She sings Thy tears asleep, and dips
   Her kisses in Thy weeping eye,
She spreads the red leaves of Thy lips,
   That in their buds yet blushing lie.
She ’gainst those mother diamonds tries
The points of her young eagle’s eyes.

Welcome—tho’ not to those gay flies,
   Gilded i’ th’ beams of earthly kings,
Slippery souls in smiling eyes—
   But to poor shepherds, homespun things,
Whose wealth’s their flocks, whose wit’s to be
Well read in their simplicity.

Yet, when young April’s husband show’rs
   Shall bless the fruitful Maia’s bed.
We’ll bring the first-born of her flowers,
   To kiss Thy feet and crown Thy head.
To Thee, dread Lamb! whose love must keep
The shepherds while they feed their sheep.

To Thee, meek Majesty, soft King
   Of simple graces and sweet loves!
Each of us his lamb will bring,
   Each his pair of silver doves!
At last, in fire of Thy fair eyes,
Ourselves become our own best sacrifice!

350   Christ Crucified

THY restless feet now cannot go
   For us and our eternal good,
As they were ever wont. What though
   They swim, alas! in their own flood?

Thy hands to give Thou canst not lift,
   Yet will Thy hand still giving be;
It gives, but O, itself’s the gift!
   It gives tho’ bound, tho’ bound ’tis free!

351   An Epitaph upon Husband and Wife

Who died and were buried together

TO these whom death again did wed
This grave’s the second marriage-bed.
For though the hand of Fate could force
’Twixt soul and body a divorce,
It could not sever man and wife,
Because they both lived but one life.
Peace, good reader, do not weep;
Peace, the lovers are asleep.
They, sweet turtles, folded lie
In the last knot that love could tie.
Let them sleep, let them sleep on,
Till the stormy night be gone,
And the eternal morrow dawn;
Then the curtains will be drawn,
And they wake into a light
Whose day shall never die in night.