Wca Julkr Mottkiea' pbrarg. 
 
 THE 
 
 POEMS 
 
 OF 
 
 GILES FLETCHER, B.D., 
 
 EECTOE OF AXDEHTOX, STJFEOLK : 
 FOR THE FIRST TDCE 
 
 COLLECTED AND EDITED: 
 
 WITH 
 BY THE 
 
 EEY. xlLEXAlS^DEE B. GSOSAET, 
 
 ST. GEOEGE's, BLACKEIJRX, LAI^CASHIEE. 
 
 PRINTED FOR PRIVATE CIRCULATION. 
 
 1868. 
 
 156 COPIES ONLY, 
 
.h 
 
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 TO 
 
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 GLASGOW: "^ 4. 
 
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 *"Sw8et ginger;^ 
 
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 ^Warbler of i^oettc Jf^rose;^ 
 
 AHD A 
 
 &otjd ajiii Trtre Friend; 
 
 HIS FIEBT COLLECTBB EDITIOIT OP A2f OLD 
 POET IS 
 
 AFPECTIONATELT DEDICATED 
 
 BY 
 
 ALEXANDER B. GKOSAET. 
 
MEMORIAL-INTRODUCTION. 
 
 m 
 
 HINEAS, and not Giles Fletchek as 
 usually supposed — was the first-bom of 
 his Pamily ; and hence such new facts 
 and details as I have had the good fortune to 
 discover (and recover) concerning the Eletchees, 
 will find most fitting place in the Memoir of him 
 to be prefixed to our reprint of his ^ Poems.' 
 
 The father of our Poets was Giles Pletchee, 
 L.L.D., brother of Eichaed Pletchee, who died 
 Bishop of London. He was a man who did valorous 
 and varied service to his Country : his visit to 
 Theodoee Ivai?^owich, ^czar' of Eussia, and his 
 book about it, being the most notable. Dr. Giles 
 Plbtchee was son of good Eichaed Pletchee, the 
 first Eefoemation ' pastor ' of Ceai^beoob: in Kent, 
 and in his somewhat stormy and wandering life, 
 he is found flitting to and fro between the paternal 
 Vicarage and London. Phii^eas was born — as we 
 shall prove — in Ceaneeook; but Giles was bom 
 
b MEMORIAL-II^TEODUCTIOlSr. 
 
 in London by the testimony of Thomas Puxleu in 
 his ^ "Worthies.'^ His informant was the Eev. 
 John- Eamsey of ^Eougham in Norfolk' who 
 married the widow of our Poet.f It is to be 
 regretted that his birth-date was not given by 
 Ffllee. Chalmees' J conjecture of 1588 seems 
 improbable, as in the present volume will be found 
 his ^ Canto ' upon the death of Elizabeth, originally 
 published in 1603, that is, in such case, when he 
 was in his 14th or 15th year. I do not forget 
 
 * Yol. II., 82 (edt. 1811 by Nichols). 
 
 t Fuller and after him his editors, and even "Willmott, 
 misspell this excellent man's name 'Rainsey.' It is 
 Eamsey, as appears by a volume of his ' Sermons/ of 
 ripe learning and rare quaintness and memorableness 
 of thinking and style — which is in my lihrary viz : 
 ' Prseterita or a Summary of several Sermons : the 
 greater part preached many years past in several 
 places, and upon sundry occasions. By John Eamsey, 
 Minister of East Eudham in the County of Norfolk, 
 1650 (4°) The 'Eegisters ' of his Church and Parish 
 are all gone till within a century of the present time ; 
 and hence no memorial of him remains there. I have 
 not met with another copy of his ' Prseterita.' In his 
 Epistle Dedicatory to Duport, he describes it as a 
 * second mite into the Churches Treasury : the common 
 gazophylacium of the Press.' 
 
 J Biog. Diet. st<^ nomine. 
 
MEMOEIAL-INTEODUCTIOl^. 7 
 
 that at the same age, if not younger, Milton put 
 forth ^^ the shooting of the infant oak which in 
 later times was to overshadow the forest" — as 
 Dr. Symmons with unwonted vivacity describes 
 his translations from the Psalms. Eut while these 
 Psalms owe perhaps their choicest epithets and 
 most vivid touches to Sylvester (^ du-Eartas ') the 
 
 * Canto ' is strictly original and altogether too 
 prodigious a production for a mere youth. The 
 reader can turn to the * Canto ' and judge for 
 himself. 
 
 Our first new fact — and a valuable one — we 
 are able to add here viz : that his mother's name 
 was Joan Sheaee of Ceai^beooe:, Kent, daughter 
 of one of the wealthy clothiers of the place. The 
 ^Eegister' shews that the marriage of this ^fair 
 lady ' with Gilfs Tletchee Senr., took place on 
 16th January, 1580 (o.s.) that is 1581.^ 
 
 * I must heartily acknowledge the ungrudging labour of 
 
 Mr. William Tarbutt of Cb-anbrook, iu aiding my 
 Fletcher-researches. Painstaking, persevering and 
 intelligent, without pretence, Mr. Tarbutt is an en- 
 thusiast in all that honours his native town. We 
 trust he will one day give us a ' History ' of it. Mr. 
 Tarbutt' s investigations have yielded me important 
 contributions to the Memoir of Phineas Fletcher 
 and the Family generally : of which more hereafter. 
 
8 MEMOEIAL-INTEODUCTIOK. 
 
 It is to be noted that Antliony a- Wood gives a 
 place of honour to the son of Thomas Sheafe of 
 Cranbrook, viz : Dr. Thomas Sheafe, who lies in 
 the Chapel of St. George's, "Windsor. In all proba- 
 bility this dignitary was brother of Joan, mother of 
 our two poets."^ What would we not give to have 
 the mother of John Milton as certainly traced ? 
 
 Fuller further states that at an early age he 
 was sent to ' Westminster ' School, and that he 
 was elected from it to Trinity College, Cambridge. 
 On this WiLLMOTT — than whom few have been 
 more painstaking, as none had more penetrative 
 insight, or finer poetic sympathies, or a more 
 unerring taste — remarks: — 
 
 '^ This is the relation of Fuller; but I am unable 
 to reconcile it with the declaratian of Giles 
 Fletchee himself. In the dedication of ^ Christ's 
 Yictorie ' to Dr. J^evil, he speaks, with all the 
 ardour of a young and noble heart, of the kind- 
 ness he had experienced from that excellent man. 
 He mentions his having reached down ' as it were 
 out of heaven, a benefit of that nature and price, 
 
 Athenae Oxon : by Bliss, sub nomine : his censure of 
 another related Sheafe for leaving his money to * lay- 
 men ' and not the Church, is mere abuse, and utterly 
 unwarranted. 
 
MEMOEIAL-INTEODrCTIOlSr. 9 
 
 than which he could wish none (only heaven 
 itself excepted) either more fruitful and content- 
 ing for the time that is now present, or more 
 comfortable and encouraging for the time that is 
 already past, or more hopeful and promising for 
 the time that is yet to come." And further on, 
 he expressly states that he was placed in Trinity 
 College by Dr. NevH's ^ only favour, most freely, 
 without either any means from others, or any 
 desert in himself.' This praise could not have 
 been consistent with truth, if Eletcher had 
 obtained his election from Westminster School; 
 and a careful examination of the Eegister-Book 
 enables me to add that he was not upon the 
 Foundation."^ 
 
 This is decisive ; and yet no one will bear hard 
 on dear ruLLEE, with such a mass of material to 
 assort. I can testify, after following him in many 
 recondite and special lines of inquiry, that his 
 general accuracy is not less amazing than his 
 immense industry. 
 
 * Lives of th.0 English Sacred Poets : by Eobert Aris 
 Willmott. 2iid edition, 2 vols. 12mo. 1839 : Yol i. 
 p 64. THs is preferable here to the first edition, as it 
 corrects previous errors, and is fuller : but the first 
 edition is preferable in other respects, as will appear. 
 
10 MEMOaiAL-IJS^TEODTJCTION. 
 
 The patronage of Dr. ]N"eyil must have been 
 well-timed; for througlL the paternal responsibilities 
 incurred as executor of his Bishop -brother, the 
 Family were enduring at the period, painful hard- 
 ships as an extant Letter — elsewhere to be used — 
 gives pathetic evidence ^' 
 
 That the ^ Canto ' of young Master Giles found 
 so prominent a place in so prominent a volume as 
 
 * Sorrowe's Joy ' : wherein the * wisest Fool ' King 
 James, was welcomed by nearly all the University 
 
 * singers', including Phzn-eas Fletchee — would 
 seem to argue premature recognition. And yet 
 very slender are the records of him even in his 
 own College — renowned Trinity. Cooper's Athei^^ 
 CAT^TAEEiGiEisrsis straugcly fails us altogether, 
 though already covering the years of Giles' attend- 
 ance.! Wood's Atheis-^ designates him * bat- 
 chelour of divinity of Trinity College,' and adds 
 with rare feeling for him ^ ' equally beloved of the 
 muses and graces." J Does the mention of the 
 
 * See our Memoir of Phineas: and meanwhile Bond's 
 ' Preface ' to Dr. Fletcher's book on Eussia, pp. cxxv 
 
 — VI. 
 
 t Vol. I. 1500—85 : Vol. ii. 1586—1609. Are we never 
 
 to get Vol. Ill ? 
 X Fasti (by BHss) i. 190—191. 
 
MEMOHIAL-ESTTEODirCTION. 1 1 
 
 * Graces ' point to his personal beauty? If so — 
 it recalls the ^ comeliness ' and noble presence of 
 bis uncle (Eisbop Eletchee) tbat so ^ took ' 
 Elizabeth. 
 
 "We are enabled to add to his Tsikett dates. 
 In the Scholars' Admission Book is the following 
 entry in his own handwriting, under ^ April 12th, 
 1605.' 
 
 ' -^gidius Fletchenis, Dicipulus juratus.' 
 
 His name also occurs among the E.A. scholars 
 in the Senior Eursar's book for 1606. He is 
 there shewn to have received two quarterly pay- 
 ments of 3s. 4d. The book for 1605 is missing, 
 as is that for 1607 ; but in 1608 his name appears 
 as a E.A. scholar, and he receives four quarterly 
 payments of 3s. 4d. Such is all of ^ Eegister ' - 
 memorial left ; slight but all new facts. ^ 
 
 There can be no doubt that from 1603 of the 
 
 * Canto,' to 1610 he was laying up those stores of 
 various learning and of scholastic Divinity, for 
 which he was afterwards so remarkable. 
 
 In 1610, he published the poem — ^ Christ's 
 Victorie ' — on which his Eame will rest immovably 
 
 * I am deeply indebted to Mr. W. Aldis "Weight, M.A., 
 
 of Trinity College for discovering these entries for me. 
 
12 MEMORIAL-INTEODTJCTION. 
 
 ^ while there is any praise.'^ A second edition 
 was not issued until 1632. It is sufficiently clear 
 that no more than the immortal ' Polio ' of 1623, 
 ^Paradise Lost' or 'Silex Scintillans' was this 
 consummate poem * popular' while from his 
 brother's Lines it is evident that ^maKcious 
 tongues' depreciated it; and that otherwise he 
 was not sufficiently estimated. "We must here 
 read the loving fraternal ^ Lines.' *^ Upon my 
 brother Mr. G. F. his book entituled ^ Christ's 
 Victorie and Triumph.' 
 
 Fond lads, that spend so fast your posting time, 
 (Too posting time, that spends your time as fast) 
 To chant light toyes, or frame some wantom rhyme, 
 Where idle boyes may glut their lustfull taste ; 
 Or else with praise to clothe some fleshly shme 
 With virgin roses and fair lilies chaste ; 
 
 While itching hlouds and youthfull eares adore it ; 
 But wiser men, and once yourselves, will most abhorre it. 
 
 But thou (most neare, most deare) in this of thiue 
 Hast prov'd the Muses not to Venus bound ; 
 Such as thy matter, such thy Muse, divine ; 
 Or thou such grace with Mercie's self hast found. 
 That she herself deignes in thy leaves to shine ; 
 
 * Southey's British Poets : Chaucer to Jonson, p 807. 
 
MEMOEIAL-IN^TEODrCTIOI^. 13 
 
 Or stoU'n from heav'n, thou brought' st this verse to 
 ground, 
 Which frights the nummed soul with fearfull thunder, 
 And soon with honeyed dews thawes it *twixt joy and 
 wonder. 
 
 Then do not thou malicious tongues esteem ; 
 (The glasse, through which an envious eye doth gaze, 
 Can eas'ly make a mole-hill mountain seem) 
 His praise dispraises, his dispraises praise ; 
 Enough, if best men best thy labours deem, 
 And to the highest pitch thy merit raise ; 
 While all the Muses to thy song decree 
 Victorious Triumph, triumphant Yictorie.," i 
 
 That 'Clirist'syictorie' liad one supreme * student' 
 in JoHis" Mtltoi^ every one discerns ; and the 
 'one' is compensating renown. Surely and perma- 
 nently, if slowly, the majority came round to the 
 'one;' and now whoever knows aught of English 
 Literature, knows ^ by heart ' the ^ thoughts that 
 breathe in words that bum ' of this truly divine 
 and imperishable Poem. If Giles had lived to see 
 his brother's 'Sicelides' (1631); and perchance 
 he did see it in the Manuscript — he would 
 doubtless have found cheer in these lines of the 
 
 1. ' Poeticall Miscellaniess/ p.p. 101-102 (1633). 
 
14 MEMOEIAL-INTEODFCTIOIir. 
 
 ^ Epilogue' in answer to the question ^ Wliat euer 
 feast could every guest content T viz : 
 
 " In this thought, this thought the Author eas'd 
 "Who once made all, all rules — all neuer pleas' d ; 
 Faine would we please the best, if not the many 
 And sooner will the best be pleased then any; 
 Our rest we set in pleasing op the best, 
 So wish we you what you may give us : Eest." 
 
 Puller has neglected to inform us in what year 
 our ^ sweet Singer' received ordination; hut while 
 in residence at Camhridge he was miich sought 
 after as a ^preacher.' His pulpit was sacred ' St. 
 Mary's ' from which have come perhaps the grandest 
 Sermons ever spoken hy mortal tongues, and to 
 the most large-hrained auditories found anywhere, 
 not excepting * Panic's Crosse.'^ A peculiarity 
 of his Sprayers, ' was that they usually consisted of 
 one entire allegory ^ not driven, hut led on, most 
 proper in all particulars."! It is scarcely a loss 
 that 'prayers' of this type have not been preserved, 
 and yet one would have liked to see a specimen, 
 as one rejoices that in sequestered places one may 
 
 * Cf. my Memoir of Dr. Eichard Sibbes, Yol i. pp. Hi, 
 
 liii : and Masson's ' Milton.' 
 t Puller, as before. 
 
MEMORIAL-IIirTEODTJCTIOl^. 15 
 
 still see Gardens of the antique sort, wherein the 
 God-made sylvage is transformed by art into all 
 manner of Dutch fantastiques of beds and knots, 
 ^ without a leaf astray,' as ^ Our Tillage ' describes. 
 In ^1612' Eletcher edited and published at 
 Cambridge the ' Eemains ' of a remarkable ^ Oxford ' 
 man — ]S'atha]s^iel Powi^oll. The ' Epistle Dedi- 
 catory ' is addressed to John "King, Eishop of 
 London. ; ^' and is a bit of terse, thoughtful English. 
 "Willmot laments that he had not been able to 
 obtain the book as ^' it would certainly tend to 
 illustrate the poet's history." Eetween the first 
 edition of his ^Lives' (1834) and the second 
 (1839) he seems to have despaired of ever seeing 
 it, and drops out all mention of it.f I am very 
 pleased to be able to produce it from Seldeis^'s copy 
 
 * See my Memoir of Bishop King prefixed to reprint of 
 his ' Jonah. ' [4to.] 
 
 t Cf. the former, p. 34 : In a foot-note here, Willmott is 
 perplexed with a contradiction between Watt's ' Bih- 
 hotheca Brittannica ' and the antiquary Cole, because 
 the former describes Pownoll's volnme as printed at 
 * Canterbury ' : bnt the explanation is that there was 
 a mistake of Watt's editors (for his work was pos- 
 thumous) in reading Cant[abrigi8e] :=Cambridge, as 
 Canterbury. 
 
16 MEMOEIAL-INTEODIJCTION. 
 
 of Pow]!^OLL, preserved in the * Bodleian '^ Here 
 it is : — 
 
 * To the Eeverend Father in God John L[ord] 
 Bishop of London. 
 
 Eight woorthie and reuerend Father in God : 
 
 Blame not your ancient Obseruer, if no we, after 
 he hath recouered in a manner, at Cambridge, that 
 life which he lost at his departure from Oxford, 
 he rises aniew, as it wear out of his ashes, to do 
 his humble seruice to his Lordship ; and, indeede, 
 to whome can any fruit that comes from him, bee 
 with more right presented then to him, in whose 
 garden, and onder whose shadow it griew ? Into 
 whose hand should this small book, though 
 wanting his owne Epistle, be deliuered, but onto 
 
 * The following is the full title-page ' The Young Diviues 
 Apologie for his contiuuance in the XJniversitie with 
 Certaiae Meditations, written by Nathaniel Pownoll, 
 late student of Christ- Church ia Oxford. Printed by 
 CantreU Legge, Printer to the Yniversitie of Cam- 
 bridge ; and are to be sold in Paul's Churchyard by 
 Matthew Lownes at the signe of the Bishop's head/ 
 1612, [12mo.] Another edition of the 'Young Divine's 
 Apology ' was published at Oxford ia 1658 ' printed 
 for T. Robinson' and to this are added (1) His 
 Meditation upon the calling of the Ministrie at his 
 
MEMOBIAL-INTEODUCTIOIS^. 17 
 
 that, to which it hath before given so many 
 Epistles ? whear can it looke for protection with 
 more hope then whear it hath formerly, with all 
 fanonr foiinde it? 
 
 If your Lordship thearfore will be pleased to be 
 the defender of this Apologie, and to breath as I 
 may trnly say, the breath of life againe into his 
 sequent Meditations, that so beeing annimated 
 aniew with those onspeakable sighs, and alike 
 feruent zeale of spirit, wherwith they wear first, 
 as in fierie chariots, carried up into heau'n; I 
 doubt not but they will seeme, beeing so quickned, 
 to any that shall reade them (especially if, as Job 
 wished in a case not much onlike, his soule wear 
 in his soules stead) no cold, or dull, or dead 
 
 first institution unto it. (2) A Meditation upon the 
 first of the seauen penitentiall Psalmes of David. (3) 
 His daily Sacrifice. These last three are contained in 
 one volume at the end of the ^Apologie' 1612. I 
 notice that in the "Will of our Giles' Uncle — Bishop 
 EiCHARD Fletcher — he bequeaths, among other things 
 the following : ' Item/ I geue vnto my sister PownoU 
 twenty poundes. (Dyce's Beaumont & Fletcher, Vol. i. 
 Ixxxviii.) Was this the mother of our Pownoll ? If 
 so then we have a key to our poet's interest in editing 
 and publishing his * Eemaines ' : in such case he was 
 his cousin. 
 
1 8 MEMOEIAL-INTEODTTCTIOIir. 
 
 lettets; and in so doing, you shall not onely follow 
 him into his graue, but call him out of it with 
 this so speciall a benefit, binding with the dead in 
 one knot of thankfulnesse all his friends that yet 
 live, and cannot but ioy to see your Lordship's 
 fauour out-live the person on whom it is bestowed: 
 of whome my selfe, being the leaste, shal euer 
 thinke I am most bound to be. 
 
 Your L. to command in all good seruice 
 
 G. Pletchee.' 
 
 To this falls to be added an equally good ^ Epistle ' 
 to *the Eeader' which follows: — 
 
 ^ The Authour of this small discourse, or rather 
 (giue mee leaue so to call him) the Swan that, 
 before his death, sung this diuine song, is now 
 thear, whear he neither needs the praise, nor 
 fears the envy of any : whose life, as it deserued 
 so it was covetous of no mans commendation ; 
 himselfe being as farre from pride as his desert was 
 neere it, yet because it was his griefe, that hee 
 should die before he was fit to doe God the seruice 
 hee desired ; and his friends desire, that beeing so 
 fit as hee was for his service, hee might (if it had 
 been possible) neuer have died at all ; thearfore 
 his booke was bould to thrust itselfe into that 
 world which the Author of it had lately left, thereby 
 
MEMOEIAL-INTEODUCTIOK". 1 9 
 
 to satisfye both his Makers desire, in doing the 
 chnrch of God some seruice ; and his friends griefe, 
 in not suffering him altogether to lie dead. 
 
 And truely what better seruice can it doe, then 
 to persuade with reason, since Authoritie forces 
 not, our young ]N"eophytes to abide awhile in the 
 schooles of the Prophets, at Bethel, before they 
 presume to enter the Temple at Hierusalem ; and 
 if reason can doe little with them, because happily 
 they want it, yet let his example (an argument 
 that prevails much with the common people, of 
 whome such prophets are the tayle) make them at 
 least see, and confesse, though they know not 
 how to amend, theii^ fault. Ten yeares had hee 
 lined in the Uniuersitie, eight languages had hee 
 leart, and taught his tongue so many seueral waies 
 by which to expresse a good heart; watching 
 often, daily exercising, alway studying, in a 
 word, making an end of himselfe in an ouer-fer- 
 uent desire to benefit others ; and yet, after hee 
 had, as it wear out of himself, sweat out all this 
 oyle for his lampe, after hee had with the sunne 
 ran so many heauenly races, and when the sunne 
 was laied abed by his labours, after hee had burnt 
 out so many candles to giue his minde light 
 (hauing al waies S. Paul's querie in his minde 
 Tt9 7rpo9 Tuvja LKavos) hee neuer durst adventure 
 
20 MEMORIAL-INTEODTTCTION. 
 
 to doe that, after all these studies done, and ended, 
 which our young novices, doeing nothing, eoumpt 
 nothing to doe: but still thought himselfe as 
 unfit, as hee kniew all men weare unworthy 
 of so high an honour, as to be the Angells of God. 
 
 I could wish that he had left behinde him, if 
 not all his learning, yet some of his modesty to 
 be diuided among these empty sounding vessels, 
 that want both; but since in him so great 
 examples of piety, knowledge, industrie, and 
 unaffected modesty are all fallen so deeply asleep, 
 as I am afraid we shall hardly find in any of his 
 age the like, (which I speak not to deny iust 
 praise to the lining; but who will not afford a 
 fiew flowers to strowe the cophine of the dead ?) 
 thear was no way to awaken them, and in them 
 him, but by layeing them up, not with him in his 
 graue, but in these immortal monuments of the 
 presse, the lining Tombes proper to dead learning, 
 wherein these flowers may line, though their roote 
 be withered, and though the trunke be dead, the 
 branches flowrish. 
 
 Let rich men therefore in the guilded sepulchres 
 and proud monuments of their death, beg for the 
 memory of their Hues : the righteous shall be had 
 in euerlasting remembrance, without any such 
 proud beggary ; nor shall he euer be beholding to 
 
MBMOEIAL-INTEODTJCTIOK. 21 
 
 a dead stone for the matter; and good reason, 
 Eighteonsness being a shadow of that divine 
 substance, which hath in it no shadow of change 
 much less of corruption : only I could wish their 
 Hues wear as long as their memories ; that so 
 this crooked age might haue as great store, as it 
 hath need of them. 
 
 G. F. 
 
 Prefixed to the 'Bodleian' copy of Pownoll 
 is this Latin M.S. Epitaphum. 
 
 * Flos juvenmn, decus Oxonii, spes summa parentum 
 Te tegit ante diem (matre parante) lapis.— 
 
 Hoc satis est cineri : reliqua immortaHa coelo 
 Condit amorque hominuin, condit amorque Dei.* 
 
 "When our Fletcher left Cambetdge is not 
 known; but probably it was shortly after 1610, 
 the year of the publication of his Poem and also of 
 the death of his Father — who it is to be feared did 
 not live to read * Christ's Victorie, ' in print at 
 least. That he was a Divinely- 'called' not merely 
 Bishop-ordained ' minister of the Gospel ' is cer- 
 tain. For in the invocation of his great Poem he 
 adoringly acknowledges the one mighty change 
 within, the gentle yet awful dower that alone 
 warrants a man to accept the august office. As 
 PicQfEAs has like definite and deep words con- 
 
22 MEMOEIAL-H^TEODTJCTIOlSr. 
 
 ceming the same central tliiiig — which, will duly 
 appear in his Memoir — it wonld almost seem as 
 though the two brothers were moved, inclinedy 
 and enabled to give themselyes to their Lord at 
 thej same time. With hush of awe, not without 
 white tears, one reads the goldenly precious self- 
 revelation, modest but frank, frank because con- 
 fiding. They must find place here : 
 
 " The obsequies of Him that could not die 
 
 And death of hfe, ende of eternitie, 
 
 How worthily He died, that died vnworthily ; 
 
 Is the first flame wherewith my whiter Muse 
 Doth bnme in heauenly love, such love to tell. 
 O Thou that didst this holy fire infuse, 
 Aud taught'st this brest, hut late the graue of hell, 
 Wherein a hlind^ and dead heart liiCd^ to swell 
 
 With better thoughts, send downe those lights that 
 lend 
 
 Knowledge, how to begin, and how to end 
 The loue, that neuer was, nor euer can be pend.' * 
 
 Thus baptized with Fire ^from the Altar' he became 
 a servant- Shepherd under the Owner-shepherd. 
 
 ruLLEE says ^^ He was at last (by exchange of 
 his living) settled in Suffolk." On this "Willmott 
 observes ^^ It seems improbable that he would 
 
 *Parti., s. 1, 3. 
 
MEM0EIAL-INTE0DX7CTI0N. 23 
 
 have relinquished any other preferment for a 
 situation which is supposed to have hastened the 
 period of his death;" and he continues ^^ [He] 
 did not live long to reap the advantage of his 
 preferment ; the unhealthiness of the situation 
 combined vdth the ignorance of his parishoners, to 
 depress his spirits and exhaust his constitution ; 
 a lonely village in the maritime part of Suffolk, 
 more than two hundred years ago, had few conso- 
 lations to offer to one accustomed to the refined 
 manners and elegant occupations of an University. 
 We are told by Puller in the quaint manner for 
 which he is remarkable, that Fletcher's * clownish 
 and low-parted parishioners (having nothing but 
 their shoes high about them) valued not their 
 pastor according to his worth, which disposed him 
 to melancholy and hastened his dissolution.' "* 
 
 * As before, p. 67 : " He may have been " suggests Will- 
 mo tt here, ^'presented to the living by Sir Eobert 
 Naunton, whose family were the patrons of the Church 
 and had their residence in the parish. Naunton was 
 Public Orator during several years of Fletcher's 
 residence at Cambridge, and being himself a member 
 of Trinity was, probably, well acquainted with his 
 poetry and genius." On this, in a little Paper which 
 appeared in the Ipswich Journal, (March 12th, 1853) a 
 local Writer adds *' If Scipio departed from Home to 
 
24 MEMOEIAL-rsrTRODTJCTION. 
 
 We are reminded of Heebick's like experience 
 among his ^ clownish ' Devonshire parishioners. 
 Unfortunately the * Eegisters ' of Aldeeton — the 
 ^living' of Fletcher — only go back to 1674; so 
 that there are no accessible records to get at 
 Eacts and dates. 
 
 While * Eector ' I do not donbt he discharged 
 faithfully the functions of his office ; and his prose 
 in the form of ' Epistles' and * Prefaces* already 
 given, and those which precede his Poem, should 
 alone warrant us in concluding that he had preach- 
 ing-power. Put besides it is our rare happiness 
 to have before us a copy — believed to be unique — 
 of a prose treatise by our Worthy, that gives us in 
 all likelihood the substance of a series of sermons. 
 The title-page of this solitary copy is awanting ; 
 and all search and re-search have failed to trace 
 another — ^but from the references to Bacok under 
 
 ^ his residence in some remote locality, it was but 
 natural that he should sigh for the companionship of 
 his beloved Lselius." It is discreditable in no common 
 degree to Suffolk that an appeal by the (then) Eector 
 for funds in order to place a marble tablet in the wall 
 of the ' old Eectory ' in memory of Fletcher, remains 
 un-responded to and the pious project unperformed. 
 Shame where is thy blush ? 
 
MEMOEIAl-INTEODTJCTION. 25 
 
 his title of ^Lord Yerulam, YiscoTint Saint 
 Albones/ it cannot have been earlier than 1621 — 
 the year of the creation of St. Albans — nor later 
 than 1623, the year of its author's death.^' As 
 this Eook has escaped the knowledge of all our 
 Eletcher's previous Biographers, I shall give 
 first of all the * Epistle Dedicatory,' and thereafter 
 extracts illustrative of its thought and style. 
 
 The ^ Epistle * — as already noted — refers to 
 'favours' conferred by Bacoi^. It is saddening 
 that we cannot know more of their nature. Was 
 it the * presentation' to Alderton? and the gra- 
 ciousness ofit? f 
 
 The ' Epistle ' is as follows : 
 
 'To the right Honorable and Eeligious, Sir 
 Eoger Townshend, Knight Earonet ; J all grace and 
 peace. 
 
 * I owe my use of this precious volume to my accomplislied 
 friend George W. Napier, Esq., of Alderley Edge, near 
 Manchester. It is daintily covered witli satin and 
 silver wire-work in flowers — ^which kind of binding 
 is usually ascribed to the Nuns of Little Gidding. 
 
 t See Postscript at end of Memorial-Introduction. 
 
 X Sir John Townshend, Bart, M. P., married Anne, 
 eldest daughter and co-heir of Sir Nathanael Bacon, 
 K. B., half-brother of the Bacon. The eldest son of 
 this marriage was the Eoger of this Dedication, 
 
26 MEMOKIAL-Iiq^TEODrCTIOISr. 
 
 Honourable Sir, 
 
 Eenefits, they say, are alwayes best giuen when 
 they are most concealed, but thanks when they are 
 made most knowne. Giue my priuate estate 
 leaue therefore to borrow the Art of the Printer, 
 which is the publike Tongue of the learned, to 
 expresse my selfe (though with no other learning 
 then what your kinde respects haue taught mee) 
 most gratefuU ynto you : who indeed am bound, 
 though principally, yet not onely to your 
 Honoured selfe, but totj Gentj tum^ to the worthy 
 Lady your mother, the religious Knight, Sir 
 Nathaniel, your second Father, & without 
 thought, not beyond my desire, to your most 
 noble & learned Yncle, the Eight Honorable 
 Francis Lord Yerulam, Viscount Saint Albones, 
 my free and very Honourable Benefactor, whose 
 gift, as it was worthy his bestowing, so was it 
 
 created a Baronet in 1617. From liim descend the 
 present Marquis Townshend, Yiscount Sydney, Baron 
 Bayning, &c. (See ' Notes and Qneries ' 4tli Series, 
 May 23rd, 1868, p. 499). Phineas also dedicates his 
 * LocnstsB ' to Sir Roger, and his English ^ Locusts ' to 
 Lady Townshend. See our edition of Phineas 
 Fletcher, in loco. John Yates dedicates his * Saints* 
 Sufferings and Sinners' Sorrowes (1631) to Sir Roger 
 Townsend, &c. Gr. 
 
MEMOEIAL-rN"TEODTJCTION-. 27 
 
 speedily sent, and not tediously sued for; Honour- 
 ably giuen, not bought with shame, to one whom 
 he neuer knew or saw, but onely heard kindly 
 slaundered with a good report of others, and 
 opinion conceiued by himselfe of sufficiencie 
 and worth. For by your Eauours I confesse, my 
 estate is something, but the sence of my pouertie 
 much more increased. For if we may beleeue 
 JSTeros wise Maister and Martyr; * There is none 
 so poore, as he who cannot requite a benefit:^* but 
 I am glad your Estates will be alwayes beyond 
 any retaliating f kindnesses of mine who could not, 
 indeed, without doing you much iniury, wish 
 my selfe able to make you amends. 
 
 As therefore Aristippus came to Dionysius, so 
 
 doe I to J0U*^7rl Tiv jbieTaBivffeiv tov e^o; kol jmeraXT]' 
 -^eaOai u)v jult] e^w Hauing received what I wanted, 
 to returne what I had. J Though in trueth this small 
 present may bee better sayed to bee giuen by you 
 to others, then by my self to you, who thought it 
 worthy of more mens reading then your owne, 
 
 * Seneca. Gr. 
 
 t An example of a now disused sense of this word, such 
 
 as illustrates and confirms Trench's remarks on it in 
 
 his well-known ' Study of Words.' G. 
 X Diogenes Laertius, Vita Aristippi ii. 77. Gr. 
 
28 MEMOEIAL-INTEODTJCTION". 
 
 whicli I pray God it may be. Surely if there be 
 any worth in it, it is in the dignitie of the matter, 
 and the fitnesse of it, for our nature and times. 
 The matters are the Grounds, Exercise and Eeward 
 of the faithful!, Heauenly Light, Eodily labour, 
 Spirituall rest. The first of which brings with it 
 light for our Soules ; the second, Health for our 
 bodies, and the third for them both eternal 
 Blessednesse. Eut in our times there is three 
 vertues are so great strangers, in which there are 
 so many euill heartes of vnbeliefe, all standing 
 ready to depart from the lining God, that wee 
 had need to offer a holy violence to our nature, 
 and to fall out with our times, that fall so fast 
 away from God, or else it is to be feared least the 
 tide and streame of them both carry vs not into the 
 riuers of Paradise, there to bee landed vpon the 
 mountaines of our saluation, but into the riuers of 
 Brimstone, whether all are wasted that depart 
 from God : as himselfe telleth vs ; ' Depart from 
 mee yee cursed into euerlasting fire. 
 
 And so much the more need had wee, that line 
 in this last Age of the world, to looke to the infir- 
 mitie of our natures and diseases of the time: 
 because natural infirmities are alwayes greatest 
 Tyrants in our Age, and it is no otherwise in this 
 old world, then in old persons : If we were 
 
MEMORIAL-INTEODirCTIOIir. 29 
 
 borne weake sighted, it is a venture but in age 
 a great dimnesse, if not a totall blindnesse doe not 
 befall vs. If a lame hand by nature hath disabled 
 the actions of our youth ; the hand which in youth 
 could doe little, will doe nothing in our age ; if 
 we have traduced a personal inclination from our 
 parents to any vice, it is a grace if that inclina- 
 tion grow not to an affection in our youth, and in 
 our age to a habite. So fast grow the ill weedes 
 of JS'ature when IS; ature it selfe decay es in vs. 
 
