The Works in Verse and Prose of Nicholas Breton For the First Time Collected and Edited: With Memorial-Introduction, Notes and Illustrations, Glossarial Index, Facsimilies, &c. By the Rev. Alexander B. Grosart. In Two Volumes |
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 | The Works in Verse and Prose of Nicholas Breton |  |
Gloria in excelsis Deo.
Sing, my soule, to God thy Lord,
All in glorie's highest keye;
Laie the Aungells quier aboorde,
In their highest holy daie;
Craue their helps to tune thy heart
Vnto praise's highest parte.
All in glorie's highest keye;
Laie the Aungells quier aboorde,
In their highest holy daie;
Craue their helps to tune thy heart
Vnto praise's highest parte.
Tell the world no world can tell
What the hand of heauen deserueth;
In whose onely mercies dwell
All that heauen and earth preserueth;
Death's confounding, Sinne's forgiuing;
Faith's relieuing, Comfort's liuing.
What the hand of heauen deserueth;
In whose onely mercies dwell
All that heauen and earth preserueth;
Death's confounding, Sinne's forgiuing;
Faith's relieuing, Comfort's liuing.
Grace and glory, life and loue,
Be the summe of all thy dittie;
Where a sinner's teares may proue
Comfort's ioy in Mercie's pitty:
Euery note in loue alluding,
Endlesse glory in concluding.
Be the summe of all thy dittie;
Where a sinner's teares may proue
Comfort's ioy in Mercie's pitty:
Euery note in loue alluding,
Endlesse glory in concluding.
Prayse of prayses where Thou dwellest,
Tell me, (if the world may know Thee)
In what sense Thou most excellest,
When Thy wonder worth doeth shew Thee,
In that state of Honour's story
Where Thou gain'st thy highest glorie?
Tell me, (if the world may know Thee)
In what sense Thou most excellest,
When Thy wonder worth doeth shew Thee,
In that state of Honour's story
Where Thou gain'st thy highest glorie?
'Tis not earth nor earthly wonder
Can discerne Thy dearest honour;
All her praises are put vnder,
When Thy glory lookes vpon her.
Nor in heauen Thy glorie dwelleth;
Where Thy wonder most excelleth.
Can discerne Thy dearest honour;
All her praises are put vnder,
When Thy glory lookes vpon her.
Nor in heauen Thy glorie dwelleth;
Where Thy wonder most excelleth.
Yet in heauen was neuer liuing
Virgin, saint, nor angel's spirit;
Where Thy Grace may haue the giuing
Of Thine honour's highest Merite.
Tis their glories admiration
That deserues Thy commendation.
Virgin, saint, nor angel's spirit;
Where Thy Grace may haue the giuing
Of Thine honour's highest Merite.
Tis their glories admiration
That deserues Thy commendation.
Since then by all consequences,
In the notes of Glorie's nature,
And the Graces influences,
Tis no earth, nor heauenly creature;
In my God alone on high
Is this onely mysterie.
In the notes of Glorie's nature,
And the Graces influences,
Tis no earth, nor heauenly creature;
In my God alone on high
Is this onely mysterie.
And since in His Maiestie,
All and onely euer dwelleth
That most glorious Deity,
That all prayse's praise excelleth;
Say although thy soule attend Him
It can neuer comprehend Him.
All and onely euer dwelleth
That most glorious Deity,
That all prayse's praise excelleth;
Say although thy soule attend Him
It can neuer comprehend Him.
If thou speak'st of power, all powers
To His power are in subiection;
If thou speak'st of time, all houres
Run their course by His direction:
If of wisedome, all is vanitie,
But in his Diuine humanitie.
To His power are in subiection;
If thou speak'st of time, all houres
Run their course by His direction:
If of wisedome, all is vanitie,
But in his Diuine humanitie.
If of trueth, it is His triall:
If of loue, it is His treasure:
If of life, it is His diall:
If of grace, it is His pleasure:
If of goodnesse, 'tis His storie:
If of mercy, 'tis his glorie.
