The Complete Works of Richard Crashaw Volume II Part 41

??? ?? ???, ? ?? p???? pe????e?, ?????

??? d? t?? s?? ?s?a? ????s??a? p????e?.

???? ? ? p???? f??? ?? p??e? d? te ???a.

?e???? t?? ??, ??? ??e?a d? ?????t???.

_What man of you having a hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, &c._

O might I fire the angel-bands with joy, Thy seeking steps o'er anxious plains employ!

A thousand lambs on the safe mountains play; All Thine they are, Thou certainly canst say.

The one that err'd and stray'd behold in me; Be I the one to bring more joy to Thee!

They give no joy who never caus'd a fear; Dangers themselves, o'ercome, the more endear.

Of those retain'd, more wide be the employment; Of me recover'd, sweeter the enjoyment. R. WI.

CLx.x.xI.

_Herodi D. Jacob.u.m obtruncanti._ Act. xii. 2.

Nescis Jacobus quantum hunc tibi debeat ictum, Quaeque tua in sacrum saeviat ira caput.

Scilicet ipso illi donasti hoc ense coronam, Quo sacrum abscideras scilicet ense caput.

Abscissum pensare caput quae possit abunde, Sola haec tam saeva et sacra corona fuit.

?? ??, ????e, ?efa??? t?? ??f?? ?p??e?, ?? t?de ?a? st?fa??? ??f?? ?d??e te??.

?????? ?e?es?a? ?efa???, ????e, d??a?t?, ?e???? ?d' ?? ?a??? a?t????? st?fa???.

_To Herod beheading St. James._

Know'st not how much James owes thee for this stroke, Or how on his blest head thine anger broke.

Lo, to himself a crown thou dost accord Forsooth with that selfsame beheading sword.

Only this sacred sanguinary crown That sunder'd head was able to weigh down. R. WI.

CLx.x.xII.

_Caeci receptis oculis Christum sequuntur._ Matt. xx. 34.

Ecce manu imposita Christus nova sidera ponit: Sectantur patriam sidera fida manum.

Haec ma.n.u.s his, credo, coelum est: haec scilicet astra Suspicor esse olim quae geret ille manu.[87]

?e?? ?p?a?????? ???st?? ?p?a??e? ?p?p??

?st?a? ?p?de?e? ?e??? ?e ?e??? Te??.

?e?? a?t? t??t??? p??e? ???a???. ?st?a ??? ??a?

?? ?e?? ta?t' ??se? ???st?? ?pe?ta ??.

_The blind men having received their sight follow Christ._

See Christ with outstretcht hand new stars create, Which on that hand with due observance wait.

That hand, sure, is their heaven: these stars are they Which He will hold in His right hand one day. R. WI.

CLx.x.xIII.

_Zachaeus in sycomoro._ Luc. xix. 4.

Quid te, quid jactas alienis fructibus, arbor?

Quid tibi c.u.m foliis non, sycomore, tuis?

Quippe istic ramo qui jam tibi nutat ab alto, Mox e divina Vite racemus erit.

??pt' ?p???p??e?? ?e?e?? ?e??? d? te ?a?p?, ?a? f?????? se?? ?, s?????e, te???; ?a? ??? ?d' ???????? s?? ??? et????? ?p' ??????, ?p???? ? ??ad?? ?sseta? ???a????.

_Zaccheus in the sycamore-tree._

Why of strange fruits dost boast, O sycamore?

Of leaves not thine who gave thee such a store?

He who waves to and fro on bough of thine, A cl.u.s.ter soon will be of the True Vine. R. WI.

CLx.x.xIV.

_On our crucified Lord naked and b.l.o.o.d.y._

Th' have left Thee naked, Lord: O that they had!

This garment too I would they had deny'd.

Thee with Thyselfe they have too richly clad, Opening the purple wardrobe of Thy side.

O never could bee found garments too good For Thee to weare, but these of Thine own blood.

CLx.x.xV.

_Sampson to his Dalilah._

Could not once blinding me, cruell, suffice?

When first I look't on thee, I lost mine eyes.

SECULAR EPIGRAMS.

I.

_Upon Ford's two Tragedyes, 'Love's Sacrifice' and 'The Broken Heart.'_

Thou cheat'st us, Ford; mak'st one seeme two by art: What is Love's Sacrifice but The Broken Heart?

II.