 Ifow wee cannot bee ignorant that in the very 
 Spring of nature, these three strong infirmities 
 were seeded in vs. The first vpon the effacing of 
 Gods Image, a dim me eye-sight or darknesse in 
 our soule : the second a lame hand or idlenesse 
 in the body, which grew when Mortalitie first 
 broke in vpon vs, and left our nature consumed 
 of that fijst-bome strength it then flowrished 
 with: bringing in vpon our labour an accursed 
 sweat, vpon our sweat, wearinesse, and conse- 
 quently faynting, and languishing the whole 
 body with vnrest, and disease :. The third vpon the 
 losse of our heavenly inheritance, an inclination 
 and affection of the whole man to such a happi- 
 nesse, as wee cannot build for our selues, out of the 
 beautie and delights of this world : which Salomon 
 happily alluded vnto Eccles. 3. 11. where speaking 
 
30 MEMOEIAL-IJs^TEOBTJCTIQ]!^. 
 
 of Humane happinesse, to reioyce, and doe good, 
 that is, to eate and to drinke, and to enioy the good 
 of all our Labour, verse, 3, ("Wliich questionlesse is 
 therefore lawfull, because it is there sayd to bee the 
 gift of Grod) hee telleth vs; that, ^ God hath made 
 every thing beautifull in his season, and hath set 
 tilVn ^^^w/?^, the worlde, as it is translated, or the 
 desire of perpetuitie in their heartes, so that no 
 man can finde out the worke that God maketh 
 from the beginning to the end.' "Whereas it seemes 
 to me, Salomon allowing vs this Humane felicitie, 
 as good in it selfe, yet secretly accuseth it (by 
 reason of the immoderate affection, and desire of 
 perpetuitie wee cast after it) for blinding the eye 
 of our consideration so farre, as thereby wee cannot 
 finde out the worke that God maketh from the 
 beginning to the end, which doub[t]lesse^ can bee 
 no other then his worke of our Eedemption, 
 purposed from all etemitie in Christ our Lord 
 who therefore as himself is called TrpwroTOKo^ 7rd(Trj9 
 K7i(Teu)9, the first-borne of all creatures, so his 
 day is cald JVouissimus Dierum^ the last of all 
 dayes, he onely being (as himselfe witnesseth) A 
 and Q and the First f and the Last, the beginning of 
 
 * Misprinted '■ doublesse.' G. 
 t Misprinted ' Frst.* G. 
 
MEMOEIAL-IIS'TEODUCTIOIT. 31 
 
 all things and the ende of all things Colos. i., ^ 15 ; 
 and in this worke onely consists the knowledge of 
 onr perfit happines wherein is both perpetuitie and 
 sufficiency, which work of Gods, most men therefore 
 cannot finde out, because they acquiet their desires 
 with this humane felicitie, and lie downe ynder 
 Issachars blessing, which indeed, is but a cursory 
 and viatorie happinesse, seruing vs onely for the 
 time and by the way. 
 
 These then are the three great diseases of our 
 soules, bodies, and persons : Blindnesse of Spirit, 
 Idlenesse of Body, Loue and rest in the world ; 
 which the beginning of the world, made by corrup- 
 tion, naturaU ; and the Age of the world, by the 
 second nature, and of custome, hath made delight- 
 full to vs. And truely, if our owne experience did 
 not teach vs how most men in our daies placed 
 themselues in these infirmities, and with what 
 delight wee are ignorant, idle, and enamored of the 
 world : yet the Oracles of God would plainely 
 euidence it vnto vs, wherein wee shall finde it 
 prophecied of this last tempest of the world, that 
 it should bee full of seducing Spirits to infidelitie, 
 of idle busie bodyes, of loners of pleasures more 
 
 * Misprinted < 11.' G. 
 
32 MEMOEIAL-INTEODTJCTION". 
 
 then loners of God. To cure which three great 
 diseases ^' of our natures, and our times I haue 
 sent abroade by your perswasion (and therefore 
 haue burdened you with the Patronage of it) 
 this short Prsescript, which I pray God may 
 worke by the power of his Spirit, soundnesse in 
 YS. To the riches of whose grace, I most entirely 
 commend you, and rest Your Worships in all 
 hearty affection and Christian seruice 
 
 Giles Pletskee. 
 
 I now proceed to select such portions of the 
 work itself — whose running title is ^^ The Eeward of 
 the Paithfull" from texts enumerated belowf — as 
 have arrested my attention in reading it. Taken as 
 a whole it is scarcely worthy of a reprint ; but 
 our gleanings will, it is believed, interest. The 
 * verse ' bits will be found in their own place 
 among the poems. I I submit our extracts seriatim 
 from the commencement to the close : 
 
 * Misprinted ^ diseased.' G. 
 
 t Matthew v., 6, * They shall be satisfied,' p.p. 1-127; 
 Genesis xxvi., 12, pp. 127-302; Acts x., 43, pp. 303- 
 419 ; Epistle Dedicatory 6 leaves ; the severall argu- 
 ments [imperfect] 2 leaves. 
 
 J Mr. Napier's is the same copy referred to by Dr. Neale 
 and Mr. Hazlitt. It is remarkable that this prose treatise 
 of oux Poet should not have been known after Phineas's 
 
MEMOEIAL rNTBODGCTIOJr. 33 
 
 (1) **So much almes, and often fasting & due 
 payment of tithes, what goodnesse haue they, if 
 the ahnes must bee trumpeted abroad, and the fast 
 must set a sowre face ypon the matter, and the 
 tithes must bee boasted of, and layed as it were in 
 Gods dish, when he comes to pray before him in 
 the Temple, as though God who giues him all, 
 were beholding to him, for restoring him the tenth 
 part of his owne?" (p. 9.) Again: — 
 
 (2) '^ !N^ow it is a speech of our Sauiour which 
 it may bee euery man remembers, but few men 
 marke, when after fourty dayes fast in the wilder- 
 nesse, he was tempted to satisfie his hunger by 
 making bread of stones, he answered, That man 
 liu'd not by bread onely, but by euery Word that 
 proceeded out of the mouth of God. "Which speech 
 though aprophane Ignorant will perhaps derisively^ 
 
 Tvell-known verses giyen onward. It is much to be 
 desired that another copy containing the title-page 
 may be forthcoming. Meantime it is scarcely ever 
 safe to designate any book unique^ e.g. after fully 
 ten years waiting I have just happened on Zachart 
 Catlin's ' Hid Treasure/ and at same time his 
 translation of Ovid — ^books I had despaired of ever 
 recovering ; and so it may be in any case. 
 * Misprinted * derisonly.' G. 
 
34 MEMOEIAX-INTEODTJCTION'. 
 
 scoffe at, as tMnkiiig it impossible to Hue by 
 words, yet sucb words as proceed out of tbe mouth 
 of God haue more vitall sweetnesse, and nourish- 
 able sap in them, than all his corne, and oyle, and 
 wine haue. Was not the whole world made by 
 the word of God ? Was not the soule of euery 
 reasonable creature made by the same word, and so 
 imbreathed into the body of the first father of our 
 humane nature ? and is now still infused into euery 
 one of our bodies, when they are perfectly 
 instrumented, and made fit for the soule to dwell 
 in?'' (pp. 19—21.) Again:— 
 
 (3) ^^ If a man digging in a field, find a mine, 
 we cal this fortune : but a mine must bee first 
 there by nature, before any can finde it there by 
 fortune. And therefore fortune that comes 
 alwayes after nature, cannot bee the cause of 
 natui-e.'' (p. 24.) Again: — 
 
 (4) ^^"What nature in earth obserues the dif- 
 ferent motions of the heavenly bodies, and admires 
 the methodicall wisedom of God in them, and 
 thinkes vpon his couenant of mercy, when he 
 sees the token of it shining in the waterie cloud 
 (sweetly abusing the same waters to bee a token 
 of his mercy, which before were the instrument of 
 his iust revenge.'' (p. 30, 31.) Again: 
 
MEMOEIAL-Iiq'TEODIICTIOK'. 35 
 
 (5) *' Whose eye lookes beyond tlie bright hilles 
 of time, and there beholds eternity, or sees a spiri- 
 tual! world beyond this body, esteeming that farre 
 discoasted region, his native country,^ but onely 
 man? (p. 31.) Again: — 
 
 (6) So with the body. Ent we cannot drinke 
 too much of our spirituall rocke, nor eate too much 
 of our heauenly Manna, which after we haue 
 feasted our hearts with, we shall find noe more 
 hunger, or thirst; feele noe more iniuries of age, or 
 time ; feare noe more spoiles of mortality, or death. 
 ]N'either is the soule nourished by this diuine food, 
 as the body is, by wasting that whereby it selfe is 
 preserued, and consuming that to maintaine it selfe, 
 whereby it selfe is kept from corruption : but as 
 the sight of al eyes is preserued and perfected by 
 the light of the Sunne, whose beames can neuer be 
 exhaust, so our spiritual life is nourished by the 
 participation of the life of Christ which is indeed 
 Trrjrid^tov ^torj, annona ccdi^ the flower of heauen, 
 neuer engrost by possessing, nor lost by vsing, nor 
 wasted by nourishing, nor spent by enioying but 
 hath that heauenly, and ynconsumable nature in it 
 (being to nourish immortall soules) that it pre- 
 
 * Mispriated ' countey.' G. 
 
36 MEMOEIAX-INTEODTJCTION. 
 
 semes al without decaying itselfe, it diuides it 
 selfe to all without losse or diminution of it selfe ; 
 it is imparted to all and replenished, and not 
 impayred by any of those soules that banquet 
 vpon it.'' pp.37 — 40.) Again: — 
 
 (7) *^Like the twilight of an euening, or the 
 first breake of day in which the shadows of earth, 
 and the light of heauen are confused." (p. 42.) 
 Again : — 
 
 (8) " Makes vs of one spirit and one soule, as 
 it were, with the Diuine being; not by the vnion 
 of essence and information, but of inhabitance and 
 participation.'' (p. 61.) Again: — 
 
 (9) '' Eut when the morning of glory shall arise, 
 wherein our soules shall awaken from the heauy 
 eye-lid of our flesh, and the veyle of our body shall 
 first be remoued, and after being depur'd from his 
 drosse, be refined into a bright and spirituall body, 
 wee shall then see God as he is." (pp. 73, 74.) 
 Again: — 
 
 (10) ^^ So that looke as you see the very bright 
 image of the Sunne so reflected vpon the water 
 somtimes, that the dull Element seemes to haue 
 caught downe the very glorious body it selfe, to 
 paint her watry face with, and lookes more like 
 a part of heauen, then like it selfe ; who in the ab- 
 sence of the Sunne, is all sabled with blacknesse 
 
MEMOEIAL-INTEt)DUCTION'. 37 
 
 and darknesse, and sad obscurity ; but rpon the 
 first beames of the heauenly body, is glazed with a 
 most noble & illustrious brightnesse; so is it with 
 our whole man. Eor when God shall thus imprint 
 and strike him self e into our darke being, how 
 beautifuU shall the feet of Grods saints bee? 
 Esay 52. 7. What a Diadem of stars shall crowne 
 their glorious heads ? Eeuelat. 12. How shall 
 their amiable bodies shine in Sun-like Majesty ? 
 Mat. 13. 4.'' (pp. 77, 78.) Again:— 
 
 (11) " This carried the heart of olde Simeon into 
 such a holy extasie of religious delight, that earth 
 could hold him no longer, but he must needs, as 
 it were, breake prison, and leape out of his olde 
 body into heauen. what a desire of departure 
 to it, doth a true sight of this saluation kindle ! 
 ^Lord,' sales he, ^now lettest,' &c. As if he 
 should say. Lord, now the child is borne, let the 
 olde man die, now thy son is come, let thy seruant 
 depart, now I haue seene thy salvation, let mee 
 goe to enioy it. ISTow I haue beheld the human- 
 ity of thy Sonne, what is worth the looking ypon, 
 but the diuinity of such a person, who is able to 
 make my young Lord heere euen proud of his 
 Humilitie. Tor so great a ioy of spirit can neuer 
 be thrust vp into so small a Yessell, as an olde 
 shrunke-\^ body of earth is. Since therefore I 
 
 D 
 
38 MEMOEIAL-INTEODUCTIOJiT. 
 
 haue testified of thy Christ, since I haue made an 
 end of my dying note, and snng thee my Christ- 
 masse song ; since I hane scene thee, thou holy 
 one of Israeli, whom no flesh can see & line, 
 what haue I to do to line, Lord ? What shonld 
 I weare this olde garment of flesh any more? 
 Thou hast left thy fatnesse off, thou faire Oliue 
 Tree and the oyle of it hath made mee haue a 
 cheerefull countenance : thou hast forsaken thy 
 sweetnesse, thou beautifuU Yine, and thy fruit 
 hath warm'd thine olde Seruant at the very hart. 
 ^N'ow therfore being thou hast powred thy new 
 wine into this old vessell, giue the olde bottle 
 leaue to breake, let me depart in peace ; for I 
 haue enough, I haue seen, mine eyes haue scene 
 thy saluation. ' ' (pp . Ill — 114.) Again : — 
 
 (12) ^^Exod. 20. 9. . .which is not to bee ynder- 
 stood as a Permission, but as a Precept : as though 
 God gaue ys onely leave, & not charge to labour. 
 Por hee sayes not, sixe daies thou Maist labour, but 
 six daies thou Shalt labour." (p. 131.) Again : — 
 
 (13) ^^ Are not al things imbrightned with vse, 
 and rustled with lying still ? Let but the little 
 Bee become our mistresse. Is shee not alwaies 
 out of her artificiall l^ature, either building her 
 waxen Cabinet, or flying abroad into the flowry 
 Meadowes or sucking honev from the sweete 
 
MEMOKIAL-INTEODUCTION. 39 
 
 plants, or loading her weake thighes with waxe to 
 build with, or stinging away the theeuish Droan 
 that would faine hine it selfe among her labours, 
 and Hue ypon her sweete sweat? Ignauum^ fucos, 
 pecus a prmsepihus arcent^^ And shal this Bittle 
 creature, this l^aturall goode h.ous wife thus set 
 her selfe to her businesse, and shall we droane 
 away our time in idlenesse, and which alwaies 
 followes it, vicious Huing?'' (pp. 138, 139.) 
 Again : — 
 
 (14) It is iQdeede a naturall Truth, Omne Cor- 
 pus naturah quiescit in loco proprio, Euery nat- 
 urall body is quiescent in has o^nie proper place : 
 and yet wee see though all gladly rest in their 
 owne regions, and inuade not the confines of their 
 neighbour Elements, yet they are alwayes mouing 
 and coasting about in their owne orbes and cir- 
 cuits, thereby teaching vs to labour euery man in 
 the circle of his owne calling, and not to busie- 
 body out abroad with other newe workes. The Aire 
 breakes not into the quarters of heauen and yet, 
 wee see, it is alwayes fann'd from place to place, 
 and neuer sleepes idly in his owne regions : the 
 reason is, because otherwise it would soone putrifie 
 
 Virgil. Georg iv. 168. Gr. 
 
40 MEMOEIAL-INTEODIJCTIOK. 
 
 it selfe and poyson ys all witli the stinking breath 
 of it, did not the dinine pronidence of God drine it 
 about the "World with his Windes, that so it might 
 both preserue it selfe and serue to preserue us, 
 
 which otherwise it could neuer doe So 
 
 that in a word, euery thing moues for man, & 
 should man only himself e be idle and stand still." 
 (pp. 143—146.) More fully :— 
 
 (15) * ^ A f aithf ull Minister is a great lab ourer . I 
 would not willingly make comparisons betweene 
 him and the husbandman, and say his labour is 
 beyond theirs ; but this I may safely say, that 
 God himselfe compares him not onely to a husband- 
 man, but to shew the greatnesse of his labour, 
 to euery calling indeed that is most sweated with 
 Industrie and toyle. I know all men thinke their 
 owne callings most laborious, but whether thinke 
 you it easier to plow vpon hard ground, or vpon 
 hard stones ? whether to commit your seed to 
 those furrowes that will return you fruitfull 
 thankes ; or those that for your labor will spoyle 
 your seed, & requite you with reproch and 
 slander? whether to such ground as is good, and 
 naturally opens her bosome to drinke in the dewes 
 of heauen that fall upon her, and gladly receiues 
 the Sunne beames shed from God to warm and 
 make fruitfull the seede credited to her wombe, 
 
MEMORIAL-INTROBTJCTIOlsr. 41 
 
 or such ground as neuer thirsts after the watering 
 of ApoUos, though as Moses speakes (Eeut. 32. 2.) 
 his words drop as the raine, and his speech distill 
 as the dew ; neuer can indure the light of heauen 
 to shine vpon it, but lies alwayes in darkenesse and 
 in the shadowes of death? yet such ground 
 (stones I should haue sayd) did the diuine cou- 
 rage of Stephen meet with in lerusalem (Act. 7. 
 59), such S. Paul wrought on at Lystra (Act. 14 
 19.), such Moses and Aaron and losua toyled 
 vpon in the wildemes (IS'um. 14. 10.) such the 
 Prophets (Matt. 21, 25.) such the Prince of the 
 Prophets found in his owne inheritance, though 
 he had before (as we see in Esay 5. 2.) pickt 
 all the stones himselfe out of it (John 8, 59). 
 "What one difficultie or danger is the roughest 
 calling assaulted with, that his is not. Does the 
 plowmans labour know no end, but is it as the 
 Poet speakes of it : 
 
 Labor actus in orbem, 
 
 Quique yd. se sua per vestigia voluitur ? * 
 
 So is his. Does the Shepheard, the sun^bumt 
 and frosted shepheard, watch oner his flockes 
 
 More accurately " Eedit agricolis labor actus in orbem, 
 Atqueinse sua per vestigia vol vitur annus",— Virgil 
 Geor^ u., 401-402. G. 
 
42 MEMORTAL-INTEODtretrON, 
 
 by niglit, strengthen the diseased, set apart the 
 sound, binde vp the brnised, seek out the 
 lost, rescue those that are preyed vpon? So 
 does he. Marches the soldier before the face 
 of death ? lines hee among the pikes of a 
 thousand dangers? walks he throgh his owne 
 wounds and blood ? So does he : but as the 
 ground this spirituall plowman tils is ^harder, 
 so the wolves & Lyons this Shepheard watches 
 against are fiercer, and the Armies he graples 
 with of another temper then such as are made 
 like himselfe of flesh and blood; being Powers 
 and Principalities, spirituall wickednesses, & 
 worldly gouernors, one of whom could in a 
 nights space strike dead the lines of a hundred 
 fourescore and fine thousand souldiers at once, all 
 armed and embattayld together Isay 37. 36. Let 
 all the Princes of valour that euer lined bring, into 
 the field their most tried and signall warriour, 
 whose face and brest stand thickest with the 
 honourable scarres^ of braue aduentures ; if I doe 
 not single out to encounter him one souldier 
 that beares in his body the markes of the Lord 
 
 * The origiaal has ^ honourable starres,' but * markes * 
 onward, shews it to be a misprint for ' scarres * a» 
 above. G. 
 
MEMOBIAL-I^^TROBUCTION. 43 
 
 lesus, who shall haue broken through an Iliad 
 of more dangers and perils, then he, let Gath and 
 Ascalon triumph oner Sion once againe, & let 
 it be said that a second and more noble Saul is 
 falne vpon his high places, then euer yet fell 
 before. For wee shall finde him all the world 
 oner in labours more abundant, in ioumeys more 
 often, in more perils in the city, in the wilder- 
 ness, in the sea, more often in watchings, and 
 fastings, in hunger and thirst, in cold & naked- 
 nesse, in prison more frequent, and ofter in 
 wearinesse and death 2 Cor. 11. 23. &c. Let 
 not him therefore that sowes the earth with his 
 labor, slander the spirituall tilth of our soules 
 with lazie thoughts. Alas ! in the time of peace 
 contempt is the greatest haruest we reape and in 
 the tempests of persecution, our blood is the first 
 seed is sowne in the Church." (pp. 155 — 162.) 
 Again : — 
 
 (16) ** Isaac (1) a religious person sowes. (2) 
 sowes in a time of famin and dearth (3) ground of 
 strangers (4) reward." Again: — 
 
 (17) *^ What would one of our small heires say, 
 should I now turne Farmoui\ I thanke God I 
 haue beene brought vp after another fashion, and 
 haue ground enough of mine owne to Hue upon 
 by other mens labours. Well I make no question 
 
44 MEMOEIAL-INTEODUCTIOI?^. 
 
 but Isaac was as well bronglit vp as such, idle, out 
 of calling gentlemen, and yet lie plowes, and sowes, 
 not only anatber mans ground, but tbe ground of 
 straungers, where hee could expect nothing but 
 hard dealing, which indeed hee found." (pp. 171, 
 172.) Again: — 
 
 (18) *^ God His are no Court-promises 
 
 prodigally made, and purposely forgotten, (p. 177.) 
 Again : — 
 
 (19) ^^ All these mischief es happen not to rich 
 men, but to men that will bee rich, not to men 
 that haue money but tc men that loue money and. 
 set their heart ypon it. ^ If riches increase,' &c., 
 sales Dauid. A man may haue riches, but riches 
 must not haue the man." (p. 183.) — 
 
 (20) '^ It may be thou art godly and poore. 
 Tis well : but canst thou tell whether, if thou 
 wert not poore, thou wouldst be godly? Sure 
 God knows ts better then wee ourselues doe, and 
 therefore can best fit the estate to the person. '* 
 (pp. 211, 212.) Again:— 
 
 (21) * ' Eest therefore thy self e content with that 
 estate God hath set thee in, that is best for thee, 
 if thou beest a childe of God, and it is not Gods- 
 order to giue thee his blessings to hurt thee witii>" 
 (p. 212,) Again: — 
 
MEMOEIAL-INTEOD^CTIO]^. 45 
 
 (22) ^^ A covetous man is the poorest man aline. 
 For must not lie needs be poore, whom God him- 
 self e doth not satisfie?" (p. 218.) Again: — 
 
 (23) ^^But indeed to say true. A couetous man 
 that rauines and snatches at other mens goods 
 is no more properly in Gods sight a rich man, 
 then we would call him that had stollen a great 
 summe of mony from another man, rich. "We 
 shall doe him no wrong if we call him a rich 
 theefe. For yee know wee neuer reckon the goods 
 of theeues their owne goods, because as soon as 
 they are taken notice of, their goods are all seiz'd 
 vpon to the Eiags yse : And so many times as 
 so one as God sends out his pale Pursiuant to attach 
 this couetous wretch, the goods presently are 
 disposed of, all [as] God will have them : sometimes 
 it may be to his honest heire, or perhaps to the 
 destruction of such as inherit with his sinne his 
 substance, as the rich Epuloes Brothers : but many 
 times to the building of Hospitals or the erecting 
 of Grammar Schooles, or putting out of Prentises or 
 redeeming of Prisoners or founding of CoUedges 
 or releeuing of maimed Soldiers, or making of good 
 waies, such as himself e never walkt in (or which 
 now is a rare point of pietie) in doing some good 
 to the Church of God, by restoring to the right 
 vse, vsurped and impropriate tithes, or buying 
 
46 MEllkrOEIAL-INTEOBTJCTTON. 
 
 them from the dead hands they lie in, and laying 
 them vpon Gods Altar, that feedes not ynder the 
 Gospel any mortmaines, such as were the hands of 
 the Eomane Clergie; but such as are more free, and 
 active in the seruice of the Prince, and Common- 
 wealth, then any in the whole bodie politique of 
 double their abilitie, and strength.'' (pp. 220 — 
 223.)— 
 
 (24) ^^ Gods love is the beginning, and thy 
 glory is the last end, the loue of God will bring 
 thee to : but there be many meanes betweene the 
 beginning and the ende, his loue and thy glory, 
 rirst, God's loue elects thee to be iustified, and to 
 worke thy iustification he cals thee, and that thou 
 maiest be called, he infuses into thy heart faith 
 in Christ, and that thou mightst beleeue, he causes 
 thee to heare the word, that thou mightst heare, 
 his Prophets must preach it to thee, before they 
 can preach, they must be sent : So that in briefe, 
 The Minister is sent to preach, he preaches that 
 thou maist heare, thou hearest, that thou mightst 
 be called, thou art called to beleeue in Christ, 
 thou beleeuest that thou maiest be iustified, being 
 iustified, thou art sure of thy Crowne of Glorie, and 
 this glory the loue of God by all these meanes sets 
 as it were vpon thy head. Betweene therfore 
 our glory which is the end, & Gods loue which 
 
MEMORIAL-IITTEODTJCTION. 47 
 
 is the beginning and cause of it, many interiacent 
 nieanes, you see, are cast betweene." (pp. 239 — 
 241.) Again: — 
 
 (25) ''If tbe Sunne be risen, wee sball finde him 
 sooner by his beames vpon the tops of the Moun- 
 taines, then in the Orient of Heauen it selfe ; and so 
 the Loue of God is sooner discouered to rise in thy 
 heart by the beames of Grace it there shows 
 abroad, then by the flame of it self that shines in 
 his owne breast in heauen. If then grace im- 
 brighten thy heart, thou maistfrom Grace assure thy 
 selfe of Gods loue, and thine own glorie : but if thou 
 findest in thy selfe an impenitent and incorrigible 
 heart, thou mayst then iustly worke ypon thy selfe 
 a sence of thy misery : I dare not say thou art 
 sure of Gods wrath, but I must say, except thou 
 repent, and God change thy heart, thou art yet in 
 a fearefull and lost estate ; say not therefore thus. 
 God hath cast me out from his fauour, therefore 
 my heart is obdurate, impenitent, incorrigible. 
 Por this is to argue from that thou knowest not, 
 whether God fauors thee or no : but thus rather, 
 My heart is obdurate, impenitent, incorrigible, 
 therefore if I so continue, God wiU surely cast 
 mee out from his fauour and presence. And this 
 thou maist securely doe, because thine owne con- 
 
48 MEMOBIAL-HS-TEODUCTION. 
 
 science is both a witnesse and a iudge of thy life, 
 whether it be impenitent or not." (pp. 251 — 3.) 
 
 (26) '^J^orwas it a miracle to see rich mens 
 daughters (ynacquainted with new tires, and most 
 fashionable dresses) bnsie themselues in laborious 
 (and not curious needle) work, but it was ordinary 
 in that old world to meete the young and beautifull 
 Eachel tending her fathers sheepe, and watering 
 the flocke, and Eebecca with a pitcher vpon her 
 shoulder, drawing water both for her owne yse, and 
 to Water the Camels of Abrahams servant, an 
 office that our nice virgins, who dresse vp them- 
 selues like so many gay silke-worms would thinke 
 scorne of." (pp.262 — 3.) Again: — 
 
 (27) " Thus were the opinions of the old world, 
 but it is a world to see now the prodigious 
 change of l!Tature, when not onelie most men count 
 Husbandrie a base and sordid businesse, vnfit to 
 
 • soyle their hands with : but some, who thinkes his 
 breast tempered of finer clay then ours of the 
 vulgar sort, call such as haue spent their times in 
 the studies of Diuinity, no better then rixosum dis- 
 putatorum genus quorum vix in coquendis olerihus 
 consilium adinittit,''^ (pp. 274-275). Again: — 
 (28.) ^^ Others bestow their time in Legall, and 
 Callings vsefull to the Common- wealth, but as they 
 abuse them, neyther hoAest, nor iustifiable before 
 
MEMOilIAL-i:D^TEODUCTIOI?'. 49 
 
 God. Snch are our Tap-lionses, and Gaming Innes, 
 I meane not harbouring and viatory Innes, whicli 
 questionless, in fit places, and where Justice is 
 neere at hand, if rightly Ysed, are not onely law- 
 full and profitable, but necessaiie and honest : for 
 to lodge weary Trauellers as Kahab did the Spies 
 of Israel, or to let the poore labouring man to 
 have iust allowance of bread and drinke for his 
 money can be accounted no other then necessary 
 relief: but for our Tipling Inne.s in small and 
 vntract Hamlets, without which our Country- 
 Diuels of drunkennesse, Elasphemy, Gaming, 
 Lying, and Queaning, could amongst vs finde 
 no harbor (though perhaps in places of more 
 resort they haue credit enough to be entertained 
 in fairer lodgings) they are eyther the Diuels 
 yncleane "Warehouses for his spiritual wicked- 
 nesses to trade in ; or in our plaine world hee hath 
 no trafS.que at all.'' (pp. 291-93). 
 
 (29) ^ It was Eliahs speech from God to Ahab; 
 * Hast thou slaine, and also taken possession ; and 
 it may well be his Churches to either of theii's. 
 Hast thou taken possession, and wilt thou slay 
 also ? not the body once, but for euer the soules, 
 of innocent men. Let no man quarrell with me, 
 as Ahab did with Eliah. ' Hast thou found me 
 mine Enemie?' If he doe, I must borrow Saint 
 
50 MEMOEIAX-INTEOBirCTrOJr. 
 
 Panles answer * Am I thine enemy, because I tell 
 thee the Truth ? l^o (I speake not out of rash, 
 but charitable zeale) thou art thine owne Enimie, 
 thou art Gods Enimie, thou art the enimie of his 
 Church. Eor if thou didst loue him, thou wouldst 
 feede his flocke, feede his Sheepe, feede his Lambs. 
 If thou diddest loue his Church, thou wouldest 
 shew thy loue by thy obedience to it. Who 
 enioynes euery one eleuen moneths residence vpon 
 his cure, and graunts him but one month's 
 bsence, whereas it is a venture, but without long 
 search you may finde one that absents himselfe 
 elevuen moneths, and is resident but once a yeare, 
 and that is perhaps at haruest, or peraduenture 
 at Easter, when his owne, and not so much the 
 Churchs profit calles him to his benefit, not his 
 Benefice. He would being resident preach euery 
 Sunday, as shee commaunds him in her 45. Cannon. 
 Hee would labour to conuince Heretiques (which 
 now in his absence growes yppon her) or see them 
 at least censured as shee bids him in her 65. and 
 66. Canons. He would keepe the sound in safety, 
 and visit the sicke, as shee directs him in her 67. 
 Canon. Thus he would do, and not laugh at 
 them that did thus, and would haue him doe so, 
 as men more precise, than wise, of more heate 
 than discretion. I am not so intemperate as to 
 
MEMOEIAL-IXTEODUCTION. 51 
 
 rage against all JSTon-resideiicy, wHcli in case of 
 insnfficiencie of one Lining, or publiqne, and 
 necessarie imployment, either in Yniversities or 
 Court, mnst needs be allowable: but either our 
 Church, it selfe is precise, that bids him doe thus : 
 or he that does the contrary without any ouer- 
 ballancing reason, prooues himselfe a Eastard, and 
 none of hir Children. A double wound it is our 
 Church receiues from these men. For as them- 
 selues haue not the grace to correct their owne 
 sinne, so they haue commonly in their roomes 
 certaine vnder-curats, so grossely ignorant, as not 
 to know theirs. They that know nothing them- 
 selues, are set by these to teach others, of whom 
 we cannot say dies diei, but nox nocti indicat 
 scientiam. One night teaches another, a blinde 
 Prophet a blinde People." (pp. 397-402.) 
 Again : — 
 
 (30) " Those Ecclesiastical home-Droanes of 
 our owne, which hiue themseiues vnder the 
 shadow of our Church (the wicked thiefe money, 
 that siluer dropsie, that now raigns in vnconsion- 
 able Patrons, making way for them), and so beare 
 indeed either no witnesse to Christ at all, or but 
 very slight, and rash witnesse " (p. 397). 
 
 He is very severe on non-residence at page 399 
 seqq: as earlier (page 371) he had passionately 
 
52 MEMOEIAL-INTBODTJCTION. 
 
 exclaimed (28) '^0 tliat there were not in Christs 
 militant Churcli, as there were in Othoes military 
 Campe, so many men, so few Soldiers, so many 
 professors, so few Christians." 
 
 That he could wield the lash effectively has 
 akeady appeared : hut here is an out-hurst on 
 contemporary literature somewhat unexpected : 
 
 (31) '^ Among the crowde of this ranke (idlers) 
 wee may thrust in our idle pamphleteers and 
 loose poets, no hotter than the priests of Yenus, 
 with the rahhle of stage-players, halleters and 
 circumferaneous iidlers and hrokers : all which 
 if they were cleane taken out of the world there 
 would hee little misse of them." 
 
 (32) ^^I do not deny hut that God is ahle to 
 perfect his power in these mens weaknesse : [The 
 under- curates left hy non-residents] Por it is not 
 impossible for our spirituall Sampson (as hee ouer- 
 came his enemies, and was refreshed with a iawe 
 of the seely heast) so to make the waters of Life 
 spring between the teeth of these simple creatures : 
 hut these unsent Eunners might do well to content 
 themselues with one Cure, and not to he too hnsie 
 in trudging between many, as some of them are." 
 (p. 404.) 
 
 (33) '' ITey ther doe I denie but that such trading 
 Preachers may find work enough for their mouths 
 
MEMORIAL IISTTEODTJCTIO^. 53 
 
 l)y making other mens labours rnnne through 
 ihem. Ent this is to get their Lining by the sweat 
 of other men, and to wipe it off to their owne 
 l)rowes" (p. 405). 
 
 He then gets ynlgar, abusive, and illogical: 
 
 (34) Pardon mee (right deerly beloned in our 
 
 Lord and Sauiour) if when Thorns and Thistles 
 
 grow ypon Gods Altar, as the Prophet Hosea 
 
 speakes, I am forced to vse a little fire of Zeale 
 
 to consume them.'' (p. 413.) 
 
 Besides these fuller specimens I have marked 
 a number of brief ones containing unusual words 
 and turns of expression : e.g. 
 
 (1) The name of the wicked 'rots' — '^And 
 therefore our Sauiour in the Storie of Lazarus, and 
 Dives, keepes the poore mans name aliue to the 
 worldes end, but industriously leaues the rich 
 mans name at vncertaintie, with ' There was a 
 certaine rich man.' " (p. 207.) 
 
 (2) ** Purpled in glory by the bloud royall of 
 r deereLord" (p. 239.) 
 
 (3) '* Those two mayne iettes Selfe-suf&- 
 
 ncy and Perpetuitie." (p. 121.) 
 
 ^4) Seioyn'd one from another." (p. 122.) 
 (5) *' Apting the bodies of men " (p. 269.) 
 ^6) ** Our nakednesse was then our glory, it is 
 w our shame : it was a curse to till the earth 
 
54 MEMOEIAL INTEODUCTIOl^r. 
 
 then, it is now a blessing to liaue earth to till: sa 
 that wee haue learnt to turne by the corrnption 
 of our nature, our appareU that should couer our 
 shame, to proclaime our pride : and our Lands that 
 should feede vs by our labour, to the food of our 
 luxurie'' (pp. 277, 278) 
 
 (7) ** They had need to be embalm'd as well 
 before, as after their deaths." (p. 298) 
 
 (8) *' Lessoned our reason by sence" (p. 304) 
 
 (9) '^Thenoon-Sunne/' (p. 307.) 
 
