Lazarus & other Hamlet-correlations in Cranmer's Homily IX (part 10 in series)
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SOMETIMES, part of the fun of research is what one finds by accident in the process of looking for other things. This was the case in my search for the official homilies of Cranmer and Jewell mentioning beggar Lazarus of Luke 16, alluded to by the ghost in Hamlet 1.5.
There are three such homilies. This blog post contains my annotations for the first, “An Exhortation Against the Fear of Death.”
We cannot travel back in time and experience what it might have been like to attend Shakespeare's Hamlet at the Globe, and then attend church and hear sermons of Cranmer and Jewell that touch upon some of the same religious themes. It is not so easy as that to abandon our modern biases. But perhaps reading Hamlet and some of the homilies can give us a sort of glimpse of the interconnectedness of Shakespeare's religious-cultural context.
My purpose is not to say that Shakespeare rushed home after hearing such homilies and wrote Hamlet, but to explore how such homilies illustrate aspects of the religious context of the culture. Shakespeare sometimes illustrates understandings similar to those of Cranmer, but other times, his characters test and disagree with the traditional ideas.
[1545 portrait of Thomas Cranmer by Gerlach Filcke (1495-1558). Cropped. Via Wikimedia, pubic domain.]
In annotating this homily, I have used mostly an 1859 edition because of its page and line numbers (it also has modern spelling, helpful perhaps to some of my readers). I supplemented this (when some pages were cut off) with an older version of the text, with original spelling, from AnglicanLibrary.org, derived from Cranmer's 1547 edition of his first book of homilies, and Jewell's 1571 edition of the second book, combined and published in 1632. This earlier edition has no page or line numbers, so I depend more on the 1859 edition for those. For certain scripture references in parentheses, I depend on the earlier version.
THE PLAN
My original goal was to search the homilies of Cranmer and Jewell for mentions of the Luke 16 tale of the rich man and Lazarus, to see if I could get a sense of how the official homilies approached the gospel tale, and perhaps to find similarities and differences with Shakespeare's allusion in Hamlet 1.5.
Shakespeare's use of the Lazarus allusion is much more subtle and ambiguous, hinting at the sins of the dead king, and perhaps offering a lens through which to view other characters and moments in the play. His allusion to the "good thief" who was crucified with Jesus is also more subtle ("thieves of mercy," 4.6.2993).
Cranmer's use is much more explicit and perhaps clumsy than Shakespeare’s, utilizing the story to claim that if the beggar Lazarus and the good thief on the cross with Jesus both inherited everlasting life in heaven, then the rest of us should not fear death, as long as we live as good Christians. This is fine, but quite narrow in its meanings.
WHAT SURPRISED ME
The surprise was to find the many other ways that themes and passages in this, and the other two homilies, related to many themes and passages in Hamlet. We can be certain that Shakespeare heard these homilies a number of times in his life.
To be completely honest, reading these homilies is not something I would even remotely consider as a pastime pursuit. But it does give one a glimpse of a bit of the cultural fabric of religious ideas and language in which Shakespeare wrote.
EXAMPLES OF MY FINDINGS:
Although at times Hamlet considers suicide, his “To be or not to be” speech also indicates a fear of death and of damnation (“that dread of something after death,” 3.1.1732).
Cranmer refers to the importance of memory (as do Hamlet, the ghost, Claudius, Laertes, Polonius, Gertrude, the player king, Horatio, and Fortinbras).
The homily is surprisingly narrow in its uses of the word "body" as exclusively indicating a biological organism or corpse, whereas in Hamlet, the uses are much richer and wider-ranging, including the body politic, mystical body, and "body of the time.”
Cranmer: Life is a sojourn in a “strange country”;
Hamlet inverts this: The afterlife is an “undiscovered country”.
Cranmer counsels patient suffering;
Hamlet: Or is it nobler to “take up arms against a sea of troubles"?
Cranmer: “...heavenly Father would not spare his own natural Son, but did give him to death for us.”
Shakespeare: Father/ghost sends son to avenge, perhaps a dark parody/exploration of this religious rhetoric that seems to imagine an abusive divine "father"?
Consider how it strains to imagine a father-God who sends his son to die, knowing he will die - like a father sending a son off to war in a losing cause? - but knowing he will rise?
In the play, the ghost seems to be sending his son on a suicide mission - of revenge, or of cleansing the throne of Denmark of impurity - and yet this same ghost says he was not allowed to enter heaven because of serious sins. So who is he to judge others being the cause of Denmark's impurities?
And is it also an exploration of monarchs who require revenge oaths? Other scholars have noticed how Shakespeare was writing at a time when Queen Elizabeth and her government had required people to sign oaths, swearing that they would avenge if she were assassinated, or if there was an attempt. So this is a parallel to the father-ghost that calls for revenge and sends his son on a suicide mission of vengeance, and a contrast to the father-God who sends a son to preach love of enemies and to die for others.
KEY:
My annotations/comments are in red. References in the text of the homily to ideas that relate to Hamlet or the Luke 16 tale of the rich man and Lazarus are in bold. If the relation to Luke 16 is obvious, I often use bold and no comments.
Please feel free to comment if you find things in the text of the homily related to Hamlet that I may have missed.
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AN EXHORTATION
AGAINST THE FEAR OF DEATH
It is not to be marvelled that worldly men do fear to die. For
death depriveth them of all worldly honours, riches, and posses-
sions: in the fruition whereof the worldly man counteth himself happy, (5)
so long as he may enjoy them at his own pleasure; and
otherwise, if he be dispossessed of the same without hope of
recovery; then he can none other think of himself but that he
is unhappy, because he hath lost his worldly joy and pleasure.
