| Arthur Quiller-Couch, ed. 1919. The Oxford Book of English Verse: 1250–1900. |
| |
| Edmund Spenser. 1552–1599 |
| |
| 84. Easter |
| |
| MOST glorious Lord of Lyfe! that, on this day, | |
| Didst make Thy triumph over death and sin; | |
| And, having harrowd hell, didst bring away | |
| Captivity thence captive, us to win: | |
| This joyous day, deare Lord, with joy begin; | 5 |
| And grant that we, for whom thou diddest dye, | |
| Being with Thy deare blood clene washt from sin, | |
| May live for ever in felicity! | |
| |
| And that Thy love we weighing worthily, | |
| May likewise love Thee for the same againe; | 10 |
| And for Thy sake, that all lyke deare didst buy, | |
| With love may one another entertayne! | |
| So let us love, deare Love, lyke as we ought, | |
| —Love is the lesson which the Lord us taught. | |
|
|