 (10) ** The Christian impaths himselfe." (p, 
 321.) 
 
 (11) **Defalke as much from Gods word.'' 
 (p. 323.) 
 
 (12) " Some of these again spanging out of 
 the CaQon of the New Testament, all the Eeuela- 
 tion of S John. (p. 325.) 
 
 (13) ^^ Others farsing into the Canonicall writ- 
 ings, Apocriphall and vnknowne Authors, (p, 
 325.) 
 
 (14) ' * The strict keeping of decorum, in figuring 
 them [the four Evangelists] like beasts [Hhe four 
 "Beasts') such as the Lamb himselfe is. (p. 331.) 
 
 (15) ^^The bulletting of a whole common- 
 wealth.'' ( p. 394.) 
 
 (16) '' An irrepugnable truth." (p. 30.) 
 
MEMORTAL-II^TEODTJCTTO^J-. 5«^ 
 
 (17) ^* Were they not eftsoons reymbark't and 
 «tock't againe into the Tree of Life." (p. 43.) 
 
 (18) ''The first fiihiesse or saturity." (p. 50.) 
 
 (19) ' ' Indeflowrishing and vnattainted health. ' ' 
 
 (p. 51) 
 
 (20) Measured them out by God, to vessel it 
 up in.'' (p. 53 and again p. 91.) 
 
 (21) •' This is a retruse, and hidden, but in 
 truth a very diuine motion" (p. 69.) 
 
 (22) '' The similitude it hath with it, in the act 
 of intellection." (p, 70.) 
 
 (23) ''Inspired, and I may so speake. Spirited 
 with the Holy Ghost." (p. 76.) 
 
 (24) " Euigilant soules." (p. 85.) 
 
 (25) " Imbondaged." (p, 107.) 
 
 I know not that I leave anything worth-while 
 in this Yoltjme: but surely you have in these 
 words from it, ' Apples of Gold' in a ' Ease:et 
 of SiLVEE.' Eiographically, our longer extracts 
 numbered 15. and 17. are most interesting: and 
 there are other personal touches that make the 
 recovery of the ' Eeward of the Faithfull ' no 
 common treasure-trove toward our all too scant 
 knowledge of our Worthy. 
 
 That he was human is clear enough : infirm of 
 temper and perchance over-vehement and over- 
 
66 MEMOEIAL-Il^TEODTTCTTOlS'. 
 
 Churclily, and in relation to tlie lowly men who^ 
 outside of the Chnrcli of England sought to? 
 * speak ' for the One Saviour and of the One 
 ^ Salvation ' monrnfuUy without the large charity 
 • of the illustrious Jeeemy Tatloe in his * Liherty 
 of Prophesying ' — which may he called the * Magna 
 Charta' of 'Ecclesiastical History,' so potent is it 
 etiU. 
 
 Etjllee leaves the death-date of our Poet 
 imperfect thus 1 62 . . hut Akthont a-Wood 
 supplies it, viz., 1623.-^' ^'I heheld," says the 
 former, "the life of this learned poet, like those 
 half- verses in Yirgil's ^neid, hroken off in tha 
 middle, seeing he might have douhled his days 
 according to the ordinary course of nature.'' J 
 That 1623 was our "Worthy's death-year is con- 
 firmed inferentially hy Phikeas's over-looked 
 verses headed " Upon my brother's book called, 
 The grounds, labour and reward of faith," than 
 which nothing can more meetly close our Intro- 
 duction : 
 
 " This lamp filled up, and fir'd by that blest Spirit 
 Spent his last oyl ia this pure, heav'nly flame ; 
 Laying the grounds, walls, roof of faith : this frame 
 With life he ends ; and now doth there inherit 
 
 * As before, s. n. f As before : * Worthies ' s, n. 
 
MEMOEIAX-IN^TEODtJCTION. 57 
 
 IVhat here he built, crown' d with his laurel merit : 
 Whose palms and triumphs once he loudly rang, 
 There now enjoy es what here he sweetly sang. 
 
 This is his monument, on which he drew 
 
 His spirit's image, that can never die ; 
 
 But breathes in these live words, and speaks to th' eye : 
 
 In these his winding-sheets he dead doth shew 
 
 To buried souls the way to live anew, 
 And in his grave more powerfully now preacheth : 
 Who will not learn, when that a dead man teacheth ?"* 
 
 'No stone, — and so no * golden lie ' of epitaph — or 
 any other outward memorial whatever, marks Gtiles 
 Pletcheh's last resting-place. He left a Widow — 
 as we have already seen — who transferred herself 
 to another and neighbouring Eectory. Who she 
 was, and whether she bore a family to her first 
 husband, has not been ^ written.' 
 
 In our edition of the complete 'Poems' of 
 Phineas Pletchee, I hope to furnish an Essay on 
 the Poetry of the two Brothers, and therein to 
 bring out their characteristics, and their influence, 
 on MiLTOi^ and others; and also to present critical 
 judgments on both, from various sources — satisfied 
 that Giles and Phesteas Pletchee need only to be 
 known to secure a very much more adequate 
 
 * Poeticall Miscellanies, pp. 101, 102 (1663). 
 
58 MEMOEIAL-INTEODIJCTION. 
 
 recognition than has yet been accorded; and 
 equally so, that otherwise well-read and cnltnred 
 men are deplorably ignorant of these and other 
 of our ancient ^ Makkars.' 
 
 And so the little life-story is told of one, con- 
 cerning whom loyeable old Liyesey's eulogium of 
 Chetham, holds, '^ They who excell[ed] him in 
 grace, came short of him in learning : and they 
 who excell'd him in learning came short of him 
 in grace. ''^' Turning then to his noble Poem 
 
 " Now Ms faith, his works, his ways, 
 Nights of watching, toilsome days, 
 Borne for Christ, 'tis meet we praise." 
 
 ALEXANDEE B. GEOSAET, 
 
 15 St, Alban's Place, 
 
 Blackbuen, Lancashike. 
 
 P.S. "With reference to our Poet's presentation 
 to Aldeeton- (see page 25 ante), Mr. Wright of 
 Cambridge (as before) has kindly sent me the 
 following note: ^^In Bacon's Ziher Regis edn. 
 1786, p. 782, under the head of Alderton I find 
 ^ Sir James Eacon pro duabus vicibus, olim Patr.' 
 
 * ' Greatest Loss,' page 9. 
 
MEMOEIAL-ES'TEODirCTIOI?'. 
 
 59 
 
 Is it not probable that the living was in the gift of 
 tbe Bacon Family in Pletcher's time, and that 
 even Sir Francis Eacon may have presented him 
 to it ?" This confirms my question in loco : and it 
 is very disappointing that the Alderton ' Eegisters' 
 and other Manuscripts have been allowed to waste 
 and perish. G. 
 
EPISTLE DEDICATORY. 
 
 |0 the Eight Worship vll [sic], and Eev- 
 erend Mr. Doctour JS'eyile, Deane of 
 Canterbvrie, and the Master of Trinitie- 
 CoUedge in Cambridge.^ 
 Eight worthie, and reverend Syr r 
 
 As I hane alwaies thought the place wherein 
 I line, after heauen, principally tO' bee desired, 
 both because I most want and it most abounds 
 with wisdome, which is fled by some with as^ 
 much delight, as it is obtained by others, and ought 
 t@ be followed by all : so I cannot but next unto 
 God, for euer acknowledge myself e most bound 
 vnto the hand of God, (I meane yourselfe) that 
 reacht dowiie, as it were out of heauen, ynto me, 
 a benefit of that nature and price, then which, I 
 could wish none, (onely heauen itself e excepted) 
 her more fruitfull, and contenting for the time it 
 
 * For notice of Dean Neville see Todd's ^Account of 
 the Deans of Canterbury.' He died May 2, 1616. G. 
 
EPISTLE-DEDICATOEY. 61 
 
 that is now present, or more comfortable, and en- 
 couraging for the time that is alreadie past, or 
 more hop ef nil, and promising for the the time that 
 is yet to come. 
 
 For as in all mens iudgements (that haue any 
 iudgement) Europe is worthily deemM the Queene 
 of the world, that Garland both of Learning, and 
 pure Eeligion beeing now become her crowne, and 
 blossoming ypon her head, that hath long since 
 laine withered in Greece and Palestine ; so my 
 opinion of this Island hath alwaies beene, that it 
 is the very face, and beautie of all Europe, in 
 which both true Eeligion is faithfully pro- 
 fessed without superstition, and (if on earth) true 
 Learning sweetly flourishes without ostentation: 
 and what are the twoo eyes of this Land, but the 
 two Yniversities ; which cannot but prosper in the 
 time of such a Prince, that is a Prince of Learning 
 as well as of People :'^' and truly I should forget 
 myselfe, if I should not call Cambrigge the 
 right eye: and I thinke ("King Henrie the 8. 
 beeing the vniter, Edward the 3. the Pounder, and 
 your selfe the Eepairer of this Colledge, wherein I 
 Hue) none will blame me, if lesteemethe same, since 
 
 I. G. 
 
62 EPISTLE-DEDICATOEY. 
 
 your polishing of it, tlie fairest sight in Camhridge : 
 in which beeing placed by your onely fauour, most 
 freely, without either any meanes from other, or 
 any desert in my selfe, beeing not able to doe more, 
 I could doe no lesse, then acknowledge that debt, 
 which I shall neuer be able to pay, and with 
 old Silenus, in the Poet (vpon whome the boyes — 
 injiciunt ipsis ex vineula sertis''^ making his garland, 
 his fetters) finding my selfe bound vnto you by so 
 many benefits, that were giuen by your selfe for 
 ornaments, but are to me as so many golden 
 cheines, to hold me fast in a kind of desired bondage, 
 seeke (as he doth) my freedome with a song, the 
 matter whereof is as worthie the sweetest 
 Singer, as my selfe, the miserable Singer, ynworthie 
 so diuine a subiect : but the same fauour, that 
 before rewarded no desert, knowes now as well 
 how to pardon all faults, then which indulgence, 
 when I regard my selfe, I can wish no more ; 
 when I remember you, I can hope no lesse. 
 
 So commending these few broken lines vnto 
 yours, and your selfe into the hands of the best 
 physitian, Iesys Cheist, with whome, the most 
 ill affected man in the midst of his sicknes, is in 
 
 * Virgil Eel. vi. 19. G. 
 
EPISTLE-DEDICATOEY. 63 
 
 good health, and without whome, the most lustie 
 bodie, in his greatest ioUitie, is but a languishing 
 karcase, I humbly take my leaue, ending with the 
 same wish, that your denoted Observer, and my 
 approoued Friend doth, in his verses presently 
 sequent, that your passage to heauen may be 
 slow to vs, that shall want you here, but to your 
 selfe, that cannot want vs there, most secure and 
 certeyne. 
 
 Your Vorships, in all dutie, and seruice 
 
 G. FLETCHER. 
 
64 PEELIMINABY VEESES. 
 
 THOMAS J^TEVYLE. 
 MOST HEAVENLY. 
 
 As when the Captaine of the heauenly host, 
 Or else that glorious armie doth appeare 
 In waters drown' d, with surging billowes tost, 
 We know they are not, where we see they are ; 
 
 We see them in the deepe, we see them mooue, 
 We know they fixed are in heauen aboue : 
 
 So did the Sunne of righteousnesse come downe 
 Clowded in flesh, and seem'd he in the deepe : 
 So doe the many waters seeme to drowne 
 The starres his Saints, and they on earth to keepe, 
 And yet this Sunne from heauen neuer fell. 
 And yet these earthly starres in heauen dwell. 
 
 What if their soules he into prison cast 
 
 In earthly bodies ? yet they long for heauen ; 
 
 What if this worldly Sea they haue not past ? 
 
 Yet faine they would be brought into their hauen. 
 They are not here, and yet we here them see, 
 For euery man is there, where he would be. 
 
 Long may you wish , and yet long wish in Yaine, 
 Hence to depart, and yet that wish obtaine. 
 Long may you here in heauen on earth remaine, 
 And yet a heauen in heauen hereafter gaine. 
 
 Go you to heauen, but yet make no hast, 
 Go slowly slowly, but yet go at last. 
 
 But when the Nightingale so neere doth sit, 
 Slence the Titmouse better may befit. 
 
 F. Nbthebsolb. 
 
TO THE EEADER. 
 
 |HEAE are but fewe of many tliat can 
 rightly indge of Poetry ; and yet thear 
 ar many of those few, that carry so 
 left-handed an opinion of it, as some of them 
 thinke it halfe sacrilege for prophane Poetrie to 
 deale with divine and heanenly matters, as though 
 David wear to be sentenced by them, for yttering 
 his graue matter vpon the harpe : others some- 
 thing more violent in their censure, but sure lesse 
 reasonable (as though Poetrie corrupted all good 
 witts, when, indeed, bad witts corrupt Poetrie) 
 banish it with Plato out of all well-ordered Com- 
 monwealths. Poth theas I will strive rather to 
 satisfie, then refute. 
 
 And of the first I would gladlie knowe, whither 
 they suppose it fitter, that the sacred songs in the 
 Scripture of those heroicall Saincts, Moses, 
 Deborah, leremie, Mary, Simeon, Dauid, Salomon 
 (the wisest Scholeman, and wittiest PoetJ should 
 bee eiected from the canon, for wante of grauitie, or 
 
66 TO THE EEADEE. 
 
 rather tMs erroure eraced out of their mindes, for 
 wante of truth. Eut, it maye bee, they mil giue 
 the Spirit of God leaue to breath through what 
 pipe it please, & will confesse, because they 
 must needs, that all the songs dittied by him, 
 must needs bee, as their Eountaine is, most holy : 
 but their common clamour is, who may compare 
 with God ? true ; & yet as none may compare 
 without presumption, so all may imitat, and not 
 without commendation : which made JN'azianzen, 
 on[e] of the Starrs of the Greeke Church, that 
 nowe shines as bright in heauen, as he did then 
 on earth, write so manie diuine Poems of the 
 Genealogie, Miracles, Parables, Passion of Christ, 
 called by him his xp^'^^^^ Traax^^v ^' : which when 
 Easil, the Prince of the Fathers, and his Chamber 
 fellowe, had scene, his opinion of them was, that 
 he could haue deuised nothing either more fruitfuU 
 to others — ^because it kindly wood them to 
 Beligion, or more honourable to himself e ovh^v r^ap 
 
 liaKapLUOTepov Igti tov ttjp ar^^eXuov x^p^i^av eV r^rj jlli- 
 jjuelaOaLj because by imitating the singing Angels in 
 heaun, himselfe became, though before his time, an 
 
 * The Cento called Christus Fattens is printed in his 
 Works, Vol. II., 253 (Paris 1636). G. 
 
TO THE EEADEE. 67 
 
 eartUy AngeL^' "What should I speake of luven- 
 cus, Prosper, and wise Prudentius? the last of 
 wMcli, lining in Hieroms time, twelne linndred 
 yeares agoe, bronght foorth. in his declining age, 
 so many, & so religious poems, straitly charging 
 his soule, not to let passe so much as one either 
 night or daye without some diuine song, Symnis 
 continuet dies, Nee nox ulla vacet, quin Dominum 
 canat.] And as sedulous Prudentius, so prudent 
 Sedulius was famous in this poeticall diuinity, 
 the coetanj of Bernard, who sung the historie of 
 Christ with as much deuotion in himself, as 
 admiration to others ; all which wear followed by 
 the choicest witts of Christendome ; IS'onnius 
 translating all Sainct lohns Ghostpel into Greek 
 verse, Sanazar, the late-liuing Image, and happy 
 imitator of Yirgil, bestowing ten yeares vpon a 
 song, onely to celebrat that one day when Christ 
 was borne vnto vs on earth, & we (a happie 
 change) vnto God in heau'n : thiice-honour d 
 Bartas, & our (I know no other name more 
 glorious then his own) Mr. Edmund Spencer (two 
 blessed Soules) not thinking ten years inough, 
 
 * Epist. ad Gregorimn Theolog. 1. G. 
 
 t Prudentius, Cathemeriaon Hber, prsef. 37, 38. G. 
 
 :j: Contemporary. G. 
 
68 TO THE RE.iDER. 
 
 layeing out their whole lines ypon this one studie : 
 'Nbj I may iustly say, that the Princely Father of 
 our Countrey (though in my conscience, God hath 
 made him of all the learned Princes that euer 
 wear the most religious, and of all the religious 
 Princes, the most learned, that so, by the one, hee 
 might oppose him against the Pope, the peste of 
 of all Eeligion and by the other, against Bellar- 
 mine the abuser of all good Learning) is yet so far 
 enamour' d with this celestiall Muse, that it shall 
 neuer repent mee — calamo triuisse labellum^ when- 
 soeuer I shall remember S^mc eadem ut sciret quid 
 non faciehat Amyntas f ^' To name no more in such 
 plenty, whear I may finde how to beginne, 
 sooner then to end, Saincte Paule, by the 
 Example of Christ, that wente singing to mounte 
 Oliuet, with his Disciples, after his last supper, 
 exciteth the Christians to solace themselues with 
 hymnes, and Psalmes, and spirituall songs ; and 
 thearefore by their leay's, be it an error for Poet 
 to be Divines, I had rather err with the Scriptur 
 then be rectified by them : I had rather adore tl 
 stepps of JSTazianzen, Prudentius, Sedulius, the 
 followe their steps, to bee misguided : I had rath 
 
 * VirgH, Eel. II., 34, 35. G. 
 
TO THE KEADEE. 69 
 
 be the deuoute Admirer of Noimius, Bartas, my 
 sacred Soueraign, and others, the miracles of our 
 latter age, then the false sectarie of these, that 
 haue nothing at all to follow, but their own naked 
 opinions : To conclude, I had rather with my 
 Lord, and his most divine Apostle sing (though I 
 sing sorilie) the loue of heauen and earthe, then 
 praise God (as they doe) with the woorthie guift 
 of silence, and sitting still, or think I dispraisd 
 him with this poetical discourse. It seems they 
 haue either not read, or clean forgot, that it is the 
 dutie of the Muses (if wee may beeleeue Pindare, 
 and Hesiod) to sit allwaies vnder the throne of 
 lupiter, eius et laudes et heneficia 'v/j.v€iov(Ta<$ which 
 made a very worthy German writer conclude 
 it Certd statuimus, proprmm atque: pecuUare 
 poetarium munus esse^ Christi gloriam illustrare 
 beeing good reason that the heauenly infusion of 
 such Poetry, shouldende in his glorie, that had 
 beginning from his goodnes, fit oratory nascitur 
 Poeta. 
 
 For the secound sorte thearfore, that eliminat 
 Poets out of their citie gates ; as though they 
 wear nowe grown so bad, as they could neither 
 growe woorse, nor better though it be somewhat 
 hard for those to bee the onely men should want 
 cities, that wear the onely causers of the building 
 
70 TO THE EEADEE. 
 
 of them and somewhat inhumane to thrnst them 
 into the woods, to line among the beasts, who 
 wear the first that call'd men out of the woods, 
 from their beastly, and wilde life, yet since they will 
 needes shoulder them out for the onely firebrands 
 to inflame lust (the fault of earthly men, not 
 heauenly Poetiie) I would gladly learne, what 
 kind of professions theas men would bee intreated 
 to entertaine, that so deride and disaffect Poesie : 
 would they admit of Philosophers, that after they 
 haue burnt out the whole candle of their life in 
 the circular studie of Sciences, crie out at length, 
 Se nihil pr or sm scire? or should Musitians be wel- 
 come to them, that Dant sine mente sonum — bring 
 delight with them indeede, could they aswell 
 expresse with their instruments a voice, as they 
 can a sound? or would they most approve of 
 Soldiers that defend the life of their countrymen 
 either by the death of themselues, or their enemies ? 
 If Philosophers please them, who is it, that knowes 
 not, that all the lights of Example, to cleare their 
 precepts, are borrowed by Philosophers from Poets ; 
 that without Homers examples, Aristotle would 
 be as blind as Homer : If they retaine Musitians, 
 who euer doubted, but that Poets infused the verie 
 soule into the inarticulate sounds of musique ; that 
 without Pindar & Horace the Lyriques had beene 
 
TO THE EEADEE. 71 
 
 silenced for euer : If they must needes entertaine 
 Soldiers, wlio can but confosse, that Poets restore 
 againe that life to soldiers, which they before lost 
 for the safetie of their country; that without 
 Virgil, -^neas had neuer beene so much as heard 
 of. How then can they for shame deny common- 
 wealths to them, who wear the first Authors of 
 them ; how can they denie the blinde Philosopher, 
 that teaches them, his light ; the emptie Musitian 
 that delights them, his soule ; the dying Soldier, 
 that defends their life, immortalitie, after his owne 
 death ; let Philosophic, let Ethiques, let all the 
 Arts bestowe vpon vs this guift, that we be not 
 thought dead men, whilest we remaine among the 
 lining : it is onely Poetrie that can make vs be 
 thought lining men, when we lie among the dead, 
 and therefore I thinke it une quail to thrust them 
 out of our cities, that call ys out of our graues, 
 to thinke so hardly of them, that make vs to be 
 so well thought of to deny them to line a while 
 among vs, that make vs Hue for euer among our 
 Posteritie. 
 
 So beeing no we weary in pers wading those that 
 hate, I commend my selfe to those that love such 
 Poets, as Plato speakes of, that sing divine and 
 heroical matters, ov r/dp ohjoi elalv^ 6c rav-a 
 
12 
 
 TO THE EEADER. 
 
 \670i/T69, aW 6 Qeo9y avTo's itrrip 6 Xe'fywi/,* recom- 
 
 mending theas my idle howers, not idly spent, to 
 good echollers, and good Christians, that haue 
 ouercome their ignorance with reason, and their 
 reason, with religion. 
 
 * Plato Ion, p. 181. D : G. 
 
PRELIMINARY VERSES. 
 
 Fond ladds that spend so fast your poasting time, 
 ^Too poasting time, that spends your time as fast) 
 To chaunt light toyes, or frame some wanton rime, 
 "Where idle boyes may glut their lustful tast ; 
 Or else with praise to cloath some fleshly slime 
 With virgins roses and faire lillies chast ; 
 
 While itching bloods and youthfull eares adore it * 
 But wiser men, and once yourselues, will most 
 abhorre it. 
 
 But thou (most neere, most deare) in this of thine 
 Hast proov'd the Muses not to Venus bound ; 
 Such as thy matter, such thy Muse, divine ; 
 Or thou such grace with Merci's self tast found, 
 That she herself deign' s in thy leaues to shine ; 
 Or stol'n from heav'n, thou brought' st this verse to 
 ground. 
 Which frights the nummed soule with fearfull thunder, 
 And Boone with honied dewes melts it 'twixt ioy and 
 wonder. 
 
74 PEELIMIKAEY YEESES. 
 
 Then doe not thou malitions tongnes esteeme ; 
 The glasse, through which an envious eye doth gaze, 
 Can easily make a mole-hill mountaines seeme 
 His praise dispraises, his dispraises praise ; 
 Enough, if best men best thy labours deem, 
 And to the highest pitch thy merit raise ; 
 While all the Muses to thy song 'decree 
 Victorious Triumph, triumphant Victoria. 
 
 Phin. Fletcher, Eegal. 
 
 Quid 6, quid Veneres, Cupidinesq, 
 Turturesq., iocosq., passeresq 
 Lascivi canitis greges, poetse ? 
 Et iam languidulos amantum ocellos, 
 Et mox turguidulas sinu papillas, 
 lam risus * teneros, lachrymulasq., f 
 Mox suspiria, morsiunculasq., 
 Mille basia ; mille, mille nugas ? 
 Et vultus pueri, puellululseve 
 (Heu fusci pueri, puellulseq.) 
 Pingitis nivibus, rosunculisq., 
 (Mentitis nivibus, rosunculisq.) 
 Quae vel primo hyemis rigore torpent, 
 Vel Phoebi intuitu statim relanguent ? 
 Heu stulti nimium greges poetse ! 
 Vt, quas sic nimis, ah nimis stupetis, 
 (Nives candidulse & rosse pudentes) 
 Sic vobis pereunt statim labores : 
 
 *<Fletus' 1632 edn. G. 
 t * Cachimiulosque ' ih, G. 
 
PEELIMINAEY VEESES. 75 
 
 Et solem fugiunt severiorem, 
 
 Vel saltern gelida rigent senecta : 
 At tu qui clypeo, hand inane nomen 
 
 (Minerv93 clypeo lovisq.) snmens 
 Victrices resonas Dei Triumphos, 
 Triumphos lachvyniTS, metnq. plenos, 
 
 Plenos l^titise, & spei triumphos, 
 Dum rem carmine, Pieroq. dignam 
 Aggrederis, tibi res decora rebus 
 Prsebet carmina, Pieroq. digna. 
 Quin ille ipse tuos legens tiiumphos, 
 Plenos militia, labore plenos ; 
 Tuo propitius parat labori 
 Plenos laetitise & sp ei triumphos. 
 
 Psm. Fletcher, Regal. 
 
 'H Map la JUL 
 M^ fiiapa, 
 
 Beatissima virginum Maria, 
 
 Sed materq. simul beata, per quam 
 
 Qui semper fuit ille coepit esse : 
 
 Quae Vitse dederisq. inire vitam : 
 
 Et Luci dederis videre lucem : 
 
 Quae fastidia, morsiunculasq. 
 
 Passa es quas grauidse solent, nee unquam 
 
 Audebas propior viro venire, 
 
 Dum clusus * penetralibus latebat 
 
 *'Qlmm^Uh, a 
 
76 PRELIMINAEY VEKSES. 
 
 Matricis tunic^ undiq. involutus, 
 
 Quern se posse negant tenere coeli. 
 
 Quas non virgineas premi papillae 
 
 Passa, virgineas tamen dedisti 
 
 Lactandas puero tuo papillas. 
 
 Eia, die age, die beata virgo, 
 
 Cur piam abstineas manum timesq. 
 
 Sancta tangere, Sanctuariumq : 
 
 Insolens fugias ? an inquinari 
 
 Contactu metuis tuo sacrata ? 
 
 Contactu metuit suo sacrata 
 
 PoUui pia, cemis en ferentem, 
 
 Lenimenta Dei furentis, ilia 
 
 Fsedatas sibi ferre quae iubebat. 
 
 Sis felix noua virgo-mater opto, 
 
 Quae mollire Deum paras amicum. 
 
 Quin hie dona licet licet relinquas, 
 
 Agnellumq. repone, turturemq.. 
 
 Audax ingrediare inanis sedes 
 
 Dei, tange Deo sacrata,ftange. 
 
 Quae non concubitu coinquinata, 
 
 Agnellum peperitq, Turturemq, « 
 
 Exclusit, facili Deo litabit 
 
 Agno cum Deus insit, & columbas. 
 
 Nor can I so much say as much I ought, 
 Nor yet so little can I say as nought, 
 In praise of this thy worke, so heauenly pend. 
 That sure the sacred Dove a quill did lend 
 From her high-soaring wing : certes I know 
 No other plumes, that makes man seeme so low 
 
PBELIMINAEY VEESES. 77 
 
 In his owne eyes, who to all others sight 
 Is mounted to the highest pitch of height : 
 Where if thou seeme to any of small price, 
 The fault is not in thee, but in his eyes : 
 But what doe I thy flood of witrestreine 
 Within the narrow bankes of my poore veyne ? 
 More I could say, and would, but that to praise 
 Thy verses, is to keepe them from their praise. 
 For them who reades, and doth them not aduance, 
 Of envie doth it, or of ignorance. 
 
 F. Nethersole.* 
 
 In 1632 edition there is added here a couplet: 
 
 Defuncto fratri, 
 Think (if thou cans' t) how mounted onhis spheare 
 In heaven now he siQgs : thus sung he here. 
 
 Phin. Fletcher. Regal. G-. 
 
 * Nethersole was ' Public Orator * of the University 
 (of Cambridge), in which office he was succeeded by 
 George Herbert, who, Hke Giles Fletcher, was a 
 protege of Dean Nevile. Lowndes ,'calls him Sir 
 Francis as author of a forgotten Latin tractate (See 
 s. n.) Nethersole fell under the scorpion lash of 
 John Goodwin, who had been assailed by him very 
 grossly and unrighteously. G. 
 
CHEIST'S 
 YICTOEIE AND TEITJMPE 
 
NOTE. 
 
 The original title-page, as well as those of 
 the second and third editions, wiU be found 
 annexed: also collation of each edition. The 
 changes from the first (1610) are wholly modern- 
 isation of the spelling. Our text is that of 1610; 
 to the orthography of which, throughout, we 
 adhere strictly — save that the usual mark of 
 apostrophe of the possessive case is inserted e. g. 
 Eome's not Eomes, and that the capitals and 
 italics are occasionally diminished and occasionally 
 encreased — the latter in the Divine names — 
 nouns and pronouns — and in Impersonations. 
 The punctuation is also accommodated to modem 
 usage : the original consists mainly of a profusion 
 of commas. As the Poet was dead before the 
 second edition appeared, the text of 1610 is the 
 only one that bears his authority. Exemplifica- 
 tions of the faulty character of re-prints hitherto, 
 will be found in the foot-notes, where the most 
 flagrant mis-prints, etc., etc., of three of the best 
 
82 NOTE. 
 
 are given viz. (1) Eichaedsois-'s : ^^Clirist's Victory 
 and Triumph in Heaven and Earth, over and after 
 Death, in Pour Parts. Ey Giles Fletcher. With 
 an Original Biographical Sketch of the Author, 
 &c. Also some Choice Pieces from the Poetieal 
 "Writings of the Eev. George Herhert, Late Orator 
 of the University of Cambridge. London : 
 Published by T. Eichardson, 98, High Holborn, 
 and E. Clark. 1824. cr. 8vo. pp. xiv. and pp. 
 130." This is a somewhat ambitions but a very 
 poor edition. There is nothing ' original ' in the 
 ' Eiographical Sketch ' except that while adding 
 nothing to former scanty materials it contrives to 
 multiply ^ blunders ' The orthography is mod- 
 ernized throughout and the sense repeatedly mis- 
 taken. Probably the Publisher — who was also 
 the Printer — was his own Editor. I designate 
 it by Eichardson : but he is not to be confounded 
 with De. Etchaedsoi^, to whom we have fre- 
 quent occasion to refer in our notes. (2) Sotj- 
 thet's: in his 'British Poets: Chaucer to Jonson.' 
 (1831, 8vo.) He disclaims responsibility for the 
 proof-sheets: but he must be held responsible 
 for the selection of his texts. (3) Cattsemole's : 
 in his '^ Sacred Poetry of the 17th Century.'' 
 (1836, 2 vols. 12mo.) both modernized and 
 carelessly read. I have not deemed it worth- 
 
:n^oti:. 83 
 
 wMle to add the like mis-prints and corruptions 
 of the general collations of what are called ^ The 
 Poets ' by Dr. Anderson and by Chalmers. That 
 of 1783 (8yo) along with ^The Purple Island' is 
 beneath criticism. Throughout I have added 
 foot-notes as required — passing over trite classical 
 allusions and names. I have very heartily to 
 acknowledge the scholarly aid of my friend "W. 
 Alms "Weight, Esq., M.A., of Trinity College, 
 Cambridge, in verifying and correcting such 
 allusions and quotations as I found any difficulty 
 with. He has rendered me careful and un- 
 grudging help in all my labours on these 
 Poets. G. 
 
S4 NOTE. 
 
 (a) 1st edition: 
 
 CHRISTS 
 
 VICTORIE, AND TBI- 
 
 in Seauen, and Ea/rth^ 
 over, and after death. 
 
 A te principiTiin, tibi desinet, accipe iussis 
 
 Carmina csepta tuis, atqne hanc sine tempora circum 
 
 Inter victrices hederam tibi serpere lauros. 
 
 Cambridge 
 Printed by C. Legge. 1610. [small 4to.] 
 
 Collation : Title-page — ^Epistle Dedicatory pp. 3 — 
 Nethersole's * Verses * 1 page — to the Reader pp. 5 — 
 Phin. Fletcher's and Kethersole's * Verses ' pp. 4 — [un- 
 [unpaged] — Poem pp. 83 and Latin * Lines' 1 page. 
 Opposite blank reverse of page 45 is a separate title-page 
 * Christ's Trivmph oner and after Death. Vincenti 
 dabitur. Printed by C. Legge, 1610. After page 79 by 
 anroversight mispages 81 and so runs — 
 
IfOTE. 85 
 
 {h) 2nd edition : 
 
 CHEISTS 
 
 VICTORIE AND 
 
 TRIUMPH IN HEAVEN 
 
 AND EARTH, OVER 
 AND AFTER DEATH. 
 
 A te principiuin, tibi desinet : accepe jussis 
 Carmina coepta tuis, atq hanc sine tempora circiim 
 Inter victrices hederamtibi serpere lauros. 
 
 The second Edition. 
 
 Cambridge : 
 Printed for Francis Green. 1632. [Small 4to] 
 
 Collation : Title-page — Epistle Dedicatory ' pp. 3 — 
 Nethersole's * Verses' 1 page — ^to the Reader pp. 4 — 
 Plun. Fletcher's and Netersole's ^Verses' pp. 4 — 
 [unpaged] — Poem pp. 83 and Latin * Lines ' on page 84. 
 Opposite page *42 is the separate title as stipra ' Christ's 
 Triumph ouer and after Death. Vincenti dabitur. Printed 
 by the Printers to the Universitie of Cambridge. Ann, 
 Dom, 1632.' 
 
86 :note. 
 
 {e) 3rd edition. 
 
 CHRISTS 
 
 VICTORY 
 
 AND 
 
 TRIVMPH. 
 
 In Heaven and Earthy over and after 
 Death, 
 
 'Birth. 
 Circumcision. 
 Wlierein is ) Baptism. 
 
 lively figured J ^s < J^^i^^^^^'^- 
 
 I Resurrection. 
 [^Ascention. 
 
 In foure divine Poems. 
 
 Cambridge : 
 
 Printed by J^oger Daniel, for Michard Royston, 1640. 
 
