Contents -BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD

Edward Farr, ed. Select Poetry of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth. 1845.

“There Was a King”

XIII. Anonymous

THERE was a King of old,

That did in Jewry dwell;

Whether a God, or man, or both,

I’me sure I love him well.

Love him! why who doth not?

Did ever any wight

Not goodnesse, beauty, sweetnesse, love—

Not comfort, love, and light?

None ever did, or can;

But here’s the cause alone

Why he of all few lovers finds:

Alas! he is not knowne.

There are so many faire,

Hee’s lost amoung the throng;

Yet they that seek him no where else,

May finde him in a song.

This King, then, was a man,

Whose mother was a maide;

Himself was God, and, if you doubt,

Himself his mother made.

A wonder sure it was,

But so is all the rest:

For whilst she bore him in her wombe,

She wore him on her breast.

A King he was so high,

As by him all kings raigne;

Yet was his pompe not very great—

Twelve was his usuall traine.

And though no other prince

Did give a better pay,

Yet when he stood in greatest need

His subjects ran away.

This King he was a priest,

He was the sacrifice;

And he also the aulter was,

The gift y^t sanctifies.

And though the sacrifice

The priests did ever eate,

The aulter, sacrifice, and priest,

And all here made our meate.

This God, Man, King, and Priest,

Almighty was, yet meeke:

He was most just, yet mercifull;

The guilty did him seeke.

He never any failed

That sought him in their need;

He never quenched the smoaking flaxe,

Nor brake the bruised reed.

He was the truest friend

That ever any tryed;

For whome he loved he never left—

For them he lived and dy’d.

And if you’ld know the folke

Y^t brought him to his end,

Reade but his title, you shall finde

Him styled ‘the sinner’s friend.’

His life all wonder was,

But heer’s a wonder more,

That he y^t was all life and love,

Should be belov’d no more.

Ile love him while I live;

To those that be his foes,

Though I them hate, I’ll wish no worse

Than his deare love to loose.