Laurel · Richard Crashaw · Steps to the Temple and Other Poems

The Office of the Holy Crosse

Richard Crashaw (c. 1613–1649) · 1646–1652

iambic tetrameter · octosyllabic couplets · 226 lines · from Steps to the Temple and Other Poems

Glory be to the FATHER,and to the SON,and to the Holy GHOST.As it was in the beginning, is now, and euershall be, world without end. Amen.

The wakefull Matines hast to singThe unknown sorrows of our King:The Father's Word and Wisdom, madeMan for man, by man's betraid;The World's price sett to sale, and by the boldMerchants of Death and Sin, is bought and sold:Of His best freinds (yea of Himself) forsaken;By His worst foes (because He would) beseig'd and taken.

All hail, fair tree,Whose fruit we be!What song shall raiseThy seemly praise,Who broughtst to lightLife out of death, Day out of Night!

O Lord IESV-CHRIST, Son of the liuing God!interpose, I pray Thee, Thine Own pretious death,Thy crosse and passion, betwixt my soul and Thyiudgment, now and in the hour of my death. Andvouchsafe to graunt vnto me Thy grace and mercy;vnto all quick and dead, remission and rest; to ThyChurch, peace and concord; to vs sinners, life andglory euerlasting. Who liuest and reignest withthe Father, in the vnity of the Holy Ghost, oneGod, world without end. Amen.

Defend vs from our foes and Thine.V. Thou shalt open my lips, O Lord.R. And my mouth shall shew forth Thy praise.V. O God, make speed to save me.R. O Lord, make hast to help me.V. Glory be to, &c.R. As it was in the, &c.

The early Prime blushes to sayShe could not rise so soon, as theyCall'd Pilat vp; to try if heCould lend them any cruelty.Their hands with lashes arm'd, their toungs with lyesAnd loathsom spittle, blott those beauteous eyes,The blissfull springs of ioy; from whose all-chearing rayThe fair starrs fill their wakefull fires, the sun him-self drinks day.

Victorious signThat now dost shine,Transcrib'd aboueInto the land of light and loue;O let vs twineOur rootes with thine,That we may riseVpon thy wings, and reach the skyes.

O LORD IESV-CHRIST, Son of the liuing God!interpose, I pray Thee, Thine Own pretious death,Thy crosse and passion, betwixt my soul and Thyiudgment, now and in the hour of my death. Andvouchsafe to graunt vnto me Thy grace and mercy;vnto all quick and dead, remission and rest; toThy Church, peace and concord; to vs sinners,life and glory euerlasting. Who liuest and reignestwith the Father, in the vnity of the Holy Ghost,one God, world without end. Amen.

The third hour's deafen'd with the cryOf crucify Him, crucify.So goes the vote (nor ask them, why?),Liue Barabbas! and let God dy.But there is witt in wrath, and they will tryA hail more cruell then their crucify.For while in sport He weares a spitefull crownThe serious showres along His decent Face run sadly down.

Christ when He dy'dDeceiu'd the Crosse;And on Death's sideThrew all the losse.The captiue World awak't and foundThe prisoners loose, the iaylor bound.

O Lord IESV-CHRIST, Son of the liuing God!interpose, I pray Thee, Thine Own pretious death,Thy crosse and passion, betwixt my soul and Thyiudgment, now and in the hour of my death. Andvouchsafe to graunt vnto me Thy grace and mercy;vnto all quick and dead, remission and rest; toThy Church, peace and concord; to vs sinners,life and glory everlasting. Who liuest and reignestwith the Father, in the vnity of the Holy Ghost,one God, world without end. Amen.

Now is the noon of Sorrow's night:High in His patience, as their spite,Lo, the faint Lamb, with weary limbBeares that huge tree which must bear Him!That fatall plant, so great of fameFor fruit of sorrow and of shame,Shall swell with both, for Him, and mixAll woes into one crucifix.Is tortur'd thirst itselfe too sweet a cup?Gall, and more bitter mocks, shall make it vp.Are nailes, blunt pens of superficiall smart?Contempt and scorn can send sure wounds tosearch the inmost heart.

