XCVIII. Thomas Gressop. "Here is the spring where waters flowe." Edward Farr, ed. 1845. Select Poetry, Chiefly Devotional, of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth

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Edward Farr, ed. Select Poetry of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth. 1845.

“Here is the spring where waters flowe”

XCVIII. Thomas Gressop


HERE 1 is the spring where waters flowe,
To quench our heate of sinne;
Here is the tree where trueth doth grow,
To leade our liues therein.

Here is the Judge that stintes the strife,	5
When men’s deuices faile;
Here is the bread that feedes the life
That death cannot assaile.

The tidings of saluation deare
Comes to our eares from hence;	10
The fortresse of our faith is here,
And shield of our defence.

Then be not like the hogge, that hath
A pearle at his desire;
And takes more pleasure of the trough,	15
And wallowing in the myre.

Reade not this booke in any case
But with a single eye;
Reade not, but first desire God’s grace,
To vnderstand thereby.	20

Praye still in faith with this respect,
To fructifie therein;
That knowledge may bring this effect,
To mortifie thy sinne.

Then happie thou in all thy life,	25
Whatso to the befalles:
Yea, double happie shalt thou be,
When God by death thee calles.

Note 1. XCVIII. Thomas Gressop.—He was of All Souls’ College, Oxford and a man of learning and piety. In the reign of Edward VI. he was chaplain to the army against Scotland; and in the reign of Elizabeth, a reader of divinity in the university, and a preacher at Saint Paul’s. The stanzas annexed to his name were first published in the folio edition of the Geneva translation of the Bible, printed in 1578. [back]

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