 [Small 4to.[ 
 
 Collation : same as 2nd edition : and seven engravings 
 as described in our Appendix to the Poem. The above 
 separate title not in 3rd edition. G. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 I. Dedication .. ,. •• .• .. 3 
 
 II. Memorial-Introduction . . . , 6 
 
 III. Epistle Dedicatory of ^ Christ's Victorie ' • . w j 
 rV. Nethersole to Dr. Kevyle , . , , , , . • 64 
 
 V. To the Eeader 65 
 
 VI. Prefatory Poems by Phineas Fletcher and 
 
 Nethersole , , 73 
 
 VII. Christ's Victorie in Heaven 89 
 
 Vm. Christ's Victorie on Earth 1 
 
 IX. Christ's Trivmph over Death 163 
 
 X. Christ's Trivmph after Death 197 
 
 XI. Latin Verses by the Author at end . . . . , , 224 
 
 XII. Appendix, containing 'Lines' from the Engrav- 
 
 ings of the edition of 1640 225 
 
 XIII. Canto on the Death of Queen Elizabeth 
 
 from ' Sorrowe's Joy ' 231 
 
 XIV. Translation-Verses from 'Eeward of the 
 
 FaithfuU:'— 
 
 (1) The Heavenly Country 237 
 
 (2) The Rose, and * Black but Comely,' , . 238 
 
 (3) The Rich Poor Man . . 240 
 
 (4) The Ungodly Rich 240 
 
 (5) The G-ods accused , . . . 241 
 
 (6) Husbandry 242 
 
 (7) Others .. 243 
 
CHEIST'S 
 YICTOEIE AND TEIUMPH. 
 
THE ARGUMENT.* 
 
 The Argument propounded in generall : Our redemption by Christ : 
 St. 1, 2. — The Author's inuocation for the better handling of it : 
 St. 3, 4. — The Argument [in its details G-.] : Man's redemption 
 expounded from the cause — Mercie dwelling in heauen, and plead- 
 ing for man now guiltie, with Justice described by her qualities; 
 Bt. 5 — 11. Her retinue : st. 12 — 14, — Her subiects : st. 15, 16,— Her 
 accusation of man's sinne : st. 17. And (I.) of Adam's first sinne: 
 St. 18, 19. — Then of his posteritie's, in all kinde of idolatrie : st. 20 
 — 24, How hopelesse auy patronage of it : st. 25—27. — All the 
 creatures hauing disleagued themselues with him for his extreame 
 ungratefulnes . st. 28 — 34, — So that beeng destitute of all hope or 
 auy remedie, he can look for nothiug but a fearful sentence : st. 35 
 — 39. — The effect of Justice, her speech : the inflammation of the 
 heauenly powers appeased by Mercie, who is described by her 
 cherfulnes to defend man : st. 40 — 42. — Our inabilitie to describe 
 her : st. 43, 44. — Her beautie resembled by the creatures, which are 
 all fraile shadows of her essentiall perfection : st. 45, 46. — Her 
 attendants : st. 46, 47.— Her persuasiue power : st. 48 — 50.— Her 
 kind offices to man : st. 51, 52.— Her garments, wrought by her 
 owne hands, wherewith shee cloaths herself e, composd of all the 
 creatures : st. 53. — The Earth : st. 54. — Sea ; st. 55, 56. — Ayre : st. 67, 
 58.— The celestiall bodies : st. 59, 60.— The third heauen : st. 61, 62. 
 —Her obiects : st. 63.— Eepentance : st. 64— 66.— Faith : st. 67—69. 
 — Her deprecative spech for man ; in which she translates the 
 principal fault vnto the deuill ; and, repeating Justice her aggra- 
 vation of man's sinne, mitigates it. (1) By a contrarie inference : 
 (2) By interessingl her selfe in the cause, andi Christ : st. 70 — 75. — 
 that is as sufficient to satisfie, as man was impotent : st. 76, 77. — 
 Whom shee celebrates from the time of his natiuitie : st. 78. From 
 the effects of it in himselfe : st. 79, 80.— Egypt : st. 81.-1110 angels 
 [and] men : st. 82, 83. — The effect of Mercie's speech : st. 84. — A 
 transition to Christ's second victorie.: st. 85. 
 
 * In the author's own edition and in those of 1632 and 
 1640, 'The Argument' is dispersed over the margins 
 opposite the several stanzas. It has been thought 
 better to bring it together at the commencement of 
 each Part. G. 
 
 1. Richardson, Southey, and Cattermole, misprint 'inter- 
 cessing '=intorceding : Fletcher himself as suj^ra. G. 
 
CHRIST'S YICTOPJE IN HEAVEN. 
 
 1. 
 
 KE birth of Him that no beginning knewe, 
 Yet giues beginning to all that are borne ; 
 Ajid how the Infinite farre greater grewe, 
 By growing lesse, and how the rising Mome, 
 That shot from hean'n, did^ backe to heau'n 
 retoume ; 
 The obsequies of Him that could not die, 
 And death of life, ende of etemitie. 
 How worthily He died, that died vnworthily ; — 
 
 2. 
 
 How God and Man did both embrace each other. 
 Met in one person, Heau'n and Earth did kiss ; 
 And how a virgin did become a mother, 
 And bare that Sonne, "vYho the world's father is, 
 And maker of His mother ; a id how bliss 
 Descended from the bosome ©f the High, 
 
 1. Southey misprints here 'and' for 'did.' G. 
 
92 CHEISl^' TICTOEIE IN HEAYEN. 
 
 To cloath Himselfe in naked miserie, 
 Sayling at length to Heau'n, in Earth, triumph- 
 antly — ^ 
 
 3. 
 
 Is the first flame, wherewith my whiter Muse 
 Doth bume in heauenly lone, such loue to tell. 
 Thou that didst this holy fire infuse, 
 And taught'st this brest — but late the graue of hell, 
 Wherein a blind and dead heart liu'd — to swell 
 
 With better thoughts, send downe those lights 
 that lend 
 
 Knowledge, how to begin, and how to end 
 The loue, that neuer was, nor euer can be pend. ^ 
 
 4. 
 
 Ye Sacred Writings, in whose antique leaues 
 The memories of Heau'n entreasur'd lie, 
 Say, what might be the cause that Mercie heaues 
 The dust of sinne aboue th' industrious skie. 
 
 I may be allowed to refer to my " Lord Bacon not the 
 Author of 'The Christian Paradoxes,' being a re-print 
 of Memorials of Godliness and Christianity, by 
 Herbert Palmer, B.D. With Introduction, Memoir 
 and Notes." 8vo., 1865. Probably Palmer had the 
 ^ Paradoxes ' suggested by Fletcher. G. 
 
 • Penned '=written or described : but cf. stanza 17, 
 line 7 =coti fined. G 
 
CHEISTS' YICTOEIE I^ HEAYEX. 93 
 
 And lets it not to dust and ashes flie ? 
 Could Justice be of sinne so ouer- wooed. 
 Or so great ill be cause of so great good, 
 
 That bloody man to saue, man's Sauiour sbed His 
 blood ? 
 
 5. 
 
 Or did tbe lips of Mercie droppe soft speech 
 For traytrous man, when at th' Etemall's throne 
 Incensed IN'emesis^ did Heau'n beseech 
 With thundring voice, that lustice might be showne 
 Against the rebells, that from Grod were flowne ? 
 say, say how could Mtrcie plead for those 
 That, scarcely made, against their Maker rose ? 
 "Will any slay his friend that he may spare his 
 foes? 
 
 6. 
 
 There is a place beyond that flaming hill, 
 
 From whence the starres their thin apparence shed ; 
 
 A place, beyond all place, where neuer ill, 
 
 l^OT impure thought, was euer harboured, 
 
 Eut sainctly heroes are for euer s'ed^ 
 
 l.=Persoiiificatioii of Conscience. Cf. Hesiod, Theog. 
 
 223. G. 
 2. Soiitliey ' su'd :' Cattermole ' said :' Query = saved ? Or. 
 
94 Christ's tictokie in heaven-. 
 
 To keepe an euerlasting Sabbaoth's rest, 
 Still wishing that, of what th' ar still possest, 
 Enioying but one ioy, — but one of all ioyes best. 
 
 Here, when the mine of that beauteous frame, 
 "Whose golden building shin'd with euerie starre 
 Of excellence, deform' d with age became, 
 Mercy, remembring peace in midst of warre. 
 Lift yp the musique of her voice, to barre 
 Eternall Pate, least it should quite erace 
 That from the world, which was the first world's 
 grace, 
 And all againe into their nothing — Chaos — chase. 
 
 8 
 
 For what had all this All which man in one 
 Did not vnite ? the earth, aire, water, fire, 
 Life, sense, and spirit, nay, the powxeful throne 
 Of the diuinest Essence, did retire. 
 And His owne image into clay inspire : 
 
 So that this creature well might called be 
 Of the great world the small epitomie. 
 Of the dead world, the Hue and quicke^ anatomie. 
 
 1. Living, alive, as Shakespere, (Hamlet v. 1.) "'Tis 
 for the dead, not for the quick." Cf. Numbers xvi. 
 
 30. a. 
 
CHRIST^S VICTORIE IN HEAVEIf. 95 
 
 9. 
 
 Eut Justice had no sooner Mercy scene 
 Smoothing the wrinkles of her father's browe, 
 But vp she starts, and throwes herself betweene : 
 As when a vapour, from a moory slough, 
 Meeting with fresh Eoiis, ^ that but now 
 
 Open'd the world, which all in darknesse lay, 
 
 Doth heau'ns bright face of his rayes disaray, 
 
 And sads the smiling Orient of the springing day. 
 
 10. 
 
 She was a Yirgin of austere regard ; 
 
 JSTot as the world esteemes her, deafe and blind ; 
 
 But as the eagle, that hath oft compared 
 
 Her eye with Heau'n's, so, and more brightly 
 shin'd 
 
 Her lamping sight ; for she the same could winde 
 Into the solid heart, and with her eares 
 The silence of the thought loude speaking heares. 
 
 And in one hand a paire of euen scoals^ she weares. 
 
 11. 
 
 1^0 riot of affection reuell kept 
 Within her brest, but a still apathy 
 
 1 Eos: in Latin, Aurora, the goddess of the Morning who 
 brings up the light of Day from the East. Cf. Hesiod. 
 Theog. 371 &c. G. 
 
 2 Scales. G. 
 
96 CHEIST's yiCTOEIE IN HEAYEN. 
 
 Possessed all her sonle, wMcli softly slept 
 Securely, without tempest ; no sad one 
 Awakes her pittie, but wrong' d pouertie, 
 
 Sending her eyes to heau'n swimming in teares, 
 Vith hideous clamours euer struck her eares, 
 Whetting the blazing sword, that in her hand she 
 beares. 
 
 12. 
 
 The winged Lightning is her Mercury, 
 And round about her mightie thunders sound : 
 Impatient of himselfe lies pining by 
 Pale Sicknes with his kercher'd^ head yp wound, 
 And thousand noysome plagues attend her round ; 
 Eut if her clowdie browe but once grow foule. 
 The flints doe melt, and rocks to water rowle. 
 And ayrie mountaines shake, and frighted shadowes 
 howle. 
 
 13. 
 
 Pamine, and bloodies Care, and bloodie "Warre, 
 Want, and the want of knowledge how to vse 
 Abundance, Age, and Eeare, that runnes afarre 
 Eefore his fellowe Greefe, that aye pursues 
 
 Ji Milton has * Chercheft ' in II Penseroso 1,25 ' But Cher- 
 chef t in a comely Cloud' C 
 
CHKIST's YICTORIE 1^ HEATEN. 97 
 
 His winged steps ; for who would not refuse 
 Greefe's companie, a dull and rawebon'd spright. 
 That lankes the cheekes, and pales the freshest 
 sight, 
 
 Ynbosoming the cheereful brest of all delight. 
 
 14. 
 
 Eefore this cursed throng, goes Ignorance, 
 That needes will leade the way he cannot see : 
 And, after all. Death doeth his flag aduance, 
 And, in the midst, Strife still would roaguing^ be^ 
 Whose ragged flesh and cloaths did well agree : 
 And round about amazed Horror flies, 
 And ouer all. Shame veiles his guiltie eyes, 
 And vndemeath. Hell's hungrie throat still yawning: 
 lies. 
 
 15. 
 
 Ypon two stonie tables, spread before her, 
 She lean'd her bosome, more then stonie hard ; 
 There slept th' ynpartiall ludge, and strict restorei' 
 Of wrong or right, with paine or with reward ; 
 There hung the skore of all our debts, the card 
 Whear good, and bad, and life, and death were 
 painted : 
 
 1 Raging. G. 
 
98 CHKIBT'S VICTORTE IN HEATEN. 
 
 Was neuer heart of mortall so vntainted, 
 But wlien that scroule was read, with thousand 
 terrors fainted. 
 
 16. 
 
 Witnes the thunder that mount Sinai heard, 
 When all the hill with firie clouds did flame, 
 And wandring Israel with the sight afeard, 
 Blinded with seeing, durst not touch the same. 
 But like a wood of shaking leaues became. 
 On this dread ^ Justice, she, the Lining Lawe 
 Bowing herselfe with a majestique awe, 
 All heau'n, to heare her speech, did into silence 
 drawe. 
 
 17. 
 
 * Dread Lord of spirits, well Thou did'st deuise 
 
 To fling the world's rude dunghill, and the drosse 
 
 Of the ould Chaos, farthest from the skies. 
 
 And thine Owne seate, that heare ^ the childe of 
 losse 
 
 Of all the lower heau'n, the curse and crosse, 
 That wretch, beast, caytiue monster — Man, 
 
 might spend, 
 (Proude of the mire in which his soule is pend) 
 
 Clodded in lumps of clay, his wearie life to end. 
 
 1 Misprinted by Fletcher himself ' dead.' G. 
 
 2 Hiehardson has ^hear ', Cattermole misprints 'there' G. 
 
CHEIST^S yiCTOEIE US' H^EAVE^. 99 
 
 18. 
 
 His bodie dust: whear grewe such cause of 
 
 pride ? 
 His soule Thy image : what could he enuie ? 
 Himselfe most happie : if he so would bide, 
 IN'ow grow'n most wretched, who can remedie ? 
 He slewe himselfe, himselfe the enemie. 
 
 That his owne soule would her owne murder 
 
 wreake : 
 If I were silent, Heau'n and Earth would speake 
 And, if all fayl'd, these stones would into clamours 
 breake. 
 
 19 
 
 * How many darts made furrowes in his side, 
 When she, that out of his owne side was made 
 Gaue feathers to their flight^ ? where was the pride 
 Of their newe knowledge ? whither did it fade, 
 When, running from Thy voice into the shade, 
 He fled Thy sight, himselfe of sight bereaued ; 
 
 Cf. -^schyliis, Myrmidones, frag. Bp. Butler in his 
 note on this fragt, quotes Waller's sonnet commencing 
 ^That Eagle's fate, &c. Byron applies it pathetically 
 to Kirk "White. See a learned discussion of the whole 
 question, by Gataker, Advers. Misc. Posth. cap. xii. Gr. 
 
 .LofC. 
 
100 cheist's victoeie m heayej^. 
 
 And for his shield a leauie armour weau'd, 
 With which, yain man, he thought God's eies to 
 haue deceaud^ ? 
 
 20. 
 
 ^ And well he might delude those eyes, that see, 
 And iudge by colours : for who euer sawe 
 A man of leaues, a reasonable tree ? 
 But those that from this stocke their life did drawe, 
 Soone made their father godly, and by lawe 
 Proclaimed trees almightie : gods of wood. 
 Of stocks, and stones with crownes of laurell stood 
 Templed, and fed by fathers with their childrens' 
 blood. 
 
 21. 
 
 ^ The sparkling fanes, that burne in beaten gould, 
 And, like the starres of heau'n in mid'st of night 
 Elacke Egypt, as her mirrhours doth behould, 
 Are but the denns whear idoU- snakes delight 
 Againe to couer Satan from their sight : 
 
 Yet these are all their gods to whome they vie 
 The crocodile, the cock, the rat, the flie : 
 Pit gods, indeede, for such men to be serued by. 
 
 1 The close of this stanza has suffered from the Editors. 
 South ey misprints (line 6th) ' light ' for ' night,' and 
 (line 7th) 'heavy' for 'leauie '=leafy, and Cattermole 
 drops (line 8th) ' vain man.' Gr. 
 
CKRIST's YICTOEIE IK^ HEAVE^^ 101 
 
 22. 
 
 ' The fire, the winde, the sea, the smme, and moone? 
 The flitting^ aire, and the swift- winged how'rs, 
 And all the watchmen, that so nimbly runne, 
 And centinel about the walled towers 
 Of the world's citie, in their heau'nly bowr's ; 
 
 And, least their pleasant gods should want 
 delight, 
 
 I^eptune spues out the lady Aphrodite, 
 And but in Heauen proude Juno's peacocks skome 
 to lite. 
 
 23. 
 
 ' The senselesse Earth, the serpent, dog, and catte. 
 And woorse then all these, Man, and woorst of men, 
 Ysurping love, and swilling^ Eacchus fat. 
 And drunke with the vine's purple blood; and then 
 The fiend himselfe they coniure from his denne, 
 Because he onely yet remain' d to be 
 Woorse then the worst of men : they flie from thee, 
 And weare his altar-stones out with their pliant 
 knee. 
 
 24. 
 
 ^ All that he speakes (and all he speakes are lies) 
 Are oracles ; 'tis he (that wounded all) 
 
 1 Fleeting. G. 
 
 2 Eichardson and Cattermolc misread swelling.' G. 
 
102 Christ's vicioeie in heaven. 
 
 Cures all their wonnds, he (that put out their eyes) 
 
 That giues them light, he (that death first did call 
 
 Into the world) that with his orizalP 
 
 Inspirits Earth : he Heau'ns al-seeing eye, 
 He Earth's great prophet, he, whom rest doth 
 flie. 
 
 That on salt billowes doth, as pillowes, sleeping lie 
 
 25. 
 
 * But let him in his cabin restles rest. 
 
 The dungeon of darke fiames, and freezing fire, 
 Instice in Heau'n against man makes request 
 To God, and of his angels doth require 
 Sinne's punishment : if what I did desire, 
 
 Or who, or against whome, or why, or whear, 
 Of, or before whom ignorant I wear. 
 Then should my speech their sands of sins to 
 mountaines rear. 
 
 26 
 
 * "Were not the heau'ns pure, in whose courts I 
 
 sue; 
 The ludge, to whom I sue, iust to requite him ; 
 The cause for sinne, the punishment most due ; 
 lustice her selfe the plaintifi'e to enclite him ; 
 
 1 Query ' rising ' as of the sun ? But I have not met with 
 the word elsewhere. G. 
 
cheist's yictoeih m heavex. 103 
 
 The angells holy, before whom I cite him ; 
 
 He against whom, yniiist, impure ; 
 
 Then might he sinnefiill line, and die secure, 
 Or triall might escape, or triall might endure. 
 
 27 
 
 ' The iudge might partiall be, and ouer-pray'd ; 
 The place appeal' d from, in whose courts he sues ; 
 The fault excus'd, or punishment delay' d. 
 The parties selfe accus'd that did accuse ; 
 Angels for pardon might their praiers vse : 
 
 But now no starre can shine, no hope be got. 
 
 Most wretched creature, if he knewe his lot, 
 And yet more wretched farre, because he knowes 
 it not. 
 
 28 
 
 * What should I tell how barren Earth is growne, 
 All for to sterue her children : didst not thou 
 Water with heau'nly showers her wombe vnsowne, 
 And drop downe cloudes^- of flow'rs ? didst not 
 
 thou bow 
 Thine easie eare vnto the plowman's vowe ? 
 Long might he looke, and looke, and long in 
 vaine 
 
 1 Southoy niisprints ' clods.' G. 
 
104 CHEIST's VIC'fOKIE IK HEAYEX. 
 
 Might load his haruest in an emptie wayne, 
 And beat the woods, to finde the poor okes hnngrie 
 graine. 
 
 29. 
 
 ' The swelling Sea seethes in his angrie wanes, 
 And smites the Earth, that dares the traytors nou- 
 rish ; 
 Yet oft his thunder ther light corke outbraues, 
 Mowing the mountaines, on whose temples flourish 
 Whole woods of garlands; and their pride to 
 cherish, 
 Plowe through the seae's greene fields, and 
 
 nets display 
 To catch the flying winds, and steale away, 
 Ooozning the greedie Sea, prisning their nimble 
 prey. 
 
 30. 
 
 ^ How often haue I scene the waning pine, 
 Tost on a watrie mountaine, kaockehis head 
 At Heau'ns too patient gates, and with salt brine 
 Queench the moone's burning homes, and safely 
 
 fled 
 Prom Heau'ns reuenge, her passengers all dead 
 
 With stiffe astonishment tumble to Hell ? 
 
 How oft the Sea all Earth would ouerswell, 
 Did not thy sandie girdle binde the mightie well ? 
 
Christ's victoeie ijt heayen. 105 
 
 31. 
 
 * Would not the aire be fill'd with steames^ of 
 
 death, 
 To poyson the quicke^ riuers of their blood, 
 Did not thy windes, fan with their panting breath, 
 The flitting region ? would not the hastie flood 
 Emptie it selfe into the Sea's wide wood, 
 
 Did'st not thou leade it wand'ring from his way. 
 To giue men drinke, and make his waters strey, 
 To fresh the flowrie meadowes, through whose 
 fields they play ? 
 
 32. 
 
 * Who makes the sources of the siluer fountaines 
 From the flinth's mouth, and rocky yalleis slide, 
 Thickning the ayrie bowells of the mountaines ? 
 Who hath the wilde heards of the forest tide 
 
 In their cold denns, making them hungrie bide 
 Till man to rest be laid ? can beastly he. 
 That should haue most sense, onely senseles be. 
 
 And all things else, beside himselfe, so awefuU 
 
 1 Richardsom, Southey, and Cattermole misprint ' streams.' 
 
 G. 
 
 2 * Living,' ' alive,' as before. G-. 
 
106 cheist's victorie m wejlx-ek. 
 
 33. 
 
 * "Wear he not wilder then the saluage beast, 
 Prowder then haughty hills, harder then roeks, 
 Colder then foiintaines, from their springs releas*ty 
 Lighter then aire, blinder then senseles stocks, 
 More changing then the riuers curling locks : 
 
 If reason would not, sense would soone reprooue 
 him, 
 
 And vnto shame, if not to sorrow, mooue him, 
 To see cold floods, wild beasts, dul stocks, hard 
 stones out-loue him. 
 
 34. 
 
 ' Ynder the weight of sinne the earth did fall, 
 And swallowed Dathan;^ and the raging winde. 
 And stormie sea, and gaping whale, did call 
 Eor lonas ;^ and the aire did bullets finde, 
 And shot from Heau'n a stony showi'e, to grinde 
 The flue proud kings, that for their idols fought ; ^ 
 The sunne it selfe stood still to fight it out,* 
 And fire from heau'n flew downe, when sin to 
 heau'n did shout. ^ 
 
 1 Numbers c. xvi. 
 
 2 Jonah i. 1 seqq. ii. 1 — 10, &c. Q-. 
 
 3 Joshua X., 11. G. 
 
 4 Joshua X., 12 seqq. G. 
 
 6 Genesis xviii., 20, and xix., 24. 
 
CHBIST's YICTOEIE IN" HEAYEir. 107 
 
 35. 
 
 Should any to himselfe for safety file ? 
 The way to sane himselfe, if any were. 
 "Wear to flie from himselfe : should he relie 
 Ypon the promise of his wife ? but there, 
 What can he see, but that he most may feare, 
 
 A syren, sweete to death : vpon his friends ? 
 
 Who that he needs, or that he hath not, lends ; 
 Or wanting aide himselfe, ayde to another sends ? 
 
 36. 
 
 His strength? but dust: his pleasure? cause of paine : 
 His hope ? false courtier : youth or beawtie ? brittle : 
 Intreatie ? fond^ : repentance ? late, and vaine : 
 lust recompence ? the world wear all too little : 
 Thy loue ? he hath no title to a tittle : 
 
 Hell's force ? in yaine her furies Hell shall 
 gather : 
 
 His seruants, kinsmen, or his children rather ? 
 His child, if good, shall iudge ; if bad, shall curse 
 his father. 
 
 37. 
 
 * His life ? that brings him to his end, and leaues 
 
 him: 
 His ende ; that leaues him to beginne his woe : 
 
 1 FooHsh, a. 
 
108 CHEIST^S VICTOEIE Uf HEATEN". 
 
 His goods? wliat good in that, tliat so deceaues Hm? 
 
 His gods of wood ? their feete, alas ! are slowe 
 
 To goe to helpe, that must be help't to goe: 
 Honour, great woorth ? ah, little woorth they be 
 Vnto their owners : wit ? that makes him see 
 
 He wanted wit, that thought he had it, wanting 
 Thee. 
 
 38. 
 
 *The Sea to drinke him quieke?^ that casts hi& 
 
 dead: 
 Angells to spare ? they punish : night to hide ? 
 The world shall bume in light ; the heau'ns to 
 
 spread 
 Their wings to saue him ? heaun it selfe shall slide, 
 And rawle away like melting starres, that glide 
 Along their oylie threads : his minde pursues 
 
 him: 
 His house to shrowde, or hills to fall and bruse 
 
 him? 
 As sergeants both attache, and witnesses accuse him, 
 
 39, 
 
 * What need I vrge, what they must needs con- 
 
 fesse. 
 Sentence on them, condemn'd by their owne lust? 
 
 1 * Living,' *aHve/ G. 
 
CHSIST^S YICTOEIE IN HEAYEIf. 109 
 
 I crane no more, and Thou canst gine no lesse, 
 
 Then death to dead men, iustice to vninst ; 
 
 Shame to most shamefull, and most shameles dust : 
 But if Thy mercie needs will spare her friends, 
 Let Mercie there begin where Iustice endes. 
 
 ''Tis cruel Mercie, that the wrong from right 
 defends.' 
 
 40. 
 
 She ended, and the heau'nly Hierarchies, 
 Burning in zeale, thickly imbranded ^ weare ; 
 Like to an armie that allarum cries. 
 And euery one shakes his ydraded^ speare, 
 And the Almightie's Selfe, as He would teare 
 The Earth and her firme basis quite in sunder, 
 Plam'd all in iust reuenge and mightie thunder; 
 Heau'n stole it selfe from Earth by clouds that 
 moisterd^ vnder. 
 
 1 Cattermole explains this as ' mustered in arms ;' "but 
 
 this is a mere adaptation to the context. Eichardson 
 in his great Dictionary says 'Perhaps armed with 
 brands,' and then quotes from Fletcher, as ahove. 
 
 * Brand, which means a 'torch' is also used for a 
 
 * sword/ because in motion it glitters like a burning 
 torch or fire-brand. Skinner. Gr. 
 
 2 Ydreaded i.e. dreaded : Eichardson and Cattermole suh- 
 
 stitute ' terrific' G. 
 
 3 Moistured, refreshed : Southey and Cattermole mispriat 
 
 ' moisten' d.' G. 
 
110 CHEIST's YICTOBIE IJf HEAVEK. 
 
 41. 
 
 As -when the cheerfull sunne, elamping ^ wide, 
 Glads all tlie world with his vprising raye, 
 And wooes the widow'd Earth afresh to pride, 
 And paint[s] ^ her bosome with the flowrie Maye, 
 His silent sister steales him qnite away, 
 
 "Wrap't in a sable clowde from mortall eyes ; 
 
 The hastie starres at noone begin to rise, 
 And headlong to his early roost the sparrowe flies. 
 
 42. 
 
 Eut soone as he againe dishadowed is, 
 Eestoring the blind world in his blemish't sight, 
 As though another day wear newely ris, ^ 
 The cooz'ned birds busily take their flight. 
 And wonder at the shortnesse of the night ; 
 So Mercie once againe her selfe displayes, 
 Out from her sister's cloud, and open layes 
 Those sunshine looke?, whose beames would dim 
 a thousand dayes. 
 
 1 Enlightening like a lamp : Cf Spenser, Fairie Queen 
 
 III c 3 s 1 : and first Sonnet. Dr. Eichardson as 
 before, quotes above G. 
 
 2 Misprinted ' paint ' : but in 1632 ed. corrected to 'paints' 
 
 as supra G. 
 
 3 Richardson, Southey and Cattermole, , again sadly mar 
 
 this line, by mis-reading from the previous one * world ' 
 for ' day ' and ' his ' for ' ris ' G. 
 
Ill 
 
 43. 
 
 lE'Ow may a worme, that crawles along the dust, 
 Clamber the azure mountaines, thrown so high, 
 And fetch from thence thy faire Idea iust, 
 That in those sunny courts doth hidden lie, 
 Cloath'd with such light, as blinds the angels' eye; 
 How may weake mortall euer hope to file 
 His ynsmooth tongue, and his deprostrate stile ? 
 O raise Thou from his corse Thy now entomb 'd 
 exile ! 
 
 44. 
 
 One touch would rouze me from my sluggish 
 
 hearse. 
 One word would call me to my wished home. 
 One looke would polish my afflicted verse. 
 One thought would steale my soule from her thicke 
 
 lome, 
 And force it wandiing yp to Heau'n to come, 
 Thear to importune, and to beg apace 
 One happy fauour of Thy sacred grace, 
 To see — what though it loose her eyes ? — to see 
 
 Thy face. 
 
 45. 
 
 If any aske why roses please the sight ? 
 
 Because their leaues vpon thy cheekes doe bowre : 
 
 If any aske why lillies are so white ? 
 
112 CHEIST's YICTOEIE 11^ HEAVEN. 
 
 Because their blossoms in thy hand doe flowre : 
 Or why sweet plants so grateful! odours shoure? 
 It is because Thy"^ breath so like they be : 
 Or why the Orient sunne so bright we see ? 
 What reason can we giue, but from Thine eies, 
 and Thee? 
 
 46. 
 
 Eos'd all in liuely crimsin ar Thy cheeks, 
 "Whear beawties indeflourishing abide, 
 And, as to passe his fellowe either seekes, 
 Seemes both doe^ blush at one another's pride; 
 And on Thine eyelids, waiting Thee beside, 
 
 Ten thousand Graces sit, and when they mooue 
 To Earth their amourous belgards*^ from aboue. 
 They flie from Heau'n, and on their wings conuey 
 Thy loue. 
 
 47. 
 
 All of discoloured plumes their wings ar made, 
 And with so wondrous art the quills ar wrought, 
 That whensoere they cut the ayrie glade, 
 The winde into their hoUowe pipes is caught : 
 
 1 J^outhey misprints ^ their ' G. 
 
 2 Here also misprints ^ to/ G. 
 
 3 Belles regardes ' beautiful looks ' : Eichardson, as before, 
 
 quotes Fletcher as above : Of Spenser F Q III c 9. 
 
cheist's tictoeib m heayen". 113 
 
 As seemes the spheres with them they down haue 
 brought': 
 Like to the seauenfold reede of Arcadie, 
 "Which Pan of Syrinx made, when she did flie 
 
 To Ladon sands, and at his sighs sung merily. ^ 
 
 48. 
 
 As melting hony, dropping from the comhe. 
 
 So still the words, that spiing between thy lipps : 
 
 Thy lippes, whear smiling Swetnesse keepes her 
 
 home. 
 And heau'nly Eloquence pure manna sipps : 
 He that his pen but in that fountaiae dipps, 
 How nimbly will the golden phrases flie, 
 And shed forth streames of choycest rhetoric, 
 Welling celestiall torrents out of poesie ! 
 
 49. 
 
 Like as the thirstie land in Summer's heat. 
 Calls to the cloudes, andjgapes at euerie showre. 
 As though her hungry clifts all heau'n would eat, 
 Which if high God into her bosome powre. 
 Though much refresht, yet more she could deuoure; 
 So hang the greedie ears of angels sweete. 
 And euery breath a thousand Cupids meete, 
 Some flying in, some out, and all about her fleet. 
 
 1 Cf. Ovid. Met. i. 691 &c. : Yirgil, Eclog. ii. 31. G. 
 
114 
 
 50. 
 
 Vpon her breast Delight doth softly sleepe, 
 
 And of Eternal loy is brought abed : 
 
 Those snowie mountelets, through which doe 
 
 creepe 
 The milkie riuers, that ar inly bred 
 In siluer cistemes, and themselues do shed 
 To wearie trauailers, in heat of day 
 To quench their fierie thrist, and to allay 
 "With dropping nectar floods, the furie of their way 
 
 51. 
 
 If any wander, Thou doest call him backe ; 
 
 If any be not forward, Thou incit'st him ; 
 
 Thou doest expect, if any should growe slacke ; 
 
 If any seeme but willing, thou inuit'st him ; 
 
 Or if he doe offend Thee, Thou acquit'st him ; 
 Thou find' st the lost, and f olio w'st him that flies, 
 Healing the sicke, and quickning him that dies : 
 
 Thou art the lame man's friendly staffe, the blind 
 man's eyes. 
 
 52. 
 
 So faire Thou art, that all would Thee behold ; 
 Eut none can Thee behold, Thou art so faire ; 
 Pardon, pardon then Thy vassal bold. 
 That with poore shadowes striues Thee to compare, 
 And match the things, which he knowes match- 
 lesse are : 
 
CHEIST^S YICTOEIE I:N" HEAYEN. 115 
 
 Thou vive^ mirrhour of celestiall grace, 
 How can fraile colours pourtraict out Thy face, 
 Or paint in flesh Thy beawtie in such semblance 
 
 base ? 
 
 5S. 
 
 Her vpper garment was a silken lawne, 
 With needle-worke richly embroidered, 
 Which she her selfe with her owne hand had 
 
 drawne, 
 And all the world therein had pourtrayed, 
 With threads so fresh and liuely coloured, 
 
 That seem'd the world She newe created thear, 
 And the mistaken eye would rashly swear 
 The silken trees did growe, and the beasts lining 
 wear. 
 
 54. 
 
 Low at her feet the Earth was cast alone, 
 (As though to kisse Her foot it did aspire, 
 
 1 Eichardson and Cattermole translate ' vive ' into ' Hving' 
 
 and drop the ' 0: ' 
 Drummond of Hawthomden has the word and rhyme, e.j, 
 * weU-spring of this all, 
 
 Thy father's image yive, 
 Word, that from nought did call 
 What is, doth reason, Hve.' G* 
 
116 
 
 And gaue it selfe for her to tread vpon,) 
 With, so vnlike and different attire, 
 That euerv one that sawe it, did admire^ 
 
 "What it might be, was of so various hewe ; 
 
 Tor to it selfe it oft so dinerse grewe, 
 That still it seem'd the same, and still it seem'd a 
 newe. 
 
 And here and there, few men she scattered, 
 (That in their thought the world esteeme but 
 
 small 
 And themselues great,) but she with one fine 
 
 thread 
 So short, and small, and slender, woue them all, 
 That like a sort of busie ants, that crawle 
 
 About some molehill, so they wandered ; 
 
 And round about the waning Sea^ was shed : 
 But, for the siluer sands, small pearls were sprinkled 
 
 56. 
 
