[These posts contain revised and expanded notes to St Peter's Complaynt, considered by many to be the last poem written by St Robert Southwell ("RS") before his martyrdom on the 21st of February 1595. The original series of posts was first published in 2018 on our sister site, Mary's English Dowry. I have expanded my original notes so as to provide a more detailed critical apparatus - with fairly extensive use of quotations from the period in which RS wrote. I have also included paraphrases with the aim of making the poet's language more accessible to modern readers.]
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| The Tears of St Peter. El Greco. |
[1] Devlin, The Life of Robert Southwell, p. 269-73.
👈The Tears of St Peter -1587 until 1596
El Greco (Domḗnikos Theotokópoulos) 1541-1614
Museo Soumaya at Plaza Carso, Mexico.
At one level, the poem explores Peter's personal sins of denial, betrayal and cowardice, leading to bitter sorrow and true contrition of heart. At another level, this treatment has reference to the fear of Catholics under the harsh Elizabethan regime and to the risk of betrayal and apostasy. Finally, the poem also touches on the universal themes of sin, betrayal, cowardice and repentance.
It has been argued that the structure of the poem is based upon the essential elements of sacramental confession:
“...the words are those of Peter, as if he were in the presence of a priest at the tribunal of penance: in this imaginative development all those elements contained within the sacrament of the Church are set out in order : contrition, confession, the desire to make satisfaction, and the reception of absolution. These comprise the matter and form of the sacrament as defined at Trent [1] :
The holy synod doth furthermore teach that the form off the sacrament of penance, wherein its force principally consists, is placed in those words of the minister, “I absolve thee, et.” . . . . But the acts of the penitent himself, to wit, confession and satisfaction, are as it were, the matter of this sacrament.” [2]
[1] 1545-1563
[2] The Structure of Southwell's ‘Saint Peter's Complaint.’ Nancy Pollard Brown. MLR, Vol LXI January 1966.
Sources and abbreviations
OED The Oxford English Dictionary.
OEtD The Online Etytmology Dictionary.
RS St Robert Southwell
RS-AG The Complete Poems of Robert Southwell. Rev Alexander B Grosart (1872)
RS-DS St Robert Southwell, Collected Poems. Edited by Peter Davidson and Anne Sweeney. Carcanet Press Ltd. (2007)
SSPC The Structure of Southwell's "Saint Peter's Complaint". Nancy Pollard Brown. The Modern Language Review.Vol. 61, No. 1 (Jan., 1966), pp. 3-11 (9 pages)
The text used is that of the Waldegrave MS, as set out in the RS-DS edition of the Collected Poems. In the notes, I have used (where possible) quotations taken from sources close to the period of composition. All references in Notes are to the OED unless otherwise stated.
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The Author to the Reader
RS includes the four stanzas by way of an introduction. The paraphrases and notes follow.
- 1 -
Dear eye that daynest to let fall a looke
On these sad memories of Peters plaints :
Muse not to see some mud in cleerest brook :
They once were brittle mould that now are saints.
Theyr weakenes is no warrant to offend,
Learn in their faults, what in thine owne to mend.
- 2 -
If equities even-hand the balance held,
Where Peters sinnes and ours were made the weightes :
Ounce, for his dramme: Pound, for his ounce we yeeld:
His ship would groane to feele some sinners freightes.
So ripe is vice, so green is vertues bud :
The world doth waxe in ill, but waine in good.
- 3 -
This makes my mourning Muse resolve in tears,
This theames my heavy pen to plaine in prose,
Christs Thorn is sharp, no head his Garland weares;
Still finest wits are stilling Venus Rose.
In paynim toys the sweetest vaines are spent:
To Christian workes, few have their tallents lent.
- 4 -
License my single penne to seeke a pheere
You heavenly sparkes of wit, show native light:
Cloud not with mistie loves your Orient cleere,
Sweet flights you shoot; learne once to levell right.
Favour my wish, well-wishing workes no ill:
I move the Suite, the Graunt rests in your will.
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Paraphrase and Notes
- 1 -
Dear eye that daynest to let fall a looke
On these sad memories of Peters plaints :
Muse not to see some mud in cleerest brook :
They once were brittle mould that now are saints.
Theyr weakenes is no warrant to offend, [5]
Learn in their faults, what in thine owne to mend.
The poet begins here by apostrophizing his reader: “Dear eye.”
