Edward Farr, ed. Select Poetry of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth. 1845.
Lines from Christs Bloody SweatLXXXIV. J. F.
T
Into a streame of soft compassion melt
His icye bloud, that frailty might inherit
The sun of comfort, by the griefes he felt:
Each drop of bloud he shed, he shed it then
To wash a severall sin from severall men.
Of eminencie, how wantonly they strove
For thirst of glory, to protect alone
Religious name, not for religious love;
Graceing the gracelesse, in whom grace was lost,
Such parasites as knew to flatter most.
Created gods on earth, should so prophane,
By courses indirect and lawes un-even,
Of will and sensuall lust, the law first drawne
By that eternall royalty, who stood
To watch their faults: for kings he sweated bloud.
In seates of greatnesse and commaundes of state,
How fond in their madnesse they did wast
Their greatnesse in ambition and debate,
Ayming not to support, but scorne the good,
By unjust force: for such he sweated bloud.
Scribes cloath’d in wool of lambes, and speaking well,
But wolves in nature, so coruptly stayn’d,
As if they were but messengers of hell;
Abusing unlearn’d soules and Levit’s power,
More ready then to cherrish, to devoure.
To shine as lampes, and speake the heavenly sound
With angels’ tongues, were silent, if not hir’d;
More studying with the scriptures to compound
Their own traditions; and for those, indeed,
In heavy droppes the sweat of Christ did bleed.
Wanting the robe of justice; not regarding
The poor man’s right, nor where the case was sound,
But giving judgment as he felt rewarding;
Whose tongue was bought against that side was weake,
Most times as well to hold his peace as speake:
Intrusted jurisdiction over-sway’d
By partiall favour, above forme of law,
Cold conscience, by which conscience was betray’d;
For those condemning, were condemn’d to much,
As they condemn’d: he sweated bloud for such.
Of cruelty, not measuring the right
Why they bore armes, but, to content the great
And their own lawlesse hate, prepar’d to fight,
For prey and spoyle adventuring to rent
Their lives and soules: for those his bloud hee spent.
Of office and authority, in peace,
Compacted in a knot, not to accord
Or set at unity, strifes but increase;
Wounding or sparing with a watchfull hand,
As some superiour person should commaund.