Religion in Early Stuart England, 1603-1638: An Anthology of Primary Sources

Francis Quarles: Emblems 1635

775 Francis Quarles1 Emblems 1635 To the Reader An emblem is but a silent parable. Let not the tender eye check to see the allusion to our blessed Savior figured in these types. In holy Scripture, he is sometimes called a sower, sometimes a fisher, sometimes a physician; and why not presented so as well to the eye as to the ear? Before the knowledge of letters, God was known by hieroglyphics, and, indeed, what are the heavens, the earth, nay every creature, but hieroglyphics and emblems of his glory? I have no more to say. I wish thee as much pleasure in the reading, as I had in the writing. Farewell, Reader. [\ By Fathers back’d, by Holy Writ led on, Thou shew’st a way to heav’n by Helicon; The Muses’ font is consecrate by thee, And poesie, baptiz’d divinity. Blest soul, that here embark’st, thou sail’st apace, ’Tis hard to say mov’d more by wit or grace, Each Muse so plies her oar; but O, the sail Is fill’d from heav’n with a diviner gale. When poets prove divines, why should not I Approve in verse this divine poetry? Let this suffice to license thee the press; I must no more, nor could the Truth say less. Sic approbavit RICH. LOVE, Procan. Cantabrigiensis2 1 {For an overview of Quarles’ life and works, see the introduction to his 1632 Divine fancies . Marginal glosses marked with a † are editorial.} 2 {The author of this extraordinary verse imprimatur, Richard Love, was appointed Master of Corpus Religion in Early Stuart England, 1603–1638 776 Christi by royal mandate in 1632, in 1633–34 serving as University vice-chancellor, in which capacity he licensed Quarles’ book. Despite “staunchly defending Anglican doctrines and discipline” (ODNB), Love retained his mastership throughout the Civil Wars and Interregnum, the only Cambridge head to do so.} Book I Emblem XIV Psal. 13:3 Lighten mine eyes, O Lord, lest I sleep the sleep of death. Will’t ne’r be morning? Will that promis’d light Ne’r break, and clear these clouds of night? Sweet Phosphor,† bring the day, † the morning star Whose conqu’ring ray May chase these fogs: sweet Phospher, bring the day. 777 Francis Quarles How long! how long shall these benighted eyes Languish in shades, like feeble flies Expecting spring! How long shall darkness soil The face of earth, and thus beguile Our souls of rightful action? when will day Begin to dawn, whose new-born ray May gild the weather-cocks of our devotion, And give our unsoul’d souls new motion?3 Sweet Phospher, bring the day, Thy light will fray These horrid mists; sweet Phospher, bring the day. Let those have night that slyly love t’immure Their cloister’d crimes, and sin secure; Let those have night that blush to let men know The baseness they ne’r blush to do; Let those have night that love to take a nap And loll in Ignorance’s lap; Let those whose eyes, like owls, abhor the light, Let those have night that love the night: Sweet Phospher, bring the day; How sad4 delay Afflicts dull hopes! sweet Phospher, bring the day. Alas! my light-in-vain-expecting eyes Can find no objects but what rise From this poor mortal blaze, a dying spark Of Vulcan’s forge, whose flames are dark And dangerous, a dull blue-burning light, As melancholy as the night: Here’s all the suns that glister in the sphere Of earth. Ah me! what comfort’s here? Sweet Phospher, bring the day; Haste, haste away Heav’ns loit’ring lamp; sweet Phospher, bring the day. Blow, Ignorance. O thou, whose idle knee Rocks earth into a lethargy, And with thy sooty fingers hast bedight The world’s fair cheeks, blow, blow thy spite; Since thou hast puff’t our greater taper, do Puff on, and out the lesser too. If e’er that breath-exiléd flame return, 3 {Aristotle defines the soul as an internal principle of motion.} 4 {“sad” can mean dark, gloomy, somber-colored, as well as sorrowful} Religion in Early Stuart England, 1603–1638 778 Thou hast not blown, as it will burn: Sweet Phospher, bring the day; Light will repay The wrongs of night; sweet Phospher, bring the day. S. AUGUST. in Joh. ser. 19 God is all to thee: if...