 'warres' of our world. + + Line 34, 'And Fate's' for 'Fortune's.' + + " 35-36 dropped by our text (1652) inadvertently. + + " 36, 'or' for 'nor.' + + " 45, 'And' for 'Though.' + + " 47, 'huntresse' for 'hunter;' adopted. + + " 48, 'field' for 'fields.' + + " 49. I prefer 'huntresse' of 1646, 1648 and 1670, to + 'hunter' of our text (1652). G. + + + + + =Sacred Poetry.= + + II. + + AIRELLES. + + FROM UNPUBLISHED MSS. + + +NOTE. + +See our Preface for explanation of the title. 'Airelles' to these and +other hitherto unprinted and unpublished Poems from the TANNER MSS. of +Archbishop Sancroft: and our Essay for the biographic interest of the +poems on the Gunpowder-Plot. I adhere strictly throughout to the +orthography of the MS. G. + + + + +MARY SEEKING JESUS WHEN LOST. + +St. Luke ii. 41-52: _Quærit Jesum suum Maria_, &c. (v. 44.) + + + And is He gone, Whom these armes held but now? + Their hope, their vow! + Did euer greife and joy in one poore heart + Soe soone change part? + Hee's gone! The fair'st flower that e're bosome drest; + My soule's sweet rest. + My wombe's chast pride is gone, my heauen-borne boy; + And where is joy? + Hee's gone! and His lou'd steppes to wait vpon, + My joy, is gone. + My joyes, and Hee are gone; my greife, and I + Alone must ly. + Hee's gone! not leaving with me, till He come, + One smile at home. + Oh come then, bring Thy mother her lost joy: + Oh come, sweet boy! + Make hast, and come, or e're my greife and I + Make hast, and dy. + Peace, heart! The heauens are angry, all their spheres + Rivall thy teares. + I was mistaken, some faire sphere or other + Was Thy blest mother. + What but the fairest heauen, could owne the birth + Of soe faire earth? + Yet sure Thou did'st lodge heere: this wombe of mine + Was once call'd Thine! + Oft haue these armes Thy cradle envied, + Beguil'd Thy bed. + Oft to Thy easy eares hath this shrill tongue + Trembled, and sung. + Oft haue I wrapt Thy slumbers in soft aires, + And stroak't Thy cares. + Oft hath this hand those silken casements kept, + While their sunnes slept. + Oft haue my hungry kisses made Thine eyes + Too early rise. + Oft haue I spoild my kisses' daintiest diet, + To spare Thy quiet. + Oft from this breast to Thine, my loue-tost heart + Hath leapt, to part. + Oft my lost soule haue I bin glad to seeke + On Thy soft cheeke. + Oft haue these armes--alas!--show'd to these eyes + Their now lost joyes. + Dawne then to me, Thou morne of mine owne day, + And lett heauen stay. + Oh, would'st Thou heere still fixe Thy faire abode, + My bosome God: + What hinders, but my bosome still might be + Thy heauen to Thee? + + + + +THE WOUNDS OF THE LORD JESUS. + +IN CICATRICES DOMINI JESU. + + + Come braue soldjers, come and see + Mighty Loue's artillery. + This was the conquering dart; and loe + There shines His quiuer, there His bow. + These the passiue weapons are, + That made great Loue, a man of warre. + The quiver that He bore, did bide + Soe neare, it prov'd His very side: + In it there sate but one sole dart, + A peircing one--His peirced heart. + His weapons were nor steele, nor brasse, + The weapon that He wore, He was. + For bow His vnbent hand did serue, + Well strung with many a broken nerue. + Strange the quiver, bow and dart! + A bloody side, and hand, and heart! + But now the feild is wonne; and they + (The dust of Warre cleane wip'd away) + The weapons now of triumph be, + That were before of Victorie. + + + + +ON YE GUNPOWDER-TREASON.[59] + + + I sing Impiety beyond a name: + Who stiles it any thinge, knowes not the same. + Dull, sluggish Ile! what more than lethargy + Gripes thy cold limbes soe fast, thou canst not fly, + And start from of[f] thy center? hath Heauen's loue + Stuft thee soe full with blisse, thou can'st not moue? + If soe, oh Neptune, may she farre be throwne + By thy kind armes to a kind world vnknowne: + Lett her surviue this day, once mock her fate, + And shee's an island truely fortunate. + Lett not my suppliant breath raise a rude storme + To wrack my suite: O keepe Pitty warme + In thy cold breast, and yearely on this day + Mine eyes a tributary streame shall pay. + Dos't thou not see an exhalation + Belch'd from the sulph'ry lungs of Phlegeton? + A living comet, whose pestiferous breath + Adulterates the virgin aire? with death + It laboures: stif'led Nature's in a swound, + Ready to dropp into a chaos, round + About horror's displai'd; It doth portend, + That earth a shoure of stones to heauen shall send, + And crack the christall globe; the milkly streame + Shall in a siluer raine runne out, whose creame + Shall choake the gaping earth, wch then shall fry + In flames, & of a burning feuer dy. + That wonders may in fashion be, not rare, + A Winter's thunder with a groane shall scare, + And rouze the sleepy ashes of the dead, + Making them skip out of their dusty bed. + Those twinckling eyes of heauen, wch eu'n now shin'd, + Shall with one flash of lightning be struck blind. + The sea shall change his youthfull greene, & slide + Along the shore in a graue purple tide. + It does præsage, that a great Prince shall climbe, + And gett a starry throne before his time. + To vsher in this shoale of prodigies, + Thy infants, Æolus, will not suffice. + Noe, noe, a giant wind, that will not spare + To tosse poore men like dust into the aire; + Justle downe mountaines: Kings courts shall be sent, + Like bandied balles, into the firmament. + Atlas shall be tript vpp, Ioue's gate shall feele + The weighty rudenes of his boysterous heele. + All this it threats, & more: Horror, that flies + To th' empyræum of all miseries. + Most tall hyperbole's cannot descry it; + Mischeife, that scornes expression should come nigh it. + All this it only threats: the meteor ly'd; + It was exhal'd, a while it hung, & dy'd. + Heauen kickt the monster downe: downe it was throwne, + The fall of all things it præsag'd, its oune + It quite forgott: the fearfull earth gaue way, + And durst not touch it, heere it made noe stay. + At last it stopt at Pluto's gloomy porch; + He streightway lighted vpp his pitchy torch. + Now to those toiling soules it giues its light, + Wch had the happines to worke ith' night. + They banne the blaze, & curse its curtesy, + For lighting them vnto their misery. + Till now Hell was imperfect; it did need + Some rare choice torture; now 'tis Hell indeed. + Then glutt thy dire lampe with the warmest blood, + That runnes in violett pipes: none other food + It can digest, then watch the wildfire well, + Least it breake forth, & burne thy sooty cell. + + +UPON THE GUNPOWDER-TREASON. + + Reach me a quill, pluckt from the flaming wing + Of Pluto's Mercury, that I may sing + Death to the life. My inke shall be the blood + Of Cerberus, or Alecto's viperous brood. + Vnmated malice! Oh vnpeer'd despight! + Such as the sable pinions of the night + Neuer durst hatch before: extracted see + The very quintessence of villanie: + I feare to name it; least that he, wch heares, + Should haue his soule frighted beyond the spheres. + Heauen was asham'd, to see our mother Earth + Engender with the Night, & teeme a birth + Soe foule, one minute's light had it but seene, + The fresh face of the morne had blasted beene. + Her rosy cheekes you should haue seene noe more + Dy'd in vermilion blushes, as before: + But in a vaile of clouds mufling her head + A solitary life she would haue led. + Affrighted Phoebus would haue lost his way, + Giving his wanton palfreys leaue to play + Olympick games in the' Olympian plaines, + His trembling hands loosing the golden raines. + The Queene of night gott the greene sicknes then, + Sitting soe long at ease in her darke denne, + Not daring to peepe forth, least that a stone + Should beate her headlong from her jetty throne. + Ioue's twinckling tapers, that doe light the world, + Had beene puft out, and from their stations hurl'd: + Æol kept in his wrangling sonnes, least they + With this grand blast should haue bin blowne away. + Amazèd Triton, with his shrill alarmes + Bad sporting Neptune to pluck in his armes, + And leaue embracing of the Isles, least hee + Might be an actor in this Tragedy. + Nor should wee need thy crispèd waues, for wee + An Ocean could haue made t' haue drownèd thee. + Torrents of salt teares from our eyes should runne, + And raise a deluge, where the flaming sunne + Should coole his fiery wheeles, & neuer sinke + Soe low to giue his thirsty stallions drinke; + Each soule in sighes had spent its dearest breath, + As glad to waite vpon their King in death. + Each wingèd chorister would swan-like sing + A mournfull dirge to their deceasèd king. + The painted meddowes would haue laught no more + For ioye of their neate coates; but would haue tore + Their shaggy locks, their flowry mantles turn'd + Into dire sable weeds, & sate, & mourn'd. + Each stone had streight a Niobe become, + And wept amaine; then rear'd a costly tombe, + T' entombe the lab'ring earth. For surely shee + Had died just in her deliuery. + But when Ioue's wingèd heralds this espied, + Vpp to th' Almighty thunderer they hied, + Relating this sad story. Streight way hee + The monster crusht, maugre their midwiferie. + And may such Pythons neuer liue to see + The Light's faire face, but still abortiue bee. + + +UPON THE GUNPOWDER-TREASON. + + Grow plumpe, leane Death; his Holinesse a feast + Hath now præpar'd, & you maist be his guest. + Come grimme Destruction, & in purple gore + Dye seu'n times deeper than they were before + Thy scarlet robes: for heere you must not share + A common banquett: noe, heere's princely fare. + And least thy blood-shott eyes should lead aside + This masse of cruelty, to be thy guide + Three coleblack sisters, (whose long sutty haire, + And greisly visages doe fright the aire; + When Night beheld them, shame did almost turne + Her sable cheekes into a blushing morne, + To see some fowler than herselfe) these stand, + Each holding forth to light the aery brand, + Whose purer flames tremble to be soe nigh, + And in fell hatred burning, angry dy. + Sly, lurking treason is his bosome freind, + Whom faint, & palefac't Feare doth still attend. + These need noe invitation, onely thou + Black dismall Horror, come; make perfect now + Th' epitome of Hell: oh lett thy pinions + Be a gloomy canopy to Pluto's minions. + In this infernall Majesty close shrowd + Your selues, you Stygian states; a pitchy clowd + Shall hang the roome, & for your tapers bright, + Sulphureous flames, snatch'd from æternall night. + But rest, affrighted Muse; thy siluer wings + May not row neerer to these dusky rings.[60] + Cast back some amorous glances on the cates, + That heere are dressing by the hasty Fates, + Nay stopp thy clowdy eyes, it is not good, + To drowne thy selfe in this pure pearly flood. + But since they are for fire-workes, rather proue + A phenix, & in chastest flames of loue + Offer thy selfe a virgin sacrifice + To quench the rage of hellish deities. + But dares Destruction eate these candid breasts, + The Muses, & the Graces sugred neasts? + Dares hungry Death snatch of one cherry lipp? + Or thirsty Treason offer once to sippe + One dropp of this pure nectar, wch doth flow + In azure channells warme through mounts of snow? + The roses fresh, conseruèd from the rage, + And cruell ravishing of frosty age, + Feare is afraid to tast of: only this, + He humbly crau'd to banquett on a kisse. + Poore meagre horror streightwaies was amaz'd, + And in the stead of feeding stood, & gaz'd. + Their appetites were gone at th' uery sight; + But yet theire eyes surfett with sweet delight. + Only the Pope a stomack still could find; + But yett they were not powder'd to his mind. + Forth-with each god stept from his starry throne, + And snatch'd away the banquett; euery one + Convey'd his sweet delicious treasury + To the close closet of æternity: + Where they will safely keepe it, from the rude, + And rugged touch of Pluto's multitude. + + + + + =Secular Poetry.= + + + I. + + + THE DELIGHTS OF THE MUSES + + (1646). + + +NOTE. + +For the title-page of 'The Delights of the Muses' see Note immediately +before the original Preface, and our Preface on the classification of +the several poems. G. + + + + +MUSICK'S DUELL.[61] + + + Now Westward Sol had spent the richest beams 1 + Of Noon's high glory, when hard by the streams + Of Tiber, on the sceane of a greene plat, + Vnder protection of an oake, there sate + A sweet Lute's-master; in whose gentle aires 5 + He lost the daye's heat, and his owne hot cares. + Close in the covert of the leaves there stood + A Nightingale, come from the neighbouring wood: + (The sweet inhabitant of each glad tree, + Their Muse, their Syren--harmlesse Syren she!) 10 + There stood she listning, and did entertaine + The musick's soft report, and mold the same + In her owne murmures, that what ever mood + His curious fingers lent, her voyce made good: + The man perceiv'd his rivall, and her art; 15 + Dispos'd to give the light-foot lady sport, + Awakes his lute, and 'gainst the fight to come + Informes it in a sweet præludium + Of closer straines, and ere the warre begin, + He lightly skirmishes on every string, 20 + Charg'd with a flying touch: and streightway she + Carves out her dainty voyce as readily, + Into a thousand sweet distinguish'd tones, + And reckons up in soft divisions, + Quicke volumes of wild notes; to let him know 25 + By that shrill taste, she could do something too. + His nimble hands' instinct then taught each string + A capring cheerefullnesse; and made them sing + To their owne dance; now negligently rash + He throwes his arme, and with a long drawne dash 30 + Blends all together; then distinctly tripps + From this to that; then quicke returning skipps + And snatches this again, and pauses there. + Shee measures every measure, every where + Meets art with art; sometimes as if in doubt 35 + Not perfect yet, and fearing to be out, + Trayles her plaine ditty in one long-spun note, + Through the sleeke passage of her open throat, + A cleare unwrinckled song; then doth shee point it + With tender accents, and severely joynt it 40 + By short diminutives, that being rear'd + In controverting warbles evenly shar'd, + With her sweet selfe shee wrangles. Hee amazed + That from so small a channell should be rais'd + The torrent of a voyce, whose melody 45 + Could melt into such sweet variety, + Straines higher yet; that tickled with rare art + The tatling strings (each breathing in his part) + Most kindly doe fall out; the grumbling base + In surly groans disdaines the treble's grace; 50 + The high-perch't treble chirps at this, and chides, + Vntill his finger (Moderatour) hides + And closes the sweet quarrell, rowsing all, + Hoarce, shrill at once; as when the trumpets call + Hot Mars to th' harvest of Death's field, and woo 55 + Men's hearts into their hands: this lesson too + Shee gives him back, her supple brest thrills out + Sharpe aires, and staggers in a warbling doubt + Of dallying sweetnesse, hovers o're her skill, + And folds in wav'd notes with a trembling bill 60 + The plyant series of her slippery song; + Then starts shee suddenly into a throng + Of short, thicke sobs, whose thundring volleyes float + And roule themselves over her lubrick throat + In panting murmurs, 'still'd out of her breast, 65 + That ever-bubling spring; the sugred nest + Of her delicious soule, that there does lye + Bathing in streames of liquid melodie; + Musick's best seed-plot, whence in ripen'd aires + A golden-headed harvest fairely reares 70 + His honey-dropping tops, plow'd by her breath, + Which there reciprocally laboureth + In that sweet soyle; it seemes a holy quire + Founded to th' name of great Apollo's lyre, + Whose silver-roofe rings with the sprightly notes 75 + Of sweet-lipp'd angel-imps, that swill their throats + In creame of morning Helicon, and then + Preferre soft-anthems to the eares of men, + To woo them from their beds, still murmuring + That men can sleepe while they their mattens sing: 80 + (Most divine service) whose so early lay, + Prevents the eye-lidds of the blushing Day! + There you might heare her kindle her soft voyce, + In the close murmur of a sparkling noyse, + And lay the ground-worke of her hopefull song, 85 + Still keeping in the forward streame, so long, + Till a sweet whirle-wind (striving to get out) + Heaves her soft bosome, wanders round about, + And makes a pretty earthquake in her breast, + Till the fledg'd notes at length forsake their nest, 90 + Fluttering in wanton shoales, and to the sky + Wing'd with their owne wild ecchos, pratling fly. + Shee opes the floodgate, and lets loose a tide + Of streaming sweetnesse, which in state doth ride + On the wav'd backe of every swelling straine, 95 + Rising and falling in a pompous traine. + And while she thus discharges a shrill peale + Of flashing aires; she qualifies their zeale + With the coole epode of a graver noat, + Thus high, thus low, as if her silver throat 100 + Would reach the brazen voyce of War's hoarce bird; + Her little soule is ravisht: and so pour'd + Into loose extasies, that she is plac't + Above her selfe, Musick's Enthusiast. + Shame now and anger mixt a double staine 105 + In the Musitian's face; yet once againe + (Mistresse) I come; now reach a straine my lute + Above her mocke, or be for ever mute; + Or tune a song of victory to me, + Or to thy selfe, sing thine own obsequie: 110 + So said, his hands sprightly as fire, he flings + And with a quavering coynesse tasts the strings. + The sweet-lip't sisters, musically frighted, + Singing their feares, are fearefully delighted, + Trembling as when Appolo's golden haires 115 + Are fan'd and frizled, in the wanton ayres + Of his own breath: which marryed to his lyre + Doth tune the spheares, and make Heaven's selfe looke higher. + From this to that, from that to this he flyes. + Feeles Musick's pulse in all her arteryes; 120 + Caught in a net which there Apollo spreads, + His fingers struggle with the vocall threads. + Following those little rills, he sinkes into + A sea of Helicon; his hand does goe + Those pathes of sweetnesse which with nectar drop, 125 + Softer than that which pants in Hebe's cup. + The humourous strings expound his learnèd touch, + By various glosses; now they seeme to grutch, + And murmur in a buzzing dinne, then gingle + In shrill-tongu'd accents: striving to be single. 130 + Every smooth turne, every delicious stroake + Gives life to some new grace; thus doth h' invoke + Sweetnesse by all her names; thus, bravely thus + (Fraught with a fury so harmonious) + The lute's light genius now does proudly rise, 135 + Heav'd on the surges of swolne rapsodyes, + Whose flourish (meteor-like) doth curle the aire + With flash of high-borne fancyes: here and there + Dancing in lofty measures, and anon + Creeps on the soft touch of a tender tone; 140 + Whose trembling murmurs melting in wild aires + Runs to and fro, complaining his sweet cares, + Because those pretious mysteryes that dwell + In Musick's ravish't soule, he dares not tell, + But whisper to the world: thus doe they vary 145 + Each string his note, as if they meant to carry + Their Master's blest soule (snatcht out at his eares + By a strong extasy) through all the spheares + Of Musick's heaven; and seat it there on high + In th' empyræum of pure harmony. 