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Think well some region where they dwell may wrack,
But that the whole nor time nor force can shake;
Yet, frantic, muse to see Heaven's stately lights,
Like drunkards, wayless reel amidst their heights.
Such as do nations govern, and command
Vasts of the sea and emperies of land,
Repine to see their countries overthrown,
And find no foe their fury to make known:
"Alas!" they say, "what boots our toils and pains,
Of care on Earth is this the furthest gains?
No riches now can bribe our angry fate;

O no! to blast our pride the Heavens do threat:
In dust now must our greatness buried lie,
Yet is it comfort with the world to die."
As more and more the warning signs increase,
Wild dread deprives lost Adam's race of peace;
From out their grand-dame Earth theyfain would fly,
But whither know not, Heavens are far and high:
Each would bewail and mourn his own distress;
But public cries do private tears suppress:
Laments, plaints, shrieks of woe, disturb all ears,
And fear is equal to the pain it fears.

Amidst this mass of cruelty and slights,
This galley, full of God-despising wights,
This jail of sin and shame, this filthy stage,
Where all act folly, misery, and rage;
Amidst those throngs of old prepar'd for Hell,
Those numbers which no Archimede can tell,
A silly crew did lurk, a harmless rout,
Wand'ring the Earth, which God had chosen out
To live with him, (few roses which did blow
Among those weeds Earth's garden overgrow,
A dew of gold still'd on earth's sandy mine,
Small diamonds in world's rough rocks which shine,)
By purple tyrants which pursu'd and chas'd,
Liv'd recluses, in lonely islands plac'd;

Or did the mountains haunt, and forests wild, [mild;
Which they than towns more harmless found and
Where many an hymn they, to their Maker's praise,
Teach'd groves and rooks, which did resound their
lays.

Nor sword, nor famine, nor plague poisoning air,
Nor prodigies appearing every where,
Nor all the sad disorder of this all,
Could this small handful of the world appal;
But as the flow'r, which during winter's cold
Runs to the root, and lurks in sap uproll'd,
So soon as the great planet of the year
Begins the Twins' dear mansion to clear,
Lifts up its fragrant head, and to the field
A spring of beauty and delight doth yield:
So at those signs and apparitions strange,
Their thoughts, looks, gestures, did begin to change;
Joy makes their hands to clap, their hearts to dance,
In voice turns music, in their eyes doth glance.
"What can,"saythey, “these changes else portend,
Of this great frame, save the approaching end!
Past are the signs, all is perform'd of old,
Which the Almighty's heralds us foretold.
Heaven now no longer shall of God's great power
A turning temple be, but fixed tower;
Burn shall this mortal mass amidst the air,
Of divine justice turn'd a trophy fair;
Near is the last of days, whose light embalms
Past griefs, and all our stormy cares becalms.
O happy day! O cheerful, holy day!
Which night's sad sables shall not take away!
Farewel complaints, and ye yet doubtful thought
Crown now your hopes with comforts long time
sought;

VOL. V.

Wip'd from our eyes now shall be every tear,
Sighs stopt, since our salvation is so near.
What long we long'd for, God at last hath given,
Earth's chosen bands to join with those of Heaven.
Now noble souls a guerdon just shall find,
And rest and glory be in one combin'd;
Now, more than in a mirror, by these eyne,
Even face to face, our Maker shall be seen.
O welcome wonder of the soul and sight!
O welcome object of all true delight!
Thy triumphs and return we did expect,
Of all past toils to reap the dear effect:
Since thou art just, perform thy holy word;
O come still hop'd for, come long wish'd for, Lord."
While thus they pray, the Heavens in flames ap-
As if they shew fire's elemental sphere; [pear,
The Earth seems in the Sun, the welkin gone;
Wonder all hushes; straight the air doth groan
With trumpets, which thrice louder sounds do yield
Than deaf ning thunders in the airy field.
Created nature at the clangour quakes;
Immur'd with flames, Earth in a palsy shakes,
And from her womb the dust in several heaps
Takes life, and must'reth into human shapes:
Hell bursts, and the foul prisoners there bound
Come howling to the day, with serpents crown'd.
Millions of angels in the lofty height,
Clad in pure gold, and the electre bright,
Ushering the way still where the Judge should move,
In radiant rainbows vault the skies above;
Which quickly open, like a curtain driven,
And beaming glory shows the King of Heaven.

