Evgenia Or Trve Nobilities Trance; For The Most Memorable Death, of The Thrice Noble And Religiovs; William Lord Rvssel, &c. Divided into foure Vigils of the Night. By Geo. Chapman |
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Vigilia Tertia.
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Vigilia Tertia.
Still looking, neuer stooping to his death,
Like some great Combattant, that though giuen breath,
Yet eyes his Foe still; No glance cast aside,
To giue aduantage of a touch vnspied:
So, those twice seuen daies, that his lifes Foe gaue
His sicknes breath (though in his sight, his graue
Gaspt for his dutie, in deaths instant deede)
He neuer lay, nor wore a sickly weede.
Like some great Combattant, that though giuen breath,
Yet eyes his Foe still; No glance cast aside,
To giue aduantage of a touch vnspied:
So, those twice seuen daies, that his lifes Foe gaue
His sicknes breath (though in his sight, his graue
Gaspt for his dutie, in deaths instant deede)
He neuer lay, nor wore a sickly weede.
If Death of him gat; He of Death, got more;
And fortified himselfe still with the store
The sacred Morgazine yeelded: Where he found
Weapons that grew; and made each word a wound,
Of which he gaue his ghastly Enimie one
To be his Trophey when the fight was done.
Which was a frailtie in him that would faine
Haue proued a fainting; But who growes againe
Vp to his strength, is stronger far then hee,
Whose forces neuer felt infirmitie.
He chusde his Funerall Text, that shewd him strooke
With some distraction; yet the forme he tooke
From the most learn'd Apostle; chearde him so
That deaths aduantage, prou'd his ouerthrow.
The Prophet that was rauisht quick to heauen,
And neuer fought with Death; Nor those foule seuen
His vgly Ministers, in that extreme,
Triumphs in so rich a Diademe,
As he in heauen weares. The more wrestling here
(The Garland won) the more our price is there.
But in our worldly ends, so fraile we are,
That we the Garland giue to euery care
That doth assaile vs; each particular misse,
Of that for which the body carefull is;
Our other plenties, prouing meerly wants,
And all that the celestiall prouidence plants
Still in our reach; is to our vse despisde:
And, only what we can not compasse prisde.
And fortified himselfe still with the store
The sacred Morgazine yeelded: Where he found
Weapons that grew; and made each word a wound,
Of which he gaue his ghastly Enimie one
To be his Trophey when the fight was done.
Which was a frailtie in him that would faine
Haue proued a fainting; But who growes againe
Vp to his strength, is stronger far then hee,
Whose forces neuer felt infirmitie.
He chusde his Funerall Text, that shewd him strooke
With some distraction; yet the forme he tooke
From the most learn'd Apostle; chearde him so
That deaths aduantage, prou'd his ouerthrow.
And neuer fought with Death; Nor those foule seuen
His vgly Ministers, in that extreme,
Triumphs in so rich a Diademe,
As he in heauen weares. The more wrestling here
(The Garland won) the more our price is there.
But in our worldly ends, so fraile we are,
That we the Garland giue to euery care
That doth assaile vs; each particular misse,
Of that for which the body carefull is;
Our other plenties, prouing meerly wants,
And all that the celestiall prouidence plants
Still in our reach; is to our vse despisde:
And, only what we can not compasse prisde.
When this fault sence proues true, as Reason saies;
Why let we Sense still interpose delaies
To our true Reasons comforts? Ruling so
That either we must rage still in our woe,
Or beare it with so false a patience,
As showes no more our ease then our offence;
Exprest in grudging at our penance still:
Our grudging showne, in our no more curb'd will,
To our most iust Imposers; then to leaue
Moodie, and muddie, our apt powrs to grieue:
Not, that we may not beare a suffering show
In our afflictions, weighing grauely how
We may dispose them to our best amends;
But, not take so much sorrow as transcends
Our healths; or shewes, we let griefe further goe,
Then our Content, that God will haue it so;
Remayning in such plight; as if we thought
That this our phisique of affliction wrought
More painefully, then with a healthfull neede;
When our all-skil'd Phisition doth proceede
So strictly in his obiect of our ease,
(So he may mend vs to and soundly please)
That not a scruple, nor the slendrest graine
Of any Corasiue, shall rack our paine
Past his full point of our most needfull cure;
Weight, measure, number, all Gods workes assure.
