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MADAM—
Reason is our soul’s left hand, faith her right; | |
| By these we reach divinity, that’s you; | |
| Their loves, who have the blessing 1 of your light, | |
| Grew from their reason; mine from fair faith grew. | |
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| But as, although a squint left-handedness | 5 |
| Be ungracious, yet we cannot want that hand; | |
| So would I—not to increase, but to express | |
| My faith—as I believe, so understand. | |
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| Therefore I study you first in your saints, | |
| Those friends whom your election glorifies; | 10 |
| Then in your deeds, accesses and restraints, | |
| And what you read, and what yourself devise. | |
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| But soon the reasons why you’re loved by all, | |
| Grow infinite, and so pass reason’s reach; | |
| Then back again to implicit faith I fall, | 15 |
| And rest on that the Catholic voice 2 doth teach— | |
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| That you are good; and not one heretic | |
| Denies it; if he did, yet you are so; | |
| For rocks, which high to sense 3 deep-rooted stick, | |
| Waves wash, not undermine, nor overthrow. | 20 |
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| In everything there naturally grows | |
| A balsamum to keep it fresh and new, | |
| If ’twere not injured by extrinsic blows; | |
| Your birth and beauty are this balm in you. | |
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| But you, of learning, and religion, | 25 |
| And virtue, and such ingredients, have made | |
| A mithridate, whose operation | |
| Keeps off, or cures, what can be done or said. | |
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| Yet this is not your physic, but your food, | |
| A diet fit for you; for you are here | 30 |
| The first good angel, since the world’s frame stood, | |
| That ever did in woman’s shape appear. | |
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| Since you are then God’s masterpiece, and so | |
| His factor for our loves, do as you do; | |
| Make your return home gracious, and bestow | 35 |
| This life 4 on that; so make one life of two. | |
| For, so God help me, I would not miss you there, | |
| For all the good which you can do me here. | |