 So curiously the vnderworke did creepe. 
 And curHug circlets so well shadowed lay, 
 That afar off the waters seem'd to sleepe ; 
 But those that neare the margin pearle did play, 
 
 1 Wonder. G. 2 = The sea in waves. G-. 
 
CHRIST^S VICTOETE EST HEAVEl^. 117 
 
 Hoarcely enwaued wear with hastie sway, 
 
 As though they meant to rocke the gentle eare 
 And hush the former that enslumhred wear : 
 
 And here a dangerous rocke the flying ships did 
 fear. 
 
 57. 
 
 High in the ayrie element there hung 
 Another clowdy Sea, that did disdaine 
 (As though his purer wanes from heauen sprung) 
 To crawle on Earth, as doth the sluggish maine : 
 Eut it the Earth would water with his raine, 
 
 That eb'd and flow'd, as winde and season 
 would, 
 
 And oft the Sun would cleaue the limber^ mould 
 To alabaster rockes, that in the liquid rowl'd. 
 
 58. 
 
 Eeneath those sunny banks, a darker cloud. 
 Dropping with thicker deaw, did melt apace, 
 And bent it selfe into a hoUowe shroude, 
 On which, if Mercy did but cast her face, 
 A thousand colours did the bowe enchace, 
 That wonder was to see the silke distain'd 
 
 1 Yielding. Cf. Milton P. L. Vav'd their limber 
 fans'. VII. 476. G. 
 
118 cheist's victoeie in heavek. 
 
 With the resplendance from her beawtie gain'd, 
 And Iris paint her locks with beames, so liuely 
 feign' d. 
 
 59. 
 
 About her head a Cyprus^ heau'n she wore, 
 Spread like a veile, ypheld with siluer wire, 
 In which the starres so buin't in golden ore, 
 As seem'd the azure web was all on fire: 
 But hastily, to quench the sparkling ire, 
 A flood of milke came rowling vp the shore, 
 That on his curded wane swift Argus bore,^ 
 And the immortall swan, that did her life deplore. 
 
 60 
 
 Tet strange it was, so many starres to see 
 Without a sunne, to give their tapers light : 
 Yet strange it was not, that it so should be ; 
 Por, where the sunne centers himselfe by right, 
 Her face, and locks did flame, that at the sight 
 
 1 * Cyprus ' is our modem word ' crape :' French *c respe- 
 
 crape/ Therefore the text is = a canopy of crape. Cf. 
 
 Milton, n Penseroso, 
 
 ^ Sable stole of Cipres lawn 
 
 Over thy decent shoulders draw'n.' G. 
 
 2 Southey repeats the misprint of ^ wore ' here, from 1632 
 
 edn. G. 
 
CHEIST's YICTOEIE IliT HEAYEJf. 119 
 
 The heauenly veile, that else should nimhly 
 
 mooue, 
 Torgot his flight, and all incens'd with lone 
 "With wonder, and amazement, did her beantie 
 
 proone. 
 
 61. 
 
 Oner her hnng a canopie of state, 
 Not of rich tissew, nor of spangled gold, 
 Ent of a substance, though not animate, 
 Yet of a heaun'nly and spirituall mould, 
 That onely eyes of spirits might behold ; 
 
 Such light as from maine^ rocks of diamound, 
 Shooting their sparks at Phebus, would rebound, 
 And little angels, holding hands, daunc't all around. 
 
 62. 
 
 Seemed those little sprights, through nimbless bold, 
 The stately canopy bore on their wings 
 But them it selfe, as pendants, did vphold ; 
 Besides the crownes of many famous kings : 
 Among the rest, thear Dauid euer sings, 
 
 And now, with yeares growne young, renewes 
 his layes 
 
 Vnto his golden harpe, and ditties playes, 
 Psalming aloud in well-tun^d songs his Maker's 
 prayse. 
 
 1 Sea-rocks G. 
 
120 
 
 63. 
 
 Thou Self-Idea of all ioyes to come, 
 "Whose loue is such, would make the rudest speake, 
 "Whose loue is such, would make the wisest dumhe, 
 0, when wilt thou thy too-long silence hreake 
 And ouercome the strong to saue the weake ! 
 If thou no weapons hast, thine eyes will wound 
 Th' Almightie's selfe, that now sticke on the 
 ground. 
 As though some blessed obiect there did them em- 
 pound. 
 
 64. 
 
 Ah ! miserable abiect^ of disgrace, 
 What happines is in thy miserie ? 
 I both must pittie and enuie thy case ; 
 For she that is the glorie of the skie, 
 Leaues heauen blind, to fix on thee her eye. 
 
 Yet her (though Mercie's selfe esteems not 
 small) 
 
 The world despis'd ; they her Eepentance call, 
 And she herselfe despises, and the world, and all. 
 
 65. 
 
 Deepely, alas ! empassioned she stood. 
 To see a flaming brand, tost yp from hell, 
 
 1 Southey misprints ' object.' G. 
 
Christ's yictoeie in heaven. 121 
 
 Boyling her heart in her owne lustfull blood, 
 
 That oft for torment she would loudely yell ; 
 
 !N'owe she would sighing sit, and nowe she fell 
 Crouching ypon the ground, in sackcloath trust :^ 
 Early and late she prayed, and fast she must. 
 
 And all her haire hung full of ashes, and of dust, 
 
 66. 
 
 Of all most hated, yet hated most of all 
 Of her owne selfe she was ; disconsolat 
 (As though her flesh did but infunerall 
 Her buried ghost) she in an arbour^ sat 
 Of thomie brier, weeping her cursed state ; 
 
 And her before, a hastie river fled, 
 
 Which her blind eyes with faithfull penance 
 fed, 
 And all about, the grasse with tears hung downe 
 his head. 
 
 67. 
 
 Her eyes, though blind abroad, at home kept 
 
 fast ; 
 Inwards they tum'd, and look't into her head: 
 At which shee often started, as aghast 
 To see so fearfull spectacles of dread ; 
 
 1 Trussed ie dressed or girded. Gr. 
 
 2 Southey has ^ harbour ' G. 
 
122 cheist's TICTOEIE IX HEATEI?'. 
 
 And witli one hand, her breast she martyredy 
 Voimding her heart, the same to mortifie ; 
 The other a faire damsel held her by, 
 
 "Which if but once let go, shee snnke immediatly, 
 
 68. 
 
 Eut Faith was qnicke and nimble as the hean'n, 
 As if of lone and life shee all had been, 
 And though of present sight her sense were reauen. 
 Yet shee could see the things could not be seen : 
 Eeyond the starres, as nothing wear between, 
 She fixt her sight, disdeigning things belowe : 
 Into the Sea she could a mountaine .throwe, 
 And make the sun to stande, and waters backe wards 
 flowe. 
 
 69. 
 
 Such when as Mercie her beheld from high. 
 In a darke valley, disown' d with her owne tears, 
 One of her Graces she sent hastily. 
 Smiling Eirene, ^ that a garland wears 
 Of guilded oliue, on her fairer hears, ^ 
 
 To crowne the fainting soules true sacrifice ; 
 
 "Whom when as sad Eepentance comming spies. 
 The holy Desperado wip't her swollen eyes. 
 
 1 Peace. G. 2 Hairs. G. 
 
cheist's victobie in heayex. 123 
 
 70. 
 
 But Mercie felt a kinde remorse to ninne 
 Through her soft vaines, and therefore, hying fast 
 To giue an end to silence, thus begunne : — 
 
 * Aye-honour' d Eather, if no ioy Thou hast 
 Eut to reward desert, reward at last 
 
 The deuil's voice, spoke with a serpent's tongue, — 
 Fit to hisse out the words so deadly stung, — 
 And let him die, death's bitter charmes so sweetely 
 sung. 
 
 71. 
 
 * He was the father of that hopeles season. 
 That, to seme other gods, forgot their owne : 
 The reason was, Thou wast aboue their reason : 
 They would haue any^ gods, rather then none, 
 A beastly serpent, or a senselesse stone : 
 
 And these, as Justice hates, so I deplore ; 
 Eut the yp-plowed heart, all rent and tore. 
 Though wounded by it selfe, I gladly would re- 
 store. 
 
 72. 
 
 * He was but dust ; why fear'd he not to fall ? 
 And, beeing fall'n, how can he hope to liue ? 
 
 1 Southey misprints ^ other.' G, 
 
124 cheist's yictoeie in HEAYEIS'. 
 
 Cannot the hand destroy him, that made all ? 
 
 Could He not take away, as well as giue ? 
 
 Should man deprave, and should not God depriue ? 
 "Was it not all the world's deceiuing spirit, 
 (That, bladder'd yp with pride of his owne merit, 
 
 Pell in his rise) that him of Heau'n did disinherit ? 
 
 73. 
 
 ' He was but dust : how could he stand before 
 Him? 
 
 And being fall'n, why should he feare to die ? 
 
 Cannot the hand that made him first, restore him ? 
 
 Deprau'd of sinne, should he depriued lie 
 
 Of grace ? can He not hide ^ infirmitie 
 
 That gaue him strength ? vn worthy the forsaking, 
 He is, who euer weighs, without mistaking, 
 
 Or Maker of the man, or manner of his making. 
 
 74. 
 
 ' Who shall Thy temple incense any more ? 
 Or at Thy altar crowne the sacrifice ? 
 Or strewe with idle fiow'rs the hallow'd flore ? 
 Or what should prayer deck with hearbs and spice 
 Her yialls, breathing orisons of price ? 
 
 If all must paie that which all cannot pale ? 
 
 1 Soutkey misprints ^ find.' G. 
 
125 
 
 first begin with mee, and Mercie slaie, 
 And Thy thrice honour' d Sonne, that now beneath 
 doth strey. 
 
 75. 
 
 ' But if or He or I, may Hue, and speake, 
 And Heau'n can ioye to see a sinner weepe ; 
 Oh let not Justice yron sceptre breake 
 A heart alreadie broke ; that lowe doth creep, 
 xind with prone humblesse her feets' dust doth 
 sweep. 
 
 Must all goe by desert ? is nothing free ? 
 
 Ah ! if but those that onely woorthy be, 
 ^N'one should Thee euer see, none should Thee euer 
 see. 
 
 76. 
 
 ^ What hath man done, that man shall not vndoe, 
 Since God to him is growne so neer a kin ? 
 Did his foe slay him ? He shall slay his foe : 
 Hath he lost all ? He aU againe shall win : 
 Is sinne his master ? He shall master sinne : 
 
 Too hardy soule, with sinne the field to trie ; 
 
 The onely way to conquer, was to 1^ie ; 
 But thus long Death hath liu'd, and now Death's 
 selfe shall die. 
 
126 cheist's victobie m heayen. 
 
 77 
 
 * He is a path, if any be misled, 
 He is a robe, if any naked bee ; 
 
 If any cbannce to hunger. He is bread, 
 
 If any be a bondman. He is free, 
 
 If any be but weake, howe strong is Hee ! 
 To dead men life He is, to sicke men health, 
 To blinde men sight, and to the needie wealth ; 
 
 A pleasure without losse,^ a treasure without stealth. 
 
 78 
 
 ' "Who can forget — ^neuer to be forgot — 
 The time, that all the world in slumber lies, 
 "When, like the starres, the singing angels shot 
 To Earth, and Heau'n awaked all his eyes, 
 To see another sunne at midnight rise 
 
 On Earth ? Was neuer sight of pareil ^ fame ; 
 
 Eor God before, man like himselfe, did frame, 
 But God himselfe now like a mortall man became. 
 
 79 
 
 A Child He was, and had not learn' t to speake, 
 That with His word the world before did make ; 
 
 * His mother's armes Him bore, He was so weake, 
 
 1 < Equal.' G. . 
 
CHKIST's VICTOEIE IN HEAYEIS^. 127 
 
 That with one hand the vaults of Heau'n could 
 
 shake ; 
 See how small roome my infant Lord doth take, 
 
 Whom all the world is not enough to hold ! 
 
 "Who of His yeares, or of His age hath told ? 
 Neuer such age so young, ]^neuer a child so old. 
 
 80 
 
 ' And yet but newely He was infanted, 
 And yet abeadie He^^was sought to die ; 
 Yet scarcely borne, alreadie banished 
 Not able yet to goe, and forc't to flie : 
 But scarcely fled away, when, by and by, 
 The tyrant's^ sword with blood is all defiled. 
 And Eachel, for her sonnes, with furie wild, 
 Cries, * thou cruell king, and, my sweetest 
 child!' 
 
 81 
 
 * Egypt his nource became, whear IS'ilus springs, 
 Who streit to entertaine, the rising sunne 
 The hasty haruest in his bosome brings ; 
 But now for drieth^ the fields wear all vndone. 
 And now with waters all is ouerrunne : 
 
 1 Misprinted Hyrans' but corrected in 1632 edn. G. 
 
 2 Drought, a 
 
128 Christ's yictoeie ii^ heayei^. 
 
 So fast tlie CyntMan mountaines powr'd their 
 
 snowe, 
 When once they felt the siinne so neere them 
 
 glowe, 
 That Mlns Egypt lost, and to a sea did growe. 
 
 82 
 
 * The angells caroU'd lowd their song of peace ; 
 
 The cursed oracles wear strucken dumb ;^^ 
 
 To see their Sheapheard, the poore sheapheards 
 press ; 
 
 To see their King, the kingly sophies^ come ; 
 
 And them to guide vnto his Master's home, 
 A starre comes dauncing yp the Orient, 
 That springs for ioye oyer the strawy tent, 
 
 Whear gold, to make their prince a crowne,.they 
 all present. 
 
 83. 
 
 ^^ Young John, glad child ! before he could be borne, 
 Leapt in the woombe, his ioy to prophecie : ^ 
 
 1 Cf : Milton's Ode <on the Morning of Christ's Nativity 
 
 stanza 19 
 
 ' The Oracles are dum, 
 No voice or hideous humm 
 
 Runs through the arched roof . , G. 
 
 2 Wise men. Cf Milton, P. L. X. 435 ' Bactrian Sophi ' G. 
 i St. Luke I. 41. G. 
 
cheist's victoeie rN" HEAyE:^^. 129 
 
 Old Anna, though with age all spent and worne, 
 Proclaimes her Sanioiir to posteritie : ^ 
 And Simeon fast his dying notes doeth plie. ^ 
 
 Oh, how the blessed soules about Him trace ! 
 
 It is the Sire^ of heau'n thou doest embrace : 
 Sing, Simeon, sing — sing, Simeon, sing apace 1 ' 
 
 84, 
 
 With that the mightie thunder dropt away 
 From God's ynwarie* arme, now milder growne, 
 And melted into teares : as if to pray 
 For pardon, and for pittie, it had knowne, 
 That should haue been for sacred vengeance 
 throwne : 
 Thereto the armies angelique devo'wd 
 Their former rage, and all to Mercie bow'd ; 
 Their broken weapons at her feet they gladly 
 strow'd. 
 
 1 St. Luke II. 36 G. 
 
 2 St. Luke II. 29. G. 
 
 3 Southey misprints ' fire ' G. 
 
 4 Query =uiiweary, not worn out ? ' Unwary '=un watch- 
 
 ful, unexpecting, seems over-bold. But see The Purple 
 Island' canto YI. stanza 19, Hne 4 where this special 
 bit is finely praised. Gr. 
 
130 cheist's victoeie m heavei^. 
 
 85. 
 
 * Ering, bring, ye Graces, all your silver flaskets, 
 Painted "with, euery choicest flowre that growes, 
 That I may soone vnflow'r your fragrant baskets, 
 To strowe the fields with odours whear he goes. 
 Let what so e're He treads on be a rose.' 
 So downe shee let her eyelids fall, to shine 
 Vpon the rivers of bright Palestine, 
 Whose woods drop honie, and her rivers skip with 
 wine. 
 
CIEIST'S 
 VICTOEIE AND TEIIJMPH. 
 
THE ARGUMENT. 
 
 Christ brought into the place of combat, the wildernes, among the 
 wilde beasts : Mark i., 13 : st. 1. — Described by His proper attri- 
 bute, the Mercie of G-od : st. 2, 3 — Whom the creatures cannot 
 but adore : st. 4, 5,— by His unitie with the G-odhead : st. 6.— 
 His proper place : st. 7. — The beautie of His body, Cant. V., 11 ; 
 Psal, XLV., 2 ; Gen. XLIX., 13 ; Cant. Y-, 10 ; and Isa. Llll., 
 2 : st. 8 — 15. — By preparing Himself to the combate with His 
 adversarie that seem'd what he was not : st. 14, 15. — Some 
 devout Essene : st. 16 — 19. — closely tempting him to despaire 
 of G-od's prouidence, and prouide for Himself : st. 23, — But was 
 what He seemed not, Satan, and would faine haue lead Him, 
 1 — To Desperation, characterd by His place, countenance, 
 apparell, horrible apparitions, &c. : st. 21— 30. — 2 — To Presump- 
 tion : character'd by her place, attendants , &c. : st. 31—36. — 
 and by her temptation st. 37. — 3 — To Vainglorie : poetically 
 described from the place where her court stood ; a garden : 
 St. 38—49, — from her court and courtiers : st. 61. — (1.) Pleasure 
 in Drinking: st. 50, 51; in Luxury: st. 52; (2.) Avarice: 
 St. 53 — 55 ; (3.) Ambitious honour : st. 56 ; from her throne, 
 [and] from her temptation : st. 57 — 69. — The effect of this victorie 
 in Satan : st, 60 ; the angels : st. 61 ; the creatures : st. 62. 
 
CHKIST'S YICTOEIE ON EAKTH. 
 
 1. 
 
 The AH, all alone, she spi'd, alas the while ! 
 
 In shadie darknes, a poore Desolate, 
 
 That now had measured many a wearie mile, 
 
 Through a wast desert, whither heau'nly fate 
 
 And His owne will, Him brought ; He praying 
 
 sate, 
 And Him to prey, as He to pray began, ^ 
 The citizens of the wilde forrest ran, 
 And all with open throat would swallowe whole 
 
 the man. 
 
 2. 
 
 Soone did the Ladie to her Graces crie, 
 And on their wings her selfe did nimbly strowe, 
 After her coach a thousand Loues did flie^ 
 So downe into the wildernesse they throwe ; 
 
 1 Cf. Fuller: 
 
 ' On her that pray'd so long, doth prey at lasi' 
 
 * David's Heavie Punishment: st. 14.' G. 
 
134 cheist's yictoeie on eaeth. 
 
 Whear she, and all her trayne that with her flowe 
 Thorough the ayrie wane, with sailes so gay. 
 Sinking into His brest that wearie lay, 
 
 Made shipwracke of themselnes, and vanish't quite 
 away. 
 
 3. 
 
 Seemed that Man had them devoured all, 
 "Whome to deuoure the beasts had made pretence ; 
 But Him their saluage thirst did nought appall, 
 Though weapons none He had for His defence : 
 What armes for Innocence, but innocence ? 
 
 For when they saw their Lord's bright cogni- 
 zance 
 
 Shine in His face, soone did they disadvaunce 
 And some vnto Him kneele, and some about Him 
 daunce. 
 
 4. 
 
 Downe fell the lordly lion's angrie mood, 
 And he himselfe fell downe in congies^ lowe ; 
 Bidding Him welcome to his wastfull wood ; 
 Sometime he kist the grasse whear He did goe, 
 And, as to wash His feete he well did knowe, 
 
 With fanning tongue he lickt away the dust; 
 
 And euery oijp would neerest to Him thrust. 
 And euery one, with new, forgot his former lust. 
 
 1 Bows = salutations. G. 
 
chkist's yiCTOEiE o:s eabth. 135 
 
 Vnmindfull of himselfe, to minde his Lord, 
 The lamb stood gazing by the tyger's side, 
 As though betweene them they had made accord ; 
 And on the lion's back the goate did ride, 
 Forgetfull of the roughnes of the hide : 
 
 If He stood still, their eyes vpon Him bay ted, 
 If walkt, they all in order on Him wayted, 
 And when He slept, they as His watch themselnes 
 conceited. 
 
 6. 
 
 Wonder doeth call me vp to see — (0 no, 
 I cannot see, and therefore sinke in woonder) 
 The Man that shines as bright as God, — ^not so, 
 Eor God He is Himselfe, that close lies vnder 
 That Man, — so close, that no time can dissunder 
 
 That band; yet not so close, but from Him 
 breake 
 
 Snch beames, as mortall eyes are all too weake 
 Snch sight to see, — or it, if they should see, to 
 speake. 
 
 7 
 
 Ypon a grassie hillock He was laid, 
 AVith woodie primroses befreckeled; 
 Oner His head the wanton shade we s plaid 
 Of a wilde oliue, that her bowghs so spread, 
 
136 chbist's victoeie oisr eaeth. 
 
 As with her leau's she seem'd to crowne His head, 
 And her greene armes to embrace the Prince of 
 
 Peace ; 
 The snnne so neere, needs must the "Winter 
 cease, 
 The sunne so neere, another Spring seem'd to in- 
 crease. 
 
 8 
 
 His haire was blacke, and in small cnrls did twine, 
 As though it wear the shadowe of some light ; 
 And vnderneath, His face, as day did shine — 
 But sure the day shine d not halfe so bright, 
 JS'or the sunne' s shadowe made so darke a night. 
 Ynder His lonely locks, her head to shroude, 
 Did make^ Humilitie her selfe growe proude : — 
 Hither, to light their lamps, did all the Graces 
 croude. 
 
 9. 
 
 One of ten thousand soules I am, and more. 
 That of His eyes, and their sweete wounds com- 
 
 plaine : 
 Sweete are the wounds of Loue, neuer so sore — 
 Ah ! might He often slaie me so againe I 
 
 1 Cftttermole reads ^ meek ' G. 
 
chbist's victoeie on eaeth. 137 
 
 He neuer lines that thus is neuer slaine. 
 
 What boots it watch ? those eyes for all my art, 
 Mine owne eyes looking on, hane stole my heart : 
 
 In them Lone bends his bowe, and dips his burning 
 dart. 
 
 10. 
 
 As when the sunne, caught in an aduerse clowde, 
 Flies crosse the world, and thear a new begets 
 The watry picture of his beautie proude : 
 Throwes all abroad his sparkeling spangelets,^ 
 And the whole world in dire amazement sets, 
 To see two dayes abroad at once ; and all 
 Doubt whether no we he rise, or now will^ faU : 
 So flam'd the Godly flesh, proude of his heau'nly 
 tbralL 
 
 11. 
 
 His cheekes as snowie apples, sop't in wine, 
 Had their red roses quencht with lillies white, 
 And like to garden strawberries did shine, 
 Wash't in a bowle of milk, or rose-buds bright 
 Ynbosoming their brests against the light : 
 
 1 Spangles = rays of sunlight broken into drops, ie dimi- 
 
 nutive of ' spangles.' G. 
 
 2 Eichardeon and Catfcermole misprint '• he.' G. 
 
 e: 
 
138 CHEIST's VICTOBIE on EAilTH. 
 
 Here loue-sick soiiles did eat, thear dranke, and 
 
 made 
 Sweete-smelling posies, that could neuer fade,— 
 Eut worldly eyes Him thought more like some 
 liuing shade. 
 
 12. 
 
 For Laughter neuer look't upon His browe, 
 Though in His face all smilling ioyes did bi de : 
 'No silken banners did about Him flowe — 
 Fooles make their fetters ensignes of their pride : 
 He was the best cloath'd when naked was His side. * 
 A Lambe He was, and woUen fleece He bore, ^ 
 Woue with one thread : His feete low sandalls 
 wore ; 
 But bared were his legges, — 'SO went the times of 
 yore. 
 
 13 
 
 As two white marble pillars that vphold 
 God's holy place, whear He in glorie sets. 
 And rise with goodly grace and courage bold, 
 
 1 Cf. FiiUer 
 
 * Who most was nak^t when cloathed in his weeds ' 
 'David's Heavie Ptmishment ' lH. 6. See also the 
 first of his before unpublished Epigrams. G. 
 
 2 Bichardson and Cattermole misprint * wore ' G. 
 
cheist's yictoeie on eaeth. 139 
 
 To beare his temple on their ample ietts, ^ 
 Yein'cl eueiy whear with azure rivulets : 
 Whom all the people on some holy morne, 
 With boughs and flowrie garlands doe^ adorne — - 
 
 Of such, though fairer farre, this temple was vp- 
 bome. 
 
 14 
 
 Twice had Diana bent her golden bowe, 
 And shot from hea'un her siluer shafts, to rouse 
 The sluggish saluages, that den belowe. 
 And all the day in lazie couTert drouze. 
 Since Him the silent wildemesse did house : 
 The heau'n His roofe and arbour harbour was, 
 The ground His bed, and His moist pillowe, grasse; 
 But fruit thear none did growe, nor riuers none did 
 passe. 
 
 15 
 
 At length an aged syre farre off He sawe 
 Come slowely footing ; euerie step he guest 
 One of his feete he from the graue did drawe ; 
 Three legges he had — the wooden was the best ;^ 
 
 1 * Projections ' : it occurs thus m Sir John Davies. G. 
 
 2 Southey misprints Ho ' G. 
 
 3 'You are now come to go on three legs:' Livesey'f 
 
 Greatest Loss,' as before. G. 
 
1 40 CHUTST^S TICTOKTE 0^^ EAKTH, 
 
 And all the waie he went, he euer blest 
 With benedicities, and prayers store ; 
 But the bad ground was blesed ne'r the more ; 
 
 And all his head with snowe of age was waxen hore. 
 
 16 
 
 A good old hermit he might seeme to be, 
 That for deuotion had the world forsaken, 
 And now was trauailing some saint to see, 
 Since to his beads he had himselfe betaken, 
 "Whear all his former sinnes he might awaken. 
 And them might wash away with dropping brine*, 
 And almes, and fasts, and chnrche's discipline ; 
 And dead, might rest his bones vnder the holy 
 shrine. 
 
 17. 
 
 But when he neerer came, he lowted lowe 
 With prone obeysance, and with curt'sie kinde. 
 That at his feete his head he seemd to thro we ; — 
 What needs him now another saint to finde ? 
 Affections are the sailes, and faith the wind, 
 That to this saint a thousand soules conueigh 
 Each hour : happy pilgrims thither strey ! 
 What caren they for beasts, or for the wearie way? 
 
 18. 
 
 Sooto the old palmer his deuotions sung. 
 Like pleasing anthem,^^ moduled in time ; 
 
CHEIST's VICTOEIE 0]^ EAETK. 141 
 
 Por well that aged syre could tip his tongue 
 With golden foyle of eloquence, and lime, 
 And licke his rugged speech with phrases prime. 
 ^ Ay me, quoth he, how many yeares haue beene, 
 Since these old eyes the sunne of heau'n haue 
 scene ! 
 Certes the Sonne of Heau'n they now behold, I 
 weene. 
 
 19 
 
 * Ah, mote my humble cell so blessed be, 
 As Heau^n to welcome in his lowely roofe, 
 And be the Temple for Thy Deitie ! 
 Loe how my cottage worships Thee aloofe. 
 That vnder ground hath hid his head, in proofe 
 It doth adore Thee with the seeling lowe — 
 Here honie, milke, and chesnuts wild doe growe ; 
 The boughs a bed of leaues ypon Thee shall 
 bestowe. 
 
 20. 
 
 ^But oh ! he said, and therewith sigh't full deepe, — 
 The heau'ns, alas ! too enuious are gTOwne, 
 Because our fields Thy presence from them keepe ; 
 For stones doe growe where corne was lately sown: 
 (So stooping downe, he gathered vp a stone :) 
 But Thou with come canst make this stone to 
 eare. 
 
142 CHEIST^S VICTOEIE ON EAETH. 
 
 What needen^ we the angrie heau'ns to feare ? 
 Let them enuie vs still, so we enioy Thee here.' 
 
 21. 
 
 Thus on they wandred : but thc^e holy weeds 
 A monstrous serpent, and no man, did couer : 
 So vnder greenest hearbs the adder feeds : 
 And round about that stinking corps did houer 
 The dismall prince of gloomie night, and ouer 
 His euer-damned head the Shadowes err'd^ 
 Of thousand pecant ghosts, vnseene, vnheard, 
 And all the Tyrant feares — and all the Tyrant 
 fear'd. 
 
 22. 
 
 He was the sonne of blackest Acheron, 
 Whear many frozen soules doe chattring lie, 
 And rul'd the burning wanes of Phlegethon, 
 Whear many more in flaming sulphur frie. 
 At once compel' d to line, and forc't to die ; 
 Whear nothing can be heard for the loud crie 
 Of ' Oh !' and ^ Ah ! ' and ' Out alas ! that I 
 Or once againe might Hue, or once at length might 
 die!' 
 
 1 Eicliardson and Cattermole misread 'What need we 
 their....* G. 
 
 2 Wandered = hovered. G. 
 
CHEIS'/S VICTOiaE OJS^ EAETH. 143 
 
 23. 
 Ere long they came neere to a balefall bowre, 
 Much like the mouth of that infernall caue, 
 That gaping stood, all commers to deuoure. 
 ^^ Darke, dolefull, dreary, — like a dreary graue, 
 That still for carrion carkasses doth crane :"^ 
 The ground no hearbs but venomous, did beare, 
 IN'or ragged trees did leaue, but euery whear 
 Dead bones and skulls wear cast, and bodies hanged 
 wear. 
 
 24. 
 Vpon the roofe tho bird of sorrowe sat 
 Elonging^ ioyfull day with her sad note, 
 And through the shady aire, the fluttring bat 
 Did wane her leather sayles, and blindely flote ; 
 While with her wings the fatall shreech-owle smote 
 Th' vnblessed house ; thear, on a craggy stone, 
 Celeno^ hung, and made his direfull mone, 
 And all about the murdered ghosts did shreek and 
 grone. 
 
 25. 
 Like clowdie moonshine, in some shadowie groue 
 Such was the light in which Despaire did dwell ; 
 
 1 Spenser : R Q., B. i., c. 9., st. aS. G. 
 
 2 Lengtliemng : Dr. Eicliardsoii, as before, quotes Fletcher 
 
 aboTe. G. 
 
 3 Celaeno : one of the harpies. Cf ^^nied, iii., 211. G-. 
 
144 cheist's yictoeie on eaeth. 
 
 But he himselfe with night for darknesse stroue. 
 His black uncombed locks disheveird fell 
 About his face ; through which, as brands of Hell, 
 Sunk in his skull, his staring eyes did glowe, 
 That made him deadly looke ; their glimpse did 
 showe 
 Like cockatrice's eyes, that sparks of poyson thro we. 
 26. 
 
 His cloaths wear ragged clouts, with thomes pind 
 
 fast; 
 And, as he musing lay, to stonie fright 
 A thousand wild Chimeras w^uld him cast : 
 As when a fearefuU dreame, in mid'st of night, 
 Skips to the braine, and phansies to the sight 
 Some winged furie, strait the hasty foot, 
 Eger^ to flie, cannot plucke vp his root, 
 The voyce dies in the tongue, and mouth gapes 
 without boot^ 
 
 27. 
 
 I'^ow he would dreame that he from heauen fell, 
 And then would snatch the ayre, afraid to fall ; 
 And now he thought he sinking was to hell, 
 And then would grasp the earth ; and now his stall 
 
 1 Eager. G. 
 
 2 To no purpose = dumb. G. 
 
cheist's victoeie on eaeth. 145 
 
 Him seemed Hell, and then he ont would crawle ; 
 And euer, as he crept, would squint aside. 
 Lest him, perhaps, some furie had espide. 
 
 And then, alas ! he should in chaines for euer bide. 
 
 28. 
 
 Therefore he softly shrunke, and stole away, 
 !N'e euer durst to drawe his breath for feare. 
 Till to the doore he came, and thear he lay 
 Panting for breath, as though he dying were ; 
 And still he thought he felt their craples teare^ 
 
 Him by the heels backe to his ougly denne ; 
 
 Out faine he would haue leap't abroad, but then 
 The Heau'n, as Hell he fear'd, that punish guilty 
 men. 
 
 29. 
 
 Within the gloomie hole of this pale wight 
 The serpent woo'd Him with his charmes to inne; 
 Thear He might baite the day, and rest the night: 
 Eut vnder that same baite a fearful grin^ 
 Was readie to intangle Him in sinne. 
 
 1 ' Claws :' Spenser F. Q. v. 8. 40. G. 
 
 2 = Gin or trap, as in the English Bible of 1611 in Job 
 
 XYiii, 9 : Psalms, cxl., -5 : cxli., 9. Consult Mr. W. 
 Aldis Wright's inestimable ' Bible Word-Book ' under 
 
146 cheist's victoeie on eauth. 
 
 Eut He vpon ambrosia daily fed, 
 That ;grew in Eden, thus He answered : 
 So both away wear caught, and to the Temple fled. 
 30. 
 
 "Well knewe our Sauiour this the serpent was, 
 
 And the Old Serpent knewe our Sauiour well ; 
 
 JN'euer did any this in falshood passe, 
 
 IsTeuer did any Him in truth excell : 
 
 "With Him we fly to Heau'n, from Heau'n we fell 
 "With him : but nowe they both together met 
 Vpon the sacred pinnacles, that threat, 
 
 "With their aspiring tops, Astrsea's starrie seat. 
 
 31 
 
 Here did Presvmption her pauillion spread, 
 Ouer the Temple, the bright starres among ; 
 (Ah ! that her foot shouM trample on the head 
 Of that most reuerend place !) and a lewd throng 
 Of wanton boyes sung her a pleasant song 
 
 Of loue, long life, of mercie, and of grace ; 
 
 And euery one her deerely did embrace, 
 And she herselfe enamour'd was of her owne face. 
 
 * gin.' No one who values genuine help toward 
 better Bible-knowledge will go without this ' Word- 
 Book.' His truly mtclitim in i^arvo. G. 
 
147 
 
 32 
 
 A painted face, belied with vermeyl store, 
 Whicli light Euelpis^ euery day did trimme, 
 That in one hand a guilded anchor wore ; 
 I^ot fixed on the rocke, bnt on the brimme 
 Of the wide aire, she let it loosely swimme : 
 
 Her other hand a sprinkle^ carried, 
 
 And euer, when her Ladie wanered. 
 Court holy- water all vpon her sprinkeled. 
 
 33. 
 
