Seuen Sobs of a Sor­rowfull Soule for Sinne. Comprehending those seuen Psalmes of the Princelie Prophet DAVID, commonlie called Poenitenti­all: framed into a forme of famili­ar praiers, and reduced into meeter by WILLIAM HVNNIS, one of the Gentlemen of hir Maiesties honourable Chapell, and maister to the children of the same. Wherevnto are also annexed his Handfull of Honisuckles; the Poore Widowes Mite; a Dia­log betweene Christ and a sin­ner; diuers godlie and pithie ditties, with a Christian confess [...]o [...] of and to the Trinitie; new­lie printed and augmen­ted. 1583.

To the right Honourable and vertuous Ladie, Francis, Countesse of Sussex, and one of the Ladies of hir Ma­iesties most Honourable priuie chamber: W. Hunnis wisheth increase of vertue and ho­nour, with long life, prosperous helth, godlie feare, firme faith, and assured hope in the Almightie.

THe proofe of your Ladiships vertue hath emboldened me to set forth this litle worke vnder your honourable defe [...]se. And although a fault by me is com­mitted in making you patronesse of so slender a peece without your knowledge, yet hoping vpon your honourable curtesie, which rather respec­teth the mind of the giuer, than the worthinesse of the gift; & poizing the giuers desire to please and zeale to profit, more than the quality of the offense, I doo assure my selfe to be remitted of the trespasse; which maketh me thinke my trauell not onelie sweet, but also verierichlie re­compensed.

Your Ladiships to command, William Hunnis.

The Authour to his Booke.

PAsse forth my Booke into the hands
and view of sundrie men:
Humble thy selfe, declare thy name
who thee thus clad, and when.
And blush not at the frumps of some,
ne feare at others frowne:
More rich thou art in thred-bare cote,
than some in silken gowne.
And giue them all to vnderstand,
from whence thou first didst spring,
How thou wast fostred in the breast
and bosome of a king.
And so (perhaps) some worthie wight
will shape thee rich araie,
And set thee foorth as thou deseru'st
with costlie iewels gaie.
Behaue thy selfe in such good fort,
if possiblie maie bee,
That eu'rie one may thee embrace,
and wish well vnto mee.

Vale.

The booke to his Readers.

GOod friends with fauor me peruse,
halfe naked though I bee,
Or not attird so gallantlie,
as you desire to see.
Yet this from me your selues assure,
such substance here to find,
As shall bring hope vnto the hart,
and comfort to the mind.
Oft vnder short and simple weed,
such vertue may be found,
As vnder pall of purple hew
that traileth on the ground.
I being good, am not the woorse,
though clothing mine be bad,
He that bestowd the same on me,
aid giue the best he had.
In whose behalfe I humblie praie,
and for my selfe also,
You would vouch safe to mend those faults,
that in my cote ye knowe.

Vale.

[Page]

AWAY FRO ME, YE WICKED; FOR I WIL KEPE THE COMMANDEMENTS OF MY GOD. Psal, 119, verse ii [...]

Psalme 150, verse 3, and 6. ‘¶Praise him in the sound of the trumpet: praise him vpon the lute and harpe. Let eue­rie thing that hath breath praise the Lord.’
Seuen Sobs of a Sorrowfull Soule for Sinne.

[Page]Seuen Sobs of a Sorrowfull Soule for Sinne.

Domine ne in furore. Psal. 6.

The first part.

