The Complete Works of Richard Crashaw Volume II Part 24

_Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar?_

After so many battles with the Scribes, O Lord, Caesar himself comes; Caesar with his sword.

They fight not arm'd with Caesar's sword indeed; But Caesar as their sword with craft they plead.

Conquer'd thyself, O Caesar, make it known-- Who save thee, worthy so to be o'erthrown. G.

Lx.x.xIII.

_In tibicines et turbam tumultuantem circa defunctam._ Matt. ix. 23.

Vani, quid strepitis? nam quamvis dormiat illa,[58]

Non tamen e somno est sic revocanda suo.

Expectat solos Christi sopor iste susurros: Dormit enim; sed non omnibus illa tamen.

_The minstrels and crowd making a noise about the dead._

Vain mourning this; why make ye such loud noise?

She sleeps indeed, but so will not awake.

Her sleep waits for the whisper of His voice Who a great promise to her father spake. G.

Lx.x.xIV.

_Piscatores vocati._ Matt. iv. 19.

Ludite jam, pisces, secura per aequora: pisces Nos quoque, sed varia sub ratione, sumus.

Non potuisse capi, vobis spes una salutis: Una salus n.o.bis est, potuisse capi.

_The fishermen called._

Play, fishes, in your waters, safely play: We become fishes too, another way.

Not to be taken, to you safety brought: But we are then most safe when we are caught. B.

ANOTHER RENDERING.

Careless, aneath the waves, ye fishes, play: We too are fishes, in a different way; Ye die, we live, being caught; and that for aye. G.

ANOTHER.

Sport, fishes, now, within the secure sea: Lo, fishes too, in different kind, are we.

In shunning nets your hope of safety lay; Our safety is to be the netter's prey. A.

Lx.x.xV.

_Date Caesari._ Marc. xii. 17.

Cuncta Deo debentur: habet tamen et sua Caesar; Nec minus inde Deo est, si sua Caesar habet.

Non minus inde Deo est, solio si caetera dantur Caesareo, Caesar c.u.m datur ipse Deo.

_Give to Caesar ... and to G.o.d...._

All we have is G.o.d's, and yet Caesar challenges a debt; Nor hath G.o.d a thinner share, Whatever Caesar's payments are.

All is G.o.d's; and yet 'tis true All we have is Caesar's too.

All is Caesar's; and what ods, So long as Caesar's selfe is G.o.d's? CR.

ANOTHER RENDERING.

All things belong to G.o.d, yet Caesar has his all; Not due the less to G.o.d that they to Caesar fall.

Not less they're G.o.d's because they're giv'n to Caesar's throne; For Caesar's throne itself belongs to G.o.d alone. G.

Lx.x.xVI.

_Dominus asino vehitur._ Matt. xxi. 7.

Ille igitur vilem te, te dignatur asellum, O non vectura non bene digne tua!

Heu, quibus haud pugnat Christi patientia monstris!

Hoc quod sic fertur, hoc quoque ferre fuit.

_The Lord borne on the a.s.s._

Does He, base a.s.s, thus deign to honour thee, Unworthy thus to bear th' incarnate G.o.d?

Alas, Thy patience strangely tried I see, Thee carried thus who bear'st sin's awful load! B.

ANOTHER RENDERING.

A common a.s.s does the Lord dignify?

O, how unworthy such a burden high!

With the Lord's patience, ah, what can compare?

So to be borne, this also was to bear. R. WI.

Lx.x.xVII.

_Videbunt Filium hominis venientem in nube._ Luc. xxi. 27.

Immo, veni: aerios, o Christe, accingere currus, Inque triumphali nube coruscus ades.

Nubem quaeris? erunt nostra, ah! suspiria nubes: Aut sol in nubem se dabit ipse tuam.

_They shall see the Son of Man coming in a cloud._

Come, yoke Thy chariots of the air, O Lord; Triumphal honours let bright clouds afford.

Dost seek a cloud? Our sighs a cloud will be, Or the sun melt into a cloud for Thee. G.

Lx.x.xVIII.