Part 34

54 Waters flow'd o'r my head, then thought I, I am Destroy'd; 55 I called Lord, upon thy name Out of the pit. 56 And thou my voice didst heare; 255 Oh from my sigh, and crye, stop not thine eare.

57 Then when I call'd upon thee, thou drew'st nere Unto mee, and said'st unto mee, do not feare. 58 Thou Lord my Soules cause handled hast, and thou Rescud'st my life. 59 O Lord do thou judge now, 260

Thou heardst my wrong. 60 Their vengeance all they have wrought; 61 How they reproach'd, thou hast heard, and what they thought, 62 What their lips uttered, which against me rose, And what was ever whisper'd by my foes.

63 I am their song, whether they rise or sit, 265 64 Give them rewards Lord, for their working fit, 65 Sorrow of heart, thy curse. 66 And with thy might Follow, and from under heaven destroy them quite.

CHAP. IV.

1 How is the gold become so dimme? How is Purest and finest gold thus chang'd to this? 270 The stones which were stones of the Sanctuary, Scattered in corners of each street do lye.

2 The pretious sonnes of Sion, which should bee Valued at purest gold, how do wee see Low rated now, as earthen Pitchers, stand, 275 Which are the worke of a poore Potters hand.

3 Even the Sea-calfes draw their brests, and give Sucke to their young; my peoples daughters live, By reason of the foes great cruelnesse, As do the Owles in the vast Wildernesse. 280

4 And when the sucking child doth strive to draw, His tongue for thirst cleaves to his upper jaw. And when for bread the little children crye, There is no man that doth them satisfie.

5 They which before were delicately fed, 285 Now in the streets forlorne have perished, And they which ever were in scarlet cloath'd, Sit and embrace the dunghills which they loath'd.

6 The daughters of my people have sinned more, Then did the towne of _Sodome_ sinne before; 290 Which being at once destroy'd, there did remaine No hands amongst them, to vexe them againe.

7 But heretofore purer her Nazarite Was then the snow, and milke was not so white; As carbuncles did their pure bodies shine, 295 And all their polish'dnesse was Saphirine.

8 They are darker now then blacknes, none can know Them by the face, as through the streets they goe, For now their skin doth cleave unto the bone, And withered, is like to dry wood growne. 300

9 Better by sword then famine 'tis to dye; And better through pierc'd, then through penury. 10 Women by nature pitifull, have eate Their children drest with their owne hands for meat.

11 _Iehova_ here fully accomplish'd hath 305 His indignation, and powr'd forth his wrath, Kindled a fire in _Sion_, which hath power To eate, and her foundations to devour.

12 Nor would the Kings of the earth, nor all which live In the inhabitable world beleeve, 310 That any adversary, any foe Into _Ierusalem_ should enter so.

13 For the Priests sins, and Prophets, which have shed Blood in the streets, and the just murthered: 14 Which when those men, whom they made blinde, did stray 315 Thorough the streets, defiled by the way

With blood, the which impossible it was Their garments should scape touching, as they passe, 15 Would cry aloud, depart defiled men, Depart, depart, and touch us not; and then 320

They fled, and strayd, and with the _Gentiles_ were, Yet told their friends, they should not long dwell there; 16 For this they are scattered by Jehovahs face Who never will regard them more; No grace

Unto their old men shall the foe afford, 325 Nor, that they are Priests, redeeme them from the sword. 17 And wee as yet, for all these miseries Desiring our vaine helpe, consume our eyes:

And such a nation as cannot save, We in desire and speculation have. 330 18 They hunt our steps, that in the streets wee feare To goe: our end is now approached neere,

Our dayes accomplish'd are, this the last day. 19 Eagles of heaven are not so swift as they Which follow us, o'r mountaine tops they flye 335 At us, and for us in the desart lye.

20 The annointed Lord, breath of our nostrils, hee Of whom we said, under his shadow, wee Shall with more ease under the Heathen dwell, Into the pit which these men digged, fell. 340

21 Rejoyce O _Edoms daughter_, joyfull bee Thou which inhabitst _Huz_, for unto thee This cup shall passe, and thou with drunkennesse Shalt fill thy selfe, and shew thy nakednesse.