1.
[...] O Lord when I my self behold, how wic­ked
[...] I haue bin; And view the paths and
[...] waies I went, wandring from sin to fin;
2.
[...] Againe, to thinke vpon thy power, thy
[...] iudgement, and thy might; And how that
[...] nothing can be hid, or close kept from
[...] thy sight;
3
Euen then (alas) I shake and quake,
and tremble where I stand,
For feare thou shouldst reuenged be,
by power of wrathfull hand.
4
The weight of sinne is verie great,
for this to mind I call,
That one proud thought made Angels thine
from heauen to slide and fall.
5
ADAM likewise, and EVE his wife,
for breaking thy precept,
From Paradise expelled were;
and death thereby hath crept
6
Vpon them both; and on their seed,
for euer to remaine;
But that by faith in Christ thy sonne,
we hope to liue againe.
7
The earth not able was to beare,
but quicke did swallow in,
Corah, Dathan, and Abiron,
by reason of their sin.
8
Also because king DAVID did
his people number all,
Thou Lord therfore, in three daies space,
such grieuous plague letst fall;
9
That seuentie thousand mē forthwith,
thereof dyde presentlie,
Such was thy worke, such was thy wrath,
thy mightie power to trie.
10
(Alas) my sins surmounteth theirs,
mine cannot numbred bee,
[Page 3]And from thy wrath, most mightie God,
I known not where to flee.
11
If into heauen I might ascend,
where Angels thine remaine,
O Lord, thy wrath would thrust me forth
downe to the earth againe.
12
And in the earth here is no place
of refuge to be found,
Nor in the deepe, and water course,
that passeth vnder ground.
13
Vouchsafe therefore, I thee beseech,
on me some mercie take,
And turne thy wrath from me awaie,
for Iesus Christes sake.
14
Lord in thy wrath reproue me not,
Verse. 1. Domine ne in furore tuo arguas me, ne (que) in ira tua cor­ripias me.
ne chast me in thine ire;
But with thy mercie shadowe me,
I humblie thee desire.
15
I know it is my grieuous sinnes
that doo thy wrath prouoke,
But yet, ô Lord, in rigour thine
forbeare thy heauie stroke;
16
And rather with thy mercie sweete,
behold my heauie plight,
How weake and feeble I appeare
before thy blessed sight.
17
For nature mine corrupted is,
and wounded with the dart
Of lust and soule concupiscence,
throughout in eu'rie part.
18
I am in sinne conceiu'd, and borne
the child of wrath and death,
Hauing but here a little time
to liue and drawe my breath.
19
I feele my selfe still apt and prone
to wickednesse and vice,
And drowned thus in sinne I lie,
and haue no power to rise.
20
It is thy mercie, ô sweet Christ,
Verse. 2. Miserere mei domi­ne, quoniā infirmas sum: sana me domine quoniam co [...]urbata sunt om­nia ossa mea.
that must my health restore:
For all my bones are troubled much,
and vexed verie sore.
21
I am not able to withstand
temptations such as bee,
Wherfore good Lord, vouchsafe to heale
my great infirmitie.
22
Good Christ, as thou to Peter didst,
reach forth thy hand to me,
When he vpon the water went,
there drowned like to be.
23
And as the Leaper clensed was,
bv touching with thy hand;
And Peters mother raised vp
from feuer whole to stand:
24
So let that hand of mercie thine
make cleane the leprosie
Of lothsome lust vpon me growne,
through mine iniquitie.
25
Then shal there strength in me appere
through grace my chiefe reliefe,
[Page 5]Thy death, ô Christ, the medicine is
that helpeth all my griefe.
26
My soule is troubled verie sore,
Verse. 3. Et anima mea con­turbata est valdè, sed tu domine vsquequo?
by reason of my sin:
But Lord how long shall I abide
thus sorrowfull therein?
27
I doubt not Lord, but thou which hast
my stonie hart made soft,
With willing mind thy grace to craue,
from time to time so oft;
28
Wilt not now stay, but forth proceed,
my perfect health to make,
Although a while thou doost deferre,
yet is it for my sake.
29
For, Lord, thou knowst our nature such
if we great things obtaine,
And in the getting of the same
doo feele no griefe or paine;
30
We little doo esteeme thereof:
but hardlie brought to passe,
A thousand times we doo esteeme
much more than th'other was:
31
So Lord, if thou shouldst at the first
grant my petition,
The greatnes of offenses mine,
I should not thinke vpon.
32
Wherefore my hope still bids me cry
with faithfull hart in brest,
As did the faithfull Cananite,
whose daughter was possest.
33
At least if I still knocke and call
vpon thy holie name,
At length thou wilt heare my request
and grant to me the same:
34
As did the man three loaues of bread
vnto his neighbour lend,
whose knocking long forst him to rise,
and shew himselfe a frend.
35
Lord by the mouth of thy deare son,
this promise didst thou make;
That if we knocke thou open wilt
the doore euen for his sake.
36
Wherfore we crie, we knock, we call,
and neuer cease will wee,
Till thou doo turne to vs, ô Lord,
that we may turne to thee.