150 + At length (after so long, so loud a strife + Of all the strings, still breathing the best life + Of blest variety, attending on + His fingers fairest revolution + In many a sweet rise, many as sweet a fall) 155 + A full-mouth'd diapason swallowes all. + This done, he lists what she would say to this, + And she, (although her breath's late exercise + Had dealt too roughly with her tender throate,) + Yet summons all her sweet powers for a noate. 160 + Alas! in vaine! for while (sweet soule!) she tryes + To measure all those wild diversities + Of chatt'ring strings, by the small size of one + Poore simple voyce, rais'd in a naturall tone; + She failes, and failing grieves, and grieving dyes. 165 + She dyes: and leaves her life the Victor's prise, + Falling upon his lute: O, fit to have + (That liv'd so sweetly) dead, so sweet a grave! + + +NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. + +In our Essay we give the original Latin of this very remarkable poem, +that the student may see how CRASHAW has ennobled and transfigured +STRADA. Still further to show how much we owe to our Poet, I print here +(_a_) An anonymous translation, which I discovered at the British Museum +in Additional MSS. 19.268; never before printed. (_b_) Sir FRANCIS +WORTLEY'S translation from his 'Characters and Elegies' (1646). In the +former I have been obliged to leave one or two words unfilled-in as +illegible in the MS. + + +(_a_) _The Musicke Warre between ye Fidler and the Nightingale._ + + Nowe had greate Sol ye middle orbe forsooke + When as a fidler by a slidinge brooke + With shadie bowers was guarded from ye aire + And on his fidle plaid away his care. + A nightingale hid in the leaues there stood + The muse and harmeles Syren of the wood; + Shee snatcht ye soundes and with an echo prates: + What his hand playde her voice reiterates. + Perceavinge how ye listninge bird did sit + Ye fidler faine would make some sport with it, + And neately stroke ye lute; then she began + And through those notes ran glib division; + Then with quicke hand he strikes ye tremblinge strings, + Now with a skilfull negligence he flings + His carelesse armes, then softly playes his part: + Then shee begins and answers art with art, + And now as if vncertaine how to singe + Lengthens her notes and choisest art doth bringe, + And interminglinge softer notes with shrill + Daintily quavers through her trembling bill. + Ye fidler wonders such melodious notes + Shold haue proceedinges from soe slender throats; + Tryes her againe, then loudly spoke ye.... + Sometimes graue were ye tones, sometimes.... + Then high, then lowe againe, yn sweetly iarrs + Just like a trumpet callinge men to warrs. + Thus did ye dainty Philomela doe + And with hoarse voice sange an alarme too. + The fidler blusht, and al in ragg [_i.e._ rage] he went + About to breake his conquerèd instrument, + But yet suspectinge lest ambitious shee + Shold to the woods warble her victory; + Strikes with inimitable blowes + And flies through all the strings, now these, now those, + Then tryes the notes, labours in each strayne + And then expects if shee replyed agayne. + The poore harmonious bird now almost dombe, + But impatient, to be overcome + Calls her sweet strength together all in vayne, + For while shee thinkes to imitate each strayne + In pure and natiue language, in this strife + And dayntie musicke warre shee left her life, + And yeldinge to the gladsome conquerour + Falls in his fidle: a fit sepulchere. + +(_b_) _From 'Characters and Elegies.' By Francis Wortley, knight and +baronet: 1646_ (p. 66). _A Paraphrase upon the Verses which Famianus +Strada made of the Lutanist and Philomell in Contestation._ + + 'When past the middle orbe the parching sun + Had downward nearer our horizon run + A Lutenist neare Tiber's streames had found + Where the eccho did resound. + Under a holme a shady bower he made + To ease his cares, his severall phancies play'd; + The philomell no sooner did the musicke hear + But straight-wayes she drew neare. + The harmlesse Syren, musicke of the wood, + Hid in a leavy-bush, she hearking stood, + She ruminates upon the ayers he plaid, + And to him answers made. + With her shirl voyce doth all his paines requite + Lost not one note, but to his play sung right; + Well pleased to heare her skil, and envy, he + Tryes his variety. + And dares her with his severall notes, runs throw + Even all the strains his skill could reach unto: + A thousand wayes he tryes: she answers all, + And for new straynes dares call. + He could not touch a string in such a straine, + To which she warble and not sung it plaine; + His fingers could not reach to greater choice, + Then she did with her voyce. + The Lutenist admired her narrow throat + Could reach so high or fall to any note: + But that which he did thinke in her most strange, + She instantly could change. + Or sharpe or flat, or meane, or quicke, or slow, + What ere he plaid, she the like skill would show: + And if he inward did his notes recall, + She answer made to all. + Th' inraged Lutenist, he blusht for shame + That he could not this weake corrivall tame: + If thou canst answer this I'le breake my lute, + And yeild in the dispute. + He said no more, but aimes at such a height + Of skill, he thought she could not imitate: + He shows the utmost cunning of his hand + And all he could command. + He tryes his strength, his active fingers flye + To every string and stop, now low, now high, + And higher yet he multiplyes his skill, + Then doth his chorus fill. + Then he expecting stands to try if she + His envy late would yeeld the victory: + She would not yeeld, but summons all her force + Though tyrèd out and hoarse. + She strives with various strings the lute's bast chest + The spirit of man, one narrow throat and chest: + Unequal matches, yet she's pleased that she + Concludes victoriously. + Her spirit was such she would not live to heare + The Lutenist bestow on her a jeere, + But broken-hearted fall upon the tombe + She choose the sweet lute's wombe. + The warbling lutes doe yet their triumphs tell + (With mournfull accents) of the philomell, + And have usurpt the title ever since, + Of harmony the prince. + The morall this, by emulation wee + May much improve both art and industry, + Though she deserve the name of Philomell + Yet men must her excell.' + +A third (anonymous) translation, with the Latin on the opposite pages, I +came on in LANSDOWNE MSS. 3910, Pl. lxvi. from which extracts will be +found in our Essay. + +In the SANCROFT MS. the heading is 'Fidicinis et Philomelæ Bellum +Musicum. R. CR.' It reads in line 79 'whence' for 'where;' adopted: line +125, 'pathes' for 'parts;' adopted: other variations only orthographic, +as is the case with the different editions. I note these: in 1670, line +83 reads 'might you:' line 99, 1646 misprints 'grave:' line 156, our +text misprints 'full-mouth,' and so 1646; I adopt 'full-mouth'd' from +1670 and SANCROFT MS. G. + + + + +THE PRAISE OF THE SPRING: + +OUT OF VIRGIL.[62] + + + All trees, all leavy groves confesse the Spring 1 + Their gentlest friend; then, then the lands begin + To swell with forward pride, and feed desire + To generation; Heaven's Almighty Sire + Melts on the bosome of His love, and powres 5 + Himselfe into her lap in fruitfull showers. + And by a soft insinuation, mixt + With Earth's large masse, doth cherish and assist + Her weake conceptions. No lone shade but rings + With chatring birds' delicious murmurings; 10 + Then Venus' mild instinct (at set times) yields + The herds to kindly meetings, then the fields + (Quick with warme Zephyre's lively breath) lay forth + Their pregnant bosomes in a fragrant birth. + Each body's plump and jucy, all things full 15 + Of supple moisture: no coy twig but will + Trust his beloved blossome to the sun + (Growne lusty now): no vine so weake and young + That feares the foule-mouth'd Auster or those stormes + That the Southwest-wind hurries in his armes, 20 + But hasts her forward blossomes, and layes out + Freely layes out her leaves: nor doe I doubt + But when the world first out of chaos sprang + So smil'd the dayes, and so the tenor ran + Of their felicity. A Spring was there, 25 + An everlasting Spring, the jolly yeare + Led round in his great circle; no wind's breath + As then did smell of Winter or of Death. + When Life's sweet light first shone on beasts, and when + From their hard mother Earth, sprang hardy men, 30 + When beasts tooke up their lodging in the Wood, + Starres in their higher chambers: never cou'd + The tender growth of things endure the sence + Of such a change, but that the Heav'ns indulgence + Kindly supplyes sick Nature, and doth mold 35 + A sweetly-temper'd meane, nor hot nor cold. + + + + +WITH A PICTURE SENT TO A FRIEND.[63] + + + I paint so ill, my peece had need to be 1 + Painted againe by some good poesie. + I write so ill, my slender line is scarce + So much as th' picture of a well-lim'd verse: + Yet may the love I send be true, though I 5 + Send not true picture, nor true poesie. + Both which away, I should not need to feare, + My love, or feign'd or painted should appeare. + + + + +IN PRAISE OF LESSIUS'S RULE OF HEALTH.[64] + + + Goe now, with some dareing drugg, 1 + Baite thy disease, and while they tugg, + Thou, to maintaine their cruell strife + Spend the deare treasure of thy life: + Goe take physicke, doat upon 5 + Some big-nam'd composition,-- + The oraculous doctors' mistick bills, + Certain hard words made into pills; + And what at length shalt get by these? + Onely a costlyer disease. 10 + Goe poore man, thinke what shall bee + Remedie 'gainst thy remedie. + That which makes us have no need + Of phisick, that's phisick indeed. + Heark hither, Reader: would'st thou see 15 + Nature her own physician be? + Would'st see a man all his own wealth, + His own musick, his own health? + A man, whose sober soul can tell + How to wear her garments well? 20 + Her garments, that upon her sit, + (As garments should do) close and fit? + A well-clothed soul, that's not opprest + Nor choked with what she should be drest? + Whose soul's sheath'd in a crystall shrine, 25 + Through which all her bright features shine? + As when a piece of wanton lawn, + A thin aërial vail is drawn, + O're Beauty's face; seeming to hide, + More sweetly shows the blushing bride: 30 + A soul, whose intellectuall beams + No mists do mask, no lazie steams? + A happie soul, that all the way + To Heav'n, hath a Summer's day? + Would'st see a man whose well-warm'd bloud 35 + Bathes him in a genuine floud? + A man, whose tunèd humours be + A set of rarest harmonie? + Would'st see blithe looks, fresh cheeks beguile + Age? Would'st see December smile? 40 + Would'st see a nest of roses grow + In a bed of reverend snow? + Warm thoughts, free spirits, flattering + Winter's self into a Spring? + In summe, would'st see a man that can 45 + Live to be old, and still a man? + Whose latest, and most leaden houres, + Fall with soft wings, stuck with soft flowres; + And when Life's sweet fable ends, + His soul and bodie part like friends: 50 + No quarrels, murmures, no delay: + A kisse, a sigh, and so away? + This rare one, Reader, would'st thou see, + Heark hither: and thyself be he. + + +NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. + +Besides the reprint of 1646 as _supra_, this poem appeared in 1648 (pp. +8, 9), 1652 (pp. 126-8), where it is entitled 'Temperance. Of the Cheap +Physitian, vpon the Translation of Lessivs (pp. 126-8):' and 1670 (pp. +108-9 and pp. 207-8, being inadvertently printed twice). These +variations are noticeable: + + Line 1, in 1648 and 1652, 'Goe now and with....' + + " 2, in 1670, 'the' for 'thy;' and TURNBULL, as usual, + repeats the error. + + Line 3, in 1648 'pretious' for 'cruel:' so 1670 in 2d copy. + + " 9, ib. 'last' for 'length,' and 1670 'gaine' for 'get' + in 2d copy. + + Lines 11, 12, this couplet is inadvertently dropped in 1648. + I adopt ''gainst' for 'against' from SANCROFT MS. in line 12. + + Line 15, ib. 'wilt' for 'wouldst.' + + " 18, 'physick' in 1646, 1648 and 1670 (1st copy); but + 'musick' is assuredly the finer reading, as in Hygiasticon and + 1670 (in 2d copy). Cf. lines 19, 20, onward, which show that + 'music' was intended. + + Line 25, in all the three editions 'a' for 'whose:' in 1670 (2d copy) + 'A soul sheath'd....' + + Line 34, in 1646 'hath' for 'rides in,' and so in 1670 (1st copy): + 'hath' seems the simpler and better. + + Line 35, 1646 and 1670 misinsert 'thou' before 'see.' + + " 38, 'set' for 'seat' in the three editions (1670, 1st copy); + adopted. + + Line 41, in 1648 'Would'st see nests of new roses grow:' so 1670 (2d + copy). + + Line 46, 1646 and 1670 end here. + +Leonard Lessius was a learned Jesuit, born 1st October 1554, and died +15th January 1623-4. He was professor of theology in the University of +Louvaine. His 'Hygiasticon, seu vera ratio valetudinis bonæ et vitæ' is +still readable and quick. G. + + + + +THE BEGINNING OF HELIODORUS.[65] + + + The smiling Morne had newly wak't the Day, 1 + And tipt the mountaines with a tender ray: + When on a hill (whose high imperious brow + Lookes downe, and sees the humble Nile below + Licke his proud feet, and haste into the seas 5 + Through the great mouth that's nam'd from Hercules) + A band of men, rough as the armes they wore + Look't round, first to the sea, then to the shore. + The shore that shewed them, what the sea deny'd, + Hope of a prey. There to the maine-land ty'd 10 + A ship they saw; no men she had, yet prest + Appear'd with other lading, for her brest + Deep in the groaning waters wallowed + Vp to the third ring: o're the shore was spread + Death's purple triumph; on the blushing ground 15 + Life's late forsaken houses all lay drown'd + In their owne blood's deare deluge: some new dead; + Some panting in their yet warme ruines bled, + While their affrighted soules, now wing'd for flight + Lent them the last flash of her glimmering light. 20 + Those yet fresh streames which crawlèd every where + Shew'd that sterne Warre had newly bath'd him there. + Nor did the face of this disaster show + Markes of a fight alone, but feasting too: + A miserable and a monstruous feast, 25 + Where hungry Warre had made himself a guest: + And comming late had eat up guests and all, + Who prov'd the feast to their owne funerall &c. + + + + +CUPID'S CRYER: + +OUT OF THE GREEKE.[66] + + + Love is lost, nor can his mother 1 + Her little fugitive discover: + She seekes, she sighes, but no where spyes him; + Love is lost: and thus shee cryes him. + O yes! if any happy eye, 5 + This roaving wanton shall descry; + Let the finder surely know + Mine is the wagge; 'tis I that owe + The wingèd wand'rer; and that none + May thinke his labour vainely gone, 10 + The glad descryer shall not misse, + To tast the nectar of a kisse + From Venus lipps. But as for him + That brings him to me, he shall swim + In riper joyes: more shall be his 15 + (Venus assures him) than a kisse. + But lest your eye discerning slide, + These markes may be your judgement's guide; + His skin as with a fiery blushing + High-colour'd is; his eyes still flushing 20 + With nimble flames; and though his mind + Be ne're so curst, his tongue is kind: + For never were his words in ought + Found the pure issue of his thought. + The working bees' soft melting gold, 25 + That which their waxen mines enfold, + Flow not so sweet as doe the tones + Of his tun'd accents; but if once + His anger kindle, presently + It boyles out into cruelty, 30 + And fraud: he makes poor mortalls' hurts + The objects of his cruell sports. + With dainty curles his froward face + Is crown'd about: But O what place, + What farthest nooke of lowest Hell 35 + Feeles not the strength, the reaching spell + Of his small hand? Yet not so small + As 'tis powerfull therewithall. + Though bare his skin, his mind he covers, + And like a saucy bird he hovers 40 + With wanton wing, now here, now there, + 'Bout men and women, nor will spare + Till at length he perching rest, + In the closet of their brest. + His weapon is a little bow, 45 + Yet such a one as--Jove knows how-- + Ne're suffred, yet his little arrow, + Of Heaven's high'st arches to fall narrow. + The gold that on his quiver smiles, + Deceives men's feares with flattering wiles. 50 + But O--too well my wounds can tell-- + With bitter shafts 'tis sauc't too well. + He is all cruell, cruell all, + His torch imperious though but small + Makes the sunne--of flames the sire-- 55 + Worse than sun-burnt in his fire. + Wheresoe're you chance to find him + Ceaze him, bring him--but first bind him-- + Pitty not him, but feare thy selfe + Though thou see the crafty elfe, 60 + Tell down his silver-drops unto thee: + They'r counterfeit, and will undoe thee. + With baited smiles if he display + His fawning cheeks, looke not that way. + If he offer sugred kisses, 65 + Start, and say, the serpent hisses. + Draw him, drag him, though he pray + Wooe, intreat, and crying say + Prethee, sweet, now let me go, + Here's my quiver, shafts and bow, 70 + I'le give thee all, take all; take heed + Lest his kindnesse make thee bleed. + What e're it be Loue offers, still presume + That though it shines, 'tis fire and will consume. + + + + +VPON BISHOP ANDREWS' PICTURE BEFORE HIS SERMONS.[67] + + + This reverend shadow cast that setting sun, 1 + Whose glorious course through our horrizon run, + Left the dimme face of this dull hemispheare, + All one great eye, all drown'd in one great teare. + Whose faire, illustrious soule, led his free thought 5 + Through Learning's vniverse, and (vainly) sought + Room for her spatious selfe, untill at length + Shee found the way home, with an holy strength; + Snatch't her self hence to Heaven: fill'd a bright place, + 'Mongst those immortall fires, and on the face 10 + Of her great Maker fixt her flaming eye, + There still to read true, pure divinity. + And now that grave aspect hath deign'd to shrinke + Into this lesse appearance: If you thinke + 'Tis but a dead face, Art doth here bequeath: 15 + Looke on the following leaves, and see him breath. + + + + +VPON THE DEATH OF A GENTLEMAN.[68] + + + Faithlesse and fond Mortality! 1 + Who will ever credit thee? + Fond, and faithlesse thing! that thus, + In our best hopes beguilest us. + What a reckoning hast thou made, 5 + Of the hopes in him we laid! + For life by volumes lengthenèd, + A line or two to speake him dead. + For the laurell in his verse, + The sullen cypresse o're his herse _crape_ 10 + For soe many hopèd yeares + Of fruit, soe many fruitles teares: + For a silver-crownèd head + A durty pillow in Death's bed. + For so deare, so deep a trust, 15 + Sad requitall, thus much dust! + Now though the blow that snatch him hence, + Stopt the mouth of Eloquence: + Though shee be dumbe e're since his death, + Not us'd to speake but in his breath; 20 + Leaving his death vngarnishèd + Therefore, because hee is dead + Yet if at least shee not denyes, + The sad language of our eyes, + Wee are contented: for then this 25 + Language none more fluent is. + Nothing speakes our griefe so well + As to speak nothing. Come then tell + Thy mind in teares who e're thou be, + That ow'st a name to misery. 