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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Brittons Diuinitie.
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 | The Works in Verse and Prose of Nicholas Breton |  |
Brittons Diuinitie.
From worldly cares and wanton loues conceit,
Begun in griefe and ended in deceit:
I am coniur'd by hope of happie blis,
Where heauenly faith and highest fauour is,
To call my wits and all my thoughts together,
To write of heauen, and of the high-way thither.
Begun in griefe and ended in deceit:
I am coniur'd by hope of happie blis,
Where heauenly faith and highest fauour is,
To call my wits and all my thoughts together,
To write of heauen, and of the high-way thither.
The holy spirit of eternall power,
Vouchsafe his grace to guide my soule aright,
That patient heart may finde the happie hower,
When I may see the glorie of that sight,
That in conceit so fully may content me,
As nought on earth be able to torment me.
Vouchsafe his grace to guide my soule aright,
That patient heart may finde the happie hower,
When I may see the glorie of that sight,
That in conceit so fully may content me,
As nought on earth be able to torment me.
I aske no ayde of any earthly muse,
Far be my fancie from such fonde affect:
But in the heauen where highest Angels vse,
To sing the sweet of faithful loues effect,
Among those spirits of especiall grace,
I wish my soule might haue a sitting-place.
Far be my fancie from such fonde affect:
But in the heauen where highest Angels vse,
To sing the sweet of faithful loues effect,
Among those spirits of especiall grace,
I wish my soule might haue a sitting-place.
Where first the teares of true repentant hart,
With faithful hope may happy fauor moue,
And sighing sobs of sorrowes bitter smart,
May see the life of vndeseruèd loue:
Thence would I craue some excellence deuine,
To set my foote in this discourse of mine.
With faithful hope may happy fauor moue,
And sighing sobs of sorrowes bitter smart,
May see the life of vndeseruèd loue:
Thence would I craue some excellence deuine,
To set my foote in this discourse of mine.
To iudge of heauen it is a place of ioy,
Where happy soules haue their eternall rest,
Where sweet delights doe suffer no annoy,
But all things good and onely on the best.
Where comforts moer then man can comprehend,
And such contents as neuer can haue end.
Where happy soules haue their eternall rest,
Where sweet delights doe suffer no annoy,
But all things good and onely on the best.
Where comforts moer then man can comprehend,
And such contents as neuer can haue end.
It is the Throne of high Jehouah sweete,
The God of power, of glorie and of grace,
Where vertue dwels, and her adherents meete,
In ioyful feare to see his heauenly face,
Where holy saints and highest Angels sing,
An Alleluia to their heauenly King.
The God of power, of glorie and of grace,
Where vertue dwels, and her adherents meete,
In ioyful feare to see his heauenly face,
Where holy saints and highest Angels sing,
An Alleluia to their heauenly King.
There is the day, and there is neuer night,
There euer ioy, and there is neuer sorrow,
There neuer wrong, but there is euer right,
There euer haue, and neuer need to borrow,
There euer loue, and there is neuer hate,
Neuer but there was euer such a state.
There euer ioy, and there is neuer sorrow,
There neuer wrong, but there is euer right,
There euer haue, and neuer need to borrow,
There euer loue, and there is neuer hate,
Neuer but there was euer such a state.
There all the graces doe agree in one,
There liueth brethren in one linke of loue,
There all the saints doe serue one King alone,
Who giues the blis of highest hearts behoue.
There is the place of perfect paradice,
Where conscience liues and comfort neuer dies.
There liueth brethren in one linke of loue,
There all the saints doe serue one King alone,
Who giues the blis of highest hearts behoue.
There is the place of perfect paradice,
Where conscience liues and comfort neuer dies.
There is the Sun, the beautie of the skie,
The Moone and Starres, the candles of the night,
There is the essence of that heauenly eye,
That blinds the proud and giues the humble light,
There is the rainebow bended by his hand,
Who doth both heauen, earth, sea, and hel cōmand.
The Moone and Starres, the candles of the night,
There is the essence of that heauenly eye,
That blinds the proud and giues the humble light,
There is the rainebow bended by his hand,
Who doth both heauen, earth, sea, and hel cōmand.
