Certain Selected Histories for christian Recreations vvith their seuerall Moralizations Brought into Englishe verse, and are to be long with seuerall notes: Composed by Richard Robinson Citizen of London |
 |
 |
|
[To encrease in Christe our comfort still] |
 | Certain Selected Histories for christian Recreations vvith their seuerall Moralizations |  |
[To encrease in Christe our comfort still]
The Argument.
Mannes life is likened to a continuall warfare, and conflicte with Sathan. The Serpente and the Tode fightyng together, the Serpente beyng reserued by helpe of man, sheweth exāple of gratitude. The Tode that sought the Serpentes destruction, hath in fine his due guardon.
To
encrease in Christe our comfort still,
Reuailed vs by sondrie meanes,
Though scripture fraught with sacred skill,
Doe farre surmount all humane dreames
Amongst a sorte of pithie theames,
This prophane storie merits praise,
Christes cōbate & conquest which bewraies.
Reuailed vs by sondrie meanes,
Though scripture fraught with sacred skill,
Doe farre surmount all humane dreames
Amongst a sorte of pithie theames,
This prophane storie merits praise,
Christes cōbate & conquest which bewraies.
Cæsar Augustus liuyng than,
A noble knight his subiect was:
A valiaunt worthie gentleman,
Who ridyng once as he did passe,
A Forest through, by happe alasse,
A Tode with Serpent fightyng sawe,
Eche others bloud deadly to drawe.
A noble knight his subiect was:
A valiaunt worthie gentleman,
Who ridyng once as he did passe,
A Tode with Serpent fightyng sawe,
Eche others bloud deadly to drawe.
With tried force a tyme fought thei,
The Tode hauyng the masterie,
This gentle knight did straight assaie,
In Serpents quarell happe to trie.
Wounded the same Tode greuouslie,
But not without a mortall wounde,
Hym self escaped and fled the grounde.
The Tode hauyng the masterie,
This gentle knight did straight assaie,
In Serpents quarell happe to trie.
Wounded the same Tode greuouslie,
But not without a mortall wounde,
Hym self escaped and fled the grounde.
The Serpent also thence did flee,
And when in place this worthie knight,
Alone thought beste his wounde to see,
From stately steede alacke did light.
His inwurde partes with poyson dight,
He founde where did encrease his greef,
And homewards rides to haue releef.
And when in place this worthie knight,
Alone thought beste his wounde to see,
From stately steede alacke did light.
His inwurde partes with poyson dight,
He founde where did encrease his greef,
And homewards rides to haue releef.
Where long tyme languishyng in paine,
So that his will and Testament:
For to bee made, he did ordaine,
Prepared to dye incontinent,
Yet when as by the fire feruent,
For comfort further laied he was,
And that dispaire in hym had place.
So that his will and Testament:
For to bee made, he did ordaine,
Prepared to dye incontinent,
Yet when as by the fire feruent,
For comfort further laied he was,
And that dispaire in hym had place.
Euen then beholde the Serpent late,
In whose defence this greef he cought,
Was entered in at this knights gate,
And seen by seruants, straight thei sought
To shewe their maister thinkyng nought,
Of suche a happe then did he will,
The Serpent should be brought hym till,
In whose defence this greef he cought,
Was entered in at this knights gate,
And seen by seruants, straight thei sought
To shewe their maister thinkyng nought,
Of suche a happe then did he will,
The Serpent should be brought hym till,
The knight when he the Serpent sawe,
The same it was did well aguise,
In whose defence through ouerthrawe,
Hym self to feight did enterprise,
Against the Tode though ieoperdies,
Of death thereby his life pursewed,
Yet as he was with witte endewed.
The same it was did well aguise,
In whose defence through ouerthrawe,
Hym self to feight did enterprise,
Against the Tode though ieoperdies,
Of death thereby his life pursewed,
Yet as he was with witte endewed.
Commaunded all his seruaunts there,
That thei should not the Serpent noye,
Saiyng, daunger none I feare,
He will me doe but rather ioye.
The Serpent then did hym employe,
In open presence them emong,
To sucke the poyson with his tong,
That thei should not the Serpent noye,
Saiyng, daunger none I feare,
He will me doe but rather ioye.
The Serpent then did hym employe,
In open presence them emong,
To sucke the poyson with his tong,
Whereof takyng sacietie,
Out of the house forthwith he ran,
And purged his stomacke presently,
Of poyson in hym taken than,
And to the wounde a freshe he came,
Sixe tymes by course till he did voide,
The poison suckt, the knight emploide.
Out of the house forthwith he ran,
And purged his stomacke presently,
Of poyson in hym taken than,
Sixe tymes by course till he did voide,
The poison suckt, the knight emploide.
Hym self Milke to administrate,
Unto the Serpent, then beholde,
The Tode entered the knights gate,
Whiche late with poison deade and colde,
Did wounde this courteous knight so bolde
In purpose came aduenged to bee,
Of knight and Serpent presently.
