Miscellaneous Poems :: :: University of Virginia Library

Watch us by night, with one accord uprising,
Psalms in due course our meditation always,
Hymns strong and sweet in all their might and softness
Sing on, adoring.

So to Love's King our melodies combining,
We may find grace with all the saints to enter
Love's palace hall, the blessèd life among them
There to inherit.

Such be our boon from Thee, Thou blessèd Godhead!
Father, and Son, and Holy Ghost co-equal,
Grant it alike, as through the world Thy glory
Rings undivided.

127

“NUNC SANCTE.”

E'en now vouchsafe, Good Spirit, One
Both with the Father and the Son,
Into our hearts Thyself to pour,
A treasure heap'd and running o'er.

Eye, soul, tongue, mind, with all your might
In tones of perfect praise unite!
Celestial Love, break out and blaze,
Touch all around with living rays!

Father of Love, this boon confer,
And Thou, co-equal only Son,
And Holy Ghost the Comforter,
For ever reigning, Three in One.

128

“RECTOR POTENS.”

[_]

(Sixth Hour.)

Strong Ruler, God whose Word is truth,
Who ordering all things and their change,
With brightness dost the morn array,
And with Thy fires the noontide hour,

Quench Thou the flame, where'er is strife,
Take all our harmful heat away;
Health to our mortal bodies give,
And to our souls true peace of heart.

Grant it, O Father of all Love,
And Thou, co-equal only Son,
Who reignest through all ages with
The Holy Ghost the Comforter. Amen.

129

“RERUM DEUS.”

[_]

(Ninth Hour.)

O God, th' enduring might of things,
Abiding in Thyself unmoved,
Who measurest out each time and tide
By changing lights from day to day;

Lord, grant it clear at eventide
That life may never fade, nor fall,
But everlasting brightness dawn
At once—true meed of holy death.

Grant it, O Father of all Love,
And Thou, co-equal only Son,
Who reignest through all ages with
The Holy Ghost the Comforter. Amen.

130

“PRIMO DIERUM OMNIUM.”

[_]

(For Sunday Morning .)

This glorious morn, Time's eldest born,
Wherein was framed the world we see,
And from the grave, our souls to save,
The Framer rose in victory;

From soul and eye let slumber fly;
Rise, one and all, with duteous speed;
And seek by night His kindly light,
As of that ancient Seer we read.

Pray we in fear, so He may hear,
And His right hand reach out in love;
And, cleans'd from all earth's stain recall
His wanderers to their home above.

So, whosoe'er in chant and prayer
These stillest, holiest hours employ
Of His own day, on them He may
Rain blessings from His own rich joy.

131

Father of Light, serene and bright,
Now with o'erflowing hearts we pray,
Quench Thou the fire of foul desire
Each harmful deed drive far away.

Lest wandering sense, or dark offence
Corrupt this fallen, mortal frame,
And kindling lust make our frail dust
Meet fuel for Hell's fiercer flame.

Therefore we flee, good Lord, to Thee;
O throughly purge our deep disgrace;
In mercy give, that we may live,
True treasures from the eternal place.

So we the same whom carnal shame
Made exiles, now new-cleansed and bright,
E'en waiting here in prostrate fear
Our glory-hymn may learn aright.

Father of Love, this prayer approve,
And Thou, co-equal only Son,
And Spirit blest, of both confest,
For ever reigning, Three in One.

Altered from the Rev. W. Copeland's version.

Isaiah xxvi. 9

132

“LUCIS CREATOR OPTIME.”

[_]

(For Sunday Evening .)

Thou, Light's Creator, first and best,
By whom new days in light are drest,
The young world making glad and bright
By gleaming of that earliest light:

Whose wisdom joined in meet array
The morn and eve, and named them Day:—
Night glideth on in dim, dark air,—
Regard Thy people's tearful prayer!

Lest sin-bound souls with Thee at strife,
Prove outcasts from the gift of life;
While thinking but of earth and time
They weave them still new chains of crime.

O may we knock at Heaven's dread door,
And win the wreath that fades no more!
Shun harms without, clear hearts within
Of all their worst, their haunting sin.

133

Father, do Thou this boon accord,
Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord!
Who with the Holy Ghost, and Thee,
Dost live and reign eternally.

Altered from the “Hymnal Noted.”

134

“SALVETE FLORES MARTYRUM.”

[_]

(Holy Innocents.)

Hall, Martyr-flowers, who gleaming forth,
Just on the edge of your brief day,
By Christ's keen foe were swept from earth,
As rosebuds by the whirlwind's sway!

The first-fruits unto Christ are ye,
His lambs new-slain, a tender sort,
E'en by the shrine in childlike glee
Ye with your palms and garlands sport.

Ah! what avails so dire a doom?
What boots the stain on Herod's soul?
The One of many 'scapes the tomb,
The Christ is gone, unharm'd and whole.