 Poor foole ! she thought herselfe in wondrous price 
 "With God, as if in Paradise she wear ; 
 But, wear she not in a foole' s paradise. 
 She might haue seen more reason to despere : 
 But Him she, like some ghastly fiend, did feare ; 
 And therefore, as that wretch hew'd out his cell 
 Ynder the bowels, in the heart of Hell, 
 So she aboue the moon, amid the starres would dwelL 
 
 1 'Good Hope^ personified: I have not found it elsewhere 
 
 Cf. 'The Purple Island,' c. ix., st» 32, where she is 
 personified as Elpinus. G. 
 
 2 A vessel having a ' rose ' for scattering water finely, as 
 
 used in a garden: here perhaps the thing used in 
 Roman Catholic churches for ' sprinkling ' holy water. 
 
148 chmst's victoeie on eaeth. 
 
 34. 
 
 Her tent with sunny cloudes was seel'd aloft, 
 And so exceeding shone with a false light, 
 That heau'n it selfe to her it seemed oft ; 
 Heau'n without clondes to her deluded sight, 
 But cloudes withouten heau'n it was aright ; 
 And as her house was built, so did her braine 
 Build castles in the aire, with idle paine. 
 But heart she neuer had in all her body vaine. 
 
 35, 
 
 Like as a ship in which no ballance^ lies, 
 "Without a pilot, on the sleeping wanes, 
 Pairely along with winde and water flies. 
 And painted masts with silken sayles embraues, ^ 
 That Neptune ['s] selfe the bragging vessel saues, 
 
 To laugh a while at her so proud aray ; 
 
 Her waning streamers loosely shoe lets play. 
 And flagging colours shine as bright as smiling day : 
 
 36. 
 
 But all so soone as heau'n his browes doth bend, 
 She veils her banners, and pulls in her beames, 
 The emptie barke the raging billows send 
 Yp to the Olympique wanes, and Argus seemes 
 
 1 Qu : ballast ? G. 2 Beautifies. G. 
 
cheist's victoeie on eabth. 149 
 
 Againe to ride vpon our lower streames : 
 Eight so Presvmption did her selfe hehane, 
 Tossed about with euery stormie waue, 
 
 And in white lawne shee went, most like an angeL 
 hrane. 
 
 37. 
 
 Gently our Sauiour shee began to shrive,^ 
 "Whether He wear the Sonne of God, or no ;, 
 For any other she disdeign'd to wive : 
 And if He wear, shee bid Him fearles throw 
 Himselfe to ground ; and th^arwithall did show 
 A flight of little angels, that did wait, 
 Ypon their glitttering wings, to lateh^ Him strait^ 
 And longed on their backs to feele His glorious 
 weight. 
 
 38. 
 
 Eut when she saw her speech preuailed nought. 
 Her selfe she tombled headlong to the flore : 
 Eut Him the angels on their feathers caught, 
 And to an ayrie mountaine nimbly bore, 
 Whose snowie shoulders, like some chaulkie shore. 
 
 1 To examine as a confessor. G. 
 
 2 Catch : Dr. Richardson, as before, quotes Fletcher above 
 
 Richardson and Cattermole misread ' launch ' G. 
 
150 Christ's victoeie on eaeth. 
 
 Eestles Olympus seem'd to rest vpon, 
 "With all liis swimming globes: so both are 
 gone, 
 
 The Dragon with the Lamb — Ah ! vnmeet paragon ! 
 
 39. 
 
 All suddenly the hill his snowe deuours, 
 
 In liew whereof a goodly garden grew, 
 
 As if the snow had m.elted into flow'rs, 
 
 "Which their sweet breath in subtill vapours threw, 
 
 That all about perfum ed spirits flew : 
 
 For what so euer might aggrate the sense, 
 In all the world, or please the appetence, 
 Heer it was powred out in lavish affluence. 
 
 40. 
 
 !N"ot louely Ida might with this compare, 
 Though many streames his banks besiluered ; 
 Though Xanthus with his golden sands he bare, 
 Nor Hibla,^ though his thyme depastured 
 As fast againe with honie blossomed ; 
 'Ne Ehodope, ne Tempo's flow'ry playne : 
 Adonis' garden was to this but vayne, 
 Though Plato on his beds a flood of praise did 
 rayne. 
 
 1 Hybla. G. 
 
cheist's victoeie ok eauth. 151 
 
 41. 
 
 For in all these, some one thing most did grow,, 
 But in this one, grew all things else beside ; 
 For sweet Varietie herselfe did throw 
 To euery banke : here all the ground she dide 
 In lillie white ; there pinks eblazed wide ; 
 
 And damask't all the earth ; and here shee shed 
 Blew violets, and there came roses red ; 
 And euery sight^the yeelding sense, as captiue led^ 
 
 42. 
 
 The garden like a ladie faire was cut, 
 That lay as if shee slumber' d in delight, 
 And to the open skies her eyes did shut ; 
 The azure fields of heau'n wear 'sembled right 
 In a large round, set with the flow'rs of light : 
 The flowr's-de-luce, and the round sparks of 
 
 deaw, 
 That hung vpon the azure leaues, did shew 
 Like twinkling starrs, that sparkle in th' eau'ning 
 blew. 
 
 43. 
 
 Vpon a hillie banke her head shee cast, 
 On which the bowre of Yaine-delight was built ; 
 White and red roses for her face wear plac't, 
 And for her tresses marigolds wear spilt : 
 
152 
 
 Them broadly sliee displaid, like flaming guilt, 
 Till in tlie ocean the glad day wear drown'd ; 
 Then \i^ againe her yellow locks she wonnd, 
 
 And with greene fiUetts in their prettie calls^ them 
 bound. 
 
 44. 
 
 "What should I here depeint her lillie hand, 
 Her veines of violets, her ermine brest, 
 Which thear in orient colours lining stand ; 
 Or how her gowne with silken leaues is drest ; 
 Or how her watchmen, arm'd with boughie crest, 
 A wall of prim^ hid in his bushes bears,' 
 Shaking at euery winde their leauie spears, 
 WTiile she supinely sleeps, ne to be waked fears ! 
 
 45. 
 
 Ouer the hedge depends the graping* elme, 
 Whose greener head empurpuled in wine, 
 Seemed to wonder at his bloodie helme. 
 And halfe suspect the bunches of the vine ; 
 Least they, perhaps, his wit should vndermine. 
 
 1 Caul = small caps. Cf. Aldis Wright, as before. G. 
 
 2 Privet. G. 
 
 3 Bearings = fi-uit ? G. 
 
 3 = grape-supporting. G. 
 
cheist's victorie on earth. 153 
 
 Eor well he knewe such fruit he neuer bore : 
 Eut her weake armes embraced him the more, 
 And with her ruby grapes laught at her para- 
 mour. 
 
 46. 
 
 Vnder the shadowe of these drunken elmes 
 A fountaine rose, where Pangloretta vses 
 (When her some flood of fancie ouerwhelms, 
 And one of all her fauorites she chuses) 
 To bath herselfe, whom she in lust abuses, 
 And from his wanton body sucks his soule, 
 "Which, drowned in pleasure in that shaly ^ bowle 
 And swimming in delight, doth amarously rowle ! ^ 
 
 47. 
 
 The font of siluer was, and so his showrs 
 In siluer fell, onely the guilded bowles 
 (Like to a fomace, that the min'rall powres) 
 Seem'd to haue mouFt it in their shining holes ; 
 And on the water, like to burning coles. 
 On liquid siluer, leaues of roses lay : 
 Eut when Panglorie here did list to play, 
 Rose-water then it ranne, and milke it rain'd they 
 say. 
 
 1 Shallow. G. 
 
 2 Nearly all this stanza is omitted by Cattermole. G. 
 
154 CHEIST^S VICTORIE ON EAETH. 
 
 48. 
 
 The roofe tHcke cloudes did paint, from which 
 
 three boyes 
 Three ^gaping mermaides with their eawrs^ did 
 
 feed, 
 Whose brests let fall the streame, with sleepie 
 
 noise, 
 To lions mouths, from whence it leapt with speede, 
 And in the rosie lauer seem'd to bleed. 
 The naked boyes vnto the water's fall. 
 Their stonie nightingales had taught to call, 
 When Zephyr breathed into their watry interall 
 
 49. 
 
 And all about, embayed in soft sleepe, 
 A heard of charmed beasts aground were spread. 
 Which the faire witch in goulden chaines did keepe, 
 And them in willing bondage fettered ; 
 Once men they liu'd, but now the men were dead, 
 And tum'd to beasts ; so fabled Homer old, 
 That Circe, with her potion, charm'd in gold, 
 Vs'd manly soules in beastly bodies to immould. 
 
 50. 
 
 Through this false Eden, to his leman's bowre, 
 (Whome thousand soules devoutly idolize) 
 
 1 Ewers =vases. G, 
 
CHEIST^S VICTOEIE ON EAUTfl. 165 
 
 Our first destroyer led our Sauiour : 
 Thear in the lower roome, in solemne wise, 
 They daunc't around, aud powr'd their sacrifice 
 To plumpe Lyseus,^ and among the rest, 
 The ioUy priest, in yuie garlands drest, 
 Chaunted wild orgialls, in honour of the feast. 
 
 51 
 
 Others within their arbours swilling sat, 
 (Por all the roome about was arboured) 
 With laughing Bacchus, that was growne so fat, 
 That stand he could not, but was carried. 
 And euery euening freshly watered, 
 
 To quench his fierie cheeks, and all about 
 Small cocks broke through the wall, and 
 sallied out 
 Flagons of wine, to set on fire that spueing rout. 
 
 52. 
 
 This their inhumed soules esteem' d their wealths, 
 To crowne the bouzing kan from day to night, 
 And sicke to drinke themselues, with drinking 
 
 healths ; 
 Some vomitting, all drunken with delight. 
 Hence to a loft, carv'd all in yvorie white, 
 
 1 Bacchuti G. 
 
156 cheist's tictoeie on eaeth. 
 
 They came, wliear whiter ladies naked went, 
 Melted in pleasure and soft languishment, 
 And sunke in beds of roses, amourous glannces 
 sent.^ 
 
 53. 
 
 riie, flie, Thou holy Child, that wanton roome ! 
 And thou, my chaster Muse, those harlots shun, 
 And with Him to a higher storie come, 
 "Whear mounts of gold, and flouds of siluer run, 
 The while the owners, with their wealth vndone, 
 Starve in their store, and in their plenty pine. 
 Tumbling themselues vpon their heaps of mine,^ 
 Glutting their famish't soules with the deceitful 
 shine. 
 
 54. 
 
 Ah ! who was he such pretious perills found ? 
 How strongly [N^ature did her treasures hide, 
 And threw vpon them mountains of thicke ground, 
 To darke their orie lustre ! but queint Pride 
 Hath taught her sonnes to wound their mother's 
 side. 
 
 1 Cattermole drops out st. 51 & 52 without indicating the 
 
 omission. G, 
 
 2 =Heaps from the mine. G. 
 
 3 Eichardson and Cattermole misread ' him G 
 
•cheist's victoeie ok eaeth. 157 
 
 And gage^ the depth, to search for flaring shells, 
 In whose bright bosome spumie^ Bacchus swells. 
 That neither heau'n nor earth henceforth in safetie 
 dwells. 
 
 55, 
 
 sacred hunger of the greedie eye, 
 "Whose neede hath end, but no end covetise, 
 Emptie in fulnes, rich in pouertie, 
 That hauing all things, nothing can suffice, 
 How thou befanciest the men most wise ! 
 
 The poore man would be rich, the rich man 
 great. 
 
 The great man king, the king, in God's owne seat 
 Enthroned, with mortal arme dares flames and 
 thunder threat. 
 
 56, 
 
 Therefore aboue the rest Ambition sat ; 
 His court with glitterant pearle was all enwall'd, 
 And round about the wall in chaires of state, 
 And most majestique splendor, were enstall'd 
 
 2 Gauge. G. 
 
 3 Foamy : Dr. Ricliardson as before, quotes Fletcher 
 
 above. Cf Milton P.L. vi. 479 ' fierie spume.' G. 
 
158 ch:rist's victoeie on eaeth. 
 
 A hundred kings, whose temples wear impal'd 
 In goulden diadems, set here and thear 
 With diamounds, and gemmed euery whear, 
 
 And of their golden virges' none disceptred wear. 
 
 57. 
 
 High over all Panglorie's blazing throne, 
 In her bright turret, all of christal wrought, 
 Like Phaebus lampe, in midst of heauen, shone; 
 "Whose starry top with pride infernall fraught, 
 Selfe-arching columns to vphold wear taught : 
 In which her image still reflected was 
 By the smooth christall, that, most like her 
 glasse, 
 In beauty and in frailtie, did all others passe. 
 
 58. 
 
 A siluer wande the sorceresse did sway, 
 And, for a crowne of gold, her haire she wore ; 
 Onely a garland of rose-buds did play 
 About her locks ; and in her hand she bore 
 A hoUowe globe of glasse, that long before 
 She full of emptinesse had bladdered, 
 And all the world therein depictured : 
 Whose colours, like the rainbowe, euer vanished. 
 
 Eods : Dr, Kichardson here also quotes Fletcher. G. 
 
CHEIST^S VICTORIE ON EAETH. 159 
 
 59. 
 
 Such watry orbicles^ young boyes do blowe 
 Out of their sopy shels, and much admire 
 The swimming world, which tenderly they rowe 
 "With easie breath, till it be waned higher : 
 But if they chaunce but roughly once aspire, 
 
 The painted bubble instantly doth fall. 
 
 Here when she came, she 'gan for musique call, 
 And sung this wooing song, to welcome Him 
 withall : — 
 
 Loue is the blossome whear thear blowes 
 Euery thing that Hues or growes : 
 Loue doth make the heau'ns to moue, 
 And the sun doth bume in loue : 
 Loue the strong and weake doth yoke, 
 And makes the yuie climbe the oke ; 
 Vnder whose shadowes lions wilde, 
 Soft'ned by loue, grow tame and mild ; 
 Loue no med'cine can appease. 
 He bumes the fishes in the seas ; 
 -NTot all the skill his wounds can stench,^ 
 
 1 Soap-bubbles. Dr. Ricbardson, as before quotes Fletcher 
 
 above. G. 
 
 2 Staunch. G. 
 
160 chbist's victorie on eakth. 
 
 JN'ot all the sea his fire can quench : 
 
 Lone did make the bloody spear 
 
 Once a lenie coat to wear, 
 
 While in his leaues thear shrouded lay 
 
 Sweete birds, for loue, that sing and play : 
 
 And of all loue's ioyfuU flame, 
 
 I the bud and blossome am : 
 Onely bend Thy knee to mee, 
 Thy wooing shall Thy winning bee. 
 
 See, see the flowers that belowe, 
 Now as fresh as morning blowe ; 
 And of all, the virgin rose, 
 That as bright Aurora showes : 
 How they all \Tileaued die, 
 Loosing their virginitie ; 
 Like vnto a summer-shade, 
 But now borne, and now they fade. 
 Euery thing doth passe away, 
 Thear is danger in delay : 
 Come, come gather then the rose. 
 Gather it, or it you lose : 
 All the sand of Tagus* shore 
 Into my bosome casts his ore : 
 All the valleys' swimming come 
 To my house is yeerely borne ; 
 Euery grape of euery vine 
 
cheist'8 victoeie on eaeth. 161 
 
 Is gladly bruised to make me wine, 
 
 While ten thousand kings, as proud, 
 
 To cany vp my train haue bow'd. 
 
 And a world of ladies send me 
 
 In my chambers to attend me : 
 
 All the starres in heau'n that shine^ 
 
 And ten thousand more, are mine. 
 Onely bend Thy knee to mee, 
 Thy wooing shall Thy winning bee. 
 
 60. 
 
 Thus sought the dire Enchauntress in His minde 
 
 Her guilefull bayt to haue embosomed ; 
 
 But He her charmes dispersed into winde, 
 
 And her of insolence admonished ; 
 
 And all her optique glasses shattered. 
 
 So with her sire to Hell shee took her flight, 
 (The starting ayre flew from the damned spright,) 
 
 Whear deeply boty aggriev'd, plunged themselue^ 
 in night. 
 
 61. 
 
 But to their Lord, now musing in His thought, 
 
 A heauenly volie of light angels flew, 
 
 And from His Father Him a banquet brought, 
 
 1 = Preaumption and Satan G. 
 
162 Christ's victorie on earth. 
 
 Through the fine element ; for well they knew, 
 After His Lenten fast He hungrie grew ; 
 And, as He fed, the holy quires combine 
 To sing a hymne of the celestiall Trine ; 
 All thought to passe, and each was past all thought 
 divine. 
 
 62. 
 
 The birds' sweet notes, to sonnet out their ioyes, 
 Attempered to the layes angelicall ; 
 And to the birds, the winds attune their noyse, 
 And to the winds, the waters hoarcely call, 
 And Eccho back againe revoyced all ; 
 
 That the whole valley rung with victorie. 
 
 Eut now our Lord to rest doth homeward flie : 
 See how the Mght comes stealing from the moun- 
 tains high ! 
 
CHEIST'S 
 TRIVMPH OVER DEATH. 
 
THE ARGUMENT. 
 
 Christ's tryumph ouer death on the crosse, exprest. I. In generall 
 bv His ioy to vndergoe it, singing before He went to the garden : 
 Matt xxvi 30, st. 1 — 3 — by His griefe in the vndergoing it : st. 
 4 — 6 — by the obscure fables of the Gentiles typing it : st. 7 — 8 — by 
 the cause of it in Him, His loue : st. 9— by the effect it should 
 haue in us : st. 10 — 12— by the instrument the cursed tree : st. 13 — 
 1 — ^11. Exprest in particular : 1. By His fore-passion in the 
 garden : st. 14 — 25 — by His passion it selfe amplified. CI.) From 
 the general causes : st. 26 — 27 ; parts, and effects of it : st. 28 — 29. 
 ' (2,) From the particular causes : st. 30—31 parts, and effects 
 of it — in heauen : st, 32—36 — in the heauenly spirits : st. 37 — 
 in the creatures sub-celestiall : st. 38 — in the wicked Jewes : st. 
 39— in Judas: st. 40— 51— in the blessed saints, loseph of 
 Arimathea, &c., st. 52—67. 
 
w 
 
 ':Mf^m^% 
 
 l^iil: 
 
 CHRIST'S TRIYMPH OYER DEATH. 
 
 1. 
 
 So downe the siluer streames of Eridan,^ 
 On either side bank't with a lilly wall, 
 Whiter then both, rides the triumphant swan. 
 And sings his dirge, and prophesies his fall. 
 Dining into his watrie funerall : 
 Eut Eridan to Cedron must submit 
 His flowry shore ; nor can he enuie it. 
 If when Apollo sings, his swans doe silent sit. 
 
 2. 
 
 That heau'nly voice I more delight to heare. 
 Then gentle a3rres to breath, or swelling wanes 
 Against the sounding rocks their bosomes teare, 
 Or whistling reeds, that rutty^ Jordan lanes, 
 
 1 Eden ? There can be no reference to amber-yielding 
 
 Eridanus. G. 
 
 2 Query ^ course '-forming Jordan? Dr. Eichardson as 
 
 before quotes under ' rut. ' G. 
 
166 chhist's teivmph ovee death. 
 
 And with tlieir verdure his white head embraues, 
 To chide the windes, or hiuing bees, that flie 
 About the laughing bloosms of sallowie/ 
 
 Eocking asleepc the idle groomes that lazie lie. 
 
 3. 
 
 And yet, how can I hear Thee singing goe, 
 When men incens'd with hate Thy death foreset ? 
 Or els, why doe I heare Thee sighing so, 
 When Thou inflam'd with loue, their life doest get, 
 That loue, and hate, and sighs, and songs are met ; 
 But thus, and onely thus Thy loue did craue, 
 To sende Thee singing for vs to Thy graue, 
 While we sought Thee to kill, and Thou sought' st 
 vs to saue. 
 
 When I remember Christ our burden beares, 
 
 I looke for glorie, but finde miserie ; 
 
 I looke for ioy, but finde a sea of teares ; 
 
 I looke that we should Hue, and finde Him die ; 
 
 I looke for angels' songs, and heare Him crie : 
 
 Thus what I looke I cannot finde so well ; 
 
 Or rather, what I finde, I cannot tell. 
 These bankes so narrowe are, those streames so 
 highly swell. 
 
 1 Willows ; Cf. Dr llichardson as before, s.v. G. 
 
CHRlST^S TEIVMPH OVER DEATH. 167 
 
 5. 
 
 Christ suffers, and in tMs His teares begin ; 
 
 Suffers for vs — and our ioy springs in tliis ; 
 
 Suffers to death — here is His manhood seen ; 
 
 Suffers to rise — and here His Godhead is. 
 
 Eor man, that could not by himselfe haue ris, 
 Out of the graue doth by the Godhead rise, 
 And God, that could not die, in manhood dies, 
 
 That we in both might line by that sweete sacrifice. 
 
 6 
 
 Goe, giddy braines, whose witts are thought so fresh, 
 Plucke all the ffowr's that nature forth doth thro we, 
 Goe sticke them on the cheekes of wanton flesh ; 
 Poore idol (forest at once to fall and growe) 
 Of fading roses, and of melting snowe ! 
 
 Your songs exceede your matter ; this of mine 
 The matter which it sings, shall make diuine : 
 The starres dull puddles guild, in which their 
 beauties shine. 
 
 7. 
 
 Who doth not see drown' d in Deucalion's^ name 
 (When earth his men, and sea had lost his shore) 
 Old Noah? and in Msus'^ lock, the fame 
 
 1 Ovid, Met. i. 260, &c. G. 
 
 2 ApoUod. III., 15. § § 5, 6, 8. G. 
 
168 cheist's tkiymph oyee beath. 
 
 Of Sampson yet aliue ; and long before 
 In Phaethon's, mine owne fall I deplore : 
 Ent lie that conquered hell, to fetch againe 
 His virgin widowe, by a serpent slaine, 
 Another Orpheus was then dreaming poets feigne: 
 
 8, 
 
 This tanght the stones to melt for passion, 
 And dormant sea, to heare him, silent lie ; 
 And at his voice, the watrie nation 
 To flocke, as if they deem'd it cheape, to buy 
 "With their own^ deaths his sacred harmonie : 
 The while the wanes stood still to heare his song, 
 And steadie shore wau'd with the reeling throng 
 Of thirstie soules, that hung vpon his fluent tongue. 
 
 "What better friendship then to couer shame ? 
 
 "What greater loue then for a friend to die ? 
 
 Yet this is better to asself the blame ; ^ 
 
 And this is greater, for an enemie : 
 
 Eut more then this, to die, not suddenly, 
 
 ITor with some common death, or easie paine, 
 Eut slowely, and with torments to be slaine ; 
 
 depth, without a depth, farre better seene, then 
 
 1 Self-blame. O. 2 Said. G. 
 
CHBIST's TErVMPH OYER DEATH. 169 
 
 10. 
 
 And yet the Sonne is hnmbled for the slaue, 
 And yet the slaue is proude before the Sonne ; 
 Yet the Creator for His creature gane 
 Himselfe and yet the creature hasts to nume 
 From his Creator, and self- good doth shunne ; 
 And yet the Prince, and God Himselfe doth crie 
 To man, His traitonr, pardon not to flie : 
 Yet man his^ God, and tray tour doth his prince 
 defie, 
 
 11. 
 
 Who is it sees not that he nothing is, 
 But he that nothing sees ? "What weaker brest, 
 Since Adam's armour fail'd, dares warrant his ? 
 That, made by God of all His creatures best, 
 Strait made himselfe the woorst of all the rest : 
 
 If any strength we haue, it is to ill ; 
 
 But all the good is God's, both pow'r and will: 
 The dead man cannot rise, though he himselfe 
 may kill. 
 
 12. 
 
 But let the thorny Schools their punctualls 
 Of wills, all good, or bad, or neuter diss : ^ 
 Such ioy we gained by our parentalls. 
 
 1 Cattermole misprints 'is.' G. 2= Discuss? G, 
 
 M 
 
170 chbist's teitmph over death. 
 
 That good, or bad, whether I cannot wiss, 
 
 To call it a mishap or happy miss, 
 
 That fell from Eden, and to Heau'n did rise : 
 Albee the mitred card'nall more did prize 
 
 His part in Paris then his part in Paradise. ^ 
 
 13. 
 
 A tree was first the instrument of strife, 
 Whear Eue to sinne her soul did prostitute ; 
 A tree is now the instrument of life. 
 Though ill that trunke and this faire body suit : 
 Ah, cursed tree ! and yet blessed fruit ! ^ 
 That death to Him, this life to ys doth giue : 
 Strange is the cure, when things past cure reviue, 
 And the Physitian dies, to make his patient Hue. 
 
 1 A favourite monition of the Puritan Divinity, e,g, 
 
 Thomas Brooks of Cardinal Borbonius : Cf. my edn. 
 of Brooks, Vol. iv, p. 55: and under Bourbon ia 
 Index. G. 
 
 2 Very pretty is S. Austia's remark upon this passage : 
 
 [St. Luke XXIII., 43] " Christ," saith he, " in rescuing 
 the poor thief upon the cross was but quits with the 
 devil, for the devil took man from God out of the midst 
 of Paradise; Christ takes this poor man from Satan, 
 when he was no less than in the very jaws of heU. 
 Satan ruined man on the forbidden tree, and Christ 
 saves them on the cursed tree'. March in loco quoted 
 by Ford in the Gospel of St. Luke Illustrated. G. 
 
cihjrist's teiymph oyee death. 171 
 
 14. 
 
 Sweete Eden was the arbour of delight, 
 Yet in his hony flowr's our poyson blew ; 
 Sad Gethseman the bowre ot balefuU night, 
 Whear Christ a health of poyson for ys drewe, 
 Yet all our hony in that poyson grewe : 
 
 So we from sweetest flowr's could sucke our 
 bane, 
 
 And Christ from bitter venome could againe 
 Extract life out of death, and pleasure out of 
 paine. 
 
 15. 
 
 A man was first the author of our fall, 
 
 A man is now the author of our rise ; 
 
 A garden was the place we perisht all, 
 
 A garden is the place He payes our price ; 
 
 And the Old Serpent with a newe deuise. 
 Hath found a way himselfe for to beguile : 
 So he, that all men tangled in his wile. 
 
 Is now by one man caught, beguil'd with his 
 owne guile. 
 
 16. 
 
 The dewie night had with her frostie shade 
 Immant'led all the world, and the stiffe ground 
 Sparkled in yce ; onely the Lord, that made 
 All for Himselfe, Himselfe dissolved found : 
 
172 Christ's teiymph oyee death. 
 
 Sweat without heat, and bled without a wound : 
 Of heau'n, and earth, and God, and man forlore, ^ 
 Thrice begging helpe of those whose sinnes He 
 bore, 
 
 And thrice denied of those, not to denie had swore. ^ 
 
 17. 
 
 Yet had He beene alone of God forsaken, 
 Or had His bodie beene imbroyl'd alone 
 In fierce assault ; He might, perhaps haue taken 
 Some ioy in soule, when all ioy els was gone ; 
 Eut that with God — and God to heau'n is flow'n ; 
 And Hell it selfe out from her graue doth rise, 
 Elack as the starles night : and with them flies. 
 Yet blacker then they both, the sonne of blas- 
 phemies. 
 
 1 Forlorn = lost: Dr Eichardson, as before, quotes 
 
 Fletcher above. G. 
 
 2 Eichardson and Cattermole change ^ them ' into ' one,' 
 
 and, literally taken, the correction is admissible : bnt 
 they overlook— as is commonly done — that ail the dis- 
 ciples had made the same profession and promise with 
 St. Peter, eg. St. Mark xiv., 31.. [St. Peter] "He 
 spake the more vehemently, If I should die with Thee, 
 I will not denie Thee in any wise. Likeivise also said they 
 all'' — By ^ forsaking ' Him and , ' fleeing ' they all 
 
Christ's teivmph oyee death. 173 
 
 18. 
 
 As wlien tlie planets with vnkiiid aspect, 
 Call from her caues the meager pestilence ; 
 The sacred vapour, eager to infect, 
 Obeys the voyce of the sad influence. 
 And vomits vp a thousand noysome sents : 
 The well of life, flaming his golden flood 
 "With the sicke ayre, fevers the boyling blood, 
 And poysons all the bodie with contagious food. 
 
 19. 
 
 The bold physitian, too incautelous. 
 By those he cures himselfe is murdered ; 
 Kindnes infects, pitie is dangerous ; 
 And the poore infant, yet not fully bred, 
 Thtar whear he should be borne, lies buried : 
 So the darke prince, from his infemall cell, 
 Casts vp his grisely torturers of Hell, 
 And whets them to revenge, with this insulting 
 spell : — 
 
 ^ denied their Lord, though only St. Peter's articulate 
 denial is told in detail. He indeed excelled the others, 
 for he ' followed ' still, albeit ' afar off. ' Hence Fletcher, 
 in the spirit, and lookLag deeper than Richardson, 
 Cattermole and the rest, is accurate. G. 
 
174 cheist's teivmph oyee death. 
 
 20. 
 
 * See how the world smiles in etemall peace ; 
 While we, the harmles brats and rustie throng 
 Of night, our snakes in curies doe pranke and 
 
 dresse : 
 "Why sleep our drouzie scorpions so long ? 
 Whear is our wonted vertue to doe wrong ? 
 Are we our selues ? or are we Graces growen ? 
 The sonnes of hell or heau'n ? was neuer knowne 
 Our whips so ouer-moss't and brands so deadly 
 blowne ! 
 
 21. 
 
 * long desired, neuer-hop't for howre, 
 Vhen our Tormentour shall our torments feele ! 
 Arme, arme, your selues, sad Bires^ of my pow'r, 
 And make our ludge for pardon to vs kneele : 
 Slise, launch, dig, teare Him with your whips of 
 
 Steele : 
 My selfe in honour of so noble prize, 
 Will powre you reaking blood, shed with the 
 cries 
 Of hastie heyres,^ who their owne fathers sacrifice. 
 
 1 DirsB , the Furies. G. 2 Heirs, G. 
 
chkist's teivmph ovee death. 175 
 
 22. 
 
 "With that a flood of poyson, blacke as Hell, 
 Out from his filthy gorge the beast did spue, 
 That all about His blessed bodie fell, 
 And thousand flaming serpents hissing flew 
 About His soule, from hellish sulphur threw, 
 And euery one brandish't his firie tongue, 
 And woorming all about His soule they clung ; 
 But He their stings tore out, and to the ground 
 them flung. 
 
 23. 
 
 So haue I seene a rock's heroique brest, 
 Against proud Neptune, that his ruin threats, 
 "When all his wanes he hath to battle prest. 
 And with a thousand swelling billows beats 
 The stubborne stone, and foams, and chafes, and 
 frets 
 
 To heaue him from his root, vnmooued stand ; 
 
 And more in heapes the barking surges band, 
 The more in pieces beat, flie weeping to the strand, 
 
 24. 
 
 So may wee oft a vent'rous father see, 
 To please his wanton sonne, his onely ioy, 
 Coast all about, to catch the roving bee, 
 And stung him self e, his busie hands employ 
 To saue the honie for the gamessme boy ; 
 
176 CHBIST^S TKIYMPH OVEE DEATH. 
 
 Or from the snake her rank'rous teeth erace, 
 Making his child the toothles serpent chace, 
 Or, with his little hands, her tumorous ^ gorge 
 embrace. 
 
 25, 
 
 Thus Christ Himselfe to watch and sorrow giues, 
 While deaw'd in heavie sleepe dead Peter lies : 
 Thus man in his owne graiie securely lines , 
 "While Christ aliue, with thousand horrours dies, 
 Yet more for theirs then His owne pardon cries : 
 
 No sinnes He had, yet all our sinnes He hare ; 
 
 So much doth God for others' euills care. 
 And yet so careles men for their owne euills are. 
 
 26. 
 
 See drouzie Peter, see whear ludas wakes, 
 Whear ludas kisses Him whom Peter flies : 
 kisse more deadly then the sting of snakes ! 
 Palse loue more hurtfuU then true injuries ! 
 Aye me ! how deerly God His seruant huies ! 
 Eor God His man at His owne blood doth hold, 
 And man his God, for thirtie pence hath sold : 
 So tinne for siluer goes, and dunghill drosse for 
 gold. 
 
 1 Southey misprints ' tim'rous.' G. 
 
cheist's teiymph ovee death. 177 
 
 27. 
 
 Yet was it not enough, for sinne to chnse 
 A semant, to betray his Lord to them ; 
 Eut that a snbiect must his king accuse ; 
 Ent that a pagan must his God condemne ; 
 Ent that a Eather mnst His Sonne contemne, 
 
 Eut that the Sonne must His owne death desire ; 
 
 That prince and people, seruant and the Sire, 
 Gentil and Jewe, and He against Himselfe con- 
 spire ? 
 
 28. 
 
 Was this the oyle, to make thy saints adore Thee, 
 The froathy spittle of the rascall throng ? 
 Are these the virges^ that ar borne before Thee, 
 Ease whipps of corde, and knotted all along ? 
 Is this thy golden scepter against wrong, 
 A reedie cane ? is that the crowne adomes 
 Thy shining locks, a crowne of spiny thomes ? 
 Ar thease the angels' himns, the priests' blasphe- 
 mous scornes ? 
 
 29. 
 
 Who euer sawe Honour before asham'd ; 
 Afflicted Majestic ; debased Height ; 
 Innocence gailtie ; Honestie defam'd ; 
 
 1 Eods, as before. G, 
 
178 
 
 Libertie bound ; Health sick ; the sunne in night ? 
 
 Eut since such wrong was offred vnto Eight, 
 Our night is day, our sicknes health is growne 
 Our shame is veil'd : this now remaines alone 
 
 Por vs : since He was ours that wee bee not our 
 owne. 
 
 30. 
 
 Mght was ordeyn'd for rest, and not for paine, 
 Eut they, to paine their Lord, their rest contenme ; 
 Good lawes to saue what bad men would haue 
 
 slaine. 
 And not bad iudges, with one breath, by them 
 The innocent to pardon, and condemne : 
 Death for reuenge of murderers, not decaie 
 Of guiltles blood : but now, all headlong sway 
 Man's murderer to saue, man's Sauiour to slaie. 
 
 3L 
 
 Praile multitude ! whose giddy lawe is list^ 
 And best applause is windy ^flattering ; 
 Most like the breath of which it doth consist, 
 1^0 sooner blowne but as soone vanishing. 
 As much desir'd as little profiting ; 
 
 1 Choice. Gr. 
 
chbist's teiymph oyek death. 179 
 
 That makes the men that haue it oft as light 
 As those that giue it ; which the proud inuite, 
 And feare ; — the bad man's friend, the good man's 
 hypocrite. 
 
 32. 
 
