keeper in the vinyards: my vinyard I haue not kept. 7† Shew me ô thou, whom my ſoule loueth, where thou feedeſt, where thou lyeſt in the midday, leſt I beginne to wander after the flockes of thy companyons. 8† c c Chriſt encorageth his ſpouſe the Church. If thou know not thyſelfe, ô moſt fayreſt among wemen, goeforth, and folow after the ſteppes of the flockes, and feede thy kiddes byſide the tabernacles of the paſtours. 9† To my companie of horſemen, in the chariotes of Pharao, haue I likened thee, ô my loue. 10† Thy cheekes are beautiful as the turteldoues, thy necke as iewels. 11† We wil make thee cheynes of gold, enamoled with ſiluer. 12† d d She meditateth of his Paſſion, and Reſurrection Whiles the king was at his repoſe, my ſpikenard gaue the odour thereof. 13† A bundle of myrrhe my beloued is to me, he shal abide betwen my breſts. 14† A cluſtre of cypre my loue is to me, in the vineyardes of Engaddi. 15† e e Chriſt praiſeth his ſpouſe Behold thou art fayre, ô my loue, behold thou art fayre, thyne eyes are as of doues. 16† f f She againe praiſeth him, Behold thou art fayre my beloued, & comlie: g g VVith thankes for her repoſe, and reſent conſolation. our litle bed is florishing. 17† The beames of our houſes are of cedar, our rafters of cypreſſe trees.
Chap. II.
Among the innocent and holie, the virgin Marie ſurpaſſeth al. As the lilie among the thornes, ſo is my loue among the daughters. 3† c c The Church praiſing Chriſt reſteth ſecure vnder his protectio As the apletree among trees of the woddes, ſo is my beloued among the ſonnes. Vnder his shadow, whom I deſired, I ſate: and his fruite was ſweete vnto my throte. 4† He brought me into the wineceller, he hath ordered in me charitie. 5† Stay me vp with flowers, compaſſe me about with apples: becauſe I languish with loue. 6† His lefthand vnder my head, and his righthand shal embrace me. 7† I adiure you ô daughters of Ieruſalem, by the roes, and the hartes of the fildes, d d He for the weakes sake permitteth her not to be moleſted, til ſhe be prepared to ſuffer vvith patience that you rayſe not, nor make the beloued to awake, vntil herſelfe wil. 8† e e She feeling Chriſts aſſiſtance, confeſſeth, & preacheth boldely his Goſpel, & truth againſt al Paganes, and Heretikes. The voice of my beloued, behold he cometh leaping in the mountaines, leaping ouer the little hilles: 9† my beloued is like vnto a roe, and to a fawne of harres. Behold he ſtandeth behind our walle, f f VVho though he ſhew not himſelf viſibly looking through the windowes, looking forth by the grates. 10† Behold my beloued ſpeaketh to me: g g Yet encorageth her to approch vnto him Ariſe, make haſt my loue, my doue, beautiful one, and come. 11† For winter is not paſt, the rayne is gone, and departed. 12† The flowers haue appeared in our land, the time of pruning is come: the voice of the turteldoue is heard in our land: 13† the figgetree hath brought
forth