There sitteth God in glorie of this throne,
With Virgins, saints and Angels all attended,
Who in his Ire hath Kingdomes ouerthrowen,
And in his loue hath little things defended,
Whose glorie more then may by man be knowen,
And glorie most is in his mercy showen.
With Virgins, saints and Angels all attended,
Who in his Ire hath Kingdomes ouerthrowen,
And in his loue hath little things defended,
Whose glorie more then may by man be knowen,
And glorie most is in his mercy showen.
There doth he sit in highest of his power,
Calling the poore vnto his rich reliefe,
Sowing the sweete that killeth euerie sower,
Giuing the salue that healeth euery griefe:
Making them liue that long were dead before,
And liuing so, that they can die no more.
Calling the poore vnto his rich reliefe,
Sowing the sweete that killeth euerie sower,
Giuing the salue that healeth euery griefe:
Making them liue that long were dead before,
And liuing so, that they can die no more.
By him alone the dumbe doe speake againe,
Of him alone the blinde receiue their seeing,
With him alone is pleasure without pain
In him alone haue blessèd hearts their beeing:
To him alone and onely but vnto him,
All glorie due that al the world may doe him.
Of him alone the blinde receiue their seeing,
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In him alone haue blessèd hearts their beeing:
To him alone and onely but vnto him,
All glorie due that al the world may doe him.
Now haue I writ, though far beneath the worth,
Of highest Heauen, what happie hart conceiueth
Nor wil I trie in order to set forth,
Direction such as neuer hope deceiueth,
How care may climbe the hill of happines
Where is the heauen of highest blessednesse.
Of highest Heauen, what happie hart conceiueth
Nor wil I trie in order to set forth,
Direction such as neuer hope deceiueth,
How care may climbe the hill of happines
Where is the heauen of highest blessednesse.
Grace is the ground of euery good that is,
The ground once good, how can the work be ill?
Then that the mind may not be lead amisse,
Beseech the helpe of his most blessèd will:
Whose onely word sets downe the passage best
Of humble soules to their desirèd rest.
The ground once good, how can the work be ill?
Then that the mind may not be lead amisse,
Beseech the helpe of his most blessèd will:
Whose onely word sets downe the passage best
Of humble soules to their desirèd rest.
Begin to leaue, and make an end to loue,
Such wanton thoughts as wofull sorrow giue,
Be once resolu'd and neuer doe remoue,
To live to die, as thou mayst die to liue:
Which hell to hate, aud seeke for heauenly blis
Read of the world, and tell me what it is.
Such wanton thoughts as wofull sorrow giue,
Be once resolu'd and neuer doe remoue,
To live to die, as thou mayst die to liue:
Which hell to hate, aud seeke for heauenly blis
Read of the world, and tell me what it is.
The world (in trueth) is but a wofull vale,
Where griefe for grasse, and sinnes doe grow for seed,
Where substance, sence and soules are set to sale,
While hoorders heape that naked people need:
And for the gaine but of a simple groat,
One man wil seeke to cut anothers throate.
Where griefe for grasse, and sinnes doe grow for seed,
Where substance, sence and soules are set to sale,
While hoorders heape that naked people need:
And for the gaine but of a simple groat,
One man wil seeke to cut anothers throate.
What is there here that can content the hart?
That knowes content or what it doth containe:
What thought so sweet but brings as sower a smart?
What pleasure such but breeds a greater paine?
What thing so good but prooues in fine so euill?
As (but for God) would beare men to the deuill.
That knowes content or what it doth containe:
What thought so sweet but brings as sower a smart?
What pleasure such but breeds a greater paine?
What thing so good but prooues in fine so euill?
As (but for God) would beare men to the deuill.
What is the earth? the labour of the life.
What is the sea? a gulfe of grislie lakes,
What is the ayre? a stuffe of filthie strife:
What is the fire? the spoyle of that it takes.
Since these are al whence euerie thing doth spring
What is the world, but euen a woful thing?
What is the sea? a gulfe of grislie lakes,
What is the ayre? a stuffe of filthie strife:
What is the fire? the spoyle of that it takes.
Since these are al whence euerie thing doth spring
What is the world, but euen a woful thing?