O deare and sweet dispute'Twixt Death's and Loue's farr different fruit!Different as farrAs antidotes and poysons are.By that first fatall treeBoth life and libertyWere sold and slain;By this they both look vp, and liue again.

O Lord IESV-CHRIST, Son of the liuing God!interpose, I pray Thee, Thine Own pretious death,Thy crosse and passion, betwixt my soul and Thyiudgment, now and in the hour of my death. Andvouchsafe to graunt vnto me Thy grace and mercy;vnto all quick and dead, remission and rest; toThy Church, peace and concord; to vs sinners,life and glory euerlasting. Who liuest and reignestwith the Father, in the vnity of the Holy Ghost,one God, world without end. Amen.

Defend vs from our foes and Thine.V. Thou shalt open my lips, O Lord.R. And my mouth shall shew forth Thy praise.V. O God, make speed to save me!R. O Lord, make hast to help me!V. Glory be to, &c.R. As it was in the, &c.

The ninth with awfull horror hearkened to those groanesWhich taught attention eu'n to rocks and stones.Hear, Father, hear! Thy Lamb (at last) complainesOf some more painfull thing then all His paines.Then bowes His all-obedient head, and dyesHis own lou's and our sins' GREAT SACRIFICE.The sun saw that, and would haue seen no more;The center shook: her vselesse veil th' inglorious Temple tore.

O strange, mysterious strifeOf open Death and hidden Life!When on the crosse my King did bleed,Life seem'd to dy, Death dy'd indeed.

Thy crosse and passion, betwixt my soul and Thyiudgment, now and in the hour of my death. Andvouchsafe to graunt vnto me Thy grace and mercy;vnto all quick and dead, remission and rest; toThy Church, peace and concord; to vs sinners,life and glory euerlasting. Who liuest and reignestwith the Father, in the vnity of the Holy Ghost,one God, world without end. Amen.

Defend vs from our foes and Thine.V. Thou shalt open my lips, O Lord!R. And my mouth shall shew forth Thy praise.V. O God, make speed to save me!R. O Lord, make hast to help me!V. Glory be to, &c.R. As it was in the, &c.

But there were rocks would not relent at this:Lo, for their own hearts, they rend His;Their deadly hate liues still, and hathA wild reserve of wanton wrath;Superfluous spear! But there's a heart stands byWill look no wounds be lost, no deaths shall dy.Gather now thy Greif's ripe fruit, great mother-maid!Then sitt thee down, and sing thine eu'nsong in the sad tree's shade.

O sad, sweet tree!Wofull and ioyfull weBoth weep and sing in shade of thee.When the dear nailes did lockAnd graft into thy gracious stockThe hope, the health,The worth, the wealthOf all the ransom'd World, thou hadst the power(In that propitious hour)To poise each pretious limb,And proue how light the World was, when it weighd with Him.Wide maist thou spredThine armes, and with thy bright and blissfull headO'relook all Libanus. Thy lofty crownThe King Himself is, thou His humble throne,Where yeilding and yet conquering HeProu'd a new path of patient victory:When wondring Death by death was slain,And our Captiuity His captiue ta'ne.

The Complin hour comes last, to callVs to our own lives' funerall.Ah hartlesse task! yet Hope takes head,And liues in Him that here lyes dead.Run, Mary, run! Bring hither all the blestArabia, for thy royall phoenix' nest;Pour on thy noblest sweets, which, when they touchThis sweeter body, shall indeed be such.But must Thy bed, Lord, be a borrow'd graueWho lend'st to all things all the life they haue.O rather vse this heart, thus farr a fitter stone,'Cause, though a hard and cold one, yet it is Thine own. Amen.

O saue vs then,Mercyfull King of men!Since Thou wouldst needs be thusA Saviour, and at such a rate, for vs;Saue vs, O saue vs, Lord.We now will own no shorter wish, nor name a narrower word;Thy blood bids vs be bold,Thy wounds giue vs fair hold,Thy sorrows chide our shame:Thy crosse, Thy nature, and Thy nameAduance our claim,And cry with one accordSaue them, O saue them, Lord!

These Houres, and that which houers o're my end,Into Thy hands and hart, Lord, I commend.

Take both to Thine account, that I and mineIn that hour, and in these, may be all Thine.

