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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Vpon the praise of Wisedome.
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 | The Works in Verse and Prose of Nicholas Breton |  |
10
Vpon the praise of Wisedome.
The second daies worke.
From the vaine humours of vnseason'd Wit,
Whose heedlesse wil breeds nothing els but woe:
Among the seats where sacred spirits sit,
The holy pleasures of the heauens to know:
My humble Muse learne what perfection saies,
In Glorious Wisedomes neuer ending praise.
Whose heedlesse wil breeds nothing els but woe:
Among the seats where sacred spirits sit,
The holy pleasures of the heauens to know:
My humble Muse learne what perfection saies,
In Glorious Wisedomes neuer ending praise.
She is the spirit of the highest power,
The Essence of all purenes' Excellence:
The compasse of the euerlasting hower,
The Vertue of all purenes' Quintessence:
The knowledge that all knowledge only giueth,
And only life, in which, life only liueth.
The Essence of all purenes' Excellence:
The compasse of the euerlasting hower,
The Vertue of all purenes' Quintessence:
The knowledge that all knowledge only giueth,
And only life, in which, life only liueth.
She sits in counsaile with the Trinitie,
And is th' Almighties secret Secretarie:
She keepes the Graces in an Vnitie
And doth the charge of all their seruice carie:
Before Creation she did make Election,
And for the Action she did giue direction.
And is th' Almighties secret Secretarie:
She keepes the Graces in an Vnitie
And doth the charge of all their seruice carie:
Before Creation she did make Election,
And for the Action she did giue direction.
She calls the Angels each one by their names,
And sets the Saints and Martirs in their places:
Their Himnes and Songs vnto their Lord she frames,
And to their Musique giues especiall Graces:
The Seraphins she makes to clap their wings,
While all the heauens their Haleluiah sings.
And sets the Saints and Martirs in their places:
Their Himnes and Songs vnto their Lord she frames,
And to their Musique giues especiall Graces:
The Seraphins she makes to clap their wings,
While all the heauens their Haleluiah sings.
Amid the skie she set the Sunne and Moone,
And made diuision twixt the day and night:
She made the morning and the after noone,
And set each planet in his place aright:
She prickt the Starres vpon the Firmament,
And gaue a life to euery Element.
And made diuision twixt the day and night:
She made the morning and the after noone,
And set each planet in his place aright:
She prickt the Starres vpon the Firmament,
And gaue a life to euery Element.
She made the times and seasons of the yeare,
The change of Natures, and the notes of choise:
She made perfection euery way appeare,
And in her labours made her Loue reioyce:
So by desert the highest did her call
High Officer, and workeMistris of all.
The change of Natures, and the notes of choise:
She made perfection euery way appeare,
And in her labours made her Loue reioyce:
So by desert the highest did her call
High Officer, and workeMistris of all.
She made the Earth in compasse like a Ball,
Betwixt the water and the skie depending:
Yet hangs so fast, that it can neuer fall,
Vntill all earthly things must haue an ending:
And hauing fram'd it as she thought it meete
Made it a footstoole for her Master's feete.
Betwixt the water and the skie depending:
Yet hangs so fast, that it can neuer fall,
Vntill all earthly things must haue an ending:
And hauing fram'd it as she thought it meete
Made it a footstoole for her Master's feete.
She made the Seas, the Brooks, the Fountaine springs:
The Trees, the Fruites, the Herbs, and euery Flower:
The Fish, the Beast, and euery Bird that sings:
The Yeere, the Month, the Week, the day, the hower:
The outward shape, and euery inward sence,
And euery Starre a sundry influence.
The Trees, the Fruites, the Herbs, and euery Flower:
The Fish, the Beast, and euery Bird that sings:
The Yeere, the Month, the Week, the day, the hower:
The outward shape, and euery inward sence,
And euery Starre a sundry influence.
She framèd Man, the last of euery Creature,
But yet the best, and to her loue the neerest:
She gaue his hart a kind of heau'nly nature,
And held his life vnto her loue the deerest:
She made him all things by their names to call,
And vnder God, Lord Gouernour of all,
But yet the best, and to her loue the neerest:
She gaue his hart a kind of heau'nly nature,
And held his life vnto her loue the deerest:
She made him all things by their names to call,
And vnder God, Lord Gouernour of all,
She taught him only how to know the good,
But neuer taught him how to know the euill:
She fed his spirit with a wholesome food,
Till Pride did bring him poyson from the Deuill:
She made him then his folly to confesse,
And then his faith in Mercy finde redresse.
But neuer taught him how to know the euill:
She fed his spirit with a wholesome food,
Till Pride did bring him poyson from the Deuill:
She made him then his folly to confesse,
And then his faith in Mercy finde redresse.
She gaue his soule a Minde aboue his Hart,
His Hart, a feeling of his spirits Nature:
His Nature, Reason; and his Reason, Art;
His Art, a knowledge of his earthly Creature:
His Knowledge, Honour, and his Honour, Grace,
His Grace a fauour, in a Glorious place.