Alas, thinketh this carnal man, shall I now depart for ever (10)
from all my honours, all my treasures,* from my country,
* {“treasures”: In Hamlet 1.1., Horatio considers how ghosts
may know secrets about locations of “Extorted treasure in the
womb of the earth”;
in 1.3, Laertes warns Ophelia not to open her “chaste treasure”
to Hamlet’s “unmast’red opportunity”;
In 2.2, Hamlet quotes to Polonius from a song, “O Jephthah,
judge of Israel, what a treasure hadst thou!” (a reference to
Jephthah’s daughter, whom he sacrificed), but Polonius acts as if
Hamlet is merely asking a question, and not quoting a song lyric.}
friends, riches, possessions, and worldly pleasures, which are my
joy and heart's delight.* Alas, that ever that day shall come,
* {“delight”: This is a minor point, especially regarding a single
word, but the biography of Francis of Assisi (saint-namesake
for the sentinel in Hamlet 1.1) speaks of how Francis lost delight in
worldy things, and Prince Hamlet describes something similar to
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern:
Hamlet: “I have of late, but wherefore I know not, lost all my mirth,
forgone all custom of exercise; and indeed it goes so heavily with
my disposition that this goodly frame, the earth, seems to me a
sterile promontory. This most excellent canopy the air, look
you, this brave o'erhanging firmament, this majestical roof
fretted with golden fire, why, it appears no other thing to me than a foul
and pestilent congregation of vapors. What a piece of work is a
man! How noble in reason, how infinite in faculties, in form and
moving how express and admirable! In action, how like an
angel! In apprehension, how like a god; the beauty of the world; the
paragon of animals. And yet to me what is this quintessence of
dust? Man delights not me, no, nor woman neither, though by your
smiling you seem to say so.” Hamlet 2.2.1342-56.}
when all these I must bid fare well at once, and never to enjoy
any of them after! Wherefore it is not without great cause (15)
spoken of the Wise Man, death, how bitter and sour is the re-
membrance * of thee to a man that liveth in peace and prosperity in
* {“remembrance”: the idea of remembrance and remembering is very
important in Hamlet: The ghost bids Hamlet to “remember me” (1.5.776);
- Claudius speaks in 1.2 of how the memory of his brother is still “green”;
- Polonius tells Laertes in 1.3 to keep the precepts of his advice in his
memory;
- Ophelia in the same scene locks her brother’s advice in her
memory, only to have her father break the lock and demand she spill
her secrets;
- Hamlet often speaks of memory, as in 1.5 in speaks of how
“while memory holds a seat / in this distracted globe” he will “from
the table of [his] memory” wipe away all else.
- Ophelia (3.1) in returning Hamlet’s letters calls them “remembrances”;
- the player king speaks of memory and marriage.
- Fortinbras, in 5.2, speaks of his “rights of memory in this kingdom”
(5.2.3885).}
his substance to a man living at ease, leading his life after his own
mind without trouble, and is therewithal well pampered and fed * (Sir 41.1)?
* {“well pampered and fed” could easily be a description of the rich man
in Luke 16:19: “There was a certaine riche man, which was clothed in purple
and fine linnen, and fared well and delicately euery day.”}
There be other men, whom this world doth not so greatly (20)
Iaugh upon, but rather vex and oppress with poverty, sickness,
or some other adversity; yet they do fear death, partly because
the flesh abhorreth* naturally his own sorrowful dissolution,
* {Hamlet regarding Yorick’s skull:
“Let me see. [taking the skull] Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio,
a fellow of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy. He
hath borne me on his back a thousand times, and now how
abhorred in my imagination it is! My gorge rises at it.” (5.1.3372-5.}
which death doth threaten unto them, and partly by reason of
sicknesses and painful diseases, which be most strong pangs and (25)
agonies in the flesh, and use commonly to come to sick men
before death, or at the least accompany death, whensoever it
Cometh.
Although these two causes seem great and weighty to a
worldly man, whereupon he is moved to fear death, yet there is (30)
another cause much greater than any of these afore rehearsed,
for which indeed he hath just cause to fear death; and that is
the state and condition whereunto at the last end death bringeth
all them that have their hearts fixed upon this world without
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repentance and amendment. This state and condition is called
the second death; which unto all such shall ensue after this
bodily death. And this is that death which indeed ought to be
dread* and feared: for it is the everlasting loss, without remedy,
* {A small point: The word “dread” occurs ten times in Hamlet,
sometimes in regard to the ghost, or to Laertes’ respect for Claudius,
his king and “dread lord,” or relating to the dreaded cliff, or how
dreadfully Hamlet is attended after his father’s death, etc.
- The Geneva and Bishop’s Bible translations tended to use words like
“afraid” or “fear,” but the Wycliffe Bible (first appearing 1382 to 1395)
often used “dread” in those same places in each of the four gospels
where the other translations avoid it. Geneva uses “dread,” for example,
in Ex 15:16 and Gen 9:2.
- It is often noted that Shakespeare makes fun of Sir John Oldcastle,
a Lollard leader, in the character of Falstaff, so it would seem
counterintuitive to imagine that Shakespeare was influenced by the
Wycliffe (Lollard) Bible. But stranger things sometimes happen....}
of the grace and favour of God, and of everlasting joy, pleasure, (5)
and felicity. And it is not only the loss for ever of all these
eternal pleasures, but also it is the condemnation both of body
and soul, without either appellation or hope of redemption, unto
everlasting pains in hell. Unto this state death sent the un-
merciful and ungodly rich man that Luke speaketh of in his (10)
Gospel (Lk 16.19-23); who, living in all wealth and pleasure in this world, and
cherishing himself daily with dainty fare and gorgeous apparel,
despised poor Lazarus, that lay pitifully' at his gate, miserably
plagued, and. full of sores, and also grievously pined with hunger.
Both these two were arrested of death;* which sent Lazarus, the (15)
* {Hamlet: “this fell sergeant Death
Is strict in his arrest.” Hamlet 5.2.3820-1.}
poor miserable man, by angels anon unto Abraham's bosom,* a
* {Horatio: “And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest!.”
