Sequence 37. St. Thomas of Canterbury

December 29TH.
ANEW Elisha bitter waters heals
With such new sweetness as new salt reveals ;
The pot too, which a herb most deadly fills,
He renders harmless by the fat of meal's
New remedy.

Lo ! for the flock another wether dies,
And, for the mother slain, the offspring lies :
To light our darkness a new sun doth rise,
Which the long promised year to all supplies
Of Jubilee.

'"Gainst a new Abel doth Cain's malice fight ;
Seir's fierceness 'gainst another Jacob's right;
Another Joseph hath his brethren's spite,
Seizing with wicked fraud, put out of sight
In these last days.

Sons 'gainst their fathers to rebel have dared,
Not having e'en their mother's bosom spared :
As Bishop Thomas to his death is snared,
Lo ! a new chaos, for all earth prepared,
The eye surveys.

But Abel covered with great glory falls ;
Haran saves Jacob, when for help he calls ;
Joseph bears rule within a monarch's walls ;
Our Thomas too is crowned in the bright halls
Of highest heaven.

All Englishmen, their joys renewed, are glad,
And Canterbury, new Bethesda made,
Becomes a pool, the sinful soul to aid,
Whence at all times to all around it laid
Salvation's given.

The river Jordan wider tracts streams o'er ;
Another and third Naaman seeks its shore ;
Siloam's pool spreads further than before.

Whilst heaven far more profusely than of yore
Doth manna rain.

The sun's rays are with double power outpoured ;
A mighty son to Hannah is secured ;
Another prophet Herod's ruthless sword
With shamelessness yet more to be abhorred
Hath foully slain.

But, slaughtered thus, a full reward hath he ;
For to the saint for his great sanctity,
And his pure heart's untiring constancy,
Salvation, life, and light most heavenly,
Is freely given.

Henceforth he works unnumbered prodigies ;
Lepers are cleansed, the devil's legion flies ;
Strength for the lame, and sight for blinded eyes,
Speech for the dumb, for sick folk remedies,
He asks of heaven.

A son of Belial blasphemies he swore,
Burning the saint to harm, atoneth for ;
The loss of sight and death did he incur,
An early death, which stopped for evermore
His wrath's fierce stream.

A man, who in the Lord's saint took delight.
And had his eyes put out by bigot spite.

But soon again recovered perfect sight,
Sang constant praises with rejoicing bright
To God's great name.

Crosses, which were by angel fingers made,
When kindly prayers this pious father prayed,
Through heavenly virtue oft great power displayed ;
And grain, that heals the Hmbs with palsy dead,
On earth is grown.

An offering of two lamps was made, which same
Are lighted up by a celestial flame :
The broken fragments of a vase proclaim
Who hath to some blest shrine by fraudful scheme
Dishonour done.

A lad, who with his foot his mother lamed,
Cut off that foot to show himself ashamed ;
Soon, when he had this saint's assistance claimed,
He walked upon two feet, as if ne'er maimed,
A wonder rare ! 7 5
O seaman, who in mystic ship bear'st sway !

Our joyful praises and this grateful lay
To the great King in kindly prayer to-day,
Thomas ! commend, and us to Him, we pray,
In potent prayer ! Amen.