22 And then thy sinnes O _Sion_, shall be spent, 345 The Lord will not leave thee in banishment. Thy sinnes O _Edoms daughter_, hee will see, And for them, pay thee with captivitie.

CHAP. V.

1 Remember, O Lord, what is fallen on us; See, and marke how we are reproached thus, 350 2 For unto strangers our possession Is turn'd, our houses unto Aliens gone,

3 Our mothers are become as widowes, wee As Orphans all, and without father be; 4 Waters which are our owne, wee drunke, and pay, 355 And upon our owne wood a price they lay.

5 Our persecutors on our necks do sit, They make us travaile, and not intermit, 6 We stretch our hands unto th'_Egyptians_ To get us bread; and to the _Assyrians_. 360

7 Our Fathers did these sinnes, and are no more, But wee do beare the sinnes they did before. 8 They are but servants, which do rule us thus, Yet from their hands none would deliver us.

9 With danger of our life our bread wee gat; 365 For in the wildernesse, the sword did wait. 10 The tempests of this famine wee liv'd in, Black as an Oven colour'd had our skinne:

11 In _Iudaes_ cities they the maids abus'd By force, and so women in _Sion_ us'd. 370 12 The Princes with their hands they hung; no grace Nor honour gave they to the Elders face.

13 Unto the mill our yong men carried are, And children fell under the wood they bare. 14 Elders, the gates; youth did their songs forbeare, 375 15 Gone was our joy; our dancings, mournings were.

16 Now is the crowne falne from our head; and woe Be unto us, because we'have sinned so. 17 For this our hearts do languish, and for this Over our eyes a cloudy dimnesse is. 380

18 Because mount _Sion_ desolate doth lye, And foxes there do goe at libertie: 19 But thou O Lord art ever, and thy throne From generation, to generation.

20 Why should'st thou forget us eternally? 385 Or leave us thus long in this misery? 21 Restore us Lord to thee, that so we may Returne, and as of old, renew our day.

22 For oughtest thou, O Lord, despise us thus, And to be utterly enrag'd at us? 390

[The Lamentations _&c._ _1633-69_ (Tremellius _1639-69_), _B_, _N_, _O'F_, _TCD:_ _Tr in the notes stands for_ Tremellius, _Vulg for_ Vulgate. _See note:_ _full-stops after verse-numbers_ _1635-69_]

[2-4 thus! ... is!] thus? ... is? _1633-69_]

[22 Harts] hearts _1669_]

[25 her _O'F:_ their _1633-69_, _N_, _TCD:_ the _B:_ diebus afflictionis suae et ploratuum suorum _Tr_]

[28 Whilest _B_, _O'F:_ Whiles _1633-69_]

[32 seene;] seene, _1633_]

[43 pleasure] pleasures _N_]

[53 hand] hands _1650-69:_ manu ejus _Tr_]

[56 from whom _1635-69_, _B_, _N_, _O'F_, _TCD:_ from whence _1633_]

[58 invite _1633_, _N_, _TCD:_ accite _1635-69_, _B_, _O'F_]

[59 men; _Ed:_ men, _1633-69_]

[63 farre;] farre _1633_]

[65 hand,] hand _1633-35_]

[76 they could not get. _1633:_ and none could get. _1635-69_]

[_Norton conjectures that in_ 75 _we should read_ the sought-for meat: _but see note_]

[78 o'rturn'd,] return'd, _1633_]

[81 heare I mourne, _1633-35_, _B_, _O'F_, _TCD:_ heare me mourn, _N:_ here I mourn, _1639-69_, _and mod. edd.:_ Audientium me in gemitu esse nemo consolatur me. _Tr_]

[87 sighs] sights _1669_]

[90 cloud! _Ed:_ cloud? _1633-69_

flung] flung. _1633_]

[92 wrath! _Ed:_ wrath? _1633-69_]