30 + Eyes are vocall, teares have tongues, + And there be words not made with lungs; + Sententious showres: O let them fall, + Their cadence is rhetoricall. + Here's a theame will drinke th' expence, 35 + Of all thy watry eloquence. + Weepe then! onely be exprest + Thus much, 'he's dead:' and weep the rest. + + + + +VPON THE DEATH OF MR. HERRYS.[69] + + + A plant of noble stemme, forward and faire, 1 + As ever whisper'd to the morning aire, + Thriv'd in these happie grounds; the Earth's just pride; + Whose rising glories made such haste to hide + His head in cloudes, as if in him alone 5 + Impatient Nature had taught motion + To start from Time, and cheerfully to fly + Before, and seize upon Maturity. + Thus grew this gratious tree, in whose sweet shade + The sunne himselfe oft wisht to sit, and made 10 + The morning Muses perch like birds, and sing + Among his branches: yea, and vow'd to bring + His owne delicious phoenix from the blest + Arabia, there to build her virgin nest, + To hatch her selfe in; 'mongst his leaves, the Day 15 + Fresh from the rosie East, rejoyc't to play; + To them shee gave the first and fairest beame + That waited on her birth: she gave to them + The purest pearles, that wept her evening death; + The balmy Zephirus got so sweet a breath 20 + By often kissing them. And now begun + Glad Time to ripen Expectation: + The timorous maiden-blossomes on each bough + Peept forth from their first blushes; so that now + A thousand ruddy hopes smil'd in each bud, 25 + And flatter'd every greedy eye that stood + Fixt in delight, as if already there + Those rare fruits dangled, whence the golden Yeare + His crowne expected: when, (O Fate! O Time! + That seldome lett'st a blushing youthfull prime 30 + Hide his hot beames in shade of silver age, + So rare is hoary Vertue) the dire rage + Of a mad storme these bloomy joyes all tore, + Ravisht the maiden blossoms, and downe bore + The trunke. Yet in this ground his pretious root 35 + Still lives, which when weake Time shall be pour'd out + Into Eternity, and circular joyes + Dance in an endlesse round, again shall rise + The faire son of an ever-youthfull Spring, + To be a shade for angels while they sing; 40 + Meane while who e're thou art that passest here, + O doe thou water it with one kind teare. + + + + +VPON THE DEATH OF THE MOST DESIRED MR. HERRYS.[70] + + + Death, what dost? O, hold thy blow, 1 + What thou dost thou dost not know. + Death, thou must not here be cruell, + This is Nature's choycest iewell: + This is hee, in whose rare frame 5 + Nature labour'd for a name: + And meant to leave his pretious feature + The patterne of a perfect creature. + Ioy of Goodnesse, love of Art, + Vertue weares him next her heart. 10 + Him the Muses love to follow, + Him they call their vice-Apollo. + Apollo, golden though thou bee, + Th' art not fairer than is hee, + Nor more lovely lift'st thy head 15 + (Blushing) from thine Easterne bed. + The glories of thy youth ne're knew + Brighter hopes than his can shew. + Why then should it e're be seen + That his should fade, while thine is green? 20 + And wilt thou (O, cruell boast!) + Put poore Nature to such cost? + O, twill undoe our common mother, + To be at charge of such another. + What? thinke me to no other end 25 + Gracious heavens do use to send + Earth her best perfection, + But to vanish, and be gone? + Therefore onely given to day + To-morrow to be snatch't away? 30 + I've seen indeed the hopefull bud + Of a ruddy rose that stood + Blushing, to behold the ray + Of the new-saluted Day: + (His tender toppe not fully spread) 35 + The sweet dash of a shower new shead, + Invited him, no more to hide + Within himselfe the purple pride + Of his forward flower; when lo, + While he sweetly 'gan to show + His swelling gloryes, Auster spide him, 40 + Cruell Auster thither hy'd him, + And with the rush of one rude blast, + Sham'd not, spitefully to wast + All his leaves, so fresh, so sweet, + And lay them trembling at his feet. 45 + I've seen the Morning's lovely ray + Hover o're the new-borne Day, + With rosie wings so richly bright, + As if she scorn'd to thinke of Night; + When a rugged storme, whose scowle 50 + Made heaven's radiant face looke foule + Call'd for an untimely night, + To blot the newly-blossom'd light. + But were the rose's blush so rare, + Were the Morning's smile so faire, 55 + As is he, nor cloud, nor wind, + But would be courteous, would be kind. + Spare him Death, ah! spare him then, + Spare the sweetest among men: + And let not Pitty, with her teares 60 + Keepe such distance from thine eares. + But O, thou wilt not, can'st not spare, + Haste hath never time to heare. + Therefore if he needs must go, + And the Fates will have it so; 65 + Softly may he be possest + Of his monumentall rest. + Safe, thou darke home of the dead, + Safe, O hide his lovèd head: + Keepe him close, close in thine armes, 70 + Seal'd vpp with a thousand charmes. + For Pittie's sake, O, hide him quite + From his mother Nature's sight; + Lest for griefe his losse may move + All her births abortive proue. 75 + + +NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. + +See our Essay for notice of 'Mr. Herrys.' In the SANCROFT MS. the +heading is 'An Elegie on Mr. Herris. R. CR.' It offers these variations: +lines 1 and 2, 'doest:' line 18, 'his' for 'he;' adopted: line 29, +'given' for 'give;' adopted: line 36, 'new' for 'now;' adopted from +1648: line 50, the MS. reads 'rugged' for 'ruddy;' adopted: line 58, +'ah' for 'O;' adopted: line 60, 'And let:' lines 70-71 added from the +MS., where in the margin is written 'not printed.' G. + + + + +ANOTHER.[71] + + + If ever Pitty were acquainted 1 + With sterne Death; if e're he fainted, + Or forgot the cruell vigour + Of an adamantine rigour; + Here, O, here we should have knowne it, 5 + Here, or no where, hee'd have showne it. + For hee, whose pretious memory + Bathes in teares of every eye; + Hee, to whom our Sorrow brings + All the streames of all her springs; 10 + Was so rich in grace, and nature, + In all the gifts that blesse a creature; + The fresh hopes of his lovely youth + Flourish't in so faire a growth; + So sweet the temple was, that shrin'd 15 + The sacred sweetnesse of his mind; + That could the Fates know to relent, + Could they know what mercy meant, + Or had ever learnt to beare + The soft tincture of a teare; 20 + Teares would now have flow'd so deepe, + As might have taught Griefe how to weepe. + Now all their steely operation + Would quite have lost the cruell fashion. + Sicknesse would have gladly been 25 + Sick himselfe to have sav'd him; + And his feaver wish'd to prove, + Burning onely in his love. + Him when Wrath it selfe had seen, + Wrath it selfe had lost his spleen. 30 + Grim Destruction here amaz'd, + In stead of striking, would have gaz'd. + Even the iron-pointed pen, + That notes the tragick doomes of men, + Wet with teares, 'still'd from the eyes 35 + Of the flinty Destinies, + Would have learn't a softer style, + And have been asham'd to spoyle + His live's sweet story, by the hast + Of a cruell stop, ill plac't. 40 + In the darke volume of our fate, + Whence each lease of life hath date, + Where in sad particulars + The totall summe of man appeares, + And the short clause of mortall breath, 45 + Bound in the period of Death: + In all the booke if any where + Such a tearme as this, 'Spare here,' + Could been found, 'twould have been read, + Writ in white letters o're his head: 50 + Or close unto his name annext, + The faire glosse of a fairer text. + In briefe, if any one were free + Hee was that one, and onely hee. + But he, alas! even hee is dead, 55 + And our hope's faire harvest spread + In the dust. Pitty, now spend + All the teares that Griefe can lend. + Sad Mortality may hide + In his ashes all her pride; 60 + With this inscription o're his head, + 'All hope of never dying here is dead.' + + +NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS + +The SANCROFT MS. furnishes these variations: line 1, 'was:' line 26, 't' +have:' line 34, 'quotes' for 'notes:' l. 42, 'lease' for 'leafe;' +adopted: line 49 omits rightly the first 'have' and spells 'bin;' the +former adopted: line 50, 'wrote:' line 62, 'is' for 'lyes;' adopted: +line 23, 'steely' = hard as steel, or, as we say, iron-hearted. The +SANCROFT MS. writes the two poems as one. G. + + + + +HIS EPITAPH.[72] + + + Passenger, who e're thou art 1 + Stay a while, and let thy heart + Take acquaintance of this stone, + Before thou passest further on. + This stone will tell thee, that beneath, 5 + Is entomb'd the crime of Death; + The ripe endowments of whose mind + Left his yeares so much behind, + That numbring of his vertues' praise, + Death lost the reckoning of his dayes; 10 + And believing what they told, + Imagin'd him exceeding old. + In him Perfection did set forth + The strength of her united worth. + Him his wisdome's pregnant growth 15 + Made so reverend, even in youth, + That in the center of his brest + (Sweet as is the phoenix' nest) + Every reconcilèd Grace + Had their generall meeting-place. 20 + In him Goodnesse joy'd to see + Learning learne Humility. + The splendor of his birth and blood + Was but the glosse of his owne good. + The flourish of his sober youth 25 + Was the pride of naked truth. + In composure of his face, + Liv'd a faire, but manly grace. + His mouth was Rhetorick's best mold, + His tongue the touchstone of her gold. 30 + What word so e're his breath kept warme, + Was no word now but a charme: + For all persuasive Graces thence + Suck't their sweetest influence. + His vertue that within had root, 35 + Could not chuse but shine without. + And th' heart-bred lustre of his worth, + At each corner peeping forth, + Pointed him out in all his wayes, + Circled round in his owne rayes: 40 + That to his sweetnesse, all men's eyes + Were vow'd Love's flaming sacrifice. + Him while fresh and fragrant Time + Cherisht in his golden prime; + E're Hebe's hand had overlaid 45 + His smooth cheekes with a downy shade; + The rush of Death's unruly wave, + Swept him off into his grave. + Enough, now (if thou canst) passe on, + For now (alas!) not in this stone 50 + (Passenger who e're thou art) + Is he entomb'd, but in thy heart. + + + + +AN EPITAPH VPON A YOVNG MARRIED COVPLE + +DEAD AND BVRYED TOGETHER.[73] + + + To these, whom Death again did wed, 1 + This grave's their second marriage-bed; + For though the hand of Fate could force + 'Twixt sovl and body, a diuorce, + It could not sunder man and wife, 5 + 'Cause they both liuèd but one life. + Peace, good Reader, Doe not weep. + Peace, the louers are asleep. + They, sweet turtles, folded ly + In the last knott that Loue could ty. 10 + And though they ly as they were dead, + Their pillow stone, their sheetes of lead; + (Pillow hard, and sheetes not warm) + Loue made the bed; they'l take no harm; + Let them sleep: let them sleep on, 15 + Till this stormy night be gone, + And the æternall morrow dawn; + Then the curtaines will be drawn + And they wake into a light, + Whose Day shall neuer sleepe in Night. 20 + + +NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. + +In the SANCROFT MS. the heading is 'Epitaphium Conjugum vnà mortuor. et +sepultor. R. CR.' It was reprinted in 1648 'Delights' (p. 26), where it +is entitled as _supra_, and 1670 (p. 95). Our text is that of 1648, +which yields the five lines (11-14), and which ELLIS in his 'Specimens' +(iii. 208, 1845) introduced from a MS. copy, but as doubtful from not +having appeared in any of the editions; a mistake on his part, as the +lines appear in 1648 and 1652. His note is, nevertheless, 'The lines +included in brackets are in _no printed edition_: they were found in a +MS. copy, and are perhaps not Crashaw's.' As usual, TURNBULL overlooked +them. I add a few slight various readings from 1646. + + Line 2, 'the.' + + " 5, 'sever.' + + " 6, 'Because they both liv'd but one life.' + + " 10, I accept 'that' in 1646 and SANCROFT MS. as it is + confirmed by HARLEIAN MS. 6917-18, as before. + + Line 17, I adopt 'And' for 'Till' from 1648. + + " 19, 'waken with that Light,' and so SANCROFT MS.: + 1648 reads 'And they wake into that Light:' HARLEIAN MS. as + before, 'And they waken with.' + + Line 20, 'sleep' for 'dy,' which I adopt as agreeing with the + 'wake,' and as being confirmed by HARLEIAN MS. as before. G. + + + + +DEATH'S LECTVRE AND THE FVNERAL OF A YOVNG GENTLEMAN.[74] + + + Dear reliques of a dislodg'd sovl, whose lack 1 + Makes many a mourning paper put on black! + O stay a while, ere thou draw in thy head + And wind thy self vp close in thy cold bed. + Stay but a little while, vntill I call 5 + A summon's worthy of thy funerall. + Come then, Youth, Beavty, Blood! all ye soft powres, + Whose sylken flatteryes swell a few fond howres + Into a false æternity. Come man; + Hyperbolizèd nothing! know thy span; 10 + Take thine own measure here, down, down, and bow + Before thy self in thine idæa; thou + Huge emptynes! contract thy bulke; and shrinke + All thy wild circle to a point. O sink + Lower and lower yet; till thy leane size 15 + Call Heaun to look on thee with narrow eyes. + Lesser and lesser yet; till thou begin + To show a face, fitt to confesse thy kin, + Thy neighbourhood to Nothing! + Proud lookes, and lofty eyliddes, here putt on 20 + Your selues in your vnfaign'd reflexion; + Here, gallant ladyes! this vnpartiall glasse + (Through all your painting) showes you your true face. + These death-seal'd lippes are they dare giue the ly + To the lowd boasts of poor Mortality; 25 + These curtain'd windows, this retirèd eye + Outstares the liddes of larg-look't Tyranny. + This posture is the braue one, this that lyes + Thus low, stands vp (me thinkes) thus and defies + The World. All-daring dust and ashes! only you 30 + Of all interpreters read Nature true. + + +NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. + +These various readings are worthy of record: + + Line 7 in our text (1652) is misprinted as two lines, the first ending + with 'blood,' a repeated blunder of the Paris printer. It reads also + 'the' for 'ye' of 1646. I adopt the latter. I have also cancelled 'and' + before 'blood' as a misprint. + + Line 8 in 1652 is misprinted 'svlken' for 'sylken.' + + " 12, ib. 'thy self,' and so in 1648 and 1670: 'bulke' from + 1646 is preferable, and so adopted. + + Line 15, 1646 has 'small' for 'lean,' which is inferior. + + " 16, our text (1652) misspells 'norrow.' + + " 19, in 1646 the readings here are, + + 'Thy neighbourhood to nothing I here put on + Thy selfe in this unfeign'd reflection.' + + 1648 and our text as given. 'Nothing' is intended to rhyme with 'kin' + and 'begin,' and so to form a triplet. + + Line 23, our text (1652), 1648 and 1670 read 'Though ye be painted:' + 1646 reads 'Through all your painting,' which is much more powerful, + and therefore adopted by us. It reminds us (from line 22, 'gallant + ladyes') of Hamlet's apostrophe to the skull of poor Yorick. + + Line 25, 1646 reads poorly, + + 'To the proud hopes of poor Mortality.' + + " 26, in 1646 reads curiously, 'this selfe-prison'd eye.' G. + + + + +AN EPITAPH VPON DOCTOR BROOKE.[75] + + + A Brooke, whose streame so great, so good, 1 + Was lov'd, was honour'd, as a flood: + Whose bankes the Muses dwelt upon, + More than their owne Helicon; + Here at length, hath gladly found 5 + A quiet passage under ground; + Meane while his lovèd bankes, now dry + The Muses with their teares supply. + + + + +ON A FOULE MORNING, BEING THEN TO TAKE A JOURNEY.[76] + + + Where art thou Sol, while thus the blind-fold Day 1 + Staggers out of the East, loses her way + Stumbling on Night? Rouze thee illustrious youth, + And let no dull mists choake thy Light's faire growth. + Point here thy beames: O glance on yonder flocks, 5 + And make their fleeces golden as thy locks. + Vnfold thy faire front, and there shall appeare + Full glory, flaming in her owne free spheare. + Gladnesse shall cloath the Earth, we will instile + The face of things, an universall smile. 10 + Say to the sullen Morne, thou com'st to court her; + And wilt command proud Zephirus to sport her + With wanton gales: his balmy breath shall licke + The tender drops which tremble on her cheeke; + Which rarified, and in a gentle raine 15 + On those delicious bankes distill'd againe, + Shall rise in a sweet Harvest, which discloses + Two ever-blushing bed[s] of new-borne roses. + Hee'l fan her bright locks, teaching them to flow, + And friske in curl'd mæanders: hee will throw 20 + A fragrant breath suckt from the spicy nest + O' th' pretious phoenix, warme upon her breast. + Hee with a dainty and soft hand will trim + And brush her azure mantle, which shall swim + In silken volumes; wheresoe're shee'l tread, 25 + Bright clouds like golden fleeces shall be spread. + Rise then (faire blew-ey'd maid!) rise and discover + Thy silver brow, and meet thy golden lover. + See how hee runs, with what a hasty flight, + Into thy bosome, bath'd with liquid light. 30 + Fly, fly prophane fogs, farre hence fly away, + Taint not the pure streames of the springing Day, + With your dull influence; it is for you + To sit and scoule upon Night's heavy brow, + Not on the fresh cheekes of the virgin Morne, 35 + Where nought but smiles, and ruddy joyes are worne. + Fly then, and doe not thinke with her to stay; + Let it suffice, shee'l weare no maske to day. + + +NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. + +In the SANCROFT MS. this is headed 'An Invitation to faire weather. In +itinere adurgeretur matutinum coelum tali carmine invitabatur serenitas. +R. CR.' In line 12 the MS. reads 'smooth' for 'proud' (TURNBULL here, +after 1670, as usual misreads 'demand' for 'command'): line 18 corrects +the misreading of all the editions, which is 'To every blushing...:' +line 23 reads 'soft and dainty:' line 36, 'is' for 'are:' other +orthographic differences only. + +The opening lines of this poem seem to be adapted from remembrance of +the Friar's in _Romeo and Juliet_: + + 'The grey-eyed Morn smiles on the frowning Night + ... + And flecked Darkness like a drunkard reels + From forth Day's path and Titan's burning wheels.' (ii. 3.) + + Line 4, in HARLEIAN MS. 6917-18 reads, as I have adopted, + 'thy' for 'the.' + + Line 5, ib. 'on yond faire.' + + " 7, ib. 'Unfold thy front and then....' + + " 9, instile is = instill, used in Latinate sense of drop + into or upon: HARLEIAN MS., as before, is 'enstile.' + + Line 14, HARLEIAN MS., as before, 'thy' for 'her.' + + " 16, ib. 'these.' + + " 17-18, ib. + + ... 'and disclose + ... the new-born rose.' + +See our Essay for critical remarks. G. + + + + +TO THE MORNING: + +SATISFACTION FOR SLEEPE.