Odes In imitation of the seauen penitential psalmes, vvith sundry other poemes and ditties tending to deuotion and pietie.

ODES . IN IMITATION OF THE SEAVEN PENITENTIAL PSALMES , With Sundry other Poemes and ditties tending to deuotion and pietie .

IMPRINTED , ANNO DOMINI . M. D.CI .

TO THE VERTVOVS LADIES AND GENTLE WOMEN READERS OF THESE DITTIES .

WHen for my owne priuate recreation I had penned some of these poemes yet not entending to make them publyke , for that I feared their soone receauing the deserued censure of the slendernesse of their woorth . Yet hauing by chaunce communicated them with a freind , I was not a litle vrged , to affoord them the libertie of open view , but also perswaded to their further augmentation . And now hauing yeilded vnto the one , & aduentured the other , I knew no better way then to make dedication of them vnto your selues , whose sweete voyces or virginalles may voutsafe so to grace them , as that thereby they may be much bettered , and the rather yf it shal please you to obtaine of some skilful Musitian , such requisite tunes , as may vnto them be best fitting . And therein crauing your helpful furtherance , and for my presumption your fauourable pardon , I humbly take my leaue , excusing my self with my owne good meaning :

Vttred as ensueth . Vid.

The vaine conceits of loues delight I leaue to Ouids arte , Of warres and bloody broyles to wryte Is fit for Virgils parte . Of tragedies in doleful tales Let Sophocles entreat : And how vnstable fortune failes Al Poets do repeat . But vnto our eternal king My verse and voyce I frame And of his saintes I meane to sing In them to praise his name . Yours in his best endeuours R. V.

ODES . IN IMITATION OF THE SEAVEN PENItential Psalmes : To so-many seueral tunes of Musick .

In imitation of the first penitential Psalme . Beginning . Domine ne in furore . Psalm. 6. WHen my misdeedes o God May thee to anger mooue , Amiddes the rigour of thy rage Voutsafe mee not reprooue . Nor when for my offence Thy chastisment must bee , In thy displeasure o deere Lord Let it not light on mee . Thy mercies Lord I craue Of strength I am bereft , O salue the sorenesse that my sin Vpon my bones hath left . My much agrieued soule ▪ In sorrowes doth abound , How long o Lord shal they endure Or comfort be vnfound . O turne thy self to mee And rid my soule of paine , Eu'n for thy mercies which exceed And euer do remaine . O hasten thee o Lord To saue and set me free , Amongst the dead ( to their auaile ) Ther 's none can thinck on thee . And in the depth of hel Where there is no redresse , Who is it that wil giue the praise Or vnto thee confesse ? My sighinges for my sinnes Haue past in painful wise , And I each night wil wash my bed With teares of wailing eyes . My sight is vext with feare Of fury in thy rage , Oh that my sinnes must be my foes To weare mee out in age . A way a way from mee All yee that are vniust , Let him my mournful sound receaue In whome I put my trust . That I with ioy may say How to my sutes accord , Voutsafed hath to condescend My deere and louing Lord . Let shame my foes befall And vexed let them bee , Their owne conuersion or their shame Lord let them quickly see . Glory o God to thee And vnto Chryste thy sonne , As also to the holy ghoste Let endlesly be donne . AMEN .

In imitation of the second penitential Psal. Beginning . Beati quorum remisse sunt . Psalm. 31. O How much blest may they remaine That pardon for their guylt obtaine , And whose great il and each offence Lies hid in contryte penitence . What happy state may hee be in To whome our Lord imputes no sin , Whose conscience doth no guyle retaine That can himself beguyle againe . I did my sinnes in sylence hold , In grief whereof my bones grew old , M●ane whyle my dayes in plaintes of paine Without redresse I spent in vaine . But when o Lord thy heauy hand No day or night I could withstand , But that in anguish ouerworne My conscience prickt as with a thorne . Lo then o Lord I did begin To vtter all my secret sin , No longer list I ought conceale But each iniustice to reueale . Against my self I said wil I My wronges confesse and faultes defy , To thee o Lord , o Lord to thee That haest from all absolued mee . And since I thus thy mercies fynde Let each of good and godly mynde , Aproche to thee in happy tyme To pray for pardon of his cryme . For such as so do sinck in sin That stil they plunged lie therein , Vnable are of thee to gaine What contryte sinners can obtaine . O Lord my refuge restes in thee When troubles do enuyron mee , O free me then my freedomes ioy From such as seeke mee to annoy . Great comfortes Lord I do conceaue Thow mee thy seruant wilt not leaue , But wilt instruct and guyd me right And kepe me euer in thy sight . O yee that carelesse are of grace Behold and see your brutish case , And be not as the horse and mule That liue deuoyd of reasons rule . And thow o Lord in mercies ryf Voutsafe restraine their straying lyf , With bit and brydle make them stay That vnto thee wil not obey . Since that for those of sinful trade Ful many scourges there be made , Wel him , that doth in God repose Whose mercies may his soule enclose . Be therefore ioyful in our Lord All that to righteousnesse accord , Let each with gladnesse beare his parte That hath a pure and perfect harte . All glory bee O Lord to thee And to thy Sonne in lyke degree As also to the holy Ghoste Perpetual and enduring moste . AMEN .

In imitation of the third penitential Psal. Beginning . Domine ne in furore . Psalm. 37. AMiddes thy fury my deere lord Rebuke not mee , Nor let thy chasticement befall When wrathful thow shalt bee . Thy arrowes in my self I feele Alredy stand , I see o Lord thow fixed haest At me thy ayming hand . Within my self ( o wo is mee ) No health I fynde , Through feare and terror of thy face That semes to wrath enclynde . My very bones disturbed bee , Gon is their peace , My owne beholding of my sinnes Doth woork my woes encrease . And as my sinnes surmounting are , I must confesse , So are they mounted on my head And heauy me opresse . My crymes forepast and pardoned Lyke scarres remaine , That putryfyde break out a new Because I sin againe . A woful wretche am I become Crooked I grow , Each day I waile and whyle I liue . I will continew so . My members by illusions led Mee so restraine , My healthlesse body is vnapt True vertue to retaine . By great affliction I am brought Exceeding low , Be moued Lord through my lowd groanes Thy mercies to bestow . My sutes o Lord tend all to thee Thow knowest my case , My plaintes and penance Lord accept That so I may haue grace . Within my self my silly hart Is vexed stil , My force is lost , my sight I lack , To see and shun my il . In my displeasing thee o Lord Right wel I see , My freindes are foes , my soule is sought And force is wrought on mee . They wish my il , and speake my scorns , And when they smyle , Their hate admittes no tyme of stay To study fraud and guyle . But I alas with patience prest Must all for-beare , Lyke to the dumb and seeming deaf I neither speak nor heare , And for because o gratious God I trust in thee , Thow wilt I know my louing Lord Giue eare and ayd to mee . Let not o Lord my foes preuaile Least they reioyce , Sith scars my feet I may remoue But they aduance their voice . Of my misdeedes I am prepard To beare the smart , Stil is my sin before my sight And sorrow in my hart . I wil reuolue my faultes fore-past Amiddes my mynde , And those I truly wil confesse That I may mercy fynde . Hate hath confirmd on me my foes In wrongful wyse And stil they liue and do encrease Whose enuy neuer dies . They yeild me il that gaue them good And me defy , Because I goodnesse would ensue From which they seeke to fly . Forsake me not o Lord my God In state destrest , Be redy Lord to my relief My lyf in thee doth rest . To Father Sonne and holy Ghost All glory bee , From former endlesse date to dure To all eternitie . AMEN .

In imitation of the fourth penitential Psal. Beginning . Miserere mei Deus . Psal. 50. HAue mercy o good God on mee In greatnesse of thy grace , O Let thy mercies manifold My many faultes deface . Foule filthy loath-some vgly sin Hath so defyled me , With streames of pittie wash me cleane Els cleane I cannot bee . To wel my foule vnclensed crymes Remembrance do renew , To plaine in anguish of my hart They stand before my view . To thee alone o Lord to thee Thease euilles I haue donne , And in thy presence , wo is mee , That ere they were begun . But since thow pardon promisest Where hartes-true-ruthe is showne , Shew now thy mercies vnto mee To make thy iustnesse knowne . That such as do infringe thy grace Be made asham'd and shent , As ryfe thy mercies to behold As sinners to repent . With fauour view my foule deffects In crymes I did begin , My nature bad , my mother fraile , Conceau'd I was in sin . But since thy self affectest truthe And truthe it self is thee , I truly hope to haue thy grace From sin to set me free . Since to thy faithful thow before The secret scyence gaue , Whereby to know what thow would'st spend The sinful world to saue . Whose heav'nly hysope sacred droppes Shal me besprinckle so , That it my sin-defyled soule Shal wash more whyte then snow . O when myne eares receaue the sound Of such my soules release , How do sin-laden lymmes reioyce At hattes true ioyes encrease ? From my misdeedes retyre thy sight View not so foule a staine , First wype a way , my spots impure Then turne thy face againe . A cleane and vndefyled hart O God creat in mee , Let in me Lord , of righteousnesse A spirit infused bee . From that most glorious face of thyne O cast me not away , Thy holy Ghoste voutsafe o God With mee that it may stay . The ioy of thy saluation Lord Restore to me againe And with thy spryte of graces chief Confirme it to remaine . That when at thy most gracious hand My sutes receaued bee , The impious I may instruckt How they may turne to thee . For when o Lord I am releast From vengeance and from blood , How ioyful shal I speak of thee So gratious and so good . Thow Lord wilt giue me leaue to speak , And I thy praise wil shew , For so the graces do requyre , Thow doest on me bestow . If thow sin-offringes had'st desyr'd , As wonted weere to bee , How gladly those for all my illes , I would haue yeilded thee . But thow accepts in sacrifise , A sorowing soule for sin , Despysing not the hart contryte , And humbled mynde within . Deale gratiously o louing Lord , In thy free bounties wil , With Syon , thy dere spouse in earth , And fortify it stil . That so thow maiest thence receaue , That soueraigne sacryfise , From alter of all faithful hartes , Deuoutly where it lies . To thee o Father glory bee And glory to the Sonne , And glory to the holy Ghost Eternally be donne . AMEN .

In imitation of the fyft penitential Psal. Beginning . Domine exaudi orationem meam . Psal. 101. O Let o Lord thyne eares enclyned bee To heare the prayers that I make to thee : And my hartes grief that breaketh forth in cryes O let it haue the power to pearce the skyes . Turne not from me thy fauourable face , What day or howre I am in heauy case : But when I call to thee in my destresse O heare me Lord and send me soone redresse . My dayes and yeares alas with litle gaine Lyke vnto smoke how are they past in vaine : My forces Lord how are they partch'd and dry , Deuotions lack yeilds moisture no supply . The blasted grasse my image now can shew , My withered hart confirmes that it is so : And I forgotten haue vnto my grief , To eat the bread of my soules best relief . And my too much regard of earthly care Before my self for grace I could prepare , Made reason to abandon reason quyte , And to affection fast it self vnyte . Bur now o Lord , since that I do begin To see my self , and know the shame of sin , From earthly traine I wil retyre my mynde , Thee wil I seeke , my sauing helth to fynde . In desert lyke as liues the Pelicane , Or as the crow that doth day light refraine Or chirping sparow sitting all alone . I shrowd , I watche , retyr'd , I make my mone . But whyle O Lord I do endure this lyf Expecting peace by fleeing wordly stryf Old freindes I fynde become new noysome foes O loue me Lord , for losse of loue of those . My penance not restraind through scorne of theirs , My food I take with ashes & with teares : Thee more I feare , least thow on me should'st frowne , That can'st mee raise , and raising cast me downe . My dayes declyne as doth a shadow passe , And I as hay that whylome was as grasse : But thow from age to age shalt euer bee , Then euermore o Lord forget not mee . Voutsafe o Lord in puissance to aryse , To raise thy Sion that depressed lies : Now is the tyme , the tyme doth now expyre , It mercy wantes , and mercy doth desyre . This glorious woork was first begun by thee , Thy seruants earst were glad the stones to see : And they wil grieue with hartes-afflicted care , If so the ruynes thow do'st not repare . But when o Lord thy woorks shal shew thy fame The faithlesse people then shal feare thy name : And eartly kinges shal bend their glory downe , At thy celestial glorie and renowne . Because thy Churche thy Syon thow did'st buyld , Where thow would'st euer haue thy honor hild : And haest not vnregarded hard the plaint , Of faithful folk , thrall'd in vntruths restraint . And that no tyme remembrance may impare , Of thy maintayned woork , and mercy rare , Let people now , for people to ensew , Thy prayse record , thy praises to renew , For from high heauen to this low earthly place , From blis to bale our Lord enclynes his face : The groanes to hear , the greiued to releasse , To free from thrall , to make affliction ceasse . The more may Sion now sound foorth his fame , Ierusalem his praises may proclame : Where in his Churche his people do accord , And whereas kings are subiects to their Lord . Who may o Lord thy datelesse dayes relate , That of all ages ouerpasse the date : It 's thow to vs haest put apointed space , O stop not me ere half I run my , race . The world and welkin first by thee were made , Thow heauens sphere , thow earths foundation laid , Thow shalt endure , they shal consumed bee , Thow madest tyme , tyme hath no force on thee . Thease elements by alteration strange , Shal changed bee , and so remaine in change : But thow o Lord that woorkes all at thy wil , Wa'st earst the same , the same remayning stil . Vousafe o Lord there ofspring to preserue , That thee in feare and faith and loue do serue : And in thy wayes directed to remaine , A lasting lyf in lasting blisse to gaine . Vnto the Father , Sonne and holy Ghoste , All praise and glory be ascrybed moste , As herefore before the world begun And as it now , and euer shal be donne . AMEN .