The second part.

TVrne from thy wrath, ô Lord of hosts,
Verse. 4. Cōuerter [...] domine, & [...]ipe ani­mam meā, saluum me fac, propter misericor­diam tuā.
and set my hart at large:
Oh saue me for thy mercies sake,
and all my sinnes discharge.
2
Not for the merits I haue done,
ne for the works I wrought,
But for thy endlesse mercie sake,
and bloud which hath vs bought.
3
The debt is great that I am in,
not able for to paie,
And how to recompense the same,
none other can I saie;
4
But goodnesse thine must me acquit,
or else (alas) must I
To prison, where no ransome may
set me at libertie.
5
For why in death, ô God of life,
Verse. 5. Quoniam non est in morte qui memor sit tui, in in­ferno au­tem quis confitebi­tur tibi?
no man remembreth thee,
And in the hell who giues thee thankes
was none yet knowne to bee.
6
The grieuous plagues and torments there,
so smarting be and strong,
That no man can haue mind on thee,
or thee confesse among.
7
No time is there or space, ne place
repentance for to find;
But burning paines, and torments sharpe
to all be there assignd.
8
Remembring this while I am here,
and doo this life possesse,
To thee, ô Lord, in humble wise,
I doo my faults confesse.
9
And with a spirit all sorrowfull
Verse. 6. Laboraui in gemitu meo, lauabo per singulas noctes lec­tum meum, lachrymis meis stratū meum ri­gabe.
I doo my sinnes lament,
And sorie am euen from my soule,
I did such waies frequent:
10
And am with groning wearie made,
through tast of manie feares,
The night I spend my bed to wash,
my couch to wet with teares.
11
Not weeping to the sight of men,
(as doth the hypocrite,)
[Page 8]But in my chamber secretlie,
where I my sinnes recite:
12
Not onelie with the teares of eies,
but teares fet from alow,
That is, from bottome of my hart,
repentance great to show.
13
And as my bodie I haue made
a seruant vnto sin;
So will I now, by power of grace,
delight no more therein:
14
But will the same on thee bestow,
ô Lord, and freelie giue,
To serue thee Lord in righteousnesse,
the daies I haue to liue.
15
For in this bed of flesh and bloud,
and couch of sensuall life,
The soules of all from Adams fall,
haue laine in wo and strife.
16
And this doth make our countenance
or mind to changed bee,
For inward griefe of this our couch
of sensualitie.
17
For when we seeke therein to rest,
and thinke some ease to find,
It after turneth to our griefe,
and anguish great of mind.
18
It is a serpent, faire in face
appearing to the show;
But in his taile a sting lies hid
of endlesse paine and wo.
19
Mine eie, ô Lord, is troubled sore,
Verse. 7. Turbatus est à furo­re oculus meus, inue­teraui in­ter omnes inimico [...] meos.
with extreme rage and paine:
And I among mine enimies
doo weake and old remaine.
20
The wicked feend, mine enimie,
still seeketh to deuise
Some matter of occasion,
to laie before mine eies.
21
The world also doth drawe me foorth
to follow hir delight;
My flesh to sensualitie
runnes on with maine and might;
22
The companie of wicked sort
entise me day by day:
Thus I with them, and they with me,
(alas) still run astray.
23
These enimies I neuer can
be able to subdue,
It must be thou, ô IESV sweete,
most mightie and most true:
24
Thou Lord which hast destroied deth,
the diuell likewise supprest,
Must giue me powre to ouercome,
whereby to liue in rest.
25
Then vnderneath thy death & crosse
I shall my sinnes displaie,
And stronglie fight against my foes,
Verse. 8. Disc [...]dite à me om­nes, qui o­per amini iniquita­tem, quo­niam au­diuit do­minus vo­cem fletus [...]ei.
and boldlie to them saie:
26
Awaie from me that workers be
of wickednesse and sin:
[Page 10]For why the Lord hath hard my voice▪
and seene my teares therein.
27
You damned spirits, and liuers lewd,
the members of the feend;
Awaie from me: for now your power
is brought vnto an end.
28
Your prince & maister of this world,
that hath me turnd and tost,
Is now cast out; and all his power,
his might, and strength is lost.
29
Although you haue me long time held
in prison and in thrall;
Yet are ye now cleane ouercome,
by Christ most strong of all.
30
I that in darknesse erst was led,
doo now behold the light;
The Lord my praier sure hath heard,
Verse. 9. Exaudiuit deminus deprecati­onem meā, dominus o­rationem meam sus­cepit.
my suie is in his sight.
31
To thee, ô Lord, for grace I praid,
and thou heardst my request,
And sentst abundant dewes thereof
vnto my quiet rest.
32
I praid likewise, that all my sinnes
might cleane remitted bee,
And thou hast granted my desire,
and safe deliu'red me.
33
Wherefore let all mine enimies
Vers. 10. Erubescāt & cōtur­ [...]entur ve­hemene [...] omnes ini­mici mei: conuertan­tur & eru­bescant valdè, ve­lociter.
confounded be with shame,
And that right soone and suddenlie,
ô Lord I craue the same.
34
I know that all mine enimies,
shall vexed be right sore,
And that thou wilt put them to flight,
from henceforth euermore.
35
For what long time they haue possest
they lost in little space,
Through operation of thy power,
and working of thy grace.
36
With wrong they kept, which y sweet Christ
by bloud hast derelie bought,
And thou a mightie Champion
hast turnd their power to nought.
37
Lord, I therefore thy seruant poore
most earnestlie doo praie,
To guide my feete and steps aright
in thy most holie waie.
38
And that the feend mine enimie.
who seekes me to deuoure,
May neuer ouer my poore soule
haue anie strength or powre:
39
But as by grace I am restord
to fauor thine againe;
So with that grace desend me, Lord,
from euerlasting paine: Amen.