 It was but now their sounding clamours sung, 
 * Blessed is He that comes from the Most High !' 
 And all the mountaines with ^ Hosanna ! ' rung ; 
 And nowe, * Away with Him — away ' ! they crie, 
 And nothing can be heard but ^ Crucifie ! ' 
 
 It was but now, the crowne it selfe they saue 
 And golden name of King ynto Him gaue ; 
 And nowe, no king, but onely Caesar, they will haue. 
 
 33. 
 
 It was but now they gathered blooming May, 
 And of his armes disrob'd the branching tree. 
 To strowe with boughs and blossomes all Thy^ way ; 
 And now the branchlesse truncke a crosse for Thee 
 And May dismai'd. Thy coronet must be : 
 
 It was but now they wear so kind, to throwe 
 Their owne best garments whear Thy feet 
 should goe. 
 And now, Thy selfe they strip, and bleeding 
 wounds they show. 
 
 1 Cattermole misprints ^ the ' G. 
 
180 cheist's tkiymph ovee death. 
 
 • 34. 
 
 See whear the Author of all life is dying : 
 fearefull day I He dead, what hope of liuing ? 
 See whear the hopes of all our Hues are buying : 
 O chearfuU day ! they bought, what feare of grieu- 
 
 ing? 
 Loue, loue for hate, and death for life is giuing : 
 Loe, how His armes are stretcht abroad to grace 
 
 thee. 
 And, as they open stand, call to embrace thee ! 
 "Why stai'st Thou then, my soule ? ilie, flie, 
 
 thither, hast thee ! 
 
 35. 
 
 His radious head, with shamefull thomes they 
 
 teare. 
 His tender backe, with bloody whipps they rent, 
 His side and heart they furrowe with a spear, 
 His hands and feete, with riuing nayles they tent ;^ 
 And, as to disentrayle His soule they meant, 
 They iolly at his griefe, and make their game, 
 His naked body to expose to shame. 
 That all might come to see, and all might see, that 
 came. 
 
 1 Stretch : Dr. Richardson has overlooked this example. G. 
 
Christ's teiymph oyeh death. 181 
 
 26. 
 
 Whereat the hean'n put out his guiltie eye, 
 That durst behold so execrable sight, 
 And sabled all in blacke the shadie skie ; 
 And the pale starres, strucke with vnwonted frighty 
 Quenched their euerlasting lamps in night ; 
 And at His birth, as all the starres heau'n had 
 "Wear not enough, but a newe star was made, 
 So now, both newe and old and all, away did fade, 
 
 37. 
 
 The mazed^ angels shooke their fierie wings, 
 Eeadie to lighten vengeance from God's throne, 
 One downe his eyes ypon the manhood flings, 
 Another gazes on the Godhead : none 
 Bnt surely thought his wits were not his owne ; 
 Some flew to looke if it wear very Hee 
 Eut when God's arm vnarmed they did see, 
 Albee they sawe it was, they vow'd it could not 
 bee. 
 
 38. 
 
 The sadded aire hung all in cheerelesse blacke. 
 Through which the gentle windes soft sighing flewe. 
 And lordan into such huge sorrowe brake, 
 (As if his holy streame no measure knewe,) 
 
 1 Sonthey misprints ^ amazed.' G. 
 
182 
 
 That all his narrowe bankes he ouerthrewe; 
 The trembling earth with horrour inly shooke, 
 And stnbborne stones, snch grief e vnus'd to 
 brooke, 
 Did burst, and ghosts awaking from their graues 
 gan looke. 
 
 39. 
 
 The wise philosopher cried, all agast, 
 ' The God of nature surely languished !' 
 The sad Centurion cried out as fast, 
 The Sonne of God, the Sonne of God was dead ;'^ 
 The headlong lew hung downe his pensiue head, 
 And homewards far'd ; and euer, as he went, 
 He smote his brest, half desperately bent ; 
 The verie woods and beasts did seeme His death 
 lament. 
 
 40. 
 
 The gracelesse traytour round about did looke 
 (He lok't not long, the deuill quickely met him) 
 To finde a halter, which he found, and tooke ; 
 Onely a gibbet nowe he needes must get him ; 
 So on a withered tree he fairly set him. 
 
 1 St. Luke XXIII., 47. G, 
 
cheist's trivmph oyer death. 183 
 
 And help't him fit the rope, and in his thought 
 A thousand furies with their whippes, he brought ; 
 So thear he stands, readie to Hell to make his 
 vault. 
 
 41. 
 
 For him a waking bloodhound, yelling loude, 
 That in his bosome long had sleeping layde ; 
 A guiltie conscience, barking after blood, 
 Pursued eagerly, ne euer stai'd 
 Till the betrayer's selfe it had betray' d. 
 
 Oft chang'd he place, in hope away to winde; 
 
 Eut change of place could neuer change his 
 minde : 
 Himselfe he flies to loose, and followes for to finde. 
 
 42. 
 
 Thear is but two wayes for this this soule to haue, 
 When parting from the body, forth it purges ; 
 To fly to heau'n, or fall into the graue, 
 Where whippes of scorpions, with the stinging, 
 
 scourges, 
 Peed on the howling ghosts, and firie surges 
 Of brimstone, rowle about the caue of night ; 
 "Where flames doe burne, and yet no sparke of 
 
 light. 
 And fire both fries and freezes the blaspheming 
 
 spright. 
 
184 
 
 43. 
 
 Thear lies tlie captiue soule, aye-sighing sore, 
 Beckoning a thousand yeares since her first bands ; 
 Yet stales not thear, bnt addes a thousand more, 
 And at another thousand meuer stands, 
 But tells to them the starres, and heapes the sands : 
 
 And now the starres are told, and sands are 
 runne, 
 
 And all those thousand thousand myriads done. 
 And yet but now, alas ! but now all is begunne. 
 
 44. 
 
 "With that a flaming brand a furie catch't 
 
 And shooke, and tos't it rounde in his wilde 
 
 thought : 
 So from his heart all ioy, all comfort srtatch't 
 With eu'ry starre of hope ; and as he fought^ 
 (With present feare, and future griefe distraught) 
 To flie from his owne heart, and aide implore 
 Of Him, the more He giues, that hath the more, 
 Whose storehouse is the heauens, too little for his 
 store : 
 
 1 I read 'fought:' but I am not sure that * sought' is 
 not intended. G. 
 
Christ's teivmph over death. 185 
 
 45. 
 
 * Stay wretch on earth/ cried Satan — 'restles rest; 
 Ejiow'st thou not Justice lines in heau'n ; or can 
 The worst of creatures Hue among the best : 
 Among the blessed angels cursed man ? 
 
 Will ludas now become a Christian ? 
 
 Whither will Hope's long wings transport thy 
 
 minde ? 
 Or canst thou not thy selfe a sinner finde ? 
 Or cruell to thy selfe, wouldst thou haue Mercie 
 kinde? 
 
 46. 
 
 * He gave thee life : why shouldst thou seeke to 
 
 slay Him? 
 He lent thee wealth : to feed thy avarice ? 
 He cal'd thee friend : what, that thou shouldst 
 
 betray Him ? 
 He kis't thee, though He knew His life the price ; 
 He wash't thy feet : shouldst thou His sacrifice ? 
 He gaue thee bread, and wine. His bodie, blood, 
 And at thy heart, to enter in He stood ; 
 Eut then I entred in, and all my snakie brood. ^ 
 
 1 Euripides, Bacch. 816, 954, &c. : Theocritus xxvi^ 
 10. G. 
 
186 chbist's teiymph over death. 
 
 47. 
 
 As when wild Pentheus, growne madde with fear, 
 Whole troupes of hellish haggs about him spies ; 
 Two bloodie suns stalking the duskie sphear, 
 And twofold Thebes runs rowling in his eyes ; 
 Or through the scene staring Orestes flies, 
 "With eyes flung back vpon his mother's ghost, 
 That, with infernall serpents all embost, 
 And torches quencht in blood, doth her stem 
 Sonne accost : ^ 
 
 48. 
 
 Such horrid Gorgons, and misformed formes 
 Of damned fiends, flew dauncing in his heart, 
 That, now, ynable to endure their stormes, 
 ^ Flie, flie,' he cries, ' thyselfe, what ere thou art, 
 Hell, hell, alreadie bumes in eu'ry part.' 
 So downe into his torturer's armes he fell, 
 That readie stood his funeralls to yell, 
 And in a clowd of night to waft him quick ^ to 
 Hell. 
 
 49. 
 
 Yet oft he snach't, and started as he hung : 
 So when the senses halfe enslumb'red lie. 
 
 1 See Euripides, Sophocles, Aeschylus. G. 
 % Living, alive, as before. G. . 
 
cheist's teivmph ovee death. 187 
 
 The headlong bodie, readie to be flung 
 
 Ey the deluding phansie, from some high 
 
 And craggie rock, recovers greedily, 
 
 And clasps the yeelding pillow, halfe asleep 
 And, as from heav'n it tombled to the deepe, 
 
 Peeles a cold sweat through euery trembling 
 member creepe. 
 
 50. 
 
 Thear let him hang, embowelled in blood,^ 
 Thear neuer any gentle shepheard feed 
 His blessed flocks, nor euer heav'nly flood^ 
 Fall on the cursed ground, nor holesome seed, 
 That may the least delight or pleasure breed : 
 Let neuer Spring visit his habitation. 
 But nettles, kixe,^ and all the weedie nation, 
 With emptie elders grow : sad signes of desolation! 
 
 51. 
 
 Whear let the Dragon keep his habitance. 
 And stinking karcasses be throwne avaunt ; 
 Faunes, Sylvans, and deformed Satyrs daunce, 
 Wild -cats, wolues, toads, and skreech-owles direly 
 chaunt ; 
 
 1 Misprinted ' Whear '. G. 
 
 2 Richardson and Cattermole misprint ' food/ G. 
 
 3 Wild plum. G. 
 
188 Christ's tkivmph over death. 
 
 Thear euer let some restles spirit haunt, 
 With hollow sound, and clashing cheynes, to 
 
 scarr 
 The passenger, and eyes like to the starr 
 
 That sparkles in the crest of angrie Mars afarr. 
 
 52. 
 
 But let the Messed deawes for euer showr 
 Ypon that ground, in whose faire fields I spie 
 The bloodie ensigne of our Sauiour : 
 Strange conquest, whear the Conquerour must die, 
 And He is slaine, that winns the victorie ! 
 But He that lining, had no house, to owe it, 
 Ifow had no graue: but loseph must bestowe it: 
 runne, ye saints apace, and with sweete flowers 
 bestrowe it ! 
 
 53. 
 
 And ye glad spirits, that now sainted sit 
 On your caelestiall thrones, in beawtie drest, 
 Though I your teares recoumpt, let not it 
 With after-sorrowe wound your tender brest, 
 Or with new griefe vnquiet your soft rest : 
 Inough is me your plaints to sound againe 
 That neuer could inough my selfe complaine : 
 Sing, then, sing aloude, thou Arimathean 
 swaine! 
 
cheist's teiymph oyer death. 189 
 
 54. 
 
 But long he stood, in his faint arms vphoulding 
 The fairest spoile heau'n ener forfeited, 
 With such a silent passion griefe vnfoulding 
 That, had the sheete but on himselfe beene spread, 
 He for the corse might haue been buried 
 
 And with him stood the happie theefe that stole 
 By night his owne saluation, and a shole 
 Of Maries, drowned, round about him sat, in dole. 
 
 55. 
 
 At length (kissing His lipps before he spake, 
 As if from thence he fetcht againe his ghost) 
 To Mary thus, with teares, his silence brake : 
 
 * Ah, woefull soule ! what ioy in all our cost, 
 When Him we hould, we haue alreadie lost t 
 
 Once did'st thou loose thy Sonne, but found'st 
 
 againe, 
 Now find^st thy Sonne, but find'st Him lost and 
 
 slaine. 
 Ay mee ! though He could death, how canst thou 
 
 life sustaine? 
 
 56. 
 
 * Whear ere, deere Lord, thy Shadowe houereth, 
 Blessing the place, wherein it deigns abide, 
 Looke how the Earth darke horrour couereth, 
 Cloathing in moumfuU black her naked side. 
 
190 cheist's triymph ovee death. 
 
 Willing her shadowe vp to heau'n to glide, 
 To see, and if it meet Thee wandring thear ; 
 That so, and if her selfe must misse Thee hear, 
 
 At least her shadow may her dutie to Thee bear. 
 
 57. 
 
 ' See how the siinne in day-time cloudes his face, 
 And lagging Vesper, loosing his late teame, 
 Porgets in heau'n to runne his nightly race ; 
 But, sleeping on bright Oeta's^ top, doeth dreame 
 The world a chaos is ; no ioyfull beame 
 
 Looks from his starrie bowre, the heau'ns do 
 
 mone, 
 
 And trees drop teares, least we should greeue 
 alone ; 
 The windes haue leam't to sigh, and waters 
 hoarcely grone. 
 
 58. 
 
 'And you, sweete flowers, that in this garden growe, 
 "Whose happie states a thousand soules enuie ! 
 Bid you your owne felicities but knowe, 
 Yourselues, vnpluckt^ would to his funerals hie — 
 You neuer could in better season die : 
 
 1 Mountain in south of Thessaly. G. 
 
 2 Southey misprints * uppluck'd/ G. 
 
CHEIST's TErVMPH OVER DEATH. 191 
 
 that I might into your places slide ! 
 The gate of heau'n stands gaping in His side f- 
 Thear in my soule shonld steale, and all her faults 
 should hide.^ 
 
 59. 
 
 * Are theas the eyes that made all others blind ? 
 Ah ! why ar they themselues now blemished? 
 Is this the face, in which all beawtie shin'd ? 
 What blast hath thus His flowers debellished ? 
 Ar these the feete that on the watry head 
 
 Of the vnfaithfuU ocean passage found ? 
 
 Why goe they now so lowely vnder ground, 
 Wash't with our woorthless tears, and their owne 
 precious wound ? 
 
 60. 
 
 ' One hem but of the garments that He wore 
 Could medicine^ whole countries of their paine ; 
 One touch of this pale hand could life restore ; 
 One word of these cold lips reuiue the slaine : 
 
 1 Cf. Hebrews x., 20. G. 
 
 2 " Eock of Ages ! cleft for me 
 
 Let me hide myself in Thee." — Toplady. G. 
 
 3 A Shakesperian word. See Cymbeline iv. 2, and 
 
 Othello iii. 3. G. 
 
192 CHKIST^S TBIVMPH OYER DEATH. 
 
 Well, the blinde man, Thy Godhead might main- 
 taine : 
 What, though the sullen Pharises repined? 
 He that should both compare, at length would 
 finde 
 The blinde man onely sawe, the seers all wear 
 blinde. 
 
 61. 
 
 * Why should they thinke Thee worthy to be 
 
 slaine ? 
 Was it because Thou gau'st their blinde men eyes? 
 Or that Thou mad' st their lame to walke againe? 
 Or for Thou heal'dst their sick mens' maladies ? 
 Or mad'st their dumbe to speake, and dead to 
 rise? 
 could all these but any grace haue woon, 
 What would they not to saue Thy life haue 
 done? 
 The dumb man would haue spoke, and lame man 
 would haue runne. 
 62. 
 
 * Let mee, let me neere some fountaine lie. 
 That through the rocke heaues vp his sandie head; 
 Or let me dwell vpon some mountaine high. 
 Whose hoUowe root and baser parts ar spread 
 
193 
 
 On fleeting waters, in his bowells bred, 
 That I their steames, and they my teares may 
 
 feed : 
 Or, cloathed in some hermit's ragged weed. 
 Spend all my dales in weeping for this cursed 
 deed. 
 
 63. 
 
 * The life, the which I once did lone, I leaue ; 
 
 The lone, in which I once did line, I loath ; 
 
 I hate the light, that did my light bereaue : 
 
 Eoth lone and life, I doe despise yon both. 
 
 that one grane might both our ashes cloath ! 
 A lone, a life, a light, I now obteine, 
 Able to make my age growe young againe — 
 
 Able to sane the sick, and to reuiue the slaine. 
 
 64. 
 
 Thus spend we teares, that neuer can be spent, 
 On Him, that sorrow now no more shall see ; 
 Thus send we sighs, that neuer can be sent, 
 To Him that died to line, and would not be, 
 To be thear whear He would. Here burie we 
 This heau'nly earth ; here let it softly sleepe, 
 The fairest Sheapheard of the fairest sheep :' 
 So all the bodie kist, and homeward went to 
 weepe. 
 
CHRIST S TEIVMPH OYEE DEATH. 194 
 
 65. 
 
 So home their bodies went, to seeke repose, 
 But at the graue they left their soules behinde : 
 who the force of lone caelestiall knowes ! 
 That can the cheynes of nature's self vnbinde, 
 Sending the bodie home without the minde : 
 Ah, blessed virgin ! what high angel's art 
 Can euer coumpt thy teares, or sing thy smart, 
 When euery naile that pierst His hand, did pierce 
 thy heart ? 
 
 66. 
 
 So Philomel, perch't on an aspin sprig, 
 "Weeps all the night her lost virginitie, 
 And sings her sad tale to the merrie twig. 
 That daunces at such ioyfull miserie. 
 If e euer lets sweet rest inuade her eye ; 
 Eut leaning on a thorne her daintie chest, 
 For feare soft sleepe should steale into her brest. 
 Expresses in her song greefe not to be exprest. 
 
 67. 
 
 So when the larke — poore birde ! afarre espi'th 
 Her yet vnfeather'd children (whom to saue 
 She striues in yaine) slaine by the fatall sithe. 
 Which from the medowe her greene locks doeth 
 shaue. 
 
CHRIST'S TRIVMPH OVEK DEATH. 
 
 195 
 
 That their warme nest is now become their graue; 
 The wofiill mother vp to heauen springs, 
 And all about her plaintine notes she flings, 
 
 And their vntimely fate most pittifally sings. 
 
CHEIST'S 
 TEIVMPH AFTEE DEATH. 
 
THE ARGUMENT. 
 
 Christ's triumpli after death, 1 — In His Besurrection, manifested by 
 the effects in the creatures : st. 1 — 7.— In Himselie : st. 8 — 12, — 
 In His Ascension into Heauen ; whose ioyes are described : st. 
 13— 16.— (1) By the accesse of all good, the blessed societie of 
 saints, angels, &c. : st. 17 — 19. — The sweete quiet and peace 
 inioyed under God : st. 20. — Shadowed by the peace we enioy 
 vnder our soueraigne : st. 21 — 26. — The beautie of the place : 
 St. 27. — The caritiei (as the Schoole calls it) of the saints bodies : 
 St. 28— 31.— The impletionof the appetite : st. 32, 33,— The ioy of 
 the senses, &c. ; st. 34. — (2) By the amotion of all euill : st. 35, 
 86. — By the accesse of all good againe : st. 37.— In the glorie of 
 the holie citie : st. 38. — In the beatificall vision of Grod : st, 39 — 
 42.— And of Christ : st. 43. [seqq 
 
 1 Query, clarity ? G. 
 
CHRIST'S TRIYMPH AFTER DEATH. 
 
 1. 
 
 BvT now the second morning, from her bowre 
 Began to glister in her beames ; and no we 
 The roses of the Day began to flowre 
 In th' easterne garden ; for hean'ns smiling browe 
 Halfe insolent for ioy begunne to showe : 
 The early snnne came linely dauncing out, 
 And the bragge lambes ranne wantoning abont, 
 That heaii'n and earth might seeme in tryumph 
 both to shout. 
 
 ^ Th' engladded Spring, forgetfuU now to weepe, 
 Began t' eblazon from her leauie bed ; 
 The waking swallowe broke her halfe-yeare's^ 
 
 sleepe. 
 And euerie bush lay deepely pui-pured 
 
200 cheist's teivmph after death. 
 
 With violets ; the wood's late- wintry head 
 Wide flaming primroses set all on fire, 
 And his bald trees put on their greene attire, 
 
 Among whose infant leaues the ioyeous birds conspire. 
 
 3. 
 
 And now the taller sonnes (whom Titan warmes) 
 Of ynshome mountaines, blowne with easie windes. 
 Dandled the morning's childhood in their armes, 
 And if they chaunc't to slip the prouder pines, 
 The vnder corylets^ did catch the shines, 
 
 To guild their leaues ; sawe neuer happie yeare 
 Such ioyfuU triumph and triumphant cheare, 
 As though the aged world anew created wear. 
 
 4. 
 
 Say Earth, why hast thou got thee new attire, 
 And stick' st thy habit full of dazies red ? 
 Seems that thou doest to some high thought aspire. 
 And some newe-found-out bridegroome mean'st to 
 
 wed : 
 Tell me, ye trees, so fresh appareed. 
 
 So neuer let the spitefull canker wast you, 
 So neuer let the heau'ns with lightening blast you, 
 "Why goe you now so trimly drest, or whither hast 
 you? 
 
 1 Copses. G. 
 
cheist's trivmph aftee death. 201 
 
 5. 
 
 Answer me, lordan, why thy crooked tide 
 So often wanders from his neerest way, 
 As though some other way thy streame would slide, 
 And fain salute the place where something lay ? 
 And you sweete birds, that, shaded from the ray. 
 Sit carolling and piping griefe away. 
 The while the lambs to h^are you daunce and 
 play, 
 Tell me, sweete birds, what is it you faine would 
 say? 
 
 6 
 
 And thou, fair spouse of Earth, that euerie yeare 
 
 Gett'st such a numerous issue of thy bride. 
 
 How chance thou hotter shin'st, and draw'st more 
 
 neere ? 
 Sure thou somewhear some worthie sight hast 
 
 spide. 
 That in one place for ioy thou canst not bide :^ 
 And you, dead swallowes, that so liuely now 
 Through the flit- aire your winged passage rowe, 
 How could new life into your frozen ashes flowe ? 
 
 1. Southey misprints ' hide ' G. 
 
 2. FnttiQg=moYiiig ? G. 
 
202 
 
 7 
 
 Ye primroses and purple violets,^ 
 Tell me, why blaze ye from your leauie bed, 
 And wooe mens' hands to rent you from your sets, 
 As though you would somewhear be carried, 
 With fresh perfumes and velvets garnished ? 
 But ah ! I neede not aske, t'is surely so, 
 You all would to your Sauiour's triumphs goe : 
 There would ye all waaite and humble homage doe, 
 
 8. 
 
 Thear should the Earth herselfe with garlands 
 
 newe 
 And louely flowr's embellished, adore : 
 Such roses neuer in her garland grewe, 
 Such lillies neuer in her brest she wore. 
 Like beautie neuer yet did shine before : 
 
 Thear should the sunne another sunne behold, 
 From whence himselfe borrowes his locks of gold, 
 That kindle heau'n, and earth with beauties mani- 
 fold. 
 
 9. 
 
 There might the violet, and primrose sweet, 
 Beames of more liuely, and more louely grace, 
 
 1 Giles and Phineas Fletcher reserve their daintiest praise 
 for these flowers. See our Essay. G, 
 
cheist's teivmph after death. 20S 
 
 Arising from their beds of incense meet ; 
 
 Thear should the swallowe see new life embrace 
 
 Dead ashes, and the grane vnheaP his face, 
 To let the lining from his bowels creepe, 
 Ynable longer his owne dead to keepe : 
 
 There heau'n and earth should see their Lord 
 awake from sleepe. — 
 
 10. 
 
 Their Lord, before by others iudg'dto die 
 Now ludge of all Himselfe ; before forsaken 
 Of all the world, that from His aide did flie, 
 JSTow by the saints into their armies taken ; 
 Before for an vnworthie man mistaken, 
 JS'owe worthy to be God confest ; before 
 "With blasphemies by all the basest tore, 
 ]N'ow worshipped by angels, that Him lowe 
 adore. 
 
 11. 
 
 Whose garment was before indipt in blood, 
 But now imbright'ned into heau'nly flame, 
 The sunne it selfe outglitters,. though he should 
 Climbe to the toppe of the celestiall frame, 
 
 1 Unveil or uncoyer. G. 
 
204 Christ's triymph after death. 
 
 And force the starres go^ hide themselues for shame : 
 Before, that vnder earth was buried 
 But nowe aboue^ the heau'ns is carried, 
 
 And thear for euer by the angels heried !^ 
 
 12. 
 
 So fairest Phosphor, the bright morning starre, 
 But neewely washt in the greene element, 
 Before the drouzie Mght is halfe aware. 
 Shooting his flaming locks with deaw besprent. 
 Springs liuely vp into the Orient, 
 
 And the bright droue, fleec't in gold, he chaces 
 To drinke that, on the Olympique mountaine 
 grazes. 
 The while the minor planets forfeit all their faces. 
 
 13. 
 
 So long He wandred in our lower spheare. 
 That heau'n began his cloudy starres despise, 
 Halfe enuious, to see on Earth appeare 
 A greater light then flam'd in his own skies : 
 At length it burst for spight, and out thear flies 
 
 1 Richardson, Southey and Cattermole misprint 'to.' G. 
 
 2 Misprinted originally ' about ' : corrected to ' above ' in 
 
 1632 edn. G 
 
 3 Honoured, praised. G. 
 
cheist's teivmph after death. 205 
 
 A globe of winged angels, swift as thonglit 
 That on their spotted feathers liuely caught 
 The sparkling Earth, and to their azure fields it 
 brought. 
 
 14. 
 
 The rest, that yet amazed stood belowe, 
 With eyes cast vp, as greedie to be fed, 
 And hands vpheld, themselues to ground did 
 
 throwe : 
 So when the Troian boy was ravished, 
 As thi'ough th' Idalian woods they sale he fled. 
 His aged gardians stood all dismai'd. 
 Some least he should have fallen back afraid, 
 And some their hasty vowes and timely prayers 
 said. 
 
 15. 
 
 * Tosse vp your heads, ye euerlasting gates, ^ 
 
 And let the Prince of glorie enter in ! 
 
 At whose braue voly of sideriall States, 
 
 The sunne to blush and starres grow pale wear seene; 
 
 1 Dr. J. M. Neale in Ms " Hymns, chiefly Mediaeval, on 
 the Joys and Glories of Paradise" (1866) gives a selec- 
 tion of stanzas — beginning with this — from this ' Part ' 
 of Fletcher's poem, and pronounces them " perhaps the 
 most beautiful original verses, in a strictly rehgious 
 poem, which the Enghsh language posesses " and adds 
 
206 Christ's tbivmph aftee death. 
 
 "When leaping first from Earth He did begin 
 To climbe his angells wings : then open hang 
 Your christall doores ! so all the chorus sang 
 
 Of heau'nly birds, as to the starres they nimbly 
 sprang. 
 
 16. 
 
 Hearke ! how the floods clap their applauding hands, 
 The pleasant valleyes singing for delight ; 
 The wanton mountaines daunce about the lands, 
 The while the fleldes struck with the heau'nly 
 
 light. 
 Set all their flow'rs a smiling at the sight ; 
 
 The trees laugh with their blossoms, and the 
 
 sound 
 Of the triumphant shout of praise, that crown' d 
 The flaming Lambe, breaking through Heau'n hath 
 passage found. 
 
 17. 
 
 Out leap the antique patriarchs, all in hast, 
 To see the powr's of Hell in triumph lead, 
 
 further " The reader to whom this poem is new, will, I 
 think allow that nothing more exquisite was ever 
 written than the 5, 6, 7, 10, 12, and 13 stanzas as here 
 numbered : corresponding with 20, 28, 30, 33, 35 and 
 36 of the complete Poem. G. 
 
Christ's teiymph aptek death. 207 
 
 And with, small starres a garland intercha'st 
 Of oline-leanes they bore, to crowne His Head, 
 That was before with thomes degloried : 
 
 After them flewe the prophets, brightly stol'd 
 In shining lawne, and wimpled manifold. 
 Striking their yuorie harpes, strung all in chords of 
 gold. 
 
 18. 
 
 To which the saints victoiions caroUs sung, 
 Ten thousand saints at once ; that with the sound 
 ^ The hollow vaults of heau'n for triumph rung : 
 The cherubins their clamours did confound 
 "With all the rest, and clapt their wings around : 
 Downe from their thrones the dominations flow e 
 And at His feet their crownes and scepters 
 throwe, 
 And all the princely soules fell on their faces lowe. 
 19. 
 
 'Not can the martyrs' wounds them stay behind, 
 Eut out they rush among the heau'nly crowd. 
 Seeking their heau'n out of their heau'n to find, 
 Sounding their siluer trumpets out so loude, 
 That the shrill noise broke through the starrie 
 cloude, 
 And all the virgin soules, in pure arraie. 
 Came dauncing forth, and making joyous plaie : 
 So Him they lead along into the courts of day. 
 
208 Christ's teivmph after death. 
 
 20. 
 
 So Him they lead into the courts of day, 
 Whear neuer warre nor wounds abide Him more ; 
 But in that house etemall peace doth plaie, 
 Acquieting the soules that newe before, ^ 
 Their way to heaven through their owne blood did 
 skore, 
 But now, estranged from all migerie, 
 As farre as heau'n and earth discoasted lie, 
 Swelter^ in quiet wanes of immortalitie ! 
 
 21. 
 
 And if great things by smaller may be ghuest, 
 So, in the mid'st of JSTeptune's angrie tide 
 Our Brita[i]n Island, like the weedie nest 
 Of true halcyon, on the waves doth ride. 
 And softly sayling skornes the water's pride : 
 While all the rest, drown'd on the Continent 
 Add tost in bloodie wanes, their wounds lament, 
 And stand, to see our peace, as struck with woon- 
 derment. ® 
 
 1 Sonthey misprints ' besore ' G. 
 
 2 = Grow warm : Dr. Neale changes to 
 
 ' They bathe in quiet waves of immortality '. G. 
 
 3 Misnnmbered in edition of 1610 and also in those of 
 
 163^and 1640 as '20' fbisj : so that there appear to 
 be only 50 stanzas while there actually are 51, G. 
 
cheist's teivmph aptee death. 209 
 
 22. 
 
 The ship of France, religious wanes doe tosse, 
 And Greec[e] it selfe is now growne barbarous ; 
 Spain's childi^en hardly dare the ocean crosse, 
 And Beige's field lies wast[e] and ruinous ; 
 That vnto those, the heau'ns are invious, 
 
 And vnto them, themselues ar strangers growne, 
 And vnto these, the seas ar faithles knowne, 
 And vnto her, alas ! her owne is not her owne. 
 
 23. 
 
 Here only shut we lanus yi^on gates. 
 And call the welcome Muses to our springs, 
 And are but^ pilgrims from our heav'nly states 
 The while the trusty Earth sure plentie brings, 
 And ships through Neptune safely spread their 
 wings. 
 Go blessed Island, wander whear thou please, 
 Vnto thy God, or men, Heau'n, lands or seas : 
 Thou canst not loose thy way, thy king with all 
 hath peace. 
 
 24. 
 
 "Deere prince ! thy subjects ioy, hope of their heirs, 
 Picture of Peace, or breathing image rather; 
 The certaine argument of all our pray'rs, 
 
 1 Southey misprints here * put' for ^biit' G. 
 
210 CHEIST^S TEIVMPH APTEE DEATH. 
 
 Thy Harrie's^ and thy countrie's louley father ; 
 
 Let peace in endles ioyes for euer bath her 
 "Within thy sacred brest, that at thy birth 
 Brongh'st her with thee from Heau'n, to dwell 
 on Earth, 
 
 Making our Earth a Hean'n, and paradise of mirth. 
 
 25. 
 
 Let not my liege misdeem^ these hnmble laies 
 As lickt with soft and snpple blandishment, 
 Or spoken to disparagon his praise ; 
 Eor though pale Cynthia, neere her brother's tent, 
 Soone disappeares in the white firmament, 
 
 And giues him back the beames before wear his ; 
 
 Yet when he verges, or is hardly ris, 
 She the vine image of her absent brother is. 
 
 26. 
 
 iffor let the Prince of Peace, his beadsman blame, 
 That with his stewart dares his Lord compare. 
 And hean'nly peace with earthly qniet shame : 
 So pines to lowely plants compared ar. 
 
 1 =Heiiry's i. e. Prince Henry whose death was so 
 
 lamented by the nation. Gr. 
 
 2 Southey misprints ' disdain * G. 
 
cheist's tbivmph apteb death. 211 
 
 And lightning Phoebus to a little starre : 
 And well I wot, my rimej albee ynsmooth 
 'Ne sales but what it meanes, ne meanes but 
 sooth, 
 Ne harmes the good, ne good to harmefull person 
 doth. ^ 
 
 27. 
 
 Gaze but vpon the house whear man embowr's ; 
 With flowr's and rushes paued is his way, 
 Whear all the creatures ar his seruitours ; 
 The windes do sweepe his chambers euery day ; 
 And cloudes doe wash his rooms; the seeling 
 
 gay, 
 
 Starred aloft, the guilded knobs embraue : 
 If such a house God to another gaue. 
 How shine those glittering courts. He for Himselfe 
 will haue ? 
 
 28. 
 
 And if a sullen cloud, as sad as night, 
 la which the sunne may seeme embodied, 
 
 1 Cattermole drops, without marking the omission, stanza* 
 21, 22, 23, 24, 25 and 26. G. 
 
212 cheist's trivmph aftee death. 
 
 Depur'd^ of all Ms drosse, we see so^ white 
 
 Burning in melted gold his wat'rie head, 
 
 Or round with yuorie edges siluered, 
 What lustre super-excellent will He 
 Lighten on those that shall His sunneshine see, 
 
 In that all-glorious court in which all glories he ? 
 
 29. 
 
 If but one sunne whith his diffusive fires, 
 
 Can paint the starres, and the whole world with 
 
 light, 
 And ioy, and life into each heart inspires, 
 And eu'ry saint shall shine in heau'n, as bright 
 As doth the sunne in his transcendent might, 
 (As faith may well beleeue what Truth once 
 
 sayes) 
 What shall so many sunnes' united rayes, 
 But dazle all the eyes that nowe in heau'n we 
 praise ? 
 
 30. 
 
 Here let my Lord hang yp his conquering launch, 
 And bloody armour with late slaughter warme, 
 And looking downe on His weake militants, 
 Behold His saints, mid'st of their hot alarme 
 
 I Purified. G. 2 Cattermole misprints 'no.' G. 
 
CDIEIST^S TEIVMPH AFTER DEATH. 215 
 
 Hang all their golden hopes vpon His arme ; 
 And in this lower field dispacing wide, 
 Through windie thoughts, that would their 
 sayles misguide, 
 
 Anchor their fleshly ships fast in His wounded side. 
 
 31. 
 