[77] + + + What succour can I hope my Muse shall send 1 + Whose drowsinesse hath wrong'd the Muses' friend? + What hope, Aurora, to propitiate thee, + Vnlesse the Muse sing my apologie? + O in that morning of my shame! when I 5 + Lay folded up in Sleepe's captivity, + How at the sight did'st thou draw back thine eyes, + Into thy modest veyle? how didst thou rise + Twice dy'd in thine owne blushes! and did'st run + To draw the curtaines, and awake the sun! 10 + Who, rowzing his illustrious tresses, came, + And seeing the loath'd object, hid for shame + His head in thy faire bosome, and still hides + Mee from his patronage; I pray, he chides: + And pointing to dull Morpheus, bids me take 15 + My owne Apollo, try if I can make + His Lethe be my Helicon: and see + If Morpheus have a Muse to wait on mee. + Hence 'tis, my humble fancie finds no wings, + No nimble rapture starts to Heaven, and brings 20 + Enthusiasticke flames, such as can give + Marrow to my plumpe genius, make it live + Drest in the glorious madnesse of a Muse, + Whose feet can walke the milky way, and chuse + Her starry throne; whose holy heats can warme 25 + The grave, and hold up an exalted arme + To lift me from my lazy vrne, to climbe + Vpon the stoopèd shoulders of old Time, + And trace Eternity--But all is dead, + All these delicious hopes are buried 30 + In the deepe wrinckles of his angry brow, + Where Mercy cannot find them: but O thou + Bright lady of the Morne! pitty doth lye + So warme in thy soft brest, it cannot dye. + Have mercy then, and when he next shall rise 35 + O meet the angry God, invade his eyes, + And stroake his radiant cheekes; one timely kisse + Will kill his anger, and revive my blisse. + So to the treasure of thy pearly deaw, + Thrice will I pay three teares, to show how true 40 + My griefe is; so my wakefull lay shall knocke + At th' orientall gates, and duly mocke + The early larkes' shrill orizons, to be + An anthem at the Daye's nativitie. + And the same rosie-finger'd hand of thine, 45 + That shuts Night's dying eyes, shall open mine. + But thou, faint God of Sleepe, forget that I + Was ever known to be thy votary. + No more my pillow shall thine altar be, + Nor will I offer any more to thee 50 + My selfe a melting sacrifice; I'me borne + Againe a fresh child of the buxome Morne, + Heire of the sun's first beames. Why threat'st thou so? + Why dost thou shake thy leaden scepter? goe, + Bestow thy poppy upon wakefull Woe, 55 + Sicknesse, and Sorrow, whose pale lidds ne're know + Thy downie finger; dwell upon their eyes, + Shut in their teares: shut out their miseries. + + +NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. + +In 1646, line 1, for 'shall' reads 'will:' ib. in HARLEIAN MS. as +before, 'my' for 'the Muse;' which I adopt here, but not in next line: +line 9, ib. 'thy:' line 11, illustrious is = lustrous, radiant: HARLEIAN +MS. as before, line 19, 'this my humble:' line 20, 1646 misprints +'raptures:' line 27, 1670 has 'and climb:' line 28, 1646 has 'stooped' +for 'stooping' of 1648; infinitely superior, and therefore adopted: 1670 +misprints 'stopped:' the SANCROFT MS. has 'stooping:' line 45, HARLEIAN +MS. as before, 'thy altar.' Further: in the SANCROFT MS. this poem is +headed 'Ad Auroram Somnolentiæ expiatio. R. CR.,' and it supplies these +various readings: line 1, 'will:' line 7, 'call back:' line 16, 'my' for +'mine;' line 20-21, 'winge' and 'bringe:' line 40, 'treasures:' other +orthographic differences only. See Essay, as in last poem. G. + + + + +LOVE'S HOROSCOPE.[78] + + + Love, brave Vertue's younger brother, 1 + Erst hath made my heart a mother; + Shee consults the conscious spheares + To calculate her young son's yeares. + Shee askes, if sad, or saving powers, 5 + Gave omen to his infant howers; + Shee askes each starre that then stood by, + If poore Love shall live or dy. + + Ah, my heart, is that the way? + Are these the beames that rule thy day? 10 + Thou know'st a face in whose each looke, + Beauty layes ope Love's fortune-booke; + On whose faire revolutions wait + The obsequious motions of man's fate: + Ah, my heart, her eyes, and shee, 15 + Have taught thee new astrologie. + How e're Love's native houres were set, + What ever starry synod met, + 'Tis in the mercy of her eye, + If poore Love shall live or dye. 20 + + If those sharpe rayes putting on + Points of death, bid Love be gon: + (Though the Heavens in counsell sate + To crowne an uncontroulèd fate, + Though their best aspects twin'd upon 25 + The kindest constellation, + Cast amorous glances on his birth, + And whisper'd the confederate Earth + To pave his pathes with all the good, + That warmes the bed of youth and blood) 30 + Love hath no plea against her eye: + Beauty frownes, and Love must dye. + + But if her milder influence move, + And gild the hopes of humble Love: + (Though Heaven's inauspicious eye 35 + Lay blacke on Love's nativitie; + Though every diamond in Love's crowne + Fixt his forehead to a frowne:) + Her eye, a strong appeale can giue, + Beauty smiles, and Love shall live. 40 + O, if Love shall live, O, where + But in her eye, or in her eare, + In her brest, or in her breath, + Shall I hide poore Love from Death? + For in the life ought else can give, 45 + Love shall dye, although he live. + + Or, if Love shall dye, O, where + But in her eye, or in her eare, + In her breath, or in her breast, + Shall I build his funerall nest? 50 + While Love shall thus entombèd lye, + Love shall live, although he dye. + + +NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. + +In line 16 the heavens are the planets. To 'crown' his fate is to invest +it with regal power, and so place it beyond control. It is doubtful +whether 'uncontrouled' expresses that state or result of crowning, or +whether the clause is hyperbolical, and means to put further beyond +control an already uncontrolled fate. 'Twin'd' seems a strange word to +use, but refers, I presume, to the apparently irregular and winding-like +motions of the planets through the constellations until they result in +the favourable aspects mentioned. According to astrology, the +beneficence or maleficence of the planetary aspects varies with the +nature of the constellation in which they occur. HENRY VAUGHAN, +Silurist, uses 'wind' very much as CRASHAW uses 'twin'd:' see _s.v._ in +our edition. + +In line 14 we have accepted the reading 'man's' for 'Loves' from the +SANCROFT MS. + + + + +A SONG: + +OUT OF THE ITALIAN.[79] + + + To thy lover + Deere, discover + That sweet blush of thine that shameth + --When those roses + It discloses-- + All the flowers that Nature nameth. + + In free ayre, + Flow thy haire; + That no more Summer's best dresses, + Bee beholden + For their golden + Locks, to Phoebus' flaming tresses. + + O deliver + Love his quiver; + From thy eyes he shoots his arrowes: + Where Apollo + Cannot follow: + Featherd with his mother's sparrowes. + + O envy not + --That we dye not-- + Those deere lips whose doore encloses + All the Graces + In their places, + Brother pearles, and sister roses. + + From these treasures + Of ripe pleasures + One bright smile to cleere the weather. + Earth and Heaven + Thus made even, + Both will be good friends together. + + The aire does wooe thee, + Winds cling to thee; + Might a word once fly from out thee, + Storme and thunder + Would sit under, + And keepe silence round about thee. + + But if Nature's + Common creatures, + So deare glories dare not borrow: + Yet thy beauty + Owes a duty, + To my loving, lingring sorrow, + + When to end mee + Death shall send mee + All his terrors to affright mee: + Thine eyes' Graces + Gild their faces, + And those terrors shall delight mee. + + When my dying + Life is flying, + Those sweet aires that often slew mee + Shall revive mee, + Or reprive mee, + And to many deaths renew mee. + + + + +OUT OF THE ITALIAN. + + + Love now no fire hath left him, 1 + We two betwixt us have divided it. + Your eyes the light hath reft him, + The heat commanding in my heart doth sit.[80] + O that poore Love be not for ever spoyled, 5 + Let my heat to your light be reconciled. + + So shall these flames, whose worth + Now all obscurèd lyes: + --Drest in those beames--start forth + And dance before your eyes. 10 + Or else partake my flames + (I care not whither) + And so in mutuall names + Of Love, burne both together. + + + + +OUT OF THE ITALIAN. + + + Would any one the true cause find 1 + How Love came nak't, a boy, and blind? + 'Tis this: listning one day too long, + So th' Syrens in my mistris' song, + The extasie of a delight 5 + So much o're-mastring all his might, + To that one sense, made all else thrall, + And so he lost his clothes, eyes, heart and all. + + + + +VPON THE FRONTISPEECE OF MR. ISAACKSON'S CHRONOLOGIE.[81] + + + Let hoary Time's vast bowels be the grave 1 + To what his bowels' birth and being gave; + Let Nature die, (Phoenix-like) from death + Revivèd Nature takes a second breath; + If on Time's right hand, sit faire Historie, 5 + If from the seed of emptie Ruine, she + Can raise so faire an harvest; let her be + Ne're so farre distant, yet Chronologie + (Sharp-sighted as the eagle's eye, that can + Out-stare the broad-beam'd daye's meridian) 10 + Will have a perspicill to find her out, + And, through the night of error and dark doubt, + Discerne the dawne of Truth's eternall ray, + As when the rosie Morne budds into Day. + Now that Time's empire might be amply fill'd, 15 + Babel's bold artists strive (below) to build + Ruine a temple; on whose fruitfull fall + History reares her pyramids, more tall + Than were th' Aegyptian (by the life these give, + Th' Egyptian pyramids themselves must live): 20 + On these she lifts the world; and on their base + Showes the two termes, and limits of Time's race: + That, the creation is; the judgement, this; + That, the World's morning; this, her midnight is. + + +NOTE. + +As explained in preceding Note, I add here the poem so long misassigned +to CRASHAW. + + + + +ON THE FRONTISPIECE OF ISAACSON'S CHRONOLOGIE EXPLAINED. + +BY DR. EDWARD RAINBOW, BISHOP OF CARLISLE. + + + If with distinctive eye, and mind, you looke 1 + Vpon the Front, you see more than one Booke. + Creation is God's Booke, wherein He writ + Each creature, as a letter filling it. + History is Creation's Booke; which showes 5 + To what effects the Series of it goes. + Chronologie's the Booke of Historie, and beares + The just account of Dayes, Moneths, and Yeares. + But Resurrection, in a later Presse, + And New Edition, is the summe of these. 10 + The Language of these Bookes had all been one, + Had not th' aspiring Tower of Babylon + Confus'd the tongues, and in a distance hurl'd + As farre the speech, as men, o' th' new fill'd world. + Set then your eyes in method, and behold 15 + Time's embleme, Saturne; who, when store of gold + Coyn'd the first age, devour'd that birth, he fear'd; + Till History, Time's eldest child appear'd; + And Phoenix-like, in spight of Saturne's rage, + Forc'd from her ashes, heyres in every age. 20 + From th' Rising Sunne, obtaining by just suit, + A Spring's ingender, and an Autumne's fruit. + Who in those Volumes at her motion pend, + Vnto Creation's Alpha doth extend. + Againe ascend, and view Chronology, 25 + By optick skill, pulling farre History + Neerer; whose Hand the piercing Eagle's eye + Strengthens, to bring remotest objects nigh. + Vnder whose feet, you see the Setting Sunne, + From the darke Gnomon, o're her volumes runne, 30 + Drown'd in eternall night, never to rise, + Till Resurrection show it to the eyes + Of Earth-worne men; and her shrill trumpet's sound + Affright the Bones of mortals from the ground. + The Columnes both are crown'd with either Sphere, 35 + To show Chronology and History beare, + No other Culmen than the double Art, + Astronomy, Geography, impart. + + + + +AN EPITAPH VPON MR. ASHTON, + +A CONFORMABLE CITIZEN.[82] + + + The modest front of this small floore, 1 + Beleeve me, Reader, can say more + Than many a braver marble can; + _Here lyes a truly honest man._ + One whose conscience was a thing, 5 + That troubled neither Church nor King. + One of those few that in this towne, + Honour all Preachers, heare their owne. + Sermons he heard, yet not so many + As left no time to practise any. 10 + He heard them reverendly, and then + His practice preach'd them o're agen. + His Parlour-Sermons rather were + Those to the eye, then to the eare. + His prayers took their price and strength, 15 + Not from the lowdnesse, nor the length. + He was a Protestant at home, + Not onely in despight of Rome. + He lov'd his Father; yet his zeale + Tore not off his Mother's veile. 20 + To th' Church he did allow her dresse, + True Beauty, to true Holinesse. + Peace, which he lov'd in life, did lend + Her hand to bring him to his end. + When Age and Death call'd for the score, 25 + No surfets were to reckon for. + Death tore not--therefore--but sans strife + Gently untwin'd his thread of life. + What remaines then, but that thou + Write these lines, Reader, in thy brow, 30 + And by his faire example's light, + Burne in thy imitation bright. + So while these lines can but bequeath + A life perhaps unto his death; + His better Epitaph shall bee, 35 + His life still kept alive in thee. + + + + +OUT OF CATULLUS.[83] + + + Come and let us live my deare, 1 + Let us love and never feare, + What the sowrest fathers say: + Brightest Sol that dyes to day + Lives againe as blith to morrow; 5 + But if we darke sons of sorrow + Set: O then how long a Night + Shuts the eyes of our short light! + Then let amorous kisses dwell + On our lips, begin and tell 10 + A thousand, and a hundred score, + An hundred and a thousand more, + Till another thousand smother + That, and that wipe of[f] another. + Thus at last when we have numbred 15 + Many a thousand, many a hundred, + Wee'l confound the reckoning quite, + And lose our selves in wild delight: + While our joyes so multiply, + As shall mocke the envious eye. 20 + + + + +WISHES. + +TO HIS (SUPPOSED) MISTRESSE.[84] + + + 1. Who ere she be, 1 + That not impossible she + That shall command my heart and me; + 2. Where ere she lye, + Lock't up from mortall eye, 5 + In shady leaves of Destiny; + + 3. Till that ripe birth + Of studied Fate stand forth, + And teach her faire steps tread our Earth; + + 4. Till that divine 10 + Idæa, take a shrine + Of chrystall flesh, through which to shine; + + 5. Meet you her, my wishes, + Bespeake her to my blisses, + And be ye call'd, my absent kisses. 15 + + 6. I wish her, beauty + That owes not all its duty + To gaudy tire or glistring shoo-ty. + + 7. Something more than + Taffata or tissew can, 20 + Or rampant feather, or rich fan. + + 8. More than the spoyle + Of shop, or silkeworme's toyle, + Or a bought blush, or a set smile. + + 9. A face that's best 25 + By its owne beauty drest, + And can alone commend the rest. + + 10. A face made up, + Out of no other shop + Than what Nature's white hand sets ope. 30 + + 11. A cheeke where Youth, + And blood, with pen of Truth + Write, what their reader sweetly ru'th. + + 12. A cheeke where growes + More than a morning rose: 35 + Which to no boxe his being owes. + + 13. Lipps, where all day + A lover's kisse may play, + Yet carry nothing thence away. + + 14. Lookes that oppresse 40 + Their richest tires, but dresse + Themselves in simple nakednesse. + + 15. Eyes, that displace + The neighbour diamond, and out-face + That sunshine, by their own sweet grace. 45 + + 16. Tresses, that weare + Iewells, but to declare + How much themselves more pretious are. + + 17. Whose native ray, + Can tame the wanton day 50 + Of gems, that in their bright shades play. + + 18. Each ruby there, + Or pearle that dares appeare, + Be its own blush, be its own teare. + + 19. A well tam'd heart, 55 + For whose more noble smart, + Love may be long chusing a dart. + + 20. Eyes, that bestow + Full quivers on Love's bow; + Yet pay lesse arrowes than they owe. 60 + + 21. Smiles, that can warme + The blood, yet teach a charme, + That Chastity shall take no harme. + + 22. Blushes, that bin + The burnish of no sin, 65 + Nor flames of ought too hot within. + + 23. Ioyes, that confesse, + Vertue their mistresse, + And have no other head to dresse. + + 24. Feares, fond, and flight, 70 + As the coy bride's, when Night + First does the longing lover right. + + 25. Teares, quickly fled, + And vaine, as those are shed + For a dying maydenhead. 75 + + 26. Dayes, that need borrow, + No part of their good morrow, + From a fore-spent night of sorrow. + + 27. Dayes, that in spight + Of darknesse, by the light 80 + Of a cleere mind are day all night. + + 28. Nights, sweet as they, + Made short by lovers play, + Yet long by th' absence of the day. + + 29. Life, that dares send 85 + A challenge to his end, + And when it comes say, Welcome friend! + + 30. Sydnæan showers + Of sweet discourse, whose powers + Can crown old Winter's head with flowers. 90 + + 31. Soft silken hours; + Open sunnes; shady bowers; + 'Bove all, nothing within that lowers. + + 32. What ere delight + Can make Daye's forehead bright, 95 + Or give downe to the wings of Night. + + 33. In her whole frame, + Haue Nature all the name, + Art and ornament the shame. + + 34. Her flattery, 100 + Picture and Poesy, + Her counsell her owne vertue be. + + 35. I wish her store + Of worth may leave her poore + Of wishes; and I wish----no more. 105 + + 36. Now if Time knowes + That her, whose radiant browes + Weave them a garland of my vowes; + + 37. Her whose just bayes, + My future hopes can raise, 110 + A trophie to her present praise. + + 38. Her that dares be, + What these lines wish to see: + I seeke no further: it is she. + + 39. 'Tis she, and here 115 + Lo I uncloath and cleare, + My wishes cloudy character. + + 40. May she enjoy it, + Whose merit dare apply it, + But Modesty dares still deny it. 120 + + 41. Such worth as this is + Shall fixe my flying wishes, + And determine them to kisses. + + 42. Let her full glory, + My fancyes, fly before ye, 125 + Be ye my fictions; but her story. + + +NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. + +The HARLEIAN MS. 6917-18, as before, gives an admirable reading, +corrective of all the editions in st. 3, line 3. Hitherto it has run, +'And teach her faire steps to our Earth:' the MS. as given by us 'tread' +for 'to:' ib. st. 5, line 1, reads 'Meete her my wishes;' perhaps +preferable: st. 6, I accept 'its' for 'his' from 1670 edition: st. 7, +'than'=then, and is spelled 'then' here and elsewhere in 1646 and 1670: +st. 8, line 3, HARLEIAN MS. reads 'Or a bowe, blush, or a set smile;' +inferior: st. 9, ib. reads 'commend' for 'command;' adopted: st. 11, ib. +'their' for 'the;' adopted: st. 14, ib. spells 'tyers,' and line 3 reads +as we print for 'And cloath their simplest nakednesse,' which is clumsy +and poor: st. 15: Here, as in the poem, 'On the bleeding wounds of our +crucified Lord' (st. 6), where we read 'The thorns that Thy blest brows +encloses,' and elsewhere, we have an example of the Elizabethan use of +'that' as a singular (referring to and thus made a collective plural) +taken as the governing nominative to the verb. So in this poem of +'Wishes' we have 'Eyes that bestow,' 'Joys that confess,' 'Tresses that +wear.' But it must be stated that the HARLEIAN MS., as before, reads not +as in 1646 and 1648 'displaces,' 'out-faces' and 'graces,' but as +printed by us on its authority; certainly the rhythm is improved +thereby: st. 18, line 2, ib. 'dares' for 'dare;' adopted: st. 24, +looking to 'tears quickly fled' of next stanza, I think 'flight' is +correct, and not a misprint for 'slight.' Accordingly I have punctuated +with a comma after fond, flight being = the shrinking-away of the bride, +like the Horatian fair lady, a fugitive yet wishful of her lover's kiss: +st. 31, HARLEIAN MS. as before, 'Open sunn:' st. 42, line 3, 'be you my +fictions, she my story.' G. + + + + +TO THE QUEEN: + +AN APOLOGIE FOR THE LENGTH OF THE FOLLOWING PANEGYRICK.