The Complete Works of Richard Crashaw, Volume IICrashaw, Richard
General
The Complete Works of Richard Crashaw, Volume II
Crashaw, Richard
English poetry -- Early modern, 1500-1700
With Agnes Burton he had closer relations, inasmuch as one 'item' of his
Will runs: 'The next avoydance of Ag. Burton, taken in my brother's name
(for which he knoweth what hath byn offered), I give and bequeathe the
same to my said brother Thomas, to be by him disposed to some worthy
man.'
He describes 'Mr. Henry Alvay,' 'the famous Puritan,' as his 'ffather in
Christ,' in bequeathing him 'one siluer pott with a cover loose, parcell
guilt, of about 13 ounces.'[10] When, or from whom, he received 'orders'
and ordination does not appear, but what our Worthy became as a Preacher
his 'Sermons' remain to attest. They attest his evangelical fervour even
to passion, his intense convictions, his wistful tenderness alternated
with the most vehement rebuke of fashionable sins and worldliness, his
deep personal love for the Lord Jesus, and a strangely pathetic yearning
for all men to be 'safe' in Him. He had a kind of holy ubiquity of zeal
in occupying pulpits where 'witness' was to be borne 'for the Truth.'
His motto, found in a copy of Valerius Maximus, and elsewhere, was
'Servire Deo regnare est' (Notes and Queries, 3d S. vii. 111). America
ought to prize his Sermon 'Preached in London before the Right
Honourable the Lord Lawarre, Lord Governour and Captaine Generall of
Virginia, and others of his Maiestie's Counsell for that Kingdome, and
the rest of the Adventurers in that Plantation. At the said Lord
Generall his leaue-taking of England, his natiue countrey, and departure
for Virginia, February 21, 1609. By W. Crashaw, Bachelar of Divinitie,
and Preacher at the Temple. Wherein both the lawfulnesse of that Action
is maintained, and the necessity thereof is also demonstrated, and so
much out of the grounds of Policie, as of Humanity, Equity and
Christianity. Taken from his mouth, and published by direction.' 1610.
The running heading is 'A New Yeere's Gift to Virginea.' The text is St.
Luke xxii. 32: 'I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and
when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.' There is no nobler
Sermon than this of the period; and it is only one of various equally
eloquent, impressive, and powerful. Politically the Preacher saw far
ahead, and his patriotism is chivalrous as Sidney's. Dr. Donne later
preached for the same Virginia Company. He had 'sought' to go as
secretary in the outset.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account