Hamlet 5.2.3850. The Latin requiem mass alluded to the angels taking
the beggar Lazarus, after death, to Abraham in heaven. See Luke 16:22.}
place of rest, pleasure, and consolation. But the unmerciful *
* {Being merciful or unmerciful is a key theme in Hamlet:
An avenger is one who refuses to be merciful.
- One might say that Hamlet is unmerciful toward Ophelia in
the nunnery scene;
he is merciful later to Laertes when they exchange forgiveness
before dying in 5.2;
and to Fortinbras, son of his father’s enemy, by giving him his
dying voice to be the next king.
- One might say that Hamlet is unmerciful to Claudius in the
end, but perhaps merciful to the rest of Denmark, to rid its
throne of a usurper?}
rich man descended down into hell; and being in torments he
cried for comfort, complaining of the intolerable pain that he
suffered in that flame of fire: but it was too late. So unto this (20)
place bodily death sendeth all them that in this world have their
joy and felicity, all them that in this world be unfaithful unto
God and uncharitable unto their neighbours, so dying without
repentance and hope of God's mercy.* "Wherefore it is no marvel
* {“dying without repentance and hope of God's mercy” describes
Claudius in 5.2.}
that the worldly man feareth death: for he hath much more (25)
cause so to do than he himself doth consider.
Thus we see three causes why worldly men fear death; one,
because they shall lose thereby their worldly honours, riches,
possessions, and all their heart's desires; * another, because of
* {This could describe the rich man in Luke 16:19-31.}
the painful diseases and bitter pangs which commonly men (30)
suffer either before or at the time of death;* but the chief cause
* {This could describe the beggar Lazarus in Luke 16:19-31, with his
skin sores licked by dogs.}
above all other is the dread of the miserable state of eternal
damnation both of body and soul, which they fear shall follow *
* {“...that dread of something after death,” Hamlet 3.1.1732.}
after their departing out of the worldly pleasures of this present
life. For these causes be all mortal men which be given to the (35)
love of this world both iu fear and state of death through sin,
as the holy Apostle saith (Heb 2.15), so long as they live here in this
World.
But, everlasting thanks be to Almighty God for ever, there
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is never one of all these causes, no, nor jet they all together,
that can make a true Christian man afraid to die, which is the
very member of Christ, the temple of the Holy Ghost (1 Cor 3.16), the son
of God, and the very inheritor of the everlasting kingdom of
heaven; but, plainly contrary, he conceiveth great and many (5)
causes, undoubtedly grounded upon the infallible and everlast-
ing truth of the word of God, which move him, not only to put
away the fear of bodily death,* but also, for the manifold bene-
* {This could describe Hamlet in 5.2 to Horatio:
“There's a special providence in
the fall of a sparrow. If it be now, 'tis not to come; if it be not to come,
it will be now; if it be not now, yet it will come. The readiness is all.
Since no man has aught of what he leaves, what is't to leave betimes?
Let be.” Hamlet 5.2.3668-73}
fits and singular commodities which ensue unto every faithful
person by reason of the same, to wish, desire, and long heartily (10)
for it. For death shall be to him no death at all, but a very
deliverance from death, from all pains, cares, and sorrows,
miseries, and wretchedness of this world, * and the very entry
* {“ Oh, that this too too solid flesh would melt,
Thaw, and resolve itself into a dew!” Hamlet 1.2.313-4;
“ 'tis a consummation
Devoutly to be wished.” Hamlet 3.1.1717-18}
into rest, and a beginning of everlasting joy, a tasting of
heavenly pleasures, so great that neither tongue is able to ex- (15)
press, neither eye to see, nor ear to hear them, no, nor for
any earthly man's heart to conceive them. * So exceeding great
* {See A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Bottom mixes it up humorously:
“ The eye / of man hath not heard, the ear of man hath not
seen, man's hand is not able to taste, his tongue
to conceive, nor his heart to report, what my dream / was.”
4.1.1737-40.}
benefits they be which God our heavenly Father, by his mere
mercy, and for the love of his Son Jesus Christ, hath laid up in
store and prepared for them that humbly submit themselves to (20)
God's will,* and evermore unfeignedly love him from the bottom
* {Hamlet in 5.2 to Horatio: “Let be.” 5.2.3673}
of their hearts.
And we ought to believe that death, being slain by Christ,
cannot keep any man that steadfastly trusteth in Christ under
his perpetual tyranny and subjection, but that he shall rise (25)
from death again unto glory at the last day, appointed by
Almighty God, like as Christ our Head did rise again, accord-
ing to God's appointment, the third day. For St. Augustine
saith, the Head going before, the members trust to follow and
come after'. And St. Paul saith, if Christ be risen from the (30)
dead, we shall rise also from the sarne. And, to comfort all
Christian persons herein, holy Scripture calleth this bodily death
a sleep;* wherein man's senses be, as it were, taken from him
* {“To die, to sleep--
No more--and by a sleep to say we end
The heartache and the thousand natural shocks
That flesh is heir to; 'tis a consummation
Devoutly to be wished. To die, to sleep;
To sleep, perchance to dream. Ay, there's the rub,
For in that sleep of death what dreams may come
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil
Must give us pause.” Hamlet 3.1.1714-22.}
for a season, and yet, when he awaketh, he is more fresh than
he was when he went to bed. So, although we have our souls (35)
separated from our bodies for a season, yet at the general resur-
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rection we shall be more fresh, beautiful, and perfect, than we
be now. For now we be mortal, then we shall be immortal;
now infect with divers infirmities, then clearly void of all
mortal' infirmities; now we be subject to all carnal desires,
then we shall be all spiritual, desiring nothing but God's glory (5)
and things eternal.