Beati quorum. Psal. 32.

The first part.

O God,
Sing this as before
I knowe by grace, through faith
the sinner is made iust;
Though we offend, yet iustifide
by grace through faith we trust.
2
Which grace & faith, are thy good gifts
which thou hast giuen vs free,
And thorough them the works we doo
are made right good to bee.
3
I therefore, Lord, my faults confesse,
by helpe of heauenlie grace,
And vtterlie my sinnes forsake,
and doo them all deface:
4
Beseeching thee me to admit
with those that blessed bee,
And to forgiue the trespasses
which I haue done to thee.
5
For blessed is the man in deed,
Verse. 1. Beati quorum remissae sunt ini­quit ates, & quorum tecta sunt peccata.
whose wickednesse and sin,
Is cleane forgiuen, and couered;
as they had neuer bin.
6
I will not hide my sinnes from thee,
nor seeke them to excuse;
But with my hart will them confesse,
and doo my selfe accuse;
7
For, Lord, who goes about to hide
his owne iniquitie,
[Page 13]Thou shalt the same make manifest,
that all the world may see;
8
Thou wilt him strip and naked make,
to his perpetuall blame,
When he to iudgement shall arise,
and liue in endlesse shame.
9
And therefore blessed is the man,
Verse. 2. Beatus vir [...]ui nō im­putauit do­minus pec­catum, nec est in spi­ritu eius dolus.
to whom thou Lord shalt say,
I not impute thy sinnes to thee,
nor to thy charge them lay.
10
He, in whose spirit no fraud is found,
shall blessed be also;
And looke what thing he takes in hand,
shall prosper well and growe.
11
If I for sinne should faine my selfe
all sorowfull to bee,
And were not so; then should be found
both fraud and guile in mee.
12
Or if I should account my selfe
a man that liueth iust,
Hauing my conscience stuft with sinne,
so full as may be thrust:
13
There should appeare great fraud in me
for deepe dissembling so;
For why, in me no goodnesse dwelles,
as of my selfe I knowe.
14
If euer anie good were there,
it surelie must be thine;
But as for sinnes I manie haue,
and they by right are mine.
15
For while, ô Lord, I helde my peace,
Verse. 3. Quoniam [...]acui, in­ue [...] eraue­runt [...]ssa [...], cla­mando [...] die.
confessing not my crime,
My bones did waste through dailie plaints
I made from time to time.
16
My soule doth feeble wax and faint,
because I helde my peace;
But now I haue my sinnes confest,
I feele hir strength increase.
17
I kept that backe I should haue told,
or else excuse the same;
And that I should haue closely kept,
did publish to my blame;
18
I hid the sinnes that I had done,
and they remained still;
And boasted forth the good I did,
contrarie to thy will.
19
Thus were the works y t I had wrought
quite lost with their reward,
And I among that sort remaine,
whom thou dost not regard.
20
For day and night thy heauie hand
Verse. 4. Quoniam die ac [...] graua­ta est super me manus iua con­uersus su [...] in aerūna mea: dum con [...]igi [...]ur spina.
vpon me thou hast laid:
And in my trouble was I turnd,
when I was sore afraid.
21
My tribulation scourged me,
my moisture was made [...]rie,
My verie back-bone striken was,
that I began to crie.
22
My conscience likewise striken was
with pricke of great remorce,