In imitation of the sixt penitential Psal. Beginning . De profundis clamaui ad te Domine . Psal. 129. EV'n from the depth of woes Wherein my soule remaines , To thee in supreame blis O Lord that highest raignes , I do both call and cry : T' is deep hart-sorrowes force That moues me thus to waile , T' is pittie Lord in thee Must make it to auaile , Thyne eares therfore aply . If stricktly thow o Lord Obserued haest my sinne , Alas what shal I do ? What case then am I in ? If rigour thow extend : But wel o Lord I know Sweet mercy dwelles with thee , And with thy iustice then It must expected bee , And I therefore attend . My soule doth wait on thee , Thy grace confirmes my trust , My warrant is thy woord : Thow keepest promis iust , Keep me o Lord secure : Let thy afflicted flock Comfort in thee retaine , From dauning day to night , From night to day againe , Let stil their hope endure . There is with our good God Much mercie stil in store , Redemption doth remaine With him for euer more , Aboundant is his grace : His people he affects He wil not leaue destrest , The thralled he wil free , With ease of their vnrest , And all their faultes deface . All glory be therefore O Father vnto thee , And so vnto the Sonne , The lyke great glory bee , And to the holy Ghoste : Such as it wonted was , Before the world began , Such as now yet it is , And euer shal remaine , Aboue all glorie moste . AMEN .

In imitation of the seauenth penitential Psal. Beginning . Domine exaudi orationem meam . Psalm. 142. VOutsafe admit thy gratious eares , With myld regard for to attend , The prayers that a playning hart , With sorowing sighes to thee doth send : And let thereto o louing Lord Thy iustice and thy truthe accord . In rigour of thy righteous doome O do not skan thy seruants cause , For there is none on earth alyue Through faultlesse lyf free'd from thy lawes : Then how may I in sinful plight Seeme iust in thy all-seeing sight ? The freind of sin , the foe of soules , Down to the earth my soule hath brought , Which to the heauen should aspyre , Since from the heauen it was wrought : O raise it vp againe to blis From earth and all that earthly is . Amids the darck mis-led am I , Where lack of light sinnes view denies , I hue a lyf more lyke to death , Whyle dead from grace my body lies : And whereas care through secret smart Sends anguysh to afflict my hart . But I o Lord recall to mynde What thow hast donne in tyme before , And how thy iustice hath bene great , But how thy mercy hath bene more : Thus hope of help stil comfort giues , While mercy stil with iustice liues . My stretched hands to thee display The ensignes of my yeilding hart , My soule as earth that water wants Of vertues frute can beare no parte : I faint , send soone relief of raine , Least els vnfruteful I remaine . Thy face of pittie not of wrath Turne not o louing Lord from mee , And let not Lord my owne misdeedes Haue lasting force to anger thee : For so might I compare my case To theirs that furthest fal from grace . But since my hope is firme in thee Let me betymes thy mercy haue , The way of helth make knowne to mee , My feete from erring paths to saue : Only to thee my soule retyres , Only thy mercy it desyres . O free mee from my sinful foes , To thee I fly to be secure , Teach me the lesson of thy wil , And let me put it wel in vre , Thow art my God and God of all That for thy ayd and comfort call . Thow wilt voutsafe to mee o Lord Thy holy spryt to bee my goyd , My faith and hope in thee is sutch , And sutch it euer shal abyde : Reuyue thow wilt mee for thy name , Goodnes in thee requyres thesame . So that at last by thee o God My soule from bale to blis bee brought , And that in mercy thow sub●…ert All those my soules destruction sought : And force of foes destroy'd may bee , And I made safe for seruing thee . All glory bee to thee o God , The Father of eternal might : And to the Sonne , and holy Ghoste , Three in an vndeuyded plight : As now it is , and was of yore , And shal endure for euermore . AMEN .

EXTRACTS OF THE SIBYLLAES PROPHESIES OF CHRISTE .

Sibylla Persica . THow serpent fraught with craft and crueltie Shalt by a mightier strength bee troden low , And on base earth , the high God borne shal bee , And from a maid the branch of blis shal grow : And that true woord , vnseene before of all , Shal now be seene , and shal be felt withall .

Sibylla Libyca . IN obscure darcknes light shal glistring shyne , The Synagogs straight bands vnbound shal bee : The king of lyf be seene of mortal eyen , And in a maidens lap shal nowrisht bee , And high aboue the gentils hee shal raigne , And shal in mercie his estate maintaine .

Sibylla Delphica . ATtend ( o earth ) thy soueraigne Lord to see , And know thy God , which is Gods only sonne : Chyld of the highest , and moste high is hee , Whose beeing by no earthly wight begun : Hee shal the great expexted prophet bee , Of woorthy greatnesse , and great dignitie .

Sibylla Cumea . AMaid excelling all in sainctitie And whose cleere beauty shal the starres exceed Of Chyld ( in future tyme ) conceau'd shal be , And of the rarest sacred blood and seed : And from the heauens the sweet dew downe shal fal Into her brests to nowrish him withal .

Sibylla Erithrea . IN later age , high God wil him abase , And vnto low estate himself inclyne , Mixing his nature with our humaine race , His Godheid to our manheid to combyne : And lo the litle lamb in strawy bed , Shal of a maid be nowrished and fed .

Sibylla Samia . O Fond Iudea , why do'st thow neglect , The certaine knowlege of thy very God , Thy happy dayes why do'st thow so reiect ? O why do'st thow prepare for him a rod ? With thorny crowne his head why do'st thow presse ? And for his taste a bitter potion dresse .

Sibylla Cumana . WHat tyme the third dayes sleep hath taken end The tyme prescry bed also end shal take , Of death , whose rule to that space did extend , And then as from his sleep shal wax awake , Hee whose now bringing liues reuyned ioy , Shal shew how men from death may lyf enioy .

Sibylla Helispontiaca . EVen from the heau'ns moste high & stately throne The eyes of God the earth shal oueruiew , And of all creatures take regard of one , Of modest meeknesse , and moste gratious hew : And as a man God shal bee borne on earth , And of an hebrew virgin haue his birth .

Sibylla Phrigia . THe earth shal rent at feareful trumpet sound , And kinges as vassals at Gods seat appeere , In iustice all his iudgments shal abound , Yeilding to men as men deserued heere : vnto the good , stil during heauenly ioy , And to the il , long-lasting helles annoy .

Sibylla Tiburtina . THow Bethlem arte the birth-place of thy Lord , That doth from Nazareth assume his name , O blessed moother , blis doth thee affoord , His loue , that leaues himself pledge of thesame ▪ O blessed bee that sweet milk-yeilding brest , To nowrish God , right happely adrest . FINIS .

THE FIFTEEN MYSTERIES OF THE ROSARIE , OF OVR BLESSED LADY . WHEREOF The first fyue . are ioyful . The second sorowful . And the third glorious .

The first ioyful mysterie . Conteyning the Anuntiation of our blessed Lady . WHen heau'ns rare loue resolued mannes release ▪ From thrall to him that first produced sin , It was decreed that this redeeming peace , Must by a God and by a man begin , Then on Ambassage was an Angel sent , vnto the best of all the best on earth , With grace-ful greeting to declare th' intent , Of Gods designe in such a sacred berth . And euen as shee assented to thesame , Eft-soones in her conception did begin , And blessednes gaue tytle to her name , And ioy at her glad hart did enter in .

The second ioyful mysterie . Conteyning our ladies visitation of S. Elizabeth . HEr change exchang'd not humblenesse for pryde , That bore Gods Sonne and yet would go to see , Her in whose wombe Gods seruant did resyde , vaine pointes could not with her pure vertue bee . And as her coosins eares receau'd her voyce , One chyld by Simpathy the other moued , Which outwardly both moothers made reioyce , Whose ioy each chyld by inward ioy approoued , From virgins mouth the dittie then begun , How much her soule did magnify her lord , Which since inur'd help-seekers from her sonne Therein her praise , in his praise to record .

The third ioyful mysterie . Conteyning the birth of Christe . AT Ceasars hest to Bethlem shee repaires , As duty wild , where duty had no claime , No harbenger her loging there prepares , Her poore estate fyndes harbor lyke thesame . But when as God in chyldheid would appere , Odors and Angels brightnes it adorne , And with deere loue , her louing babe so deere , Shee doth adore assoone as it is borne . High priuilege exempted her from wo , Which but Gods mother none could els obtaine , And heauenly bounty did on her bestow , That shee a mayden euer should remaine .

The fourth ioyful mysterie . Conteyning the presentation of Christe in the temple . AT tyme prefixt by ryte of auncient lore , That now the moother must her babe present , Though not impure , but purer then before , And purenesse bringing with her where shee went . As warned then , through hyre of hope and faith , Good Simeon comes , to see his wished sight , Where as the Swan he singes before his death , And in one ioy doth end all worlds delight . And all they yeares old Anne deuoutly spent , That with her age encreast her godly zeale , Did now bring ioy vnto her hartes content , And ioy to all where ioy shee did reueale .

The fift ioyful mysterie . Conteyning our Ladies fynding of Christe in the temple . SEquestred loue doth foster grief and ioy , Twixt feare of losse and hope of happy gaine , Such was her case that lost her litle Boy , Whose ioy reuyn'd in fynding him againe . In Temple once buylt by the wysest king , Where not til now the wise king took his place , Who yet no kingly porte did thether bring , But wisdome vttred with a chyldish face . With lyke in yeares shee haply might him seek , But did him fynde with doctors in dispute , He left repose to fraudlesse myndes and meek , And took in hand wise folly to confute .

The first sorowful mysterie . Conteyning the apprehension of Christe . WO woorth that sorow should succeed to ioy , Or for the il the good sustaine the smart , But since the sonne would suffer wronges annoy , The mother beares her vndeserued parte . For when as hee destrest in garden prayd , And bloody sweat ran downe his face amayne , And Iudas false him Iudasly betrayd , Lost ioy her left , betrayed vnto payne . And when with rage the Iewes led him away . Then anguish her surprys'd and led in thrall , And all that outwardly on him they lay . Doth inwardly vnto her hart befall .

The second sorowful mysterie . Conteyning the scourging of Christe . T'Apease the rage of causelesse raging Iewes , false Pylate wild true Christe should scourged bee , Cryme knew he none , and yet he did refuse , vnpunished to set the guiltlesse free . Then was sweet Iesus to a piller tyde , And helhoundes lasht at his faire tender skin , Embrude with blood al round on euery syde , Thinck then how stood th' aquyter of our sin . And in what sorrow his poore moother stood , For his great good , their so great il to view , Her hart bled inward , and distild the blood , Foorth at her eyes , though altred in the hew .