Thus is this bodily death a door or entering unto life; and
therefore not so much dreadful, if it be rightly considered, as it
is comfortable; not a mischief, but a remedy of all mischief;
no enemy, but a friend; not a cruel tyrant,* but a gentle guide; (10)
* {The first player speaks of the revenger Pyrrhus as a “painted tyrant”
(Hamlet 2.2.1521), but here Cranmer speaks of death not as a tyrant
but a guide.}
leading us, not to mortality, but to immortality, not to sorrow
and pain, but to joy and pleasure, and that to endure for ever;
if it be thankfully taken and accepted as God's messenger, and
patiently borne of us for Christ's love, that suffered most pain-
ful death for our love, to redeem us from death eternal. Ac- (15)
cording hereunto St. Paul saith our life is hid with Christ in
God (Col 3.3-4), but, when our Life shall appear, then shall we also appear
with him in glory.
* {The sense of something hidden comes up in Hamlet when Ophelia says,
“Lord, we know what we are, but know not what we may be.” 4.5.2785.}
Why then shall we fear to die, considering the manifold and
comfortable promises of the Gospel and of holy Scriptures? (20)
God the Father hath given us everlasting life, saith St. John, and
this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he
that hath not the Son hath not life. And, This I wrote, saith
St. John, to you that believe in the Name of the Son of God, that
you may know that you have everlasting life (1Jn 5.11-13), and that you do be- (25)
lieve upon the Name of the Son of God. And our Saviour Christ
saith He that believeth in me hath life everlasting, and I will
raise him from death to life at the last day (Jn 6.40). St. Paul also saith
that Christ is ordained and made of God our righteousness, our
holiness and redemption, to the intent that he which will glory (30)
should glory in the Lord (1Cor 1.30-31). St. Paul did contemn and set little
by all other things, esteeming them as dung,* which before he had
{Again see Hamlet’s explanation to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern of his
loss of mirth: “I have of late, but wherefore I know not, lost all my mirth
[….] And yet to me what is this quintessence of dust?” Hamlet 2.2.1342-56.}
in very great price, that he might be found in Christ, to have
everlasting life, true holiness, righteousness, and redemption (Phil 3.8-9).
Finally, St. Paul maketh a plain argument in this wise: If our (35)
heavenly Father would not spare his own natural Son, but did give
him to death for us,* how can it be that with him he should not give
* {Hamlet’s father, the ghost, will not spare his own natural son in
using vengeance to purge Denmark of its corruption. This doesn’t
mean that the ghost is God the Father nor that Hamlet is Jesus;
and in fact the Hamlet-Ghost relationship may be a parody or
dramatic exploration of the scriptural analogy of God as father
and Jesus as son and sacrifice.}
all things (Rom 8.32)? Therefore, if we have Christ, then have we with
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him and by him all good things, whatsoever we can in our
hearts wish or desire; as, victory over death, sin, and hell; we
have the favour of God, peace with him, holiness, wisdom, jus-
tice, power, life, and redemption; we have by him perpetual
health, wealth, joy, and bliss everlasting. (5)
___________________________________
THE SECOND PART OF THE SERMON OF
THE FEAR OF DEATH
IT hath been heretofore shewed you that there be three causes
wherefore men do commonly fear death; first, the sorrowful de-
parting from worldly goods and pleasures; the second, the fear (10)
of the pangs and pains that come with death; last and principal
cause is the horrible fear of extreme misery and perpetual dam-
{The ghost speaks of the horrible misery of purgatory}
nation in time to come. And yet none of these three causes
troubleth good men; because they stay themselves by true faith,
perfect charity, and sure hope of the endless joy and bliss ever- (15)
lasting.
All those therefore have great cause to be full of joy that be
joined to Christ with true faith, steadfast hope, and perfect cha-
rity, and not to fear death nor everlasting damnation. For death
cannot deprive them of Jesu Christ, nor any sin can condemn (20)
them that are grafted surely in him, which is their only joy,
treasure, and life. Let us repent our sins, amend our lives, trust
in his mercy and satisfaction, and death can neither take him
from us nor us from him, For then, as St. Paul saith, whether
We live or die, we be the Lord's own. And again he saith, Christ (25)
did die, and rose again, because he should be Lord both of the
dead and quick. Then, if we be the Lord's own when we be
dead it must needs follow that such temporal death not only
cannot harm us, but also that it shall much be to our profit,
and join us unto God more perfectly. And thereof the Christian (30)
heart may surely be certified by the infallible (or undeceivable)
truth of holy Scripture. It is God, saith St. Paul, which hath
prepared us unto immortality, and the same is he which hath
given us an earnest of the Spirit (2 Cor 5.5). Therefore let us be always of
good comfort: for we know that, so long as we be in the body, we (35)
be as it were far from God in a strange country,* subject to many
*{Hamlet reverses this: Life is familiar, death the “undiscovered country”:
“that dread of something after death, / The undiscover'd country, from
whose bourn / No traveller returns” (3.1.1732-4).}
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perils, walking without perfect sight and knowledge of Almighty
God, only seeing him by faith in holy Scripture; but we have
a courage, and desire rather to be at home with God and our
Saviour Christ, far from the body,* where we may behold his God-
* {Note that nowhere in this homily is “body” used to refer to the
Church as the “body of Christ,” but rather, the body is always the
body of mortal humans that is corrupt and alienated from God, and
that must be abandoned if we go to heaven. Nowhere does the homily
mention a belief in a bodily resurrection at the end of time.