[85] + + + When you are mistresse of the song, 1 + Mighty queen, to thinke it long, + Were treason 'gainst that majesty + Your Vertue wears. Your modesty + Yet thinks it so. But ev'n that too 5 + --Infinite, since part of you-- + New matter for our Muse supplies, + And so allowes what it denies. + Say then dread queen, how may we doe + To mediate 'twixt your self and you? 10 + That so our sweetly temper'd song + Nor be too sort, nor seeme to[o] long. + Needs must your noble prayses' strength + That made it long excuse the length. + + + + +TO THE QUEEN, + +VPON HER NUMEROUS PROGENIE: A PANEGYRICK.[86] + + + Britain! the mighty Ocean's lovely bride! 1 + Now stretch thy self, fair isle, and grow: spread wide + Thy bosome, and make roome. Thou art opprest + With thine own glories, and art strangely blest + Beyond thy self: for (lo!) the gods, the gods 5 + Come fast upon thee; and those glorious ods + Swell thy full honours to a pitch so high + As sits above thy best capacitie. + Are they not ods? and glorious? that to thee + Those mighty genii throng, which well might be 10 + Each one an Age's labour? that thy dayes + Are gilded with the union of those rayes + Whose each divided beam would be a sunne + To glad the sphere of any Nation? + Sure, if for these thou mean'st to find a seat, 15 + Th' hast need, O Britain, to be truly Great. + And so thou art; their presence makes thee so: + They are thy greatnesse. Gods, where-e're they go, + Bring their Heav'n with them: their great footsteps place + An everlasting smile upon the face 20 + Of the glad Earth they tread on: while with thee + Those beames that ampliate mortalitie, + And teach it to expatiate and swell + To majestie and fulnesse, deign to dwell, + Thou by thy self maist sit, (blest Isle) and see 25 + How thy great mother Nature dotes on thee. + Thee therefore from the rest apart she hurl'd, + And seem'd to make an Isle, but made a World. + + Time yet hath dropt few plumes since Hope turn'd Joy, + And took into his armes the princely boy, 30 + Whose birth last blest the bed of his sweet mother, + And bad us first salute our prince, a brother. + + +_The Prince and Duke of York._ + + Bright Charles! thou sweet dawn of a glorious Day! + Centre of those thy grandsires (shall I say, + Henry and James? or, Mars and Phoebus rather? 35 + If this were Wisdome's god, that War's stern father; + 'Tis but the same is said: Henry and James + Are Mars and Phoebus under diverse names): + O thou full mixture of those mighty souls + Whose vast intelligences tun'd the poles 40 + Of Peace and War; thou, for whose manly brow + Both lawrels twine into one wreath, and woo + To be thy garland: see (sweet prince), O see, + Thou, and the lovely hopes that smile in thee, + Art ta'n out and transcrib'd by thy great mother: 45 + See, see thy reall shadow; see thy brother, + Thy little self in lesse: trace in these eyne + The beams that dance in those full stars of thine. + From the same snowy alabaster rock + Those hands and thine were hewn; those cherries mock 50 + The corall of thy lips: thou wert of all + This well-wrought copie the fair principall. + + +_Lady Mary._ + + Iustly, great Nature, didst thou brag, and tell + How ev'n th' hadst drawn that faithfull parallel, + And matcht thy master-piece. O then go on, 55 + Make such another sweet comparison. + Seest thou that Marie there? O teach her mother + To shew her to her self in such another. + Fellow this wonder too; nor let her shine + Alone; light such another star, and twine 60 + Their rosie beams, that so the Morn for one + Venus, may have a constellation. + + +_Lady Elizabeth._ + + These words scarce waken'd Heaven, when--lo!--our vows + Sat crown'd upon the noble infant's brows. + Th' art pair'd, sweet princesse: in this well-writ book 65 + Read o're thy self; peruse each line, each look. + And when th' hast summ'd up all those blooming blisses, + Close up the book, and clasp it with thy kisses. + So have I seen (to dresse their mistresse May) + Two silken sister-flowers consult, and lay 70 + Their bashfull cheeks together: newly they + Peep't from their buds, show'd like the garden's eyes + Scarce wak't: like was the crimson of their joyes; + Like were the tears they wept, so like, that one + Seem'd but the other's kind reflexion. 75 + + +_The new-borne Prince._ + + And now 'twere time to say, sweet queen, no more. + Fair source of princes, is thy pretious store + Not yet exhaust? O no! Heavens have no bound, + But in their infinite and endlesse round + Embrace themselves. Our measure is not their's; 80 + Nor may the pov'rtie of man's narrow prayers + Span their immensitie. More princes come: + Rebellion, stand thou by; Mischief, make room: + War, blood, and death--names all averse from Ioy-- + Heare this, we have another bright-ey'd boy: 85 + That word's a warrant, by whose vertue I + Have full authority to bid you dy. + Dy, dy, foul misbegotten monsters! dy: + Make haste away, or e'r the World's bright eye + Blush to a cloud of bloud. O farre from men 90 + Fly hence, and in your Hyperborean den + Hide you for evermore, and murmure there + Where none but Hell may heare, nor our soft aire + Shrink at the hatefull sound. Mean while we bear + High as the brow of Heaven, the noble noise 95 + And name of these our just and righteous joyes, + Where Envie shall not reach them, nor those eares + Whose tune keeps time to ought below the spheres. + But thou, sweet supernumerary starre, + Shine forth; nor fear the threats of boyst'rous Warre. 100 + The face of things has therefore frown'd a while + On purpose, that to thee and thy pure smile + The World might ow an universall calm; + While thou, fair halcyon, on a sea of balm + Shalt flote; where while thou layst thy lovely head, 105 + The angry billows shall but make thy bed: + Storms, when they look on thee, shall straigt relent; + And tempests, when they tast thy breath, repent + To whispers, soft as thine own slumbers be, + Or souls of virgins which shall sigh for thee. 110 + Shine then, sweet supernumerary starre, + Nor feare the boysterous names of bloud and warre: + Thy birth-day is their death's nativitie; + They've here no other businesse but to die. + + +_To the Queen._ + + But stay; what glimpse was that? why blusht the Day? 115 + Why ran the started aire trembling away? + Who's this that comes circled in rayes that scorn + Acquaintance with the sun? what second morn + At midday opes a presence which Heaven's eye + Stands off and points at? Is't some deity 120 + Stept from her throne of starres, deignes to be seen? + Is it some deity? or is't our queen? + 'Tis she, 'tis she: her awfull beauties chase + The Day's abashèd glories, and in face + Of noon wear their own sunshine. O thou bright 125 + Mistresse of wonders! Cynthia's is the Night; + But thou at noon dost shine, and art all day + (Nor does thy sun deny't) our Cynthia. + Illustrious sweetnesse! in thy faithfull wombe, + That nest of heroes, all our hopes find room. 130 + Thou art the mother-phenix, and thy brest + Chast as that virgin honour of the East, + But much more fruitfull is; nor does, as she, + Deny to mighty Love, a deitie. + Then let the Eastern world brag and be proud 135 + Of one coy phenix, while we have a brood, + A brood of phenixes: while we have brother + And sister-phenixes, and still the mother. + And may we long! Long may'st thou live t'increase + The house and family of phenixes. 140 + Nor may the life that gives their eye-lids light + E're prove the dismall morning of thy night: + Ne're may a birth of thine be bought so dear + To make his costly cradle of thy beer. + O may'st thou thus make all the year thine own, 145 + And see such names of joy sit white upon + The brow of every month! and when th' hast done, + Mayst in a son of his find every son + Repeated, and that son still in another, + And so in each child, often prove a mother. 150 + Long may'st thou, laden with such clusters, lean + Vpon thy royall elm (fair vine!) and when + The Heav'ns will stay no longer, may thy glory + And name dwell sweet in some eternall story! + + Pardon (bright Excellence,) an untun'd string, 155 + That in thy eares thus keeps a murmuring. + O speake a lowly Muse's pardon, speake + Her pardon, or her sentence; onely breake + Thy silence. Speake, and she shall take from thence + Numbers, and sweetnesse, and an influence 160 + Confessing thee. Or (if too long I stay,) + O speake thou, and my pipe hath nought to say: + For see Apollo all this while stands mute, + Expecting by thy voice to tune his lute. + + But gods are gracious; and their altars make 165 + Pretious the offrings that their altars take. + Give then this rurall wreath fire from thine eyes, + This rurall wreath dares be thy sacrifice. + + +NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. + +This poem was originally entitled (as _supra_) 'Upon the Duke of York's +Birth.' As new children were born additions were made to it and the +title altered. Cf. the Latin poem in our vol. ii. _ad Reginam_. + +The children celebrated were the following: Charles James, born May 13, +1628, died the same day; the Queen's first child: Charles II., born May +29, 1630: James, who is placed before his sister Mary, who was older +than he; born Oct. 14, 1633; afterwards James II.: Princess Mary, born +Nov. 4, 1631, afterwards mother of William III.: Princess Elizabeth, +born Dec. 28, 1635; died of grief at her father's tragical end, Sept. 8, +1650; was buried in the church at Newport, Isle of Wight, where her +remains were found in 1793. Vaughan the Silurist has a fine poem to her +memory (our edition, vol. ii. pp. 115-17): Anne, born March 17, 1636-7; +she died Dec. 8, 1640 (Crashaw from first to last keeps Death out of his +poem): Henry, born July 8, 1640, afterwards Duke of Gloucester and Earl +of Cambridge. Henrietta Anne, born June 16, 1644, is not named. + + +The title in 1646 is 'Vpon the Duke of Yorke his Birth: a Panegyricke;' +and so in 1670, which throughout agrees with that very imperfect text, +except in one deplorable blunder of its own left uncorrected by +TURNBULL, as noted below. The heading in the SANCROFT MS. is 'A +Panegyrick vpon the birth of the Duke of Yorke. R. CR.' + + Line 7, in 1646 'glories' for 'honours.' In the SANCROFT MS. line 8 + reads 'As sitts alone ....' + + Line 15, ib. 'O' for 'Sure.' + + " 16, ib. 'Th' art.' + + " 29-32 restored from 1648. Not in SANCROFT MS. + + " 33. These headings here and onward omitted hitherto. + + " 34, in 1646 'great' for 'bright.' + + " 43, our text (1648) misprints 'owne' for 'one' of Voces + Votivæ. + + Line 50, 1646 oddly misprints 'these Cherrimock.' + + Line 52, 1646, 'art' for 'wert.' + + " 54, ib. 'may'st' for 'did'st.' + + " 55, ib. 'th' art' for 'th' hadst.' + + " 64-70 restored from 1648. Not in SANCROFT MS. + + " 74, 1646, 'pearls' for 'tears.' So the SANCROFT MS. + + " 78-118, all these lines--most characteristic--restored + from 1648. TURNBULL overlooked them. Not in the SANCROFT MS. + + Line 140, 1670 drops a line here, and thus confuses, + + 'A brood of phenixes, and still the mother: + And may we long: long may'st thou live t' encrease + The house,' &c. + +PEREGRINE PHILLIPS in his selections from CRASHAW (1785), following the +text of 1670, says in a foot-note, 'A line seems wanting, but is so in +the original copy.' TURNBULL follows suit and says, 'Here a line seems +deficient.' If either had consulted the 'original' editions, which both +professed to know, it would have saved them from this and numerous +kindred blunders. + + line 145, 1646, 'light' for 'life.' + + " 151, ib. 'that's.' + + " 170, ib. 'their' for 'the offerings.' + + In line 27 'Thee therefore &c.' is a thought not unfrequent with the + panegyrists of James. BEN JONSON makes use of it at least twice. In + the Masque of Blackness we have, + + 'With that great name Britannia, this blest isle + Hath won her ancient dignity and style; + A world divided from a world, and tried + The abstract of it, in his general pride.' + +SHAKESPEARE used the same thought more nobly when he made it the theme +of that glorious outburst of patriotism from the lips of the dying +Gaunt. G. + + + + +VPON TWO GREENE APRICOCKES SENT TO COWLEY BY SIR CRASHAW.[87] + + + Take these, Time's tardy truants, sent by me 1 + To be chastis'd (sweet friend) and chide by thee. + Pale sons of our Pomona! whose wan cheekes + Have spent the patience of expecting weekes, + Yet are scarce ripe enough at best to show 5 + The redd, but of the blush to thee they ow. + By thy comparrison they shall put on + More Summer in their shame's reflection, + Than ere the fruitfull Phoebus' flaming kisses + Kindled on their cold lips. O had my wishes 10 + And the deare merits of your Muse, their due, + The yeare had found some fruit early as you; + Ripe as those rich composures Time computes + Blossoms, but our blest tast confesses fruits. + How does thy April-Autumne mocke these cold 15 + Progressions 'twixt whose termes poor Time grows old! + With thee alone he weares no beard, thy braine + Gives him the morning World's fresh gold againe. + 'Twas only Paradice, 'tis onely thou, + Whose fruit and blossoms both blesse the same bough. 20 + Proud in the patterne of thy pretious youth, + Nature (methinks) might easily mend her growth. + Could she in all her births but coppie thee, + Into the publick yeares proficiencie, + No fruit should have the face to smile on thee 25 + (Young master of the World's maturitie) + But such whose sun-borne beauties what they borrow + Of beames to day, pay back again to morrow, + Nor need be double-gilt. How then must these + Poor fruites looke pale at thy Hesperides! 30 + Faine would I chide their slownesse, but in their + Defects I draw mine own dull character. + Take them, and me in them acknowledging, + How much my Summer waites upon thy Spring. + + + + +ALEXIAS: + +THE COMPLAINT OF THE FORSAKEN WIFE OF SAINTE ALEXIS.[88] + + +THE FIRST ELEGIE. + + I late the Roman youth's loud prayse and pride, 1 + Whom long none could obtain, though thousands try'd; + Lo, here am left (alas!) For my lost mate + T' embrace my teares, and kisse an vnkind fate. + Sure in my early woes starres were at strife, 5 + And try'd to make a widow ere a wife. + Nor can I tell (and this new teares doth breed) + In what strange path, my lord's fair footsteppes bleed. + O knew I where he wander'd, I should see + Some solace in my sorrow's certainty: 10 + I'd send my woes in words should weep for me, + (Who knowes how powerfull well-writt praires would be.) + Sending's too slow a word; myselfe would fly. + Who knowes my own heart's woes so well as I? + But how shall I steal hence? Alexis thou, 15 + Ah thou thy self, alas! hast taught me how. + Loue too that leads the way would lend the wings + To bear me harmlesse through the hardest things. + And where Loue lends the wing, and leads the way, + What dangers can there be dare say me nay? 20 + If I be shipwrack't, Loue shall teach to swimme: + If drown'd, sweet is the death indur'd for him: + The noted sea shall change his name with me, + I'mongst the blest starres, a new name shall be. + And sure where louers make their watry graues, 25 + The weeping mariner will augment the waues. + For who so hard, but passing by that way + Will take acquaintance of my woes, and say + Here 'twas the Roman maid found a hard fate, + While through the World she sought her wandring mate 30 + Here perish't she, poor heart; Heauns, be my vowes + As true to me, as she was to her spouse. + O liue, so rare a loue! liue! and in thee + The too frail life of femal constancy. + Farewell; and shine, fair soul, shine there aboue 35 + Firm in thy crown, as here fast in thy loue. + There thy lost fugitiue th' hast found at last: + Be happy; and for euer hold him fast. + + +THE SECOND ELEGIE. + + Though all the ioyes I had, fled hence with thee, 1 + Vnkind! yet are my teares still true to me: + I'm wedded o're again since thou art gone; + Nor couldst thou, cruell, leaue me quite alone. + Alexis' widdow now is Sorrow's wife, 5 + With him shall I weep out my weary life. + Wellcome, my sad-sweet mate! Now haue I gott + At last a constant Loue, that leaues me not: + Firm he, as thou art false; nor need my cryes + Thus vex the Earth and teare the beauteous skyes. 10 + For him, alas! n'ere shall I need to be + Troublesom to the world thus as for thee: + For thee I talk to trees; with silent groues + Expostulate my woes and much-wrong'd loues; + Hills and relentlesse rockes, or if there be 15 + Things that in hardnesse more allude to thee, + To these I talk in teares, and tell my pain, + And answer too for them in teares again. + How oft haue I wept out the weary sun! + My watry hour-glasse hath old Time's outrunne. 20 + O I am learnèd grown: poor Loue and I + Haue study'd ouer all Astrology; + I'm perfect in Heaun's state; with euery starr + My skillfull greife is grown familiar. + Rise, fairest of those fires; what'ere thou be 25 + Whose rosy beam shall point my sun to me. + Such as the sacred light that e'rst did bring + The Eastern princes to their infant King, + O rise, pure lamp! and lend thy golden ray + That weary Loue at last may find his way. 30 + + +THE THIRD ELEGIE. + + Rich, churlish Land! that hid'st so long in thee 1 + My treasures; rich, alas! by robbing mee. + Needs must my miseryes owe that man a spite + Who e're he be was the first wandring knight. + O had he nere been at that cruell cost 5 + Natvre's virginity had nere been lost; + Seas had not bin rebuk't by sawcy oares + But ly'n lockt vp safe in their sacred shores; + Men had not spurn'd at mountaines; nor made warrs + With rocks, nor bold hands struck the World's strong barres, 10 + Nor lost in too larg bounds, our little Rome + Full sweetly with it selfe had dwell't at home. + My poor Alexis, then, in peacefull life + Had vnder some low roofe lou'd his plain wife; + But now, ah me! from where he has no foes 15 + He flyes; and into willfull exile goes. + Cruell, return, O tell the reason why + Thy dearest parents have deseru'd to dy. + And I, what is my crime, I cannot tell, + Vnlesse it be a crime t' haue lou'd too well. 20 + If heates of holyer loue and high desire, + Make bigge thy fair brest with immortall fire, + What needes my virgin lord fly thus from me, + Who only wish his virgin wife to be? + Witnesse, chast Heauns! no happyer vowes I know 25 + Then to a virgin grave vntouch't to goe. + Loue's truest knott by Venus is not ty'd, + Nor doe embraces onely make a bride. + The queen of angels (and men chast as you) + Was maiden-wife and maiden-mother too. 30 + Cecilia, glory of her name and blood, + With happy gain her maiden-vowes made good: + The lusty bridegroom made approach; young man + Take heed (said she) take heed, Valerian! + My bosome's guard, a spirit great and strong, 35 + Stands arm'd, to sheild me from all wanton wrong; + My chastity is sacred; and my Sleep + Wakefull, her dear vowes vndefil'd to keep. + Pallas beares armes, forsooth; and should there be + No fortresse built for true Virginity? 