The Complete Works of Richard Crashaw Volume II Part 47

Quae secreta meant taciti tibi retia verbi, Queis non tam pisces quam capis Oceanum?

_The miraculous draught of fishes._

What nets, hid in Thy silent word, Pa.s.sest Thou on; By which not fish Thou takest, Lord, But the Ocean? G.

x.x.x.

_Domine, non solum pedes, sed et caput, &c._ Joan. xiii. 9.

En caput, atque suis quae plus satis ora laborant Sordibus; huc fluvios, ais [et] adde tuos.

Nil opus est; namque haec, modo tertius occinat ales, E fluviis fuerint, Petre, lavanda suis.

_Lord, not my feet only, but also my head, &c._

'Behold my head, behold my face, Which sin's filthiest stains deface: Here pour Thy streams:' thou say'st to Me.

But, Peter, needs not this for thee; For ere the c.o.c.k a third time crow, Rivers of its own tears must flow. G.

x.x.xI.

_c.u.m tot signa edidisset, non credebant._ Joan. xii. 37.

Quanta amor ille tuus se cunque levaverit ala, Quo tua cunque opere effloruit alta ma.n.u.s; Mundus adest, contraque tonat, signisque reponit Signa, adeo sua sunt numina vel sceleri, Imo, o nec nimii vis sit temeraria verbi, Ille uno sensu vel tua cuncta premit.

Tot tantisque tuis mirac'lum hoc objicit unum, Tot tantisque tuis non adhibere fidem.

_Though they beheld so many miracles, they believed not._

However high in Thy great love Thou wingest, And whatsoe'er within Thy hand Thou bringest, Against Thee, with its thunders, stands the world, Sign answering sign; Sin's banners all unfurl'd.

Nay--and let not the bold rash word appal-- One thought o' the world makes all Thy wonders fall: Against Thy mightiest signs this one it wields-- To the vast whole of Thine, no faith it yields. G.

x.x.xII.

_In nubem, quae Dominum abstulit._ Act. i. 9.

O nigra haec! quid enim mihi candida pectora monstrat, Pectora cygneis candidiora genis?

Sit vero magis alba, suo magis aurea Phoebo, Quantumcunque sibi candida; nigra mihi est.

Nigra mihi nubes! et qua neque nigrior Austros, Vel tulit irati nuntia tela Dei.

Nigra! licet nimbos, noctem neque detulit ullam.

Si noctem non fert, at rapit, ecce, diem.

_On the cloud which received the Lord._

O, this black cloud! a white breast does it show-- A breast more white than a swan's neck of snow?

More bright than golden suns.h.i.+ne let it be!

However fair itself, 'tis black to me.

From blacker cloud ne'er issu'd stormy blast, Nor thunderbolts of angry heaven were cast.

Black! though no showers or shadows round it play; If Night it bring not, yet it takes our Day. R. WI.

x.x.xIII.

_Vidit urbem, et flevit super eam._ Luc. xix. 41, 42.

Ergo meas spernis lacrymas, urbs perfida? Sperne.

Sperne meas, quas o sic facis esse tuas.

Tempus erit, lacrymas poterit c.u.m lacryma demum Nostra, nec immerito, spernere spreta tuas.

_He saw the city, and wept over it._

Why scornest thou My tears, deceitful city?

Scorn, scorn My tears, and thus thou mak'st them thine.

The time will come when thou shalt seek My pity; But I shall scorn thy tears, as thou scorn'st Mine. G.

x.x.xIV.

_Nec sicut iste publica.n.u.s._ Luc. xviii. 11.

Tu quoque dum istius miseri peccata fateris, Quae nec is irato mitius ungue notat; Hic satis est gemino bonus in sua crimina telo.

Interea, quid erit, mi Pharisaee, tuis?

_Nor even as this publican._

While thou too dost this wretch's sins confess, Which he with hand and tongue deplores no less; If he 'gainst his own crimes twice just will be, What thinks he meanwhile of the Pharisee? R. WI.

x.x.xV.

_Accedentes Discipuli excitaverunt eum._ Matt. viii. 25.

Ah, quis erat furor hos, tam raros, solvere somnos?

O vos, queis Christi vel sopor invigilat!

Illum si somnus tenuit, vos somnia terrent, Somnia tam vanos ingeminata metus.

Nil Christi nocuit somnus, mihi credite. Somnus Qui nocuit, vestrae somnus erat fidei.

_His Disciples came and awoke Him._

What madness this, slumbers so rare to break, O ye, for whom even Christ's sleep doth wake!

If sleep held Him, ye're terrified by dreams-- Dreams which redouble fear that only seems.

Christ's sleep nought injur'd you, indeed 'tis true: Your faith's sleep, and that only, injur'd you. R. WI.

x.x.xVI.

_In mulierem Canaanaeam c.u.m Domino decertantem._ Matt. xv. 22-28.