Sacred Muse, that only sittest

In the spirits of the blessed,

And the faithful only fittest

With their thoughts to heaven addressed, Help my humble soul to sing

To my glorious heavenly King.

All abandon earth's conjecture,

Think not on so mean an instance:
Make thine honour's architecture,
But on grace's glorious substance:

There, in comfort's confirmation,
Build thy heavenly habitation.

Study not astronomy,

Lest to darkness turn thy light;

But that high divinity,

Where the day hath never night:

There find out that work of worth,

That may bring thy wonder forth.

In the tears of true contrition,
Think on mercy's blessedness,
And, in care of love's condition,
Of perfection's holiness;

Then, in notes of grace's glory,

Make the state of all thy story.

IL CHRISTIANO AL HONORE DI CHRISTO.

Before there was a light, there was a light

Which saw the world, the world could never see; From which the world receives his brightest sight, Yet cannot see what brightness there may be.

From this fair light there came a living love,
A love, which gives the living all their seeing;
And in the life of all their seeing prove

The only essence of their only being.

From this bright love there came a living word,
A word that doth in wisdom signify
What heaven and earth in wonder can afford,
Is but in life this love to dignify.

For in this word was that almighty power,

Which was, before that power was ever named;

Begun before the first beginning hour,

Framing each substance that was ever framed.

And in that word that only wisdom dwelleth,

That only knows what only may be known; And in that knowledge all excelleth,

Because it knows all knowledge is his own.

This worthy word of Wisdom's wonderment,
(To give some notice of his powerful nature)
In wisdom made his will an instrument,

To show himself unto his silly creature.

This holy essence of the Deity,

In virgin's womb did take the veil of flesh, Bringing the dew of blessed charity,

Our withering spirits sweetly to refresh.

This highest height of heavenly Majesty,

This word of wisdom's gracious, glorious love, Invested in all virtue's unity,

That perfect God and perfect man approve.

From the sweet bosom of his Father's breast,
Eternal Babe of all eternal bliss;

All blessed Babe, that made the mother blest,
By that sweet blessed holy love of his :

From the high throne of heavenly glory's seat,
Unto this world, this worthless world descended,

With their cross spirits kindly to intreat,

For their own good, that highly him offended.

This blessed Infant of eternity,

And only glorious essence of the same,
By the clear light of his all-seeing eye,
Beholding all things---all, so out of frame:

Unto his servants to make known his love,
And to redeem what lack of love had lost,
In tender age and elder years did prove

How patience, care, might be in passion's crost.

When first sweet infant in the mother's arms,
Fed with the milk of pure virginity,

How did he 'scape the tyrant Herod's harms,
That little knew of his divinity.

But oh, when first his presence sweet appear'd
Unto the silly shepherds in the field,

With how much joy were all their spirits cheer'd,
Whose humble eyes his heavenly face beheld.

While in the heavens the angels sung for joy, That peace by him unto the world was come; By him who should both death and hell destroy, And be the saviour of his chosen some.

The virgin-mother joyed in her child,

And in her joy did call her son her saviour: Whose gracious spirit in her countenance mild Did show the blessing of her meek behaviour.

Oh, blessed Son! the Father's best beloved,
In whom he all and only did delight;
How many ways his works in wonder proved
He held the sceptre of his Father's right.

In simpleness, all harmless as the dove;

In learning, putting all the doctors down; In power, the hand of highest heaven's behove; In state, the king of kings in glory's crown.

In patience, the true proof of sufferance;

In truth, the touch-stone of all virtue's trial;

In love, director of life's ordinance;

In life, the hand of the eternal dial.

In charity, the giver of all good;

In bounty, the bestower of all bliss;

In mercy, faith's eternal blessed food;

In grace, the guide that cannot lead amiss.

In wisdom, founder of all wit and sense;

In will, the worker of all wonder's worth;