The canticles or balades of Salomon, phraselyke declared in Englysh metres, by William Baldwin

MI Beloued put in his hande at the Hole, and my bowels swelled within me.* 1.1 I a∣rose that I myght open to my Beloued, and my hādes dropped myrrhe, and my fingers wer full of tryed mirrhe. I opened the bolte of my dore to my Beloued: but he was goen & past. As sone as my Beloued spake, my soul cam out. I sought hym, but I founde hym not: I called, but he gaue no answer. The watchmen y^t went about the citie, found me, smote me, and woun∣ded me: They that kept the wall, toke away my gaberdin. I charge you o ye daughters of Ieru∣salem, that yf ye fynde my Beloued, ye shew him how that I am louesycke.

¶The Argument.

THe Churche beholdeth Christ, and would gladly receyue hym, for her soule deliteth in his dewy head, but her flesh can not away with the nyghtdroppyng heares, which caused her as though she had ben perfect, to reason with Christ, and to thynke that he woulde haue her put on her coate agayne, whan as in dede he woulde haue her cum naked to put on the coat whiche he wyll geue her. Thus is the poore churche de∣ceyued through frayltie of the flesh: whiche he consyderyng and seyng the dore shut, that is the spirite so hyndred in car∣nal iudgement, that she can not receyue hym, thrusteth in his hande, that is his power, grace, and helpe, through the hole

of the dore, that is the eleccion whiche remayneth in olde A∣dam the dore of the flesshe, whiche through his grace he ope∣neth. Whiche the Spouse felyng, confesseth: syngyng.

The Spouse to the Younglynges. xl.

MY Loue dyd put his hande of myght, Jn to my hole of fleshly sence: Whereby myne inwarde partes outryght Dyd swel and ryse, through influence Of grace. Than vp I rose with diligence To open that he mought cum in Whome I doe loue, by whome my sence Of fleshly wit was made so thin. By grace. No sooner I vp risen was But that my handes (fast shut before) Dyd drop with Mirrhe, good wurkes did passe My fyngers from styll more and more By grace. The doar bar eke that made me slacke To let hym in that knocked fast My carnal sence J thrust abacke: But Christe before was goen and past, Helas. As soone as my Beloued spake, My soule to search hym waxed meke: My soule long hyd, his voyce dyd make From flesh to flee, his helpe to seke Apace.

J sought hym long but coulde not fynde; J called hym, he answered not: Awhyle he left me to my mynde, Because at fyrst J opened not. Helas. The tyrauntes that the citie watche False Prelates whiche the truth confounde, That sought for Christe poore me dyd catche, And stroke therfore, and dyd me wounde Helas. The kepers of the cursed wall, Suche rites as truthles men deuise: By force dyd take my cloke and all, Because J dyd theyr wurkes dispise, Helas. Ye daughters of Jerusalem, Ye faythfull preachers of the wurd, Whiche preache Gods truthes, and folow them, That stryke with his two edged swurd By grace: J charge you yf ye chaunce to fynde Christe my Beloued that dwelles aboue, Ye shew hym how sore J in mynde Am sycke, and languish whole for loue Of grace.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The Text.