His Hart, a feeling of his spirits Nature:
His Nature, Reason; and his Reason, Art;
His Art, a knowledge of his earthly Creature:
His Knowledge, Honour, and his Honour, Grace,
His Grace a fauour, in a Glorious place.
She read him all the Rules of Learnings Loue,
The Naturall, the Morall, and Diuine:
She show'd the Blessing of the soules behoue,
That doth not wholy to the earth decline:
She shewes the way vnto eternall Blisse,
And, for the world, how base a thing it is.
The Naturall, the Morall, and Diuine:
She show'd the Blessing of the soules behoue,
That doth not wholy to the earth decline:
She shewes the way vnto eternall Blisse,
And, for the world, how base a thing it is.
Yet when she made the world for her best Grace,
She sets a Course, and Rule for euery thing:
For Nature, Reason, Action, Time, and Place,
How best proportion might perfection bring:
And, how in all might all things so agree,
That in their Concords, might no discord be.
She sets a Course, and Rule for euery thing:
For Nature, Reason, Action, Time, and Place,
How best proportion might perfection bring:
And, how in all might all things so agree,
That in their Concords, might no discord be.
In scale and feather, haire, and skinne, and hue,
In substance, sence, in colour, shape, and feature:
How they were first begot, and how they grew,
And how each one should differ in their Nature:
Yet, differing so, they might together liue,
That none might other hurt or hinderance giue.
In substance, sence, in colour, shape, and feature:
How they were first begot, and how they grew,
And how each one should differ in their Nature:
Yet, differing so, they might together liue,
That none might other hurt or hinderance giue.
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But vnto Man, she only gaue a minde,
To looke into the life of euery Nature:
And giue them names, and vse them in their kinde,
And take commandement of each kind of Creature:
And by her will to walke among them so,
That euery one should him their seruice owe.
To looke into the life of euery Nature:
And giue them names, and vse them in their kinde,
And take commandement of each kind of Creature:
And by her will to walke among them so,
That euery one should him their seruice owe.
She made each haire, each Artir, and each vaine,
The flesh, the bones, the sinnowes, and the skinne:
The heart, the lytes, the liuer, and the braine;
The outward Beauty, and the strength within:
And to his soule did giue that heau'nly Nature,
That made in all the admirable Creature.
The flesh, the bones, the sinnowes, and the skinne:
The heart, the lytes, the liuer, and the braine;
The outward Beauty, and the strength within:
And to his soule did giue that heau'nly Nature,
That made in all the admirable Creature.
She gaue him wings to mount aboue the winde,
And inward Eies to see aboue the Sunne:
And by her Rules did make his Reason finde,
How Sun, and Moone, and Starres their courses runne:
How Sea-men by the pole their courses guide,
And by the Moone the turne of euery Tide.
And inward Eies to see aboue the Sunne:
And by her Rules did make his Reason finde,
How Sun, and Moone, and Starres their courses runne:
How Sea-men by the pole their courses guide,
And by the Moone the turne of euery Tide.
She makes him finde the Heauens operations,
Vpon the Bodies of the earth below:
She makes him by his spirits contemplations
Vpon the earth, things aboue Earth to know:
And to his knowledge doth that Vertue giue,
As learnes him only to his God to liue.
Vpon the Bodies of the earth below:
She makes him by his spirits contemplations
Vpon the earth, things aboue Earth to know:
And to his knowledge doth that Vertue giue,
As learnes him only to his God to liue.
She makes a difference in the Mindes of Men,
She crownes the Prince, and entituleth Honor:
She writes their Stories with a perfect Pen,
And doth aduaunce them that doe tend vpon her:
She makes them Blest that doe in patience proue her,
And liue for euer that doe truly loue her.
She crownes the Prince, and entituleth Honor:
She writes their Stories with a perfect Pen,
And doth aduaunce them that doe tend vpon her:
She makes them Blest that doe in patience proue her,
And liue for euer that doe truly loue her.
She doth instruct the King in all his care,
Where Mercies Iustice beares a blesséd sword:
She shewes the Peeres when they in counsaile are,
What fauour heau'ns the faithfull hearts afoord:
She shewes the people the due loyaltie,
That Subiects owe vnto their Soueraigntie.
Where Mercies Iustice beares a blesséd sword:
She shewes the Peeres when they in counsaile are,
What fauour heau'ns the faithfull hearts afoord:
She shewes the people the due loyaltie,
That Subiects owe vnto their Soueraigntie.
She makes the Courtier not misspend his time,
She bids the Souldiour spare the Innocent;
And the Diuine beware the Conscience crime,
And makes the Lawyer a good Studient:
She makes the Merchant honest with his wealth,
And, labour keepe the labouring Man in health.
She bids the Souldiour spare the Innocent;
And the Diuine beware the Conscience crime,
And makes the Lawyer a good Studient:
She makes the Merchant honest with his wealth,
And, labour keepe the labouring Man in health.