Far from their streaming blood who shared
His birth-hour, He at rest is laid:
The Virgin-born that steel hath spared
Which many a matron childless made.

135

So did one child of yore elude
The wild laws of the wicked king,
With likeness of the Christ endued,
Ordain'd His people home to bring.

136

“CULTOR DEI MEMENTO.”

Servant of God, remember
The drops thy brow bedewing
From holy font, and laver,
The unction thee renewing.

See, that on brow and bosom,
When gentle sleep is calling,
The Cross abide to seal thee,
Upon thy chaste bed falling.

No gloom the Cross endureth,
All crime the Cross repelleth,
By that strong sign devoted
The soul unwavering dwelleth.

Begone, ye wandering portents,
Ye dreams so base and dreary;
Begone, unclean Deceiver,
Of cheating never weary.

137

O foul, O crooked Serpent,
A thousand mazes trying,
And winding frauds, to trouble
The hearts on Heaven relying.

Depart,—the Christ is present!
The Christ is present,—vanish!
The Sign that well thou knowest
Thee and thy crew shall banish.

What if awhile the body
Sink wearily reclining?
Faith wakes, in very slumber
The truth of Christ divining.

Praise to the Eternal Father,
To Christ, true King of Heaven,
And to the Blessèd Spirit
Now, and for aye be given!

138

“CHORUS NOVÆ HIERUSALEM

The choir of new Jerusalem
A new sweet song must choose and frame,
Her Paschal feast (O glad employ!)
So honouring with all sober joy.

See Christ the unconquered Lion rise!
The Dragon crush'd beneath Him lies.
His living voice thrills through the gloom,
The dead awakening from the tomb.

Insatiate Hell to light once more
Hath given the prey devour'd of yore,
And captives freed in due array
Are following Jesus on the way.

He triumphs now in glorious light.
By His great power, as meet and right,
The heavenly and the earthly kind
In one sole City He doth bind.

139

He is our King, His soldiers we,
Our lowly chanted prayer must be
That He may station each and all
In His own glorious palace-hall.

Through ages that no limit know
Father Supreme, to Thee we owe
Glory and honour, with the Son
And Holy Spirit, Three in One.

Altered from the “Hymnal Noted.”

140

“VEXILLA REGIS.”

The banners of the King appear,
The mystery of the Cross shines clear,
Whereby upon the Tree of shame
In flesh He hangs who flesh did frame.

With palms outstretch'd our Victim view
His very Heart nail'd through and through,
Vouchsafing, for Redemption's price,
Here to be slain in sacrifice.

And here too, wound on wound, we see
By dint of that dire lance, how He
To cleanse us caused His side to run
With Blood and Water all in one.

Fulfill'd is now what David sings,
(True verse that through the wide world rings,)
“Among the nations all,” saith he,
“The Lord hath reignèd from the Tree.”

141

O stately Tree, so bright and fair,
Who dost the King's own purple wear,
Whose stem He chose and fitly framed
That holiest Form to touch unblamed!

O blessèd, on whose arms sustained
The Ransom hung for all ordained!
His Body there in balance lay,
And spoil'd Hell-powers of all their prey.

Hail, Altar! awful Victim, hail!
Whose glorious pains did so prevail;
Whose Life bore Death, and did restore
By dying, Life for evermore.

Thee, Lord most highest, Three in One
With praise let every spirit own,
Whom by the mystery of the Tree
Thou sav'st, their Guide Eternal be!

Ps. xcvi. 10. There was an ancient, but corrupt reading of this verse, “Tell it out among the heathen, that the Lord reigneth from the Tree.”

142

“VERBUM SUPERNUM PRODIENS.”

Dread Word, who from the Father hast
Thy goings forth of old, now born,
When waning Time is well-nigh past,
Sole succour to a world outworn,

Enlighten now all bosoms, Lord,
Consume them with Thy love, we pray,
That heard at last, the Royal Word
Earth's dreamy lights may chase away.

And when Thou com'st a Judge, one day,
The heart's dim records to unrol,
Dark deeds with anguish to repay
And with a crown the righteous soul,

We may not, for our several sin,
Each in his chain of darkness lie,
But with the blest in glory win
A virgin wreath eternally.

143

“VOX CLARA ECCE PERSONAT.”

Give ear,—the Voice rings keen and true
The world's dim corners through and through:
Ye dreams and shadows, speed your flight,
Lo! Christ from heaven is darting light!

Now let each slumbering soul arise
That yet impure and wounded lies;
Now a new Star its light doth give,
And where it beams no ill may live.

The Lamb from heaven is on His way,
Our debt of His free love to pay.
O may we all with tears most meet,
And loving voice that mercy greet!

So when anew the Light doth rise,
A horror girding earth and skies,
Not as our sin Thy scourge may prove.
O shield us with Thy pitying love!