[95 strengths _1633_, _N_, _TCD:_ strength _1635_, _B_, _O'F:_ munitiones _Tr and Vulg_]

[110 where] which _B_, _O'F:_ locum conventus sui _Tr_]

[112 regardeth] regarded _1669_]

[114 hand _B_, _N_, _O'F_, _TCD:_ hands _1633-69:_ tradit in manum inimici muros, palatia illius _Tr_]

[118-9 ground; ... hand,] ground, ... hand; _1633_]

[121 Their _1633:_ The _1635-69_]

[122 barres; _B_, _O'F:_ barre; _1633-69_, _N_, _TCD:_ vectes ejus _Tr_]

[124 their] the _1669_]

[134 there,] there _1633-39_]

[135 streets, _B_, _O'F:_ street _1633-69_, _N_, _TCD:_ in plateis civitatis _Tr_]

[141 For thee _1635-54:_ For, the _1633:_ For the _1669_]

[143 disturne _1633-54 and MSS.:_ dis-urn _1669:_ disturb _Chambers:_ ad avertendum captivitatem tuam _Tr_]

[145 hisse, _Ed:_ hisse _1633-39_]

[157 against _1633:_ unto _1635-69_, _and MSS.:_ clamat cor istorum contra Dominum _Tr:_ ad Dominum _Vulg_]

[161 poure, for _1633 and MSS.:_ poure out _1635-69_, _Chambers_]

[174 his, _1633:_ thy _1635-69_]

[CHAP.] _ital._ _1633_]

[182 girt] hemde _B_, _O'F_]

[186 before. _1650-69:_ before, _1633-39_]

[187 8 _Ed:_ 8. _1635-69_; _om. 1633_]

[190 mee.] mee, _1633_]

[202 perished. _1633:_ perished, _1635-69_]

[203 mournings _1633-69_, _N_, _O'F_, _TCD:_ mourning _B_]

[216 (The Lords salvation) _1633:_ _no brackets_, _1635-69_]

[226 smite; _Ed:_ smite, _1633-69_]

[229 wrung] wrong _1633_

him, _Ed:_ him. _1633-69_]

[230 this.] this: _1633_]

[231 doth] will _B_, _O'F_]

[238 not; _1650-69:_ not. _1633-35:_ not _1639_]

[239 coverest us with wrath] coverest with thy wrath _B, O'F_]

[243 47 _Ed:_ 47, _1633:_ 47. _1635-69_]

[245 watry] water _1633_]

[246 daughter _B_, _N_, _O'F_, _TCD:_ daughters _1633-69:_ propter contritionem filiae populi mei _Tr_]

[249 citys _O'F:_ city _1633-69:_ propter omnes filias civitatis meae _Tr_]

[252 on me _B_, _N_, _TCD:_ me on _1633-69:_ projiciunt lapides in me. _Tr:_ posuerunt lapidem super me. _Vulg_]

[256 sigh,] sight, _1650-69_]

[260 Rescud'st _B_, _O'F:_ Rescuest _1633-69_, _N_, _TCD:_ vindicabas _Tr_

now, _1633-39:_ now. _1650-69_, _Chambers_]

[CHAP.] CAP. _1633_]

[270 Purest] P _dropped_ _1650-54_]

[274 at _1633-39:_ as _1650-69_, _B_, _N_, _O'F_, _TCD:_ qui taxandi erant auro purgatissimo _Tr_]

[278 live,] live _1633_]

[283 little children] little _om. Chambers_]

[296 Saphirine. _1635-69:_ Seraphine. _1633:_ Sapphirina polities eorum _Tr_]

[298 streets _B_, _O'F:_ street _1633-69_, _N_, _TCD:_ in vicis _Tr:_ in plateis _Vulg_]

[299 the _B_, _O'F:_ their _1633-69_]

[302 through penury.] by penury, _1633_, _N_, _TCD:_ confossi gladio quam confossi fame. _Tr_ _See note_]

[304 hands _B_, _O'F:_ hand _1633-69_]