Shakespeare’s Hamlet actually contains much richer and even
playful references to the “body,” as corpse (1.2);
as the body politic (1.3);
as the prince’s biological body (1.4);
as the biological location of the king’s poisoning (1.5);
as a curse (“bodykins,” mini-bodies, pins, or nails of the cross, 2.2);
as the “age and body of the time” (3.2);
as description of the dumb show’s corpse (3.2);
as “the body of contraction” (3.4);
as the corpse of Pol. (Ger: “the body he hath kill'd,” 4.1;
Claudius: “bring the body,” 4.1;
Rosencrantz: “What have you done..., with the body?” 4.2;
Rosencrantz: “...you must tell us where the body is,” 4.2;
as the body politic or mystical body (Hamlet: “The body
is with the King, but the King is not with the body.” 4.2);
again as corpse of Pol. (Claudius: “find the body.” 4.3;
Rosencrantz: “Where the dead body is bestow'd,” 4.3);
as corpse (Gravedigger/First Clown: “your whoreson dead body.” 5.1)}
head as he is, face to face, to our everlasting comfort. These be (5)
St. Paul's words in effect: whereby we may perceive that the
life in this world is resembled and likened to a pilgrimage
in a strange country far from God; and that death, delivering us
{Strange country: Hamlet goes toward England, then heaven
(or so Horatio hopes).}
from our bodies, doth send us straight home into our own coun-
try, and maketh us to dwell presently with God for ever in (10)
everlasting rest and quietness.* So that to die is no loss, but
* {quietness / “the rest is silence” - Hamlet in 5.2, last words.}
profit and winning, to all true Christian people.
What lost the thief,* that hanged on the cross with Christ, by
* {“Good thief” of Luke 23:33-43 repented; Claudius, thief/usurper/cutpurse did not.}
his bodily death? Yea, how much did he gain by it! Did not
our Saviour say unto him, This day thou shall be with me in (15)
Paradise? And Lazarus, that pitiful person, that lay before the
rich man's gate, pained with sores and pined with hunger, did
not death highly profit and promote him,* which by the ministry
* {“promote him”: See Hamlet to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern:
“I lack advancement.” (3.2.2210) }
of angels sent him unto Abraham's bosom,* a place of rest, joy,
* {Again, Horatio: “And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest!.”
Hamlet 5.2.3850, and Luke 16:22.}
and heavenly consolation (Lk 16:22)? Let us think none other, good Chris- (20)
tian people, but Christ hath prepared, and made ready before,
the same joy and felicity for us that he prepared for Lazarus
and the thief. Wherefore let us stick unto his salvation and
gracious redemption, and believe his word, serve him from our
hearts, love and obey him; and, whatsoever we have done here- (25)
tofore contrary to his most holy will, now let us repent in time,
and hereafter study to correct our life, and doubt not but we
shall find him as merciful unto us, as he was cither to Lazarus
or to the thief: whose examples are written in holy Scripture
for the comfort of them that be sinners, and subject to sorrows, (30)
miseries, and calamities in this world; that they should not de-
spair in God's mercy, but ever trust thereby to have forgiveness
of their sins and life everlasting, as Lazarus and the thief had.
Thus I trust every Christian man perceiveth by the infallible
(or undeceivable) word of God, that bodily death cannot harm (35)
nor hinder them that truly believe in Christ, but contrary shall
profit and promote the Christian souls which, being truly peni-
tent for their offences, depart hence in perfect charity, and in
sure trust that God is merciful to them, forgiving their sins for
the merits of Jesus Christ his only natural Son. (40)
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The second cause why some do fear death is sore sickness and
grievous pains, which partly come before death, and partly ac-
companieth (or cometh with) death, whensoever it cometh.
This fear is the fear of the frail flesh, and a natural passion be-
longing unto the nature of a mortal man. But true faith in (5)
God's promises, and regard of the pains and pangs which Christ
upon the cross suffered for us miserable sinners, with considera-
tion of the joy and everlasting life to come in heaven, will miti-
gate and assuage less those pains, and moderate (or bring into
a mean) this fear, that it shall never be able to overthrow the (10)
hearty desire and gladness that the Christian soul hath to be
separated from this corrupt body, that it may come to the gra-
cious presence of our Saviour Jesus Christ. If we believe stead-
fastly the word of God, we shall perceive that such bodily sick-
ness, pangs of death, or whatsoever dolorous pains we suffer (15)
either before or with death, be nothing else in Christian men
but the rod of our heavenly aud loving Father; wherewith he
mercifully correcteth us, either to try and declare the faith of
his patient children, that they may be found laudable, glorious,
and honourable in his sight, when Jesus Christ shall be openly (20)
shewed to be the Judge of all the world, or else to chasten and
amend in them whatsoever offendeth his fatherly and gracious
goodness, lest they should perish everlastingly. And this his
correcting rod is common to all them that be truly his.
* {Regarding the “correcting rod” of fathers and of God, see
Hamlet 3.4.2487-9:
“Do you not come your tardy son to chide,
That, lapsed in time and passion, lets go by
Th'important acting of your dread command?”
Hamlet clearly fears the ghost, perhaps as he feared his father, and
he also fears the threat of eternal damnation.
- It should give us pause, that the homily speaks of God using suffering
like a rod to punish/chasten/discipline his children, in a nation that had
been Catholic, with all of the corruptions that went with that, a nation
becoming more Protestant and enforcing it with punishments as if not
only from the state but also from God acting through the state.}
Therefore let us cast away the burden of sin that lieth so heavy (25)
in our necks, and return unto God by true penance and amend-
ment of our lives. Let us with patience run this course that is
appointed; suffering, for his sake that died for our salvation,
all sorrows and pangs of death, and death itself joyfully, when God
sendeth it to us; having our eyes fixed and set fast ever upon (30)
the Head and Captain of our faith, Jesus Christ; who, consider-
ing the joy that he should come unto, cared neither for the shame
nor pain of death, but willingly conforming and framing* his
*{Does Hamlet conform his will to his father’s desire for vengeance
before the sea-voyage, and more to God’s will after that?}
will to his Father's will, most patiently suffered the most shame-
ful and painful death of the cross, being innocent and harmless (Phil 2.8); (35)
and now therefore he is exalted in heaven, and everlastingly
sitteth on the right hand of the throne of God * the Father. Let
* {Hamlet is a prince: Jesus a prince by analogy, God the Father a “king”
by analogy, with a throne. These are common Christian metaphors.}
us call to our remembrance therefore the life and joys of heaven,
that are kept for all them that patiently do suffer* here with
* {The duty of humans is to endure suffering with patience; Hamlet
resists this and wonders if sometimes it would be better to “take up
arms against a sea of troubles” than to suffer.}
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Christ; and consider that Christ suffered all his painful passion
by sinners and for sinners; and then we shall with patience, and
the more easily, suffer such sorrows and pains when they come.
