James and Mary Ford, eds. Every Day in the Year. 1902.
April 9Easter Morning
By Edmund Spenser (1552?1599)
M
Didst make thy triumph over death and sin,
And, having harrowed hell, didst bring away
Captivity thence captive, us to win;
This joyous day, dear Lord, with joy begin,
And grant that we, for whom thou didst die,
Being with thy dear blood clean washed from sin,
May live for ever in felicity:
And that thy love we weighing worthily
May likewise love Thee for the same again:
And for thy sake, that all like dear didst buy,
With love may one another entertain.
So let us love, dear Love, like as we ought;
Love is the lesson which the Lord us taught.