The canticles or Balades of Salomon :: :: University of Virginia Library

Whan the Spouse hath shewed that Christ is goen doun into his Churche whiche is his gardeyne, (not that she at any tyme lacked hym, for she had him euen whā she sought hym, but she felt hym not: & therfore she sayeth he went doun into her, because he than holpe her) and towlde also that he cummeth to the spice beddes, the bokes of holy scripture, alwayes present there to geue to all those the fruites of euerlastyng lyfe, that sincerely study, and earnestly accomplysshe the thinges taught them therin: And that besyde his presence in her and in the scriptures, he fedeth among the lilies, those are the true and faythfull beleuers: not that he eateth them, but rather they hym, in perfectly beleuyng in hym: and howe she only delyteth in hym and he in her: Christe allowyng her zeale prayseth her. And where as before she had a carnall iye, and false chayne of hipocritical wurkes about her fayer neck, her iudgement is now so vpryghte, and her charitable deades so good and perfect, that he delyted therwith, syngeth.

Fvll fayer art thou my frende, And frendely there withall.
For why thy good wyll doeth extende,
To all that on thee call.

Fayer, fayrer than the gem, Thou art, and doest appere,
Lyke the heauenly Ierusalem,
Whiche is to God so dere.

And lyke an armye dight, So dreadful art thou alse:
Whiche with my wurde doest put to flyght,
Al doctrines that be false.

Thou holdest furth my crosse, that bluddy standard strong:
And sayest mennes wurkes therto are mosse,
And doe my death great wrong.

Thy iudgement in my wurd, Is paysed so vpryght,
That in my mynde I am styll sturde
In thee to haue delyght.

Turne backe from me thyne iyes, For they haue made me proude
I mean thyne earnest excercise
In iudgement wel allowed.

Thy heares, that is to saye, thy scripture grounded notes,
In lyuelynes to dure alway,
Are lyke a flocke of Goates.

Are lyke a flocke of goates, from Gileal clypped rounde:
For all thy truthes and scripture notes,
Are in the Byble founde.

Thy teeth, thy reasons strong, that doe so well agre:

Are lyke vnto the flockes of shepe
That scarce can numbred be.

Whiche clean cum vp along, Out from the washyng place.
Thyne argumentes that are so strong
In scripture take theyr grace.

Of whiche eche hath within, The truth and scripture grounde:
Lyke flockes where eche beast hath a twin,
And none is barayn founde.

Lyke to the Pomegarnarde, That cut in twayne, is read:
So all thy wurkes, thy chekes, outwarde
Do shyne, and none are dead.

Besydes thy fyllet fine, My wurkes that can not fayle:
Whiche garnysh al good wurkes of thyne,
Whiche els could not auayle.