<p>What in this Emblem, that mans meanings were,<lb/> Who made it first, I neither know nor care;<lb/> For, whatsoere, he purposed, or thought,<lb/> To serve my purpose, now it shall be taught;<lb/> Who, many times, before this Taske is ended,<lb/> Must picke out Moralls, where was none intended.<lb/> This knot of Moones (or Crescents ) crowned thus,<lb/> Illustrate may a Mystery to us,<lb/> Of pious use (and, peradventure, such,<lb/> As from old Hieroglyphicks, erres not much)<lb/> Old-times, upon the Moone, three names bestow'd;<lb/> Because, three diverse wayes, her selfe she show'd:<lb/> And, in the sacred-bookes, it may be showne,<lb/> That holy-Church, was figur'd by the Moone.<lb/> Then, these three Moones in one, may intimate<lb/> The holy-Churches threefold blest estate.<lb/> The Moone, still, biding in our Hemisphaere,<lb/> May typifie the Church, consisting, here,<lb/> Of men, yet living: when she shewes her light<lb/> Among us here, in portions of the night ;<lb/> The Church it figures, as consist she may<lb/> Of them, whose bodies in the Grave doe stay;<lb/> And, whose blest spirits, are ascended thither,<lb/> Where Soule and Body meet, at last, together.<lb/> But, when the Moone is hidden from our eyes,<lb/> The Church-triumphant, then, she signifies;<lb/> Which, is a Crescent yet, that, some, and some,<lb/> Must grow, till all her parts together come:<lb/> And, then, this Moone shall beames, at full, display;<lb/> Lord, hasten this great Coronation-day. </p>

embstma_1903_emblem098

99

embstma_1903

emblem pictura

emblempictura

It is close to impossible that Wither did not know that this was the device of Henry II of France, since that would mean he was not familiar with Paradin's Devises heroïques.

embstma_1903_emblem100

GUL

EMBLEMS

ILL_BOOK

Three crescents of the moon with a crown

embstma_1903.xml

embstma_1903_fac117

<p>DONEC TOTVM IMPLEAT ORBEM.</p>

GUL

EMBLEMS

ILL_BOOK

11P110

11P15

23R14

24B1

24B3

25H114

25I42

44B191

46A122(HENRY II [of France])3

47D41

51I2(+4):250

53D2(+4)

59B32(+4)

61B2(HENRY II [of France])3

86(DONEC TOTUM IMPLEAT ORBEM)

<p>Shee shall increase in glory, still,<lb/> Vntill her light, the world, doth fill.</p>

embstma_1903_pic117.jpg

embstma_1903_emblem099

Donec totum impleat orbem