What Persian prince, Assyrian most renown'd,
What Scythian with conquering squadrons crown'd,
Ent'ring a breached city, where conspire
Fire to dry blood, and blood to quench out fire;
Where cutted carcasses' quick members reel,
And by their ruin blunt the reeking steel,
Resembleth now the ever-living King?
What face of Troy which doth with yelling ring,
And Grecian flames transported in the air;
What dreadful spectacle of Carthage fair;
What picture of rich Corinth's tragic wrack,
Or of Numantia the hideous sack;
Or these together shown, the image, face,
Can represent of Earth, and plaintful case,
Which must lie smoking in the world's vast womb,
And to itself both fuel be and tomb?

Near to that sweet and odoriferous clime, Where the all-cheering emperor of time Makes spring the cassia, nard, and fragrant balms, And every hill and collin crowns with palms; Where incense sweats, where weeps the precious And cedars overtop the pine and fir: [myrrh, Near where the aged phenix, tir'd of breath, Doth build her nest, and takes new life in death; A valley into wide and open fields Far it extendeth ****** The rest is wanting.

HYMNS. I.

SAVIOUR of mankind! Man Emanuel!
Who sinless died for sin, who vanquish'd Hell,
The first fruits of the grave, whose life did give
Light to our darkness, in whose death we live
O strengthen thou my faith, correct my will,
That mine may thine obey: protect me still,

Z z

So that the latter death may not devour
My soul seal'd with thy seal; so in the hour
When thou, whose body sanctified thy tomb,
(Unjustly judg'd) a glorious judge shalt come,
To judge the world with justice; by that sign
I may be known and entertain'd for thine.

11.

HIM, whom the earth, the sea, and sky
Worship, adore, and magnify,
And doth this threefold engine steer,
Mary's pure closet now doth bear:

Whom Sun and Moon, and creatures all,
Serving at times, obey his call,
Pouring from Heaven his sacred grace,
I' th' virgin's bowels hath ta'en place.

Mother most blest by such a dower,
Whose Maker, Lord of highest power,
Who this wide world in hand contains,
In thy womb's ark himself restrains.

Blest by a message from Heaven brought,
Fertile with Holy Ghost full fraught,
Of nations the desired King,
Within thy sacred womb doth spring.

Lord, may thy glory still endure,
Who born wast of a virgin pure;
The Father's and the Sp'rit's love,
Which endless worlds may not remove.

JII.

JESU, our prayers with mildness hear,
Who art the crown which virgins decks,
Whom a pure maid did breed and bear,
The sole example of her sex.

Thou feeding there where lilies spring,
While round about the virgins dance,
Thy spouse dost to glory bring,

And them with high rewards advance.

The virgins follow in thy ways

Whithersoever thou dost go,

They trace thy steps with songs of praise,
And in sweet hymns thy glory show.

Cause thy protecting grace, we pray,
In all our senses to abound,
Keeping from them all harms which may
Our souls with foul corruption wound.

Praise, honour, strength, and glory great,
To God the Father, and the Son,
And to the holy Paraclete

While time lasts, and when time is done.

IV.

BENIGN Creator of the stars,

Eternal Light of faithful eyes, Christ, whose redemption none debars, Do not our humble prayers despise.

Who for the state of mankind griev'd,

That it by death destroy'd should be, Hast the diseased world reliev'd,

And given the guilty remedy.

When th' evening of the world drew near,
Thou as a bridegroom deign'st to come
Out of the wedding chamber dear,
Thy virgin mother's purest womb:

To the strong force of whose high reign
All knees are bow'd with gesture low,
Creatures which Heav'n on Earth contain
With rev'rence their subjection show.

O holy Lord! we thee desire,
Whom we expect to judge all faults,
Preserve us, as the times require,
From our deceitful foes' assaults.

Praise, honour, strength, and glory great,
To God the Father, and the Son,
And to the holy Paraclete,

Whilst time lasts, and when time is done.

HYMN FOR SUNDAY.

BLEST Creator of the light, Who bringing forth the light of days, With the first work of splendour bright The world didst to beginning raise ; Who morn with evening join'd in one Commandedst should be call'd the day: The foul confusion now is gone;

O hear us when with tears we pray :

Lest that the mind, with fears full fraught,
Should lose best life's eternal gains,
While it hath no immortal thought,
But is enwrapt in sinful chains.

