Christes Childhoode - by Robert Southwell

Till twelve yeres age, how Christ his childhood spent
All earthly pennes unworthy were to write
Such actes to mortall eyes he did presente
Whose worth not men but Angells must recite
No natures blotts no childish faulted defilde [5]
Where grace was guide and god did play the childe

In springing lockes laye couched hoary Witt
In semblant younge a grave and auncient port
In lowly lookes high majestie did sitt
In tender tungue sound sense of sagest sort. [10]
Nature imparted all that she could teache
And god supplyd where nature could not reach

His mirth of modest meane a mirrhour was
His sadness tempered with a mylde aspecte
His eye to try each action was a glasse [15]
Whose lookes did goode approve and bad correct.
His natures giftes his grace his word and deede
Well shewd that all did from a god proceede

Notes

 

The Youth of Jesus. JJ Tissot. Brooklyn Museum.

l[7] hoary: Of the hair, head, or beard: grey or white with age. Ancient; venerable from age, time-honoured. Witt: Wisdom, good judgement, discretion, prudence. Obsolete except in phr. like to have the wit to, which combines the notions of intelligence and good sense. Christ's youthful appearance belies His wisdom. His springing locks of hair suggest the springtime of His life in contrast with hoary, wintry whiteness of the last season of a man's life.

[l8] semblant: seeming. port: carriage, deportment.

[l13] meane:  The look, bearing, manner, or conduct of a person, as showing character, mood, etc.
1596 Spenser Second Pt. Faerie Queene vi. ix. sig. Gg4 Her rare demeanure, which him seemed So farre the meane of shepheards to excell, As that [etc.]  mirrhour: mirror.

[l15] ech: each. trye: To examine and determine (a cause or question) judicially; to determine the guilt or otherwise of (an accused person) by consideration of the evidence; to sit in judgement on; to judge. glass: mirror. 1594   Shakespeare Lucrece sig. M3   Poore broken glasse, I often did behold In thy sweet semblance, my old age new borne.