University of Virginia Library



TO THE DEVOVT, AND VERTVOVS MISTRIS F. B. I. C. PRESENTES THIS HIS WORTHELES LABOVR for a Newe-yeares gifte.

This day (the eight'h from his Natiuitie)
The glorious Sonne of the Omnipotent
Was Circumcis'de, bearinge mans frailetie,
T'appease the wrath of the Magnificent;
This day, the Sonne of blessed Mary shed
His first deare bloud, to make vs liue b'inge dead.
In memorie whereof this custome takes,
That on the first day of the newe-borne yeare,
Eache freind, vnto his freind some present makes;
Louer to Louer, husband to his pheare:
But I; poore I, that haue no gifte to bringe,
Out of my home-bred Muse these verses singe.


SAINT MARY MAGDALENS CONVERSION.

Of Romes great conquest in the elder age,
When she the worlde made subiect to her thrall,
Of louers giddy fancies, and the rage,
Wherwith that passion is possest withall,
When ielousie with loue doth share apart,
And breedes a ciuill warre within the harte.
Of Helens rape, and Troyes beseiged Towne,
Of Troylus faith, and Cressids falsitie,
Of Rychards stratagems for the english crowne,
Of Tarquins lust, and lucrece chastitie,
Of these, of none of these my muse nowe treates,
Of greater conquests, warres, and loues she speakes,
A womans conquest of her one affects,
A womans warre with her selfe-appetite,
A womans loue, breeding such effects,
As th' age before nor since nere brought to light,
Of these; and such as these, my muse is prest,
To spend the idle houres of her rest.
Thou blessed Saint, whose life doth teach to liue,
Intreate that louing and best loued Lord of thine,
That he vouchsafe such liue'y grace to giue
Vnto these dull, and liueles rimes of mine,
That such as read this good, (though ill told) story,
May be (like thee) for their ofteness sorry.


When first the worlds Creator our dread Lord,
Did with his presence blesse Iudea land,
And to all sortes of people did afforde,
His gratious fauour and all helping hand,
Restoring by his power Omnipotent,
The lazar, deafe, blind, lame, and impotent.
Amongst the daughters of the sonnes of men,
Shee that did most his gratious mercy proue,
Was (Mary Marthas sister) Magdalen,
Who loued most, and had most cause to loue,
Her wounded soule he cur'de with sinnes opprest,
Natures deffects in others he redrest.
Shee needed not the ritch mans golden ring,
That all desires, seldome well gott, good,
Shee needed not the Herauldes deif'ing,
To make her gentle of vngentle bloud,
Shee needed not the painters white and red,
Nature those colors in her face had shed.
Her eyes vnto their Mistres yeelded light,
All though her selfe, within herselfe, were blind,
Shee was nor lame, nor deafe, nor lazar-like,
Perfecc'ons store to each lime was asin'de,
With natures gifts she plent'iously was graced,
But sinne those ornamentes had all defaced.
Sinne made her want, in middest of her store,
Sinne made her seruile in her libertye,
Of all good graces sinne did make her poore,
And ritch in nothing but in misery,
Her soule was subiect to a thousand euilles,
Her body combred with as many Diuilles.


But her dear Lord through his life-giuing grace,
This many-headed Monster draue away,
And those foule fendes who did his workes deface,
His blessed presence from her did affray,
He thought not meete, that such vnseemely gest,
Should in so faire an Arbour build their nest.
After her foes were thus disperst and gone.
Her captiue soule b'inge franchis'de from their thrall,
And shee transformed by that mighty one,
From her life best'all to celestiall,
Her Lord affirmed that her loue was such,
That shee deserued to bee pardoned much.
Her Lawles lustes shee chaing'de to lawfull loue,
Her many pleasures to one chiefe delighte,
All other ioyes shee did from her remoue,
And only ioyed in his blessed sighte,
Who best deserued to bee loued most,
Sauinge her soule from death, by sinne b'inge lost.
Shee hateth nowe, what shee had lou'de before,
Shee loueth him, to whome all loue was due,
Her former mispent life shee doth deplore,
And nowe endeauors for to lyue anewe,
Herselfe, vnto herselfe did hatefull growe,
When thus enlight'ned shee her-selfe did knowe.
This Holy hatred did true loue encrease;
Shee lou'de the more in that shee hated soe,
This Holy hatred did her false loues cease,
And howe to loue arighte to her did showe,
O Hatred thow are only good in this,
In all thinges else thow doest worke amisse.