 Here may the band, that now in tryumph shines, 
 And that (before they wear inuested thus) 
 In earthly bodies carried heauenly mindes, 
 Pitcht^ round about in order glorious. 
 Their sunny tents, and houses luminous ; 
 All their etemall day in songs employing, 
 loying their ende, without ende of their ioying, 
 While their Almightie Prince destruction is destroy- 
 ing. 
 
 32. 
 
 Full, yet without satietie, of that 
 "Which whetts, and quiets greedy appetite, 
 "Whear neuer sunne did rise, nor euer sat ; 
 But one etemall day, and endles light 
 Giues time to those whose time is infinite — 
 Speaking with thought, obtaining without fee, 
 Beholding Him whom neuer eye could see. 
 And magnifying Him that cannot greater be. 
 
 1 Cattermole misprints ' pitch ' Gr. 
 
214 
 
 33. 
 
 How can sucli ioy as this want words to speake ? 
 
 And yet what words can speake such ioy as this ? 
 
 Par from the world, that might their qniet breake. 
 
 Here the glad soules the face of beanty kisse ; 
 
 Powr'd out in pleasure, on their beds of blisse ; 
 And drunke with nectar-torrents, euer hold 
 Their eyes on Him, whose graces manifold 
 
 The more they doe behold, the more they would 
 behold. 
 
 34. 
 
 Their sight drinkes lonely fires in at their eyes, 
 Their braine sweete incense with fine breath 
 
 accloyes, 
 That on God's sweating ^ altar burning lies ; 
 Their hungrie eares feede on their heau'nly noyse, 
 That angels sing, to tell their vntould ioyes ; 
 Their vnderstanding, naked truth ; their wills 
 The all, and selfe-sufficient Goodnesse, fills : 
 That nothing here is wanting, but the want of 
 ills. 
 
 35. 
 
 H^o sorrowe nowe hangs clowding on their browe, 
 jS'o bloodies maladie empales their face. 
 
 1 Neaie changes to ' That on the heavenly ' G. 
 
Christ's trivmph after death. 215 
 
 Ko age drops on their hayrs his siluer snowe, 
 No nakednesse their bodies doeth embase, 
 "No ponertie themselues and theirs disgrace, 
 1^0 feare of death the ioy of life deuours, 
 'No ynchast sleepe their precious time deflowrs, 
 No losse, no giiefe, no change, waite on their 
 winged hours. 
 
 36. 
 
 But now their naked bodies skome the cold, 
 And from their eyes ioy lookes, and laughs at paine; 
 The infant wonders how he came so old, 
 The old man how he came so young againe ; 
 StiU resting, though from sleep they still refraine^ 
 "Whear all are rich, and yet no gold they owe, ^ 
 And all are kings, and yet no subjects knowe. 
 All full, and yet no time on foode they doe bestow. 
 
 37. 
 
 For things that passe are past : and in this field 
 The indeficient Spring no "Winter feares ; 
 
 1 Changed (probably by misprint) to ' restraine ' in 1632 
 
 edition. Gr. 
 
 2 Own. G. 
 
 3 Dr. Neale says here *He is simply translating the 
 
 ' Nam transire transiit ' of S. Peter Damiani ' : but this 
 is preposterous. Eich and glowing as his Hymn de 
 
216 Christ's teivmph after death. 
 
 The trees together fruit and blossome yeild ; 
 
 Th' unfadirLg lilly leaues of siluer beares, 
 
 And crimson rose a skarlet garment weares ; 
 And all of these on the saints' bodies growe, 
 ISTot, as they woont, on baser earth belowe : 
 
 Three riners here, of milke, and wine, and honie, 
 flowe 
 
 38. 
 
 About the holy citie rowles a flood 
 
 Of moulten chrystall, like a sea of glasse ; 
 
 On which weake streame a strong foundation 
 
 stood : 
 On lining diamonnds the building was, 
 That all things else, besides itselfe, did passe : ^ 
 Her streetes, instead of stones, the starrQs did 
 
 pane. 
 And little pearles, for dnst, it seem'd to haue ; 
 On which soft-streaming manna, like pure snowe, 
 
 did wave. 
 
 Gloria Paradisi is in other thoughts, he is poor and 
 faint in the antithetic-ideas so vividly worded by 
 Fletcher in this stanza and the context. The most 
 hasty comparison will prove this. G. 
 1 Sur-pass. Gr. 
 
CHEIST^S TEIYMPH AFTEE DEATH. 217 
 
 39. 
 
 In midst of this citie cselestiall, 
 
 Whear the Etemall Temple should haue rose, 
 
 Lightened the Idea^ Eeatificall : 
 
 End, and beginning of each thing that growes ; 
 
 Whose selfe no end, nor yet beginning knowes ; 
 
 That hath no eyes to see, nor ears to heare ; 
 
 Yet sees, and heares, and is all-eye, all-eare ; 
 That nowhear is contain'd, and yet is euery whear: 
 
 40. 
 
 Changer of all things, yet immutable ; 
 
 Before and after all, the first and last ; 
 
 That, moouing all, is yet immoueable ; 
 
 Great without quantitie ; in Whose forecast 
 
 Things past are present, things to come are past ; 
 Swift without motion ; to Whose open eye 
 The hearts of wicked men vnbrested lie ; 
 
 At once absent and present to them, farre and 
 nish.^ 
 
 1 Neale substitutes ^ Vision.' G-. 
 
 2 Dr. Neale remarks * One of our Poet's most careless 
 
 lines. Surely, something like this would have been 
 better ?— 
 *' To whom the dark is light : to whom the far is nigh " 
 but Fletcher's thought looks deeper. G. 
 
218 ckrist's triymph after death. 
 
 41. 
 
 It is no flaming lustre, made of light ; 
 
 IN'o sweet concent, or well-tim'd harmonie ; 
 
 Ambrosia, for to feast the appetite, 
 
 Or flowrie odour, mixt with spicerie ; 
 
 No soft embrace, or pleasure bodily ; 
 And yet it is a kinde of inwarde feast, 
 A harmony, that sounds within the brest. 
 
 An odour, light, embrace, in which the soule doth 
 rest. 
 
 42. 
 
 A heav'nly feast, no hunger can consume ; 
 
 A light vnseene, yet shines in euery place ; 
 
 A sound, no time can steale ; a sweet perfume 
 
 'No winds can scatter ; an intire embrace 
 
 That no satietie can ere vnlace : 
 
 Ingrac't into so high a fauour, thear 
 The saints, with their beawpeers ^ whole world 
 outwear ; 
 
 And things vnseene doe see, and things vnheard 
 doe hear. 
 
 43-. 
 
 Ye blessed soules, growne richer by your spoile ; 
 Whose losse, though great, is cause of greater gains ; 
 
 1 Beau-pere=^compaiiion : Cf. Spenser F.Q. iii. 1. 35. G. 
 
219 
 
 Here may your weary spirits rest from toyle, 
 Spending your endlesse eav'ning that remaines, 
 Among those white flocks and celestiall traines, 
 
 That feed vpon their Sheapheard's eyes, and 
 frame 
 
 That hean'nly musique of so woondrous fame, 
 Psalming aloude the holy honours of His name I^ 
 
 44. 
 
 Had I a voice of steel to tune my song, 
 Wear euery verse as smoothly fil'd as glasse, ^ 
 And euery member turned to a tongue, 
 And euery tongue wear made of sounding brasse ; 
 Yet all that skill, and all this strength, alas ! 
 Should it presume to guild^ wear misadvis'd, 
 The place, where Dauid hath new songs devis'd^ 
 As in his burning throne he sits emparadis'd. 
 
 1 Dr. Neale adds here " He is thinking no doubt of the 
 
 Vesper Hymn : 
 
 Largire clarum vespere 
 Quo vita nunquam decidat : 
 . both Poets, of course drawing their inspiration from 
 
 Zech. XIV. 7." G. 
 
 2 Southey has ' smooth as smoothest glass ' G. 
 
 3 He substitutes ' t ' adorn' G. 
 
220 Christ's trivmph after death. 
 
 45. 
 
 Most happie prince, whose eyes those starres hehold, 
 Treading ours vnder feet ! now maist thou powre 
 That ouerfLowing skill, whearwith of onld 
 Thou woont'st to combe^ rough speech ; now 
 
 maist thou showr 
 Presh streames of praise vpon that holy bowre, 
 Which well we Heaven call ; not that it rowles 
 But that it is the hauen of our soules — 
 Most happie prince, whose sight so heau'nly sight 
 behoulds ! 
 
 46. 
 
 Ah, foolish sheapheards, that wear woont esteem 
 Your god all rough and shaggy-hair' d to bee ; 
 And yet farre wiser, sheapheards then ye deeme ; 
 For who so poore (though who so rich) as hee 
 When, with vs hermiting^ in lowe degree, 
 He wash't His flocks in Jordan's spotles tide ; 
 And, that His deare remembrance aie might bide,^ 
 Did to vs come, and with vs liu'd, and for vs di'd? 
 
 1 Here also he has ' smooth ' G. 
 
 2 Southey reads ' When sojourning withns in low degree ' 
 
 Eichardson and Cattermole 'When with us sojourning 
 in low degree ' G. 
 
 3 The same mis-read 'And that his dear remembrance 
 
 misrht abide * G. 
 
Christ's teiymph aftee death. 221 
 
 47. 
 
 But now so liuely colours did embeame 
 His sparkling forehead, and so ^ shiny rayes 
 Kindled his flaming locks, that downe did stream 
 In curies along his necke, whear sweetly playes 
 (Singing His wounds of loue in sacred layes) 
 His deerest Spouse,^ Spouse of the deerest Lover, 
 Knitting a thousand knots ouer and ouer, 
 And dying still for loue; but they her still recover: — 
 
 48. 
 
 Taire Egliset, ^ that at his eyes doth dresse 
 
 Her glorious face ; those eyes from whence ar shed 
 
 Infinite belamours ; * whear, to expresse 
 
 His loue, High God all heaven as captive leads, 
 
 And all the banners of His grace dispreads. 
 
 And in those windowes doth His armes englaze, 
 And on those eyes the angels all doe gaze, 
 And from those eies the light of heau'n doe gleane^ 
 their blaze. 
 
 1 SoTithey misprints ' such ' G. 
 
 2 The Church. G. 
 
 3 Richardson, Sonthey, and Cattermole substitute ^Fairest 
 
 of Fairs.' G. 
 
 4 Southey reads ^attractions infinite:' = attractions or 
 
 love-spells. G. 
 
 5 Southey reads ' obtain/ and Richardson and Cattermole 
 
 ' catch.' G. 
 
222 chiust's teivmph after death. 
 
 But let the Kentish lad/ that lately taught 
 His oaten reed the trumpet's siluer sound — 
 Young Thyrsilis, and for his musique brought 
 The willing sphears from heau'n to lead a round 
 Of dauncing nymphs and heards/ that sung, and 
 crown 'd 
 Eclecta's Hymen with ten thousand flowrs 
 Of choycest prayse ; and hung her heau'nly 
 bow'rs 
 With saffron garlands, drest for nuptiall para- 
 mours ; — 
 
 50. 
 
 Let his shrill trumpet with her siluer blast. 
 Of faire Eclecta and her spousall bed, 
 Be the sweet pipe, and smooth encomiast : 
 Eut my greene Muse, hiding her younger head 
 Ynder old Chamus' flaggy banks, that spread 
 Their willough locks abroad, and all the day 
 With their owne watry shadowes wanton play — 
 Dares not those high amours, aud loue-sick songs 
 assay. 
 
 1 Phineas Fletcher. — See our Memorial-Introduction, 
 
 ante, G. 
 
 2 Richardson and Cattermole read ' swains.' G. 
 
chkist's tkiymph after death. 223 
 
 51. 
 
 Impotent words, weake lines, ^ that strine in vaine — 
 In vaine, alas ! to tell so heau'nly sight ! — 
 So*^ heav'nly sight, as none can greater feigne, 
 Peigne what he can, that seemes of greatest might : 
 
 Might any yet compare with infinite ? 
 
 Infinite sure those ioyes, my words but light ; 
 Light is the palace where she dwells — blessed 
 wight !^ 
 
 1 Misprinted 'sides' in 1610 edn., and which Southey 
 
 repeats. G. 
 
 2 Southey here, by misprintiag ' To' for ' so,' and in line 
 
 5th 'could' for 'might' misses the echoing repetition — 
 a device afterwards used by Milton. See our Memorial- 
 Introduction of Phineas Fletcher. G. 
 
 3 Richardson and Southey read ' then how bright.' G* 
 
Beverse of p. 84. 
 
 Kuina coeli pulchra : iam terris decus^ 
 Deusque : proles matris innuptse, et pater : 
 Sine matre natus, sine patre excrescens caro : 
 Quem nee mare, aether, terra, non coelum capit, 
 Ytero puellse totus angnsto latens ; 
 -^qusevus idem patri, matre antiquior : 
 Heu domite victor, et triumphator ; tui 
 Opus opifex. qui minor quam sis, eo 
 Maior resurgis : vita, quae mori velis, 
 Atq ergo possis ; passa finem ^ternitas. 
 Quid tibi rependam, quid tibi rependam miser ? 
 Yt quando ocellos mollis inuadit quies, 
 Et nocte membra plurimus Morpheus premit, 
 Auide videmur velle de tergo sequens 
 Effugere monstrum, et plumbeos frustra pedes 
 Celerare ; media succidimus segri fuga ; 
 Solitum pigrescit robur, os quserit viam, 
 Sed proditurus moritur in lingua sonus : 
 Sic stupeo totus, totus hseresco, intuens 
 Et ssepe repeto, forte si rependerem : 
 Solus rependit ille, qui repetit bene. 
 
 G. Fletchee. 
 
 TeXeiov iaiiy teat reXivv Q€09 reXo^.^ 
 
 *In 1632 there follows here 
 
 'E<7Tt reXwv to re\o<i' reXo? eari Qeo9 ro reXeiov, G. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 ENGEAVIIS-GS IN THE EE-ISSUE OF 2is^d 
 EDITIOJS" (1632) IJ^ 1640. 
 
 1. The Birtli of Christ— opposite page 1. At 
 
 bottom these lines : — 
 
 A new way here that prophets text may pass 
 
 for truth. : the oxe his owner knew, the ass 
 
 his master's crib : thus thus incradled lay 
 
 your Kiag, your Lord, your Christ : there fix, there 
 
 stay 
 thy stoopinge, low, deiiected thoughts ; shall I 
 siace he lay thus depressd, care where I lie. 
 
 Esay 1. 3. 
 
 2. The Circumcision of Christ — opposite page 23. 
 
 At bottom these lines : — 
 
 View well this sacred portraiture, and see 
 what pangs thy Sauio[or] felt, and all for these ; 
 Wnt thou retume a sacrifice may please 
 him who had felt all this ? be then all these : 
 Be thou both preist and knife : re-act each part 
 thy selfe againe, Go circumcise thy heart. 
 
228 EI^GRAYIJ^GS. 
 
 3. The Eaptism of Christ — opposite page 26. At 
 bottom these lines :— 
 
 How many riddlinge thoughts strangly appeare 
 Unfolded in this shadow : for first here 
 I see the Fountaine in the Streams : I see 
 the water wa[s]hd by washing in't : And wee 
 through nature black to pitch and inck, are scour' d 
 to snow, while water's on an other pour'd 
 I see agaiue. He not say all I can 
 least I turne Jordan to an ocean. 
 
 4* The Temptation of Christ— opposite page 30..i 
 At bottom these lines : — 
 
 'Tis written : Thus the tempter taught : (and thus 
 
 by Scriptures wrack' d he oft preuailes on vs 
 
 weake flesh and blood) But that he thus did dare 
 
 By Moses and the prophets to insnare 
 
 the Sonne of God ; thinck it not strange that he 
 
 become confounded in his policie 
 
 for sure it could but slender hopes'^afford 
 
 he by the Scriptures should orecome ye Word. 
 
 6. The Crucifixion of Christ — opposite page 49. 
 At bottom these lines :— 
 
 What you see here does but the picture show 
 
 of sorrowes picture : miracle of woe ! 
 
 Greefe was miscall' d till now : what plaiuts before 
 
 e're mou'd the bowells of the earth or toare 
 
 the rocks ? nay more, the heaun's put out their light 
 
ENGEAYINGS. 229 
 
 And truc'd with darkness to auoide that sight. 
 Blind Israel ! this this your hardnass shewes 
 ye then tum'd stones whilst thus those stones turn'd 
 Jewes. 
 
 6. The Eesurrection of Christ — opposite page 69. 
 
 At bottom these lines : — 
 
 Forget those horrid stiles of death : see here 
 
 who died, and by his presence there 
 
 imhalm'd the grane. See here who rose : and so 
 
 left hell infeebled, and the powers below 
 
 and death suppress' d. So that a child (no doubt) 
 
 may safly play w*H now the sting's pluck'd out 
 
 7. The Ascension of Christ — opposite page 81. At 
 
 bottom these lines : — 
 
 Tis finished : and hees now gon vp on high 
 
 rich in the spoyles of hell : in maiesty, 
 
 and glorie (and glorie glorious farre 
 
 above all words) each glimpse treads out a starre^ 
 
 dazles the sun : And whether true this bee 
 
 here written, follow him, and you shall see. 
 
 * Geo. Yate ' is the * sculpt[or] / of these ^ engravings ' 
 which are grotesque in the extreme, though in the 
 * Baptism ' and ' Ascension ' there are evident remin- 
 scenes of the great sacred Painters. Everywhere 
 perspective and proportion are \Tlolated. — The ' Temp- 
 
230 E^rOEAYIls^GS. 
 
 tation ' is ludicrous in its attempt to group the three 
 temptations together. Generally the faces are hideous. 
 It is just possible that as these Engravings did not 
 appear until 1640 and so were posthumous, the Verses 
 may belong to Phineas not Giles : but their place 
 seems appropriate in Giles' volume. G. 
 
A CAJTTO YPO]^ THE DEATH OF 
 ELIZA.^ 
 
 HE early Howres were readie to unlocke 
 The doore of Mome, to let abroad the 
 Day; 
 
 When sad Ocyroe sitting on a rocke, 
 Hemmed^ in with teares, not glassing as they 
 
 say 
 Shee woont, her damaske heuties (when to 
 play 
 Shee bent her looser fancie) in the streame, 
 
 * Originally published in * Sorrowe's Joy, or a Lamen- 
 tation for our Deceased Soveraigne Elizabeth, with a 
 Triumph for the Prosperous succession of our Gratious 
 Kin^ James. Printed by John Legat, printer to the 
 University of Cambridge, 1603.' Our text is taken 
 from Nichol's * Progresses of James I.,' Vol. i., pp. 
 17 — 19. In the margin are variations from the reprin^ 
 in Nichol's * Progresses of Queen Elizabeth,' Vol. iii,, 
 257—259. G. 
 
 1 Hemmd. G. 
 
232 A CAN^TO VPON THE DEATH OF ELIZA. 
 
 That sudding^ on the rocke, would closely seeme 
 To imitate her whitenesse with his frothy creame. 
 
 Eut hanging from the stone her careful head, 
 
 That shewed (for grief e had made it so to shew) 
 A stone itselfe, that only differed, 
 
 That those without, these streames within, 
 
 did flow, 
 Eoth euer ranne ; yet neuer lesse did grow ; 
 And tearing from her head her amber haires, 
 Whose like or none, or onely Phoebus weares, 
 Shee strowd them on the flood to waite ^^pon her 
 teares. 
 
 About her many IS'ymphs sate weeping by, 
 That when shee sang were woont to daunce 
 and leape ; 
 And all the grasse that round about did lie, 
 Hung full of teares, as if that meant to weepe ; 
 Whilst th' vndersliding streames did softly 
 creepe, 
 And clung about the rocke with winding wreath, 
 To heare a Canto of Elizae's^ death ; 
 "Which thus poore nymph shee sung, whilest 
 Sorrowe lent her breath. 
 
 1 Query — foaming, as in frothy (soap) ' suds ?* G. 
 
 2 EHzaes. G. 
 
A CAIfTO I7P0K THE DEATH OF ELIZA. 233 
 
 Tell me, ye blushing currols that bunch out, 
 
 To cloath with beuteous red your ragged sire ^ 
 To let the sea-greene mosse curie round about, 
 With soft embrace (as creeping Tines do wyre 
 Their loved elmes) your sides in rosie tyre ; 
 So let the ruddie vermeyle of your cheeke 
 Make stain' d carnations fresher liueries seeks, 
 So let your braunched armes grow crooked, smooth, 
 and sleeke. 
 
 So from your growth late be you rent away. 
 
 And hung with silver bels and whistles shrill ; 
 Vnto those children be you giuen to play, 
 Where blest Eliza raign'd; so neuer ill 
 Betide your caues, nor them with breaking 
 spill; 
 Tell me if some vncivill hand should teare 
 Your branches hence, and place them otherwhere; 
 Could you still grow, and such fresh crimson 
 ensignes beare ? 
 
 Tell me, sad Philomele, that yonder sits't 
 Piping thy songs vnto the dauncing twig, 
 
 And to the waters fall thy musicke fit'st; 
 So let the friendly prickle never digge 
 
 1 Misprinted * fixe ' in Prog, of King James. G. 
 
234 A CANTO YPOX THE DEATH OF ELIZA. 
 
 Thy watchful! breast with wound, or small, 
 or bigge, 
 Whereon thou leanest ; so let the hissing snake, 
 Sliding with shrinking silence, neuer take 
 Th' vnwarie foote, whilst thou perhaps hangst 
 half ^ awake. 
 
 So let the loathed lapwing, when her nest 
 
 Is stolne away, not as shee vses, flie, 
 Cousening the searcher of his promised feast, 
 But, widdow'd of all hope, still Itis crie. 
 And nought but Itis, Itis, till shee die. 
 Say, sweetest querister of the airie quire, 
 Doth not thy Tereu, Tereu, then expire, 
 "When Winter robs thy house of all her greene 
 attire ? 
 
 Tell me, ye veluet-headed violets 
 
 That fringe the crooked banke, with gawdie 
 blewe ; 
 So let with comely grace your pretie^ frets 
 Ee spread ; so let a thousand^ Zephyrs sue 
 To kisse your willing heads, that seeme t' 
 eschew 
 Their wanton touch with maiden modestie ; 
 So let the siluer dewe but lightly lie, 
 Like little watrio worlds within your azure skie. 
 
 1 Halfe. G. 2 Prettie. G. 3 Thou^nd. G. 
 
A CANTO YPOX THE DEATH OF ELIZA. 235 
 
 So when your blazing leaues are broadly spread, 
 Let wandring nymphes gather you in their 
 lapps, 
 And send you where Eliza lieth dead, 
 
 To strow the sheete that her pale bodie 
 
 wraps ; 
 Aie me, in this I enuie your good haps ; 
 Who would not die, there to be buried ? 
 Say if the sunne denie his beames to shedde 
 Upon your lining stalkes, grow you not withered ? 
 
 Tell me, thou wanton brooke, that slipst away 
 
 T' avoid the straggling banks still flowing cling 
 So let thy waters cleanely tribute pay, 
 
 Vnmixt with mudde, vnto the sea your king ; 
 So neuer let your streames leaue murmuring, 
 Vntil they steale by many a secret furt^ 
 To kisse those walls that built Elizaes Court, 
 Drie you not when your mother springs are choakt 
 with durt ? 
 
 Tes, you all say, and I say, with you all, 
 !N'aught without cause of ioy can ioyous bide, 
 
 Then me, vnhappie nymph, whom the dire fall 
 Of my ioyes spring : — but there, aye mee, 
 shee cried, 
 
 1 = forth? G. 
 
236 
 
 A CANTO VPON THE DEATH OE ELTZA. 
 
 And spake no more ; for sorrow speech denied^ 
 And downe into her watrie lodge did goe ; 
 The very waters when shee sunke did showe 
 "With many wrinkled^ ohs, they sympathized her 
 woe: 
 
 The snnne in mourning clouds inveloped, 
 
 Flew fast into the westearne world to tell 
 N'ewes of her death ; Heaven it selfe sorrowed 
 With teares that to the earthes dank bosome 
 
 feU; 
 But when the next Aurora 'gan to deale 
 Handfuls of roses 'fore the teame of day, 
 A shepheard^ droue his flocke by chance that 
 way, 
 And made the nymph to dance that mourned 
 yesterday. 
 
 G. Fletcher, Trinit. 
 
 1 Wrinckled. G. 2 Sheappheard. G. 
 
FBOM 
 EEWAED OE THE FAITHEULL.^ 
 
 (1.) THE HEAVENLY COTJNTET. 
 
 .... ** Whicli diuine thought wee shall not find in 
 the hearts alone of the children of light, that haue 
 the starres of heauen shining thicke in them, 
 (Hehr. 11, 16) but in the minds of heathen men, 
 that lay shadowed in their owne naturall wise- 
 dome, out of which the banisht Consul of Eome, 
 Boetius could sing 
 
 Hsec, dices, memini patria est mihi, 
 
 TTinc ortus, hie sistam gradmn. 
 
 O this my country is, thy soule shall say, 
 Hence was my birth, and here shall he my stay." 
 
 (pp. 29, 30.) 
 
 [Boethius, Cons. Phil, iv., metr. 1, 1. 25, 26. G.] 
 
 * See our Memorial-Introduction for account of the 
 Treatise. G. 
 
238 FBOM BE WARD OF THE EAITHEULL. 
 
 (2.) THE EOSE and ^ELACK EUT COMELY.' 
 
 *^Cleane opposite are these glories, and delights, 
 and this ambition to those of our vnder-world. 
 Gather all the roses of pleasure that grow vpon 
 the earth, sayes not the Greek Epigram trueiy of 
 them: 
 
 To po^ov aKjiia^et ^atov y^povov^ rjv he TrapeKOrj, 
 ^rjTLOv €Vp7j(Tet9 ov poSoPj aXXa jBoltov, 
 
 The Rose is faire and fading, short and sweet, 
 
 Passe softly hy her ; 
 And in a moment you shall see her fleet, 
 
 And turne a bryer. 
 
 They looke fairely, bnt they are sodainely dis- 
 pelled : whereas, contrary, all the flowers of Para- 
 dise (like the Church, Cant. i. 5. 6.) sun-burnt 
 and frosted with the heat and cold of this tem- 
 pestuous world, looke black and homely, but flour- 
 ish inwardly with diuine beauty, and are all 
 glorious within. So that wee may well say of 
 the Church as the Poet sings : — 
 
 She's black : what then ? so are dead coales, but cherish, 
 
 And with soft breath them blow, 
 And you shall see them glow as bright and flourish, 
 
 As spring-borne Eoses grow. (pp. 120, 121.) 
 
 [The author of the Epigram Rose seems unknown : but 
 Jakobs gives a German translation as follows : — 
 
FBOM KEWABD OF THE FAITHFULL. 239 
 
 " Wenige Tage nur wahrt die Eosenzeit ; sind sie ver- 
 
 schwunden, 
 Siehst du die Eose nicht mehr; sondem die Domen 
 
 allein." 
 
 Dr. Johnson quotes it in his ' Eambler/ No. 71, with the 
 sole difference of TrapeXOrj^ for the last word of the 
 first line : which elsewhere occurs as TrapeXOrj (as in 
 Fletcher). Johnson gives no author's name but trans- 
 lates 
 
 " Soon fades the rose ; once past the fragrant hour, 
 The loiterer finds a bramble for a flower." 
 
 [See Notes and Queries, 4th. S. 11th April, 1868 : p. 351. 
 and Anthologia Grseca, iv. 126, ed. Jacobs.] 
 
 A Correspondent of ^ Notes and Queries ' with reference 
 to the Epigram, communicates an amusing Greek pun 
 from it, which he heads ' Cane and Birch.' — " The 
 occasion of it was a complaint of a friend to an old- 
 fashioned pedagogue that, objecting to the corporal 
 punishment of little boys at school, he had sent his 
 son to one where it was said birch was unknown, but 
 found that a very cruel and severe use of the cane was 
 substituted for it. Ah!" said the old-fashioned 
 school-master exultingly, whose meditations, like 
 Fielding's Thwackum's, were fuU of birch, 
 
 Zt/twi/ evprjffei^ ov TOAON aXXa BATON. 
 
 The reply was pedantic, but it was appropriate. [As 
 before. May 16th, p. 467.] 
 Perhaps it may be well to remember on the whole, the 
 fine words of Dr. F. W. Faber : — " Eoses grow on 
 
240 FEOM EEWABD OF THE FAITHFTJLL. 
 
 briars, say the wise men of the world, with that 
 sententious morality which thinks to make virtue 
 truthful by making it dismal. Yes ! but as the very 
 different spirit of piety would say, it is a truer truth 
 that briars bloom with roses. If roses have thorns, 
 thorns also have roses. This is the rule of life. Yet 
 everybody tells us one side of this truth, and nobody 
 tells us the other."— ('< The Precious Blood," p. 216.) 
 The second Epigram supra^ is too corruptly given in the 
 Greek (by Fletcher) for restoration : and too unimpor- 
 tant to spend pains on. G.] 
 
 (3.) THE EICH POOE MAN. 
 
 *^ Let vs graunt Diues tlie happinesse to die a 
 ricli man, wHcIl he shall neuer doe (for as the 
 heathen sings of death, 
 
 Involuit humile pariter et celsum caput, 
 ^quatque summis infima. 
 Death and the Graue, make euen all estates. 
 There, high, and low, and rich, and poor are mates." 
 
 (p. 203.)* 
 [Boethius : De Cons. Phil. lib. ii., metr. 7, 1. 13 14. G.] 
 
 (4.) UNGODLY EICH. 
 
 ^^To speake soothly, as the last of the best, and the 
 best of the last. Poets sales of all morall helpes 
 
 * LiVESEY (as before) gives this more tersely : — 
 ^ There is no difference : Death hath made. 
 Equal the sceptre and the spade.' (p. Q^.) G. 
 
FEOM EBWABD OF THE FAITHFITLL. 241 
 
 which Fabricius, and Cato, and Brutus, three of 
 the most famous of the Eomane Worthies thought 
 to eternize themselues by, 
 
 Cum sera vobis~rapiet hoc etiam dies, 
 lam vos secnnda mors manet : 
 
 So may the vngodly rich more truly say of him- 
 selfe, and all worldly meanes, whereby he hoped to 
 perpetuate* his life and memorie. 
 
 The poor man dies but once : but that I 
 Already dead, haue yet three deaths to die. 
 
 Por, being dead in his bodie, he still remaines aliue 
 in his soule, estate, and posteritie to suffer death, 
 and therefore death is said to gnaw^ and feed 
 vponhim, Psal. 49. 14. (p. 205-207.)" [Boethius 
 is the poet referred to, supra : De Cons : Phil : lib ii. 
 metr. 7, 1. 25, 26. G.] 
 
 (5.) THE ' GODS ' ACCUSED. 
 
 "Neither did simple women onely, but the wisest 
 of the heathen Gouemors loade their Gods with 
 their proper crimes : 
 
 efyo? 6' OVK. atTL09 et/mtf 
 
 AWa Zevs Kai fiolpa Kai 7jepo(po77t9 'Epivvii. 
 
 * Misprinted ^ perpetrate ' G. 
 
242 FHOM EEWAIO) OP THE PAITHFULt. 
 
 Sayes great Agamemnon, alas ! 
 
 It was not he that did them iniurie. 
 But lone and Fate, and the night Furie. 
 
 But lupiters answer is recorded by tlie same Poet: 
 
 'E|^ TjjJbeiou r^ap (pacn Kaic efijULvat ol he ical avrol 
 ^(prjffiv cLTaaOaXtrjaiv VTrepfiopov aX^i e'^^ovaiv. 
 
 Men say their faults are ours when their own wils 
 Beyond their fate, are authours of their ills." (pp. 232, 235.) 
 [Homer Iliad xix., 86, 87. and Od. i. 33, 34. G.] 
 
 (6.) HUSBANDEY. 
 
 " The Art of husbandry. . , .wants both schollers 
 and teachers, meeting, very seldom with such 
 religious votaries towards them as the Prince of the 
 Latin Poets was, who in his Georgicks, or Poeticall 
 Husbandrie, breaks out into this godly wish. 
 
 Me vero primum dulces &c. 
 No, first of all O let the Muses wings 
 Whose sacred fountaine in my bosome springs, 
 Keceiue, and landing mee ahoue the starres, 
 Shew me the waies of heuen : but if the barres 
 Of vnkinde nature stoppe so high a flight, 
 The Woods and Fields shall be my next delight." (pp. 
 273, 274.) 
 
 [Vkgil, Georg. ii., 476-478, 483, 485. G.] 
 
FROM HEWAILD OF THE FAITHFULL. 243 
 
 (7.) OTHEES. 
 
 It is indeede the nature of al men to think other 
 mens lines more happy then their owne, 
 
 Optat epliippia bos piger, optat arare caballus. 
 Faine would the Oxe the horses trappins weare ; 
 And faine the Horse the oxes yoake would beare. (p. 283.) 
 [Horace Epist. i. 14, 43. G.] 
 
BOOKS BY THE 
 
 REV. ALEXANDER B. GROSART 
 
 St. Greorge's United Presbyterian Cliiircli, 
 Blackburn, Lancashire. 
 
 I, OBIGrKTAa^. 
 
 i. Small Sins. 3d. edn., with, additions, royal i6mo, 
 Oloth antique, price Is. 6d., pp. 119, 
 
 *' There is in it both genius and judgment, good writing, good 
 learning, and good gospel."— Dr. Johk Brown, author of " Rah and 
 his Friends^' &c., &c,, in the Scotsman, June Uh, 1863. 
 
 Mr. Grosart's noble sermon.— Rev. C. H. Spurgeon, appended 
 to an extract from it in his " Illustrated Almanack "for 1864. 
 
 The theology of the book is Pm-itanic ; the thinking, masculine 
 and weighty ; the illustrations, picturesque, and drawn from a wide 
 range of observation and reading ; and the appeals to the conscience 
 are often botb unexpected and very pungent. The Author's brilliancy 
 (and there is not a little of it) is like a rifle-flash, which tells that a 
 bullet is on its way."— The Treeman. 
 
 2. Jesus mighty to save : or Christ for all the World, and 
 all the "World for Christ. 3d edn., with additions^- 
 royal 16mo, cloth antique, pp. 204, price 2s. 
 
 " Not only is the Author an excellent Scholar in the languages 
 belonging to his profession, and possessed of more than ordinary insight 
 into modem literature, but he appears to have acquired a knowledge 
 of the old English and Scottish divinity, especially of the Puritan 
 order, which is as rare as it is rich and profitable. The page every- 
 where sparkles with diamonds gathered from these mines. And when 
 you sit down to read his books through, you find that this knov/ledge 
 is only the vesture of a thinking power worthy of such association, and 
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