O may it beat the inmost sky,
And the reward of life possess !
May we from hurtful actions fly,
And purge away all wickedness!
Dear Father, grant what we entreat,
And only Son, who like pow'r hast,
Together with the Paraclete,

Reigning whilst times and ages last.

HYMN FOR MONDAY.

GREAT Maker of the Heavens wide,
Who, lest things mix'd should all confound,
The floods and waters didst divide,

And didst appoint the Heav'ns their bound; Ordering where heav'nly things shall stay, Where streams shall run on earthly soil, That waters may the flames allay,

Lest they the globe of Earth should spoil.

Sweet Lord, into our minds infuse

The gift of everlasting grace,
That no old faults which we did use
May with new frauds our souls deface.

May our true faith obtain the light,

And such clear beams our hearts possess, That it vain things may banish quite, And that no falsehood it oppress. Dear Father, grant what we entreat, &c.

That sin no soul opprest may thrall,

That none be lifted high with pride, That minds cast downwards do not fall, Nor raised up may backward slide. Dear Father, &c.

707

HYMN FOR TUESDAY.

GREAT Maker of man's earthly realm, Who didst the ground from waters take Which did the troubled land o'erwhelm, And it immovable didst make;

That there young plants might fitly spring, While it with golden flow'rs attir'd Might forth ripe fruit in plenty bring,

And yield sweet fruit by all desir'd: .

With fragrant greenness of thy grace,

Our blasted souls of wounds release, That tears foul sins away may chase, And in the mind bad motions cease.

May it obey thy heav'nly voice,

And never drawing near to ill, T' abound in goodness may rejoice, And may no mortal sin fulfil. Dear Father, &c.

HYMN FOR FRIDAY. GOD, from whose work mankind did spring, Who all in rule dost only keep Bidding the dry land forth to bring

All kind of beasts which on it creep;

Who hast made subject to man's hand Great bodies of each mighty thing, That, taking life from thy command, They might in order serve their King; From us thy servants, Lord, expel

Those errours which uncleanness breeds, Which either in our manners dwell,

Or mix themselves among our deeds.
Give the rewards of joyful life;

The plenteous gifts of grace increase;
Dissolve the cruel bonds of strife;
Knit fast the happy league of peace.
Dear Father, &c.

HYMN FOR WEDNESDAY.

HOLY God of heav'nly frame,

Who mak'st the pole's wide centre bright, And paint'st the same with shining flame, Adorning it with beauteous light;

Who framing, on the fourth of days,
The fiery chariot of the Sun,
Appoint'st the Moon her changing rays,
And orbs in which the planets run;

That thou might'st by a certain bound
'Twixt night and day division make;
And that some sure sign might be found

To show when months beginning take; Men's hearts with lightsome splendour bless, Wipe from their minds polluting spots, Dissolve the bond of guiltiness,

Throw down the heaps of sinful blots. Dear Father, &c.

HYMN FOR THURSDAY.

GOD, whose forces far extend,

Who creatures which from waters spring Back to the flood dost partly send,

And up to th' air dost partly bring;

Some in the waters deeply div'd,

Some playing in the Heav'ns above, That natures from one stock deriv'd May thus to several dwellings move: Upon thy servants grace bestow,

Whose souls thy bloody waters clear, That they no sinful falls may know, Nor heavy grief of death may bear;

HYMN FOR SATURDAY.

O TRINITY! O blessed light!
O Unity, most principal!
The fiery Sun now leaves our sight;
Cause in our hearts thy beams to fall;

Let us with songs of praise divine

At morn and evening thee implore;
And let our glory, bow'd to thine,
Thee glorify for evermore.

To God the Father glory great,
And glory to his only Son,
And to the holy Paraclete,

Both now, and still while ages run.

HYMN UPON THE NATIVITY.

CHRIST, whose redemption all doth free,
Son of the Father, who alone,

Before the world began to be,

Didst spring from him by means unknown;

Thou his clear brightness, thou his light,
Thou everlasting hope of all,
Observe the pray'rs which in thy sight
Thy servants through the world let fall.