Like to a monster to her selfe shee seem'ed,
And of her selfe, her selfe was now afraide,
Shee sawe 'twas otherwyse then shee had deem'ed,
And loth'de to see how sondly shee had straied,
Shee now perceaues the errors of her life,
Which makes her with her selfe to be in strife
O how haue I deceaued beene (quoth shee)
With the false shew of counterfeyt delight?
Were these the pleasures? this the vanities,
Which now so much my gilty soule affright?
Haue I incurr'd the losse of life and fame,
To purchase sorrow and repentant shame?
Did I for this, my fathers house forsake,
Leauing my carefull sister sisterles?
Did I for this, of frendes me frendles make,
Shaming my kindred through my sinnefullnes?
Did I for this, leaue sister, fiends and all,
And from the seruice of my maker fall?
O sinne, thou art a serpent full of fleyght,
Thy face seem'de not so fowle as now I see,
Thou dost bewitch vs with a strong deceipte,
Of seeming good though full of miserye,
Our soules thou woundest with thy poysonus dart,
And we (as senceles) neuer feele the smart.
Thou art the losse of heauen, and hels best frend;
How many (like a Syren) here thee sing?
How many by in chantment dost thou send,
To Plutoes Kingdome, ere they feele thy sting,
But why doe I exclaime against thee so,
When I was partner in my ouer throw?


I gaue consent that thou should'st worke my fall,
I pleased was with what thou did'st suggest,
I was attendant to ech seruill call,
And basely subiect to thy foule be-hest,
I grew a cunning Artist in thy trade,
And with thy Charmes haue many soules insnar'de.
O sinne of sinnes and the worst of euills,
To poyson others with thy stinking breath,
No meruaile though I was a lodge for Deuilles,
And worthely became a hell on earth;
Wast not enoughe that thou thy selfe did'st sinne,
But that thou others to the same must winne?
O my lost soule, how foule wilt thou appeare,
How full of feare, in that last dreadfull day,
When thou shalt bitter exclamations heare,
Of such, whome thou did'st guilefully betray,
What canst thou say? What colour canst thou bring,
T'excuse thy selfe of this infecting sinne?
O none at all; for sinnes-selfe I am growne;
There is no sinne but what in me remaines,
To be a publick sinner I am knowne,
The note of shame, which all my kinred staines,
The blott, which I would wash of with my bloud,
To purchase to my selfe the name of good:
But I haue bin so long sinnes seruingman,
That men will thinke I cannot from him part,
They will obiect, I am a publican,
And by long custome grounded in the arte;
From custome we another nature take,
In good or ill shee doth vs perfect make.


If to my sister home-againe I take me,
Shee will reiect me, least I sport her fame,
If to my kinsfolkes, they will all forsake me;
Through my misdeedes I haue incur'de such blame,
I dare not to a strainger showe my face
H'will wounde my soule with wordes of foule disgrace.
Like to Mineruas bird, when shee appeares
And showes her hated selfe vnto the light,
Eache fath'red soule against her Clamors reares,
And makes her all ashamed take her flight,
They all pursuing her with bill and winge,
And shee as fast away doth from them flinge:
So doth it farre with me distressed one,
When in the peopled streets. I chaunce to walke,
There man nor woman doth respect my moane,
But all of my losse life doe seeme to talke,
All seeme to wonder at me a I goe,
And Monster-like me to their children showe.
Me thinkes I see some from their windowes looke,
And with their fingers pointing out my shame,
And some (who cannot) my foule presence brooke,
With lauish tounges to publish my defame,
All handes and tounges conspiring my disgrace,
Whil'st I a lothed Creature veyle my face.
For though it bee a common act to fall,
And sinne it selfe is too well Cherished:
Yet is the sinner hattefull vnto all;
Compass'on now'mong'st men is perished,
The plea of mercie will not hold in lawe,
Eache Pettyfogger in it findes a flawe.


