The holy court in five tomes, the first treating of motives which should excite men of qualitie to Christian perfection, the second of the prelate, souldier, states-man, and ladie, the third of maxims of Christianitie against prophanesse ..., the fourth containing the command of reason over the passions, the fifth now first published in English and much augemented according to the last edition of the authour containing the lives of the most famous and illustrious courtiers taken out of the Old and New Testament and other modern authours / written in French by Nicholas Caussin ; translated into English by Sr. T.H. and others.

Aspirations.

O Spectacles of horrour, but Abyss of goodness and mercy. I feel my heart divided by horrour, pitie, hate, love, execration, and adoration. But my admiration being ravished, carries me beyond my self. Is this then that bloudy sacrifice which hath been expected from all Ages? This hidden mystery, this profound knowledge of the Cross; this dolorous Je∣sus; which makes the honourable amends between Heaven and earth, to the eternal Father, for expiation of the sins of humane kind.

Alas, poor Lord, thou hadst but one life, and I see a thousand instruments of death, which have taken it away. Was there need of opening so many bloudy doors, to let out thine innocent soul? Could it not part from thy body without making (on all sides) so many wounds? which after they have served for the objects of mens cruelty, serve now for those of thy mercy? O my Jesus, I know not to whom I speak, for I do no more know thee in the state thou now art; or if I do, it is onely by thy miseries, because they are so excessive, that there was need of a God to suffer what thou hast endured. I look upon thy dis∣figured countenance, to find some part of thy resem∣blance, and yet can find none but that of thy love. Alas, O beautifull head, which dost carry all the glo∣ry of the highest Heaven, divide with me this dolor∣ous Crown of Thorns; they were my sins which sow∣ed them, and it is thy pleasure that thine innocency should mow them. Give me, O Sacred mouth, give me that Gall which I see upon thy lips: suffer me to sprinkle all my pleasures with it, since after a long continuance, it did shut up and conclude all thy do∣lours. Give me, O Sacred hands, and adored feet, the Nails which have pierced you: love binds you fast enough to the Cross without them. But do thou, O Lord, hold me fast to thy self, by the chain of thine immensity.

O Lance, cruel Lance, Why didst thou open that most precious side? Thou didst think perhaps to find there the Sons life, and yet thou foundest nothing but the Mothers heart. But without so much as thinking what thou didst, in playing the murderer, thou hast made a Sepulcher, wherein I will from henceforth bury my soul. When I behold these wounds of my dear Saviour, I do acknowledge the strokes of my own hand: I will therefore likewise engrave there

my repentance: I will write my conversion with an eternal Character. And if I must live, I will never breathe any other life, but that onely which shall be produced from the death of my Jesus crucified.