Part 16

However high in Thy great love Thou wingest, And whatsoe'er within Thy hand Thou bringest, Against Thee, with its thunders, stands the world, Sign answering sign; Sin's banners all unfurl'd. Nay--and let not the bold rash word appal-- One thought o' the world makes all Thy wonders fall: Against Thy mightiest signs this one it wields-- To the vast whole of Thine, no faith it yields. G.

XXXII.

_In nubem, quae Dominum abstulit._ Act. i. 9.

O nigra haec! quid enim mihi candida pectora monstrat, Pectora cygneis candidiora genis? Sit vero magis alba, suo magis aurea Phoebo, Quantumcunque sibi candida; nigra mihi est. Nigra mihi nubes! et qua neque nigrior Austros, Vel tulit irati nuntia tela Dei. Nigra! licet nimbos, noctem neque detulit ullam. Si noctem non fert, at rapit, ecce, diem.

_On the cloud which received the Lord._

O, this black cloud! a white breast does it show-- A breast more white than a swan's neck of snow? More bright than golden sunshine let it be! However fair itself, 'tis black to me. From blacker cloud ne'er issu'd stormy blast, Nor thunderbolts of angry heaven were cast. Black! though no showers or shadows round it play; If Night it bring not, yet it takes our Day. R. WI.

XXXIII.

_Vidit urbem, et flevit super eam._ Luc. xix. 41, 42.

Ergo meas spernis lacrymas, urbs perfida? Sperne. Sperne meas, quas o sic facis esse tuas. Tempus erit, lacrymas poterit cum lacryma demum Nostra, nec immerito, spernere spreta tuas.

_He saw the city, and wept over it._

Why scornest thou My tears, deceitful city? Scorn, scorn My tears, and thus thou mak'st them thine. The time will come when thou shalt seek My pity; But I shall scorn thy tears, as thou scorn'st Mine. G.

XXXIV.

_Nec sicut iste publicanus._ Luc. xviii. 11.

Tu quoque dum istius miseri peccata fateris, Quae nec is irato mitius ungue notat; Hic satis est gemino bonus in sua crimina telo. Interea, quid erit, mi Pharisaee, tuis?

_Nor even as this publican._

While thou too dost this wretch's sins confess, Which he with hand and tongue deplores no less; If he 'gainst his own crimes twice just will be, What thinks he meanwhile of the Pharisee? R. WI.

XXXV.

_Accedentes Discipuli excitaverunt eum._ Matt. viii. 25.

Ah, quis erat furor hos, tam raros, solvere somnos? O vos, queis Christi vel sopor invigilat! Illum si somnus tenuit, vos somnia terrent, Somnia tam vanos ingeminata metus. Nil Christi nocuit somnus, mihi credite. Somnus Qui nocuit, vestrae somnus erat fidei.

_His Disciples came and awoke Him._

What madness this, slumbers so rare to break, O ye, for whom even Christ's sleep doth wake! If sleep held Him, ye're terrified by dreams-- Dreams which redouble fear that only seems. Christ's sleep nought injur'd you, indeed 'tis true: Your faith's sleep, and that only, injur'd you. R. WI.

XXXVI.

_In mulierem Canaanaeam cum Domino decertantem._ Matt. xv. 22-28.

Cedit io jam, jamque cadet modo, fortiter urge, Jam tua ni desit dextera, jamque cadet. Nimirum hoc velit ipse, tuo favet ipse triumpho, Ipse tuas tacitus res tuus hostis agit. Quas patitur facit ille manus; ictu ille sub omni est; Atque in te vires sentit, amatque suas. Usque adeo haud tuus hic ferus est, neque ferreus hostis; Usque adeo est miles non truculentus Amor. Illo quam facilis victoria surgit ab hoste, Qui, tantum ut vinci possit, in arma venit!