The begger alwaies for offences bleedes,
And feeles the hande of grim Seueritie,
The ritch mans gold can cancell out misdeedes,
And blind the sight of bleare-eyed briberie:
But I am ritch in nothing, but in sinne,
That would I all forgoe some grace to winne.
If in my life I had but once misdone,
Then had I not such vrgent cause to mourne,
Or to offend if I had newe begunne,
Then were there some smale hope of backe-returne:
But long vs'de sinnes from all this hope bereaues,
And of their good conceptes me hopeles leaues.
Much like a crasie weather-beaten boate,
Who hauing all his sayles and tacklinges loste,
Amid the surges of the seas doth floate,
And too and fro with euerie guste is toste:
So waues my anxious soule mid'st stormy feares
No harbor can shee finde no calme appeares.
But since of freindes my sinnes hath me bereft,
I will returne vnto that Nazarite,
Who of his pitty hath good tokens left
In me for lorne wretched Israelite,
He is for all afflicted and distrest
A harbor, hauen, and a port of rest.
A God-like man (if I may terme him soe)
Or rather God; for dowbtles so he is,
More then a man to bee, his deedes doe showe,
Eache eye his acc'ons more then humane sees:
But how shall I bee gratefull to the best
When I a sinner doe my selfe detest?


For beinge good (as hee no other seemes)
As chiefest good, he hateth all that's ill,
Like Traytors to his crowne he sinners deemes,
Who still oppose themselues against his will;
Nothing in God but sinne can hatred breede;
How then shall I the worst of sinners speede.
Through his all-seing wisedome he doth knowe
The passed faultes of my transgressing life;
How great the woundes haue bin the Scarres will showe:
As yet my sinfull soares are bleeding rife;
More then all others, I did him offend,
Lesse cause there is that he should succor lend.
What (he will say) now all men thee reiect,
Canst thou suppose that I will thee receaue?
Mee most deseruing thou did'st least respect,
And for a shadow, did'st the substance leaue,
All that thou hast, I gaue; yet thou vniuste
Did'st moste offend him who did giue thee moste.
I did Create thee of a different state
From other Creatures of a lesse respect,
I mighte haue made thee, like in forme and shape,
Vnto the Monsters, of a feirce aspect:
But I did giue thee natures ornament
Beautie, which thou hast lauishlie mispent.
I gaue thee will, for to desire the best,
And vnderstandinge to discerne the same,
Thou wast not ignorant of my behest:
For all thy Nation inuocate my name;
If thou had'st beene a Gentile, thy abuse
Might haue put on some colour of excuse:


But thou did'st knowe what did to me belong,
And what thy selfe in duty should'st haue done,
Yet thou did'st neuer cease to worke me wrong,
Persistinge alwaies in thine ill begunne,
I sparinge thy deserued punishment,
Expectinge still thy sinnes relinquishment.
He that his Creditor hath long delay'de
With dilatory hopes, of payements due,
Hauing made breache of promise grows dismai'de,
Least irefull rigor will his fault ensue,
His Creditors fear'de presence he forsakes,
Tyll due repayement some atonement makes:
But thou art farre ingaged in my debt;
For what hast thou which I did not bestowe?
Hou canst thou then newe credite now expect,
Who neuer pai'st but euer seek'st to owe?
For nowe thou com'st no olde debtes to defray:
But mercies newe disbursementes for to pray.
Canst thou imagine I my selfe forgette?
Or that calme mercy reuengefull Iustice staies?
Although (tis true) I sitt on mercies seate,
Yet my right hand the sword of Iustice swaies;
Mercie and Iustice are at my dispence,
To pardon or to punish eache offence.
Thou hast already tasted mercies store,
In that I did so long thy life sustaine,
Now Iustice doth require, thou should'st restore,
Thy borrow'd talent, with an earned gaine,
But banckrout-like, thou hast mispent the stocke,
And now asham'd at mercies gate doest knocke.


