The Complete Works of Richard Crashaw Volume II Part 18

_Nunc dimittis._ Luc. ii. 29.

Spesne meas tandem ergo mei tenuere lacerti?

Ergo bibunt oculos lumina nostra tuos?

Ergo bibant: possintque novam sperare juventam: O possint senii non meminisse sui!

Immo mihi potius mitem mors induat umbram, Esse sub his oculis si tamen umbra potest.

Ah, satis est. Ego te vidi, puer auree, vidi: Nil post te, nisi te, Christe, videre volo.[53]

_Now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace._

And is my hope grasp'd in these arms of mine At last, and do these eyes drink light from Thine?

There let them drink with a new youth in store, And feel the dimming touch of age no more.

Nay rather, if Thine eyes can give it room, Let Death's soft shadow gently o'er them come.

Thee have I seen, O Child: enough for me: I care not to behold aught else but Thee. CL.

XLV.

_Verb.u.m inter spinas._ Luc. viii. 7.

Saepe Dei verb.u.m sentes cadit inter, et atrum Miscet spina procax, ah, male juncta! latus.

Credo quidem: nam sic spinas, ah, scilicet inter Ipse Deus verb.u.m tu quoque, Christe, cadis.

_The Word among thorns._

Often and often 'good words' fall Where thorns and briars rankly crawl; Their spines lay hold, and choke, and pierce-- Like to wild beast in hunger fierce.

I know it: for like flash of sword I read 'twas so with Thee THE WORD: G.o.d, e'en my G.o.d, Thou wast in truth; But fell'st 'mong thorns, which show'd no ruth. G.

XLVI.

_Sabbatum Judaic.u.m et Christianum._ Luc. xiv. 5.

Res eadem vario quantum distinguitur usu: Nostra hominem servant sabbata, vestra bovem.

Observent igitur, pacto quid justius isto?

Sabbata nostra homines, sabbata vestra boves.

_The Judaic and Christian Sabbath._

How diff'rent grows a thing through diff'rent use!

_Our_ Sabbaths serve men, _yours_ give oxen truce, Be this agreed--arrangement fitter none-- _Our_ Sabbath men keep, _yours_ oxen alone. G.

XLVII.

_Ad verb.u.m Dei sanatur caecus._ Marc. x. 52.

Christe, loquutus eras, o sacra licentia verbi: Jamque novus caeci fluxit in ora dies.

Jam credo, Nemo[54] est, sicut Tu, Christe, loquutus: Auribus? immo oculis, Christe, loquutus eras.

_The blind cured by the word of our Saviour._

Thou spak'st the word--Thy word's a law; Thou spak'st, and straight the blind man saw.

To speak and make the blind to see, Was never man, Lord, spake like Thee.

To speak thus was to speak, say I, Not to his eare, but to his eye. CR.

XLVIII.

_Onus meum leve est._ Matt. xi. 30.

Esse levis quicunque voles, onus accipe Christi: Ala tuis humeris, non onus, illud erit.

Christi onus an quaeris quam sit grave? scilicet audi, Tam grave, ut ad summos te premat usque polos.

_My burden is light._

Askest how thou may'st lightly loaded be?

Christ's _burden_ take from me: A wing to lift, no load to press thee down, Thou it wilt feel and own.

Dost ask how heavy may Christ's _burden_ be?

Then list, O man, to me: So _heavy_, that whoe'er 'neath it enrolls, It lifts to the highest poles. G.

XLIX.

_Miraculum quinque panum._ Joan. vi. 1-13.

Ecce, vagi venit unda cibi; venit indole sacra Fortis, et in dentes fertilis innumeros.

Quando erat invictae tam sancta licentia coenae?

Illa famem populi poscit, et illa fidem.

_On the miracle of loaves._

Now, Lord, or never, they'l beleeve on Thee; Thou to their teeth hast prov'd Thy deity. CR.

ANOTHER VERSION.

See, loaves in heaps, blest growth, spread far and wide, For mouths innumerable multiplied.

Feast holy, free, invincible like this, Claims the crowd's hunger, and their faith, I wis. R. WI.

L.

_Nunc scimus te habere daemonium._ Joan. viii. 52.

Aut Deus, aut saltem daemon tibi notior esset, Gens mala, quae dicis daemona habere Deum.

Ignora.s.se Deum poteras, o caeca; sed oro, Et patrem poteras tam male nosse tuum?