Marie Magdalens Lamentations for the Losse of her Master Iesus [by Gervase Markham] |
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Marie Magdalens seventh Lamentation.
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 | Marie Magdalens Lamentations for the Losse of her Master Iesus |  |
Marie Magdalens seventh Lamentation.
Her falling at Christs feet to kisse them, his forbidding her: saying, Do not touch me, for I am not yet ascended to my Father.
Oh loving Lord, what mysterie is this;
Being dead in sinne, I toucht thy mortall feet
That were to die for me, now may not kisse
Thy glorious feet, yet thou hast thought it meet
They should as vvell for my good now revive,
As for my good they dy'de, being late alive?
Being dead in sinne, I toucht thy mortall feet
That were to die for me, now may not kisse
Thy glorious feet, yet thou hast thought it meet
They should as vvell for my good now revive,
As for my good they dy'de, being late alive?
Thou didst admit me once to annoint thy head,
And am I now unmeet thy feet to touch?
Thou wonted was for to commend the deed,
Which now thou doest command me from as much:
O Lord, sith I and others shall them feele,
Why doest thou now forbid me so to kneele.
And am I now unmeet thy feet to touch?
Thou wonted was for to commend the deed,
Which now thou doest command me from as much:
O Lord, sith I and others shall them feele,
Why doest thou now forbid me so to kneele.
What meanest thou good Lord, that thou restrainst
My heart of such a dutie so desired,
Sith thou mongst all thy friends, to me hast deign'd
The first of thy selfe (of all required:)
With thy first vvords my eares sole happie be,
And may I not be blest with touching thee?
My heart of such a dutie so desired,
Sith thou mongst all thy friends, to me hast deign'd
The first of thy selfe (of all required:)
With thy first vvords my eares sole happie be,
And may I not be blest with touching thee?
If teares have vvoon such favour from mine eies,
If longing earnes a recompence so sweet,
Why doest thou Lord my feeling hands despise,
And barre my mouth from kissing thy sweet feet:
Sith lips (with plaints) & hands (with will to serve)
Doe seeme as great reward for to deserve.
If longing earnes a recompence so sweet,
Why doest thou Lord my feeling hands despise,
And barre my mouth from kissing thy sweet feet:
Sith lips (with plaints) & hands (with will to serve)
Doe seeme as great reward for to deserve.
But notwithstanding, thus thou doest prevent
My tender offer, vvhich I vvould effect,
Forbidding me to touch (as if thou meant)
I should the difference of thy state respect:
Being now a glorious, not a mortall bodie,
A life eternall, and not momentarie.
My tender offer, vvhich I vvould effect,
Forbidding me to touch (as if thou meant)
I should the difference of thy state respect:
Being now a glorious, not a mortall bodie,
A life eternall, and not momentarie.
For sith the bodies immortalitie,
The glorie of the soule together knit,
Are both of them indowments heavenly
For such as in sweet Paradice doe sit:
Rights of another vvorld vvell maist thou deeme
This favour, than nothing of small esteeme.
The glorie of the soule together knit,
Are both of them indowments heavenly
For such as in sweet Paradice doe sit:
Rights of another vvorld vvell maist thou deeme
This favour, than nothing of small esteeme.
Though to my Father I have not ascended,
I shortly shall, let thy demeanure then
Not by the place vvhere I am, be intended,
But by that place vvhich is my due: and vvhen
With reverence thou farre off vvouldst fall,
I vvill consent that thou me handle shall.
I shortly shall, let thy demeanure then
Not by the place vvhere I am, be intended,
But by that place vvhich is my due: and vvhen
With reverence thou farre off vvouldst fall,
I vvill consent that thou me handle shall.
If thou my former promises beleeve,
My present vvords may be a constant proofe,
Doe not thy eies and eares true vvitnesse give,
Must hands and face most feele for hearts behoofe:
If eies and eares deceived be by me,
As vvell may hands and face deluded be.
My present vvords may be a constant proofe,
Doe not thy eies and eares true vvitnesse give,
Must hands and face most feele for hearts behoofe:
If eies and eares deceived be by me,
As vvell may hands and face deluded be.
Yet if thou feare least I so suddaine part,
That if thou take not leave now of my feet,
With humble kisse, vvith teares fetcht from thy heart,
Thou never shalt so fit a season meet:
License that doubt, for all these loves of thine,
There vvill be found a more convenient time.
That if thou take not leave now of my feet,
With humble kisse, vvith teares fetcht from thy heart,
Thou never shalt so fit a season meet:
License that doubt, for all these loves of thine,
There vvill be found a more convenient time.