I knowe this Lord; I know I haue offended,
And am in debted more then I can pay,
I humbly craue that mercy be extended,
And I no more will runne so fare astray,
Teares spent her speach (for now shee wept amine)
And after teares shee thus beganne againe.
If thou (O Lord) wilt cancell my olde debt,
And once againe restore me to thy grace,
If thou wilt all my former wronges forgett,
And smoothe the wrinckels of thy angery face,
The remnant of my purchas'd life I vowe,
In thy true seruice wholy to bestowe.
Here silent griefe supprest her further moane,
And stopt the current of her flowing teares,
Shee could not speake, nor weepe, her soule alone,
The heauy waight of sorrowes burthen beares,
When outward sences once haue spent their store,
Then inward passions doe offlicte the more.
Her soule within her holdes a parlament,
And summons all her powers to appeare,
And they (as ready for to giue content)
Vnto their Lady lend awilling eare,
Within themselues they seriously debate,
How to redresse their mistres troubled state.
First memorie (the mindes best Register)
Telles her of many (Like her selfe) distrest,
Who were reliued by this comforter,
And had their former euilles all redrest,
How that the proude he vseth to reiect,
But mercies-beggars allwayes doth erect,


Here Hope conceaueth (from examples past)
A good conceipt that like may now ensue,
She doth suggest, how that his mercies last,
And are bestow'de on them that humbly sue,
Hope doth perswade her sad Contrition,
Will for offences begge Remission.
Now strong opinion doth posses her brest,
And her ensureth of a good successe,
And free-borne will (as handmaide to the rest)
Is now behinde to entertaine such gesse:
Only distrust and euer-douting feare,
Her springing hapes doe crosse with dead dispayre.
They bid her looke aright on her misdeedes,
And shee should finde 'twas not as shee suppo'de,
Which chookes in her the growth of hopefulll seede,
And makes her doubt what earst had beene propos'de;
As oft as Hope her fainting soule imbouldes:
Distrust and feare the same as oft controwles.
Like to a Trau'ler in an vnknowne way
Who hauing sundrye pathes to passe along,
Is carefull which to take, fearing to stray,
And still he doubts, that which he takes is wrong,
So her sad soule with doudtfull feares opprest,
Knowes not which course to take but wills the best
Now Hope his wonted pirtie dote relate,
And then Distrust bids her his Iustice eye;
Yet fearefull Hope at length doth animate,
Her Consious soule, his mercies doome to trye,
Shee now resolues (all feare b'eing lade aside)
Vnder his mercies winges her selfe to hide.


And least the vice hatefull to God and man,
Ingratitude; that ill repaying sinne,
Should in her brest erect his mansion,
From forth her store sweet oyntment shee doth bring,
Which shee intends vpon him to bestow,
That out-ward acte her inward loue might showe.
Shee was not like those ill-deseruinge Iewes,
In clensed bodies haching leprous soules,
Their healthes-restorer nine of them refuse:
But shee his loue within her brest infoldes,
And gratefully her precious oyle doth shed,
On his deuine and far more precious hed.
This acte of hers her Lord doth so regard,
That he comaundes it should for aye be knowne,
And where his lifs true storie should be hearde,
This deede of hers should like-wise there be showne,
This acte of hers her Lorde so much regarded,
That he the same with double pay rewarded.
O what are we (o Lord) that thou should'st way,
Our dutious seruice at so high a rate,
All that we borrow, Iustice bindes to pay,
We owe thee all; from the we all did take,
How comes it then that thou so well accep'sts,
If we discharge the tent'he of our due debtes?
What did shee giue thee; but a cruse of oyle,
Which now shee had no further cause to vse?
Shee will no more her well form'de visage soile,
And Natures workmanship by arte abuse,
But thou did'st weigh the loue where-with shee gaue it,
Which made thee graciously vouchsafe to haue it.


Now shee proceedes; and from his head descendes,
Vnto his feete, where prostrate shee doth lye;
For former Pride shee faine would make amendes,
With this deuout vnfain'de Humilitie,
Shee loulie setts her at his blessed feete,
Meane while her eyes riuers of teares doe weepe.
Teares of true sorrowe for offences done,
Her watrie eyes like prodigalles doe spend,
Wherewith the feete of great Iehouans Sonne,
For to imbalme, shee humblie doth intend,
Those feete of his, these teares of hers, make faire,
And being wett shee dries them with her haire.
O well spent teares; you did but clense the spottes,
Which wery iornies, and foule waies had maide:
But you did wash of many thousand blottes,
Wherewith foule sinne her gilty soule had smear'de,
O happy teares; and happely bestowed,
You did defray what ere your mistres owed.
After this worke of Charity was past,
Her loue was such, shee would not from him part,
No earthly stormes her heauenly loue could blast,
It was so deeply rooted in her hart,
With modest silence tempering her loues heate,
Her silent loue by silence growing greate.
O silence; Companion of the wise,
Thou surest note of spotles Chastitie,
All our fraile passions thou dost temporise,
And kindlest Holy thoughtes in secresie;
Thou art a vertue rarely found on earth,
Of vertues store there is so great a dearth.