144

“PANGE LINGUA, GLORIOSI PRÆLIUM CERTAMINIS

Sing, my tongue, of glorious warfare,
Sing the last, the dread affray!
O'er the Cross, high Victory's token,
Sound the glad triumphant lay,
How the Sacrifice enduring
Earth's Redeemer won the day.

He with our first father mourning
For his crime and broken faith,
Who of that ill fruit partaking
In a moment died the death,—
Mark'd e'en then a Tree to ransom
All the first tree's woe and scathe.

Such the work for our salvation
In its order fix'd and due;
Art, the Traitor's art to baffle
And his wiles of changeful hue;
Thence to draw the balm and healing
Whence the foe the poison drew.

145

Wherefore in His season's fitness,
When the sacred years were spent,
Came the Son, the world's Creator,
From the Father's palace sent,
From the Virgin's womb proceeding,
Flesh most pure and innocent.

Hear His cries, an Infant hidden
Where the narrow manger stands;
See the Mother Maid His members
Wrapping in rude lowly bands:
See the cradle-garments swathing
God's own feeble feet and hands!

Now, the thirty years accomplish'd,
(All the time to flesh assign'd,)
With good will, for therefore came He,
To His Agony resign'd,
On the Cross our Lamb is lifted,
There the Sacrifice they bind.

Gall and vinegar, and spittle,
Reed and nails and lance, and lo!
Now the tender Form is piercèd,
Now the Blood and Water flow!

146

Earth and stars, and sky, and ocean
Well that cleansing river know.

Faithful Cross! above all other,
One and only noble Tree!
None in foliage, none in blossom,
None in fruit Thy peer may be.
Sweetest wood, and sweetest iron,
Sweetest weight is hung on Thee

To the Trinity be glory
Everlasting, as is meet,
Equal to the Father, equal
To the Son and Paraclete;
Trinal Unity, whose praises
All created things repeat.

Altered from Dr. Neale's version.”

This stanza is taken altogether from Dr. Neale's version.

147

“O, DEUS, EGO AMO TE.”

Fain would we love Thee, Lord; for Thou
Didst love us first, and lo!
In willing chains to follow Thee
Our freedom we forego.

Let memory nought to us recall,
But of Thy love and praise;
Nor understanding brood on aught
But Thee, and Thy dread ways.

No will but what we learn'd as Thine,
(Thou knowest, Lord!) have we:
Whatever by Thy gift is ours,
By our gift Thine shall be.

All was of Thee: receive Thou all,
Teach what with all to do:
Rule, as Thou know'st and will'st: we know
Thou art a Lover true.

148

With love alone endow us; so
Shall we in turn love Thee.
Give this, and Thou giv'st all: for why?
The rest is vanity.

149

“ALLELUIA, DULCE CARMEN.”

Alleluia, sweetest Anthem,
Voice of joy that may not die;
Alleluia, voice delightsome
E'en to blessèd choirs on high;
Sung by holy ones abiding
In God's home eternally.

Alleluia,—O, blest mother,
Salem, crown'd above and free,—
Alleluia is thy watchword,
So thine own shall joy with thee:
But as yet by Babel's waters,
Mourning exiles still are we.

Alleluia we deserve not
Here to chant for evermore;
Alleluia for our trespass
We must for a while give o'er;
For a Lenten time approaches
Bidding us our sins deplore.

150

Wherefore in our hymns we pray Thee,
Blessèd, Holy Trinity!
Grant us all to keep Thine Easter
In our home beyond the sky;
There to Thee our Alleluia
Singing everlastingly. Amen.

151

“CORDE NATUS EX PARENTIS

[_]

(For Christmas.)

Born of God the Father's bosom,
Ere the worlds to light had come,
Alpha surnamed and Omega,
He alone the source and sum
Of all things that are or have been,
Or hereafter shall find room,
Ever, and for evermore.

This is He whom Heaven-taught minstrels
Hymned of yore with one accord;
Pledged to man in faithful pages
Of the Prophets' sure strong word.
As foreshewn, His Star is gleaming;—
Now let all things praise the Lord
Ever, and for evermore.

152

O that pure and blessèd dawning,
When the unspotted Mother bright
By the Holy Ghost made fruitful,
Our salvation brought to light,
And the Babe, the world's Redeemer,
Shew'd His sacred face in sight
Ever, and for evermore.

Let Heaven's height sing Psalms adoring,
Psalms let all the angels sing,
Powers and Virtues wheresoever
Praise with Psalms our God and King;
None of all the tongues be silent,
Mightily all voices sing,
Ever, and for evermore.

Thee let aged men and youthful,
Boys in choral brotherhood,
Mothers, virgins, simple maidens,
One adoring multitude,
Hymn aloud in tones harmonious,
Of devoutest, purest mood,
Ever, and for evermore.

153

Christ, to Thee with God the Father,
And the Holy Spirit, be
Praise unwearied, high thanksgiving,
Song, and perfect melody.
Honour, virtue, might victorious,
And to reign eternally
Ever, and for evermore.

Altered from the “Hymnal Noted.”