Why are wee by all
creatures
waited on?
John Donne
_B_, _O'F_,
_S96_, _W_]
[4 mee. ] mee; _1633_]
[5 pictures _1633 and MSS. :_ picture _1635-69_]
[8 deliverie. ] deliverie _1633-69_]
[9 Chance, _W:_ chance, _1633-69_]
[10 dost] doth _1633_
dwell,] dwell. _1633_]
[12 better] easier _B_, _O'F_, _S96_, _W_]
[13 wake] live _B_, _S96_, _W_]
[14 more; death, _Ed:_ more, death _1633-69_]
XI.
Spit in my face you Jewes, and pierce my side,
Buffet, and scoffe, scourge, and crucifie mee,
For I have sinn'd, and sinn'd, and onely hee,
Who could do no iniquitie, hath dyed:
But by my death can not be satisfied 5
My sinnes, which passe the Jewes impiety:
They kill'd once an inglorious man, but I
Crucifie him daily, being now glorified.
Oh let mee then, his strange love still admire:
Kings pardon, but he bore our punishment. 10
And _Iacob_ came cloth'd in vile harsh attire
But to supplant, and with gainfull intent:
God cloth'd himselfe in vile mans flesh, that so
Hee might be weake enough to suffer woe.
[XI. _1635-69:_ VII. _1633_, _A18_, _D_, _&c. :_ _omitted_ _B_,
_S96:_ _added among_ Other Meditations. _O'F:_ XIII. _W_]
[3 onely] humbly _W_]
[6 impiety] iniquitye _D_, _H49_]
[8 glorified. ] glorified; _1633_]
[12 intent:] intent _1633_]
XII.
Why are wee by all creatures waited on?
Why doe the prodigall elements supply
Life and food to mee, being more pure then I,
Simple, and further from corruption?
Why brook'st thou, ignorant horse, subjection? 5
Why dost thou bull, and bore so seelily
Dissemble weaknesse, and by'one mans stroke die,
Whose whole kinde, you might swallow and feed upon?
Weaker I am, woe is mee, and worse then you,
You have not sinn'd, nor need be timorous. 10
But wonder at a greater wonder, for to us
Created nature doth these things subdue,
But their Creator, whom sin, nor nature tyed,
For us, his Creatures, and his foes, hath dyed.
[XII. _1635-69:_ VIII. _1633_, _A18_, _D_, _&c. :_ _omitted_
_B_, _S96:_ _among_ Other Meditations. _O'F:_ XIV. _W_]
[1 are wee] ame I _W_]
[4 Simple, _1633_, _D_, _H49_, _W:_ Simpler _1635-69_, _A18_,
_N_, _O'F_, _TC_, _Chambers_]
[9 Weaker I am,] Alas I am weaker, _W_]
[10 timorous. _W:_ timorous, _1633-69_]
[11 a greater wonder, _1633_, _D_, _H49_, _N_, _O'F_ (greate),
_TC_, _W:_ a greater, _1635-69_]
XIII.
What if this present were the worlds last night?
Marke in my heart, O Soule, where thou dost dwell,
The picture of Christ crucified, and tell
Whether that countenance can thee affright,
Teares in his eyes quench the amasing light, 5
Blood fills his frownes, which from his pierc'd head fell.
And can that tongue adjudge thee unto hell,
Which pray'd forgivenesse for his foes fierce spight?
_S96_, _W_]
[4 mee. ] mee; _1633_]
[5 pictures _1633 and MSS. :_ picture _1635-69_]
[8 deliverie. ] deliverie _1633-69_]
[9 Chance, _W:_ chance, _1633-69_]
[10 dost] doth _1633_
dwell,] dwell. _1633_]
[12 better] easier _B_, _O'F_, _S96_, _W_]
[13 wake] live _B_, _S96_, _W_]
[14 more; death, _Ed:_ more, death _1633-69_]
XI.
Spit in my face you Jewes, and pierce my side,
Buffet, and scoffe, scourge, and crucifie mee,
For I have sinn'd, and sinn'd, and onely hee,
Who could do no iniquitie, hath dyed:
But by my death can not be satisfied 5
My sinnes, which passe the Jewes impiety:
They kill'd once an inglorious man, but I
Crucifie him daily, being now glorified.
Oh let mee then, his strange love still admire:
Kings pardon, but he bore our punishment. 10
And _Iacob_ came cloth'd in vile harsh attire
But to supplant, and with gainfull intent:
God cloth'd himselfe in vile mans flesh, that so
Hee might be weake enough to suffer woe.
[XI. _1635-69:_ VII. _1633_, _A18_, _D_, _&c. :_ _omitted_ _B_,
_S96:_ _added among_ Other Meditations. _O'F:_ XIII. _W_]
[3 onely] humbly _W_]
[6 impiety] iniquitye _D_, _H49_]
[8 glorified. ] glorified; _1633_]
[12 intent:] intent _1633_]
XII.
Why are wee by all creatures waited on?
Why doe the prodigall elements supply
Life and food to mee, being more pure then I,
Simple, and further from corruption?
Why brook'st thou, ignorant horse, subjection? 5
Why dost thou bull, and bore so seelily
Dissemble weaknesse, and by'one mans stroke die,
Whose whole kinde, you might swallow and feed upon?
Weaker I am, woe is mee, and worse then you,
You have not sinn'd, nor need be timorous. 10
But wonder at a greater wonder, for to us
Created nature doth these things subdue,
But their Creator, whom sin, nor nature tyed,
For us, his Creatures, and his foes, hath dyed.
[XII. _1635-69:_ VIII. _1633_, _A18_, _D_, _&c. :_ _omitted_
_B_, _S96:_ _among_ Other Meditations. _O'F:_ XIV. _W_]
[1 are wee] ame I _W_]
[4 Simple, _1633_, _D_, _H49_, _W:_ Simpler _1635-69_, _A18_,
_N_, _O'F_, _TC_, _Chambers_]
[9 Weaker I am,] Alas I am weaker, _W_]
[10 timorous. _W:_ timorous, _1633-69_]
[11 a greater wonder, _1633_, _D_, _H49_, _N_, _O'F_ (greate),
_TC_, _W:_ a greater, _1635-69_]
XIII.
What if this present were the worlds last night?
Marke in my heart, O Soule, where thou dost dwell,
The picture of Christ crucified, and tell
Whether that countenance can thee affright,
Teares in his eyes quench the amasing light, 5
Blood fills his frownes, which from his pierc'd head fell.
And can that tongue adjudge thee unto hell,
Which pray'd forgivenesse for his foes fierce spight?