In Princes Coortes thou canst no harbor finde,
Thy seruice there is but of sleighte regarde,
Thou canst not flatter; thou art not the winde,
Wherewith ambitious toylinge gestes are rear'de,
Thou canst not fill the sailes of Enuies boate,
Nor sett the ship of longe-tong'de Fame a floate.
Thou art no tradseman for the Citties vse;
Thou canst not harbor manie tounges in one;
The Countriemen with thee haue broken truce,
And entred league with fell dissention,
The woodes the babling Ecco entertaine,
Which eache worde iterates and makes one twaine.
Both Coort and Cittie, Countrie and the woodes
Are vnto Sylence straingers, now vnknowne,
And shee hath left them to their brain-sicke moodes,
And to the heauens (from whence shee came) is flowne,
Shee seldome now doth visite this our coaste:
Far if shee comes shee knowes not where to hoaste.
This vertue first possessed Maries brest,
And did dispose her vnto higher grace:
For where garrulitie doth buylde her nest,
There modest vertues haue no biding place,
By this her new-reformed life was knowne,
By this hereafter constancie was showne.
For when the Lord of life our Ransome pai'de,
And by his death, gaue life vnto the dead,
When his Disciples fearefully dismai'de,
From persecutions angrie presence fled,
Shee constantlie attendes him to his passion,
And feares no threates of her life-killing Nation.


Euen at the foote of that fruit-baring tree,
Which cur'de the wounde by former tree receaued,
Shee humblie settes her downe, greiuing to see:
His blessed presence, from her thus bereaued;
In steade of feete, shee powres her liberall teares
On that dead truncke, which now his body beares.
This shee imbraceth in her twisted armes,
Mixing her salt teares with his luke-warme bloude,
Which from his woundes distil'de (to salue our harmes)
Like forced streames proceading from some flude,
Which when shee sees it makes her sad soule bleede,
In strong compassion of so foule a deede.
O thou my Lord, my Loue, my Soules delighte,
Thy sighte was earst (quoth shee) my chiefest ioye,
To see thee thus, it doth my soule affrighte,
And turnes all former pleasure to annoye,
To see thee thus, how can I chose but weepe
When for my teares thy bloud doth wash thy feete.
How can I chose but weepe, to see thy head
Inuiron'de with a crowne of sharpest thorne,
To see thy louely count'nance palle and dead,
Which once with beautie did the heauens adorne,
To see the brightest lampes which light the skies
Obscur'de by bloud and death; thy blessed eyes,
To see those euer-working handes of thine,
So sauadglie affixed to this woode,
Which with a touch, gaue lighte to blindest eyne,
And alwaies were imploi'de in doing good;
To see that hart, where Charitie doth dwell
Peirced with Enuies speare, the dart of Hell.


To see those worne but neuer-wear'ed feete,
Who manie longe and toyle some iorneys made
To seeke vs loste, and euer-wandringe sheepe,
In the vaste desert of blacke sinne insnar'de,
Now nether going, standing, nor at rest,
But to a peece of woode with nayles addrest;
To see that body which the purest wombe
Of an vnspotted Virgin, once contain'de,
Now to bee fitter for some gastlie tombe,
By cruell stripes and woundes deform'de and stain'de,
Thy selfe dispised, naked, and for lorne,
Bereft of freindes, and to thy foes a scorne.
How can I chose (o Lord) but weepe and moane,
In sad remembrance of these dire aspectes,
How can I chose but sigh, to heare the grone,
Vnder the heuie loade of our defects,
Was there no other meanes to pay our losse,
But thou must needes be naled to this Crosse?
O wounderfull effectes, of wonderous loue,
He that of late gaue life vnto the dead.
And from possessed bodies did remoue,
Legions of Diuelles that his presence fled,
For them that kills him, doth his life bestow,
And paies the debt, which they themselues did owe.
O you vngratefull bloudy-mynded Iewes,
Allwaies imbr'de in spilling righteous bloode;
How can you thus this innocent abuse,
Who neuer in the way of sinners stoode?
What hath he done that you should vse him thus?
Was he not euer mercifull and iust?


