The Complete Works of Richard Crashaw Volume II Part 50

Who would aconite think to get From the fragrant violet?

Or, watching by the babbling rill Gus.h.i.+ng in pureness from the hill, Think thence poison to distil?

In fine, instance nearer thee-- Would any ever hope to see Aught of good in Pharisee? G.

XLVIII.

Matt. ix. 20.

Falleris, et nudum male ponis, pictor, Amorem; Non nudum facis hunc, c.u.m sine veste facis.

Nonne hic est, dum sic digito patet ille fideli, Tunc c.u.m vest.i.tus, tunc quoque nudus Amor?

_Touched the hem of His garment._

Erringly, painter, thou portrayst Love bare: Not bare you make him, though no clothes he wear.

Here, while laid open to believing hand, Though clothed indeed, bare truly see Him stand. R. WI.

XLIX.

Tolle oculos, tolle, o tec.u.m tua sydera nostros.

Ah quid enim, quid agant hic sine sole suo?

Id quod agant sine sole suo tua sydera, coelum: Id terrae haec agerent hic sine sole suo.

Illa suo sine sole suis caeca imbribus essent: Caeca suis lacrymis haec sine sole suo.

_The departing Saviour._

O take, take with Thee, Lord, Thy stars, our eyes; What would they do left here without their sun?

E'en what your sunless stars would do, ye skies, Would here by sunless stars of earth be done.

Without their sun, those dark with showers we see; These without sun, dark with their tears would be. R. WI.

L.

_Nam ego non solum vinciri, &c._ Act. xxi. 13.

Quid mortem objicitis nostro, quid vinc'la timori?

Non timor est illinc, non timor inde meus.

Vincula, quae timeam, sunt vincula sola timoris: Sola timenda mihi est mors, timuisse mori.

_Paul unfearing._

Why talk of death or bonds to me, As if these things a fear could be?

My fear springeth not from thence; Nor in these is influence Me to trouble or alarm, Me to fret, or me to harm.

The only bonds that fearful are Are the bonds themselves of fear; The only death looks dreadfully, Is lest I should fear to die. G.

LI.

_Legatio Baptistae ad Christum._ Matt. xi.

Oro, quis es? legat ista s...o...b..ptista Magistro.

Illi quae referant, talia Christus habet.

Cui caecus cernit, mutus se in verba resolvit, It claudus, vivit mortuus: oro, quis est?

_The message of the Baptist to Christ._

I ask, Who art Thou? is the Baptist's word.

Straight from his Master this reply is heard: He by whose mighty power dumb speak, blind see, Lame walk, dead live: Who is This? I ask thee. R. WI.

LII.

Accipe dona, puer, parvae libamina laudis; Accipe, non meritis accipienda suis: Accipe dona, puer dulcis; dumque accipis illa, Digna quoque efficies, quae, puer, accipies.

Sive oculo, sive illa tua dignabere dextra; Dextram oculumque dabis posse decere tuum.

Non modo es in dantes, sed et ipsa in dona benignus; Nec tantum donans das, sed et accipiens.

_Gifts to Jesus._

Take, Lord, these gifts, small offerings of our hand, Though their own worth acceptance none command.

Take, and while taking them, Thou Saviour sweet.

E'en what Thou takest, Thou wilt render meet.

Whether Thou deem them worthy eye or touch, Thou wilt be able, Lord, to make them such: Kind e'en to gifts themselves, as to those giving, Thou givest both when giving and receiving. R. WI.

LIII.

_In partum B. Virginis non difficilem._

Nec facta est tamen illa parens impune, quod almi Tam parcens uteri venerit ille puer.

Una haec nascentis quodcunque pepercerit hora.

Toto illum vitae tempore parturiit.

Gaudia parturientis erat semel ille parenti; Quotidie gemitus parturientis erat.

_On the blessed Virgin's easy parturition._

Not lightly she escap'd a mother's doom, Although her Child dealt gently with her womb: Whate'er was spar'd at the one hour of birth, She travail'd with Him all His time on earth: The joy of childbirth quickly pa.s.s'd away; She felt the pangs of childbirth every day. R. WI.

LIV.

Circulus hic similem quam par sibi pergit in orbem!

Principiumque suum quam bene finis amat!

Virgineo thalamo quam pulchre convenit ille, Quo nemo jacuit, virgineus tumulus!

Undique ut haec aequo pa.s.su res iret; et ille Josepho desponsatus, et ille fuit.

_Upon our Saviour's tombe, wherein never man was laid._

How life and death in Thee Agree!

Thou hadst a virgin wombe And tombe: A Joseph did betroth Them both. CR.