That as I dedicate my deuoutest breathTo make a kind of life for my Lord's death,

So from His liuing and life-giuing death,My dying life may draw a new and neuer fleeting breath.

Words in this poem 40

ghost n.: The spirit; the soul of man. [OE. gast, gost, soul, spirit, AS. gast breath, spirit, soul; akin to OS. g spirit, soul, D. geest, G. geist, and prob. to E. gaze, ghastly.]
shall v. i.: To owe; to be under obligation for. [OE. shal, schal, imp. sholde, scholde, AS. scal, sceal, I am obliged, imp. scolde, sceolde, inf. sculan; akin to OS. skulan, pres. skal, imp. skolda, D. zullen,]
amen interj.: An expression used at the end of prayers, and meaning, So be it. At the end of a creed, it is a solemn asseveration of belief. [L. amen, Gr. am certainly, truly.]
wakefull a.: Not sleeping; indisposed to sleep; watchful; vigilant.
hast: , 2d pers. sing. pres. of. Fave, contr. of havest.
crosse n.: The implement with which the ball is thrown and caught in the game of lacrosse.
betwixt prep.: In the space which separates; between. [OE. betwix, bitwix, rarely bitwixt, AS. betweox, betweohs, betweoh, betwih; pref. be- by + a form fr. AS. twa two. See Between.]
vouchsafe v. t.: To condescend to grant; to concede; to bestow. [Vouch + safe, that is, to vouch or answer for safety.]
shalt: 2d per. sing. of Shall.
shew n.: Show. [Obs. except in shewbread.]
blott v. t.: To spot, stain, or bespatter, as with ink. [Cf. Dan. plette. See 3d Blot.]
beauteous a.: Full of beauty; beautiful; very handsome. [Mostly poetic] -- Beau"te*ous*ly, adv. --
blissfull a.: Full of, characterized by, or causing, joy and felicity; happy in the highest degree.
crucify v. t.: To fasten to a cross; to put to death by nailing the hands and feet to a cross or gibbet. [F. crucifier, fr. (assumed) LL. crucificare, for crucifigere, fr, L. crux, crucis, cross + figere to fix, the ending - figere being changed to -ficare, F. -fier]
witt v. t.: To know; to learn. [OE. witen, pres. ich wot, wat, I know (wot), imp. wiste, AS. witan, pres. wat, imp. wiste, wisse; akin to OFries. wita, OS. witan, D. weten, G. wissen, OHG. wiz]
cruell a.: Disposed to give pain to others; willing or pleased to hurt, torment, or afflict; destitute of sympathetic kindness and pity; savage; inhuman; hard-hearted; merciless. [F. cruel, fr. L. crudelis, fr. crudus. See Crude.]
spitefull a.: Filled with, or showing, spite; having a desire to vex, annoy, or injure; malignant; malicious; as, a spiteful person or act.
sadly adv.: Wearily; heavily; firmly.
losse n.: Praise. See Loos.
fatall a.: Proceeding from, or appointed by, fate or destiny; necessary; inevitable. [L. fatalis, fr. fatum: cf. F. fatal. See Fate.]
crucifix n.: A representation in art of the figure of Christ upon the cross; esp., the sculptured figure affixed to a real cross of wood, ivory, metal, or the like, used by the Roman Catholics in their devotions. [F. crucifix or LL. crucifixum, fr. L. crux, crucis, cross + figere, fixum, to fix. See Cross, and Fix, and cf. Crucify.]
superficiall a.: Of or pertaining to the superficies, or surface; lying on the surface; shallow; not deep; as, a superficial color; a superficial covering; superficial measure or contents; superficial tillage. [L. superficialis: cf. F. superficiel. See Superficies.]
inmost a.: Deepest within; farthest from the surface or external part; innermost. [OE. innemest, AS. innemest, a double superlative form fr. inne within, fr. in in. The modern form is due to confusion with most. See In, and cf. Aftermost, Fore]
deare: variant of Dere, v. t. & n.
farr n.: A young pig, or a litter of pigs. [See Farrow.]
awfull a.: Oppressing with fear or horror; appalling; terrible; as, an awful scene.
painfull a.: Full of pain; causing uneasiness or distress, either physical or mental; afflictive; disquieting; distressing
shook v. t.: To pack, as staves, in a shook.
inglorious a.: Not glorious; not bringing honor or glory; not accompanied with fame, honor, or celebrity; obscure; humble; as, an inglorious life of ease. [L. inglorious; pref. in- not + gloria glory, fame: cf. F. inglorieux. See Glory.]
tore n.: The dead grass that remains on mowing land in winter and spring. Mortimer. [Probably from the root of tear; cf. W. tór a break, cut, tóri to break, cut.]
strife n.: The act of striving; earnest endeavor. [OF. estrif. See Strive.]
relent v. i.: To become less rigid or hard; to yield; to dissolve; to melt; to deliquesce. [F. ralentir, fr. L. pref. re- re- + ad to + lentus pliant, flexible, slow. See Lithe.]
sitt: obs. 3d pers. sing. pres. of Sit, for sitteth.
wofull a.: Full of woe; sorrowful; distressed with grief or calamity; afflicted; wretched; unhappy; sad.
wealth n.: Weal; welfare; prosperity; good. [OE. welthe, from wele; cf. D. weelde luxury. See Weal prosperity.]
complin n.: The last division of the Roman Catholic breviary; the seventh and last of the canonical hours of the Western church; the last prayer of the day, to be said after sunset. [From OE. complie, OF. complie, F. complies, pl., fr. LL. completa (prop. fem. of L. completus) the religious exercise which completes and closes the service of ]
royall a.: Kingly; pertaining to the crown or the sovereign; suitable for a king or queen; regal; as, royal power or prerogative; royal domains; the royal family; royal state. [OE. roial, riall, real, OF. roial. reial, F. royal, fr. L. regalis, fr. rex, regis, king. See Rich, and cf. regal, real a coin, Rial.]
fitter n.: A little piece; a flitter; a flinder.
needs adv.: Of necessity; necessarily; indispensably; -- often with must, and equivalent to of need. [Orig. gen. of need, used as an adverb. Cf. - wards.]
saviour n.: One who saves, preserves, or delivers from destruction or danger. [OE. saveour, OF. salveor, F. sauveur, fr. L. salvator to save. See Save, v.]

