Jubilate Deo:
A Letter from Bedlam

Rejoice in God, O ye Tongues;
Give the glory to the Lord
And the Lamb
Nations, and languages
And every Creature
In which is the breath of Life
Let man and beast appear before him
And magnify his name together

Let Nimrod, the mighty hunter
Bind a leopard to the altar
And consecrate his spear to the Lord

Let Ishmail dedicate a tyger
And give praise for the liberty
In which the Lord has let him at large

Let Balaam appear with an ass
And bless the Lord his people
And his creatures for a reward eternal

Let Daniel come forth with a lion
And praise God with all his might
Through faith in Christ Jesus

Let Ithamar minister with a chamois
And bless the name of Him
That cloatheth the naked

Let Jakim with the satyr
Bless God in the dance
Dance, dance, dance

Let David bless with the bear
The beginning of victory to the Lord
To the Lord the perfection of excellence

Hallelujah, hallelujah
Hallelujah for the heart of God
And from the hand of the artist inimitable
And from the echo of the heavenly harp
In sweetness magnifical and mighty
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah

For I will consider my cat Jeoffry
For he is the servant of the living God
Duly and daily serving him

For at the first glance
Of the glory of God in the East
He worships in his way
For this is done by wreathing his body
Seven times round with elegant quickness
For he knows that God is his saviour
For God has bless’d him
In the variety of his movements
For there is nothing sweeter
Than his peace when at rest

For I am possessed of a cat
Surpassing in beauty
From whom I take occasion
To bless Almighty God

For the Mouse is a creature
Of great personal valour
For this is a true case–
Cat takes female mouse
Male mouse will not depart
But stands threat’ning and daring
If you will let her go
I will engage you
As prodigious a creature as you are

For the Mouse is a creature
Of great personal valour
For the Mouse is of
An hospitable disposition

For the flowers are great blessings
For the flowers are great blessings
For the flowers have their angels
Even the words of God’s creation
For the flower glorifies God
And the root parries the adversary
For there is a language of flowers
For the flowers are peculiarly
The poetry of Christ

For I am under the same accusation
With my Savior
For they said
He is besides himself
For the officers of the peace
Are at variance with me
And the watchman smites me
With his staff
For the silly fellow, silly fellow
Is against me
And belongeth neither to me
Nor to my family
For I am in twelve hardships
But he that was born of a virgin
Shall deliver me out of all
Shall deliver me out of all

For H is a spirit
And therefore he is God
For K is king
And therefore he is God
For L is love
And therefore he is God
For M is musick
And therefore he is God
And therefore he is God

For the instruments are by their rhimes
For the shawm rhimes are lawn fawn and the like
For the shawm rhimes are moon boon and the like
For the harp rhimes are sing ring and the like
For the harp rhimes are ring string and the like
For the cymbal rhimes are bell well and the like
For the cymbal rhimes are toll soul and the like
For the flute rhimes are tooth youth and the like
For the flute rhimes are suit mute and the like
For the bassoon rhimes are pass class and the like
For the dulcimer rhimes are grace place and the like
For the clarinet rhimes are clean seen and the like
For the trumpet rhimes are sound bound and the like

For the trumpet of God is a blessed intelligence
And so are all the instruments in Heav’n
For God the Father Almighty plays upon the harp
Of stupendous magnitude and melody
For at that time malignity ceases
And the devils themselves are at peace
For this time is perceptible to man
By a remarkable stillness and serenity of soul

Hallelujah, hallelujah
Hallelujah for the heart of God
And from the hand of the artist inimitable
And from the echo of the heavenly harp
In sweetness magnifical and mighty
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah