0.1fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.0.1 0.2fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.0.2 0.3fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.0.3 1fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.1 2fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.2 3fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.3 4fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.4 5fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.5 6fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.6 7fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.7 8fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.8 9fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.9 10fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.10 11fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.11 12fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.12 13fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.13 14fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.14 15fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.15 16fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.16 17fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.17 18fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.18 19fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.19 20fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.20 21fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.21 22fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.22 23fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.23 24fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.24 25fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.25 26fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.26 27fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.27 28fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.28 29fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.29 30fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.30 31fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.31 32fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.32 33fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.33 34fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.34 35fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.35 36fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.36 37fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.37 38fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.38 39fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.39 40fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.40 41fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.41 42fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.42 43fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.43 44fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.44 45fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.45 46fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.46 47fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.47 48fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.48 49fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.49 50fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.50 51fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.51 52fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.52 53fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.53 54fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.54 55fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.55 56fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.56 57fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.57 58fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.58 59fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.59 60fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.60 61fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.61 62fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.62 63fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.63 64fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.64 65fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.65 66fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.66 67fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.67 68fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.68 69fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.69 70fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.70 71fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.71 72fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.72 73fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.73 74fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.74 75fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.75 76fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.76 77fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.77 78fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.78 79fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.79 80fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.80 81fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.81 82fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.82 83fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.83 84fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.84 85fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.85 86fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.86 87fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.87 88fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.88 89fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.89 90fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.90 91fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.91 92fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.92 93fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.93 94fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.94 95fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.95 96fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.96 97fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.97 98fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.98 99fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.99 100fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.100 101fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.101 102fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.102 103fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.103 104fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.104 105fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.105 106fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.106 107fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.107 108fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.108 109fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.109 110fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.110 111fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.111 112fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.112 113fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.113 114fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.114 115fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.115 116fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.116 117fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.117 118fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.118 119fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.119 120fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.120 121fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.121 122fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.122 123fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.123 124fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.124 125fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.125 126fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.126 127fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.127 128fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.128 129fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.129 130fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.130 131fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.131 132fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.132 133fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.133 134fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.134 135fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.135 136fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.136 137fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.137 138fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.138 139fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.139 140fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.140 141fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.141 142fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.142 143fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.143 144fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.144 145fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.145 146fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.146 147fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.147 148fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.148 149fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.149 150fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.150 151fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.151 152fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.152 153fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.153 154fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.154 155fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.155 156fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.156 157fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.157 158fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.158 159fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.159 160fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.160 161fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.161 162fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.162 163fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.163 164fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.164 165fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.165 166fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.166 167fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.167 168fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.168 169fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.169 170fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.170 171fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.171 172fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.172 173fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.173 174fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.174 175fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.175 177fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.177 178fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.178 179fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.179 180fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.180 181fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.181 182fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.182 183fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.183 184fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.184 185fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.185 186fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.186 187fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.187 188fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.188 189fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.189 190fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.190 191fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.191 192fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.192 193fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.193 194fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.194 195fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.195 196fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.196 197fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.197 198fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.198 199fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.199 200fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.200 201fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.201 202fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.202 203fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.203 204fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.204 205fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.205 206fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.206 207fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.207 208fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.208 209fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.209 210fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.210 211fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.211 212fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.212 213fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.213 214fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.214 215fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.215 216fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.216 217fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.217 218fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.218 219fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.219 220fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.220 221fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.221 222fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.222 223fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.223 224fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.224 225fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.225 226fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.226 227fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.227 228fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.228 229fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.229 230fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.230 231fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.231 232fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.232 233fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.233 234fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.234 235fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.235 236fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.236 237fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.237 238fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.238 239fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.239 240fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.240 241fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.241 242fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.242 243fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.243 244fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.244 245fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.245 246fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.246 247fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.247 248fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.248 249fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.249 250fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.250 251fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.251 252fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.252 253fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.253 254fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.254 255fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.255 256fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.256 257fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.257 258fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.258 259fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.259 260fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.260 261fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.261 262fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.262 263fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.263 264fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.264 265fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.265 266fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.266 267fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.267 268fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.268 269fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.269 270fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.270 271fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.271 272fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.272 273fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.273 274fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.274 275fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.275 276fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.276 277fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.277 278fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.278 279fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.279 280fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.280 281fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.281 282fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.282 283fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.283 284fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.284 285fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.285 286fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.286 287fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.287 288fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.288 289fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.289 290fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.290 291fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.291 292fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.292 293fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.293 294fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.294 295fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.295 296fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.296 297fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.297 298fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.298 299fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.299 300fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.300 301fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.301 302fowre_hymnes.heavenly_beautie.302
AN HYMNE OF HEAVENLY BEAVTIEBEAUTIE.
RApt with the rage of mine own rauishtravisht thought,
Through cõtemplationcontemplation of those goodly sights,
And glorious images in heauenheaven wrought,
Whose wõdrouswondrous beauty breathing sweet delights,
Do kindle louelove in high conceipted sprights:
I faine to tell the things that I behold,
But feele my wits to faile, and tongue to fold.
Vouchsafe then, ô thou most almightie Spright,
From whom all guifts of wit and knowledge flow,
To shed into my breast some sparkling light
Of thine eternall Truth, that I may show
Some litle beames to mortall eyes below,
Of that immortall beautie, there with thee,
Which in my weake distraughted mynd I see.
That with the glorie of so goodly sight,
The hearts of men, which fondly here admyre
Faire seeming shewes, and feed on vaine delight,
Transported with celestiall desyre
Of those faire formes, may lift themseluesthemselves vp hyer,
And learne to louelove with zealous humble dewty
Th’eternall fountaine of that heauenlyheavenly beauty.
Beginning then below, with th’easie vew
Of this base world, subiectsubject toro fleshly eye,
From thence to mount aloft by order dew,
To contemplation of th’immortall sky,
Of the soare faulcon so I learne to fly,
That flags awhile her fluttering wings beneath,
Till she her selfe for stronger flight can breath.
Then looke who list, thy gazefull eyes to feed
With sight of that is faire, looke on the frame
Of this wyde vniuerseuniverse, and therein reed
The endlesse kinds of creatures, which by name
Thou cãstcanst not coũtcount, much lesse their natures aime:
All which are made with wondrous wide respect,
And all with admirable beautie deckt.
First th’Earth, on adamantine pillers founded,
Amid the Sea engirt with brasen bands;
The th’Aire still flitting, but yet firmely bounded
On euerieeverie side, with pyles of flaming brands,
NeuerNever consum’d nor quencht with mortall hands;
And last, that mightie shining christall wall,
Wherewith he had encompassed this All.
By view whereof, it plainely may appeare,
That still as eueryevery thing doth vpwardupward tend,