Which, not because infallible Scripture saies,
We only may beleeue (though that cause weies
More then enough to strengthen any Faith:)
But God to euery sound beliefe conuaith
A Regular knowledge; to informe vs how
We may sustaine his burthens, though we bow
Vnder their sad weight; which when once we proue;
It will annexe to our beliefe such loue,
That (as the Sunne, mists) quite shall cleare our care,
And make our generall peace so circulare;
That Faith and Hope, at either end shall pull
And make it come: Round as the Moone at full.
Why let we Sense still interpose delaies
To our true Reasons comforts? Ruling so
That either we must rage still in our woe,
Or beare it with so false a patience,
As showes no more our ease then our offence;
Exprest in grudging at our penance still:
Our grudging showne, in our no more curb'd will,
To our most iust Imposers; then to leaue
Moodie, and muddie, our apt powrs to grieue:
Not, that we may not beare a suffering show
In our afflictions, weighing grauely how
We may dispose them to our best amends;
But, not take so much sorrow as transcends
Our healths; or shewes, we let griefe further goe,
Then our Content, that God will haue it so;
Remayning in such plight; as if we thought
That this our phisique of affliction wrought
When our all-skil'd Phisition doth proceede
So strictly in his obiect of our ease,
(So he may mend vs to and soundly please)
That not a scruple, nor the slendrest graine
Of any Corasiue, shall rack our paine
Past his full point of our most needfull cure;
Weight, measure, number, all Gods workes assure.
Which, not because infallible Scripture saies,
We only may beleeue (though that cause weies
More then enough to strengthen any Faith:)
But God to euery sound beliefe conuaith
A Regular knowledge; to informe vs how
We may sustaine his burthens, though we bow
Vnder their sad weight; which when once we proue;
It will annexe to our beliefe such loue,
That (as the Sunne, mists) quite shall cleare our care,
And make our generall peace so circulare;
That Faith and Hope, at either end shall pull
And make it come: Round as the Moone at full.
And this, doe many know, though (as t'is said
By that most comfortable Truth, our head,
After his Prophet) with the arte of th'eare;
Yet, nothing vnderstanding yee shall heare;
Yee, looking on; shall see, and not perceiue,
As often our diuerted thoughts bereaue
The vse of both those senses, though we be
In reach of sights, and sounds; and heare and see:
By that most comfortable Truth, our head,
After his Prophet) with the arte of th'eare;
Yet, nothing vnderstanding yee shall heare;
Yee, looking on; shall see, and not perceiue,
As often our diuerted thoughts bereaue
The vse of both those senses, though we be
In reach of sights, and sounds; and heare and see:
For as the eye discernes not black from white,
Colour, from sound; till with a noble light
The soule casts on it, it is made descrie;
So, till the soules blanck Intellectuall eye
The worlds soule rinseth in his actiue raies,
And her Rac't table fills with formes; it staies
Blanck to all Notions that informe vs how
To make our cares with in comforts grow:
Our fainting, in the free reach of our faith,
And, in our lifes fixt peace, all feare of death.
Which true light to this Lords soule, shining came
And fixt him Rock-like, till his Faith did flame.
Colour, from sound; till with a noble light
The soule casts on it, it is made descrie;
So, till the soules blanck Intellectuall eye
And her Rac't table fills with formes; it staies
Blanck to all Notions that informe vs how
To make our cares with in comforts grow:
Our fainting, in the free reach of our faith,
And, in our lifes fixt peace, all feare of death.
Which true light to this Lords soule, shining came
And fixt him Rock-like, till his Faith did flame.
His conflict past, he to the comfort went,
That makes those Thornes, Crownes; The blest Sacrament,
Of which, The powrefull consecrated bread;
(That cheares the liuing, and reuiues the dead,
Receiud, with feare, and faith; that one yoke beare;
Feare, that awes Faith; and Faith that tempers feare,)
Assum'd by him: This witnesse he did giue
Of what he tooke: I constantly belieue;
That as I take, hold, and by grace shall eate
This sacred bread; So that flesh that did sweat
Water and bloud, in my deare Sauiours side;
I shall in this bread, all exhibified,
In my Eternall safeties full effect,
Take, hold, and eate, as his most sure Elect.