Dear reader, you have allowed your gaze to fall upon these sad memories of Peter's sorrow and grief. Do not be surprised to find the occasional fault in a good and holy man, just as you might find mud within a stream of clearest water. Even those who are now saints began with a nature prone to fragility and sin; but do not take this as an authorization to imitate their weakness; you should instead learn from their faults so as to correct your own failings.
1. daynest. deignest. intransitive. To think it worthy of oneself (to do something); to think fit, vouchsafe, condescend. Vide a1592 R. Greene Frier Bacon (1594) sig. C4v Would he daine to wed a countrie lasse. a1616 W. Shakespeare Henry VI, Pt. 3 (1623) iv. viii. 39 And all those friends, that deine to follow mee.
2. plaints. c. 1200, pleinte, “lamentation, mourning, audible expression of sorrow,” from Old French plainte “lament, lamentation” (12c.), from Latin planctus “lamentation, wailing, beating of the breast,” from past-participle stem of plangere “to lament; to strike (the breast, in grief or mourning),” from PIE root *plak- (2) “to strike.” The connecting notion in Latin probably is beating one's breast in grief. OEtD.
3. Muse. intransitive. To be affected with astonishment or surprise; to wonder, marvel. With at, †of, †to. Obsolete. Vide a1616 W. Shakespeare Macbeth (1623) iii. iv. 84 Do not muse at me my most worthy Friends.
4. mould. The word at first seems to be linked to the word mud in the previous line, underlined by the alliteration. One of its meanings is earth or soil: see 1535 Bible (Coverdale) Tobit viii. 6 Thou maydest Adam of the moulde of the earth. 1590 C. Marlowe Tamburlaine: 2nd Pt. sig. I4 Made of the mould whereof thy selfe consists. The meaning then becomes: Those who are now Saints had the humblest of beginnings. Note the etymology of humble :Latin humil-em low, lowly, small, slight, mean, insignificant, base, < humus ground, earth. An alternative meaning of mould is however suggested by the adjective brittle: The distinctive nature of a person or thing, esp. as indicative of origin; constitution, character. Vide 1589 True Coppie Disc. Late Voy. Spaine & Portingale (1881) 81 They bee of so base a mould, as they can verie well subject themselves to any government.
brittle. In a literal sense: Hard but liable to break easily; fragile, breakable; but note the figurative use: Inconstant, fickle; untrustworthy; unreliable. Vide ?1548 J. Bale Comedy Thre Lawes Nature ii. sig. Avv Hys bryttle nature, hys slyppernesse to waye. 1588 R. Greene Pandosto sig. F4v Hot desires turne oftentimes to colde disdaine: Loue is brittle, where appetite, not reason beares the sway.
5. Weakenes. Weakness.
warrant. Something which authorizes.
- 2 -
If equities even-hand the balance held,
Where Peters sinnes and ours were made the weightes :
Ounce, for his dramme: Pound, for his ounce we yeeld:
His ship would groane to feele some sinners freightes. [10]
So ripe is vice, so green is vertues bud :
The world doth waxe in ill, but waine in good.
The poet contrasts the weaknesses or faults of his readers with those of Peter.
Imagine that even-handed equity was holding a set of scales with Peter's sins on one side and ours on the other. Our sins would so far outweigh Peter's as an ounce outweighs a dram, or a pound outweighs an ounce — sixteen-fold. If our sins were to be loaded on board Peter's ship, it would creak and groan under the burden. So heavy are the fruits of our vice and so slight are the buds of our virtue that the evil in the world grows great but the good wanes and grows small.
7. equities. Equity: The quality of being equal or fair; fairness, impartiality; even-handed dealing. Vide 1588 J. Udall State Church of Eng. sig. E2v Weigh it in the ballance of equitie.
dramme. A weight, originally the ancient Greek drachma n.; hence, in Apothecaries' weight, a weight of 60 grains = 1/ 8 of an ounce; in Avoirdupois weight, of 271/ 3 grains = 1/ 16 of an ounce; = drachm.
10. His ship. These words recall Simon Peter's calling as a fisherman on the Sea of Galilee and his calling by Christ: “And Jesus walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea (for they were fishers). And he saith to them: Come ye after me, and I will make you to be fishers of men.” [Matt. iv. 18-19]. The Church founded by Christ on the “rock” (Peter) was to be known as the barque of Peter, the Ark of Salvation prefigured by Noah's ark.
freightes. Freight: The cargo or lading (of a ship); a shipload. Perhaps with a play on the meaning frights or fears: vide c1440 Promptorium Parvulorum 177/2 Freyhte, or feer..timor, pavor, terror.
