The songs of the Old and New Testament in meeter by M. Zachary Boyd ...

CHAPTER I.

The Church speaketh to Christ.

LEt him kisse me with the kisses of his mouth, for thy love is better then wine.

LEt him with kisses of his mouth to kisse me now incline, For sure thy love farre better is then is the finest wine.

2 Because of the savour of thy good oynt∣ments, thy name is as oyntment powred forth, therefore do the virgins love thee.

2

Because that of thine ointments ••ood the savour sweet doth prove, Thy Name as ointment forth is powr'd thee therefore virgins love.

3 Draw me, we will run after thee: the King hath brought me into his chambers:

3

Do thou me draw and then anone we after thee will run: The King himself he hath me now his chambers brought within.

We will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will remember thy love more then wine: the upright love thee.

We'l in thee glade be and rejoice, thy love also will wee Remeber more then sinest wine, the upright do love thee.

4 I am black, but comely, (O ye daughters of Ierusalem) as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon.

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O Salems daughters black I am, but yet a comely one As tents of Kedar, and ev'n as curtains of Solomon.

5 Look not upon me because I am black, be∣cause the Sun hath looked upon me.

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Upon me look not ye, because I black do seem to be, Because the Sun hath with his beames long looked upon me.

My mothers children were angry with mee, they made me the keeper of the vineyards, but mine own vineyard have I not kept.

My mothers children wroth with me the vineyards keeper made, But I my self have not at all so kept mine own vineyard.

6 Tell me (O thou whom my soul loveth) where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon:

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O thou, whom dearly loves my soul, I pray thee tell me soon Where thou dost feed, and where thou makst thy flock to rest at noon.

For why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of thy companions?

For why should I be any way as one that turnes aside By flocks of thy companions where ev'r they do abide?

CHRIST.

7 If thou know not, (O thou fairest among women) go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock, and feed thy kids beside the shepherds tents.

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O fairest one if thou not know, by the flocks footsteps go, And do thou feed thy kids beside the shepherds tents also.

8 I have compared thee, O my love, to a company of horses in Pharaohs chariots.

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My love unto a company I have compared thee, Of horses in the chariots that for King Pharo be.

9 Thy cheeks are comely with rows of jew∣els, thy neck with chains of gold.

10 We will make thee borders of gold with studs of silver.

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With jewell rows thy cheeks are fair, with chaines of gold thy neck:

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Of gold we borders will thee make which silver studs do deck.

The Church.

11 While the king sitteth at his table, my spikenard sendeth forth the smell thereof.

12 A bundle of myrrhe is my welbeloved un∣to me;

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While at his table sits the King my spiknard sends it smell:

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Of mirrhe a bundle unto me is my beloved well.

He shall ly all night betwixt my breasts.

13 My beloved is unto me, as a cluster of Camphire, in the vineyards of Engedi.

Betwixt my breasts hee'le lie all night

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My welbelov'd's to me As of Engedies vineyards rare, the Camphires clusters be▪

CHRIST.

14 Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair, thou hast doves eyes.

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O do behold, most fair thou art ev'n thou my love so rare, Behold of Doves the eyes thou hast, and thou art very fair.

The Church.

15 Behold, thou art fair, my beloved, yea pleasant: also our bed is green.

16 The beams of our house are cedar, and our rafters of fire.

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Lo, pleasant fair thou art my love, green also is our bed:

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Beams of our house they cedars are, of firre our rafters made.