The Complete Works of Richard Crashaw Volume II Part 29

And dost _thou_ ask, who in thy mother's womb So eager wast to hail Messiah come?

Thou ask, and of Himself, if Christ He be?

Why, even the very dumb can answer thee. CL.

CXV.

_In Petrum auricidam._ Joan. xviii. 10.

Quantumcunque ferox tuus hic, Petre, fulminat ensis, Tu tibi jam pugnas, o bone, non Domino.

Scilicet in miseram furis implacidissimus aurem, Perfidiae testis ne queat esse tuae.

_On St. Peter cutting off Malchus his eare._

Well, Peter, dost thou wield thy active sword; Well for thyselfe, I meane, not for thy Lord.

To strike at eares is to take heed there bee No witnesse, Peter, of thy perjury. CR.

CXVI.

_Ma.n.u.s arefacta sanatur._ Marc. iii. 1-5.

Felix, ergo tuae spectas natalia dextrae, Quae modo spectanti flebile funus erat!

Quae nec in externos modo dextera profuit usus, Certe erit illa tuae jam ma.n.u.s et fidei.[69]

_The withered hand healed._

O happy man, thy right-hand's birth beholding, Erewhile a sad funereal sight enfolding!

The hand of no use, by the word Christ saith, Restor'd, is now become the hand of faith. G. & B.

CXVII.

_In Pontium male lautum._ Matt. xxvii. 24.

Illa ma.n.u.s lavat unda tuas, vanissime judex: Ah tamen illa scelus non lavat unda tuum!

Nulla scelus lavet unda tuum: vel si lavet ulla, O volet ex oculis illa venire tuis.

_To Pontius was.h.i.+ng his hands._

Thy hands are washt; but, O, the water's spilt That labour'd to have washt thy guilt: The flood, if any can, that can suffice, Must have its fountaine in thine eyes. CR.

ANOTHER VERSION.

The unjust judge washt his hands at the time: Ah, but no water can wash out thy crime.

No water washt it out: if any will, 'Tis that which must from thy owne eyes distil. B.

CXVIII.

_In piscem dotatum._ Matt. xvii. 27.

Tu piscem si, Christe, velis, venit ecce, suumque Fert pretium: tanti est vel periisse tibi.

Christe, foro tibi non opus est; addicere nummos Non opus est: ipsum se tibi piscis emet.

_The stater-giving fish._

A fish Thou wishest, Lord; And without e'er a word, Behold, it swims to Thee, Fetching its own cost, free.

Thou needest not to go In markets to and fro; Nor need'st Thou price to bring-- The fish owns Thee its king. G.

CXIX.

_Ego vici mundum._ Joan. xvi. 33.

Tu contra mundum dux es meus, optime Jesu?

At tu, me miserum! dux meus ipse jaces.

Si tu, dux meus, ipse jaces, spes ulla salutis?

Immo, ni jaceas tu, mihi nulla salus.

_I have overcome the world._

Jesus, my Captain, give me victories!

Alas, Jesus Himself, my Captain, dies.

And if my Captain fall, what hope have I?

No hope at all, unless my Captain die. B.

ANOTHER VERSION.

Art Thou my Chief, best Lord, against the foe?

But Thou, my Chief, me wretched! liest low.

If Thou, my Chief, liest low, what help for me?

Nay, if Thou liest not low, no help can be. A.

CXX.

_In ascensionem Dominicam._ Act. i. 10.

Vadit, io, per aperta sui penetralia cli: It coelo, et coelum fundit ab ore novum.

Spargitur ante pedes, et toto sidere p.r.o.nus Jam propius solis sol bibit ora sui.

At fratri debere negans sua lumina Phbe, Aurea de Phoebo jam meliore redit.

Hos, de te victo, tu das, Pater, ipse triumphos: Unde triumphares, quis satis alter erat?

_On the ascension of our Lord._

Through open'd depths of His own heaven He soars, And from His face in heaven a new heaven pours.