Let us not set at light the chastising of the Lord; nor grudge at
him, nor fall from him, when of him we be corrected: for the (5)
Lord loveth them whom he doth correct and beateth every one
whom he taketh to be his child. What child is that, saith St.
Paul, whom the father loveth, and doth not chastise? If ye be
without God's correction, which all his well beloved and true chil-
dren have, then be you but bastards,* smally regarded of God, and (10)
* {Note how Laertes says that if doesn’t seek revenge, “That drop of blood
that's calm proclaims me bastard” (4.5.2860).}
not his true children (Heb 12.6,8). Therefore, seeing that, when we have in
earth our carnal fathers to be our correctors, we do fear them and
reverently take their correction, shall we not much more be in
subjection to God our spiritual Father, by whom we shall have
everlasting life? And our carnal fathers sometime correct us,| (15)
even as please them,* without cause: but this Father justly
* {In Gertrude’s closet, after accidentally killing Polonius, thinking
it was Claudius, Hamlet expresses his belief that it pleases heaven
to punish Hamlet with having killed Polonius, and to punish Polonius
with Hamlet’s accident:
“For this same lord,
I do repent; but heaven hath pleased it so
To punish me with this, and this with me,
That I must be their scourge and minister.” (3.4.2548-51)}
correcteth us, either for our sin, to the intent we should amend,
or for our commodity and wealth, to make us thereby partakers of
his holiness. Furthermore, all correction which God sendeth us
in this present time seemeth to have no joy and comfort, but sor- (20)
row and pain; yet it bringeth with it a taste of God's mercy
and goodness towards them that be so corrected, and a sure
hope of God's everlasting consolation in heaven.
If then these sorrows, diseases, and sicknesses, and also death
itself, be nothing else but our heavenly Father's rod, whereby (25)
he certifieth us of his love and gracious favour, whereby he
trieth and purifieth us, whereby he giveth unto us holiness, and
certifieth us that we be his children, and he our merciful Fa-
ther; shall not we then with all humility as obedient and loving
children, joyfully kiss our heavenly Father's rod, and ever say (30)
in our heart with our Saviour Jesus Christ, Father, if this
anguish and sorrow which I feel, and death, which I see ap-
proach, may not pass, but that thy will is that I must suffer
them,* thy will be done?
* {Hamlet questions this idea of an obligation to suffer whatever anguish
and sorrows God sends his way, if he has the power to correct the wrongs
of Claudius upon Denmark. See Hamlet:
“Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,
And by opposing end them.” (3.1.1711-14)
Hamlet also wonders:
“Sure he that made us with such large discourse,
Looking before and after, gave us not
That capability and godlike reason
To fust in us unused. (4.4.2743.30-33).}
{Also see Claudius at prayer: “My will be done” instead of repentance.}
THE THIRD PART OP THE SERMON OF THE (35)
FEAR OF DEATH.
IN this Sermon" against the Fear of Death two causes were
declared, which commonly move worldly men to be in much
[99]
fear to die; and yet the same do nothing trouble the faithful
and good livers when death cometh, but rather giveth them
occasion greatly to rejoice, considering that they shall be de-
livered from the sorrow and misery of this world, and be brought
to the great joy and felicity of the life to come. (5)
Now the third and special cause why death indeed is to be
feared is the miserable state of the worldly and ungodly people
after their death. But this is no cause at all why the godly and
faithful people should fear death; but rather contrariwise their
to godly conversation in this life, and belief in Christ, cleaving (10)
continually to his merits, should make them to long sore after
that life that remaineth for them undoubtedly after this bodily
death. Of this immortal state, after this transitory life, where
we shall live evermore in the presence of God, in joy and rest,
after victory over all sickness, sorrows, sin, and death, there be (15)
many both plain places of holy Scripture, which confirm the
weak conscience against the fear of all such dolours, sicknesses,
sin, and bodily death, to assuage such trembling and ungodly
fear, and to encourage us with comfort and hope of a blessed
state after this life, St. Paul wisheth unto the Ephesians that (20)
God the Father of glory would give unto them the spirit of wisdom
and revelation, thai the eyes of their hearts might have light to
know him, and to perceive how great things he had called them
unto, and how rich inheritance he hath prepared after this life
for them that pertain unto him (Eph 1.17-18). And St. Paul himself de- (25)
clareth the desire of his heart, which was to be dissolved and
loosed from his body * and to be with Christ, which, as he said,
* {Hamlet: “Oh, that this too too solid flesh would melt,
Thaw, and resolve itself into a dew!” (1.2.313-14)}
was much better for him, although to them it was more necessary
that he should live, which he refused not for their sakes (Phil 1.23-4). Even
like as St. Martin said, "Good Lord, if I be necessary for thy
people, to do good unto them, 1 will refuse no labour: but
else, for mine own self, I beseech thee to take my soul."
* {In the end (except for patience when he hears someone behind the
arras in his mother’s closet), it seems that Hamlet will refuse no labor,
even regicide, to cleanse a corrupt Denmark: But he also has a death-
wish that he expresses early on, in 1.2, and later, telling Horatio,
“I do not set my life at a pin's fee” (worth a pin, 1.4.654).}
Now the holy fathers of the old Law, and all faithful and
righteous men which departed before our Saviour Christ's ascen-
sion into heaven, did by death depart from troubles unto rest,
from the hands of their enemies into the hands of God, from
[100]
sorrows and sickness unto joyful refreshing, into Abraham's
bosom,* a place of all comfort and consolation: as Scriptures
* {Again, Horatio: “And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest!.”