_The woman of Canaan._

Now He yieldeth, now He falleth, As thy passion on Him calleth: Press thee nigher still and nigher, Urge thee higher still and higher; Cleave and cling, nor let thy hand Cease to plead, nor fearing stand. He thy triumph sees with gladness, Loves thee in thy clinging sadness; Seems thy foe, yet ne'ertheless Yearns in His heart of love to bless; Willing bears thy every blow, That from His own pow'r doth flow; Loves to hear thy interceding, His own voice within thee pleading. Ah, this seeming en'my of thine, Of fierceness giveth thee no sign; For Love no grim soldier is, Rough and severe, denying bliss. Eas'ly is that victory won, When the foe seeks to be undone. G.

XXXVII.

_Quare comedit Magister vester cum peccatoribus, &c._ Matt. ix. 11.

Siccine fraternos fastidis, improbe, morbos, Cum tuus, et gravior, te quoque morbus habet? Tantum ausus medicum morbus sibi quaerere, magnus; Tantum ausus medicum spernere, major erat.

_Wherefore eateth your Master with sinners, &c._

Dost loathe thy brother, Pharisee, Since his disease to Christ he brings? And knowest not that all men see Disease to thee more deadly clings? That he dare seek Healer so great, Shows great his disease to be; That thou dar'st scorn on Him to wait, Shows a greater cleaves to thee. G.

XXXVIII.

_In febricitantem et hydropicum sanatos._ Marc. i. 30, 31; Luc. xiv. 2-4.

Nuper lecta gravem extinxit pia pagina febrem, Hydropi siccos dat modo lecta sinus. Haec vice fraterna quam se miracula tangunt, Atque per alternum fida juvamen amant! Quippe ignes istos his quam bene mersit in undis, Ignibus his illas quam bene vicit aquas!

_Miracles of healing the men sick of fever and of dropsy._

We read within the sacred page Christ quench'd a fever's burning rage; Read that a dropsy's swollen flood Ebb'd at His word e'en as He stood. Well join'd these mir'cles each to other, As loving brother unto brother: How well these waters drown'd that flame, That fire these waters overcame! G.

XXXIX.

_In S. Lucam medicum._ Col. iv. 14.

Hanc, mihi quam miseram faciunt mea crimina vitam, Hanc, medici, longam vestra medela facit. Hoc'ne diu est vixisse? diu, mihi credite, non est Hoc vixisse; diu sed timuisse mori. Tu foliis, Medice alme, tuis medicamina praebes, Et medicaminibus, quae mala summa, malis. Hoc mortem bene vitare est, vitare ferendo. Et vixisse diu est hoc, cito posse mori.

_To St. Luke the physician._

This life my sins with wretchedness make rife, Physicians by their art prolong this life. Is this to live long time? I hear one sigh; This is but fearing a long time to die. Thy leaves, Physician blest, medicines contain E'en for our medicines poor, our chiefest bane. This is to escape death well--in death to lie; And this is to live long--quickly to die. R. WI.

XL.

_Tollat crucem suam, &c._ Matt. xxvii. 32.

Ergo tuam pone; ut nobis sit sumere nostram: Si nostram vis nos sumere, pone tuam. Illa, illa, ingenti quae te trabe duplicat, illa Vel nostra est, nostras vel tulit illa cruces.

_He bears His own cross, &c._

Wherefore Thy cross, O Lord, lay down, That we our own may make it: If ours Thou willest us to own, Thine, Lord, lay down; we'll take it: That, that, I say, with its huge beam, Which Thy prest body doubles; That cross, e'en that, our own we deem, For it has borne our troubles. Our sin Thy burden sendeth; Thy cross our crosses blendeth. G.

XLI.

_In cygneam D. Jesu cantionem._ Joan. xvii.

Quae mella, o quot, Christe, favos in carmina fundis! Dulcis et, ah furias! ah, moribundus olor! Parce tamen, minus hae si sunt mea gaudia voces: Voce quidem dulci, sed moriente canis.

_Upon our Lord's last comfortable discourse with His disciples._

All Hybla's honey, all that sweetnesse can, Flowes in Thy song, O faire, O dying Swan! Yet is the joy I take in't small or none; It is too sweet to be a long-liv'd one. CR.

