5
Yet lay him in this stall, and from the Orient,
Starres, and wisemen will travell to prevent
Th'effect of _Herods_ jealous generall doome.
Yet lay him in this stall, and from the Orient,
Starres, and wisemen will travell to prevent
Th'effect of _Herods_ jealous generall doome.
John Donne
[HOLY SONNETS. _1633-69_, _being general title to the two
groups:_ Holy Sonnets written 20 years since. _H49_. ]
[La Corona. _1633-69_, _A18_, _D_, _H49_, _N_, _S_, _TCC_,
_TCD_, _W:_ The Crowne. _B_, _O'F_, _S96_]
[2 low _1633_, _A18_, _D_, _H49_, _N_, _TC_, _W_ (_spelt_
lowe _in MSS. _): lone _1635-69_, _B_, _O'F_, _S:_ loves
_S96_]
[3 treasury, _1633-69:_ a Treasurie, _B_, _O'F_, _S_, _S96_]
[4 dayes; _Ed:_ dayes, _1633-69_]
[10 For] So _W_ end _1633_, _A18_, _B_, _D_, _H49_, _N_,
_O'F_, _TC_, _W:_ ends _1635-69_, _S96_
rest; _Ed:_ rest, _1633-69_]
[11 The] This _B_, _S_, _S96_, _W_
zealously] soberly _B_, _S96_, _W:_ _O'F corrects_]
[13 heart and voice] voice and heart _B_, _O'F_, _S_, _S96_,
_W_]
[14 _nigh_. ] _nigh_, _1633_]
ANNVNCIATION.
2. _Salvation to all that will is nigh_;
That All, which alwayes is All every where,
Which cannot sinne, and yet all sinnes must beare,
Which cannot die, yet cannot chuse but die,
Loe, faithfull Virgin, yeelds himselfe to lye 5
In prison, in thy wombe; and though he there
Can take no sinne, nor thou give, yet he'will weare
Taken from thence, flesh, which deaths force may trie.
Ere by the spheares time was created, thou
Wast in his minde, who is thy Sonne, and Brother; 10
Whom thou conceiv'st, conceiv'd; yea thou art now
Thy Makers maker, and thy Fathers mother;
Thou'hast light in darke; and shutst in little roome,
_Immensity cloysterd in thy deare wombe_.
[Annunciation. ]
[1 _nigh;_ _1669:_ _nigh_, _1633-54_]
[9 created,] begotten, _B_, _S_, _S96_, _W:_ _O'F corrects_]
[10 Brother; _Ed:_ Brother, _1633-69_]
[11 conceiv'st, _1633:_ conceiv'st _1635-69:_ conceiv'dst,
_O'F_, _S_, _W_, _and Grolier_ conceiv'd;] conceived;
_1635-69_]
[12 mother; _Ed:_ mother, _1633-69_]
NATIVITIE.
3. _Immensitie cloysterd in thy deare wombe_,
Now leaves his welbelov'd imprisonment,
There he hath made himselfe to his intent
Weake enough, now into our world to come;
But Oh, for thee, for him, hath th'Inne no roome?
5
Yet lay him in this stall, and from the Orient,
Starres, and wisemen will travell to prevent
Th'effect of _Herods_ jealous generall doome.
Seest thou, my Soule, with thy faiths eyes, how he
Which fils all place, yet none holds him, doth lye? 10
Was not his pity towards thee wondrous high,
That would have need to be pittied by thee?
Kisse him, and with him into Egypt goe,
_With his kinde mother, who partakes thy woe_.
[Nativitie. ]
[6 this] his _1669_]
[7 will] shall _B_, _O'F_, _S_, _S96_, _W_]
[8 effect _1669_, _A18_, _B_, _N_, _O'F_, _S_, _S96_, _TC_,
_W:_ effects _1633-54_, _D_, _H49_ jealous] dire and _B_,
_O'F_, _S_, _S96_, _W:_ zealous _A18, N, TC_
doome. ] doome; _1633_]
[9 eyes, _1633_, _B_, _D_, _H49_, _O'F_, _S_, _S96_, _W:_ eye,
_1635-69_, _A18_, _N_, _TC_]
TEMPLE.
4. _With his kinde mother who partakes thy woe_,
_Ioseph_ turne backe; see where your child doth sit,
Blowing, yea blowing out those sparks of wit,
Which himselfe on the Doctors did bestow;
The Word but lately could not speake, and loe, 5
It sodenly speakes wonders, whence comes it,
That all which was, and all which should be writ,
A shallow seeming child, should deeply know?
His Godhead was not soule to his manhood,
Nor had time mellowed him to this ripenesse, 10
But as for one which hath a long taske, 'tis good,
With the Sunne to beginne his businesse,
He in his ages morning thus began
_By miracles exceeding power of man_.
[Temple. ]
[5 loe, _Ed:_ loe _1633-69_]
[6 wonders, _1633-39:_ wonders: _1650-69_]
[11 for] to _W_
a long taske, _1633-69_, _D_, _H49:_ long taskes _B_, _N_,
_O'F_, _S_, _S96_, _TCD_, _W:_ longe taske _A18_, _TCC_
'tis] 'Tis _1633:_ thinks _W_]
CRVCIFYING.
5. _By miracles exceeding power of man_,
Hee faith in some, envie in some begat,
For, what weake spirits admire, ambitious, hate;
In both affections many to him ran,
But Oh! the worst are most, they will and can, 5
Alas, and do, unto the immaculate,
Whose creature Fate is, now prescribe a Fate,
Measuring selfe-lifes infinity to'a span,
Nay to an inch. Loe, where condemned hee
Beares his owne crosse, with paine, yet by and by 10
When it beares him, he must beare more and die.