The Hymnes and Songs of the Chvrch Diuided into two parts. The first part comprehends the Canonicall Hymnes, and such parcels of Holy Scripture, as may properly be sung, with some other ancient Songs and Creeds. The second part consists of Spirituall Songs, appropriated to the seuerall Times and Occasions obserueable in the Church of England. Translated and Composed by G. VV. [i.e. George Wither] |
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| XLV. |
| XLVIII. |
| XLIX. |
| LIII. |
| LV. | SONG. LV. Friday before Easter. |
| LVIII. |
| LIX. |
| LX. |
| LXI. |
| LXII. |
| LXIII. |
| LXIV. |
| LXV. |
| LXVI. |
| LXVII. |
| LXIX. |
| LXX. |
| LXXIII. |
| LXXV. |
| LXXX. |
| LXXXIII. |
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 | The Hymnes and Songs of the Chvrch |  |
149
SONG. LV. Friday before Easter.
[1]
Yov that like heedlesse Strangers passe along,As if nought here concerned you to day;
Draw nigh and heare the saddest Passion Song.
That euer you did meet with in your way:
So sad a Storie ne're was told before,
Nor shall there be the like for euermore.
2
The greatest King that euer wore a Crowne,More then the basest Vassall was abus'd;
The truest Louer that was euer knowne,
By them he lou'd was most vnkindly vs'd:
And he that liu'd from all transgressions cleare,
Was plagu'd for all the sinnes that euer were.
3
Eu'n they, in pitty of whose fall he wept,Wrought for his ruine, whilst he sought their good;
And watched for him when they should haue slept,
150
Yet (when their bonds frō him he could haue thrown)
To saue their liues, he daign'd to lose his owne.
4
Those, in whose hearts compassion should haue beene,Insulted o're his poore afflicted soule;
And those that nothing ill in him had seene,
(as guiltie) him accus'd of treason foule:
Nay, him (that neuer had one idle thought)
They, for blaspheming, vnto Iudgments brought.
5
Where some to aske him vaine demands begin,And some to make a sport with him deuise:
Some, at his answers and behauiour grinne;
And some doe spit their filth into his eies:
Some giue him blows, some mocke, and some reuile;
And he (Good heart) sits quiet all the while.
6
Oh, that where such a throng of men should be,No heart was found so gentle to relent!
And that so good and meeke a Lambe as he,
Should be so vs'd, and yet no teare be spent!
Sure, when once malice fills the heart of man,
Nor stone nor steele can be so hardned than.
7
For, after this, his cloaths from him they stript;And then, as if some Slaue this Lord had beene,
With cruell Rods and Scourges him they whipt,
Till wounds were ouer all his body seene:
In purple clad, and crowned too with thorne
They set him forth, and honourd him in scorne.
151
8
And when they saw him in so sad a plight,As might haue made a flintie heart to bleed,
They not a whit recanted at the sight;
But in their hellish fury did proceed:
Away with him, away with him, they said,
And Crucifie him, Crucifie him, cride.
9
A Crosse of Wood that huge and heauy was,Vpon his bloodie shoulders next they lay;
Which onward to his Execution place,
He carri'd, till he fainted in the way:
And when he thither weake and tyred came,
To giue him rest, they nail'd him to the same.
10
Oh! could we but the thousandth part relate,Of those Afflictions which they made him beare,
Our hearts with passion would dissolue thereat,
And we should sit and weepe for euer heare;
Nor should we glad againe hereafter be,
But that we hope in glory him to see.
11
For, while vpon the Crosse he pained hung,And was with soule-tormentings also grieu'd;
(Farre more then can be told by any tongue,
Or, in the hearts of mortalls be conceiu'd)
Those, for whose sake he vnderwent such paine,
Reioyc't thereat, and held him in disdaine.
12
One offer'd to him Vinegar and Gall;A second did his Pious Workes deride;
To dicing for his Roabs did others fall;
152
Yet he, as they his paine still more procur'd,
Still lou'd, and for their good the more endur'd.
13
But though his matchlesse Loue immortall were,It was a mortall Body he had on,
That could no more then mortall Bodies beare;
Their malice therefore did preuaile thereon:
And loe, their vtmost furie hauing tri'de;
This Lambe of God gaue vp the Ghost and di'de.
14
Whose Death, though cruell vnrelenting Man,Could view, without bewailing or affright;
The Sunne grew darke, the Earth to quake began;
The Temple Vaile did rend asunder quite:
Yea, hardest Rocks therewith in pieces brake;
And Graues did open, and the Dead awake.
15
Oh therefore, let vs all that present be,This Innocent, with mooued soules embrace:
For, this was our Redeemer, this was hee,
Who thus for our vnkindnesse vsed was;
Eu'n Hee, the cursed Iewes and Pilate slew,
Is He alone of whom all this is true.
16
Our sinnes of Spight, were part of those that day,Whose cruell Whips and Thornes did make him smart;
Our Lusts were those that tir'd him in the Way;
Our want of Loue was that which pierc't his Heart:
And still when we forget, or sleight his paine,
We crucifie and torture him againe.
| The Hymnes and Songs of the Chvrch | |