And further is from earth, so still more cleare
And faire it growes, till to his perfect end
Of purest beautie, it at last ascend:
Ayre more 48. then: thanthenthan water, fire much more 48. then: thanthenthan ayre,
And heauenheaven 49. then: thanthenthan fire appeares more pure &and fayre.
Looke thou no further, but affixe thine eye,
On that bright shynie round still mouingmoving Masse,
The house of blessed Gods, which men call Skye,
All sowd with glistring stars more thicke 53. thẽ: than53. then: thanthẽthenthanthã grasse,
Whereof each other doth in brightnesse passe;
But those two most, which ruling night and day,
As King and Queene, the heauensheavens Empire sway.
And tell me then, what hast thou euerever seene,
That to their beautie may compared bee,
Or can the sight that is most sharpe and keene,
Endure their Captains flaming head to see?
How much lesse those, much higher in degree,
And so much fairer, and much more 62. then: thanthenthan these,
As these are fairer 63. then: thanthenthan the land and seas?
For farre aboue these heauensheavens which here we see,
Be others farre exceeding these in light,
Not bounded, not corrupt, as these same bee,
But infinite in largenesse, and in hight,
VnmouingUnmoving, vncorruptuncorrupt, and spotlesse bright,
That need no Sunne t’illuminate their spheres,
But their owne natiuenative light farre passing theirs.
And as these heauensheavens still by degrees arize,
VntillUntill they come to their first MouersMovers bound,
That in his mightie compasse doth comprize,
And carrie all the rest with him around,
So those likewise doe by degrees redound,
And rise more faire, till they at last ariue
To the most faire, whereto they all do striuestrive.
Faire is the heauenheaven, where happie soules haue place,
In full enioymentenjoyment of felicitie,
Whence they doe still behold, the glorious face
Of the diuinedivine eternall MaiestieMajestie;
More faire is that, where those Idees on hie
Enraunged be, which Plato so admyred,
And pure Intelligences from God inspyred.
Yet fairer is that heauenheaven, in which doe raine
The souerainesoveraine Powres and mightie Potentates,
Which in their high protections doe containe
All mortall Princes, and imperiall States;
And fayrer yet, whereas the royall Seates
And heauenlyheavenly Dominations are set,
From whom all earthly gouernancegovernance is fet.
Yet farre more faire be those bright Cherubins,
Which all with golden wings are ouerdight,
And those eternall burning Seraphins,
Which from their faces dart out fierie light;
Yet fairer 96. then: thanthenthan they both, and much more bright
Be th’Angels and Archangels, which attend
On Gods owne person, without rest or end.
These thus in faire each other farre excelling,
As to the Highest they approch more neare,
Yet is that Highest farre beyond all telling,
Fairer 102. then: thanthenthan all the rest which there appeare,
Though all their beauties ioyndjoynd together were:
How then can mortall tongue hope to expresse,
The image of such endlesse perfectnesse?
Cease then my tongue, and lend vntounto my mynd
LeaueLeave to bethinke how great that beautie is,
Whose vtmostutmost parts so beautifull I fynd,
How much more those essentiall parts of his,
His truth, his louelove, his wisedome, and his blis,
His grace, his doome, his mercy and his might,
By which he lends vs of himselfe a sight.
Those vntounto all he daily doth display
And shew himselfe in th’image of his grace,
As in a looking glasse, through which he may
Be seene, of all his creatures vile and base,
That are vnableunable else to see his face,
His glorious face which glistereth else so bright,
That th’Angels seluesselves can not endure his sight.
But we fraile wights, whose sight cannot sustaine
The Suns bright beames, whẽ he on vs doth shyne,
But that their points rebutted backe againe
Are duld, how can we see with feeble eyne,
The glory of that MaiestieMajestie diuinedivine,
In sight of whom both Sun and Moone are darke,
Compared to his least resplendent sparke?
The meanes therefore which vntounto vs is lent,
Him to behold, is on his workes to looke,
Which he hath made in beauty excellent,
And in same, as in a brasen booke,
To reade enregistred in eueryevery nooke
His goodnesse, which his beautie doth declare,
For all thats good, is beautifull and faire.
Thence gathering plumes of perfect speculation,
To impe the wings of thy high flying mynd,
Mount vp aloft through heauenlyheavenly contemplation,
From this darke world, whose damps the soule do blynd,
And like the natiuenative brood of Eagles kynd,
On that bright Sunne of glorie fixe thine eyes,
Clear’d from grosse mists of fraile infirmities.
Humbled with feare and awfull reuerencereverence,
Before the footestoole of his MaiestieMajestie,
Throw thy selfe downe with trembling innocence,
Ne dare looke vp with corruptible eye,
On the dred face of that great Deity,
For feare, lest if he chaunce to looke on thee,
Thou turne to nought, and quite confounded be.
But lowly fall before his mercie seat,
Close coueredcovered with the Lambes integrity,
From the iustjust wrath of his auengefullavengefull threate,
That sits vponupon the righteous throne on hy:
His throne is built vponupon Eternity,
More firme and durable 153. then: thanthenthan steele or brasse,
Or the hard diamond, which them both doth passe.
His scepter is the rod of Righteousnesse,
With which he bruseth all his foes to dust,
And the great Dragon strongly doth represse,
VnderUnder the rigour of his iudgementjudgement iustjust;
His seate is Truth, to which the faithfull trust;
FrõFrom whence proceed her beames so pure & bright,
That all about him sheddeth glorious light.
Light farre exceeding that bright blazing sparke,
Which darted is from Titans flaming head,
That with his beames enlumineth the darke
The dark &and dampish aire, wherby al things are red:
Whose nature yet so much is maruelledmarvelled
Of mortall wits, that it doth much amaze
The greatest wisards, which thereon do gaze.
But that immortall light which there doth shine,
Is many thousand times more bright, more cleare,
More excellent, more glorious, more diuinedivine,
Through which to God all mortall actions here,
And eueneven the thoughts of men do plaine appeare:
For from th’eternall Truth it doth proceed,
Through heauenlyheavenly vertue, which her beames doe breed.
With the great glorie of that wondrous light,
His throne is all encompassed around,
And hid in his owne brightnesse from the sight
Of all that looke thereon with eyes vnsoundunsound:
And vnderneathunderneath his feet are to be found,
Thunder, and lightning, and tempestuous fyre,
The instruments of his auengingavenging yre.
There in his bosome Sapience doth sit,
The souerainesoveraine dearling of the Deity,
Clad like a Queene in royall robes, most fit
For so great powre and peerelesse maiestymajesty.
And all with gemmes and iewelsjewels gorgeously