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This makes my mourning Muse resolve in tears,
This theames my heavy pen to plaine in prose,
Christs Thorn is sharp, no head his Garland weares; [15]
Still finest wits are stilling Venus Rose.
In paynim toys the sweetest vaines are spent:
To Christian workes, few have their tallents lent.
This makes my mournful Muse dissolve into tears; this provides the theme for my heavy heart to write in poetry what would be too plain in prose. The thorns in Christ’s Crown cause sharply piercing pain and so writers choose to shun this garland of suffering. Instead, the finest minds prefer to spend their time distilling the perfumed essence of Venus’ rose, taking for their theme romantic and physical love. They expend their vain efforts in a style that focuses on the affairs and dalliances dear to pagans. Few are the poets who have lent their talents to write of Christian charity.
13-14. Cf. an alternative interpretation of lines 13-14: “But one solitary pen (see line 19) has remained faithful to a higher love, even though its inspiration, its ‘muse,’ weeping like a Magdalen, flags in the face of such wasted talents, and can barely write anything but complaining prose.” (RS-DS, pp135-6).
13. Muse. The inspiration of poetry or song, invoked as if being the only Muse (of the nine goddesses regarded as presiding over and inspiring learning and the arts). The poet here writes “my . . . . Muse” and the sense becomes : the inspiring goddess of a particular poet; (hence) a poet's particular genius, the character of a particular poet's style. There is also a possible suggestion of: An act or period of musing; a spell of thoughtfulness or reflection. Vide 1578 J. Banister Hist. Man iv. f. 54v When a man by earnest study or muse vnto him selfe, vpon any earnest or waighty matter.
resolve. To melt; to dissolve; to become liquid. Vide 1611 B. Jonson Catiline iii. sig. H2 May my braine Resolue to water, and my bloud turne phlegme. a1616 W. Shakespeare King John (1623) v. iv. 25 Euen as a forme of waxe Resolueth from his figure 'gainst the fire.
14. theames. To theme: to furnish with a theme or subject. Vide 1641 J. Jackson True Evangelical Temper i. 10 [Points] capable to be spread out so as to theame the Preachers speech.
plaine. To give expression to sorrow, grief, etc.; to complain of a (source of) grief or sorrow; to weep, lament. Vide a1586 Sir P. Sidney Arcadia (1590) ii. v. sig. R4 Though he plaine, he doth not complaine: for it is a harme, but no wrong, which he hath receiued.
16. stilling. To still: To extract or produce by distillation. Vide 1590 C. Marlowe Tamburlaine: 1st Pt. sig. E4 The heauenly Quintessence they still From their immortall flowers of Poesy.
Venus Rose. The association of the rose with Venus arises from various versions of the story of Aphrodite's love for Adonis. According to one version, Aphrodite ran to warn Adonis that Ares had sent a wild boar to kill him. She arrived too late, and pricked her flesh with the thorn of a white rose. Drops of her blood turned the petals of the rose red which then became a symbol of undying love.
17. paynim. Pagan. Vide a1500 tr. A. Chartier Traité de l'Esperance (Rawl.) (1974) 124 (MED) The people which war of panyme religion made theire prayer to..ydoles.
toys. Toy: Amorous behaviour or sexual activity, caressing; dalliance, flirtation. Also: an act or instance of this. Vide c1525 Bk. Mayd Emlyn sig. B.ii She was full ranke..In Venus toyes Was all her Ioyes. 1594 Willobie his Auisa xlvii. f. 43v Though coy at first she seeme.., These toyes in tyme will make her yielde.
Vaines. 1) Vain: Vanity; a vain thing. Vide 1593 T. Nashe Christs Teares To Rdr. Into some splenative vaines of wantonnesse, heeretofore have I foolishlie relapsed. 1628 O. Felltham Resolves: 2nd Cent. lii. sig. R6 The power of the Gospel, in crying downe the vaines of men. Or possibly 2) A particular, individual, or characteristic style of language or expression. Vide 1548 N. Udall in N. Udall et al. tr. Erasmus Paraphr. Newe Test. I. Luke: Pref. f. vi Euery man hath a veine of his owne, eyther by imitation so confirmed, or by long vse so rooted, or of desyre to be playne and clere, so growen into an habite: that [etc.]. 1652 R. Brome Joviall Crew i. sig. C4v What say, Sir, to our Poet Scribble here? Spr. I like his vain exceeding well.
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License my single penne to seeke a pheere
You heavenly sparkes of wit, show native light: [20]
Cloud not with mistie loves your Orient cleere,
Sweet flights you shoot; learne once to levell right.