The third sorowful mysterie . Conteyning the crowning of Christ with a crowne of thorne . FOr change of torture not for ease of grief , The Iewes do from the piller Christe vnlose , Whyle his sad mothers hopes of his relief , Encrease her sorow in his lengthned woes . For they his dolour to deryde and scorne , The king of kinges in mockage king do call , And on his head they fix a crowne of thorne , And in his hand a reed to rule withall . Yeilding pure loue impure dispight and hare , Accursed rebels to a king of grace . That purchase now the due disgraceful state , Of their stil kinglesse and contemptuous race .

The fourth sorowful mysterie . Conteyning Christe his bearing of his Crosse . WHen Pylat pressed by the Iewish rage , With wrested conscyence gaue the doome of death , The Iewes made ha'st their fury to aswage , In the extinguishing lyf-giuers breath . And his deaths engyne , burthen of his wo , They make him beare , that him to beare they made . Him in the way to death to tortur so , Til they his fainting force , giue forced ayd . Wel may his mother mourne this to obserue , That from his burthen lodes her mynd with woes , And he wel aske what withered stocks deserue ? When fruteful trees are serued so of those .

The fyft sorowful mysterie . Conteyning the crucifying of Christe . OH wo is mee at this great end of grief , Christe is arryued at his dying place , Lamblyke he standes , bereft of all relief , Subiect of sorow , vassal of disgrace . For on his crosse all naked they him nail , And reare it vp , and wound him in the ●yde , Which all the blest of heauen do be wayl , Whyle of the earth th' accursedst it deryde . The swoord of sorow peirseth now the hart , Of his lamenting mother in her dolour moste , Whose deere Sonnes sorrow , and surmounting smart , Now takes an end , in yeilding of his ghoste .

The first glorious mysterie . Conteyning the resurrection of Christe . SVbdued sorrow glory now ensues , For from the crosse the soule of Christ descending ▪ Bringes to expecting soules the cheereful newes , Of heauens entrance , their de●ynments ending . And to his corps his ghoste return'd againe , Triumphant raiseth it from closed toombe , Terror vnto the actors of his paine , Whose hate , and death , and hel , is ouercome . And glory that his sorowes now had chased , Extinguisht wo in his kynde mothers hart , And glory there and in all others placed , That of his anguish had sustayned parte .

The second glorious mysterie . Conteyning the ascention of Christe into heauen . WHen forty dayes the day had ouerpast , Of that now lyf that Christe from death had taken , He did resolue his heauens returne at last , To leaue the world that had him first forsaken . And hauing to his mother now appeered , And also vnto his apostles true . Confirmd in faith , and in his glory cheered , On Oliue mount he biddes them all adieu . And there liftes vp himself to sacred blis , Th' unworthy world no more him so retaynes , And all the glory that in heauen is , To him is yeilded and to him remaynes .

The third glorious mysterie . Conteyning the coming downe of the holy Ghost . PLac'd in his throne and glorious chaire of state , Our louing Lord regardful of o●● weal , Would let no more then ten dayes run their date , Ere he his keeping promis would reueal . What tyme his mother and disciples bent , In secret wyse to inuocate his name , Down vnto them his holy Ghost he sent , With glorious fyre their hartes for to enflame , And to conioyne to his Churche now begonne , That spirit of truthe that euer must it guyde , In only truthe , whyle shyneth any Sun , Maugre the woorst , of daunted hellish pryde .

The fourth glorious mysterie . Conteyning the assumption of our blessed Lady . WHen hence to parte the virgin did obtayne , The Hierarchies their due attendance gaue , To bring her sin-lesse soule to endlesse raigne , Whyle saintes on earth brought her pure corps to graue . Which therein laid , and found thence ●o be tane , Makes pietie to faith to recomend , That soone her soule to earth return'd againe , And tooke her corps and did therewith ascend . A due prerogatiue , and due alone , Vnto that body that had borne a chyld , As neuer did , nor neuer shal do none , That neuer was with thought of sin defyld .

The fyft glorious mysterie . Conteyning the coronation of our blessed Lady . ASsumpted so with soule and corps combyned , As glorious as at last the blest shal-bee , And placed in her princely seat asygned , Lyke 〈◊〉 woorthy self appeered shee . And that eternal euer three in one , There crowned her the highest heauens Queene , Where angels yeilded honor to her throne , As seemly might to her estate bee seene . And shee that earst replenisht was with grace , Now plac'd where grace flowes out in plenties store , Where as shee sees her sonnes most gratious face , And sues for such as sue to her therefore .

AVE MARIA . HAil Marie , filled ful of grace , Our Lord remaines with thee , And thow among'st thy sexes race , Remainest blest to bee . And as thow blessed did'st become , So did'st thow blessed bring , The blessed frute that from thy wombe , So blessedly did spring . Both now and when wee yeild our ghoste , To him prefer our case , Because his mercy lasteth moste , And thow art ful of grace .

EPITHETES OF OVR BLESSED LADY .

Templum Dei . WHen God would from the heauens to earth his progres take , No pallace there he found , that might him entertaine , Saue one rare edifice , which earth-quake could not shake , The woorthiest woork of praise , that might on earth remaine . Faire court of sanctitie , made holier for his sake , That thee the Temple made , his presence to conteyne : O Temple where as God , voutsafed for to bee , Stil may wee him adore , adoring stil in thee .

Porta Caeli . WHen grace came from aboue , then wa'st thou made the gate , By which it entred heer , & brought the hope of blis , Which hope in hartes of men , remaineth stil in state , And stil through faith and loue , aliue preserued is : Then since thow wa'st the dore , for grace this to relate , So art thow heauens gate , and wel accordeth this , That as God vnto men , did thee his entrance make , Men entrance vnto God , againe by thee may take .

Scale Caeli . HOw may our heauy load , enclyning to descend , Ascend vp in the ayre , beyond the egles flight , Except by such a guyde , as wil assistance lend , And can from step to step , direct the passage right : Or rather her owne self , vs better to defend , The ladder wil become , that scaleth heauens height , By whose degrees of grace , to blis we may attaine , And in our mounting vp , not to fall downe againe .

Electa vt Sol. BRaue ornament of heau'n , and comforter of kynde , Of whome the shyning Sun , doth but the shadow seeme , Which as it is elect , and hath his place assygn'd , Aboue the planets all in earthly eyes esteeme , Aboue all sainctes to thee , is woorthely resygn'd , The seat in supreame blis , that best doth thee beseeme , Where thy faire beauteous face , no foggy cloudes can hyde , But chosen there by grace , in beauty do'st abyde .

Pulchra vt Luna . WHen Ph●bus fyrie steedes , in compassing the ground , Leaue night behynde their backs , til they againe returne , Then that there should some light , in darcknes yet be found , Faire Phobe staies behynde , supplying Ph●bus turne : Where shee through borrowed light , in beauty doth abound , And cheers therewith the earth , that might in darcknes mourne , So thy faire influence , faire Cynthia vs extend , Which thy most bounteous sonne , doth thee most freely lend .

Stella Maris . BRight shyning star by sea , in lands abandon'd fight ▪ At once apparent seene , on either syde the spherre , The goodly guyd of all , and guyding all aright , That in this raging sea , ensue thy brightnes cleer : And bending not there cours to such illuding light , As may mislead to wrack , ear danger do apeer , For thy direction leades , vnto the porte of rest , Those guyded by thy self , whose guydance is the best .

Ciuitas Dei . FAire Citie stately buylt , by singular deuyce , Of that great Architeckt who is of greatest arte , With all those goodly stones that are esteem'd of pryce , Which to this fairest woork , their fairnesse do conuert : And through far aquaducts , from springes of paradise , The waters thether led , which do refresh the hart , And to octroy this towne , with all-surpassing fame , The buylder here himself , a Citizen became .

Turris Dauid . HIgh Tower of stately porte , and far to be descry'd , And far from thence againe , the world about to view , It self the centinel , that therein doth abyde , To giue aduyce of foes , or danger to ensue : Wel furnisht for defence , for e'ury tyme and tyde , For there a thowsand sheilds are hanging on a rew , Not weapons of offence , but for defence to bee , Of all such innocents , as from oppression flee .

Nauis Institoris . IF certitude of gaine , may stit the searching mynde , To venter in the ship , from whence misfortunes flee , That gouerneth the ●yde , and doth comaund the wynde , And speedely returnes , with goodes that pretious bee , The barck of blis is shee , and fortunate by kynde , With grace shee fraighted is , and is of custome free , Taking but for her hyre , and her inritching trade , Loue of deuoted myndes , that rich by her are made .

Puteus Aquarum . CLeere wel that ouerflowes , with water fresh and fyne , More pure then vnicorne , could water euer make , Made by the hand of him , that water turn'd to wyne , Who giuing it the force , dry sorrow to aslake , Made that it neuer should , to any drought enclyne , But that at all assaies , men might refreshing take , And oure their healthes decay , in deadly agonies , Since from the flud of lyf , the issue doth atise .

Quasi plantatio Rosae in Iericho . EV'n as the fragrant Rose , on prickling stalk doth grow , In fairnesse and sweet smel , and vertue to bee seene , And woorthyest to be worne , and wel beseeming so , In place of diademe , in garland of a Queene , So thow which heau'n did once , on bryry earth bestow , In fairnes , smel , and force , and burgeo●s euer greene , Shew'st that this goodly flower , may thy resemblance bee , Saue in his vading kynde , which cannot bee in thee .

Lilium Conualium . THe litle lilly flower , that groweth in the dale , Leaues not in low degree , sweet fairnes for to shew , Which Salomon himself , could neuer counteruaile , With all his gorgeous cost , he lyked to bestow ; So thow sweet smelling flower , whome sorrowes did assaile And worldes esteeme debase , to fortune that was low , Did'st not therefore restraine , the splendure of thy face , Nor now from heauen to earth , the greatnes of thy grace .

Flos Campi . THe faire flower of the feild , the dayes-eye doth apere , When thence al flowers besyde , retyre and vade away , For to this only slower , doth each month of the yeare , For comely beauties cause , become the month of may , But that dayes-eye in deed , which doth all seasons cheere , And keepes her beauty stil , which no tyme can decay , The dayes-eye is of day , where night may neuer bee , And thow celestial flower thy self art only shee .

Lilium inter Spinas . AMiddes a gard of thorne , this goodly lilly grew , Defended from the foe , that would it faine deface , Who neere it to aproche , the entrance neuer knew , With poison to infect , where filth had neuer place , Yet such might bee the hate , that heeron did ensue , That hee reseru'd reuenge , vnto succeeding space , What tyme a crowne of thorne , the sonnes head did sustaine , To make the mothers hart , be pricked with the payne .

Quasi Cedrus . LYke as the Cedar doth , her nurs Libantis hil , Pay with begotten fame , of her deere nowrishing , In that so talle a tree , as all trees doth excel , Moste stately there doth stand , in verdure flourishing : And doth through sauor sweet , serpents away expel , So that high tree of blis , that from the earth did spring , Vnto the earth againe , her sweetnesse doth extend , Il thinges to driue a way , that may the good offend .

Quasi Palma . THrough burden of thy grief , long did'st thow liue deprest , Part-bearer of the wo , thy deere sonne did sustaine , But as it was a grief , to see him so destrest , Loue made it seeme some ioy to help to beare his payne : Yet grief had neuer force , so far thee to molest , That thow did'st vertue want , thy courage to maintaine , No more then is the palme , deprest by heauy waight , Who doth thereby the more , endeuour to bee straight .

Quasi Cypressus . LYke to the Cypres tree , on holy Sion hil , That faire and vncorrupt , in vigour doth endure , And with sweet smelling breath , her neere aprocher fil , And doth for Temples yeild , her timber euer pure , So on that sacred mount , thow arte remaining stil , And in that Temple wrought , whence grace men must procure , And where aproching soules , do thy sweet sent rec●aue , And where no su●er thow , do'st vnrelieued leaue .

Quasi Oliua . WHen earths foule face of sin , might not the heauen see , The waters all did hyde , that vnto earth pertayn'd , Except the Arck wherein , few were reserued free , There to expect the tyme , that mercie might be gayn'd , From whence the hopeful Noe , a pigeon did let flee , Who by an Oliue branch , brought newes that hope remayn'd , So thow the Oliue tree , whereout our ioy did spring , Becam'st the signe of ioy , and ioy it self did'st bring .

