class="l"> 

'Twas, O Holy One, Thy care

Wrought us from the plastic clay,

Made us Thine own image bear,

And for our perfection fair

Did Thy Breath to man convey.

 

On the twain Thou didst bestow

Leafy bowers in pleasaunce fair:

Where spring's scents for aye did blow,

And four stately streams did flow

O'er meads pied with blossoms rare.

 

"All this realm ye now shall sway:"

(Saidst Thou) "use it at your will,

Yet 'tis death your hands to lay

On the Tree, whose verdant sway

Doth the midmost garden fill."

 

Then the Serpent's guileful hate

Would not innocency spare:

Bade the maiden urge her mate

With the fruit his lips to sate,

Nor 'scaped she the self-same snare.

 

Each their nakedness perceives

When the feast they once partook:

Smit with shame their conscience grieves:

Wove they coverings of leaves

Shielding from lascivious look.

 

Far they both in terror fled

Thrust from dwelling of the pure:

She who erst had dwelt unwed

Subject to her spouse was led,

Bidden Hymen's bonds endure.

 

On the Serpent, too, His seal

God hath set, Who guile abhorred,

Doomed in triple neck to feel

Impress of the woman's heel,

Fearing her, who feared her lord.

 

Thus sin in our parents sown

Brought forth ruin for the race;

Good and evil having grown

From that primal root alone,

Nought but death could guilt efface.

 

But the Second Man behold

Come to re-create our kin:

Not formed after common mould

But our God (O Love untold!)

Made in flesh that knows not sin.

 

Word of God incarnated,

By His awful power conceived,

Whom a maiden yet unwed,

Innocent of marriage-bed,

In her virgin womb received.

 

Now we see the Serpent lewd

'Neath the woman's heel downtrod:

Whence there sprang the deadly feud,

Strife for ages unsubdued,

'Twixt mankind and foe of God.

 

Yet God's mother, Maid adored,

Robbed sin's poison of its bane,

And the Snake, his green coils lowered,

Writhing on the sod, outpoured

Harmless now his venom's stain.

 

What fierce brute that doth not flee

Lambs of Christ, white-robed and clean?

'Midst the flock from fear set free,

Slinks the drear wolf sullenly,

Checked his maw and tamed his mien.

 

Wondrous change! restrained by love

Lions the mild lamb obey:

Eagles wild, before the dove

Fluttering from the stars above,

Speed o'er cloudy winds away.

 

Thou, O Christ, my Dove dost reign

Where the vulture gnaws no more:

Thou dost, snow-white Lamb, enchain

Tigers fierce, and wolves restrain

Gaping at the sheepfold's door.

 

God of Love, Thy servants we

Pray Thee now to grant our prayer

That our feast may frugal be,

Nor that we dishonour Thee

By coarse surfeit of rich fare.

 

May we taste no bitter gall

In our cup, nor handle we

Aught of death or harm at all,

Nor intemperately fall

Into gross debauchery.

 

Be the powers of Hell content

With their primal fraud, whereby

Death into this world was sent,

And that, for sin's chastisement,

God's own creatures once should die.

 

But in us God's Breath of fire

Cannot lose its vital force:

Never can its might expire,

Flowing from the Eternal Sire,

Who of Reason's strength is source.

 

Nay, from out death's chilling tomb

Mortal atoms shall arise:

Man from earth's vast, hidden womb

Other, yet the same, shall bloom,

Dust re-made in glorious guise.

 

'Tis my faith--and faith not vain--

Bodies live e'en as the soul:

Since I hold in memory plain

God as man uprose again,

Loosed from Hell, to His true goal.

 

Whence from Him the hope I reap

That these limbs the same shall rise,

Which enwrapped in balmy sleep

Christ the Risen safe shall keep

Till He call me to the skies.

IV. HYMNUS POST CIBUM

Pastis visceribus ciboque sumpto, quem lex corporis inbecilla poscit, laudem lingua Deo patri rependat; Patri, qui Cherubin sedile sacrum,   5nec non et Seraphin suum supremo subnixus solio tenet regitque.   Hic est, quem Sabaoth Deum vocamus, expers principii carensque fine, rerum conditor et repertor orbis:   10fons vitae liquida fluens ab arce, infusor fidei, sator pudoris, mortis perdomitor, salutis auctor.   Omnes quod sumus aut vigemus, inde est: regnat Spiritus ille sempiternus   15a Christo simul et Parente missus. Intrat pectora candidus pudica, quae templi vice consecrata rident, postquam conbiberint Deum medullis.   Sed si quid vitii dolive nasci   20inter viscera iam dicata sensit, ceu spurcum refugit celer sacellum. Taetrum flagrat enim vapore crasso horror conscius aestuante culpa offensumque bonum niger repellit.     25Nec solus pudor innocensve votum templum constituunt perenne Christo in cordis medii sum ac recessu: sed ne crapula ferveat cavendum est, quae sedem fidei cibis refertam   30usque ad congeriem coartet intus.   Parcis victibus expedita corda infusum melius Deum receptant. Hic pastus animae est, saporque verus: sed nos tu gemino fovens paratu   35artus atque animas utroque pastu confirmas Pater ac vigore conples.   Sic olim tua praecluens potestas