But goe about vvhat now more hast requires,
Run to my brethren, tell them vvhat I say,
That I to satisfie their soules desires,
For them in Gallilee vvill goe stay:
And there before them shortly vvill I bee,
Where they my sacred heavenly face shall see.
Run to my brethren, tell them vvhat I say,
That I to satisfie their soules desires,
For them in Gallilee vvill goe stay:
And there before them shortly vvill I bee,
Where they my sacred heavenly face shall see.
And I preferring fore my vvish his vvill,
Even like a hungrie child departed from him,
Puld from a tear, vvhich store of milke doth fill,
Or like a thirstie Hart, from brookes exil'd:
Sorrie that I by carrying ioyfull newes,
Should leave my Lord, whom I did rather chuse.
Even like a hungrie child departed from him,
Puld from a tear, vvhich store of milke doth fill,
Or like a thirstie Hart, from brookes exil'd:
Sorrie that I by carrying ioyfull newes,
Should leave my Lord, whom I did rather chuse.
Alas then (said I) cannot others be
Made happie, but by my unhappie crosse,
Cannot their gaine come in by none but me,
And not by me, but by my heavie losse:
Must dawning of their day my evening be,
And to enrich themselves, must they rob me?
Made happie, but by my unhappie crosse,
Cannot their gaine come in by none but me,
And not by me, but by my heavie losse:
Must dawning of their day my evening be,
And to enrich themselves, must they rob me?
Alas goe seeke to better thee (deare hart)
And ease thy vvoe in some more happie brest,
Sith I unworthie creature for my part,
Am nothing freed from my late unrest:
But in the tast of high felicitie,
The vvant vvhereof doth worke more miserie.
And ease thy vvoe in some more happie brest,
Sith I unworthie creature for my part,
Am nothing freed from my late unrest:
But in the tast of high felicitie,
The vvant vvhereof doth worke more miserie.
Thus lead by dutie, and held backe by love,
I paced forward, but my thoughts goe backe,
Readie eftsoones a sounding fit to prove,
But that firme faith supported me from wracke:
And towards the Tombe in breathing oft I turn'd,
As if that aire with new refreshing burn'd.
I paced forward, but my thoughts goe backe,
Readie eftsoones a sounding fit to prove,
But that firme faith supported me from wracke:
And towards the Tombe in breathing oft I turn'd,
As if that aire with new refreshing burn'd.
Sometimes poore soule my selfe I doe forget,
Love in a sweet distraction leading me,
Makes me imagine I my love have met,
And seemes as though his vvords vvere feeding me:
I deeme his feet are folded in my armes,
And that his comfort my chill spirit vvarmes.
Love in a sweet distraction leading me,
Makes me imagine I my love have met,
And seemes as though his vvords vvere feeding me:
I deeme his feet are folded in my armes,
And that his comfort my chill spirit vvarmes.
But vvhen my vvits are all againe awake,
And this a meere illusion is found,
My heart halfe dead, it vvonted vvoe doth take,
And greater greefe my sicke soule doth confound,
That I (alas) the thing it selfe must misse,
Whose onely thought so much delightfull is.
And this a meere illusion is found,
My heart halfe dead, it vvonted vvoe doth take,
And greater greefe my sicke soule doth confound,
That I (alas) the thing it selfe must misse,
Whose onely thought so much delightfull is.
And as I passed vvhere my Lord hath beene,
Oh stones (said I) more happier farre than I,
Most vvretched caitife, I alas have seene
When unto you my Lord did not denie
The touch of his for ever blessed feet,
Whereof my ill deserts makes me unmeet.
Oh stones (said I) more happier farre than I,
Most vvretched caitife, I alas have seene
When unto you my Lord did not denie
The touch of his for ever blessed feet,
Whereof my ill deserts makes me unmeet.
Alas, vvhat crime have I of late commit,
That cancels me out of his good conceit?
Or doth my Lord his vvonted love forget,
May I no more his vvonted love await?
Had I for tearme of life his love in lease,
And did my right expire in his decease?
That cancels me out of his good conceit?
Or doth my Lord his vvonted love forget,
May I no more his vvonted love await?
Had I for tearme of life his love in lease,
And did my right expire in his decease?
Oh in his feet vvith teares at first I vvrit
My supplication for his mercie sweet,
With sobs and sighes (poore soule) I pointed it,
My haire did chortely fold it, being vvet,
My lips impression humbly seal'd the same,
With reverent stamp which frō my sick soule came.