[...]
[...]4
Although amid this water-floud
of surging waues of sin,
We tossed be among the rocks,
yet are not drown'd therein.
15
For thou, ô Lord, art my refuge
Verse. 7. Tues refu­g [...]m meū a tribula­tione, qu [...] circ [...]nde­dit me.
from trobles all that bee.
And though temptations of the world
about haue compast me;
16
I not regard intisements theirs,
nor threats that they shall make:
For why my faith assureth me
that thou my part wilt take.
17
Thou, Lord, art onelie my defense,
my ioie is all in thee,
Exaltatio mea, erue me à cir­cundani ti­bus me.
Thou shalt me compasse round about,
and safe deliuer mee.
18
The tabernacle of my soule
is round about me set
With enimies, such as doo seeke
my hinderance and my let.
19
But yet, ô Lord, thy prouidence
shall me deliuer still,
And from all dangers me defend,
after thy holie will.
20
Thou wilt informe and shew to me
Verse. 8. Intellectū tibi dabo, & instruāte in via hac, qua gradieris.
the way that I should go.
This life is but a pilgrimage
I passe in to and fro.
21
Of this way Lord, thou art the end,
and marke whereat I shoot;
[Page 18]Grant that I may this voyage passe,
and foes of mine confute;
22
And in the running of my course,
my faith so strong may bee;
That I may haue one of those games
of immortalitie.
23
Thus shall thine eie of strong defense
Firmabo super te o­culos meos.
on me be fixed sure,
And I with ioie shall able be
this trauell to endure.
24
For, Lord, if y shouldst turne thy face
or cast thine eie aside,
I should not able be to runne,
nor labor this abide:
25
But should be as the horse and mule,
Verse. 9. Nolite sie­ri sicut e­quu [...] & [...], qui­bus non est intellectus. In chamo & fraeno maxillas eorum cōstringes, qui nō ap­proxima­bunt ad te.
that vnderstanding want:
Such, of thy grace, faith, and good works,
both barren be and skant.
26
They are too proud and scornful eke,
thy lawes to hold and keepe,
The lusts and pleasures of the flesh,
so lulleth them asleepe.
27
But yet the mouths of such wilde beasts.
thou Lord with bit and brake
Shalt snaffle them, with chaine and curb,
that doo thee so forsake.
28
For great and manie are the plagues
Verse 10. M [...]lta flagella pe [...]atoris.
of those that sinners bee,
By meanes whereof a number, Lord,
are turned vnto thee.
29
And thou, ô Lord, that didst them plague
for their correction,
Wilt also giue them comfort great,
and consolation.
30
And he that trusteth in the Lord,
Sperātem autem in domino mi­sericordia circunda­bit.
he shallbe compast in
With mercie and remission
of all his former sin.
31
Be glad therefore ye righteous,
Vers. 11. Laetamini in domino, & exulta­te iusti.
and in the Lord reioice:
For he by grace hath made you iust,
through his most louing choice:
32
Which were before, stifnecked, proud,
now gentle meeke and mild;
Not by your merits, but by grace,
as father to his child.
33
All you that be vpright of hart,
Et gloriae­mini om­nes recti corde.
in God reioise also:
And to his will submit your will,
in anguish, paine, and wo.
34
And as S. Paule th'apostle was
made glad in his distresse,
So Lord in all extremitie
grant me the like successe: Amen.

