La Corona.
1. Deigne at my hands this crown of prayer and praise,
Weav'd in my low devout melancholie,
Thou which of good, hast, yea art treasury,
All changing unchang'd Antient of dayes;
But doe not, with a vile crowne of fraile bayes,
Reward my muses white sincerity,
But what thy thorny crowne gain'd, that give mee,
A crowne of Glory, which doth flower alwayes;
The ends crowne our workes, but thou crown'st our ends,
For, at our end begins our endlesse rest;
The first last end, now zealously possest,
With a strong sober thirst, my soule attends.
'Tis time that heart and voice be lifted high,
Salvation to all that will is nigh.
[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]