That makes those Thornes, Crownes; The blest Sacrament,
Of which, The powrefull consecrated bread;
(That cheares the liuing, and reuiues the dead,
Receiud, with feare, and faith; that one yoke beare;
Feare, that awes Faith; and Faith that tempers feare,)
Assum'd by him: This witnesse he did giue
Of what he tooke: I constantly belieue;
That as I take, hold, and by grace shall eate
This sacred bread; So that flesh that did sweat
Water and bloud, in my deare Sauiours side;
I shall in this bread, all exhibified,
In my Eternall safeties full effect,
Take, hold, and eate, as his most sure Elect.
To this effect; Effectually the Wine,
(Turnd the true bloud, of the eternall Vine
His most lou'd Sauiour,) Then, as fresh in powre
As in the very instant of that howre,
In which 'twas shed for him; he did belieue
To his saluation; he did then receiue.
(Turnd the true bloud, of the eternall Vine
His most lou'd Sauiour,) Then, as fresh in powre
As in the very instant of that howre,
In which 'twas shed for him; he did belieue
To his saluation; he did then receiue.
Thus held he combat, till his latest day,
Walking, and after; Conquerd, as he lay,
Spake to his latest howre; And when no more
He could by speach impart, th'amazing store
Of his assurd ioies, that as surely last;
His diligent diuine, desird a tast
Of his still strong assurance by some signe;
When both his hands, euen then wrought in the mine
Of his exhaustles faith; that cround his Euen,
And cast such treasure vp, as purchast heauen,
Thus his most christian combat did conclude,
He conquering most, when most he was subdude.
Walking, and after; Conquerd, as he lay,
Spake to his latest howre; And when no more
He could by speach impart, th'amazing store
His diligent diuine, desird a tast
Of his still strong assurance by some signe;
When both his hands, euen then wrought in the mine
Of his exhaustles faith; that cround his Euen,
And cast such treasure vp, as purchast heauen,
Thus his most christian combat did conclude,
He conquering most, when most he was subdude.
Yet, not to leaue him here; his funerall
Deserues in part, to be obseru'd of all.
In which, his sonne; his owne kinde zealous spirit
Did with his honors, and his lands inherit;
Whose pious nature paying manly teares,
(Which stony ioies stoppe in most other heires)
To his departure; whose attending close
(Through dust, and heate) the bodie in repose;
Next Euen; and the whole way to his home:
Whose there, fresh deawing with kinde Balmes his tombe;
Whose liberall hand, to nere two thousand pore;
Whose laying vp, as his most prised store
His fathers life-bought counsailes; all, as nought
I will not touch her: None giues these a thought;
But how his teares led others; all the Phane
Flowing with such brine; seasoning parts humane
Offerd to pietie, which kinde, dead to, now
Yet here so plenteous; me thinks should not show
Lesse then a wonder; and may argue well
That from some sacred fount, these riuers fell:
O why wept, mans great Patterne for his friend,
But these affections, grauely to commend?
Deserues in part, to be obseru'd of all.
In which, his sonne; his owne kinde zealous spirit
Did with his honors, and his lands inherit;
Whose pious nature paying manly teares,
(Which stony ioies stoppe in most other heires)
To his departure; whose attending close
(Through dust, and heate) the bodie in repose;
Next Euen; and the whole way to his home:
Whose there, fresh deawing with kinde Balmes his tombe;
Whose liberall hand, to nere two thousand pore;
Whose laying vp, as his most prised store
His fathers life-bought counsailes; all, as nought
I will not touch her: None giues these a thought;
But how his teares led others; all the Phane
Flowing with such brine; seasoning parts humane
Offerd to pietie, which kinde, dead to, now
Yet here so plenteous; me thinks should not show
Lesse then a wonder; and may argue well
That from some sacred fount, these riuers fell:
O why wept, mans great Patterne for his friend,
But these affections, grauely to commend?
But these things now are nothing; the proud Morne
Now on her typtoes, view'd this stuffe, which skorne.
Scripture examples; parts of manlie kinde;
The most vpright flames of the godlike minde;
Like winter lightnings are; that doe portend
Wretched euents, to all men they commend;
All things inuerted are; nought brookes the light
But what may well make blush the blackest night.
Now on her typtoes, view'd this stuffe, which skorne.
The most vpright flames of the godlike minde;
Like winter lightnings are; that doe portend
Wretched euents, to all men they commend;
All things inuerted are; nought brookes the light
But what may well make blush the blackest night.
Explicit Vigilia Tertia.
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