Did hee not feede the hongrie of the lande,
And cure the sicke through his health-giuinge mighte?
Did hee not make the lame to goe and stande,
And to the blinde restore desired sighte?
Did not both poore, and sicke, both lame, and blinde
Through his milde pitty health and comfort finde?
O you are more in humane beast-like men,
Then sauadge beastes in wildest desertes bred;
They for a good deede still haue gratefull ben,
And such as did releiue them, they haue fed:
But you do pay the hire of ill desart
To him, that did all good to you impart.
This maks the heauens (who earst were bright & cleare)
To chainge their purple weedes to saddest blacke,
No signes of ioye in heauen or earth appeare,
Because the Lord of ioye and blisse they lacke;
The Sonne himselfe doth hide his glorious face,
Lothing to see his makers foule disgrace.
The earth doth tremble att this horred deede,
Frighting the ghostes of the infernall deepe,
Her wombe bringes forth straing and vntimelie seede,
The dead arise which in her bosome sleepe,
The adamantine rockes doe cleaue a sunder;
Their stonie hartes do rent to see this wonder:
But you whose hartes are harder then the rockes,
You bloody actors of this tragicke sceane;
You that repay sweete Charitie with mockes,
And seeke his losse who doth your welfare meane;
You neither earth belowe, nor heauen aboue,
With their vnwonted prodigies can moue.


O thou sad mother of a sadder Sonne,
Thou art spectator too of this great losse
Thy ioyes are past, thy sorrowes newe-begunne,
Whome once the Cribe receau'de, now beares the Crosse,
Vnto his Birth the one did harbor tend,
Vpon the other hee his Life doth spend.
My greeued soule is wounded with remorce,
To see thy swollen eyes; to heare thy groanes,
The very sight would flinty hartes enforce,
To take compassion of thy bitter moanes,
Thou art more like the dead, or deathes palle wife,
Then to the mother of the Lord of life
Shall you and I (deare Ladie) plight our troth,
And wed our selues to sorrowes restles bed;
Our loue and ioye is taken from vs both,
And we are lefte for to bewale the dead,
Wee both lament the losse of him that's gonne,
I, a most louing Lord, thou, a blessed Sonne.
Sall wee betake vs to a Heremitage,
In some wilde desert vnto men vnknowne,
And there weare out the remnant of our age,
Filling the wide woodes with our ceaseles moane,
Lette me take part of this thy heauy cheare,
And for ech sigh of thine ile spend a teare?
Fellowes in misery lessens sorrowes waight:
But I vnworthy am to be thy mate,
I haue a spotted soule with sinnes full fraight:
But thou a Virgine art Immaculate;
Thou art assin'de vnto a Virgines keeping,
I will alone betake my selfe to weeping.


By that time this her sad complaint was done,
He that giues life had vanquish'de death by dying,
And Ioseph comes t'interr this Holy one,
Which in this weeper breedes newe cause of crying;
Before shee wept, to see him so tormented,
Because shee sees him not, shee now lamented:
For Ioseph had newe tane him from the Crosse,
And lai'de him in a Sepulchre of stone;
Not his spent life, but his dead bodies losse,
Is now the cause of this her second moane,
Shee sees the tree of life of fruit bereft:
But her loue-wounded soule vncured left.
Which makes her thus to speake; O sacred tree,
His precious bloud hath left thee sanctified,
Thou wert ordain'de an Aulter for to bee,
Whereon this offring should bee sacrified,
Since hee is gone, who was thy ornament
To thee my sad complaintes shall all bee bent.
Ile sett thee for an obiect fore myne eyes;
In seing thee, I shall not him forget,
Who did vouchsafe on thee to sacrifice,
His owne deare life, to pay our sinnefull debt:
Though for my Sauiours shame they did thee make
Yet I will honour thee for his sweete sake.
With these and such like plaintes the day was spent
And duskie nighte had darkened all the sckye,
Which when shee sawe vnto her home shee went,
And there absentes her from all companye,
Like to a Turtle hauing lost her mate:
So shee without her Lord is desolate.