[312 so.] so; _1633_]

[316 Thorough] Through _1669_]

[318 garments _1633:_ garment _1635-69:_ quem non possunt quin tangant vestimentis suis _Tr_]

[320 not; _O'F_, _N_, _TCD:_ not, _1633-69_]

[322 dwell there; _Ed:_ dwell; there. _1633:_ dwell there. _1635-39:_ dwell there _1650-54:_ dwell there: _1669_]

[325 their ... the _1633-39:_ the ... their _1650-69_]

[333-4 day. 19 Eagles _Ed: The old editions place a comma after_ day, _and_ 19 _at the beginning of_ 335, _wrongly._]

[335 mountaine tops _1633-39:_ mountaines tops _1650-69_, _B_]

[340 fell.] fell _1633_]

[342 which _1633:_ that _1635-69_

Huz _B:_ Hus _N_, _TCD:_ her, _1633:_ _Uz_, _1635-69:_ in terra Hutzi _Tr_]

[345 And then] And _om. Chambers_]

[CHAP.] CAP. _1633_]

[349 us;] us, _1633-35_]

[354 father _B_, _O'F:_ fathers _1633-69:_ Pupilli sumus ac nullo patre _Tr:_ absque patre _Vulg_]

[355 drunke, _1633_, _N_, _TCD:_ drinke _1635-69_, _B_, _O'F_]

[356 lay. _1650-69:_ lay, _1633-39_]

[368 Oven _1635-69:_ Ocean _1633:_ Pelles nostrae ut furnus atratae sunt _Tr_]

[374 fell ... bare. _1633-69:_ fall ... beare. _B_, _O'F_]

[376 15 Gone _&c._] _Old edd. transfer_ 15 _to next line, wrongly. In consequence, the remaining verses are all a number short, but the complete number of 22 is made up by breaking the last verse_, 'For oughtest thou _&c._,' _into two. I have corrected throughout._]

[389 thus,] thus _1633_]

_Hymne to God my God, in my sicknesse._

Since I am comming to that Holy roome, Where, with thy Quire of Saints for evermore, I shall be made thy Musique; As I come I tune the Instrument here at the dore, And what I must doe then, thinke here before. 5

Whilst my Physitians by their love are growne Cosmographers, and I their Mapp, who lie Flat on this bed, that by them may be showne That this is my South-west discoverie _Per fretum febris_, by these streights to die, 10

I joy, that in these straits, I see my West; For, though theire currants yeeld returne to none, What shall my West hurt me? As West and East In all flatt Maps (and I am one) are one, So death doth touch the Resurrection. 15

Is the Pacifique Sea my home? Or are The Easterne riches? Is _Ierusalem_? _Anyan_, and _Magellan_, and _Gibraltare_, All streights, and none but streights, are wayes to them, Whether where _Iaphet_ dwelt, or _Cham_, or _Sem_. 20

We thinke that _Paradise_ and _Calvarie_, _Christs_ Crosse, and _Adams_ tree, stood in one place; Looke Lord, and finde both _Adams_ met in me; As the first _Adams_ sweat surrounds my face, May the last _Adams_ blood my soule embrace. 25

So, in his purple wrapp'd receive mee Lord, By these his thornes give me his other Crowne; And as to others soules I preach'd thy word, Be this my Text, my Sermon to mine owne, Therfore that he may raise the Lord throws down. 30

[Hymn to God _&c._ _1635-69_, _S96_, _and in part Walton_ (Life of D^{r} John Donne. 1670), _who adds_ March 23, 1630]

[2 thy _1635 and Walton_ (_1670_): the _1639-69_]

[4 the Instrument _1635-69:_ my instrument _Walton_]

[6 Whilst ... love] Since ... loves _Walton_]

[10 to die, _1635:_ to die. _1639-54:_ to dy^{.} _1669_]

[12 theire _S96:_ those _1635-69_]

[18 _Gibraltare_, _1635-54:_ Gabraltare, _1669:_ Gibraltar? _1719_, _Chambers:_ Gibraltar are _Grosart_. _See note_]

[19 but streights, _Ed:_ but streights _1635-69_]

[24 first] sist _1669_]

[28 others souls] other souls _Walton and S96_]

[30 That, he may raise; therefore, _Walton_]

* * * * *

From the frontispiece to _Death's Duel_, 1632]

* * * * *

_A Hymne to God the Father:_

I.

