The Complete Works of Richard Crashaw Volume II Part 43

III.

_In lacrymas Christi patientis._

Saeve dolor! potes hoc? oculos quoque perpluis istos?

O quam non meritas haec arat unda genas!

O lacrymas ego flere tuas, ego dignior istud, Quod tibi cunque cadit roris, habere meum.

Siccine? me tibi flere tuas! ah, mi bone Jesu, Si possem lacrymas vel mihi flere meas!

Flere meas? immo immo tuas, hoc si modo possem: Non possem lacrymas, non ego flere meas.

Flere tuas est flere meas, tua lacryma, Christe, Est mea vel lacryma est si tua, causa mea est.

_Of the tears of the suffering Christ._

O cruel Pain! I ask thee how Thou canst do what thou'rt doing now?

Dost thou also--or is't my fears?-- Drench His sweet eyes with scalding tears?

O how that show'r furrows amain His undeserving cheek, as rain!

More meet it were that I should know The tears that from His anguish flow: More meet it were that I should feel All dews that down His wan cheek steal: O is it thus? Would that it were!

That I might weep Thy laden tear: Yea, blessed Jesus, would that I For mine own self could weeping lie: Mine own tears weep? nay, they are Thine, For all Thy tears, alas, are mine.

Ah, not a tear that Thou didst shed, When sorrow bow'd Thy sacred head, But came of human woe or guilt, For which at last Thy Blood was spilt; And even if the tears were Thine, Being for my sake, they're rather mine. G.

IV.

_In sepulcrum Domini._ Joan. xix. 38-42.

Jam cedant, veteris cedant miracula saxi, Unde novus subito fluxerat amne latex.

Tu felix rupes, ubi se lux tertia tollet, Flammarum sacro fonte superba flues.

_The sepulchre of the Lord._

Yield place, ye wonders of the ancient stone Whence sudden-gus.h.i.+ng streams were seen to flow: When the third day, blest rock, on thee has shone, Proudly with fount of sacred fire thou'lt glow. G.

V.

_Ubi amorem praecipit._ Joan. xiii. 14.

Sic magis in numeros morituraque carmina vivit Dulcior extrema voce caducus olor; Ut tu inter strepitus odii, et tua funera, Jesu, Totus amor liquido totus amore sonas.

_The parting words of Love._

E'en as the dying swan, sweeter for failing breath, Dies not, but rather lives, in her last wistful song, Dost Thou, Lord, mid hate's din and close-approaching death, As Love, with melting voice, Thy dying love prolong. G.

VI.

Act. xii. 23.

Euge, Deus--pleno populus fremit undique plausu-- Certe non hominem vox sonat, euge, Deus!

Sed tamen iste Deus qui sit, vos dicite, vermes, Intima turba illi; vos fovet ille sinu.

_Herod devoured of worms._

Behold a G.o.d! full-voic'd the people cry; Not man, but G.o.d, with shouts they him attest.

What kind of G.o.d he is, ye worms, reply-- A crowd that know the secrets of his breast. G.

VII.

_Bonum est n.o.bis esse hic._

Cur cupis hic adeo, dormitor Petre, manere?

Somnia non alibi tam bona, Petre, vides.

_It is good to be here._

Why seek'st thou, drowsy Peter, here to stay?

Elsewhere such pleasant dreams thou see'st not, eh?[88] G.

VIII.

_Videte lilia agrorum ... nec Salomon, &c._ Matt. vi. 29.

Candide rex campi, cui floris eburnea pompa est, Deque nivis fragili vellere longa toga; Purpureus Salomon impar tibi dicitur esto.

Nempe, quod est melius, par fuit ille rosis.

_Look on the lilies of the field ... not Solomon, &c._

O fairest monarch of the enamell'd field, Whose is the blossom'd pomp of ivory splendour, And whose the fleeces, snowy-white, which yield Long-flowing robes immaculate and tender.

Ah, not like lilies--'tis divinely spoken-- Was Solomon, with sin encrimsoned; But not unlike--and 'tis a better token-- Roses tear-wash'd, which hang the blus.h.i.+ng head. R. WI.

IX.

Marc. vii. 33, 36.

Voce manuque simul linguae tu, Christe, ciendae: Sistendae nudis vocibus usus eras.

Sane at lingua equus est p.r.o.nis effusus habenis: Vox ciet, at sist.i.t non nisi tota ma.n.u.s.

_The deaf healed._

To wake the tongue--voice, hand too, Christ would use; To check it, but a bare word of command.

Really, the tongue is as a horse rein'd-loose-- Starts at a word, stay'd only with strong hand. R. WI.

X.

_In beatae Virginis verecundiam._