Quasi Platanus . LYke as the goodly plane , doth beautify the feild , And far her root extend , more stedfast for to stay , To make her farspred boughes refreshful shadow yeild , For trauelers repose , in hotest tyme of day , So thow exalted art , of heauen to be beheld , Where in assured state , thy boughes thow do's● desplay , To the refreshful shade , of trauelers desyre , That pas in dangers dread , of soule afflicting fyre .

Hortus Conclusus . MOste pleasant garden plot , true Paradise of praise , Erected in the roome , of Paradise of iore , But yet that garden far , exceeding sundry wayes , As perfect second woorkes , exceed things wrought before : All closely wall'd about , inmolate it stayes , No serpent can get in , nor shal for euermore , All goodly flowers and fru●●s , here in perfection grow , Vertue on stockes of grace , hath them engraffed so .

Fons signatus . PVre ●ountaine surely seald , from each infectious thing . Whose water doth exceed , the taste of Nectar sweet , And in two milk-whyte streames , did issue out and spring , And for one only taste , allowed to bee meet , Who by diuineful power , did to it vertue bring , That turn'd it to a red , whose colour could not fleet , And taken from thy brest , did yeild it from his syde , To salue the sinnes of men , when on the crosse hee dy'd .

Speculum sine Macula . CLeere christal earst conseald , in rock of heauens height , Was fram'd into a glas , to mirrour vertues face , Whence lookers on receaue , conseruatiue of sight , And can no spot espy , to make it beare disgrace : But serueth as a booke , and moueth much delight , By purenesse therein seen , impurenesse to deface , And sacred was the skil , that pullisht it so cleere , That through it vnto men , saluation did appeere .

L'enuoy . LEt not offence mistake dispraising this my praise , As to dispraise the same , in deeming it too much , Whose woorth demaundeth more , of duty many wayes ▪ And doth deserue dispraise , in that it is not sutch , But since deuotion hath , afforded these assayes , Let not vncaus'd offence , all causelesse seeme to grutch , For heau'n did by behest , most blessed her ordayne , And shee ordayn'd her praise , successyue to remaine . FINIS .

OVR BLESSED LADIES LVLLABY . Vpon my lap my soueraigne sit● , And sucks vpon my brest , Meane whyle his loue sustaines my lyf , And giues my body rest . Sing lullaby my litle boy , Sing lullaby my liues ioy . When thow ha'st taken thy repast , Repose ( my Babe ) on mee , So may thy moother and thy nurs Thy cradle also bee . Sing lullaby my litle boy , Sing lullaby my liues ioy . I grieue that duty doth not woork All what my wishing would , Because I would not bee to thee But in the best I should , Sing lullaby my litle boy , Sing lullaby my liues ioy . Yet as I am and as I may I m●st and ●●lbe thyne , Though all to 〈◊〉 ●ot thy self , Vout●af●●g to be myne ▪ Sing lullaby , &c. Sing lullaby , &c. My vits my woords , my deeds , my thoughts , And els what is in mee , I rather wil not wish to vse , If not in seruing thee . Sing lullaby , &c. Sing lullaby , &c. My babe , my blis , my chyld , my choyce , My frute my flower , and bud , My Iesus , and my only ioy , The somme of all my good . Sing lullaby , &c. Sing lullaby , &c. My sweetnesse and the sweetest moste , That heauen could earth deliuer , Soule of my loue , spirit of my lyf , Abyde with mee for euer . Sing lullaby , &c. Sing lullaby , &c. Liue stil with mee , and bee my loue , And death wil mee refraine . Vnlesse thow let mee dy with thee , To liue with the againe . Sing lullaby , &c. Sing lullaby , &c. Leaue now to waile thow lucklesse wight , That wrough'st thy races woe , Redresse is found , and foiled is , Thy frute-aluring foe . Sing lullaby , &c. Sing lullaby , &c. Thy frute of death from Paradise Made thee exyled mourne , My frute of lyf to Paradise Makes ioyful thy returne . Sing lullaby , &c. Sing lullaby , &c. Grow vp good frute , bee nowrisht by These fountaines two of mee , That only flow with maidens milk , The only meat for thee . Sing lullaby , &c. Sing lullaby , &c. The earth is now a heau'n become , And this base bower of myne A princely pallas vnto mee , My Sonne doth make to shyne , Sing lullaby , &c. Sing lullaby , &c. His sight giues cleerenesse to my sight , When waking I him see , And sleeping his myld countenance Giues ●auour vnto mee . Sing lullaby , &c. Sing lullaby , &c. When I him in myne armes embrace I feel my harte imbraced , Eu'n by the inward grace of his , Which hee in mee hath placed . Sing lullaby , &c. Sing lullaby , &c. And when I kis his louing lips Then his sweet smelling breath Doth yeild a sauor to my soule , That feedes loue hope and faith . Sing lullaby , &c. Sing lullaby , &c. The shepheards left their keeping sheep , For ioy to see my lambe , How may I more reioyce to see , My self to bee the dam. Sing lullaby , &c. Sing lullaby , &c. Three Kinges their treasures hether brought , Of incense myrh and gold , The heauens treasure and the King That here they might behold , Sing lullaby , &c. Sing lullaby , &c. One sorte an Angel did direct , A star did guyde the other , And all the fairest sonne to see That euer had a mother . Sing lullaby , &c. Sing lullaby , &c. This sight I see , this chyld I haue , This infant I embrace , O endlesse comfort of the earth , And heau'ns eternal grace . Sing lullaby , &c. Sing lullaby , &c. Thee sanctitie her self doth serue , Thee goodnesse doth attend , Thee blessednesse doth wait vpon , And vertues all comend , Sing lullaby , &c. Sing lullaby , &c. Great Kinges and Prophets wished haue , To see that I possesse , Yet wish I neuer thee to see , If not in thankfulnesse . Sing lullaby , &c. Sing lullaby , &c. Let heauen , and earth , & saintes , & men , Assistance giue to mee , That all their moste occurring ayd Augment my thankes to thee . Sing lullaby , &c. Sing lullaby , &c. And let th' ensuing blessed race Thow wilt succeeding raise , Ioyne all their praises vnto myne . To multiply thy praise . Sing lullaby , &c. Sing lullaby , &c. And take my seruice wel in woorth , And Iosephs heere with mee , Who of my husband beares the name , Thy seruant for to bee . Sing lullaby , &c. Sing lullaby , &c.

A REPREHENSION OF THE REPREHENDING of our ladies praise . FY foule contempt of self-defyling breath . That dar'st disgorge , gainst so great puritie . The poisson issued from defect of faith , To serue to witnes thy impietie . Whence can it come but from infernal hat● That earth-bred wretches are become to brag , As Gods owne mothers glorie to abate , To call and compt her but a saffron bag . Or that a ●il the subiect vnto sin Dare equalize her self as good as shee , In whome no thought impure hath euer bin , Or least of purenesse-want might euer bee . No Saint or Angel euer taught them this , For heauen did her entytle ful of grace , And her conception of the king of blis Her high regard comends to eu'ry race . Her self of her owne praise was prophetesse , And of the races that should it conserue , Needes must they then her euer-praise professe That loue and law enuyteth to obserue . The honor to a mother such as shee To such a sonne must argue greater loue , Which may not vnto him offensiue bee , In whome kynde loue can it no lesse approoue . But hatred of her laud may neuer grow Of zeale that loue vnto her sonne may raise , Nor can the chyld his loue on such bestow , As kindle hatred at the mothers praise . He which is mighty her hath magnifyde , Let faithful then her euer magnify , Whyle the vnfaithful in conceit abyde , Of doing wel her praises to deny . And let performance of her woorthy praise , Of her praise-yeilding race remaine the signe , That so the blame that for it others raise , Become the marck of their dissenting lyne . And let contempt of her with such abyde , As pay in hel the tribute of their pryde .