ANOTHER VERSION. _On the swan-song of our Lord Jesus._

What songs, like honeycomb, your tongue employ, Sweet Swan! but ah, Thou waitest for Death's call. O cease; these sounds are but a doubtful joy; 'Tis a sweet voice, but has a dying fall. G.

XLII.

_Et conspuebant illum._ Marc. xiv. 65.

Quid non tam foede saevi maris audeat ira? Conspuit ecce oculos, sydera nostra, tuos. Forsan et hic aliquis sputo te excaecat, Jesu, Qui debet sputo, quod videt ipse, tuo.

_And they spat upon Him._

What will Wrath's sea, so foully fierce, not dare? It spits upon our stars, Thy eyes so fair. Perchance e'en here some one now spits on Thee Who to Thy spittle owes it, he doth see. G.

XLIII.

_Rogavit eum, ut descenderet et sanaret filium suum._ Joan. iv. 47.

Ille ut eat tecum, in natique tuique salutem? Qui petis; ah nescis, credo, quod ales Amor. Ille ut eat tecum? quam se tua vota morantur! Ille ut eat? tanto serius esset ibi. Ne tardus veniat, Christus tecum ire recusat: Christi nempe ipsum hoc ire moratur iter. Christi nempe viis perit hoc quodcunque meatur: Christi nempe viis vel properare mora est. Hic est, cui tu vota facis tua, Christus: at idem, Crede mihi, dabit haec qui rata, Christus ibi est.

_He besought that He would go with him and heal his son._

That He would go with thee thou pleadest, As for thy child thou intercedest. Ah, little knowest thou how Love, Such as descendeth from Above, Swifter far is than feet can go, Or any motion here below. 'Go with thee?' O how strange request! Thou wouldst later then be blest. That He may not slowlier come, Christ will not travel with thee home, For so to 'go' were to delay; All paths unneeded by The Way. Christ to Whom thou speakest pleading, Christ with Whom thou'rt interceding, He is here, and yet is yonder, Swift as is the bolt of thunder: He thy heart's desire will give; Have thou faith, thy child shall live. G.

XLIV.

_Pavor enim occupaverat eum super capturam piscium._ Luc. v. 9.

Dum nimium in captis per te, Petre, piscibus haeres, Piscibus, ut video, captus es ipse tuis. Rem scio, te praedam Christus sibi cepit: et illi Una in te ex istis omnibus esca fuit.

_For dread came upon him at the great draught of fishes._

Whilst, Peter, thou art so astonished At thy draught of fishes, Methinks thyself by them art captive led: Christ to catch thee wishes, So as one bait He setteth all these fishes. G.

XLV.

_Viderunt et oderunt me._ Joan. xv. 24.

Vidit? et odit adhuc? Ah, te non vidit, Jesu. Non vidit te, qui vidit, et odit adhuc. Non vidit, te non vidit, dulcissime rerum; In te qui vidit quid, quod amare neget.

_But now they have seen and hated._

Seene, and yet hated Thee? They did not see; They saw Thee not, that saw and hated Thee: No, no, they saw Thee not, O Life, O Love, Who saw aught in Thee that their hate could move. CR.

ANOTHER VERSION.

See Thee, Lord, and hated still? Ah, that were impossible: See and hate? He saw Thee never Who could see, nor love for ever. O Thou, the all-lovely One, He hath had no vision Who can see and hate; for why, Speck nor stain may none descry In Thy lowly, lofty Face, Full of sweetness, love, and grace. G.

XLVI.

Luc. xviii. 39.

Tu mala turba tace; mihi tam mea vota propinquant, Tuque in me linguam vis tacuisse meam? Tunc ego, tunc taceam, mihi cum meus Ille loquetur. Si nescis, oculos vox habet ista meos. O noctis miserere meae, miserere, per illam, Quae tam laeta tuo ridet in ore diem. O noctis miserere meae, miserere, per illam, Quae, nisi te videat, nox velit esse, diem. O noctis miserere meae, miserere, per illam, Haec mea quam, fidei, nox habet ipsa, diem. Illa dies animi, Jesu, rogat hanc oculorum: Illam, oro, dederis; hanc mihi ne rapias.