My supplication for his mercie sweet,
With sobs and sighes (poore soule) I pointed it,
My haire did chortely fold it, being vvet,
My lips impression humbly seal'd the same,
With reverent stamp which frō my sick soule came.
They vvere the dores this entrance first did give
Into his favour, and by them I came
By kind acceptance in his heart to live;
By them I did my humble homage frame,
Vnto his head, while it did yet containe
In man, a mirror of God's brightnesse plaine.
Into his favour, and by them I came
By kind acceptance in his heart to live;
By them I did my humble homage frame,
Vnto his head, while it did yet containe
In man, a mirror of God's brightnesse plaine.
But now alas I must contented be
To beare a lower saile, and stoope to time,
To take downe my desires that sores so high,
To meaner hopes, and leave aloft to clime:
Sith former favours now are makes too high,
Either to levell at, or to come nigh.
To beare a lower saile, and stoope to time,
To take downe my desires that sores so high,
To meaner hopes, and leave aloft to clime:
Sith former favours now are makes too high,
Either to levell at, or to come nigh.
But oh ambitious eies for so vveake sight,
He is too bright a Sunne, your lookes are ty'de,
And now are limitted to meaner light,
And rather like a Batt, than Eagle ey'de:
You must your selves t'inferiour lookes submit,
For him to see, such substance is unfit.
He is too bright a Sunne, your lookes are ty'de,
And now are limitted to meaner light,
And rather like a Batt, than Eagle ey'de:
You must your selves t'inferiour lookes submit,
For him to see, such substance is unfit.
No, no, sith I am from his feet reiected,
How can I thinke, but that my vvant of faith
Is cause I am so slenderly respected,
And that his heart to yeeld me love gainesaith:
Yea, that I am from all possession throwne,
Of his kind favour, vvhich vvere earst mine owne.
How can I thinke, but that my vvant of faith
Is cause I am so slenderly respected,
And that his heart to yeeld me love gainesaith:
Yea, that I am from all possession throwne,
Of his kind favour, vvhich vvere earst mine owne.
Yet vvhy should I stoope to a feare so base,
When vvant of faith vvith sinne vvas vvorse agreeved:
He did vouchsafe to graunt me of his grace,
And shall I now, cause faintly I beleeved,
Thinke that my Lord so rigorously vvill deale,
As to abridge me of this vvished vveale?
When vvant of faith vvith sinne vvas vvorse agreeved:
He did vouchsafe to graunt me of his grace,
And shall I now, cause faintly I beleeved,
Thinke that my Lord so rigorously vvill deale,
As to abridge me of this vvished vveale?
Is the sinceritie of my pure Love,
(Wherein he hath no partener at all)
In no respect availeable to move,
Or in account is it so light and small,
As that it may not hope some sparke to find
Of vvonted mercie, and his grace so kind.
(Wherein he hath no partener at all)
In no respect availeable to move,
Or in account is it so light and small,
As that it may not hope some sparke to find
Of vvonted mercie, and his grace so kind.
I vvill not vvrong him vvith so uniust a thought,
Sith his appearing doth approve the same,
His vvords o'rethrow that such suspition vvrought,
His countenance doth tell I am to blame:
Why then should I from such a vaine surmise,
Sucke so much sorrow in such foolish vvise?
Sith his appearing doth approve the same,
His vvords o'rethrow that such suspition vvrought,
His countenance doth tell I am to blame:
Why then should I from such a vaine surmise,
Sucke so much sorrow in such foolish vvise?
Thus as I travailed in this iourney short,
My fantasies long voiages did make,
And heal'd my mind in such a vvavering sort,
Hope could not vvin, nor feare vvould not forsake:
But twixt them both my vision made me glad,
And greefe of my deniall made me sad.
My fantasies long voiages did make,
And heal'd my mind in such a vvavering sort,
Hope could not vvin, nor feare vvould not forsake:
But twixt them both my vision made me glad,
And greefe of my deniall made me sad.
But as I vvas in this perplexed vvise,
Rising and falling in uncertainetie,
The other holy vvomen I espie
That first vvith me came to the grave to see,
To vvhom the Angels had made demonstration
Of Christ my Lord and maisters resurrection.
Rising and falling in uncertainetie,
The other holy vvomen I espie
That first vvith me came to the grave to see,
To vvhom the Angels had made demonstration
Of Christ my Lord and maisters resurrection.
| Marie Magdalens Lamentations for the Losse of her Master Iesus | |