Wilt thou forgive that sinne where I begunne, Which was my sin, though it were done before? Wilt thou forgive that sinne; through which I runne, And do run still: though still I do deplore? When thou hast done, thou hast not done, 5 For, I have more.

II.

Wilt thou forgive that sinne which I have wonne Others to sinne? and, made my sinne their doore? Wilt thou forgive that sinne which I did shunne A yeare, or two: but wallowed in, a score? 10 When thou hast done, thou hast not done, For I have more.

III.

I have a sinne of feare, that when I have spunne My last thred, I shall perish on the shore; But sweare by thy selfe, that at my death thy sonne 15 Shall shine as he shines now, and heretofore; And, having done that, Thou haste done, I feare no more.

[A Hymne _&c._ _1633-69:_ To Christ. _A18_, _N_, _TCC_, _TCD:_ Christo Salvatori. _O'F_, _S96:_ _for the text of the MSS. see next page_]

[2 Which] which _1633_]

[8 my sin] my sins _1639-69_]

[10 two: _1633:_ two, _1635-69_]

_To Christ._

Wilt thou forgive that sinn, where I begunn, W^{ch} is my sinn, though it were done before? Wilt thou forgive those sinns through w^{ch} I runn And doe them still, though still I doe deplore? When thou hast done, thou hast not done, 5 for I have more.

Wilt thou forgive that sinn, by w^{ch} I'have wonne Others to sinn, & made my sinn their dore? Wilt thou forgive that sinn w^{ch} I did shunne A yeare or twoe, but wallowed in a score? 10 When thou hast done, thou hast not done, for I have more.

I have a sinn of feare y^t when I have spunn My last thred, I shall perish on the shore; Sweare by thy self that at my Death, thy Sunn 15 Shall shine as it shines nowe, & heretofore; And having done that, thou hast done, I have noe more.

[Christ. _A18_, _N_, _TCC_, _TCD:_ Christo Salvatori. _O'F_, _S96:_ _text from TCD_]

[1 begunn, _Ed:_ begunn _TCD_]

[2 were _A18_, _N_, _TC:_ was _O'F_, _S_ before? _Ed:_ before _TCD_]

[4 them _A18_, _N_, _TC:_ runne _O'F_, _S96_]

[5 done, _Ed:_ done _TCD:_ _and so_ 11 _and_ 17]

[14 shore; _Ed:_ shore _TCD_]

[15 thy Sunne _O'F_, _S:_ this Sunn _A18_, _N_, _TC_]

[16 heretofore; _Ed:_ heretofore _TCD_]

* * * * *

ELEGIES UPON THE AUTHOR

TO THE MEMORIE OF MY EVER DESIRED FRIEND

D^r. DONNE.