Favour my wish, well-wishing workes no ill:
I move the Suite, the Graunt rests in your will.
Permit my solitary pen to seek company. You writers gifted from on high with heavenly wit, show forth the illumination that comes from within yourselves. Don't allow misty-eyed preoccupations with love and romance to obscure the clarity of your brightness. You fire sweet volleys of love’s arrows; but you should rather learn to aim at that which is right. Look with favour upon my wish, since well-wishing causes no-one any harm. I move the suit, making my request; it is within your power to allow it.
19-22. Cf. Southwell's words taken from his introductory Epistle (RS-DS, p1)
"Poetes by abusing their talent, and making the follies and feynings of love the customary subject of their base endeavours, have so discredited this faculty that a Poett a lover and a lyer, are by many reckoned but three words of one significacon [. . .] For in lieu of solemne and devoute matter, to which in dutye they owe their abilities, they now busy themselves in expressing such passions as onely serve for testimonies to howe unworthy affections they have wedded their willes."
Cf. an alternative reading: “ . . . asking those sparks of divine wit that are his godly part to assist him in making English poetry the handmaid of God, not Eros.” [RS-DS, p. 136]
19. single. Of, pertaining to, or connected with, one person only. Frequently with possessive pronoun. Vide ?1592 Trag. Solyman & Perseda sig. E2 With my single fist, Ile combat thee.
pheere. fere: a companion, comrade, mate, partner.
20. native. Inherent, innate; belonging to or connected with something by nature or natural constitution. Vide 1599 J. Davies Nosce Teipsum 13 A Starre, whose beames do not proceed From any Sunne, but from a natiue light.
In one sense, the poet (the ‘single penne’) is looking for fellow-poets to join him and lend their talents to Christian works rather than pagan playthings and fancies. In another sense, a faithful believer is seeking companions to reflect upon the themes of the poem: sin, betrayal, repentance, confession, forgiveness and satisfaction.
Orient. The rising of the sun; daybreak, dawn. Possibly used here in the sense of natural brightness.
21. Don't allow misty-eyed preoccupations with love and romance to obscure the clarity of ‘your Orient’. The ‘Orient’ is one of the titles of the Messias, the true light of the world, and the sun of justice. Vide "in which the Orient from on high hath visited us: To enlighten them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death: to direct our feet into the way of peace." [Luke i.]
22. sweet. Pleasing (in general); yielding pleasure or enjoyment; agreeable, delightful, charming. Pleasing to the ear; having or giving a pleasant sound; musical, melodious, harmonious: said of a sound, a voice, an instrument, a singer or performer on an instrument. Of song or discourse, and hence transferred of a poet, orator, etc. Pleasing to the ear and mind; pleasant to hear or listen to; sometimes implying ‘persuasive, winning’, or in bad sense, ‘alluring, enticing’. Vide, a1533 Ld. Berners tr. A. de Guevara Golden Bk. M. Aurelius (1546) sig. E.j He was so swete in his wordes, that many tymes he was harde more than thre houres togyther.
Note too the sense of pleasing in love: a1300 Havelok 2927 [He] dide him þere sone wedde Hire þat was ful swete in bedde.
flights. A volley of missiles, esp. arrows. 1591 W. Garrard & R. Hitchcock Arte of Warre 2 A whole flight of arrowes.
Sweet flights you shoot: see l17 ‘the sweetest vaines’: Poets made frequent references to Cupid’s bow in their ‘paynim toyes’: e.g. Oberon's words from from Act 2 Scene 1 of A Midsummer Night's Dream:
That very time I saw (but thou couldst not)Flying between the cold moon and the Earth,Cupid all armed. A certain aim he tookAt a fair vestal thronèd by the west,And loosed his love shaft smartly from his bowAs it should pierce a hundred thousand hearts.
level. To aim (a missile weapon). The other poets should aim (levell) rather for what is right and true. Vide 1587 J. Hooker Chron. Ireland 131/1 in Holinshed's Chron. (new ed.) II He charged his peece, and leueled the same vnto the said Peter Carew.
24. Suite. Suit: The action or an act of suing, supplicating, or petitioning; earnest search for or endeavour to obtain something. A process instituted in a court of law for the recovery or protection of a right, the enforcement of a claim, or the redress of a wrong.
To be continued (D.V.)
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Totus tuus ego sum
Et omnia mea tua sunt;
Tecum semper tutus sum:
Ad Jesum per Mariam.
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