When as the prince of Angels puffed with pride Stirred his seditious spirits to rebel: God chose for chief his Champion Michael: And gave him charge the host of heaven to guide. And when the Angels of the Rebels' side Vanquished in battle from their glory fell, The pride of heaven became the Drake of hell, And in the dungeon of despair was...Learn More

Eternal spright: which art in heaven the Love With which God and his son each other kiss: And who, to show who God's beloved is, The shape, and wings, took'st of a loving dove: When Christ ascending sent thee from above In fiery tongues, thou cam'st down unto his That skill in uttering heavenly mysteries By heat of zeal, both faith & love might...Learn More

When thee (O holy sacrificèd Lamb) In severed signs I white & liquid see: As on thy body slain I think on thee, Which pale by shedding of thy blood became. And when again I do behold the same Veiled in white to be received of me: Thou seemest in thy syndon wrapped to be Like to a corpse, whose monument I am. Buried in me, unto my soul...Learn More

Blessed Offender: who thyself hast tried How far a sinner differs from a Saint Join thy wet eyes, with tears of my complaint, While I sigh for that grave, for which thou cried. No longer let my sinful soul abide In fever of thy first desires faint: But let that love which last thy heart did taint With pangs of thy repentance pierce my side. So...Learn More

Thine eye the glass where I behold my heart Mine eye the window through the which thine eye May see my heart and there thyself espy In bloody colours how thou painted art. Thine eye the pile is of a murdering dart, Mine eye the sight thou tak'st thy level by To hit my heart and never shoot'st awry; Mine eye thus helps thine eye to work my...Learn More

Why should I any love O queene but thee? If favour past a thankful love should breed? Thy womb did bear, thy breast my saviour feed; And thou did'st never cease to succour me. If Love do follow worth and dignity? Thou all in thy perfections dost exceed: If Love be led by hope of future meed? What pleasure more than thee in heaven to see? And...Learn More

Not that thy hand is soft, is sweet, is white, Thy lips sweet roses, breast sweet lily is, That love esteems these three the chiefest bliss Which nature ever made for lips' delight. But when these three to show their heavenly might Such wonders do, devotion then for this Commandeth us, with humble zeal to kiss Such things as work miracles in our...Learn More

Blame not my heart for flying up so high Since thou art cause that it this flight begun For earthly vapors drawn up by the sun Comets become and night-suns in the sky. My humble heart so with thy heavenly eye Drawn up aloft all low desires doth shun Raise thou me up as thou my heart hast done So during night in heaven remain may I. Blame not, I say...Learn More

Great God: within whose simple essence, we Nothing but that which is thyself can find: When on thyself thou did'st reflect thy mind Thy thought was God, which took the form of thee: And when this God thus born, thou lov'st, & he Loved thee again, with passion of like kind, (As lovers' sighs, which meet, become one wind) Both breathed one spright of...Learn More

In that (O Queen of queens) thy birth was free From guilt, which others doth of grace bereave When in their mothers' womb they life receive: God as his sole-borne daughter lovèd thee. To match thee like thy birth's nobility, He thee his spirit for thy spouse did leave: Of whom thou did'st his only son conceive, And so was linked to all the...Learn More

Sweet Saint: Thou better canst declare to me, What pleasure is obtained by heavenly love Than they which other loves did never prove: Or which in sex are differing from thee: For like a woman spouse my soul shall be, Whom sinful passions once to lust did move, And since betrothèd to God's son above, Should be enamored with his deity. My body is the...Learn More

Severed from sweet Content, my life's sole light; Banished by overweening wit from my desire: This poor acceptance only I require, That though my fault have forced me from thy sight; Yet that thou wouldst (my sorrows to requite) Review these Sonnets, pictures of thy praise; Wherein each woe thy wondrous worth doth raise, Though first thy worth...Learn More