THE TRIVMPHE OF feminyne Saintes . THe trump of fame soundes foorth the factes , Of wel-deseruing wights : And kinges with honor do reward , The seruice of their knights . Of such therefore I ceas to sing , My song of such to frame : Whose meed restes in no princes power , Nor praise in earthly fame . And of the sexe of woman kynde , Though not of those of yore : With seared brests against their foes , That warlyke armour wore . But such as armed were with faith , Against soul-killing euil : And did in combat ouercome , The flesh , the world , and deuil . And for thy loue o Iesu Christe , And glorie of thy name : That found no woes to bee endur'd , But did endure thesame . Their faith did bring them to endure , Endurance blis did bring : In blis they now do sing to thee , Now here of them I sing . Vnheard it was in earth before , Vnsounded foorth by ●ame : Vnknowne that ere in silly sexe Such resolution came . Til wil and vertue did conioyne , In choise of chiefest good : And grace gaue ayd , & faith gain'd force , And nothing it withstood . As Teela first example giues , Whome fyre could not annoy : And beares and lions left vnhurt , Each other to destroy . Fierce rigour woorking rigours ruth , No hurt the hurtlesse fynde : Yet shee a martres is estem'd , That martred was in mynde . Euphemia throwne to sauage beastes , By men of beastly mood : Found beastes deuoyd of sauagenesse , And men more thirsting blood . And all the torments that shee had , To her not seemed payne : But when a swoord transpearst her corps , True glory was her gayne . The noble Anastatia , Poore christians did relieue : Whose heath nish husband her therefore , Vnkyndely did agrieue . But when the swoord and cruel death , Did her from thralle release : The heau'ns her freedome did restore , With endlesse ioy and peace . Besydes this Anastatia , A martres and a wyf : Two virgins of lyke name and faith , Lost each lyke wise their lyf . The elder that most paynes endur'd , Most is her glory spred : That losing first , paps , handes and feet , Did lastly lose her head . Mylde Dorothey endured much , And dy'd by dint of swoord : Whose suffrance did her loue approue , To her deere louing Lord . Shee dead , to him * * Th●●-phil●● . sweet roses sent , That dying did her scorne : Which moued him her to ensue , That els had bene forlorne . Erasma in her faiths defence , Did wade through many a wo : Vntil the hedsman ended all , In his death-bringing blow . And with this virgin , virgins three , Did gladly yeild to die : So selling lyf at rate of death , Vndying lyf to buy . Seraphia her setled loue , To Christe was so entyre : That strokes with cudgels shee sustaind , And burning flames of fyre . And last of all , her lyf and all , For his deere loue shee left : And gaynd an euer-lyuing lyf , In steed of that was reft . Sabi●a nobly did ensue , Seraphia noble dame : Yet nobler either in their actes , Then only in there name . Refusing of vngodly gods , The seruice to fulfil : Shee rather yeilded to the swoord , Then to the pagans wil. As Authia the woes beheld , Which were by tyrants donne : Vnto the constant Bishop * * Eleuth●rius . , Her so wel-beloued sonne . Shee ioy'd to haue so good a chyld , For Christe to suffer smart : But when with him shee strangled was , Then ioyed moste her hart . Affra in turning vnto Christe , Turn'd from a lyf impure : And for his loue the fyres fierce flame , Was willing to endure . And to a stake when shee was ty'd , Eu'n as the fyre was made : I giue the thankes o God for this , This glorious martres said . Sincere was Simphorosas faith , As did by deedes appeere : In gayning vnto her belief , Her spouse and children deere . And with her husband to accord , And sonnes in number seauen : To liue in Christe to dy for Christe , To loue and liue in heauen . Fides and Spes and Charitas , Borne of S●p●●● sage . Rype in their faith and forti●●d● , Though greene in yeares of age . Were whipped , thrust in boyling pitche , And hedded afterward : Whose woorth the world of right admyres , And heauen doth reward . When blest Blandina had the rack , And sundry tortures past : Vnto a bul wrapt in a net , Shee was with fury caste . And when of this so feirce a beast , No harme shee could receaue : Then with the swoord , men woors then beastes . Did her of lyf bereaue . Potamina a noble Dame , Was with her mother † † Marcella . brent : When fearing-threates nor ●uries ●orce , Might moue her to relent . Shee beeing dead to him * * Basilides . app●●rd , That her did ayd in death : Whereby he turning vnto Christe , Was martred for h●s faith . Thryce happy was Felicitas , Tha● happely did see : Her sonnes her sayinges to ensue , And of her faith to bee . And for the same by diuers deathes , A deathles lyf renew : Which by the swoord shee lastly gaynd , And so did them 〈◊〉 . The mayd Martina beeing led Appollo 〈◊〉 adore : The Idol of it self fel downe , As shee it came before . A Lion vnto her they put , Her body they did wound : And by the swoord her lyf shee lost , And lyf thereby shee found . To offer to the Idol Gods , Cecilia did refuse : And contumelies , paynes , and death , Contented was to chuse . And in a skalding caldron cast , And thryce strook with the swoord : Attayning so vnto the ioyes , The heauens do affoord . Faire Agatha in beautie rare , And welth did both abound : But vertue which is more of woorth , Might more in her be found . Vnhurt on Irons hot shee stood , Cut of were both her paps : Her lyf shee left , and gayned blis , So ending al mishaps . The loyal Appollonia . Withstood the pagan lawes : For which with violence her teeth , Were torne from out her iawes . And when for her a burning fyre , The helhoundes did prouyde , Into the same shee went her self , And constantly shee dy'd . Russi●● and Sec●n●● both , Sisters and virgins were : Both liuing in the loue of God , And dying in his feare . From sundry sorrowes which they 〈◊〉 , The swoord did them release : And lyf and ioy foorth with began , As wo and death did cease . Basilia hauing fixt her loue , Where loue is best beloued : Tooke no regard of carnal loue , By fond affection moued . To Christe shee vowed chastitie , And beeing forc'd to chuse A heathens loue , or losse of lyf , To liue shee did refuse . Eugenia woorthy wel her name , Not of Dianaes traine : To offer therefore did refuse , Vnto her Idol vaine . Shee drowned not ty'd to a stone , And in the Tiber cast : But on a Christmas day to Christ , By dint of swoord shee past . Concordia with the heauens in peace , And with the earth at stryf : With blowes was beaten vnto death , And ended so her lyf . Vnited fast in faith and hope , And Charities accord : Shee died here in perfect p●ace , And so liues with her lord . Pure Margares a prised pearle , For Christe himself to buy : In tender yeares imbrac'd his loue , A●● for his law did die . The diuelish dragon burst in twain● , That ment her to destroy : Her death and sorrowes here but short , Brought lyf and lasting ioy . Columbae sixteene yeares of age , Resolu'd a chaste intent : Whose vow to Christe a loose yongman , To violate was sent . But him a sauage beare had slaine , Had shee not stayd the force : A virgin martres so shee dyde , And hee obtayn'd remorce . Theodosia martirs did salute , As at the bar they stood : And prayd them pray for her to him , For whome they shed there blood . For which the ireful iudge ordaynd , To teare her brests a way : And to rent open both her sydes , And cast her in the sea . Sweet Catharin belou'd of Christe , To Christe was constant seene : In leauing for his only loue , To bee a crowned Queene . Yet crownd shee was with martyrdome , When torments from her fled : And Angels bore her ghoste to blis . When shee had lost her hed . The true belieuing Barbara , Fals Gods would not adore : And lost her fathers woorthlesse loue , For Christ his loue and lore : Strange torments hee on her impos'd , And in straight prison hild : And lastly her his only chyld , With his owne handes he kild . Yong Agnes aged thirteen yeares In Christe repos'd her trust : A●d not for fauour nor for force , Would yeild to ought vniust . No harme shee had , when in the fyre , Shee throwne was by her foes : And with a swoord thrust through her neck , Were ended all her woes . Christina faire and noble mayd , Did vnto Christe obey : For which shee ●y'd vnto a stone , Was caste into the sea . But Angels ayded her to land , Where shee more woes did taste : And as an arrow strake her hart , Her soule to heauen paste . When Fausta in her faithful mynde , Resolued did remaine : The Idol priest wild with a saw , To cut her corps in twain . But when he saw it hurt her not , Hee in her faith affied : And comfort from the heauens receau'd , With her when as he dyed . ●udelia many did conuert , Vnto her lordes belief : Which in the Persian pagans did Enkindle irefull grief . Vnto the Sun shee would not pray , Nor yet the fyre adore : And had the skin flead from her face , And lastly dy'd therefore . Sout Iuli●na did endure . The torments of the euil : And did in combat ouercome , Th' accursed cruel deuil . And after all her conquests gaynd , Then gayned shee renowne : For by the swoord vnto her due , Remaynd a martirs crowne . Victoria wel might called bee , That woorthy mynded mayd : That in her self subdued sin , With courage vndismayd . And gayned virgins vnto Christ , And actes of woonder wrought : And did by martirdome attain , The garland that shee sought . Because the Idoles to adore , Lucia did refuse : Shee threatned was shee should bee thrust , Into the comon stewes . No no quoth shee ; the mynd beeing pure , The body is vnstaynd : Then with the swoord shee martrid was , And glorie so shee gaynd . To Fortunata for her faith , Much euil did betyd : Who fyrie flames & fierce beastes claw●● , Was willing to abyde . And tortures and lim-stre●ching ●ack , From whence her sauiour pleased : To cal her blessed soule to blis , Where with her woes were eased . Febronia with resolued force , For chastitie and faith : Endur'd with patience to the end , The woorst of tyrants wrath . The rack , the fyre , and rods , shee felt , Teeths losse , and either brest , And with the swoord all losse of wo , And gaine of lasting rest . Macra a mayd of heauenly mynde , No earthly thinges did moue : For prison , fyre , nor losse of brests , Might not her faith remoue . All naked o're hot-sheards of pots , Her body rolled was : Whyle shee in praying vnto God , To paradise did pas . Z●a a glorious martyrs * * Nicostr●tus . wyf Before the aulter prayd : Where-vnder blest saint P●●ters bones , The faithful had conuayd . And for this fact surprised then , Was hanged on a tree : Both by her he●●● , and by her neck , And so her crowne had shee . Charitina with fyre annoyd , And cast into the seas : Came foorth and had no hurt at all ▪ Nor feeling ▪ of vnease . Then were her handes and feet cut of , But he whome shee did loue : Eu'n as shee prayd , receau'd her ghoste , Into his ioyes aboue . Eulalia ardent in her zeal , Vnto her louing lord : To suffre torments many wayes , Most midly did accord . And lastly in the burning fyre , Lauding his holy name : To him her soule shee sacryfys'd , And died in the ●lame . The lyke in loue the lyke in zeal , In some succeeding space : A second good Eulali● was , A lyke endu'd with grace . The rack she felt , and sundry grieues , The last ; of lyf the losse : When foes of Christe , for faith of Christe , Did naile her on a crosse . Whyle Emer●●●i●na . yet was taught in Christian lore , Her foster-sister 〈◊〉 tombe , Shee prayd , and kneeld , before . And taken at this martres tombe , A martres shee was made : And vnto happy heauen● ioyes , Her ghoste straight was conueyd . Chaste Theodora to the stewes , To be deflowred led : Gat thence in habyt of a youth , That stayd there in her sted . But for this fact , & for his faith , When hee was led to death : Shee came and yeilded vp her self , And with him yeilded breath . Crispina of renowmed race , Did by her vertues mynde , More honour in her self atchiue , Then came to her by kynde . Shee would vnto the Idol Gods , No sacrifise affoord : But yeided for her Lord and God , Her neck vnto the swoord . Susanna of a woorthy stock , Was of as woorthy fame , As shee that false defamed was , And first did beare her name . Shee Christe his seruants did relieue , And liued in his lore : And for the same shee lost her head , And gayned heauen therefore . Imprisned Leocadia long . Did for her faith remayne : Whose faithful mynde remained free , In moste afflicting payne . Til God at length for her release , Her ghoste tooke thence away : Her suffrance by a martirs crowne , In glory to repay . The virgin Bibiana was , Establisht in belief : Which faithlesse foes could not subuert , By guerdon nor by grief . So long her body lashed was . With knotted whips with lead : That her sweete soule to heauen past , And left it lying dead . Euphrasia with more maidens chaste , In place vnchaste was placed : But hee their puritie preseru'd , That purely him embraced . Then by their death-contryuing-crue , Stones to their nectes were bound , And so into the water cast , The innocentes were drown'd . Antonia had her tender limmes Beyond all measure payned , And three dayes hanged by one arme , Moste constant stil remayned . And two yeares hauing prisned bene , Receau'd at last her hyre , What tyme her soule her body left Consuming in the fyre . Lucretia , not that Lucres once Which did her self destroy , Did for true faith and faithful loue , Beare wrongful griefes annoy . The one in earth her glory left , The other in heauen and earth : Because more woorthy was the cause , Why shee endured death . With tearing hookes and iron combes , Was Tatiana torne : Cointha trayld along the streetes , Her flesh from bones was worne . Paula that gathred martyrs blood , Her owne for Christ did shed : Crescentia for her faith to Christ , Was thrust in boyling lead . Corona torne betwene two trees , Her crowne in blis did fynde : As did Cirilla when shee left , Her bleeding corps behynde . Balbina daughter to a saint * * S. 〈◊〉 , Her fathers steps did trace : And Aquilina by her death , Did deathlesse lyf embrace . Helconis that great grief endur'd , Did lastly lose her h●d : Calliopa her scortched corps , Left with tormentors dead . Felicula by tortur kild , And Paula ston'd to death : And with the swoord Constantia , Constantly●yeilded breath . Regina many paynes endur'd , Heau'ns diademe to gayne : Mustiola did suffer wo , For gayning ioyes againe . Irene that good bookes did hyde , Her lyf for Christe bestowed : Dominica that Idoles brake , By death her feruour shewed . Dafrosa that to martirdo●e , Her husband * * Fabi●●● . hath ensued : And Marciona with whose blood , The wyld beastes were imbrued . Mannea that with her three sonnes , And with her husband dy'd : Valeria saint Vitals wyf , Gainst death her courage tryd . Pelagia in a brazen Ox Red hot , aliue was thrust : Anthusia throwne into a wel , To please the tirants lust . Maxima vnto cruel death , With cudgels beaten was : Agathoclia lost her toung , Ere shee to blis did pas . Blanda with her deer husband dyd ▪ Whose heddes on stakes on hic : Through pagan pollicy were set , Christians to terrify . With Leonis and Libia , The faithful sisters twaine , Eutropia twelue yeares old ●ndur'd , Death and moste deadly payne . The vertuous virgin Sophia . Cornelia loyal euer : Albina and Asteria , Did vnto death perseuer . Prisca and L●oc●itia , Martha and Anto●ina : With Leonilla ▪ of that lore , And setled Secund●●a . Sebastiana whome saint Paule , Did bring to Christe his loue : And Reparata ( dead ) whose ghoste , Ascended lyke a doue . Faire Flora and Maria both , And Fla●ia Do●itilla : Good Dula and Demetria , Gaudentia and Lucilla . With Alexandra six besyde , For Christe their blood haue spent : And Ciriaca and fy●e more , With bodies rac'd and rent . With other martyresses twelue , Theodosia went to heauen : Eu'n as at S●●irna for that cause , Dy'd holy virgins seauen . Six that were called Cand●da , Gaue beauty to that name . More fairer far then ●t self ●ound , Doth signify the same . Some maried were and some were maydes , Their suffrance sundry wayes : There cause all one , their only king , Did all to glorie raise . Seauen of the name of Iulia , Did one of them ensue : Whereby eight martirs glorious crownes , To this one name is due . And of the name Iustina fyue , As of Pelagia were ? Of Martiana there were three , Whose count Valer●● beare . Of this most glorious troop and ranck , Of martrid woomen-kynde : I shal not nede to recon mor● , Thoughe many more I fynd , For euen as these , rehearsed here , There crosse with Christ sustayn'd : So did the rest , and all with Christ , Al glory haue obtayn'd . In sundry regions of the earth , Ful many more besyde , For faith , for vow , for zeal to Christ● , Ful gloriously haue dyde . Chaste W●●n●frid did feele of death , The bloody stroke and sting . As Dymp●a of her father did , A pagan Irish King . With soule and body vndefyld , In endlesse lyf to raigne : Good Vrsula , and all her troop , Endured to be slaine , And C●rdula that hid her self , Her lyf thereby to saue ▪ Came foorth and yeilded vnto death , Her lyf thereby to haue . To bring the number in accomp● , Vnable is my skil : Of all such glorious martirs names , And their endured il . But in the Lambe his booke of lyf , No one omitted is : Nor no one wo that they sustaynd ▪ Vnrecompenst in bli● . No more then their formenter● misse , Their iust reward in hel : For each inflicted grief and smart , Wherewith they them did quel . Exyl'd those wretches are from heauen , And odious dead in earth : Yet in helles horror neuer dy , Though euer feeling death . Meane whyle , the chosen saintes of God , In heauen euer liue : And euer glorie vnto him , In all reioysing giue . Al clad in whyte for puritie , Each with a golden crowne : And bearing palmes of victory , As enseignes of renowne . No eye hath seene , no eare hath heard , No hart of man conceaued : No sight , no sound , no thought of ioy , As now they haue receaued . All griefes are now extinguished , All sorrowes haue ●n end : No teares can fall from weeping eyes , Nor sighes from hart ascend . O g●orio●● troop , whose praise the heau'ns , With melodie refou●● 〈◊〉 Accept that wee as c●coes here , Yeild noise vnto the sound . And when for your true followed faith , Wee any wo sustaine : Our constant suffrance of the same , Voutsafe of God obtayne . Deo gratiae .

A RESEMBLANCE OF MARTYRS . BEfore the craggy flint Meetes with the hardned steel , It seemes not to conteyne , The vertue it conteynes , But when it doth the stroke Of swift encountring feel , Eu'n then the force appeers , That hid in it remaines , Right so resolued myndes , Through wicked fortunes wheel , Encountring with mis●ap , And feeling bitter paynes . Make fyre of sacred Ioue , From ardent zeal proceed : Which mounting vp to heau'n , Doth all the Starres exceed .

TE DEVM LAVDAMVS , OR The song of S. Ambrose , & S. Augustyne . TO thee O God wee praises giue , Wee thee our Lord confesse Eternal father , all the earth , Adores thy woorthynesse . The Angels , heau'ns , & heau'nly powers , Yeild praises all to thee : The Cherubinnes , and Scraphinnes , Sound out incessantly . O holy , holy , holy , Lord . O God of Sabaoth , Thy glorious maiesty repleates , The earth and heauen both . To thee the quyre so glorious , Of thy Apostles all , To thee the number woorthy-praise , Of prophets cry and cal . The army of thy martirs bright , Thy praises do expresse : Thy holy Church through-out the earth , Doth thee o Lord confesse . Father of endlesse Maiestie , Thy only Sonne withal , Together with the Holy Ghost , Comforter of vs all . Thow King of glorie arte O Christe , And ere the earth begonne , Thow of thy father did'st remaine , His euer beeing Sonne . Thy willingnesse man to releas , Made thee in earth to come : And for that cause not to abhor , Thy maiden-mothers woombe . And when the sting of cruel death , By the was vanuisht quyght , Thow opned'st then thee realme of blis , To each belieuing wight . In glorie of the father thow , Do'st sit at Gods right hand : Wee hold thee for the iudge by whome , Our causes must bee skand . Wee humbly therefore thee desyre , Voutsafe thy seruants ayd : Of whome with thy moste pretious blood , The ransomes thow ha'st paid . O make that wee rewarded bee , With thy deer saintes in blis : Eu'n with thy glory and thy grace , Which euer during is . Thy people and thyne heritage , O Lord saue and defend : And gouerne them , and stil their praise , In altitude extend . And from offending thee by sin , This day do thow vs saue : And mercy haue on vs O Lord , Lord on vs mercy haue . And as our trust in thee hath bene , Such let thy mercy bee : Confounded let mee not become , That hoped haue in thee .

HOW GOD IN ALL AGES hath bin serued with Sacrifise .

Sacrificium sub lege Naturae . WHen God created man , and rule vnto him gaue , Of creatures all on earth , and eu'ry earthly thing , And knowlege of his God , did in his hart engraue , Subiection so to know , vnto his soueraigne King : Then for to know and yeild , what homage hee would haue , Nature by her instinckt , vnto his mynde did bring , And Sacrifise it was , and well accepted than , Thus mannes adoring God , with sacrifise began .

Sacrificium sub lege Moyses . WHen from the hows of thralle , through ayd of heau'uly might Gods people were led foorth , by Moysis then their guyd , For this new freedome found , it rested that of right , God with augmented thankes , must now bee gratifyde : And him to honor more , in more then wonted plight , Old Sacrifise was now , with new rytes beautifyde , So for more good receau'd , more gratitude did rise , Which still to God was don , in doing sacrifise .

Sacrificium sub lege Euangelica . WHen Gods dere Sonne from heau'n , did vnto earth desced , Lost loue of God againe , for mannes release to win , Himself in sacrifise , blood-sacrifise did end , When his high prised blood , did satisfy for sin : But since Gods seruice must on sacrifise depend , He chang'd , not took away , what faith did first begin , And did ordaine himself , in Sacramental wise To bee to God for man , a soueraigne sacrifise ,

SAINT PEETERS COMFORT . EV'n there where sin , my silly soule defyld , Shame bad mee hy , and seeke to hyde my face , Foule face of myne , that that faire face behild , And could my so wel knowing it out face , And make himself eu'n whome I did deny , True witnes , vnto my fals periury . I scarsly was gon foorth out of the halle , When sorrow straight my soule did apprehend , Poore soule of myne , deseruer of thy thralle , Whose fault no manner skuses can defend , Only vnfayned teares , told my destresse And with my grief declar'd my guiltinesse . In sorrowes iayle , thus captiue did I ly , And there lament , and there my case complaine , And there did pittie ouer-heare my cry , And did in my behalf accesse obtaine , To sue to him whome I deny'd to know , To let him know my grief for doing so . Who daigning then vpon my hart to look , vpon my hart , the spectacle of wo , Hee there-vpon so great compassion took , That hee on it sweet mercy did bestow , Sweet mercy , that it self so far extends , As to accept contrition for amends . And that the world heer of might witnes bee , His mercy renouated al his loue , Th' effects whereof all men in mee might see , But none more then my self did euer prooue , The good I had before , that stil I hild , Only my guylt hee only hath annild . For where my soule for mercy only sought , It mercy found , eu'n in the moste degree , And mercy loue with it vnited brought , Deer loue , my dying soules restauratie , Lyf of my lyf , which did me now restore , To lyuely strength , which I did lack before . The wound is heal'd , yet must the skar remaine , The skar my stil remembrance of the sore , For which , kynde grief stil wil I entertaine , That neuer may sufficiently deplore , Kynd-grief it is , close in my hart it lies , To vrge the euer-dutie of myne eyes . For though my hart all comfort haue receaued , That heauens comfort did on it bestow , Yet can it not of that grief be bereaued , That doth eu'n out of that self comfort grow , For in admyring so great grace extended , I grieue that I so sweet a Christe offended . My deerest Lord , oh might I dy for thee , That brag'd to dy with thee , and the deny'd , By thy strong ayd I must assisted bee , For neuer thought shal in my brest abyde , To say I wil , and not assistance craue , Because my wil , must thy wil also haue . That shepe was I which did his way mistake , And he the shepheard that recalled mee , Of mee his mercies-miracle to make , By abling mee his deputy to bee , For hee my self a shepheard did ordain , That not deseru'd to bee a shepheards swain . Thus not my cry me and punishment therefore , His pardon only stretched to deface , But he me rais'd to what I was before , And did renew and ampliphy his grace , And I that fel the lowest of eleauen , Stil hold my charge to keepe the keyes of heauen . The Rock of stone hee hath confirmed mee , Whereon the buylding standes that cannot fail , Gainst which helles puissance and superbitie , May offer force , but neuer shal preuail , Thus I that late through feeble fainthes fel , Support the force , that breakes the force of hel . Do'st thow mee loue , thryce did he ask of mee , In three demaundes of fayned doubtfulnes , For what my loue to him was bound to bee , And what it was , I needed not expresse , Wel hee it wist , and would but let mee see , By such demaundes , how wel he loued mee . And more then these ; do'st thow mee loue quoth hee , God wot more cause had I my Lord to loue , Yet such hee did allow my loue to bee , As that it did a more reward behooue : Giuing to mee the office for my meed , At parting hence ; his lambes and sheep to feed . Loue is my debt , for loue and mercy due , And gratitude the intrest thereon rising . The obligation standes in heauens view . And was set downe by equities deuising . The date it beares is endlesse to auail , My soule the pawne to forfait yf I fail . Performance of thy promis Lord I see , Strengthned am I , my brethren strength to giue , My faith shal neuer fail thow warrant'st mee , Then in my mouth truthe must for euer liue , And though I dy ; succession wil supply , Vndying truthe , vnto posteritie . And all the graces thow ha'st giu'n to mee , To bynd and lose the free and bond of sin , Must not in my liues-ending ended bee , Though by thy gift they do in mee begin , But in successiue power remaine for euer . To yeild the lasting graces of the giuer . O endlesse comfort ending thus my care , Vn-ending thankes must therefore bee my parte , Which for thy due , I duly wil prepare , To offer on the Alter of my hart , Whereas the syre of loue for euer lies , To serue for my eternal sacrifise .

SACRVM CONVIVIVM . WHen tyme approched that the lamb of lyf Must yeild himself among the wolues to dy , Who did repay his peace with mortal stryf , And his meek patience with most crueltie , Then in the space that yet to him remaynd , For his few freindes his fare-wel hee ordaynd . It was the night before the dismol day , He caus'd prepare his last and fare-wel feast , Desyr'd before , deferred by delay , Delayed wel , to tyme befitting best , For woordes and deedes , at parting donne or said In memories conseruance best are laid . And as his wil , and custome had decreed , That at this feast a lamb must bee the meat , So hee that was th' unspotted lamb indeed , Gaue them therein , his Image for to eat : Retayning yet for their more greater good , Far better meat then his self-seeming food . For that no sooner was the Paschal donn● And custome and their bodies satisfy'd But that eft soones another feast begonne And of a lamb , and that before he dy'd Himself was hee , and hee himself did giue Eaten to bee , the whyle himself did liue . Which to ordayne , he bread and wyne did take , And with his sacred breath did blesse thesame , And did thereof his blood and body make . Through that self might that all of nought did frame , And could not now bee destitute of arte , One thing into an other to conuert . And as the lamb their bodies had suffys'd , The true Lambes body turned into bread , Was now the supper for their soules deuys'd , True bread of lyf alyue and seeming dead , Flesh of his flesh , bread his true body made , When as eternal truth the woord had said . Take eat this is my body , were the woordes , Which vnrepugnant hartes did so receaue , For humble faith gainsaying not affoordes , And wel they wist hee would them not deceaue , And in his wisdome he right wel foreknew . What faith their would , & should heeron ensue . For from that instant , in succeeding space , In en'ury region that is far or ny Where Christian lore did paganisme displace , As all fore-going tymes do testify , Thus was the faith , this is the faith of old , Held by the whole , now by the parte controld . Christ said not , eat this in my memorie , But that his body take and eat they should , Nor said hee that it did him signify , But was himself that for them giue hee would , His truth and iustice could not beare the staine , One thing to say , and it vnsay againe . And for he would that those whose soules hee fed , By his example so should others feed , Least but themselues none might bee nowrished , His plenteous goodnesse hereupon decreed , That they in memorie of him lyke-wise , Should with lyke food , lyke faithful soules suffyse Hence is descended that successyue power , Of celebrating this soule-feeding feast , Aud that remaining reuerence to this howre , As elder tymes deuotion hath exprest , And hence it comes , that to our lasting ioy , This heauenly meat our soules on earth enioy . And as by kynde , loues-grief encreaseth loue , So loue that caus'd , that God with men did liue , Caus'd that for loue hee did great sorrow prooue , Whose sorrow to his loue more force did giue . And so lesse wonder his great loue did moue , To leaue himself the caution of his loue . Thus comes it that the seeming bread wee see , Is that same corps our sauiour Christ had heere , Yet not in that self manner is it hee , But as in couert veil so doth apeere ; His body true , in Sacramental wise , Beheld by faith more then by earthly eyes . And as hee had his body at his wil , When dores and walles gainst it could not resist , But did it vse , and yet no place did fil . And wrought therewith such woonders as him list , So stil remaines , his wil , his woord , and might , In heau'n and earth , in his all power-ful plight . His body doth his soule import withall , A body by effect of sacred sawes , A soule by sequele which is natural , Conioynd in one , by his efficient cause , Touch-stone of fath whereby God would vs teach His heau'nly woorkes exceed our earthly reatch . And when our soules presume vnto this feast , In cleane atyre they must themselues present , ( Least els they fare as th● vnwelcome gest , That il atyred to the wedding went ) That so this bread of lyf such vertue giue , That eating it , with it wee euer liue . And that esteeme and condigne reuerence , That graue Antiquitie of duty gaue , Vnto a thing of so great excellence , Let in all ensuyng seasons haue , And liue that faith , whereof Christ gaue the ground , As long as faith may on the earth bee found .

