O I desire no tongue or penne – Scholarly Edition

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[359]





[360]

O I desire no tongue nor penne
          but to extoll his praise;
In which excesse I’le melt awaie
          ten Thousand waies
 
If we would die vnto our selues
          and all things ells but thee,
It would be naturall to our soules
          for to ascende and be,
 
Vnited to our Center deare
          to which our soules would hie,
Being as proper then to us,
          as fire to vpward flie.
 
O lette vs therefore loue my God;
          for loues pertaines to him,
And lett our soules seek nothing ells
          but in this love to swimme;
 
Till we absorpt by his sweet loue
          returne from whome we camme
Where we shall melt into that loue
          which ioieth me to name:





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Source: Baker, p. 232; see Bodleian, pp. 3 and 6