Definitions and etymologies from Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913.

About this text

The Office of the Holy Crosse is in the public domain. This text is taken from The Complete Works of Richard Crashaw, Volume I, Project Gutenberg ebook #38549; the transcription's header, footer and licence were removed and nothing else was changed. You may copy, print and reuse it freely.

Cite as: Richard Crashaw, The Office of the Holy Crosse, in Steps to the Temple and Other Poems (1646–1652), text of Project Gutenberg ebook #38549, Laurel, https://laurelpoetry.com/poem/crashaw-poems/the-responsory.html, id L20697.

Form and metre

The Office of the Holy Crosse is 226 lines in 29 verse paragraphs. It is in rhyming couplets, 56% of the lines: octosyllabic couplets. This poem did not settle on a metre of its own; the book it comes from is in iambic tetrameter. 90% of its stressed syllables fall where the metre puts the beat. The lines average 7.4 syllables. 1 line ends on an unstressed syllable, a feminine ending. 20% of the lines run on without a stop at the line end.

See other poems in octosyllabic couplets, other poems in iambic tetrameter.

Measured by Laurel's pipeline, not copied from a handbook: how stress and metre are counted, how rhyme is lettered, how a drifted rhyme is found. Where the dictionary cannot confirm a rhyme the letter is withheld, not guessed.

Rhyme words, stanza by stanza

The word that ends each line, lettered by the rhyme it makes; a dash is a line whose rhyme the dictionary could not confirm.

