Marian Poetry in England in the Transition Period During and After the Reformation (Part Seven); Joseph Beaumont

There is a profound simplicity in Joseph Beaumont's ( 1616-1699 ) description of Mary's purification:

    THE PURIFICATION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN 1


    May we have leave to ask, illustrious Mother,
    Why thou dost turtles bring
    for thy Son's offering,
    And rather giv'st not one lamb for another

    It seems that golden shower which th' other day
    The forward faithful East
    Poured at thy feet, made haste
    Through some devout expence to find its way

    O precious poverty, which canst appear
    Richer to holy eyes
    Than any golden prize
    And sweeter art than frankincense and myrrh
                                                     ( 1-12 )

Striking is the imagery contained in the poet's query: (Why) rather giv'st (thou) not one lamb for another ( 4 ) . The Biblical depiction of Christ as the voiceless Lamb of God who uttered no sound as he was being sacrificed for the sins of mankind ties up with the presentation of a lamb at the temple when the new mother was being purified after her confinement. The poor instead gave two turtle doves. In subsequent stanzas the poet explores the symbolism of the birds: the silver which they wear upon their wings ( 14)  will render the Son pure and fair, the Eternal Dove ( 18 ) , the Holy Spirit, will come Down from his nest above ( 19 ) and settle on Christ's dear head ( 20 ) . 

Extending the lamb metaphor, Beaumont directs his musings to Christ's sacrifice : 

    Heaven will not have Him ransomed, heaven's law
    Makes no exception
    For lambs, and such a one
    Is He: a fairer Lamb heaven never saw 
                                                         ( 21-24 )

He pursues the theme of lambs and turtle doves for the world's ransom until the final stanza, in which he resolves the enigma of the need for the sinless Lamb of God to take away the sins of the world in a quatrain in which he gives an explanation which is unique in Marian poetry, since it points out that Christ even secured His mother's safe passage to Heaven.

    A dear and full redemption wil He give
    Thee and the world: this Son,
    and none but this alone
    By His own death can make His Mother live.
                                                          ( 37-40 )

1 The Purification of the Blessed Virgin : May we have leave to ask, illustrious Mother - 
Joseph Beaumont - Thérèse 1947 : 144

Dr Luky Whittle
Edited by Catherine Nicolette