The Complete Works of Richard Crashaw Volume I Part 18

Is this the best thou canst bestow?

A cold, and not too cleanly, manger? 40 Contend, the powres of Heau'n and Earth, To fitt a bed for this huge birthe?

_Chorus._ Contend the powers.

THYRSIS.

Proud world, said I, cease your contest And let the mighty Babe alone. 45 The phaenix builds the phaenix' nest, Lov's architecture is his own.

The Babe whose birth embraues this morn, Made His Own bed e're He was born.

_Chorus._ The Babe whose.... 50

t.i.tYRUS.

I saw the curl'd drops, soft and slow, Come houering o're the place's head; Offring their whitest sheets of snow To furnish the fair Infant's bed: Forbear, said I; be not too bold, 55 Your fleece is white but 'tis too cold.

_Chorus._ Forbear, sayd I.

THYRSIS.

I saw the obsequious Seraphims Their rosy fleece of fire bestow.

For well they now can spare their wing, 60 Since Heavn itself lyes here below.

Well done, said I; but are you sure Your down so warm, will pa.s.se for pure?

_Chorus._ Well done, sayd I.

t.i.tYRUS.

No, no! your King's not yet to seeke 65 Where to repose His royall head; See, see! how soon His new-bloom'd cheek Twixt's mother's brests is gone to bed.

Sweet choise, said we! no way but so Not to ly cold, yet sleep in snow. 70

_Chorus._ Sweet choise, said we.

BOTH.

We saw Thee in Thy baulmy nest, Bright dawn of our aeternall Day!

We saw Thine eyes break from their East And chase the trembling shades away. 75 We saw Thee: and we blest the sight, We saw Thee, by Thine Own sweet light.

_Chorus._ We saw Thee, &c.

FVLL CHORVS.

Wellcome, all wonders in one sight!

aeternity shutt in a span! 80 Sommer in Winter, Day in Night!

Heauen in Earth, and G.o.d in man!

Great, little One! Whose all-embracing birth Lifts Earth to Heauen, stoopes Heau'n to Earth.

Wellcome, though not to gold nor silk, 85 To more then Caesar's birth-right is; Two sister-seas of virgin-milk, With many a rarely-temper'd kisse, That breathes at once both maid and mother, Warmes in the one, cooles in the other. 90 Shee sings Thy tears asleep, and dips Her kisses in Thy weeping eye; She spreads the red leaves of Thy lips, That in their buds yet blus.h.i.+ng lye; She 'gainst those mother-diamonds, tries 95 The points of her young eagle's eyes.

Wellcome, though not to those gay flyes, Guilded i' th' beames of earthly kings; Slippery soules in smiling eyes; But to poor shepheards' home-spun things; 100 Whose wealth's their flock; whose witt, to be Well-read in their simplicity.

Yet when young April's husband-showrs Shall blesse the fruitfull Maja's bed, We'l bring the first-born of her flowrs 105 To kisse Thy feet and crown Thy head.

To Thee, dread Lamb! Whose loue must keep The shepheards, more then they the sheep.

To Thee, meek Majesty! soft King Of simple Graces and sweet Loves: 110 Each of vs his lamb will bring, Each his pair of sylver doues: Till burnt at last in fire of Thy fair eyes, Ourselues become our own best sacrifice.

NOTES AND ILl.u.s.tRATIONS.

In the SANCROFT MS. the heading is simply 'A Hymne of the Nativitie sung by the Shepheards.' It furnishes these various readings, though it wants a good deal of our text (1652):

Lines 1 to 4,

'who haue seene Daie's King deposed by night's Queene.

Come lift we up our lofty song, To wake the sun that sleeps too long.'

" 5 to 7,

'Hee (in this our generall joy) Slept ...

... the faire-ey'd boy.'

" 24, 'Winter chid the world ...'

" 32, 'Bright dawne ...'

" 58 to 63,

'I saw the officious angells bring The downe that their soft b.r.e.a.s.t.s did strow: For well they now can spare their wings, When heauen itselfe lies here below.

Faire youth (said I) be not too rough, Thy downe (though soft)'s not soft enough.'

'Officious' = ready to do good offices: 'obsequious' = obedient, eager to serve.

Lines 65 to 68,

'The Babe noe sooner 'gan to seeke Where to lay His louely head; But streight His eyes advis'd His cheeke 'Twixt's mother's b.r.e.a.s.t.s to goe to bed.'

" 79, 'Welcome to our wond'ring sight.'

" 83, 'glorious birth.'

" 85, 'not to gold' for 'nor to gold:' adopted.

" 96, 'points' = pupils (?).

Lines 101 to 103,