Unto the Serpent, then beholde,
The Tode entered the knights gate,
Whiche late with poison deade and colde,
Did wounde this courteous knight so bolde
In purpose came aduenged to bee,
Of knight and Serpent presently.
The knight when as he hereof hearde,
Unto his seruaunts all did saie,
Sirs nought dismaie be not afearde,
This is the Tode without all naie,
Whom I did wounde this other daie,
In defence of this Serpent heare,
For whose sake eke my wounde I beare.
Unto his seruaunts all did saie,
Sirs nought dismaie be not afearde,
This is the Tode without all naie,
Whom I did wounde this other daie,
In defence of this Serpent heare,
For whose sake eke my wounde I beare.
So that I will if this Serpent,
By any meanes my healthe restore,
He shall escape incontinent,
And if you loue my life therefore,
This Tode destroye withouten more,
The seruaunts hearyng what he saied,
With swordes & staues on Tode then laied.
By any meanes my healthe restore,
He shall escape incontinent,
And if you loue my life therefore,
This Tode destroye withouten more,
The seruaunts hearyng what he saied,
With swordes & staues on Tode then laied.
By meanes whereof the Tode thei kilde,
The Serpent hereat ioyfull was,
And thankfully his due fulfilde,
As gratefull, and touchyng the case,
Tourned aboute his feete apace,
Where thus departyng this Serpent,
The knight was healed incontinent.
The Serpent hereat ioyfull was,
And thankfully his due fulfilde,
As gratefull, and touchyng the case,
Tourned aboute his feete apace,
Where thus departyng this Serpent,
The knight was healed incontinent.
The Moralization.
The morall hereof to define,
First the Emperour here comparde,
To our heauenlie Father we assigne,
The same of duetie best referde,
The Knight olso whereof you heard,
Our Sauiour Iesus Christe doeth meane,
The Tode declares Sathan certaine.
First the Emperour here comparde,
To our heauenlie Father we assigne,
The same of duetie best referde,
The Knight olso whereof you heard,
Our Sauiour Iesus Christe doeth meane,
The Tode declares Sathan certaine.
The Serpent man is termed well,
First for the poyson of his synne,
Next for the medicen to expell,
Poyson receiued hym self within,
As for Christes Image eke in hym,
For man against the Deuill ought feight,
To vanquishe hym by deuine sleight.
First for the poyson of his synne,
Next for the medicen to expell,
Poyson receiued hym self within,
As for Christes Image eke in hym,
For man against the Deuill ought feight,
To vanquishe hym by deuine sleight.
Because there is none other wight,
But thou oh Christe our Sauiour,
Whiche in defence of man doeth fight,
Against Sathan the Tode therefore,
When mankinde was through synne forlore,
Christe sought for vs against Sathan,
And in our right hym ouercame.
But thou oh Christe our Sauiour,
Against Sathan the Tode therefore,
When mankinde was through synne forlore,
Christe sought for vs against Sathan,
And in our right hym ouercame.
Albeit not in one place onely,
He wounded was but sondrie greef,
As well in hym self feele did he.
As in his members greate mischieef,
He suffered doen for their relieefe,
Man if thou be thankfull therefore,
Haue Serpents helpe for him in store.
He wounded was but sondrie greef,
As well in hym self feele did he.
As in his members greate mischieef,
He suffered doen for their relieefe,
Man if thou be thankfull therefore,
Haue Serpents helpe for him in store.
That is to saie, thou oughtest vizite,
Christe in his members greeued here,
In pouertie or other plight,
Miserable if it appere,
Them to releeue as needes require:
And what thou so doest vnto them,
Take it for well rendred againe.
Christe in his members greeued here,
In pouertie or other plight,
Miserable if it appere,
Them to releeue as needes require:
And what thou so doest vnto them,
Take it for well rendred againe.
But if the Tode retourne doe make,
After firste fight harme to renewe,
In Christe to thee then courage take,
And seeke the meanes hym to subdewe,
Then certainly eche firme vertue,
In Baptisme firste receiued by thee,
Obserued shall bryng full remedie.
After firste fight harme to renewe,
In Christe to thee then courage take,
And seeke the meanes hym to subdewe,
Then certainly eche firme vertue,
In Baptisme firste receiued by thee,
So shalt thou Sathan vanquishe quite,
And purchace peace perpetuall,
Of bodie and soule with Angells bright,
In perren ioyes celestiall,
Whiche to enioye God graunt vs all,
That after our combate yearthly here,
Conquerours with Christe we maie appere.
And purchace peace perpetuall,
Of bodie and soule with Angells bright,
In perren ioyes celestiall,
Whiche to enioye God graunt vs all,
That after our combate yearthly here,
Conquerours with Christe we maie appere.
Finis.
| Certain Selected Histories for christian Recreations vvith their seuerall Moralizations | |