O dearest Saviour, bear in mind,
That of our body thou, a child,
Didst whilom take the natural kind,
Born of the Virgin undefil'd.

This much the present day makes known,
Passing the circuit of the year,
That thou from thy high Father's throne
The world's sole safety didst appear,

The highest Heaven, the earth, and seas, And all that is within them found, Because he sent thee us to ease,

With mirthful songs his praise resound.

We also, who redeemed are

With thy pure blood from sinful state, For this thy birth-day will prepare

New hymns this feast to celebrate.

Glory, O Lord, be given to thee,

Whom the unspotted Virgin bore;

And glory to thee, Father, be,

And th' Holy Ghost, for evermore.

HYMN UPON THE INNOCENTS.

HAIL you, sweet babes! that are the flow'rs,
Whom, when you life begin to taste,
The enemy of Christ devours,

As whirlwinds down the roses cast:

First sacrifice to Christ you went,

Of offer'd lambs a tender sort; With palms and crowns, you innocent Before the sacred altar sport.

UPON THE SUNDAYS IN LENT.

HYMN.

O MERCIFUL Creator, hear

Our pray'rs to thee devoutly bent, Which we pour forth with many a tear In this most holy fast of Lent.

Thou mildest searcher of each heart,

Who know'st the weakness of our strength, To us forgiving grace impart,

Since we return to thee at length.

Much have we sinned, to our shame;
But spare us, who our sins confess;
And, for the glory of thy name,
To our sick souls afford redress.

Grant that the flesh may be so pin'd
By means of outward abstinence,
As that the sober watchful mind

May fast from spots of all offence.
Grant this, O blessed Trinity!
Pure Unity, to this incline-
That the effects of fasts may be
A grateful recompense for thine.

Let thine own goodness to thee bend,
That thou our sins may'st put to flight;
Spare us and, as our wishes tend,

O satisfy us with thy sight!

May'st thou our joyful pleasures be,
Who shall be our expected gain ;
And let our glory be in thee,
While any ages shall remain.

HYMN FOR WHITSUNDAY.

CREATOR, Holy Ghost, descend;

Visit our minds with thy bright flame; And thy celestial grace extend

To fill the hearts which thou didst frame:

Who Paraclete art said to be,

Gift which the highest God bestows; Fountain of life, fire, charity,

Ointment whence ghostly blessing flows.

Thy sevenfold grace thou down dost send, .Of God's right hand thou finger art; Thou, by the Father promised,

Unto our mouths dost speech impart.

In our dull senses kindle light;

Infuse thy love into our hearts; Reforming with perpetual light Th' infirmities of fleshly parts.

Far from our dwelling drive our foe,
And quickly peace unto us bring;

Be thou our guide, before to go,
That we may shun each hurtful thing.

Be pleased to instruct our mind,

To know the Father and the Son; The Spirit, who them both doth bind, Let us believe while ages run.

To God the Father glory great,
And to the Son, who from the dead
Arose, and to the Paraclete,
Beyond all time imagined.

ON THE ASCENSION DAY.

O Jesu, who our souls dost save,

On whom our love and hopes depend;
God from whom all things being have,
Man when the world drew to an end;

What clemency thee vanquish'd so,
Upon thee our foul crimes to take,
And cruel death to undergo,

That thou from death us free might make?

ON THE

TRANSFIGURATION OF OUR LORD,

THE SIXTH OF AUGUST.

A HYMN.

ALL you that seek Christ, let your sight
Up to the height directed be,
For there you may the sign most bright
Of everlasting glory see.

A radiant light we there behold,

Endless, unbounded, lofty, high; Than Heaven or that rude heap more old Wherein the world confus'd did lie.

The Gentiles this great prince embrace; The Jews obey this king's command, Promis'd to Abraham and his race

A blessing while the world shall stand.

B

By mouths of prophets free from lyes, Who seal the witness which they bear, His Father bidding testifies

That we should him believe and hear. Glory, O Lord, be given to thee,

Who hast appear'd upon this day; And glory to the Father be,

And to the Holy Ghost, for aye.

ON THE

FEAST OF ST. MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL.

To thee, O Christ! thy Father's light,
Life, virtue, which our heart inspires,
In presence of thine angels bright,
We sing with voice and with desires:
Ourselves we mutually invite,
To melody with answering choirs.
With reverence we these soldiers praise,
Who near the heavenly throne abide;
And chiefly him whom God doth raise,
His strong celestial host to guide-
Michael, who by his power dismays
And beateth down the Devil's pride.