To have liv'd eminent, in a degree Beyond our lofty'st flights, that is, like Thee, Or t'have had too much merit, is not safe; For, such excesses finde no Epitaph. At common graves we have Poetique eyes 5 Can melt themselves in easie Elegies, Each quill can drop his tributary verse, And pin it, like the Hatchments, to the Hearse: But at Thine, Poeme, or Inscription (Rich soule of wit, and language) we have none. 10 Indeed a silence does that tombe befit, Where is no Herald left to blazon it. Widow'd invention justly doth forbeare To come abroad, knowing Thou art not here, Late her great Patron; Whose Prerogative 15 Maintain'd, and cloth'd her so, as none alive Must now presume, to keepe her at thy rate, Though he the Indies for her dowre estate. Or else that awfull fire, which once did burne In thy cleare Braine, now falne into thy Urne 20 Lives there, to fright rude Empiricks from thence, Which might prophane thee by their Ignorance. Who ever writes of Thee, and in a stile Unworthy such a Theme, does but revile Thy precious Dust, and wake a learned Spirit 25 Which may revenge his Rapes upon thy Merit. For, all a low pitch't phansie can devise, Will prove, at best, but Hallow'd Injuries. Thou, like the dying Swanne, didst lately sing Thy Mournfull Dirge, in audience of the King; 30 When pale lookes, and faint accents of thy breath, Presented so, to life, that peece of death, That it was fear'd, and prophesi'd by all, Thou thither cam'st to preach thy Funerall. O! had'st Thou in an Elegiacke Knell 35 Rung out unto the world thine owne farewell, And in thy High Victorious Numbers beate The solemne measure of thy griev'd Retreat; Thou might'st the Poets service now have mist As well, as then thou did'st prevent the Priest; 40 And never to the world beholding bee So much, as for an Epitaph for thee. I doe not like the office. Nor is't fit Thou, who did'st lend our Age such summes of wit, Should'st now re-borrow from her bankrupt Mine, 45 That Ore to Bury Thee, which once was Thine, Rather still leave us in thy debt; And know (Exalted Soule) more glory 'tis to owe Unto thy Hearse, what we can never pay, Then, with embased Coine those Rites defray. 50 Commit we then Thee to Thy selfe: Nor blame Our drooping loves, which thus to thy owne Fame Leave Thee Executour. Since, but thine owne, No pen could doe Thee Justice, nor Bayes Crowne Thy vast desert; Save that, wee nothing can 55 Depute, to be thy Ashes Guardian. So Jewellers no Art, or Metall trust To forme the Diamond, but the Diamonds dust.

_H. K._

[To the _&c._ _Also in_ Deaths Duell. _1632_, _Walton's_ Lives _1670_, _King's_ Poems. _1657_, _1664_, _1700_]

[14 here] there _1632_]

[31 faint] weak _1632_]

[57 or] nor _1632_]

To the deceased Author,

Upon the _Promiscuous_ printing of his Poems, the _Looser sort_, with the _Religious_.

When thy _Loose_ raptures, _Donne_, shall meet with Those That doe confine Tuning, unto the Duller line, And sing not, but in _Sanctified Prose_; How will they, with sharper eyes, 5 The _Fore-skinne_ of thy phansie circumcise? And feare, thy _wantonnesse_ should now, begin _Example_, that hath ceased to be _Sin_?

And that _Feare_ fannes their _Heat_; whilst knowing eyes Will not admire 10 At this _Strange Fire_, That here is _mingled with thy Sacrifice_: But dare reade even thy _Wanton Story_, As thy _Confession_, not thy _Glory_. And will so envie _Both_ to future times, 15 That they would buy thy _Goodnesse_, with thy _Crimes_.

_Tho: Browne._

_On the death of D^r DONNE._

I Cannot blame those men, that knew thee well, Yet dare not helpe the world, to ring thy knell In tunefull _Elegies_; there's not language knowne Fit for thy mention, but 'twas first thy owne; The _Epitaphs_ thou writst, have so bereft 5 Our tongue of wit, there is not phansie left Enough to weepe thee; what henceforth we see Of Art or Nature, must result from thee. There may perchance some busie gathering friend Steale from thy owne workes, and that, varied, lend, 10 Which thou bestow'st on others, to thy Hearse, And so thou shalt live still in thine owne verse; Hee that shall venture farther, may commit A pitied errour, shew his zeale, not wit. Fate hath done mankinde wrong; vertue may aime 15 Reward of conscience, never can, of fame, Since her great trumpet's broke, could onely give Faith to the world, command it to beleeve; Hee then must write, that would define thy parts: _Here lyes the best Divinitie, All the Arts._ 20

_Edw. Hyde_.

[On the _&c._ _Also in =Deaths Duell.= 1632_]

[4 thy] thine _1632_]

[6 tongue] pens _1632_]

_On Doctor =Donne=,

By D' =C. B.= of =O.=_