2 AABBCCDD sing^A · king^A · made^B · betraid^B · bold^C · sold^C · forsaken^D · taken^D
3 AABBCC tree^A · be^A · raise^B · praise^B · light^C · night^C
4 --AB-AB--- god · death · thy^A · and^B · mercy · thy^A · and^B · with · one · amen
5 ---AABB thine · lord · praise · me^A · me^A · — · —
6 AA--BBA-A say^A · they^A · he · cruelty · lyes^B · eyes^B · ray^A · him · day^A
7 AABBAACC sign^A · shine^A · aboue^B · loue^B · twine^A · thine^A · rise^C · skyes^C
8 -------AA- god · death · thy · and · mercy · to · sinners · reignest^A · ghost^A · amen
9 ---AABB thine · lord · praise · me^A · me^A · — · —
10 AAA-AABB cry^A · crucify^A · why^A · dy · try^A · crucify^A · crown^B · down^B
11 A-A-BB dy'd^A · crosse · side^A · losse · found^B · bound^B
12 -------AA- god · death · thy · and · mercy · to · sinners · reignest^A · ghost^A · amen
13 AABBCCDD--E-E night^A · spite^A · limb^B · him^B · fame^C · shame^C · mix^D · crucifix^D · cup · — · smart^E · to · heart^E
14 AABB--CC dispute^A · fruit^A · farr^B · are^B · tree · liberty · slain^C · again^C
15 -------AA- god · death · thy · and · mercy · to · sinners · reignest^A · ghost^A · amen
16 ---AABB thine · lord · praise · me^A · me^A · — · —
17 AABB--CC groanes^A · stones^A · complaines^B · paines^B · dyes · sacrifice · more^C · tore^C
18 AABB strife^A · life^A · bleed^B · indeed^B
19 -----AA- thy · and · mercy · to · sinners · reignest^A · ghost^A · amen
20 ---AABB thine · lord · praise · me^A · me^A · — · —
21 --AA--BB this · his · hath^A · wrath^A · by · dy · maid^B · shade^B
22 AAABBCCDDEE----A-FF tree^A · we^A · thee^A · lock^B · stock^B · health^C · wealth^C · power^D · hour^D · limb^E · him^E · spred · head · crown · throne · he^A · victory · slain^F · ta'ne^F
23 ---AABB thine · lord · praise · me^A · me^A · — · —
24 AABBCCDDEE-- call^A · funerall^A · head^B · dead^B · blest^C · nest^C · touch^D · such^D · graue^E · haue^E · stone · amen
25 AA--B-CCDDDBB then^A · men^A · thus · — · lord^B · word · bold^C · hold^C · shame^D · name^D · claim^D · accord^B · lord^B
26 AA end^A · commend^A
27 AA mine^A · thine^A
28 AA breath^A · death^A
29 AA death^A · breath^A

Scansion, line by line

Each line with its syllable count and the stresses the words themselves fix: / stressed, ˘ unstressed, · a syllable the word leaves free and the metre decides. Read against iambic tetrameter. How this is done.