_The blind suppliant._

Be silent, crowd: my prayers so near me come, And do you bid my pleading tongue be dumb Before my Lord to me His speech, etc.[90]

ANOTHER VERSION.

Silence, silence, O vile crowd; Yea, I will now cry aloud: He comes near, Who is to me Light and life and liberty. Silence seek ye? yes, I'll be Silent when He speaks to me, He my Hope; ah, meek and still, I shall 'bide His holy will. O crowd, ye it may surprise, But His voice holdeth my eyes: O have pity on my night, By the day that gives glad light; O have pity on my night, By the day would lose its light, If it gat not of Thee sight; O have pity on my night, By day of faith upspringing bright; That day within my soul that burns, And for eyes' day unto Thee turns. Lord, O Lord, give me this day, Nor do Thou take that away. G.

XLVII.

_In Pharisaeos Christi verbis insidiantes._ Matt. xxii. 15.

O quam te miseri ludunt vaga taedia voti, Ex ore hoc speras qui, Pharisaee, malum! Sic quis ab Aurorae noctem speraverit ulnis, Unde solet primis Sol tener ire rosis? Sic Acheronta petas illinc unde amne corusco Lactea sydereos Cynthia lavit equos. Sic violas aconita roges: sic toxica nympham, Garrula quae vitreo gurgite vexat humum. Denique, ut exemplo res haec propriore patescat, A te sic speret quis, Pharisaee, bonum?

_The Pharisees insidiously watching the words of Christ._

O self-baffl'd Pharisee, Vainly dost thou weary thee, Hoping at His holy mouth To catch other than the Truth: Stainless, holy, pure is He, Guileless as Simplicity. Who would e'er expect black Night In the bosom of the Light, When the young sun in splendour burns, And the dawn to roses turns? Who, again, would seek to mark Acheron plunging i' the dark, Where white Cynthia's starry steeds Lave them by the glitt'ring meads? Who would aconite think to get From the fragrant violet? Or, watching by the babbling rill Gushing in pureness from the hill, Think thence poison to distil? In fine, instance nearer thee-- Would any ever hope to see Aught of good in Pharisee? G.

XLVIII.

Matt. ix. 20.

Falleris, et nudum male ponis, pictor, Amorem; Non nudum facis hunc, cum sine veste facis. Nonne hic est, dum sic digito patet ille fideli, Tunc cum vestitus, tunc quoque nudus Amor?

_Touched the hem of His garment._

Erringly, painter, thou portrayst Love bare: Not bare you make him, though no clothes he wear. Here, while laid open to believing hand, Though clothed indeed, bare truly see Him stand. R. WI.

XLIX.

Tolle oculos, tolle, o tecum tua sydera nostros. Ah quid enim, quid agant hic sine sole suo? Id quod agant sine sole suo tua sydera, coelum: Id terrae haec agerent hic sine sole suo. Illa suo sine sole suis caeca imbribus essent: Caeca suis lacrymis haec sine sole suo.

_The departing Saviour._

O take, take with Thee, Lord, Thy stars, our eyes; What would they do left here without their sun? E'en what your sunless stars would do, ye skies, Would here by sunless stars of earth be done. Without their sun, those dark with showers we see; These without sun, dark with their tears would be. R. WI.

L.

_Nam ego non solum vinciri, &c._ Act. xxi. 13.

Quid mortem objicitis nostro, quid vinc'la timori? Non timor est illinc, non timor inde meus. Vincula, quae timeam, sunt vincula sola timoris: Sola timenda mihi est mors, timuisse mori.