Domine ne in furore. Psal. 38.

The first part.

1.
[...] Within my soule, ô Lord, doe maine
[...] troubles spring, Sometime by feare of
[...] punishment, that temprall things may
[...] bring:
2.
Which happen may to me, while.
[...] I this life abide, For mine offenses done
[...] to thee, which cannot passe vnspide:
3
Sometime, ô Lord, by feare
of sicknesse and disease,
Which here we suffer for his guilt,
that first did thee displease:
4
Sometime againe by feare
of death that follow must,
Which in a time vnlooked for,
shall all consume to dust:
5
And last by feare, ô Lord,
of euerlasting paine,
Which I by sinne haue well deseru'd
therein for to remaine.
6
But yet, ô blessed Lord,
when thou shalt angrie be;
Verse. 1. Dominene in furore tuo argua [...] me, ne (que) in ir a tu [...] corripias [...].
In furie thine correct me not,
nor powre thy wrath on me.
7
And though thy bowe be bent,
with arrowe set therein,
And readie thou my soule to wound,
for my committed sin:
8
Yet let thy mercie mooue
with ruth on me I craue;
Bicause thou knowest I can not giue
the thing that I not haue.
9
For thou must first me giue,
ere I can giue to thee:
For of my selfe, and from my selfe,
Verse. 2. Quoniam sagittae tuae infixae sunt mihi.
comes but iniquitie.
10
Thine arrowes, I confesse,
so deepe haue pearst my hart▪
[Page 22]That medicine none, ne other craft
can seuer them apart.
11
For if by craft I might
these wounds make whole againe,
And so escape eternall death,
and euerlasting paine;
12
My feare should be the lesse,
my ioie a great deale more:
But thou, ô Lord, the Leach must be,
for sicknesse mine and sore.
13
Thy hands thou hast enforst,
[...]t confir­masti su­per me ma­num tuā.
so heauie vpon me,
As death with dart, I know right well,
cannot auoided be.
14
O death! Vnto the man
that substance hath at will,
How sharpe and bitter is thy dart,
when thou comst him to kill?
15
Lord in my flesh I feele
Verse. 3. Non est sa­ [...]tas in carne mea.
no health there is at all
For when I thinke most sure to stand
I readiest am to fall.
16
But blessed are those men,
which neuer did offend
In sinfull lustes; but haue themselues
kept cleane vnto the end.
17
For in their soules they find
great quietnesse and rest,
And euerie thing they take in hand,
dooth turne vnto the best:
18
But contrarie to those,
that spend the day and night
In exercise of wickednesse,
and take therein delight.
19
For they in conscience feele
such businesse, broile, and strife,
That for to thinke vpon their sinne,
a hell is to their life.
20
O Lord, among those sort
my selfe haue gone astraie,
A faci [...] irae tuae.
And from the face of anger thine,
could neuer flee awaie:
21
Yet thou hast suffred me,
and giuen me grace at last,
For to acknowledge all my faults,
and wicked life now past.
22
My bones were void of rest,
Non est pax ossibus meis a fa­cie pecca­torum me­orum.
by reason of my sin,
And all my bodie grieued was,
without and eke within.
23
Sinne may well be compar'd
vnto a serpent vile,
Which with his bodie, head, and taile,
doth manie one beguile.
24
For where the serpents head
to enter dooth begin,
There all the bodie with the taile,
apace comes sliding in.
25
The motion first to sinne
vnto the head applic,
[Page 24]And when the hart consents thereto,
then is the bodie nie.
26
The fact once being done,
then is the serpents taile,
With head and bodie entred in,
where he must needes preuaile.
27
For why, this serpent sinne
Verse. 4. Quoniam iniquitates [...] super­gressae sunt cap [...]e me­ [...]: & si­eut onus graue gra­uatae sunt super me.
so high himselfe doth reare,
Aboue my head, the weight of whom
is more than I can beare.
28
And this by sufferance came,