Line	Syl.	Stress
Glory be to the FATHER,	7	/˘···/˘
and to the SON,	4	····
and to the Holy GHOST.	6	···/˘·
As it was in the beginning, is now, and euer	12	·····˘/˘····
shall be, world without end. Amen.	8	······˘/
The wakefull Matines hast to sing	9	·········
The unknown sorrows of our King:	9	·˘//˘·/˘·
The Father's Word and Wisdom, made	8	·/˘··/˘·
Man for man, by man's betraid;	7	·······
The World's price sett to sale, and by the bold	10	··········
Merchants of Death and Sin, is bought and sold:	10	/˘········
Of His best freinds (yea of Himself) forsaken;	11	······˘/˘/˘
By His worst foes (because He would) beseig'd and taken.	13	········˘/·/˘
All hail, fair tree,	4	····
Whose fruit we be!	4	····
What song shall raise	4	····
Thy seemly praise,	4	·/˘·
Who broughtst to light	4	····
Life out of death, Day out of Night!	8	········
O Lord IESV-CHRIST, Son of the liuing God!	9	·········
interpose, I pray Thee, Thine Own pretious death,	11	·˘/········
Thy crosse and passion, betwixt my soul and Thy	11	···/˘˘/····
iudgment, now and in the hour of my death. And	11	······/····
vouchsafe to graunt vnto me Thy grace and mercy;	11	˘/·······/˘
vnto all quick and dead, remission and rest; to Thy	12	·····˘/˘····
Church, peace and concord; to vs sinners, life and	12	···/··/˘/˘··
glory euerlasting. Who liuest and reignest with	11	/˘······/˘·
the Father, in the vnity of the Holy Ghost, one	13	·/˘······/˘··
God, world without end. Amen.	7	·····˘/
Defend vs from our foes and Thine.	10	˘///·/˘···
V. Thou shalt open my lips, O Lord.	9	···/˘····
R. And my mouth shall shew forth Thy praise.	9	·········
V. O God, make speed to save me.	8	········
R. O Lord, make hast to help me.	8	········
V. Glory be to, &c.	6	·/˘···
R. As it was in the, &c.	7	·······
The early Prime blushes to say	8	·/˘·/˘··
She could not rise so soon, as they	8	········
Call'd Pilat vp; to try if he	8	·/˘·····
Could lend them any cruelty.	7	···/˘/˘
Their hands with lashes arm'd, their toungs with lyes	10	···/˘·····
And loathsom spittle, blott those beauteous eyes,	11	···/˘··/˘˘·
The blissfull springs of ioy; from whose all-chearing ray	12	·/˘·········
The fair starrs fill their wakefull fires, the sun him-	12	········/···
self drinks day.	3	···
Victorious sign	5	˘/˘˘·
That now dost shine,	4	····
Transcrib'd aboue	3	˘/·
Into the land of light and loue;	8	········
O let vs twine	5	··/˘·
Our rootes with thine,	5	/˘···
That we may rise	4	····
Vpon thy wings, and reach the skyes.	7	·······
O LORD IESV-CHRIST, Son of the liuing God!	9	·········
interpose, I pray Thee, Thine Own pretious death,	11	·˘/········
Thy crosse and passion, betwixt my soul and Thy	11	···/˘˘/····
iudgment, now and in the hour of my death. And	11	······/····
vouchsafe to graunt vnto me Thy grace and mercy;	11	˘/·······/˘
vnto all quick and dead, remission and rest; to	11	·····˘/˘···
Thy Church, peace and concord; to vs sinners,	11	····/··/˘/˘
life and glory euerlasting. Who liuest and reignest	12	··/˘······/˘
with the Father, in the vnity of the Holy Ghost,	13	··/˘······/˘·
one God, world without end. Amen.	8	······˘/
Defend vs from our foes and Thine.	10	˘///·/˘···
V. Thou shalt open my lips, O Lord.	9	···/˘····
R. And my mouth shall shew forth Thy praise.	9	·········
V. O God, make speed to save me.	8	········
R. O Lord, make hast to help me.	8	········
V. Glory be to, &c.	6	·/˘···
R. As it was in the, &c.	7	·······
The third hour's deafen'd with the cry	9	··/˘·····
Of crucify Him, crucify.	8	·/˘··/˘·
So goes the vote (nor ask them, why?),	8	········
Liue Barabbas! and let God dy.	8	········
But there is witt in wrath, and they will try	10	··········
A hail more cruell then their crucify.	10	···/˘··/˘·
For while in sport He weares a spitefull crown	10	·······/˘·
The serious showres along His decent Face run sadly down.	14	·/˘/˘/·/˘··/˘·
Christ when He dy'd	4	····
Deceiu'd the Crosse;	4	····
And on Death's side	4	····