_Paul unfearing._

Why talk of death or bonds to me, As if these things a fear could be? My fear springeth not from thence; Nor in these is influence Me to trouble or alarm, Me to fret, or me to harm. The only bonds that fearful are Are the bonds themselves of fear; The only death looks dreadfully, Is lest I should fear to die. G.

LI.

_Legatio Baptistae ad Christum._ Matt. xi.

Oro, quis es? legat ista suo Baptista Magistro. Illi quae referant, talia Christus habet. Cui caecus cernit, mutus se in verba resolvit, It claudus, vivit mortuus: oro, quis est?

_The message of the Baptist to Christ._

I ask, Who art Thou? is the Baptist's word. Straight from his Master this reply is heard: He by whose mighty power dumb speak, blind see, Lame walk, dead live: Who is This? I ask thee. R. WI.

LII.

Accipe dona, puer, parvae libamina laudis; Accipe, non meritis accipienda suis: Accipe dona, puer dulcis; dumque accipis illa, Digna quoque efficies, quae, puer, accipies. Sive oculo, sive illa tua dignabere dextra; Dextram oculumque dabis posse decere tuum. Non modo es in dantes, sed et ipsa in dona benignus; Nec tantum donans das, sed et accipiens.

_Gifts to Jesus._

Take, Lord, these gifts, small offerings of our hand, Though their own worth acceptance none command. Take, and while taking them, Thou Saviour sweet. E'en what Thou takest, Thou wilt render meet. Whether Thou deem them worthy eye or touch, Thou wilt be able, Lord, to make them such: Kind e'en to gifts themselves, as to those giving, Thou givest both when giving and receiving. R. WI.

LIII.

_In partum B. Virginis non difficilem._

Nec facta est tamen illa parens impune, quod almi Tam parcens uteri venerit ille puer. Una haec nascentis quodcunque pepercerit hora. Toto illum vitae tempore parturiit. Gaudia parturientis erat semel ille parenti; Quotidie gemitus parturientis erat.

_On the blessed Virgin's easy parturition._

Not lightly she escap'd a mother's doom, Although her Child dealt gently with her womb: Whate'er was spar'd at the one hour of birth, She travail'd with Him all His time on earth: The joy of childbirth quickly pass'd away; She felt the pangs of childbirth every day. R. WI.

LIV.

Circulus hic similem quam par sibi pergit in orbem! Principiumque suum quam bene finis amat! Virgineo thalamo quam pulchre convenit ille, Quo nemo jacuit, virgineus tumulus! Undique ut haec aequo passu res iret; et ille Josepho desponsatus, et ille fuit.

_Upon our Saviour's tombe, wherein never man was laid._

How life and death in Thee Agree! Thou hadst a virgin wombe And tombe: A Joseph did betroth Them both. CR.

ANOTHER VERSION.

See how a circle tends, Beginning as it ends: Behold a virgin womb; Behold a virgin tomb; Behold, and wonder at the truth, A Joseph was espous'd to both! G.

LV.

_In Sanctum igneis linguis descendentem Spiritum._ Act. ii. 3.

Absint, qui ficto simulant pia pectora vultu, Ignea quos luteo pectore lingua beat. Hoc potius mea vota rogant, mea thura petessunt, Ut mihi sit mea mens ignea, lingua luti.

_On the Holy Spirit descending in fiery tongues._

Begone, who goodness feign with a false face, Whom fiery tongues in earthy bosom grace. This rather all my prayers and gifts desire, A tongue of earth, if but my heart be fire. R. WI.

LVI.

LIFE FOR DEATH.[91]

_Whosoever will loose his life, &c._ Matt. xvi. 25.

Soe I may gaine Thy death, my life I'le giue,-- My life's Thy death, and in Thy death I liue; Or else, my life, I'le hide thee in His graue, By three daies losse aeternally to saue. CR.

LVII.

ON THE DIVINE LOVE: AFTER H. HUGO.[92]

_In amorem divinum_ (Hermannus Hugo).

Aeternall Loue! what 'tis to loue Thee well, None but himselfe who feeles it, none can tell. But oh, what to be lou'd of Thee as well, None, not himselfe who feeles it, none can tell. CR.