If of loue, it is His treasure:
If of life, it is His diall:
If of grace, it is His pleasure:
If of goodnesse, 'tis His storie:
If of mercy, 'tis his glorie.
If of iustice, Iudgement sheweth
His proceeding is impartiall:
If of valour, all Hell knoweth
Who is Heauen's high marshall:
If of bountie, tis His blessing:
If of place, tis His possessing.
His proceeding is impartiall:
If of valour, all Hell knoweth
Who is Heauen's high marshall:
If of bountie, tis His blessing:
If of place, tis His possessing.
If of patience, His perfection:
If of comfort, tis His fauour:
If of vertue, His affection:
If of sweete, it is His sauour:
If of triumph, tis His merite:
If perfection, tis His Spirit.
If of comfort, tis His fauour:
If of vertue, His affection:
If of sweete, it is His sauour:
If of triumph, tis His merite:
If perfection, tis His Spirit.
If aboue all these thou singest
Rauisht in thy reason's glory;
Tell the world whatere thou bringest
Admiration's wonder's story;
To such height my Sauiour raiseth
As aboue all praises prayseth.
Rauisht in thy reason's glory;
Tell the world whatere thou bringest
Admiration's wonder's story;
To such height my Sauiour raiseth
As aboue all praises prayseth.
6
Let all kings and princes then
In submission fall before Him;
Virgins, angels, holy men,
Both in heauen and earth adore Him:
In His onely mercie seeing,
All and onely, all your being.
In submission fall before Him;
Virgins, angels, holy men,
Both in heauen and earth adore Him:
In His onely mercie seeing,
All and onely, all your being.
Babes and children, shew His glory,
In your silly soules preseruing:
Men and women note this storie
Of the life of loues deseruing;
Heauen and earth be euer reading
Of this essence of exceeding.
In your silly soules preseruing:
Men and women note this storie
Of the life of loues deseruing;
Heauen and earth be euer reading
Of this essence of exceeding.
Sunne and moone and euery creature
In that shining starrie skie,
All confesse your brightnesse' feature
In the hand of Mercie's eye:
And for all your blessed powers,
Shew it God's and none of your's.
In that shining starrie skie,
All confesse your brightnesse' feature
In the hand of Mercie's eye:
And for all your blessed powers,
Shew it God's and none of your's.
And when all the world together
Ioyne with angels harmonie:
Let my soule come singing thither
With that blessed company:
God in Mercie's power victorious,
Be aboue all glory glorious. Amen.
Ioyne with angels harmonie:
Let my soule come singing thither
With that blessed company:
God in Mercie's power victorious,
Be aboue all glory glorious. Amen.
Sacred Muse that onely sittest
In the spirits of the blessèd
And the faithfull onely fittest,
With their thoughts to heauen addressèd:
Helpe my humble soule to sing
To my glorious heau'nly King.
In the spirits of the blessèd
And the faithfull onely fittest,
With their thoughts to heauen addressèd:
Helpe my humble soule to sing
To my glorious heau'nly King.
All abandon earth's coniecture,
Thinke not on so meane an instance:
Make thine honour's architecture,
But on Grace's glorious substance:
There in comfort's confirmation
Build thy heauenly habitation.
Thinke not on so meane an instance:
Make thine honour's architecture,
But on Grace's glorious substance:
There in comfort's confirmation
Build thy heauenly habitation.
Study not astronomy,
Least to darknesse turne thy light:
But that high diuinitie
Where the day hath neuer night:
There finde out that worke of worth
That may bring thy wonder forth.
Least to darknesse turne thy light:
But that high diuinitie
Where the day hath neuer night:
There finde out that worke of worth
That may bring thy wonder forth.
In the teares of true contrition,
Think on Mercie's blessednes:
And in care of Loue's condition
Of Perfection's holinesse:
Then in notes of Grace's glory
Make the state of all thy story.
Think on Mercie's blessednes:
And in care of Loue's condition
Of Perfection's holinesse:
Then in notes of Grace's glory
Make the state of all thy story.
| The Works in Verse and Prose of Nicholas Breton | |