40 + No gaping Gorgon, this: none, like the rest + Of your learn'd lyes. Here you'll find no such iest. + I'm your's: O were my God, my Christ so too, + I'd know no name of Loue on Earth but you. + He yeilds, and straight baptis'd, obtains the grace 45 + To gaze on the fair souldier's glorious face. + Both mixt at last their blood in one rich bed + Of rosy martyrdome, twice married. + O burn our Hymen bright in such high flame, + Thy torch, terrestriall Loue, haue here no name. 50 + How sweet the mutuall yoke of man and wife, + When holy fires maintain Loue's heaunly life! + But I (so help me Heaun my hopes to see) + When thousands sought my loue, lou'd none but thee. + Still, as their vain teares my firm vowes did try, 55 + Alexis, he alone is mine (said I). + Half true, alas! half false, proues that poor line, + Alexis is alone; but is not mine. + + +NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS. + +The heading in 1648 omits 'Sainte.' These variations from 1648 are +interesting: + +1st Elegy: Line 9, 'would' for 'should.' + + Line 17, our text (1652) drops 'way' inadvertently. TURNBULL tinkers + it by reading 'thee' for 'the,' instead of collating the texts. + + Line 23, 'its' for 'his.' + + " 25, 'when' for 'where.' + + " 37, I have adopted 'th'' for 'thou' of our text (1652). + 2d Elegy: Line 1, our text (1652) misspells 'fleed.' + Line 3, ib. misprints 'I' am.' + + " 10, ib. drops 'beauteous' inadvertently. TURNBULL, + for a wonder, wakes up here to notice a deficient word; but + again, instead of collating his texts, inserts without authority + 'lofty.' Had he turned to 1648 edition, he would have found + 'beauteous.' + + Line 20, I have adopted 'Time's' for 'Time.' + + " 23, as in line 17 in 1st Elegy. + + " 30, a reference to the 'Love will find out the way,' + in the old song 'Over the mountain.' 'Weary' is misprinted + 'Wary' in 1670. + + 3d Elegy: Line 7, 'with' for 'by.' + + Line 17, our text (1652) misprints 'Or' for 'O.' + + " 20, I accept 't'' for 'to.' + + " 29, 'The Blessed Virgin' for 'The queen of angels.' + + " 41, 'facing' for 'gaping.' + + " 43, as in line 17 in 1st Elegy. + + " 50, 'hath' for 'haue.' + + " 51, 'sweet's' for 'sweet.' + + " 54, our text (1652) misprints 'thousand.' G. + + + + + Secular Poetry. + + II. + + AIRELLES. + + +NOTE. + +See Note on page 184 for reference on the title here and elsewhere of +'Airelles.' G. + + + + +UPON THE KING'S CORONATION.[89] + + + Sound forth, coelestiall organs, let heauen's quire + Ravish the dancing orbes, make them mount higher + With nimble capers, & force Atlas tread + Vpon his tiptoes, e're his siluer head + Shall kisse his golden curthen. Thou glad Isle, + That swim'st as deepe in joy, as seas, now smile; + Lett not thy weighty glories, this full tide + Of blisse, debase thee; but with a just pride + Swell: swell to such an height, that thou maist vye + With heauen itselfe for stately majesty. + Doe not deceiue mee, eyes: doe I not see + In this blest earth heauen's bright epitome, + Circled with pure refinèd glory? heere + I view a rising sunne in this our sphere, + Whose blazing beames, maugre the blackest night, + And mists of greife, dare force a joyfull light. + The gold, in wch he flames, does well præsage + A precious season, & a golden age. + Doe I not see joy keepe his revels now, + And sitt triumphing in each cheerfull brow? + Vnmixt felicity with siluer wings + Broodeth this sacred place: hither Peace brings + The choicest of her oliue-crownes, & praies + To haue them guilded with his courteous raies. + Doe I not see a Cynthia, who may + Abash the purest beauties of the day? + To whom heauen's lampes often in silent night + Steale from their stations to repaire their light. + Doe I not see a constellation, + Each little beame of wch would make a sunne? + I meane those three great starres, who well may scorn + Acquaintance with the vsher of the morne. + To gaze vpon such starres each humble eye + Would be ambitious of astronomie + Who would not be a phoenix, & aspire + To sacrifice himselfe in such sweet fire? + Shine forth, ye flaming sparkes of Deity, + Yee perfect emblemes of divinity. + Fixt in your spheres of glory, shed from thence, + The treasures of our liues, your influence, + For if you sett, who may not justly feare, + The world will be one ocean, one great teare. + + + + +UPON THE KING'S CORONATION. + + + Strange metamorphosis! It was but now + The sullen heauen had vail'd its mournfull brow + With a black maske: the clouds with child by Greife + Traueld th' Olympian plaines to find releife. + But at the last (having not soe much power + As to refraine) brought forth a costly shower + Of pearly drops, & sent her numerous birth + (As tokens of her greife) vnto the Earth. + Alas, the Earth, quick drunke with teares, had reel'd + From of her center, had not Ioue vpheld + The staggering lumpe: each eye spent all its store, + As if heereafter they would weepe noe more: + Streight from this sea of teares there does appeare + Full glory naming in her owne free sphere. + Amazèd Sol throwes of his mournfull weeds, + Speedily harnessing his fiery steeds, + Vp to Olympus' stately topp he hies, + From whence his glorious rivall hee espies. + Then wondring starts, & had the curteous night + Withheld her vaile, h' had forfeited his sight. + The joy full sphæres with a delicious sound + Afright th' amazèd aire, and dance a round + To their owne musick, nor (untill they see + This glorious Phoebus sett) will quiet bee. + Each aery Siren now hath gott her song, + To whom the merry lambes doe tripp along + The laughing meades, as joy full to behold + Their winter coates couer'd with naming gold. + Such was the brightnesse of this Northerne starre, + It made the virgin phoenix come from farre + To be repair'd: hither she did resort, + Thinking her father had remou'd his Court. + The lustre of his face did shine soe bright, + That Rome's bold egles now were blinded quite; + The radiant darts shott from his sparkling eyes, + Made euery mortall gladly sacrifice + A heart burning in loue; all did adore + This rising sunne; their faces nothing wore, + But smiles, and ruddy joyes, and at this day + All melancholy clouds vanisht away. + + + + +VPON THE BIRTH OF THE PRINCESSE ELIZABETH.[90] + + + Bright starre of Majesty, oh shedd on mee, + A precious influence, as sweet as thee. + That with each word, my loaden pen letts fall, + The fragrant Spring may be perfum'd withall. + That Sol from them may suck an honied shower, + To glutt the stomack of his darling flower. + With such a sugred livery made fine, + They shall proclaime to all, that they are thine. + Lett none dare speake of thee, but such as thence + Extracted haue a balmy eloquence. + But then, alas, my heart! oh how shall I + Cure thee of thy delightfull tympanie? + I cannot hold; such a spring-tide of joy + Must haue a passage, or 'twill force a way. + Yet shall my loyall tongue keepe this command: + But giue me leaue to ease it with my hand. + And though these humble lines soare not soe high, + As is thy birth; yet from thy flaming eye + Drop downe one sparke of glory, & they'l proue + A præsent worthy of Apollo's loue. + My quill to thee may not præsume to sing: + Lett th' hallowed plume of a seraphick wing + Bee consecrated to this worke, while I + Chant to my selfe with rustick melodie. + Rich, liberall heauen, what hath yor treasure store + Of such bright angells, that you giue vs more? + Had you, like our great sunne, stampèd but one + For earth, t' had beene an ample portion. + Had you but drawne one liuely coppy forth, + That might interpret our faire Cynthia's worth, + Y' had done enough to make the lazy ground + Dance, like the nimble spheres, a joyfull round. + But such is the coelestiall excellence, + That in the princely patterne shines, from whence + The rest pourtraicted are, that 'tis noe paine + To ravish heauen to limbe them o're againe. + Wittnesse this mapp of beauty; euery part + Of wch doth show the quintessence of art. + See! nothing's vulgar, every atome heere + Speakes the great wisdome of th' artificer. + Poore Earth hath not enough perfection, + To shaddow forth th' admirèd paragon. + Those sparkling twinnes of light should I now stile + Rich diamonds, sett in a pure siluer foyle; + Or call her cheeke a bed of new-blowne roses; + And say that ivory her front composes; + Or should I say, that with a scarlet waue + Those plumpe soft rubies had bin drest soe braue; + Or that the dying lilly did bestow + Vpon her neck the whitest of his snow; + Or that the purple violets did lace + That hand of milky downe; all these are base; + Her glories I should dimme with things soe grosse, + And foule the cleare text with a muddy glosse. + Goe on then, Heauen, & limbe forth such another, + Draw to this sister miracle a brother; + Compile a first glorious epitome + Of heauen, & Earth, & of all raritie; + And sett it forth in the same happy place, + And I'le not blurre it with my paraphrase. + + + + +VPON A GNATT BURNT IN A CANDLE. + + + Little, buzzing, wanton elfe + Perish there, and thanke thy selfe. + Thou deseru'st thy life to loose, + For distracting such a Muse. + Was it thy ambitious aime + By thy death to purchase fame? + Didst thou hope he would in pitty + Haue bestow'd a funerall ditty + On thy ghoast? and thou in that + To haue outliuèd Virgill's gnatt? + No! The treason thou hast wrought + Might forbid thee such a thought. + If that Night's worke doe miscarry, + Or a syllable but vary; + A greater foe thou shalt me find, + The destruction of thy kind. + Phoebus, to revenge thy fault, + In a fiery trapp thee caught; + That thy wingèd mates might know it, + And not dare disturbe a poet. + Deare and wretched was thy sport, + Since thyselfe was crushèd for't; + Scarcely had that life a breath, + Yet it found a double death; + Playing in the golden flames, + Thou fell'st into an inky Thames; + Scorch'd and drown'd. That petty sunne + A pretty Icarus hath vndone. + + + + +FROM PETRONIUS.[91] + + + _Ales Phasiacis petita Colchis, &c._ + + The bird that's fetch't from Phasis floud, + Or choicest hennes of Africk-brood; + These please our palates; and why these? + 'Cause they can but seldome please. + Whil'st the goose soe goodly white, + And the drake, yeeld noe delight, + Though his wings' conceited hewe + Paint each feather, as if new. + These for vulgar stomacks be, + And rellish not of rarity. + But the dainty Scarus, sought + In farthest clime; what e're is bought + With shipwrack's toile, oh, that is sweet, + 'Cause the quicksands hansell'd it. + The pretious barbill, now growne rife, + Is cloying meat. How stale is wife? + Deare wife hath ne're a handsome letter, + Sweet mistris sounds a great deale better. + Rose quakes at name of cinnamon. + Unlesse't be rare, what's thought vpon? + + + + +FROM HORACE. + + + _Ille et ne fasto te posuit die, &c._ + + Shame of thy mother soyle! ill-nurtur'd tree! + Sett, to the mischeife of posteritie! + That hand (what e're it wer) that was thy nurse, + Was sacrilegious (sure) or somewhat worse. + Black, as the day was dismall, in whose sight + Thy rising topp first stain'd the bashfull light. + That man--I thinke--wrested the feeble life + From his old father, that man's barbarous knife + Conspir'd with darknes 'gainst the strangers throate; + (Whereof the blushing walles tooke bloody note) + Huge high-floune poysons, eu'n of Colchos breed, + And whatsoe're wild sinnes black thoughts doe feed, + His hands haue padled in; his hands, that found + Thy traiterous root a dwelling in my ground. + Perfidious totterer! longing for the staines + Of thy kind Master's well-deseruing braines. + Man's daintiest care, & caution cannot spy + The subtile point of his coy destiny, + Wch way it threats. With feare the merchant's mind + Is plough'd as deepe, as is the sea with wind, + (Rowz'd in an angry tempest), Oh the sea! + Oh! that's his feare; there flotes his destiny: + While from another (vnseene) corner blowes + The storme of fate, to wch his life he owes; + By Parthians bow the soldier lookes to die, + (Whose hands are fighting, while their feet doe flie.) + The Parthian starts at Rome's imperiall name, + Fledg'd with her eagle's wing; the very chaine + Of his captivity rings in his eares. + Thus, ô thus fondly doe wee pitch our feares + Farre distant from our fates, our fates, that mocke + Our giddy feares with an vnlook't for shocke. + A little more, & I had surely seene + Thy greisly Majesty, Hell's blackest Queene; + And Oeacus on his tribunall too, + Sifting the soules of guilt; & you, (oh you!) + You euer-blushing meads, where doe the blest + Farre from darke horrors home appeale to rest. + There amorous Sappho plaines vpon her lute + Her loue's crosse fortune, that the sad dispute + Runnes murmuring on the strings. Alcæus there + In high-built numbers wakes his golden lyre + To tell the world, how hard the matter went, + How hard by sea, by warre, by banishment. + There these braue soules deale to each wondring eare + Such words, soe precious, as they may not weare + Without religious silence; aboue all + Warre's ratling tumults, or some tyrant's fall. + The thronging clotted multitude doth feast: + What wonder? when the hundred-headed beast + Hangs his black lugges, stroakt with those heavenly lines; _ears_ + The Furies' curl'd snakes meet in gentle twines, + And stretch their cold limbes in a pleasing fire. + Prometheus selfe, and Pelops stervèd sire + Are cheated of their paines; Orion thinkes + Of lions now noe more, or spotted linx. + + + + +EX EUPHORMIONE. + + + _O Dea, siderei seu tu stirpe alma tonantis, &c._ + + Bright goddesse (whether Joue thy father be, + Or Jove a father will be made by thee) + Oh crowne these praiers (mov'd in a happy bower) + But with one cordiall smile for Cloe. That power + Of Loue's all-daring hand, that makes me burne, + Makes me confess't. Oh, doe not thou with scorne, + Great nymph, o'relooke my lownesse. Heau'n you know + And all their fellow-deities will bow + Eu'n to the naked'st vowes. Thou art my fate; + To thee the Parcæ haue given vp of late + My threds of life: if then I shall not live + By thee, by thee yet lett me die; this giue, + High Beautie's soveraigne, that my funerall flames + May draw their first breath from thy starry beames. + The phoenix' selfe shall not more proudly burne, + That fetcheth fresh life from her fruitfull vrne. + + + + +AN ELEGY VPON THE DEATH OF MR. STANNINOW, + +FELLOW OF QUEENE'S COLLEDGE.[92] + + + Hath aged winter, fledg'd with feathered raine, + To frozen Caucasus his flight now tane? + Doth hee in downy snow there closely shrowd + His bedrid limmes, wrapt in a fleecy clowd? + Is th' Earth disrobèd of her apron white, + Kind Winter's guift, & in a greene one dight? + Doth she beginne to dandle in her lappe + Her painted infants, fedd with pleasant pappe, + Wch their bright father in a pretious showre + From heaven's sweet milky streame doth gently poure + Doth blith Apollo cloath the heavens with joye, + And with a golden waue wash cleane away + Those durty smutches, wch their faire fronts wore, + And make them laugh, wch frown'd, & wept before? + If heaven hath now forgot to weepe; ô then + What meane these shoures of teares amongst vs men? + These cataracts of griefe, that dare eu'n vie + With th' richest clowds their pearly treasurie? + If Winters gone, whence this vntimely cold, + That on these snowy limmes hath laid such hold? + What more than winter hath that dire art found, + These purple currents hedg'd with violets round. + To corrallize, wch softly wont to slide + In crimson waueletts, & in scarlet tide? + If Flora's darlings now awake from sleepe, + And out of their greene mantletts dare to peepe + O tell me then, what rude outragious blast + Forc't this prime flowre of youth to make such hast? + To hide his blooming glories, & bequeath + His balmy treasure to the bedd of death? + 'Twas not the frozen zone; one sparke of fire, + Shott from his flaming eye, had thaw'd its ire, + And made it burne in loue: 'twas not the rage, + And too vngentle nippe of frosty age: + 'Twas not the chast, & purer snow, whose nest + Was in the modest nunnery of his brest: + Noe, none of these ravish't those virgin roses, + The Muses, & the Graces fragrant posies. + Wch, while they smiling sate vpon his face, + They often kist, & in the sugred place + Left many a starry teare, to thinke how soone + The golden harvest of our joyes, the noone + Of all our glorious hopes should fade, + And be eclipsèd with an envious shade. + Noe 'twas old doting Death, who stealing by, + Dragging his crooked burthen, look't awry, + And streight his amorous syth (greedy of blisse) + Murdred the Earth's just pride with a rude kisse. + A wingèd herald, gladd of soe sweet a prey, + Snatch't vpp the falling starre, soe richly gay, + And plants it in a precious perfum'd bedd, + Amongst those lillies, wch his bosome bredd. + Where round about hovers with siluer wing + A golden Summer, an æternall Spring. + Now that his root such fruit againe may beare, + Let each eye water't with a courteous teare. + + + + +UPON THE DEATH OF A FREIND. + + + Hee's dead! Oh what harsh musick's there + Vnto a choyce, and curious eare! + Wee must that Discord surely call, + Since sighs doe rise and teares doe fall. + Teares fall too low, sighes rise too high, + How then can there be harmony? + But who is he? him may wee know + That jarres and spoiles sweet consort soe? + O Death, 'tis thou: you false time keepe, + And stretch'st thy dismall voice too deepe. + Long time to quavering Age you giue, + But to large Youth, short time to liue. + You take vpon you too too much, + In striking where you should not touch. + How out of tune the world now lies, + Since youth must fall, when it should rise! + Gone be all consort, since alone + He that once bore the best part's gone. + Whose whole life, musick was; wherein + Each vertue for a part came in. + And though that musick of his life be still, + The musick of his name yett soundeth shrill. + + + + +AN ELEGIE ON THE DEATH OF DR. PORTER.[93] + + + Stay, silver-footed Came, striue not to wed + Thy maiden streames soe soone to Neptune's bed; + Fixe heere thy wat'ry eyes upon these towers, + Vnto whose feet in reuerence of the powers, + That there inhabite, thou on euery day + With trembling lippes an humble kisse do'st pay. + See all in mourning now; the walles are jett, + With pearly papers carelesly besett. + Whose snowy cheekes, least joy should be exprest, + The weeping pen with sable teares hath drest. + Their wrongèd beauties speake a tragoedy, + Somewhat more horrid than an elegy. + Pure, & vnmixèd cruelty they tell, + Wch poseth Mischeife's selfe to parallel. + Justice hath lost her hand, the law her head; + Peace is an orphan now; her father's dead. + Honestie's nurse, Vertue's blest guardian, + That heauenly mortall, that seraphick man. + Enough is said, now, if thou canst crowd on + Thy lazy crawling streames, pri'thee be gone, + And murmur forth thy woes to euery flower, + That on thy bankes sitts in a uerdant bower, + And is instructed by thy glassy waue + To paint its perfum'd face wth colours braue. + In vailes of dust their silken heads they'le hide, + As if the oft-departing sunne had dy'd. + Goe learne that fatall quire, soe sprucely dight + In downy surplisses, & vestments white, + To sing their saddest dirges, such as may + Make their scar'd soules take wing, & fly away. + Lett thy swolne breast discharge thy strugling groanes + To th' churlish rocks; & teach the stubborne stones + To melt in gentle drops, lett them be heard + Of all proud Neptune's siluer-sheilded guard; + That greife may crack that string, & now vntie + Their shackled tongues to chant an elegie. + Whisper thy plaints to th' Ocean's curteous eares, + Then weepe thyselfe into a sea of teares. + A thousand Helicons the Muses send + In a bright christall tide, to thee they send, + Leaving those mines of nectar, their sweet fountaines, + They force a lilly path through rosy mountaines. + Feare not to dy with greife; all bubling eyes + Are teeming now with store of fresh supplies. + + + + + VERSE-LETTER + + TO + + THE COUNTESS OF DENBIGH + + (1652). + + +NOTE. + +To the volume of 1652 ('Carmen Deo Nostro' &c.) was prefixed a +Verse-letter to the COUNTESS OF DENBIGH, illustrated with an engraving +of a 'locked heart,' as reproduced in our quarto edition. In 1653 +('Sept. 23, 1653'), as appears from a contemporary marking in the unique +copy in the British Museum, the following was printed: 'A Letter from +MR. CRASHAW to the Countess of Denbigh. Against Irresolution and Delay +in matters of Religion. London, n.d.'