Hamlet 5.2.3850, and Luke 16:22.}
do plainly by manifest words testify. The Book of Wisdom
saith that the righteous men's souls be in the hand of God, and
no torment shall touch them (Wis 3.1, 3).They seemed to the eyes of foolish (5)
men to die; and their death was counted miserable, and their
departing out of this world wretched: but they be in rest.* And
* {Horatio would like to believe this of Hamlet, after the prince’s
death in 5.2.}
another place saith that the righteous shall live for ever, and
their reward is with the Lord, and their minds be with God, who
is above all: therefore they shall receive a glorious kingdom, and (10)
a beautiful crown at the Lord's hand. And in another place the
same Book saith, The righteous, though he be prevented with
sudden death, nevertheless he shall be there where he shall be re-
freshed (Wis 4.7). Of Abraham's bosom * Christ's words be so plain that
* {Again, Horatio: “And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest!.”
Hamlet 5.2.3850, and Luke 16:22.}
Christian man needeth no more proof of it. (15)
Now then, if this were the state of the holy fathers and
righteous men before the coming of our Saviour, and before he
was glorified, how much more then ought all we to have a
steadfast faith and a sure hope of this blessed state and con-
dition after our death ; seeing that our Saviour now hath per- (20)
formed the whole work of our redemption, and is gloriously
ascended into heaven, to prepare our dwelling places with him,
and said unto his Father, Father, I will that where I am my ser-
vants shall be with me (Jn 17.24). And we know that, whatsoever Christ
will, his Father will the same: wherefore it cannot be but, if we (25)
be his faithful servants, our souls shall be with him after our
departing out of this present life.
St. Stephen, when he was stoned to death, even in the midst
of his torments, what was his mind most upon? When he was
full of the Holy Ghost, saith holy Scripture, having his eyes lifted (30)
up into heaven, he saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on
the right hand of God. The which truth after he had confessed
boldly before the enemies of Christ, they drew him out of the
city, and there they stoned him; who cried unto God, saying.
Lord Jesu Christ, take my spirit (Acts 7.55, 59). And doth not our Saviour say (35)
plainly in St. John's Gospel, Verily, verily, I say unto you, He
that heareth my word, and believeth him that sent me, hath
[101]
everlasting life, and cometh not into judgment, but shall pass from
death to life (Jn 5.24). Shall we not then think that death to be pre-
cious, by the which we pass unto life? Therefore it is a true
saving of the Prophet, The death of the holy and righteous men
Is precious in the Lord's sight (Ps 116.15). Holy Simeon, after that he had (5)
his heart's desire in seeing our Saviour, that he ever longed for
all his life, he embraced (or took) him in his arm, and said,
Now, Lord, let me depart in peace, for mine eyes have beholden
that Saviour which thou hast prepared for all nations (Luke 2.29, 31). It is truth
therefore that the death of the righteous is called peace, and the (10)
benefit of the Lord, as the Church saith in the name of the
righteous departed out of this world, My soul, turn thee to thy
rest, for the Lord hath been good to thee and rewarded thee (Ps 116.7).
And we see by holy Scripture, and other ancient histories of
Martyrs, that the holy, faithful, and righteous, ever since Christ's (15)
ascension (or going up), in their death did not doubt but that
they went to be with Christ in spirit, which is our life, health,
wealth, and salvation.
John in his holy Revelation saw a hundred forty and four
thousand virgins and innocents, of whom he said, These follow (20)
the Lamb Jesu Christ wheresoever he goeth. And shortly after
in the same place he saith, I heard a voice from heaven saying
unto me, Write, Happy and blessed are the dead which die in the
Lord: from henceforth surely, saith the Spirit, they shall rest
from their pains and labours, for their works do follow them (Rev 14.4, 13): (25)
* {Again, Horatio in 5.2 would like to believe this.}
so that then they shall reap with joy and comfort that which
they sowed with labours and pains. They that sow in the
spirit, of the spirit shall reap everlasting life. Let us therefore
never be weary of well doing, for, when the time of reaping or
reward cometh, we shall reap without any weariness everlasting (30)
joy. Therefore, while we have time, as St. Paul exhorteth us, let
us do good to all men (Gal 6.8-10); and not lay up our treasures in earth,*
* {Hamlet might have been selfish to inherit the throne, and bided his
time patiently, rather than addressing the injustice of his father’s death
and the corruption of Denmark having a murderous usurper on the
throne; he might have laid up his treasures on earth in this life, but
instead he risks all of that, and his life, to be what he thinks is an
instrument of heaven, perhaps: Heaven allowed the ghost of his father
to visit him, so he feels compelled by heaven and hell to kill Claudius,
even if it costs him his life, and perhaps risks eternal damnation as well.}
[102]
where rust and moths corrupt it, which rust (Mt 6.19) (as Saint James saith)
shall bear witness against us at the great day, condemn us, and
shall (like most burning fire) torment our flesh (James 5.3).