Adornd, that brighter 189. then: thanthenthan the starres appeare,
And make her natiuenative brightnes seem more cleare.
And on her head a crowne of purest gold
is set, in signe of highest soueraigntysoveraignty,
And in her hand a scepter she doth hold,
With which she rules the house of God on hy,
And menageth the euer-mouingever-moving sky,
And in the same these lower creatures all,
SubiectedSubjected to her powre imperiall.
Both heauenheaven and earth obey vntounto her will,
And all the creatures which they both containe:
For of her fulnesse which the world doth fill,
They all partake, and do in state remaine,
As their great Maker did at first ordaine,
Through obseruationobservation of her high beheast,
By which they first were made, and still increast.
The fairenesse of her face no tongue can tell,
For she the daughters of all wemens race,
And Angels eke, in beautie doth excell,
Sparkled on her from Gods owne glorious face,
And more increast by her owne goodly grace,
That it doth farre exceed all humane thought,
Ne can on earth compared be to ought.
Ne could that Painter (had he liuedlived yet)
Which pictured Venus with so curious quill,
That all posteritie admyred it,
HaueHave purtrayd this, for all his maistring skill;
Ne she her selfe, had she remained still,
And were as faire, as fabling wits do fayne,
Could once come neare this beauty soueraynesoverayne.
But had those wits the wonders of their dayes,
Or that sweete Teian Poet which did spend
His plenteous vaine in setting forth her prayse,
Seene but a glims of this, which I pretend,
How wondrously would he her face commend,
AboueAbove that Idole of his fayning thought,
That all the world should with his rimes be fraught?
How then dare I, the nouicenovice of his Art,
Presume to picture so diuinedivine a wight,
Or hope t’expresse her least perfections part,
Whose beautie filles the heauensheavens with her light,
And darkes the earth with shadow of her sight?
Ah gentle Muse thou art too weake and faint,
The pourtraict of so heauenlyheavenly hew to paint.
Let Angels which her goodly face behold
And see at will, her soueraignesoveraigne praises sing,
And those most sacred mysteries vnfoldunfold,
Of that faire louelove of mightie heauensheavens king.
Enough is me t’admyre so heauenlyheavenly thing.
And being thus with her huge louelove possest,
In th’only wonder of her selfe to rest.
But who so may, thrise happie man him hold,
Of all on earth, whom God so much doth grace,
And lets his owne BelouedBeloved to behold:
For in the view of her celestiall face,
All ioyjoy, all blisse, all happinesse hauehave place,
Ne ought on earth can want vntounto the wight,
Who of her selfe can win the wishfull sight.
For she out of her secret threasury,
Plentie of riches forth on him will powre,
EuenEven heauenlyheavenly riches, which there hidden ly
Within the closet of her chastest bowre,
Th’eternall portion of her precious dowre,
Which mighty God hath giuengiven to her free,
And to all those which thereof worthy bee.
None thereof worthy be, but those whom shee
Vouchsafeth to her presence to receauereceave,
And letteth them her louelylovely face to see,
Whereof such wondrous pleasures they conceaueconceave,
And sweete contentment, that it doth bereauebereave
Their soule of sense, through infinite delight,
And them transport from flesh into the spright.
In which they see such admirable things,
As carries them into an extasy,
And heare such heauenlyheavenly notes, and carolings
Of Gods high praise, that filles the brasen sky,
And feele such ioyjoy and pleasure inwardly,
That maketh them all worldly cares forget,
And onely thinke on that before them set.
Ne from thenceforth doth any fleshly sense,
Or idle thought of earthly things remaine,
But all that earst seemd sweet, seemes now offense,
And all that pleased earst, now seemes to paine,
Their ioyjoy, their comfort, their desire, their gaine,
Is fixed all on that which now they see,
All other sights but fayned shadowes bee.
And that faire lampe, which vsethuseth to enflame
The hearts of men with selfe consuming fyre,
Thenceforth seemes fowle, &and full of sinfull blame;
And all that pompe, to which proud minds aspyre
By name of honor, and so much desyre,
Seemes to them basenesse, and all riches drosse,
And all mirth sadnesse, and all lucre losse.
So full their eyes are of that glorious sight,
And senses fraught with such satietie,
That in nought else on earth can they delight,
But in th’aspect of that felicitie,
Which they hauehave written in their inward ey;
On which they feed, and in their fastened mynd
All happie ioyjoy and full contentment fynd.
Ah then my hungry soule, which long hast fed
On idle fancies of thy foolish thought,
And with false beauties flattring bait misled,
Hast after vaine deceiptfull shadowes sought,
Which all are fled, and now hauehave left thee nought,
But late repentance through thy follies prief;
Ah ceasse to gaze no matter of thy grief.
And looke at last vp to that souerainesoveraine light,
From whose pure beams al perfect beauty springs,
That kindleth louelove in eueryevery godly spright,
EuenEven the louelove of God, which loathing brings
Of this vile world, and these gay seeming things;
With whose sweete pleasures being so possest,
Thy straying thoughts henceforth for euerever rest.
23. to] this edn.; ro 1596;
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Textual Changes

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Off: That a large share it hewd out of the rest, (blest. And glauncing downe his shield, from blame him fairely (FQ I.ii.18.8-9) On: That a large share it hewd out of the rest, And glauncing downe his shield, from blame him fairely blest.

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Off: Sweet slõbring deaw, the which to sleep them biddes: (FQ I.i.36.4)

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Off: And all the world in their subiection held, Till that infernall feend with foule vprore (FQ I.i.5.6-7) On: And all the world in their subjection held, Till that infernall feend with foule uprore

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Off: But wander too and fro in waies vnknowne (FQ I.i.10.5) On: But wander to and fro in waies vnknowne.

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Most lothsom, filthie, foule, and full of vile disdaine (FQ I.i.14.9) 14.9. Most lothsom] this edn.; Mostlothsom 1590

(The text of 1590 reads Mostlothsom, while the editors’ emendation reads Most lothsom.)

Apparatus

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And shall thee well rewarde to shew the place, (FQ I.i.31.5) 5. thee] 1590; you 15961609

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To my long approoved and singular good frende, Master G.H. (Letters I.1) 1. long aprooved: tried and true, found trustworthy over a long period
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