What thing is man? a clod of mirie clay,
Slime of the earth, a slaue to filthie sinne,
Springs like a weed, and so doth weare away,
Goes to the earth where first he did begin:
Thinke with thy selfe, when thou thy selfe art such
What is in Man that man should be so much:
Slime of the earth, a slaue to filthie sinne,
Springs like a weed, and so doth weare away,
Goes to the earth where first he did begin:
Thinke with thy selfe, when thou thy selfe art such
What is in Man that man should be so much:
What hath the world to leade thy minde to loue?
In true effect, a fardle full of toyes,
For wey the pith what euerie man doth prooue,
The perfect Gems are most vnperfect ioyes;
Consider all what fancie bringeth forth,
The best conceit will fall out nothing worth.
In true effect, a fardle full of toyes,
For wey the pith what euerie man doth prooue,
The perfect Gems are most vnperfect ioyes;
Consider all what fancie bringeth forth,
The best conceit will fall out nothing worth.
What worldlie thinges doe follow fancie most?
Wealth, beautie, loue, fine diet, honour, fame:
What finds affect? both loue and labour lost,
Disdaine, disease, dishonour, death and shame.
Where care and sorrow, death and deadlie strife,
Doo rule the roste in this accursed life.
Wealth, beautie, loue, fine diet, honour, fame:
What finds affect? both loue and labour lost,
Disdaine, disease, dishonour, death and shame.
Where care and sorrow, death and deadlie strife,
Doo rule the roste in this accursed life.
What thing is beautie? a colour quicklie gone.
And what is wealth when riches fall to rust?
What thing is loue? a toy to think vpon:
Fine diet? drosse to feede a filthie lust.
What worldlie honor? oft unworthie praise:
What ease? the cause whereby the life decayes?
And what is wealth when riches fall to rust?
What thing is loue? a toy to think vpon:
Fine diet? drosse to feede a filthie lust.
What worldlie honor? oft unworthie praise:
What ease? the cause whereby the life decayes?
What is disdaine? the scorne of proud conceit,
And what disease? the death of discontent:
Dishonor next? the fruit of fond deceit,
And what is death? the end of ill intent.
Now what is shame? a shamefull thing to tel:
What is the world but wickeds way to hel?
And what disease? the death of discontent:
Dishonor next? the fruit of fond deceit,
And what is death? the end of ill intent.
Now what is shame? a shamefull thing to tel:
What is the world but wickeds way to hel?
For beaste, for birds, for fishes, flowers and trees,
And all such thinges created for our vse,
What thing is man to take such things as these,
By want of grace to turne into abuse?
Oh wretched world, when man that shuld be best,
In beastly things prooues worse then all the rest.
And all such thinges created for our vse,
What thing is man to take such things as these,
By want of grace to turne into abuse?
Oh wretched world, when man that shuld be best,
In beastly things prooues worse then all the rest.
Thus have I shew'd the world and what it is,
A wicked place and ful of wretched woes,
A sincke of sinne shut out from heauenly blis,
Where lacke of grace doth wit and reason loose:
So vile a thing as who in kinde doth prooue it,
Will soone confesse he hath no cause to loue it.
A wicked place and ful of wretched woes,
A sincke of sinne shut out from heauenly blis,
Where lacke of grace doth wit and reason loose:
So vile a thing as who in kinde doth prooue it,
Will soone confesse he hath no cause to loue it.
Now how to leaue this loathsome life of ours,
The hatefull hel the ground of euerie griefe,
Implore the helpe of those assurèd powers,
Who neuer faile the faithfull soule reliefe:
Laye by these thoughts that are to be abhord,
And sett thy heart vpon thy heauenlie Lord.
The hatefull hel the ground of euerie griefe,
Implore the helpe of those assurèd powers,
Who neuer faile the faithfull soule reliefe:
Laye by these thoughts that are to be abhord,
And sett thy heart vpon thy heauenlie Lord.
First knowe thy God, and what a God he is,
Without beginning and can haue no end,
Who in His loue created onely his,
And by his hand doth euer his defend:
Whose glorious essence of his excellence,
Makes highest powers to tremble at his presence.
Without beginning and can haue no end,
Who in His loue created onely his,
And by his hand doth euer his defend:
Whose glorious essence of his excellence,
Makes highest powers to tremble at his presence.