She teacheth euery Science, and each Art,
And shewes the Truth of euery Argument:
And makes distinctions vpon euery part,
And is of all the only Ornament:
She shewes the Studient in Diuinitie,
Heauen with the world hath no Affinitie.
And shewes the Truth of euery Argument:
And makes distinctions vpon euery part,
And is of all the only Ornament:
She shewes the Studient in Diuinitie,
Heauen with the world hath no Affinitie.
She feedes no fancie with an idle fashion,
Yet fashions all things in a comly frame:
She neuer knew Repentance wofull passion,
Nor euer fear'd the blot of wicked blame:
But euen and true whateuer she intended,
Wrought all so well, that none could be amended.
Yet fashions all things in a comly frame:
She neuer knew Repentance wofull passion,
Nor euer fear'd the blot of wicked blame:
But euen and true whateuer she intended,
Wrought all so well, that none could be amended.
She neuer whirles about an idle Wit,
Nor taketh pleasure in a wanton Eie:
Nor in the seate of pride did euer sit,
Nor from the poore did turne her hand awrie:
Nor maintain'd wealth with wretched Miserie,
Nor sought for honour by Indignitie.
Nor taketh pleasure in a wanton Eie:
Nor in the seate of pride did euer sit,
Nor from the poore did turne her hand awrie:
Nor maintain'd wealth with wretched Miserie,
Nor sought for honour by Indignitie.
No, no, that Man that would his Mistris make her,
That Woman that doeth choose her for her Louer:
That Man or Woman that doth only take her
For their best Loue, and in their hearts doe loue her:
In rauisht sweetnes of her Beauties Blisses,
Will dwell vpon her lips in louely Kisses.
That Woman that doeth choose her for her Louer:
That Man or Woman that doth only take her
For their best Loue, and in their hearts doe loue her:
In rauisht sweetnes of her Beauties Blisses,
Will dwell vpon her lips in louely Kisses.
She neuer yet did harme to any liuing,
Nor was there any good but that she doeth:
To euery soule she is her Comfort giuing;
And with her sweetnes so Affection woeth,
That they who could in Loues perfection proue her,
Would hate them selues, and if they did not loue her.
Nor was there any good but that she doeth:
To euery soule she is her Comfort giuing;
And with her sweetnes so Affection woeth,
That they who could in Loues perfection proue her,
Would hate them selues, and if they did not loue her.
She laies the lines of life in Vertues loue,
Imploies the Minde in holy Meditations:
The hart in study of the soules behouve,
The spirit, in Loues Contemplations:
The tongue, in speaking truth on euery part,
The soule, in prayer, for a faithfull hart.
Imploies the Minde in holy Meditations:
The hart in study of the soules behouve,
The spirit, in Loues Contemplations:
The tongue, in speaking truth on euery part,
The soule, in prayer, for a faithfull hart.
She neuer was acquainted with Corruption,
Nor came within the Aire of all Infection:
Her purpose neuer had an Interruption,
Nor euer was she crost in her direction:
But sound and sure she carries so her skill,
That in all good, there can be found no ill.
Nor came within the Aire of all Infection:
Her purpose neuer had an Interruption,
Nor euer was she crost in her direction:
But sound and sure she carries so her skill,
That in all good, there can be found no ill.
She is the fairest of all Beauties Fame,
She is the sweetest of all Reasons sence:
She is the Noblest of all Honours name,
She is the strongest of all Loues defence:
She is the richest of all earthly Treasure,
And purest substance of the Spirits pleasure.
She is the sweetest of all Reasons sence:
She is the Noblest of all Honours name,
She is the strongest of all Loues defence:
She is the richest of all earthly Treasure,
And purest substance of the Spirits pleasure.
Oh what can there be more? that she should be?
Or, how should she be more than that she is?
That all may see, and more then all may see,
The Blessed Being of all Being Blisse:
All Infinite, in all perfections waies,
And Infinite, in all perfections praise.
Or, how should she be more than that she is?
That all may see, and more then all may see,
The Blessed Being of all Being Blisse:
All Infinite, in all perfections waies,
And Infinite, in all perfections praise.
And, being then in goodnes all so Good;
As, being best, a better cannot be:
Which, in her selfe is only vnderstood,
And in her selfe, her selfe can only see:
What life of Grace? but would in loue admire her,
Or Gratious loue could liue, and not desire her?
As, being best, a better cannot be:
Which, in her selfe is only vnderstood,
And in her selfe, her selfe can only see:
What life of Grace? but would in loue admire her,
Or Gratious loue could liue, and not desire her?
But since that loue is the true life indeede,
Of which she is, by which she only liueth:
From which she hath her only happy spide,
To which she oweth all the good she giueth;
Let me the purest of my passion proue,
To see her Glory in the Grace of loue.
Of which she is, by which she only liueth:
From which she hath her only happy spide,
To which she oweth all the good she giueth;
Let me the purest of my passion proue,
To see her Glory in the Grace of loue.
| The Works in Verse and Prose of Nicholas Breton | |