(4to). Collation: title-page and 3 +pages, page 1st on reverse of title-page (British Museum E. 220. 2.). +The Paris copy is very imperfect from some unexplained reason (68 as +against 90 lines), and it would seem that some friend of the deceased +poet, dissatisfied with it, and having in his (or her) possession a +fuller MS., printed, if not published it. We give the enlarged +text--never before noticed, having been only named, without taking the +trouble to consult and compare it, by TURNBULL; and for the student add +the abbreviated form from 1652 'Carmen,' as it, in turn, has lines and +words not in the other. See our Essay for more on this most +characteristic poem, and relative to the Countess of Denbigh. G. + + + + +AGAINST IRRESOLUTION AND DELAY IN MATTERS OF RELIGION. + + + What Heav'n-besiegèd heart is this 1 + Stands trembling at the Gate of Blisse: + Holds fast the door, yet dares not venture + Fairly to open and to enter? + Whose definition is, A Doubt 5 + 'Twixt life and death, 'twixt In and Out. + Ah! linger not, lov'd soul: a slow + And late consent was a long No. + Who grants at last, a great while try'de + And did his best, to have deny'de 10 + What magick-bolts, what mystick barrs + Maintain the Will in these strange warrs? + What fatall, yet fantastick, bands + Keep the free heart from his own hands? + Say, lingring Fair, why comes the birth 15 + Of your brave soul so slowly forth? + Plead your pretences (O you strong + In weaknesse!) why you chuse so long + In labour of your self to ly, + Not daring quite to live nor die. 20 + So when the Year takes cold we see + Poor waters their own prisoners be: + Fetter'd and lock'd up fast they lie + In a cold self-captivity. + Th' astonish'd Nymphs their Floud's strange fate deplore, 25 + find themselves their own severer shoar. + Love, that lends haste to heaviest things, + In you alone hath lost his wings. + Look round and reade the World's wide face, + The field of Nature or of Grace; 30 + Where can you fix, to find excuse + Or pattern for the pace you use? + Mark with what faith fruits answer flowers, + And know the call of Heav'n's kind showers: + Each mindfull plant hasts to make good 35 + The hope and promise of his bud. + Seed-time's not all; there should be harvest too. + Alas! and has the Year no Spring for you? + Both winds and waters urge their way, + And murmure if they meet a stay. 40 + Mark how the curl'd waves work and wind, + All hating to be left behind. + Each bigge with businesse thrusts the other, + And seems to say, Make haste, my brother. + The aiery nation of neat doves, _pure_ 45 + That draw the chariot of chast Loves, + Chide your delay: yea those dull things, + Whose wayes have least to doe with wings, + Make wings at least of their own weight, + And by their love controll their Fate. 50 + So lumpish steel, untaught to move, + Learn'd first his lightnesse by his love. + What e're Love's matter be, he moves + By th' even wings of his own doves, + Lives by his own laws, and does hold 55 + In grossest metalls his own gold. + All things swear friends to Fair and Good + Yea suitours; man alone is wo'ed, + Tediously wo'ed, and hardly wone: + Only not slow to be undone. 60 + As if the bargain had been driven + So hardly betwixt Earth and Heaven; + Our God would thrive too fast, and be + Too much a gainer by't, should we + Our purchas'd selves too soon bestow 65 + On Him, who has not lov'd us so. + When love of us call'd Him to see + If wee'd vouchsafe His company, + He left His Father's Court, and came + Lightly as a lambent flame, 70 + Leaping upon the hills, to be + The humble king of you and me. + Nor can the cares of His whole crown + (When one poor sigh sends for Him down) + Detain Him, but He leaves behind 75 + The late wings of the lazy wind, + Spurns the tame laws of Time and Place, + And breaks through all ten heav'ns to our embrace. + Yield to His siege, wise soul, and see + Your triumph in His victory. 80 + Disband dull feares, give Faith the day: + To save your life, kill your Delay. + 'Tis cowardise that keeps this field; + And want of courage not to yield. + Yield then, O yield, that Love may win 85 + The Fort at last, and let Life in. + Yield quickly, lest perhaps you prove + Death's prey, before the prize of Love. + This fort of your fair self if't be not wone, + He is repuls'd indeed, but you'r undone. 90 + + +FINIS. + + + + +FROM 'CARMEN DEO NOSTRO' (1652). + + +_Non vi._ + + ''Tis not the work of force but skill + To find the way into man's will. + 'Tis loue alone can hearts unlock; + Who knowes the Word, he needs not knock.' + + To the noblest and best of Ladyes, the Countesse of Denbigh, + perswading her to Resolution in Religion, and to render her selfe + without further delay into the Communion of the Catholick Church. + + What heau'n-intreated heart is this 1 + Stands trembling at the gate of blisse? + Holds fast the door, yet dares not venture + Fairly to open it, and enter. + Whose definition is a doubt 5 + 'Twixt life and death, 'twixt in and out. + Say, lingring Fair! why comes the birth + Of your brave soul so slowly forth? + Plead your pretences (O you strong + In weaknes!) why you choose so long 10 + In labor of your selfe to ly, + Nor daring quite to liue nor dy? + Ah! linger not, lou'd soul! a slow + And late consent was a long no; + Who grants at last, long time try'd 15 + And did his best to haue deny'd: + What magick bolts, what mystick barres + Maintain the will in these strange warres? + What fatall yet fantastick, bands + Keep the free heart from its own hands? 20 + So when the year takes cold, we see + Poor waters their own prisoners be: + Fetter'd and lockt vp they ly + In a sad selfe-captivity. + The astonisht nymphs their flood's strange fate deplore, 25 + To see themselues their own seuerer shore. + Thou that alone canst thaw this cold, + And fetch the heart from its strong-hold; + Allmighty Love! end this long warr, + And of a meteor make a starr. 30 + O fix this fair Indefinite! + And 'mongst Thy shafts of soueraign light + Choose out that sure decisiue dart + Which has the key of this close heart, + Knowes all the corners of't, and can controul 35 + The self-shutt cabinet of an vnsearcht soul. + O let it be at last, Loue's hour! + Raise this tall trophee of Thy powre; + Come once the conquering way; not to confute + But kill this rebell-word 'irresolute,' 40 + That so, in spite of all this peeuish strength + Of weaknes, she may write 'resolv'd' at length. + Vnfold at length, vnfold fair flowre + And vse the season of Loue's showre! + Meet His well-meaning wounds, wise heart, 45 + And hast to drink the wholsome dart. + That healing shaft, which Heaun till now + Hath in Loue's quiuer hid for you. + O dart of Loue! arrow of light! + O happy you, if it hitt right! 50 + It must not fall in vain, it must + Not mark the dry, regardless dust. + Fair one, it is your fate; and brings + Æternal worlds upon its wings. + Meet it with wide-spread armes, and see 55 + Its seat your soul's iust center be. + Disband dull feares; giue faith the day; + To saue your life, kill your delay. + It is Loue's seege, and sure to be + Your triumph, though His victory. 60 + 'Tis cowardise that keeps this feild + And want of courage not to yeild. + Yeild then, O yeild, that Loue may win + The fort at last, and let life in. + Yeild quickly, lest perhaps you proue 65 + Death's prey, before the prize of Loue. + This fort of your faire selfe, if't be not won, + He is repulst indeed; but you are vndone. + + + END OF VOL. I. + + LONDON: ROBSON AND SONS, PRINTERS, PANCRAS ROAD, N.W. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[1] TURNBULL in line 19 misprints 'Diseased his ...' making nonsense. +Disease is = dis-ease, discompose, as used by PHINEAS FLETCHER: cf. vol. +iii. p. 194 et alibi. + +[2] TURNBULL again misprints in line 3 'But' for 'Best,' once more +making nonsense. + +[3] Edition of 1834, p. 295; of 1839, vol. i. p. 301. TURNBULL adds not +one iota to our knowledge, and repeats all WILLMOTT'S erroneous dates, +&c. + +[4] The present eminent Head of 'Charterhouse,' Dr. HAIG-BROWN, strove +to find earlier documents in vain for me. + +[5] As before, vol. ii. p. 302. + +[6] I feel disposed to think that it must have been some other RICHARD +CRASHAW, albeit attendance at both Universities was not uncommon. WOOD'S +words are, that he was 'incorporated' in 1641 at Oxford; and his +authority 'the private observation of a certain Master of Arts, that was +this year living in the University;' and he adds, 'afterwards he was +Master of Arts, in which degree it is probable he was incorporated' +(Fasti, _s. n._). + +[7] I owe very hearty thanks to my good friend Mr. W. Aldis Wright, +M.A., Trinity College, Cambridge, and to the Masters and other +authorities of Pembroke and Peterhouse, for unfailing attention to my +inquiries and the most zealous aid throughout. + +[8] My 'document' was an extract from an old Register of the Church. I +lent it to the late Mr. ROBERT BELL (who intended to include CRASHAW in +his 'Poets'), and somehow it got astray. My priest-correspondent at +Loretto was dead when I applied for another copy, and the Register has +disappeared. Of the fact, however, that CRASHAW died in 1650 there can +be no doubt. + +[9] Life of COWLEY, in Lives of the Poets. + +[10] Works, vol. i. (1707) pp. 44-7. Line 3 by a strange oversight is +misprinted in all the editions I have seen 'The hard, and rarest....' I +accept WILLMOTT'S correction. + +[11] Query, the legal term 'seized' = taken possession of? So VAUGHAN, +Silurist, + + 'O give it ful obedience, that so _seiz'd_ + Of all I have, I may not move thy wrath' (i. 154), + +and + + 'Thou so long _seiz'd_ of my heart' (ib. p. 289). G. + +[12] = Iamblichus, the celebrated Neo-Platonic philosopher, author of +{peri Pythagorou haireseus}, concerning the Philosophy of Pythagoras. G. + +[13] Cf. poem on Lessius, lines 18 and 38. G. + +[14] See our Memorial-Introduction and Essay, for remarks on HERBERT'S +relation to CRASHAW. G. + +[15] '_Seven shares and a halfe._' The same phrase occurs in Ben +Jonson's _Poetaster_. The player whom Captain Tucca bullied and fleeced, +was one of Henslowe's company, as shown by Tucca's stinging taunt that +they had 'fortune and the good year on their side;' the facts being that +the Fortune theatre had just been built, and that the year had been an +exceptionally bad one with the hitherto prosperous players. To call +attention tacitly to the allusion 'fortune' is, in the original +editions, printed in italics. Various other players having been +mimicked, ridiculed, and reviled, Tucca then bids farewell to his new +acquaintance with--'commend me to seven shares and a half;' a remark +which by its position seems to point to the chief men of the company. +But a great part of the office of a manager like Henslowe was, as +exhibited in Henslowe's own Diary, just such as is depreciatingly +described in our text. He had various dramatic authors, poetasters, and +others in his pay and debt. Hence as the Poetaster was written in 1601, +and this preface in 1646, it may be concluded, that 'seven shares and a +half' was the established proportion taken by, and therefore a +theatrical cant name for, the Manager. It follows also that as the +Player was one of Henslowe's company, the seven shares and a half +alluded to by Jonson was Henslowe himself, from whom he had seceded, and +with whom he had probably quarrelled. The question, however, yet remains +open, whether seven shares and a half was the proportion received by a +manager, or that taken by a proprietor-manager, such as Henslowe was. +Malone has conjectured that Henslowe drew fifteen shares; if so, the +other seven and a half may have been as rent, and out of one of the two +halves may have come the general expenses of the house. G. + +[16] '_Sixpenny soule, a suburb sinner._' This was the ordinary town +courtesan, who, eschewing the penny and twopenny rabble of the pit and +gallery, frequented the cheapest of the better-class seats, or main body +of the house. G. + +[17] = swollen. G. + +[18] = as taught by Lessius, whose praise CRASHAW sang. See the Poem in +its place in the 'Delights.' G. + +[19] = drinkers of Canary (wine)? G. + +[20] On the authorship of this Preface see our Preface. G. + +[21] This couplet appeared first in 1648 edition of the 'Steps to the +Temple;' but it properly belongs to the engraving in 'Carmen Deo Nostro' +of 1652, which is reproduced in our illustrated 4to edition. G. + +[22] 'The Weeper' appeared originally in the 'Steps' of 1646 (pp. 1-5): +was reprinted in editions of 1648 (pp. 1-6), 1652 (pp. 85-92), 1670 (pp. +1-5). For reasons stated in our Preface, our text follows that of 1652; +but see Notes and Illustrations at close of the poem for details of +various readings, &c. &c., and our Essay for critical remarks on it from +POPE to DR. GEORGE MACDONALD. G. + +[23] Appeared originally in 'Steps' of 1648 (pp. 7-9): reprinted in 1652 +and 1670. As before, our text is that of 1652 (pp. 55-61); but see Notes +and Illustrations at close. The illustration, engraved by MESAGER, is +reproduced in our illustrated quarto edition. G. + +[24] Appeared originally in 'Steps' of 1646 (pp. 6-7): reprinted in 1648 +(pp. 9-11) and 1670 editions. As it does not appear in 'Carmen Deo +Nostro,' &c. (1652), our text follows that of 1648; but see Notes and +Illustrations at close of the poem. G. + +[25] Most of 'The Office of the Holy Crosse' appeared in the 'Steps' of +1648, but in a fragmentary form. First came a piece 'Upon our B. +Saviour's Passion,' which included all the Hymns. Then 'the Antiphona,' +which was the last so called here; then 'the Recommendation of the +precedent Hymn;' then 'a Prayer;' and lastly, 'Christ's Victory,' +including three other of the verses, called 'the Antiphona.' Our text is +from 'Carmen Deo Nostro' &c. of 1652, as before (pp. 31-48)--the +engraving in which is reproduced in our illustrated quarto edition. See +Notes and Illustrations at close of this composition. G. + +[26] + + Mors et vita duello + Conflixero mirando: + Dux vitæ mortuus, regnat vivus. + +_Latin Sequence_ 12th-13th century: Vict. Pasch. G. + +[27] The engraving of our text (1652) here, is reproduced in our +illustrated quarto edition. For the Latin 'Expostulatio' belonging +thereto, see our vol. ii. G. + +[28] Appeared originally in 'Steps' of 1648 (pp. 30-1): reprinted in +1652 (pp. 49-51) and 1670 (pp. 174-6). Our text is that of 1652, as +before. See Notes and Illustrations at close of the poem. G. + +[29] Originally appeared in 'Steps' of 1646 (p. 15): was reprinted in +editions 1648 (pp. 21-2) and 1670 (p. 15). Our text is that of 1648: but +there are only slight orthographic differences in the others. G. + +[30] Appeared originally in the 'Steps' of 1646 (p. 21): was reprinted +in 1648 (p. 29) and 1670 (p. 22). Our text is that of 1648, but the +others are the same except in the usual changes of orthography. The +SANCROFT MS. in line 7 reads 'Then shall He drink;' line 9, 'My paines +are in their nonage: my young feares;' line 10 I have adopted, instead +of 'Are yet both in their hopes, not come to yeares,' which isn't +English; line 12, 'are tender;' line 14, 'a towardnesse.' I have +arranged these poems in numbered couplets as in the SANCROFT MS. I +insert 'd,' dropped by misprint in 1648, but found in 1646 (line 13). G. + +[31] Appeared originally in 'Steps' of 1646 (pp. 21, 22): was reprinted +in editions of 1648 (pp. 29, 30) and 1670 (pp. 22, 23). Our text is that +of 1648; but all agree save in usual orthographic slight changes. In +1646 stanza ii. line 2 spells 'too' as 'two.' The SANCROFT MS. varies +only, as usual, in the orthography. G. + +[32] Appeared originally in the 'Steps' of 1646 (pp. 23, 24): was +reprinted in editions of 1648 (pp. 32, 33), 1652 (pp. 61-63) and 1670 +(pp. 24, 25). Our text is that of 1652, as before, but with an entire +stanza from 1646 overlooked. See Notes and Illustrations at close of the +poem. G. + +[33] Appeared originally in 'Steps' of 1648 (pp. 33-40); was reprinted +in 1652 (pp. 1-9) and 1670 (pp. 146-153). Our text is that of 1652, as +before, and its engraving here is reproduced in our illustrated 4to +edition. See Notes and Illustrations at close of the poem. G. + +[34] Appeared originally in the 'Steps' of 1646 (pp. 25-27): was +reprinted in editions of 1648 (pp. 40-42) and 1670 (pp. 26-28). Our text +is that of 1648: but see Notes and Illustrations at close of the poem. +G. + +[35] Appeared originally in 'Steps' of 1646 (pp. 27, 28): reprinted in +editions of 1648 (pp. 42, 43) and 1670 (pp. 28, 29). Our text is that of +1648, with which the others agree, except in usual slight changes of +orthography, and the following adopted from the SANCROFT MS.: line 7, a +second 'they' inserted; line 17, 'than' for 'then;' line 21 +'_vnpearch't_' = without perch or support. G. + +[36] Appeared originally in the 'Steps' of 1646 (pp. 28-31): reprinted +in editions of 1648 (pp. 43-47), 1652 (pp. 10-16) and 1670 (pp. 29-32). +Our text is that of 1652, as before, and its engraving here, is +reproduced in our illustrated quarto edition. See Notes and +Illustrations at close of this composition. G. + +[37] Appeared originally in the 'Steps' of 1646 (pp. 94, 95), where it +is headed 'An Himne for the Circumcision day of our Lord:' reprinted in +edition of 1648 (pp. 47, 48) with 'A' for 'An' in heading, and in the +'Carmen &c.' of 1652 (pp. 17, 18), being there entitled simply 'New +Year's Day,' and in the edition of 1670 (pp. 72-74). Our text is that of +1652, as before, but there are only slight differences besides the usual +orthographical ones, in any. See Notes and Illustrations at close of the +poem. G. + +[38] Appeared originally in the 'Steps' of 1648 (pp. 48-55), reprinted +in 'Carmen' &c. of 1652 (pp. 19-28) and in 1670 (pp. 153-161). Our text +is that of 1652, as before: but see close for Notes and Illustrations. +In our illustrated quarto edition we reproduce the engraving here of +1652. G. + +[39] Appeared originally in 'Steps' of 1648 (pp. 55, 56): reprinted in +editions of 1652 (pp. 29, 30) and 1670 (pp. 161, 162). Our text is that +of 1652, as before: but see Notes at close of the poem. G. + +[40] Appeared originally in 'Steps' of 1646 (pp. 22, 23): reprinted in +1648 (pp. 56, 57) and in 1670 (pp. 23, 24). Our text is that of 1648, +with the exception of reading in line 10, 'live' for 'lives,' from 1646 +(and so in 1670). Other slight differences are simply in orthography, +and not noted. In the SANCROFT MS. the heading is 'Vpon Christ's +Resurrection.' G. + +[41] For critical remarks on the present very striking expansion and +interpretation rather than translation of MARINO, the Reader is referred +to our Essay. The SANCROFT MS. must have contained this poem, for it is +inserted in the index; but unfortunately the pages of the MS. containing +it have disappeared. It was first published in the 'Steps' of 1646 (pp. +51-73), and was reprinted in the editions of 1648 and 1670: and +separately, with a brief introduction, a few years since. Our text is +that of 1648 (pp. 57-74); but it differs from the edition of 1646 only +in slight changes of spelling, _e.g._ 'hee' for 'he,' 'guild' for +'gild,' and the like--not calling for record. The edition of 1670, in +st. i. line 3, misprints '_so_ what' for 'O what,' and TURNBULL repeats +the error, and of himself misreads in st. xxii. 