This restles night and Saboathes rest b'eing past,
(A day of sorrowe and vnrest to her)
Vnto the Monument early shee did hast,
Where they his Precious Body did intier,
Shee doth present the rising of the sunne,
And takes her Iorney ere the day begunne,
Noe wonted daungers of the fearfull night,
Coulde make her from her enterprise to staye,
When Ghostes and Sprites night-walkers vse to fright,
When Wolues and rauonous Beastes doe wach their pray,
When none but murderrers and theeues did wake:
Then all-alone this Pilgrimage shee takes.
Shee might haue fear'de the Souldiers cruell garde,
Who did about that Holy place attende,
And night and day his toumbe did watch and warde,
And from all Visitores the same defend,
But her stout harte these perilles could not touch
Her loue was more, although her daunger much.
Loue made her strong, although herselfe were weake,
Loue gaue swifte winges vnto her quicke desire,
Loue added fire to her former heate;
Of doubtes nor daungers Loue doth not enquire,
O powerfull loue, thou dost no perilles cast,
The bitt'rest pilles seeme pleasant to thy taste.
By this time loue had brought her to his toumbe,
Which shee findes open by the stones remoue,
But nought shee sees with in his emptie toumbe,
But linnen cloths, which had inwrapt her loue
Whome when shee findes not, shee doth weep & moane,
Imaginning that he was stolne and gone.


O you profaine and Sacraligious theeues,
Who haue (quoth shee) his sacred corps bereft;
It is a sinne, to rob from him that liues,
To rob the house of death, is dubble theft,
Was not your enuy by his dying past,
But after death the same must also last?
O Enuy; thou art a more blaker sinne,
Then bloudy murder, who seekes naught but death,
His thirstie appetie hath quenshed beene,
But thou thy killing sworde dost neuer sheath,
The act being done he often doth relent,
But thy hell-borne malice nere is spent.
I had not long enioy'de his blessed sight,
But thou did'st take him to the Crosse from mee,
Where hauing kill'de him in thy selfe dispite,
Thou seem'dst content that he intomb'de should bee,
There did I thinke I should his presence haue,
But thou hast also taine him from his graue.
Vnhappie I to come no sooner hether,
I might aswell haue come the day before,
Now they haue taine him hence I know not whether,
And I am neuer like to see him more,
The Spice and Oyntments which with me I brought,
I cannot now bestow on him I sought.
With this two Glorious Angelles doe appeare,
To Comforte this vncomfortable one,
They tell her h'is risen, bids her not feare,
But cease her sad complaintes and heauy moane,
Whilst shee standes doubtfull of this happie newes,
Her louing Lord himselfe vnknowne shee newes.


Shee takes him to bee gard'ner of that place,
And gentlie doth bespeake him (as dismai'de)
That if he did his body thence displace,
Hee would enforme her where the same was lai'de:
Hee louingly discouers whome he is,
Shee doth adore when thus her Lord shee sees.
Her humbled body to the earth shee bowes,
In odarac'on of his Dietie,
Meane while her ioyfull soule her-selfe bestowes
In Contemplac'on of this Misterie;
Of heauenlie ioy shee feeles so sweete a taste;
That shee forgettes her auncient sorrowes paste.
O thou that art the heauens and earthes Creator,
Thou great dispensor of Cælestiall treasure,
Thou that of Angelles, Men, and Beastes art maker,
Whose profound wisedome hath nor end nor measure,
How mercifull (O Lord) art thou; for each good deede,
Thou doest repay vs with a dubble meede.
Shee wash'de thy feete with teares her eyes had shed,
To clense her soule thy bloud thou did'st perfuse,
Shee powr'de her precious oyntement on thy hed,
In her thou did'st Cælestiall grace infuse,
Shee for thy absence did great sorrowe take,
Thou with thy presence did'st her ioyfull make.
Giue grace (O Lord) to me vnworthy one,
To imitate this blessed Saint of thine,
Fill thou myne eyes with teares, my hart with moane,
That I may wayle those greuious sinnes of myne,
And if salt teares vnto myne eyes be scant,
Bee mercifull (O Lord) for this my want.


Make me (like her) all worldlie ioyes reiect,
And lett my soule bee wedded to thy loue,
Thy louing sweetenes lett me not forgete,
All other fancies from my hart remoue,
And if I do not loue thee as I should,
Haue mercie Lord; accept of that I would.
Finis Deo gratias. I. N. R. I.