Let us beware therefore (as we tender our own wealth) that
we be not in the number of those miserable, covetous, and (5)
wretched men, which Saint James biddeth mourn and lament for
their greedy gathering, and ungodly keeping of goods. Let us
be wise in time, and learn to follow the wise example of the
wicked Steward. Let us so wisely order our goods and pos-
sessions, committed unto us here by GOD for a season, that we (10)
may truly hear and obey this commandment of our Saviour
Christ: I say unto you (saith he) make you friends of the wicked
Mammon, that they may receive you into everlasting tabernacles,
or dwellings (Lk 16.9). Riches be called wicked, because the world
abuseth them unto all wickedness, which are otherwise the (15)
good gifts of GOD, and the instruments whereby GOD'S servants
do truly serve him in using of the same. He commanded them
not to make them rich friends, to get high dignities and worldly
promotions, to give great gifts to rich men that have no need
thereof, but to make them friends of poor and miserable men, (20)
unto whom, whatsoever they give, Christ taketh it as given to
himself. And to these friends Christ in the Gospel giveth so
great honour and preeminence, that he saith, They shall receive
them that do good unto them into everlasting houses: not that
men shall be our rewarders for our well doing, but that Christ (25)
will reward us, and take it to be done unto himself, whatsoever
is done to such friends. Thus making poor wretches our friends,
we make our Saviour Christ our friend, whose members they
are: whose misery as he taketh for his own misery, so their
relief, succour, and help, he taketh for his succour, relief, and (30)
helpe, and will as much thank us and reward us for our goodness
shewed to them, as if he himself had received like benefit at our
hands, as he witnesseth in the Gospel, saying, Whatsoever yee
haue done to any of these simple persons, which doe believe in me,
that have ye done to myself (Mt 25.40).* (35)
* {Notice that Hamlet is kinder to the gravedigger/clown/sexton, who
might be an example of “the least of these,” than he is to Osrick,
whose pretense, ambition and self-importance gets in the way.}
Therefore let us diligently foresee, that our faith and hope
which we have conceived in Almighty GOD, and in our Savior
Christ wax not faint, nor that the love which we bear in
[103]
hand to bear to him, wax not cold: but let us study daily
and diligently to show ourselves to be the true honorers and
lovers of GOD, by keeping of his commandments, by doing of good
deeds unto our needy neighbours, relieving by all means that
we can their poverty with our abundance and plenty, their (5)
ignorance with our wisdom and learning, and comfort their
weaknesses with our strength and authority, calling all men back
from evildoing by godly counsel and good example, persevering
still in well doing, so long as we live: so shall we not need to
fear death for any of those three causes aforementioned, nor yet (10)
for any other cause that can be imagined: but contrarily, con-
sidering the manifold sicknesses, troubles, and sorrows of this
present life, the dangers of this perilous pilgrimage, and the
great encumbrance which our Spirit hath by this sinful flesh
and frail body subiect to death: considering also the manifold (15)
sorrows and dangerous deceits of this world on every side, the
intolerable pride, covetousness, and lechery, in time of prosperity,
the impatient murmuring of them that be worldly, in time of
adversity, which cease not to withdraw and pluck us from GOD,
our Saviour Christ, from our life, wealth, or everlasting joy (20)
and salvation: considering also the innumerable assaults of our
Ghostly enemy the Devil, with all his fiery darts of ambition,
pride, lechery, vainglory, envy, malice, detraction, or backbit-
ing, with other his innumerable deceits, engines, and snares,
whereby he goeth busily about to catch all men under his (25)
dominion, ever like a roaring Lion, by all means searching whom
he may devour (1 Pt 5.8). The faithful Christian man which considereth
all these miseries, perils, and incommodities (whereunto he is
subject so long as he here liveth upon earth) and on the other
part considereth that blessed and comfortable state of the (30)
heavenly life to come, and the sweet condition of them that
depart in the Lord, how they are delivered from the continual
encumbrances of their mortal and sinful body, from all the
malice, crafts, and deceits of this world, from all the assaults of
[104]
their Ghostly enemy the Devil, to live in peace, rest, and endless
quietnesse, to live in the fellowship of innumerable Angels, and
with the congregation of perfect just men, as Patriarches, Pro-
phets, Martyrs, and Confessours, and finally unto the presence of
Almighty GOD, and our Saviour Jesus Christ. Hee that doeth (5)
consider all these things, and believeth them assuredly, as they
are to be believed, euen from the bottom of his heart, being
established in GOD in this true faith, having a quiet conscience*
* {For good or ill, after sending Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to
their deaths, Hamlet says,
“Why, man, they did make love to this employment!
They are not near my conscience; their defeat
Does by their own insinuation grow.” (5.2.3560-2)}
in Christ, a firm hope, and assured trust in GOD'S mercy, through
the merits of Jesu Christ to obtain this quietness,* rest, and ever- (10)
* {quietness / “the rest is silence” - Hamlet in 5.2, last words.}
lasting ioy, shall not only be without fear of bodily death, when
it cometh, but certainly (as S. Paul did) so shall he gladly
(according to GOD'S will, and when it pleaseth GOD to call him
out of this life) greatly desire in his heart, that he may be
rid from all these occasions of evil, and live ever to GOD'S plea- (15)
sure (Phil 1.23), in perfect obedience of his will, with our Saviour Jesus
Christ, to whose gracious presence the Lord of his infinite
mercy and grace bring us, to reign with him in life everlasting:
to whom with our heavenly Father, and the holy Ghost, be
glory in worlds without end. Amen. (20)
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INDEX OF POSTS IN THIS SERIES ON THE RICH MAN AND LAZARUS:
See this link:
https://pauladrianfried.blogspot.com/2021/02/index-series-on-rich-man-and-beggar.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hamlet quotes: All quotes from Hamlet (in this particular series on The Rich Man and Lazarus in Hamlet) are taken from the Modern (spelling), Editor's Version at InternetShakespeare via the University of Victoria in Canada.
- To find them in the first place, I often use the advanced search feature at OpenSourceShakespeare.org.
Bible quotes from the Geneva translation, widely available to people of Shakespeare's time, are taken from an internet source somewhat close to their original spelling, from studybible.info, and in a modern spelling, from biblegateway.com.
- Quotes from the Bishop's bible, also available in Shakespeare's lifetime and read in church, are taken from studybible.info.
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Disclaimer: If and when I quote or paraphrase bible passages or mention religion in many of my blog posts, I do not intend to promote any religion over another, nor am I attempting to promote religious belief in general; only to explore how the Bible and religion influenced Shakespeare, his plays, and his age.
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