Latin Poems.

PART FIRST. SACRED.

III.

HITHERTO UNCOLLECTED.

1648.

NOTE.

Whether intentionally, or with his usual carelessness, the two following important and characteristic Poems are not given in Turnbull's edition; and they seem entirely to have escaped the knowledge of even admirers of Crashaw. They appeared originally in the 'Steps of the Temple' of 1648 (pp. 103-105), and were naturally excluded from the Paris collection of 1652, and overlooked in the edition of 1670. See their biographic significance in our Essay in the present Volume. For the second translation (viz. of Baptismus &c.) I tender thanks to my good friend Rev. J.H. Clark, M.A., as before; the other and somewhat difficult one (Fides &c.) I have myself done. G.

FIDES, QUAE SOLA JUSTIFICAT, NON EST SINE SPE ET DILECTIONE.

Nam neque tam sola est. O quis male censor amarus Jam socias negat in mutua sceptra manus? Deme Fidem; nec aget, nec erit jam nomen Amoris: Et vel erit, vel aget quid sine Amore Fides? Ergo, Amor, i, morere; i, magnas, Puer alme, per umbras 5 Elysiis non tam numen inane locis. O bene, quod pharetra hoc saltem tua praestat et arcus, Ne tibi in extremos sit pyra nulla rogos! O bene, quod tuus has saltem tibi providet ignis, In tu quas possis funera ferre faces! 10 Durus es, ah, quisquis tam dulcia vincula solvis; Quae ligat, et quibus est ipse ligatus Amor. O bene junctarum divortia saeva sororum, Tam penitus mixtas quae tenuere manus! Nam quae, tam varia, in tam mutua viscera vivunt? 15 Aut ubi, quae duo sunt, tam prope sunt eadem? Alternis sese circum amplectuntur in ulnis: Extraque et supra, subter et intus eunt. Non tam Nympha tenax, Baccho jam mista marito, Abdidit in liquidos mascula vina sinus. 20 Compare jam dempto, saltem sua murmura servat Turtur, et in viduos vivit amara modos. At Fidei sit demptus Amor; non illa dolebit, Non erit impatiens aegraque; jam moritur. Palma, marem cui tristis hyems procul abstulit umbram, 25 Protinus in viridem procubuit faciem? Undique circumfert caput, omnibus annuit Euris; Siqua maritalem misceat aura comam: Ah misera, expectat longum, lentumque expirat, Et demum totis excutitur foliis. 30 At sine Amore Fides nec tantum vivere perstat, Quo dici possit vel moritura Fides. Mortua jam nunc est: nisi demum mortua non est Corporea haec, anima deficiente, domus. Corpore ab hoc Fidei hanc animam si demis Amoris, 35 Jam tua sola quidem est, sed male sola Fides. Hectore ab hoc, currus quem jam nunc sentit Achillis, Hectora eum speres quem modo sensit herus? Tristes exuvias, Oetaei frusta furoris, Vanus, in Alcidae nomen et acta vocas? 40 Vel satis in monstra haec, plus quam Nemeaea, malorum Hoc Fidei torvum et triste cadaver erit? Immo, Fidem usque suos velut ipse Amor ardet amores; Sic in Amore fidem comprobat ipsa Fides.

ERGO:

Illa Fides vacua quae sola superbiat aula, 45 Quam Spes desperet, quam nee amabit Amor; Sola Fides haec, tam misere, tam desolate Sola, quod ad nos est, sola sit usque licet. A sociis quae sola suis, a se quoque sola est. Quae sibi tam nimia est, sit mihi nulla Fides. 50

NOTE.

In line 10 we have corrected an evident but long-continued misprint in the original text of 'In tu aquas' by reading 'In tu quas,' and translate accordingly. G.

TRANSLATION.

FAITH, WHICH ALONE JUSTIFIES,

EXISTS NOT WITHOUT HOPE AND LOVE.