A COMPLAINT OF S. MArie Magdalen . At her not fynding Christ in his sepulchre . A Las my Lord is gon , How must I now deplore , Where may hee bee that is each where , And I him see no more . Hope led mee here to seeke Recure of my destresse , But sorrow here hath sought mee out , And found mee comfortlesse . Here lyf late seemed dead , Head dead I seeme aliue , It is my death him thus to misse , That may my lyf reuyue . Yee windowes on my face , That serue mee not to see , Serue now of water stild of wo , The conducts for to bee . In stede him to annoint , Whome here I cannot haue , Make that the plenty of my teares , May ouerflow his graue . Perhaps it may him moue , His presence to imparte , To see how moistning these dry stones , I therewith dry my harte . Good Gardner that arte here , To kepe this garden place , Lo how I water al thy plants , With raine falne from my face . Be grateful for this good , And tel mee I thee pray , Where is hee laid yf so thy self , Haste caried him away . If it haue troobled thee . Here to affoord him roome , O let me know but where hee is , My harte shal be his toombe . And thow thereon maist wryte , This epitaph in verse , Heer lyf that lately lay for dead . Liues and reuyues his hearse .

OF THE INVENTION , OR fynding of the Crosse of Christ . IN Britaine soile faire Helena was bred , The woorthy Empresse of the world of yore , The cause that Yorck . Romes glory more did spred , Then Rome it self could euer spred before , There was shee borne , and there shee brought him foorth , That brought Roomes diade me to greatest woorth . To greatest woorth for that hee it adorned , Eu'n with the Crosse in midle top of all , Raising to honor that which pagans scorned , And honouring therein him self withall , Whose tytle now , Great Constantyne became , First Romaine Emperor of Christian name . Good Siluister that sat in Peeters chaire , Succeeding those that all had suffred death , Now to saluation did the soule prepare , Of Constantyne by teaching him the faith , Whereby himself an endlesse lyf might haue , Whose now conuersion many lyues did saue . For when his mercy , mercy him had gayned , And hee in sacred font had bathed bin , His soule and bodies weal hee both obtayned , In beeing cur'd of leprosy and sin , Then that the more hee might Christes glory reare He on his creast his cognisance did weare , It was the signe that heau'n to him did shew , For patron of the ensigne he should beare , When gainst Maxentius hee in armes did go , And vnto his encouragement did heare , An Angels voice , that in the ayre did cry , Thow in this signe shalt haue the victory . All which did so this noble moother moue To due esteeme of such a sacred signe , As this of him , that so much merits loue . To whome her hearts deere loue shee did resigne , That ardent zeale , did animate her mynde , To seeke where shee his hidden crosse might fynde . Led by desyre that kindled was of loue , She tooke her voyage to the holy land , Faith was her guyde , hope did her wil approue , Speed did assist , to what shee tooke in hand . Desyre , and loue , and faith , and hope , & speed , Did all concur , to her deseruing meede . And as her feet did trauaile on the ground , Her inward mynde did vp to heauen stie , Where the right holy land was to be found , Of him whose presence this did sanctify . So what in earth her bodyes trauaile sought , In heauen her mynde in more perfection wrought . And there high God beholding her intent , And knowing wel whereto deuotion tends , And that it all vnto himself is ment , That vnto ought approching him intends , Did eu'n accept her ardent feruour futch , As earst her faith that did his vesture tutch . And so concurr'd to what shee went about , That his hid crosse so hidden might not bee , But shee at last it happely found out , Though doubtful which the right one was of three , Vntil a corps laid on it ; dyd renyue , Shewing withal ; her faith to bee alyue . It was the third day of the month of May . The worldes faire may-pole thus was found againe , And now rear'd vp that long obscured lay , As yf reseru'd for her owne honors gayne , whome faith , and loue , & hope , & zeale , did raise , To raise therein her glorious fame and praise .

L'ENVOY . SOmtyme the Crosse as sundry recordes tel , Deryuing vertue from our Sauiours death , Hath had the force , the diuel to expel , And by the same confirmed Christian faith , But now it seemes , faith hath sustayned losse , Because the diuel hath chaste away the crosse .

COMPLAINT OF CHVRCH CONTROVERSY . THe golden world long since is worne away , As now the golden yeare hath taken end , The Iron world doth stil remaine and stay , And in his rust doth to his ruyne tend , And in the shew of vertue and of truthe , Seeme-good seeme-gospel turneth all to ruthe . At Babel tower where tounges confusion came , It stayd the woork that fond aduice begun , But fond aduice now seeketh to disframe , A tabernacle seated in the Sun , And tounges confusion Church-war hath procured Lately begun and yet to long endured . True yet it is that stryfe hath euer been , Twixt good and il in deadly feud depending , But neuer such confusion hath bin seen , Nor diffrent numbers in so great contending , As in our dayes when each one truth doth claime , And of vntruth each doth each other blame . Whyle Truth herself the heau'ns begotten chyld And glorious imp of high Antiquitie , Lies ouertrod and vnder foot defyld , By each and all that woork her inury , All disagreeing in their owne truth claming , Yet all agreeing in truthes false defaming . God 〈◊〉 good corne did cast into the ground , But soon the diuel threw in cockle there , God first his Church on earth did firmly found , Where straight the diuel did his chappel reare , God vnto Truth the formoste place assygnd , And fall hood with the diuel came behynd . When God in Adam had his Temple buylt , The serpents synagog began in Eue. Good Abels blood his wicked brother spilt , At his Gods-woorship diuel-taught to grieue , So soon began illes enuy vnto good , Two only borne ; one sheddes the others blood . Through Moyses God did giue his Churche a law , And Chores crew against it did rebel , Hating to liue in order and in aw , With their misleader went aliue to hel , They claymed truth , reiecting right of his , And seru'd the diu'l in seruing God amisse . Saint Peeter did ensue his masters lore , Which Simon Magus , stoutly did withstand , And that great pastor greatly hate therefore , But first-borne truth obtayn'd the vpper hand , And that fals Prophet mounting vp in pryde , Fel downe out of the ayre to earth and dyde . In auncient pathes trod by our elders feet , The way is found which is to rest assygnd , But self-sought by wayes for self-choosers meet , They euer seek that seeking neuer fynd , Blynde guydes they bee , guyders of blynde they seeme , And with them fal ere they of danger deeme . To mend amisse was euer woork wel donne , In faultes and manners of Church-mennes abusion , But by no prophet euer was begonne , Reforming of abuses by confusion , Nor for some faultes growne through Church-mennes defect . No good man euer did new Church erect . Il thrift may to that builder wel befall , That wil a faire-built edifice deface , And with the rubbish of the broken wall , Erect some cottage in an obscure place , And to adorne it with vsurped fame , Giues it the tytle of the others name . Must now an vpstart Martin or a Iohn , In question call the firme fidelitie , Of her whose pallas on a rock of stone , Presents the picture of her chastitie ? Who was of heau'n , and earth long heild in grace , Ere ought was heard of this new-risen race . Why hath not els each man lyke priuelege , To chop to change , to found what faith hee list , And wrested scripture for his proofs aleage , And gainst a world in self conceit persist , And say all say amisse , except as hee , And all his woordes Gods woord & Ghospel bee . If free it bee for one its free for all , For all can claime the lyke instinct of spirit , But shrewd suspition doth apeere withall , That of fals prophets all the name do merit , Their frute is il , themselues were neuer sent , They come to late , to soone to such intent . Susanna lyke , they Christ his Spouse accuse , And wil both iudges and accusers bee . But lyke as Daniel falshood did confuse , By vntruth found in contrarietie , So contradictions in these fals accusers , Shewes them to bee , the world and her abusers . And as the spryte of God did Daniel moue , The innocent accused to defend , The spirit of God his deere spowse so doth loue , That to her fals accusers in thee end , In steed of casten stones their blood to spil , They gainst the rock themselues shal cast and kil .

AN EPIGRAM . A Puritaine did plaine himself of late , Of late growne controuersies into great debate , And prayed him to whome hee did complaine That hee his censure would affoord him plaine , Wel then quoth hee yf neither I shal flatter But speake my conscience freely of the matter , You are in fault , to make somuch contending , How can so new a faith , so soone lack mending .

AN EXPOSITION OF the Aue bel . THe Chaser of my sence-detayning slumber , vndid the windowes of my closed eyes , And freed my thoughtes from sleepes confused cumber , That humours turned vnto fantasies , And faire Aurora redy at the tyde , Withdrew the ayes darck curtin all asyde . In waking sylence as a whyle I lay , Ere my fresh muse new exercise had found , I heard the bel that soundeth thryce a day , And tooke the sence leauing myne eare the sound , For soundes and sights are messengers assygn'd , To bring lost memory vnto the mynde . And that same message which the Angel brought , To her chaste eares that could no noyse receaue , That might suggest conceit of any thought , Her mynde of any puritie to reaue , Was by this noyse vnto my mynde renewed , Whereby light idle fancies were eschued . Eftsoones thereon to my remembrance came , Breach of the Law , the first law-maker made , First acte of sin , first cause of knowing shame , First op'ned gap , for death man to inuade , Losse of heau'ns loue , purchase of earths il wil , Fynding of sorrow , hid in seeking skil . Alas O wretched man that made th' offence , Iustice of thee demaunded the amendes , And for thy want of yeilding recompence , Thy vnacquyted gilt stil downe descendes , As doth some inward rooted malady , By heritage vnto a family . Thus stood from age to age and race to race , The score of sin vnpayd vnraced out , The world had not the woorth to purchase grace , Hope sighing sat betwene dispaire and doubt , And thraldome was the woful misery , Of helplesse mannes successyue malady . So long til heau'ns great care conceaued grief , At mannes vnablenesse himself to free , And loue no longer could with-hold relief , And sweet relief that may thryce happy bee , Came eu'n at last when els lost had beene all , And all did saue , and all vp-hold from fall . Loue first bred grief and grief did pittie moue , And pittie sought the way to woork redresse , And kynde redresse the true effect of loue , Did salue the s●re that seem'd remedilesse , Iustice for right , mercie for grace did craue , Iustice had right , mercie her fauour gaue . Which to accomplish that eternal woord , Which was with God and was himself a God , His heauenly presence would the earth affoord , And in a virgins closure make abode , Whereof an Angels voyce the message brought , As metalls noyse renew'd it to my thought . To her it came whome heauens wyde view did see , For purenesse all the worlds most woorthy creature , A chosen mansion for the dietie , Adornd with vertues fitting to her feature , Whome nature made , to shew the heauens her skil And heauen through her the earth with grace did fil . And where a serpent with his poysned sting , In paradise infected Adams wyf A pure whyte doue from paradise doth bring , To Iosephes spouse restauratiue of lyf , And in a virgins bed the seed doth sow , Whereof the tree and frute of lyf doth grow . Her eares conceaued first the Angels voyce , Her heart conceau'd the heauens high decree , Her soule iust cause conceaued to reioyce , And her pure wombe as pure as pure might bee , Conceau'd withal ; and that strong infant bred , Who with his foot did break the serpents hed . Against the tyme , his birth-tyme to adorne , Came downe on earth to consecrate the ground , ( With Al●ion rest ) Peace that in heauen was borne , Because there might no noyse of war be found , When to the world the Prince should shew his face . That came to all the world to offer grace . Whose entrance when it pleased him to take , Into that country whereof death is King , His owne self vertue mydwyf hee did make , And to annex more wonder to the thing , From his pure mothers closure hee did pas , Euen as the Sun makes entrance through the glas . O sacred force enforcing such a berth , The wonder of the wonders moste of woorth , The breath of heauen clad in core of earth , Through an vnopened passage passing foorth , A humaine body spryte-lyke doth dispose , His pow'rful self that may no puissance lose . And that sweet Infant of eternitie , Is borne the infant of a virgins woombe , And God is man and so affinitie , Doth twixt the earth and twixt the heauen come , Whereby th' Almighty maker thus wee see , Kinsman to men , to make himself to bee . Making withal the virgins glorious fame , In faithful hartes engrauen for to stand , ( Where of Gods mother shee must beare the name ) In faire carracters of a sacred hand , And such a mother , mayd and wyf to bee , As all her sexe excelles in all thee three . Cleere chastitie descending from her throne , To do her homage here vpon the ground , A garland brought , made by her self alone , Of Flowers that only were in Eden found , And with obeysance set it on her hed , With tytle of eternal maydenhed . The Angels trumps did sound the heavens peace , An easterne star stream'd out the fyre of ioy , God on his foot-stool did his state decrease , New amitie extinguisht old annoy , Hate had no place on all the earth to dwel , But did remoue vnto her hows in hel . O Infant ofspring of vnending lyne , That in this world to spring would so begin , And with old Adams race thy self combyne , And bee the man to satisfy for sin , True God , true man , except with sin defyld , Who for to bee a man became a chyld . Thus God in chyld-heid did appeere on earth , Admitting tyme his manly growth to shew , Whose dayes yet crossed were by crosse of death , Ere tyme on him could mannes ful tyme bestow , But since for man hee would lost lyf obtayne , Hee death to kil would first of death bee slaine .

