 | Saint Peters complaint |  |
69
Iosephs Amazement.
When Christ by growth disclosed his desent,
Into the pure receipt of Maries brest;
Poore Ioseph stranger yet to Gods intent,
vvith doubts of iealous thoughts was sore opprest:
And wrought with diuers fits of feare and loue,
He neither can her free, nor faulty proue.
Into the pure receipt of Maries brest;
Poore Ioseph stranger yet to Gods intent,
vvith doubts of iealous thoughts was sore opprest:
And wrought with diuers fits of feare and loue,
He neither can her free, nor faulty proue.
Now since the wakefull spie of iealous minde,
By strong coniectures deemeth her defilde;
But loue in doome of things best loued blinde,
Thinks rather sence deceau'd, then her with childe:
Yet proofes so pregnant were, that no pretence
Could cloake a thing so cleare and plaine to sence,
By strong coniectures deemeth her defilde;
But loue in doome of things best loued blinde,
Thinks rather sence deceau'd, then her with childe:
Yet proofes so pregnant were, that no pretence
Could cloake a thing so cleare and plaine to sence,
Then Ioseph daunted with a deadly wound,
Let loose the raines of vndeserued griefe,
His hart did throb, his eyes in teares were drownd,
His life a losse, death seem'd his best reliefe:
The pleasing rellish of his former loue,
In gaulish thoughts to bitter tast doth proue.
Let loose the raines of vndeserued griefe,
His hart did throb, his eyes in teares were drownd,
His life a losse, death seem'd his best reliefe:
The pleasing rellish of his former loue,
In gaulish thoughts to bitter tast doth proue.
70
One foote he often setteth out of dore,
But t'other loath vncertaine wayes to tread;
He takes his fardle for his needefull store,
He casts his Inne where first he meanes to bed:
But still ere he can frame his feete to goe,
Loue winneth time, till all conclude in no.
But t'other loath vncertaine wayes to tread;
He takes his fardle for his needefull store,
He casts his Inne where first he meanes to bed:
But still ere he can frame his feete to goe,
Loue winneth time, till all conclude in no.
Sometimes griefe adding force he doth depart,
He will against his will keepe on his pace;
But straight remorse so racks his raging hart,
That hasting thoughts yeeld to a pausing pace:
Then mighty reasons presse him to remaine,
She whom he flies doth winne him home againe.
He will against his will keepe on his pace;
But straight remorse so racks his raging hart,
That hasting thoughts yeeld to a pausing pace:
Then mighty reasons presse him to remaine,
She whom he flies doth winne him home againe.
But when his thought by sight of his aboade,
Presents the signe of misesteemed shame;
Repenting euery step that back he troade,
Teares done, the guides, the tong, the feet doth blame:
Thus warring with himselfe a field he fights,
vvhere euery wound vpon the giuer lights.
Presents the signe of misesteemed shame;
Repenting euery step that back he troade,
Teares done, the guides, the tong, the feet doth blame:
Thus warring with himselfe a field he fights,
vvhere euery wound vpon the giuer lights.
And was (quoth he) my loue so lightly pris'd,
Or was our sacred league so soone forgot;
Could vowes be voyd, could vertues be dispis'd;
Could such a spouse be stain'd with such a spot:
O wretched Ioseph that hath liu'd so long,
Of faithfull loue to reape so greeuous wrong.
Or was our sacred league so soone forgot;
Could vowes be voyd, could vertues be dispis'd;
Could such a spouse be stain'd with such a spot:
O wretched Ioseph that hath liu'd so long,
Of faithfull loue to reape so greeuous wrong.
71
Could such a worme breed in so sweet a vvood,
Could in so chast demeanure lurke vntruth;
Could vice lie hid where Vertues image stood,
vvhere hoarie sagenesse graced tender youth:
vvhere can affiance rest to rest secure,
In vertues fairest seate faith is not sure.
Could in so chast demeanure lurke vntruth;
Could vice lie hid where Vertues image stood,
vvhere hoarie sagenesse graced tender youth:
vvhere can affiance rest to rest secure,
In vertues fairest seate faith is not sure.
All proofes did promise hope a pledge of grace,
vvhose good might haue repay'd the deepest ill;
Sweet signes of purest thoughts in saintly face,
Assur'd the eye of her vnstayned will,
Yet in this seeming lustre, seeme to lie,
Such crimes for which the law condemnes to die.
vvhose good might haue repay'd the deepest ill;
Sweet signes of purest thoughts in saintly face,
Assur'd the eye of her vnstayned will,
Yet in this seeming lustre, seeme to lie,
Such crimes for which the law condemnes to die.
But Iosephs word shall neuer worke her woe,
I wish her leaue to liue, not doome to die;
Though fortune mine, yet am I not her foe,
She to her selfe lesse louing is then I:
The most I will, the least I can is this,
Sith none may salue, to shunne that is amisse.
I wish her leaue to liue, not doome to die;
Though fortune mine, yet am I not her foe,
She to her selfe lesse louing is then I:
The most I will, the least I can is this,
Sith none may salue, to shunne that is amisse.
Exile my home, the wildes shall be my walke,
Complaint my ioy, my musick mourning layes;
vvith pensiue griefes in silence will I talke,
Sad thoughts shall be my guides in sorrowes wayes:
This course best sutes the care of carelesse minde,
That seekes to loose, what most it ioy'd to finde.
Complaint my ioy, my musick mourning layes;
vvith pensiue griefes in silence will I talke,
Sad thoughts shall be my guides in sorrowes wayes:
This course best sutes the care of carelesse minde,
That seekes to loose, what most it ioy'd to finde.
72
Like stocked tree whose branches all doe fade,
vvhose leaues doe fall, and perisht fruite decay;
Like hearbe that growes in cold and barren shade,
vvhere darknes driues all quickning heate away:
So die must I, cut from my roote of ioy,
And throwne in darkest shades of deepe annoy.
vvhose leaues doe fall, and perisht fruite decay;
Like hearbe that growes in cold and barren shade,
vvhere darknes driues all quickning heate away:
So die must I, cut from my roote of ioy,
And throwne in darkest shades of deepe annoy.
But who can flie from that his hart doth feele?
vvhat change of place can change implanted paine?
Remouing, moues no hardnes from the steele,
Sicke harts that shift no fits, shift roomes in vaine:
vvhere thought can see, what helps the closed eye?
VVhere hart pursues, what gaines the foote to flie?
vvhat change of place can change implanted paine?
Remouing, moues no hardnes from the steele,
Sicke harts that shift no fits, shift roomes in vaine:
vvhere thought can see, what helps the closed eye?
VVhere hart pursues, what gaines the foote to flie?
Yet still I tread a maze of doubtfull ende;
I goe, I come, she drawes, she driues away,
She wounds, she heales, she doth both marre and mende,
She makes me seeke, and shunne, depart, and stay:
She is a friend to loue, a foe to loth,
And in suspence I hang betweene them both.
I goe, I come, she drawes, she driues away,
She wounds, she heales, she doth both marre and mende,
She makes me seeke, and shunne, depart, and stay:
She is a friend to loue, a foe to loth,
And in suspence I hang betweene them both.
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