Threw all the losse.	4	····
The captiue World awak't and found	7	·······
The prisoners loose, the iaylor bound.	9	·/˘˘·····
O Lord IESV-CHRIST, Son of the liuing God!	9	·········
interpose, I pray Thee, Thine Own pretious death,	11	·˘/········
Thy crosse and passion, betwixt my soul and Thy	11	···/˘˘/····
iudgment, now and in the hour of my death. And	11	······/····
vouchsafe to graunt vnto me Thy grace and mercy;	11	˘/·······/˘
vnto all quick and dead, remission and rest; to	11	·····˘/˘···
Thy Church, peace and concord; to vs sinners,	11	····/··/˘/˘
life and glory everlasting. Who liuest and reignest	13	··/˘·˘/˘···/˘
with the Father, in the vnity of the Holy Ghost,	13	··/˘······/˘·
one God, world without end. Amen.	8	······˘/
Now is the noon of Sorrow's night:	8	·····/˘·
High in His patience, as their spite,	8	···/˘···
Lo, the faint Lamb, with weary limb	8	·····/˘·
Beares that huge tree which must bear Him!	8	········
That fatall plant, so great of fame	8	·/˘·····
For fruit of sorrow and of shame,	8	···/˘···
Shall swell with both, for Him, and mix	8	········
All woes into one crucifix.	8	·····/˘·
Is tortur'd thirst itselfe too sweet a cup?	10	·/˘·······
Gall, and more bitter mocks, shall make it vp.	10	···/˘·····
Are nailes, blunt pens of superficiall smart?	10	······˘/˘·
Contempt and scorn can send sure wounds to	9	˘/·······
search the inmost heart.	5	··/˘·
O deare and sweet dispute	6	····˘/
'Twixt Death's and Loue's farr different fruit!	9	·····/˘˘·
Different as farr	5	/˘˘··
As antidotes and poysons are.	8	·/˘·····
By that first fatall tree	6	···/˘·
Both life and liberty	6	···/˘˘
Were sold and slain;	4	····
By this they both look vp, and liue again.	10	········˘/
O Lord IESV-CHRIST, Son of the liuing God!	9	·········
interpose, I pray Thee, Thine Own pretious death,	11	·˘/········
Thy crosse and passion, betwixt my soul and Thy	11	···/˘˘/····
iudgment, now and in the hour of my death. And	11	······/····
vouchsafe to graunt vnto me Thy grace and mercy;	11	˘/·······/˘
vnto all quick and dead, remission and rest; to	11	·····˘/˘···
Thy Church, peace and concord; to vs sinners,	11	····/··/˘/˘
life and glory euerlasting. Who liuest and reignest	12	··/˘······/˘
with the Father, in the vnity of the Holy Ghost,	13	··/˘······/˘·
one God, world without end. Amen.	8	······˘/
Defend vs from our foes and Thine.	10	˘///·/˘···
V. Thou shalt open my lips, O Lord.	9	···/˘····
R. And my mouth shall shew forth Thy praise.	9	·········
V. O God, make speed to save me!	8	········
R. O Lord, make hast to help me!	8	········
V. Glory be to, &c.	6	·/˘···
R. As it was in the, &c.	7	·······
The ninth with awfull horror hearkened to those groanes	12	···/˘/˘·····
Which taught attention eu'n to rocks and stones.	10	··˘/˘·····
Hear, Father, hear! Thy Lamb (at last) complaines	10	·/˘·····˘/
Of some more painfull thing then all His paines.	10	···/˘·····
Then bowes His all-obedient head, and dyes	10	····˘/˘···
His own lou's and our sins' GREAT SACRIFICE.	10	····/··/˘·
The sun saw that, and would haue seen no more;	10	··········
The center shook: her vselesse veil th' inglorious Temple tore.	14	·/˘·····˘/˘/˘·
O strange, mysterious strife	7	··˘/˘˘·
Of open Death and hidden Life!	8	·/˘··/˘·
When on the crosse my King did bleed,	8	········
Life seem'd to dy, Death dy'd indeed.	8	······˘/
Thy crosse and passion, betwixt my soul and Thy	11	···/˘˘/····
iudgment, now and in the hour of my death. And	11	······/····
vouchsafe to graunt vnto me Thy grace and mercy;	11	˘/·······/˘
vnto all quick and dead, remission and rest; to	11	·····˘/˘···
Thy Church, peace and concord; to vs sinners,	11	····/··/˘/˘
life and glory euerlasting. Who liuest and reignest	12	··/˘······/˘
with the Father, in the vnity of the Holy Ghost,	13	··/˘······/˘·
one God, world without end. Amen.	8	······˘/
Defend vs from our foes and Thine.	10	˘///·/˘···
V. Thou shalt open my lips, O Lord!	9	···/˘····
