Marie Magdalens Lamentations for the Losse of her Master Iesus [by Gervase Markham] |
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The Preface to Marie Magdalens Lamentations.
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 | Marie Magdalens Lamentations for the Losse of her Master Iesus |  |
The Preface to Marie Magdalens Lamentations.
The
happiest soule that ever was invested,
In sinne-staind skin awakes my woe-fed Muse,
To sing her love (whose love is now celested)
Sith graver pens so good a worke refuse,
To wet the world with her sinne-washing teares,
Which well destil'd, each cloudie conscience cleares.
In sinne-staind skin awakes my woe-fed Muse,
To sing her love (whose love is now celested)
Sith graver pens so good a worke refuse,
To wet the world with her sinne-washing teares,
Which well destil'd, each cloudie conscience cleares.
She shed them once in most abundant wise,
Thinking no future aire should drie them up
While any drop remain'd in tender eyes,
Or any heart could heartie sorrow sup,
Or any soule could sigh for sinne forepast,
Or feare that Gods iust iudgements aye should last.
Thinking no future aire should drie them up
While any drop remain'd in tender eyes,
Or any heart could heartie sorrow sup,
Or any soule could sigh for sinne forepast,
Or feare that Gods iust iudgements aye should last.
But world worse waxing, hath forgot her lore,
Relenting hearts are adamanted so,
They cannot greeve, drie eyes can drop no more,
And sin-clog'd soule doe now so heedlesse go:
They cannot sigh (ah tis too great a paine)
With contrite minds such soure-sweet throbs to strain.
Relenting hearts are adamanted so,
They cannot greeve, drie eyes can drop no more,
And sin-clog'd soule doe now so heedlesse go:
They cannot sigh (ah tis too great a paine)
With contrite minds such soure-sweet throbs to strain.
Yea soule confounding sinne so far hath crept,
Repentant sighes are reckoned for toies,
And Maries teares contemned, long have slept,
As jems unpriz'd, which corrupt age destroies:
Save that her Lord, because they still should last,
Jn surest caske hath them invessel'd fast.
Repentant sighes are reckoned for toies,
And Maries teares contemned, long have slept,
As jems unpriz'd, which corrupt age destroies:
Save that her Lord, because they still should last,
Jn surest caske hath them invessel'd fast.
For wretched soules let loose to libertie,
So wanton like are weaned to each wrong,
So licensed to worke impietie,
And free to fleshly wils have liv'd so long:
That those fresh springs, whence penitent tears should flow,
Presumption hath so stopt, that none will know.
So wanton like are weaned to each wrong,
So licensed to worke impietie,
And free to fleshly wils have liv'd so long:
That those fresh springs, whence penitent tears should flow,
Presumption hath so stopt, that none will know.
And sencelesse hearts, obdurat to all good,
Have so perverted their perfixed end,
That now (O greefe) their sighs and dearest bloud,
To feed fond fancie they doe vainely spend:
But for their sins one teare for to let fall,
They have (alas) nor eye nor heart at all.
Have so perverted their perfixed end,
That now (O greefe) their sighs and dearest bloud,
To feed fond fancie they doe vainely spend:
But for their sins one teare for to let fall,
They have (alas) nor eye nor heart at all.
Ah could they see what sinne from sence hath shut,
How sweet it were to summon deeds misdone,
To have their lives in equall ballance put,
To waigh each worke ere that the judge doe come:
Ah then their teares would trickle like the raine,
And their eye-flouds would helpe to fill the maine.
How sweet it were to summon deeds misdone,
To have their lives in equall ballance put,
To waigh each worke ere that the judge doe come:
Ah then their teares would trickle like the raine,
And their eye-flouds would helpe to fill the maine.
They would with Marie send forth bitter cries,
To get the ioies of their soule-saving love,
They would gush forth fresh fountaines from their eies,
To win his favour, and his mercie prove:
Eyes, hart, and tongue, should poure, breath out, & send,
Teares, sighs, and plaints, untill their love they find.
To get the ioies of their soule-saving love,
They would gush forth fresh fountaines from their eies,
To win his favour, and his mercie prove:
Eyes, hart, and tongue, should poure, breath out, & send,
Teares, sighs, and plaints, untill their love they find.
No idle houres ill spent in fond delight,
No teares distil'd for momentarie losses,
No sighs for missing absent lovers sight,
No care contriv'd of common worldly crosses,
Should then be us'd; but all consum'd in this,
To beg amendment and bewaile their misse.
No teares distil'd for momentarie losses,
No sighs for missing absent lovers sight,
No care contriv'd of common worldly crosses,
Should then be us'd; but all consum'd in this,
To beg amendment and bewaile their misse.
Yea all too little to an humble soule
(That inly sees her ill misgovern'd life)
Would it appeare, to spend whole yeares in dole,
Yea many ages to declare her strife
Would passe as minuts, wishing time would stand,
While she with feare her endlesse faults had scand.
(That inly sees her ill misgovern'd life)
Would it appeare, to spend whole yeares in dole,
Yea many ages to declare her strife
Would passe as minuts, wishing time would stand,
While she with feare her endlesse faults had scand.
But farre from this lives sinners (too secure)
Who giving bridle to their selfe-desires,
Cannot alas one scanted houre indure
In sacred service, but their mind aspires
Jn following pleasures height, whose froward will
In doing good, doth make them carelesse still.
Who giving bridle to their selfe-desires,
Cannot alas one scanted houre indure
In sacred service, but their mind aspires
Jn following pleasures height, whose froward will
In doing good, doth make them carelesse still.
Which seene with pitie on our gracelesse minds,
This blessed sinner, whose so precious teares.
Once bath'd his feet, that heaven and earth in binds,
And made a towell of her trayling haires,
To wipe the drops, which for her sins were shed,
Now deignes to tell how our soules should be fed.
This blessed sinner, whose so precious teares.
Once bath'd his feet, that heaven and earth in binds,
And made a towell of her trayling haires,
To wipe the drops, which for her sins were shed,
Now deignes to tell how our soules should be fed.
And Marie shewes to maids and matrones both,
How they should weepe and decke their rose-like cheekes
With showers of greefe, whereto hard hearts are loth,
And who it is her matchlesse mourning seekes:
And when we ought to send our reeking sighs,
To thicke the passage of the purest lights.
How they should weepe and decke their rose-like cheekes
With showers of greefe, whereto hard hearts are loth,
And who it is her matchlesse mourning seekes:
And when we ought to send our reeking sighs,
To thicke the passage of the purest lights.
And Marie showes us when we ought to beat
Our brasen breasts, and let our robes be rent,
How prostrating, to creepe unto the seat
Of that sweet lambe, whose bloud for us was spent:
And that we should give way unto our woes,
When the excesse no fault or errour showes.
Our brasen breasts, and let our robes be rent,
How prostrating, to creepe unto the seat
Of that sweet lambe, whose bloud for us was spent:
And that we should give way unto our woes,
When the excesse no fault or errour showes.
Jf you will deigne with favour to peruse
Maries memoriall of her sad lament,
Exciting Collin in his graver Muse,
To tell the manner of her hearts repent:
My gaine is great, my guerdon granted is,
Let Maries plaints plead pardon for amisse.
Maries memoriall of her sad lament,
Exciting Collin in his graver Muse,
To tell the manner of her hearts repent:
My gaine is great, my guerdon granted is,
Let Maries plaints plead pardon for amisse.
| Marie Magdalens Lamentations for the Losse of her Master Iesus | |