He made the world and what it doth containe,
Onely but man he made vnto his loue,
And mans good-will was his desirèd gaine,
Till proud attempt did high displeasure mooue:
He plagu'd his pride, yet when he saw his paine,
He gaue the salue that heald the wound againe.
Onely but man he made vnto his loue,
And mans good-will was his desirèd gaine,
Till proud attempt did high displeasure mooue:
He plagu'd his pride, yet when he saw his paine,
He gaue the salue that heald the wound againe.
He gaue the rules to guide the soule aright,
What it should doe, and what it should not doe,
He shew'd the summe of his desires delight,
And what the heart should set it selfe vntoo:
And in the good of his most gracious will,
He shew'd the good that healèd euerie ill.
What it should doe, and what it should not doe,
He shew'd the summe of his desires delight,
And what the heart should set it selfe vntoo:
And in the good of his most gracious will,
He shew'd the good that healèd euerie ill.
He gaue the sunne, the moone and starres a course,
That they obserue according to his will:
He makes the tides to take their due recourse,
And sets the earth where it doth settle still:
He made the substance of each element,
And sets his foot vpon the firmament.
That they obserue according to his will:
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And sets the earth where it doth settle still:
He made the substance of each element,
And sets his foot vpon the firmament.
He giues vs knowledge and we will not know him
He bids vs aske, and we wil neuer mooue him:
He bids vs come, and we are running from him:
He giues vs life, and yet we neuer loue him:
He is our King, and we doe not respect him,
He is our God, and yet we doe neglect him.
He bids vs aske, and we wil neuer mooue him:
He bids vs come, and we are running from him:
He giues vs life, and yet we neuer loue him:
He is our King, and we doe not respect him,
He is our God, and yet we doe neglect him.
And nought but man that can or dare deuise,
How to offend that holy wil of his,
In onely man that cursèd humor lyes,
That makes no care to run his course amis,
But day by day doth more and more offend him
Whose onely hand doth from all hurt defend him.
How to offend that holy wil of his,
In onely man that cursèd humor lyes,
That makes no care to run his course amis,
But day by day doth more and more offend him
Whose onely hand doth from all hurt defend him.
Vngrateful man whom God did onely make,
In loue to loue, and with his loue preserueth,
And for his loue endurèd for his sake
Such death of life as dearest loue deserueth:
What cursèd hart would in displeasure mooue him
That giuing all, askes nothing but to loue him.
In loue to loue, and with his loue preserueth,
And for his loue endurèd for his sake
Such death of life as dearest loue deserueth:
What cursèd hart would in displeasure mooue him
That giuing all, askes nothing but to loue him.
Oh loue, sweet loue, oh high and heauenly loue,
The onely loue that leads to happie life,
Oh loue that liues for lovinge hearts behoue,
And makes an end of euery hateful strife:
How happie he that kindly can attaine it,
And how accurst that dare for to disdaine it.
The onely loue that leads to happie life,
Oh loue that liues for lovinge hearts behoue,
And makes an end of euery hateful strife:
How happie he that kindly can attaine it,
And how accurst that dare for to disdaine it.
Loue was the cause that first we were created,
Loue is the life that we haue giuen to lead,
Loue is the cause we neuer can be hated,
Loue is our life when other life is dead,
Loue is the grace that highest good doth giue,
Learne but to loue, and t'is enough to liue.
Loue is the life that we haue giuen to lead,
Loue is the cause we neuer can be hated,
Loue is our life when other life is dead,
Loue is the grace that highest good doth giue,
Learne but to loue, and t'is enough to liue.
First loue thy God that taught thee how to loue,
Then loue the loue that he in loue hath taught thee.
That loue so fixed as nothing can remoue,
The hope of life that highest loue hath wroght thee.
Thus if thou loue, thy loue will be a friend,
To gaine the life where loue wil neuer end.
Then loue the loue that he in loue hath taught thee.
That loue so fixed as nothing can remoue,
The hope of life that highest loue hath wroght thee.
Thus if thou loue, thy loue will be a friend,
To gaine the life where loue wil neuer end.
Finis.
| The Works in Verse and Prose of Nicholas Breton | |