R. And my mouth shall shew forth Thy praise.	9	·········
V. O God, make speed to save me!	8	········
R. O Lord, make hast to help me!	8	········
V. Glory be to, &c.	6	·/˘···
R. As it was in the, &c.	7	·······
But there were rocks would not relent at this:	10	······˘/··
Lo, for their own hearts, they rend His;	8	········
Their deadly hate liues still, and hath	8	·/˘·····
A wild reserve of wanton wrath;	8	··˘/·/˘·
Superfluous spear! But there's a heart stands by	10	/˘········
Will look no wounds be lost, no deaths shall dy.	10	··········
Gather now thy Greif's ripe fruit, great mother-maid!	11	/˘······/˘·
Then sitt thee down, and sing thine eu'nsong in the sad tree's shade.	14	··············
O sad, sweet tree!	4	····
Wofull and ioyfull we	6	······
Both weep and sing in shade of thee.	8	········
When the dear nailes did lock	6	······
And graft into thy gracious stock	8	·····/˘·
The hope, the health,	4	····
The worth, the wealth	4	····
Of all the ransom'd World, thou hadst the power	11	·········/˘
(In that propitious hour)	7	··˘/˘/˘
To poise each pretious limb,	6	······
And proue how light the World was, when it weighd with Him.	12	············
Wide maist thou spred	4	····
Thine armes, and with thy bright and blissfull head	10	·······/˘·
O'relook all Libanus. Thy lofty crown	11	········/˘·
The King Himself is, thou His humble throne,	10	··˘/···/˘·
Where yeilding and yet conquering He	9	·····/˘˘·
Prou'd a new path of patient victory:	10	·····/˘/˘˘
When wondring Death by death was slain,	9	·/˘˘·····
And our Captiuity His captiue ta'ne.	9	·/˘······
Defend vs from our foes and Thine.	10	˘///·/˘···
V. Thou shalt open my lips, O Lord!	9	···/˘····
R. And my mouth shall shew forth Thy praise.	9	·········
V. O God, make speed to save me!	8	········
R. O Lord, make hast to help me!	8	········
V. Glory be to, &c.	6	·/˘···
R. As it was in the, &c.	7	·······
The Complin hour comes last, to call	9	···/˘····
Vs to our own lives' funerall.	10	//·/˘··/˘˘
Ah hartlesse task! yet Hope takes head,	8	········
And liues in Him that here lyes dead.	8	········
Run, Mary, run! Bring hither all the blest	10	·/˘··/˘···
Arabia, for thy royall phoenix' nest;	10	˘/˘··/˘/˘·
Pour on thy noblest sweets, which, when they touch	10	···/˘·····
This sweeter body, shall indeed be such.	10	·/˘/˘·˘/··
But must Thy bed, Lord, be a borrow'd graue	10	·······/··
Who lend'st to all things all the life they haue.	10	··········
O rather vse this heart, thus farr a fitter stone,	12	·/˘······/˘·
'Cause, though a hard and cold one, yet it is Thine own. Amen.	14	············˘/
O saue vs then,	5	··/˘·
Mercyfull King of men!	6	······
Since Thou wouldst needs be thus	6	······
A Saviour, and at such a rate, for vs;	11	·/˘······/˘
Saue vs, O saue vs, Lord.	8	·/˘··/˘·
We now will own no shorter wish, nor name a narrower word;	14	·····/˘····/˘·
Thy blood bids vs be bold,	7	···/˘··
Thy wounds giue vs fair hold,	7	···/˘··
Thy sorrows chide our shame:	7	·/˘·/˘·
Thy crosse, Thy nature, and Thy name	8	···/˘···
Aduance our claim,	5	··/˘·
And cry with one accord	6	····˘/
Saue them, O saue them, Lord!	6	······
These Houres, and that which houers o're my end,	10	·/˘·······
Into Thy hands and hart, Lord, I commend.	10	········˘/
Take both to Thine account, that I and mine	10	····˘/····
In that hour, and in these, may be all Thine.	10	··/·······
That as I dedicate my deuoutest breath	10	···/˘·····
To make a kind of life for my Lord's death,	10	··········
So from His liuing and life-giuing death,	8	········
My dying life may draw a new and neuer fleeting breath.	14	·/˘······/˘/˘·

The reader shows the same poem with its rhymes coloured and a stress row above each line, the notes beside their stanzas, and any word's definition on a tap; the analysis page takes the whole book apart. How every part of this site was made.

More by Richard Crashaw

Steps to the Temple and Other Poems