A SECONDARY exposition . THe contemplation of the mistery , Of the subiected state of heauens king , And the reuyual of the memory , That three tymes thryce a day the bel doth ring , Leades downe my muse from height I earst began , Vnto the lownesse of the lyf of man . First how in darcknes of self-knowing state , And as yf all foregoing tyme were night , Wee enter in at this worldes cumbrous gate , As doth the day new dawning with his light , And that first treasure Tyme on vs bestowes , In chyldish thinges vnwittingly wee lose . Thence grow wee vp as do the howres of day , Our dayes and yeares outrunning youthful rage , From all repose Tyme carrying vs away , Doth vnaware draw on our midle age , And through his haste wil vs no leasure lend , Once back to tutne , youths errors to amend . At noontyde of our dayes wee do arryue , As doth the Sun at midday in his height , What tyme the bel a second sound doth giue , To moue remembrance of the heauy waight , Of sinnes huge burthen when high heauens grace , In humaine flesh released humaine race . The midday tyme , hath but the name of tyme , For tyme himself no moment hath of stay , Nor wee repose before or after pryme , But as the Sun declyneth with the day , So we declyne euen at our highest rate , Changing with tyme the change of our estate ▪ E●t soones drawes on the euentyde of our yeares , As doth the Sun draw down ward to the west , What tyme the bel reneweth to our eares , The sound of ioy now twyce before exprest , To shew how in the worldes declyning ●ase , Attendant hope obtayn'd expected grace . Now of our lyf is come the better parte , And of our labors frute to reap the gaine , Yf youthes endeuours wrought our wel desart , Or yf in lyf so long wee do remaine , For from the tree where wee behold the bud , Much frute falles downe ere it bee rype and good . Lastly as day , our dayes thei● ending take , And as before from darck night wee arose , Our day our nightes returne againe doth make , And wee yeild vp vnto our last repose , Our claime to earth , and all that nature gaue , And lay vs downe where death shal dig our graue .

OF THE STATE OF SOLItary lyf dedicated to the seruice of God . OWel are you that haue subdude , The force of worlds desyre , And in the forte of solitude , For safety do retyre . Retyr'd from freedome so supos'd , In straightnes freedome fynde , Because true freedome is enclos'd In circuite of the mynde . The world and fortune you depryue , From doing you despight , Dead vnto men , to God alyue , That giues liues true delight . That soule saith God which I affect , I wil with-draw aparte And tel vnto it in effect , The secrets of my harte . Think th●n you that retyred liue , For Gods deere loue and dread , His loue your soules desyre did giue , Retyred liues to lead . Where as with him you might confer When sole your selues you deeme , And so alone lesse neuer ar , Then when alone you seeme . Faith of yourfort is gouernor , Loue is liftenant there , Hope is ordained officer , The ensigne for to b●are , Contempt of welth is treasurer , Who woorkes no guyle for gaynes , Whithin whose coffers neuer there , Corrupting drosse remaines . Pure Chastitie the charge doth take , The cloister cleane to keep , And of her thoughtes the broome doth make , Wherewith shee doth it sweep . Obedience which doth sacrifise , In valued woorth exceed , Is redy for each exercyse , As duty deemeth need . Perseuerance is Centinel , The watch-woord watch and pray . Whose due obseruance doing wel , The heauens do repay .

THE SVBSTANCE OF humaine flesh . AS once I did behold , The potters actiue skil , In ordring of his earthen pots , According to his wil. And some for woorthy vse . And some for seruile trade , As hee them from one clod of clay , In sundry fashons made . And when they al were wrought , And each was put a parte , No cause they had ( If they had could ) To blame their makers arte . To each it might suffise , To serue his vse asygn'd , Since each to serue some proper vse , Was vtile in his kynde . Then as thereat I mus'd , It came vnto my thought , How God euen from one masse of clay , All humaine kynd had wrought , Aswel the silly wretch , That liues in low degree , As any mighty Emperor , How puisant so hee bee . And how at his estate , None rightly may repyne , Since that the woork man of his woork , Hath freedome to ●esigne . And each in each degree , Sufficient hath in charge , And hee the more whose mighty rule , Extendeth moste at large . For how more great the charge . Cares burden greater weyes , And greatnesse beares the greatest brunt , And breedes the lesser ease . And vertue can aswel In cottages remaine , As honor may in high estate , In courtes of Princes raigne . Let each him then dispose , Wel in his charge to serue , To haue the hyre that at the last , Wel-doing doth deserue . For when a whyle on earth , Each hath seru'd in his turne , Earths fragile woork earst made of earth , Must vnto earth returne .

VISIONS OF THE worlds instabillitie . I. WHen musing on this worlds v●sted fastnes , Ere sleep attain'd my sences to surprise , Agreeued at the woful wretchednes , That sad examples set before myne eyes : It chanced mee in this perturbed plight , By Morpheus arrested for to bee , In whose close prison lying in the night , Srange visions then there did apeer to mee : A spatious Th●●…re first mee thought I saw , All hang'd with black to act some tragedie . Which did mee vnto much attention draw , To see the sequel of the misterie : About the which ; my braine oft haue I broken , To skan what such phantasmataes betoken . II. I saw a Holly sprig brought from a hyrst , And in , a princely garden set in was , Where of all trees it stroue to bee the first , In stately height whereto it grew a pace : Talle Cedar trees it ouertopped far ▪ And all with coral berries ouerspred . It seem'd the roses beauty for to ma● , And to deface it with a skarlet red : Where at the Gardner when hee it suspected , Or might perhaps misweene this trees intent , For all first fauour now grew il affected , And all the Toughes a way did race and rent : Thus stood disgrac'd the stock so braue before , Which now of grief grew dead and sprong no more . III. Two stately pillers then to mee appered , Of Ruby th one of Saphir thother wa● , That on their bases strongly stood vp reared , Whose vnder-ground●woork was a rocky place : And through transparent lusture shyning bright , They not alone their beauty did extend , But they did serue as lanternes in the night , The trauailors from straying to defend : Yet it befel ; hee that the soyle did owe , Gan to d●uyse these pillars downe to take , On his new buyding them for to bestow , And woorkmen brought , & theretro ginnes did make : But out alas , in langor I complaine , In forceing them ; they fel , and burst in twayne . IIII. I saw a bird , of Egles race I deeme , For that shee hatched was in Egles nest . Which of a Lord was held in high esteeme , And to his lure shee only her adrest : But it so fel that hee a Hauke espyde , And tooke such pleasure in her speckled plume , That hee for her his faire foule thrust a syde , In vndeserued sorrow to consume : But lo this Ha●ke he now bore on his fist , Oblyg'd and taught to come when as hee lured , Would not by him bee lured as hee list , But was by stelth to others lures enured : Which when hee saw , in wrath and in despyte , He wrang her neck of from her body quyte . V. A pleasant crop of trees then did I see , On which sweet nightingales did sit and sing , Til one that sem'd to hate their melody , Sought how hee might them to destruction bring : He sat vp snares and grinnes and lymy twigs , And all deuyses that might them betray , And brake their nestes that were among the sprigs , And many kild and many chaste away : And that they should no more come there againe , The very trees vnto the ground hee threw , That scarsly any one he let remaine , But see how iust reuenge did soone ensue ; His foot s●ipt in a pitfal hee had cast , And downe hee fel and so his neck he brast . VI. A Giant then mee thought there came in place , Who dreaded was for greatnesse of his stature , And many trembled to beh●ld his face , And mused at the strangenesse of his nature : for hee a swoord did hold in either fist , And freindes and foes he cared not to kil , For few could in his fauour long persist , Because to keep his loue was such a skil : At last a monster all compact of bones , Came traytor-lyke and with a darte him ●ent , That downe hee fel and so was dead at once , And as it seem'd , few did his losse lament : And where alyue he monuments defaced , Now dead , no monument on him was placed . VII . When all these thinges were vanisht from my view , At such vnwonted sights I greatly mused , And though I not the certaine meaning knew , Yet did it seeme , although it seem'd confused : That thinges which are the cause of others wrong , Themselues do often also suffer wrack , Whereby is seene that sway endures not long , And that reuenge not alwayes cometh slack : And that theirs none on earth hath leaue to tarry , And that when bearing-rule hath taken end , Fame doth suruyue , and takes an inuentarie , Of rulers actions and whereto they tend : And vnto after ages shee it shewes , To learne them what of good or il ensues .

VERSES OF THE worldes vanitie , supposed to bee made by S. Bernard . And translated into English to bee sung to the tune they beare in Latin . WHy doth this world contend , For glorious vanitie , Whose welth so subiect is , To mutabilitie . As earthen vessels faile , Through their fragillitie , So standeth wordly force , Vnsure and slipperie . Caracters ra'st in yce , Think rather permanent , Then earthly vanities , Vading incontinent . Shadowed with vertue pure , But fals in recompence , At no tyme yeilding vs , True trust or confidence . To men more credit gi●● , That want fidelitie , Then trust in worldly welth , Which is but 〈◊〉 . Falshood in fond-delight , Pleasures in ●ranticknes , Desyred vanities , Of fleeting ficklenes . Where now is Salomon , Somtyme in royaltie , Or Sampson with his great , Inuincibillitie . Or gentle Ionathas , Praised for freindlynesse , Or fairest Absalon . So rare in comlynesse . Wheare now is Ceaser go● , High in authoritie , Or Diues with his fare , And sumptuofitie . Tel now where Tullie is , Cleerest in eloquence , Or Aristotle fled , With his intelligence . O sil●y vermens food , O masse of dustynesse , O dew , o vanitie , Whence is thy loftinesse . To morrow for to liue , Thow haste no certainty , Do good to all therefore , Whyle thow haste liberty . This wordly glorie great , How short a feast it i● ▪ And lyke a shadow here , Lo how it vanishes . Which takes rewardes away , Of long continuance , And leades vs in the wayes , Of erring ignorance . This earthly glory moste , Which here is magnifyde , In Scripture termed is , As grasse that s withered . And as the lightest leaf , The wynde a way doth blow , So light is lyf of man , For death to ouerthrow . Think that which thow maist lose , Is not thyne certainly , This world wil take againe , These gifts of vanitie . Think then on thinges aboue , On them thy harte adresse , Contemne all worldly welth , For endlesse blessednes . FINIS .