'Who thunders on a +throne of stars above' for 'Who in a throne of stars thunders above,' +and in like manner in st. xxiv. line 8 substitutes 'getting' for +'finding,' and in st. xxvi. line 3 'serve' for 'serves.' Again in st. +li. first line of which is left partially blank, from (probably) the +illegibility of CRASHAW'S MS., TURNBULL tacitly fills in, 'By proud +usurping Herod now was borne,' and in line 3 misprints 'lineage' for +'image'--fetching it from the 'linage' of 1670--a plausible reading, yet +scarcely in keeping with the verb 'worn.' So too, besides lesser +orthographic alterations, in st. xxxvi. line 2 he does not detect the +stupid misprint 'whose' for 'my,' nor that of 'fight' for 'sight' in st. +xlvii. line 8, while in st. lxi. he drops 'all,' which even the 1670 +edition does not do, any more than is it responsible for a tithe of +TURNBULL'S mistakes here and throughout. G. + +[42] Appeared first in 'Steps' of 1648 (pp. 74-75): was reprinted in +1652 (pp. 66-69) and 1670 (pp. 185-187). Our text is that of 1652: but +see Notes and Illustrations at close of the poem, and our Essay for +critical remarks. The engraving of 1652 is reproduced in our illustrated +quarto edition. G. + +[43] Appeared originally in 'Steps' of 1648 (pp. 76-78), where the title +is 'A Hymne on the B. Sacrament:' reprinted in 1652 (pp. 70-73) and +1670 (pp. 187-190). Our text is that of 1652; but see Notes at close of +the poem. G. + +[44] Appeared originally in 'Steps' of 1646 (pp. 74-78), where it is +headed 'On a prayer booke sent to Mrs. M.R.:' was reprinted in 1648 (pp. +78-82), where the title differs from that of 1652 (pp. 108-112) in +leaving out 'Prayer' and 'little,' and in 1670 as in 1646. Our text is +that of 1652; but see Notes and Illustrations at close and on M.R. in +our Essay. G. + +[45] Appeared originally in 'Steps' of 1648 (pp. 82-84), and was +reprinted in 1670 (pp. 198-200). Our text is that of 1648; but see Notes +and Illustrations at close of the poem. G. + +[46] Appeared originally in 'Steps' of 1648 (pp. 84-5): reprinted in +1652 (pp. 121-2) and 1670 (pp. 204-5). Out text is that of 1652, as +before; but see Notes at close of the poem. G. + +[47] Appeared originally in 'Steps' of 1646 (p. 78): reprinted in +editions of 1648 (pp. 88-9) and 1670 (p. 60). Our text is that of 1648, +with a few adopted readings as noted onward. See our Essay on Crashaw's +relation to Herbert. In the SANCROFT MS. the heading is 'Vpon Herbert's +Temple, sent to a Gentlewoman. R. CR.' Line 3 in the MS. spells 'fire,' +and has 'faire' before 'eyes;' adopted: line 5th, books were used to be +tied with strings: line 6th, 1646, 'you have ... th':' line 7th, MS. +reads 'would' for 'will;' adopted: line 8th, 'to waite on your chast.' +G. + +[48] Appeared originally in 'Steps' of 1646 (pp. 79-84): reprinted in +editions of 1648 (pp. 89-94), 1652 (pp. 93-100), and 1670 (pp. 61-67). +Our text is that of 1652, as before, and its engraving of the Saint's +portrait, and French lines here, are reproduced in our illustrated +quarto edition. See Notes and Illustrations at close of the poem, and +our Essay on Teresa and Crashaw. G. + +[49] Appeared originally in the 'Steps' of 1646 (pp. 85-6): reprinted in +editions of 1648 (pp. 97-8) and 1670 (pp. 67-8). Our text is that of +1648. See our Essay for the biographic interest of this poem, and also +Notes at its close. G. + +[50] Appeared originally in 1648 'Steps' (pp. 94-6): reprinted in +editions of 1652 (pp. 103-107) and 1670 (pp. 194-7). Our text is that of +1652, as before. G. + +[51] Appeared originally in 'Steps' of 1648 (p. 98): reprinted in 1652 +(p. 107) and 1670 (pp. 197-8). Our text is that of 1652, as before; but +the only difference in the others is (except the usual slight changes in +orthography), that in 1648, 2d part, line 5 reads 'longing' for +'louing,' which I have adopted, as pointing back to the 'longing' of the +1st part, line 2. The title I take from 1648, as in 1652 it is simply 'A +Song.' G. + +[52] Appeared originally in the 'Steps' of 1646 (pp. 90-1): reprinted in +1648 (pp. 99-101), 1652 (pp. 81-3), 1670 (pp. 70-2). Our text is that of +1652, as before; but see Notes and Illustrations at close of the poem. +G. + +[53] From 'Five Piovs and Learned Discourses: + +1. A Sermon shewing how we ought to behave our selves in God's house. + +2. A Sermon preferring holy Charity before Faith, Hope and Knowledge. + +3. A Treatise shewing that God's Law now qualified by the Gospel of +Christ, is possible, and ought to be fulfilled of us in this life. + +4. A Treatise of the Divine attributes. + +5. A Treatise shewing the Antichrist not to be yet come. + +By Robert Shelford, of Ringsfield in Suffolk, Priest. Printed by the +printers to the Universitie of Cambridge. 1635 [quarto].' See Note at +close of the poem, and our Essay, for more on Shelford. G. + +[54] Appeared originally in 'Steps' of 1648 (pp. 106-7), where it is +headed 'A Hymne in Meditation of the Day of Judgement:' reprinted 1652 +(pp. 74-78), 1670 (pp. 191-4). Our text is that of 1652, and its +engraving here is reproduced in our illustrated quarto edition. See our +Essay for critical remarks on this great version of a supreme hymn. G. + +[55] Appeared originally in 'Steps' of 1648 (pp. 107-9): reprinted 1652 +(pp. 52-54) and 1670 (pp. 176-8). Our text is that of 1652, as before. +In 1648 lines 1 and 2 read 'you' for 'thee;' and line 33 'Thou' for +'you,' the latter adopted. G. + +[56] Appeared originally in 'Steps' of 1648 (pp. 109-110): reprinted +1652 (pp. 79-80) and 1670 (pp. 194-5). Our text is that of 1652, as +before, and its engraving here is reproduced in our illustrated quarto +edition in two forms (one hitherto unknown) from the Bodleian copy. G. + +[57] Appeared first in 'Steps' of 1646 (pp. 96-9): reprinted in 1648 +(pp. 111-113), 1652 (pp. 128-131), and 1670 (pp. 74-77). Our text is +that of 1652, as before; with the exception of better readings from +1646, as noted below. See our Memorial Introduction and Essay for +notices of the friendship of Cowley and Crashaw. G. + +[58] As with Cowley's lines: see foot-note _ante_. G. + +[59] See our Essay for critical remarks on this and related poems. G. + +[60] May be 'kings;' but the MS. doubtful. G. + +[61] Appeared originally in 'Delights' of 1646 (pp. 103-7): was +reprinted in 1648 (pp. 1-5), and 1670 (pp. 81-6). Our text is that of +1648, as before; but all agree. See Notes and Illustrations at close of +this poem for other two earlier translations, and our Essay for the +original Latin, with critical remarks. In our illustrated quarto edition +will be found a pathetic and daintily-rendered illustration, done +expressly for us by Mrs. Blackburn of Glasgow, and engraved by W.J. +Linton, Esq. G. + +[62] Appeared originally in the 'Delights' of 1646 (pp. 110-1), and was +reprinted in editions 1648 (pp. 7-8) and 1670 (pp. 106-7). Our text is +that of 1648, as before, with the exception of 'gentlest' for 'gentle' +from 1646 edition (line 2d), which is confirmed by the SANCROFT MS. The +MS. in line 10 reads 'chatting:' line 16, I have corrected the usual +reading of 'bosome' by 'blosome,' from the SANCROFT MS. The heading of +the MS. is 'E Virg. Georg. particula. In laudem Veris. R. Cr.' _i.e._ +Georg. ii. 323-345. G. + +[63] Appeared originally in the 'Delights' of 1646 (pp. 111): was +reprinted in 1648 (p. 8) and 1670 (p. 107). Our text is that of 1648, as +before; but all agree. G. + +[64] Our text is from the 'Hygiasticon' of LESSIUS in the English +translation of 1636, the title-page of which is as follows: +'Hygiasticon: or the right course of preserving Life and Health unto +extream old Age: Together with soundnesse and integritie of the Senses, +Iudgement, and Memorie. Written in Latine by LEONARD LESSIUS, and now +done into English. The third Edition. Cambridge, 1636.' [42mo.] It is +there entitled 'To the Reader, upon the Book's intent,' and begins at +line 15; these opening lines being taken from the 'Delights' of 1646 +(pp. 112-3). See our Essay for remarks on this poem, and at close Notes +and various readings. G. + +[65] Appeared originally in 'Delights' of 1646 (p. 114): was reprinted +in 1648 (p. 10) and 1670 (pp. 109-110). Our text is that of 1648; but +all agree. Our Poet has turned the prose of the original into verse +(Æthiopica, lib. i. cap. 1). There was an early English translation of +the whole, as follows: 'Heliodorus, his Æthiopian History: Done out of +Greeke, and compared with other Translations. 1622' [quarto]. In line 2, +1646 and 1670 read 'in' for 'with:' line 7, 1646 misprints 'thy' for +'they.' The heading in the SANCROFT MS. is 'The faire Æthiopian, R. Cr.' +TURNBULL perpetuates 1670's misprint of 'in' for 'with' in line 2, and +adds one of his own in line 26, by misprinting 'guest' for 'guests.' G. + +[66] Appeared originally in the 'Delights' of 1646 (pp. 115-117): was +reprinted 1648 (pp. 11-13) and 1670 (pp. 110-112). Our text is that of +1648; but all agree, save as follows: 1646 misprints 'cease' for 'ceaze' += seize, in line 17 from end; and 1670, line 8 from beginning, misprints +'own' for 'owe;' the latter perpetuated by TURNBULL. The poem is an +interpretation of the first Idyll of Moschus. Line 5, 'O yes' = the +legal _oyiez_: line 8, 'owe' = own. G. + +[67] The first edition of Bishop Andrewes' Sermons was published in +1629. Its title was 'XCVI Sermons by the Right Honourable and Reverend +Father in God, Launcelot Andrewes, late Lord Bishop of Winchester.' It +is dedicated to the King by Laud and Buckeridge, Bishop of Ely, the +latter adding a funeral sermon. It has no frontispiece. LOWNDES, as +other bibliographers, does not seem to have known the edition of 1629. +He calls that of 1631 the first, while it was the second; and he says it +had a frontispiece, which is incorrect, if I may judge from a number of +copies personally examined. The third edition (1635) I have not seen: +but in the quarto (1641) appears a frontispiece-portrait, having the +lines above, but no name or initials. Line 8 TURNBULL misprints 'and, +with holy.' G. + +[68] Appeared originally in 'Steps' of 1646 (pp. 31-2): was reprinted in +1648 'Delights' (pp. 18-19) and 1670 (pp. 86-7). Our text is that of +1648; but all agree. The SANCROFT MS. gives us the name of the +'gentleman' celebrated, being thus headed, 'In obitum desideratissimi +Mri Chambers, Coll. Reginal. Socij. R. CR.;' and in the margin in the +archbishop's hand, 'The title and Name not in ye print.' The same MS. +supplies us with lines 11-12 and 21-22, never before printed. This MS. +in line 23 reads 'If yet at least he' ... and in line 32, 'are' for +'be.' Only other slight orthographic differences. G. + +[69] Appeared originally in the 'Steps' of 1646 (pp. 32-3): was +reprinted in 1648 'Delights' (pp. 19-20) and 1670 (pp. 87-9). Our text +is that of 1648; but all agree. See our Essay, as before, for notice of +HERRYS or HARRIS. In the SANCROFT MS. the heading is 'In ejusdem +præmatur. obitu. Allegoricum. R. CR.;' and line 9 reads 'tree' for +'plant;' adopted. For a short Latin poem added here, see our vol. ii. G. + +[70] Appeared originally in 'Steps' of 1646 (pp. 33-5): was reprinted in +1648 'Delights' (pp. 20-2) and 1670 (pp. 89-91). Our text is that of +1648, as before; but see Notes and Illustrations at close of the poem. +G. + +[71] Appeared originally in 'Steps' of 1646 (pp. 36-7): was reprinted in +1648 'Delights' (pp. 23-4) and 1670 (pp. 91-3). Our text is that of +1648; but see Notes and Illustrations at close of the poem. G. + +[72] Appeared originally in 'Steps' of 1646 (pp. 38-9): was reprinted in +1648 'Delights' (pp. 24-6) and 1670 (93-4). Our text is that of 1648; +but all agree. The SANCROFT MS. is headed 'Epitaphium in eundem R. CR.' +Line 31, TURNBULL misprints 'breast' for 'breath.' G. + +[73] Appeared originally in 'Steps' of 1646 (pp. 39-40), where it is +headed 'An Epitaph vpon Husband and Wife, which died and were buried +together.' G. + +[74] Appeared originally in 'Steps' of 1646 (pp. 40-1), where it is +headed 'Vpon Mr. Staninough's Death:' was reprinted in the 'Delights' of +1648 (p. 27), with the simple inscription, 'At the Funerall of a young +Gentleman,' and in 1652 (pp. 24-5), as 'Death's Lectvre and the Fvneral +of a yovng Gentleman,' and in 1670 (_bis_), viz. p. 96 and pp. 206-7. +Our text is that of 1652, as before; but see Notes at close of the poem. +G. + +[75] Appeared originally in 'Steps' of 1646 (p. 40): was reprinted in +1648 'Delights' (p. 28) and 1670 (p. 95). Our text is that of 1648; but +all agree. In the SANCROFT MS. the heading is 'In obitum Dris Brooke. R. +CR.' It reads 'banck' for 'bankes' in line 7. See our Essay for notice +of Dr. Brooke. G. + +[76] Appeared originally in 'Steps' of 1646 (pp. 45-6): was reprinted in +'Delights' of 1648 (pp. 28-9) and 1670 (pp. 101-2). Our text is that of +1648, as before; but see Notes and Illustrations at close of the poem. +G. + +[77] Appeared originally in 'Steps' of 1646 (pp. 47-8): was reprinted in +1648 'Delights' (pp. 30-1) and 1670 (pp. 102-4). Our text is that of +1648, as before; but see Notes and Illustrations at close of the poem. +G. + +[78] Appeared originally in 'Steps' of 1646 (pp. 49-50): was reprinted +in 'Delights' of 1648 (pp. 32-3) and 1670 (pp. 104-6). Our text is that +of 1648, as before; but see Notes and Illustrations at close of the +poem. G. + +[79] Appeared originally in the 'Delights' of 1646 (pp. 123-4), along +with the other two (pp. 125-6): reprinted in 1648 (pp. 35-7) and 1670 +(pp. 117-19). Our text is that of 1648; but all agree. G. + +[80] TURNBULL glaringly misprints 'The heart commanding in my heart,' +and in line 15, 'O love;' the latter after 1670 as usual, the former his +own. G. + +[81] Appeared originally, without signature, in the work celebrated, +which is a great folio. It was preceded by another, which, having been +inserted in the 'Steps' of 1646 and the other editions (1652 excepted), +has been continued to be reprinted as CRASHAW'S. It really belonged to +Dr. EDWARD RAINBOW, Bishop of Carlisle, for whom, so late as 1688, it +was first claimed by his biographer, Banks. This was pointed out in +Notes and Queries by Rev. J.E.B. Mayor, M.A. of St. John's College, +Cambridge (2d s. vol. iv. p. 286). One is thankful to have the claim +confirmed by the non-presence of the poem in the SANCROFT MS., where +only the above shorter one appears as by CRASHAW. Lines 5-8 of RAINBOW'S +poem it was simply impossible for our singer to have written. I add the +other at close of CRASHAW'S, as some may be curious to read it: but as +the details of the grotesque 'Frontispiece' are celebrated by RAINBOW, +not CRASHAW, I have departed from my intention of reproducing it in our +illustrated quarto edition, the more readily in that I have much +increased otherwise therein the reproductions announced. RAINBOW +contributed to the University Collections along with CRASHAW, MORE, +BEAUMONT, E. KING, &c. &c. See our Essay on Life and Poetry. G. + +[82] Appeared originally in 'Delights' of 1646 (pp. 130-1): was +reprinted in 1648 (pp. 40-1) and 1670 (pp. 122-3). Our text is that of +1648, as before; but all agree. G. + +[83] Appeared originally in 'Delights' of 1646 (pp. 132-3), and was +reprinted in 1648 (p. 42); but not in 1670. Our text is that of 1648; +but all agree. The original is found in Carm. v. = 2. The SANCROFT M.S. +reads line 4 'Blithest:' line 9 'numerous:' line 12 'A:' line 17 'our.' +G. + +[84] Appeared originally in 'Delights' of 1646 (pp. 134-8): was +reprinted in 1648 (pp. 43-7) and 1670 (pp. 124-8). Our text is that of +1648, as before; but see Notes and Illustrations at close of the poem. +G. + +[85] Appeared originally in 'Voces Votivæ ab Academicis +Cantabrigiensibus pro novissimo Carolo et Mariæ principe filio emissæ. +Cantabrigiæ: apud Rogerum Daniel. MDCXL.' This poem did not appear in +the edition of 1646; but it did in that of 1648 (p. 48). Not having been +reprinted in 1670, it was overlooked by TURNBULL. Our text is from 1648; +but the only variation from the original in 'Voces Votivæ' is in line 7, +'to' instead of 'for.' G. + +[86] Appeared as in last piece: 1648 (pp. 49-53), 1670 (pp. 97-100). Our +text is that of 1648, as before, which corrects TURNBULL in many places +as well in errors of commission as of omission; the latter extending to +no fewer than forty-nine entire lines, in addition to the 'Apologie' of +fourteen lines. See Notes and Illustrations at close of the poem. G. + +[87] Appeared originally in 1648 'Delights;' but is not given in 1670 +edition. Line 14 is an exquisitely-turned allusion to COWLEY'S +title-page of his juvenile Poems, 'Poetical _Blossoms_,' 1633. +'Apricocks' = apricots. So HERRICK in the 'Maiden Blush,' + + 'So cherries blush, and kathern peares, + And _apricocks_, in youthfull yeares.' + +(Works, by HAZLITT, vol. ii. p. 287.) G. + +[88] Appeared originally in the 'Delights' of 1648 (pp. 67-8): was +reprinted in 1652 (pp. 115-120) and 1670 (pp. 200-4). Our text is that +of 1652, as before; but see various readings at close of the poems. See +also our Essay for critical remarks. Our poet translates from the Latin +of FRANCIS REMOND. G. + +[89] Charles I. See our Essay on this and kindred poems, and their +relation to the Latin royal poems. G. + +[90] See our Notes to Panegyric on the Queen's 'numerous progenie.' G. + +[91] Petronius, Satyricon, cap. 93. G. + +[92] See notice of Staninough in our Essay, as before. G. + +[93] See our Essay, as before, for notice of PORTER. G. + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE COMPLETE WORKS OF RICHARD +CRASHAW, VOLUME I (OF 2)*** + + +******* This file should be named 38549-8.txt or 38549-8.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/3/8/5/4/38549 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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