by licence that I gaue,
This serpents head into my soule
his entrance first to haue.
29
For now hath he brought in,
his bodie, taile, and all;
And therewith dooth surcharge my soule
that she is like to fall.
30
The burthen is so great,
that manie times (alas)
She is compeld to doo the thing
she would not bring to passe.
31
Too hard it is for me
this serpent to expell;
It must be thou, o mightie King,
the strength of Israë [...]l.
32
Thou that the diuels drau'st foorth,
out of the men possest,
Vouchsafe this serpent to expell,
and set my soule at rest,
33
Thy grace must worke in me
to be contrite in hart,
And this from thee, to me must come,
withouten my desart.
34
My bones corrupted are,
Verse. 5. Putruer [...]t & corrupt [...]e­sunt cica­trices meae à facie in­sip [...]entiae meae.
and putrifide so sore,
By reason of my follies past,
that wo is me therefore.
35
The marks of my oldsinnes
doo rotten waxe againe,
And fresh and greene they doo appeare,
to further more my paine.
36
By reason of my sinne,
Miser fa­ctus sum.
I am a wretch becomme,
Setting my mind on earthlie things,
like beast both brute and domm [...].
37
And crooked am I made,
Verse. 6. Et curua­tus sum vs [...]que in [...]i­nem, totae die contrio­status in­grediebars.
vnto the verie end:
The day throughout continuallie
with wo and griefe I spend.
38
Because I am throwne downe,
and not compeld thereto;
No violence did me enforce
thus wickedlie to doo.
39
It was my will, which led
intelligence awrie;
And that which reason willed me,
the same did I denie.
40
Will is the middle part,
Lord, of my soule, I knowe:
[Page 26]And I my will for to exalt
did reason ouerthrowe.
41
Whereby my loines are full,
Verse. 7. Quon am lumbi mei impleti sunt illu­sionibus.
that is, my flesh, to say,
Replete is with illusions,
that me deceiue alway.
42
Ah wicked flesh of mine,
that dooth my soule entise!
Thou hurt'st thy selfe, offend'st my God,
by thy lewd exercise.
43
And by this lust of mine,
no health is in my flesh,
Non est sanitas in carne [...]iea.
For sinne my soule and bodie grieues
still day by day afresh.
44
My soule tormented is,
Verse. 8. Aff [...]ictus sum, & [...]n [...]nilia­tus sum nimis. Rugreham a gemitu cordis mei.
by sight of mind vncleane;
My bodie weake and feeble brought,
through lust made bare and leane.
45
Thus I afflicted s [...]re
and verie low am brought;
And am a bondman vnto sinne,
in word, in deed, and thought.
46
This sinne so setled is,
Verse. 9. Domine corā te est omne desi­iūer [...] meū, & gemitus meus à te non est ab­ [...]conditus.
that it will not depart,
Which causeth me To roare and crie,
with sorrow from my hart.
47
O Lord the great desire,
that doth proceed from mee,
And mourning much that I do make,
not hidden is from thee.
48
Thy sight is of great strength,
for end thereof is none,
And be the distance nere so far,
thy power and strength is one.
49
Thy sight, ô God attaines,
to distance all that bee,
And makes no change of more or lesse,
as is with vs we see.
50
My hart is troubled sore,
Verse. 10. Cor meum contur [...]a­tum est, de­reliquit me virtus mea, & lumen oculorum meorum, & ipsum non est [...].
my strength is gone me fro;
Likewise the sight of both mine eies
from me is gone also.
51
The tribulations great,
wherewith my sinfull hart
Is vext, and troubled night and daie,
about in eu'rie part;
52
Is, Lord, for feare of thee,
and of thy punishment,
which thou shalt render vnto me,
for this my life mispent.
53
O Lord, remooue from me,
this cloudie mist of mine,
And with thy grace and mercie mixt
annoint my dusked eine;
54
That I the way may see,
wherein thou hast delight,
And in the same my steps direct,
to walke both day and night: Amen.

