My song is love unknown

This is my 37th entry in the Lenten Hymn-of-the-Day project. I conceived this as a hymn for Solemn Evensong on the afternoon of Palm Sunday.

The amazing and even shattering text is by : Samuel Crossman (1623-1684). The only information we have of him comes from A. Wood's "Athenae Oxonienses" (1720, vol. ii. p. 730). Wood says concerning him:—

"Samuel Crossman, Bachelor of Divinity of Cambridge, and Prebendary of Bristol, son of Samuel Crossman, of Bradfield Monachorum, in Suffolk. He hath written and published several things, as The Young Man's Monitor, &c, London, 1664, 8vo., and several sermons, among which are two sermons preached in the Cathedral of Bristol, 30th Jan., 1679, and 30th Jan., 1680, being the days of public humiliation for the execrable murder of King Charles I, printed at London, 1681, &c.; also a sermon preached 23rd April, 1680, in the Cathedral Church of Bristol, before the Gentlemen of the Artillery Company newly raised in that City, printed at London, 1680, &c; and, "An Humble Plea for the quiet rest of God's Ark," preached before Sir Joh. Moore, Lord Mayor of London, at St. Mildred's Church in the Poultrey, 5th February, 1681, London, 1682, 4to, &c. He died 4th February, 1683, aged 69 years, and was buried in the South Aisle of the Cathedral Church in Bristol" [of which he had been appointed Dean a few weeks before].

This text, certainly his most well-known makes an astounding and heart-breaking impact.

The text is matched by John Ireland's (1879-1962) glorious tune, "Love Unknown".

It is a heart of stone that can remain unmoved by this...