PETER,

AFTER THE DENIAL OF HIS MASTER.

LIKE to the solitary pelican,

The shady groves, I haunt, and deserts wild,
Amongst wood's burgesses; from sight of man,
From Earth's delight, from mine own self exil'd.
But that remorse, which with my fall began,
Relenteth not, nor is by change turn'd mild;
But rends my soul, and, like a famish'd child,
Renews its cries, though nurse does what she can.
Look how the shrieking bird that courts the night
In ruin'd wall doth lurk, and gloomy place:
Of Sun, of Moon, of stars, I shun the light,
Not knowing where to stay, what to embrace:
How to Heaven's lights should I lift these of mine,
Sith I denied him who made them shine!

ON THE VIRGIN MARY.

THE Woful Mary, 'midst a blubber'd band Of weeping virgins, near unto the tree Where God death suffer'd, man from death to free, Like to a plaintful nightingale did stand, Which sees her younglings reft before her eyes, And hath nought else to guard them, save her cries:

Love thither had her brought, and misbelief Of these sad news, which charg'd her mind to fears; But now her eyes, more wretched than her tears, Bear witness (ah, too true!) of feared grief: Her doubts made certain did her hopes destroy, Abandoning her soul to black annoy.

Long fixing downcast eyes on earth, at last She longing them did raise (O torturing sight!) To view what they did shun, their sole delight Imbru'd in his own blood, and naked plac'd To sinful eyes; naked, save that black veil Which Heaven him shrouded with, that did bewail.

It was not pity, pain, grief, did possess The mother, but an agony more strange: Cheeks' roses in pale lilies straight did change; Her sp'rits, as if she bled his blood, turn'd less; When she him saw, woe did all words deny, And grief her only suffer'd sigh, O my!

"O my dear Lord and Son!" then she began; "Immortal birth, though of a mortal born; Eternal bounty, which doth Heav'n adorn;

Without a mother, God; a father, man! Ah! what hast thou deserv'd? what hast thou done,

Thus to be treat? Woe's me, my son, my son !

"Who bruis'd thy face, the glory of this all? Who eyes engor'd, load-stars to paradise? Who, as thou wert a trimmed sacrifice,

Did with that cruel crown thy brows impale? Who rais'd thee, whom so oft the angels serv'd, Between those thieves who that foul death deserv'd?

"Was it for this thou bred wast in my womb Mine arms a cradle serv'd thee to repose? My milk thee fed, as morning dew the rose?

Did I thee keep till this sad time should come, That wretched men should nail thee to a tree, And I a witness of thy pangs must be?

"It is not long, the way's bestrew'd with flow'rs, With shouts to echoing Heav'ns and mountains roll'd, Since, as in triumph, I thee did behold

In royal pomp approach proud Sion's tow'rs: Lo, what a change! Who did thee then embrace, Now at thee shake their heads, inconstant race!

"Eternal Father! from whose piercing eye Hid nought is found that in this all is form'd, Deign to vouchsafe a look unto this round,

This round, the stage of a sad tragedy: Look but if thy dear pledge thou here canst know, On an unhappy tree a shameful show!

"Ah! look if this be he, Almighty King, Before Heav'ns spangled were with stars of gold, Ere world a center had it to uphold,

Whom from eternity thou forth didst bring; With virtue, form, and light who did adorn Sky's radiant globes-see where he hangs a scorn!

"Did all my prayers tend to this? Is this
The promise that celestial herald made
At Nazareth, when full of joy he said,

I happy was, and from thee did me bless?
How am I blest? No, most unhappy I
Of all the mothers underneath the sky.

"How true and of choice oracles the choice Was that blest Hebrew, whose dear eyes in peace Mild death did close ere they saw this disgrace,

When he forespake with more than angel's voice; The Son should (malice sign) be set apart, Then that a sword should pierce the mother's heart!

"But whither dost thou go, life of my soul? O stay a little till I die with thee! And do I live thee languishing to see?

And cannot grief frail laws of life controul? If grief prove weak, come, cruel squadrons, kill The mother, spare the Son, he knows no ill:

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