The second part.

MY wretchednesse, ô Lord,
is more than may be said;
It's not alonelie griefe of hart,
that maketh me dismaid;
2
Ne feeblenesse of strength,
deprest with vices all,
Nor in the blindnesse of my soule,
which readie is to fall:
3
But otherwise it coms,
and still increaseth more,
Verse. 11. Amici [...]ei, & proximi mei aduer­sum me ap appropin­quab [...]nt & stete­ [...]unt.
That is, where I thought comfort find,
is turned to my sore.
4
My friends and neighbours, Lord,
in whom I put my trust,
Against me altogither stoode,
and shewd themselues vniust.
5
And they that stood me next,
farre off got them awaie;
And such as waited for my life,
Verse. 12. Et qui iux ta me erāt, de longè steterunt; & vim fa­ciebāt, qui quaerebant animam meam.
set on me as a praie.
6
The force of wicked fcends,
ô Lord, is verie strong:
No earthlie power is like to theirs,
if thou them suffer long
7
To exercise their force,
on sinners all that bee;
Not one among ten thousand shall
be left aliue to thee.
8
They studie to deceiue,
by worldlie pleasures vaine,
And ioies such as the flesh desires,
to bring vs endlesse paine.
9
These Lord, haue sought for me,
Et qui in­quirebant mala mihi, loquut [...] sunt vanitates; & dolos toto die me­ditabantur.
and wrought me ill the while,
And with deceitfull vanities
did dailie me beguile.
10
Lord manie times I feele,
when I thus tempted am,
Such pleasures spring, I ioie thereat,
not looking whence they cam:
11
Or at the least, ô Lord,
I would not vnderstand,
Ne see the snares for me were laid,
to bring me vnder hand,
Verse. 13. Et ego t [...] ­quā surdus non audie­bam, & si­cut mutus non aper [...] ­ens os suū.
12
The pleasures of the flesh
so sweete founds in mine eare,
That what is spoken there against,
I lift not for to heare:
13
But as one being dease,
with silence passe away,
And as a man that dumbe is borne,
Verse. 14. Et factus sum sicut homo non audiens, & non habens in ore suo redargu­tiones.
haue not a word to say.
14
In deede I must confesse
my selfe, I haue not fought,
Nor spake against my wickednesse,
in sort such as I ought.
15
But as one deafe and dumbe,
that sinne no time would blame,
[Page 30]Ne open would mine eares to heare,
how to auoid the same.
16
Yet true it is, ô Lord,
let man his faults confesse,
With sighes and sorrow from his hart,
he did thy lawes transgresse:
17
Yea, let him doo his best,
and satisfaction make;
And yet if he be void of hope,
thou wilt him sure forsake.
18
For Iudas sorrow made,
when he had thee betraid,
And did restore the siluer backe,
and downe againe it laid:
19
He openlie confest,
he sinned grieuouslie,
In that he had falslie betraid,
the innocent to die;
20
And wanting hope, we see,
into despaire he fell,
And hang'd himselfe vpon a tree,
among the rauens to dwell.
21
Hope is the gift, ô Lord,
that from thy grace proceeds; (loue
Verse. 15. Quoniam in te domi­ne speraui, iuexauds­es me do­mine deus meus.
And grace brings faith, and faith brings
from whom spring fruitfull deeds.
22
And for because that I
did alwaies hope in thee,
Thou wilt me heare, ô Lord my God,
and safe deliuer me.
23
My hope is firmely fixt,
and cannot be remoou'd;
Bicause thy grace assureth me,
my faith is not disproou'd.
24
This haue I said, ô Lord,
Verse. 16. Quia dixi ne quan [...]o super gau­deant mihi inimici mei [...] & dum co­mouentur pedes mei, super me magna lo­quuti sunt.
least arie time at all
Mine enimies, should ouer me
triumph to see me fall.
25
For whiles my feete did slide,
against me much they spake;
That is to say, whiles my desires,
the way to sinne did take,
26
And were from thee remoou'd
to follow lothsome lust;
Then did mine enimies reioise,
to see me in the dust.
27
But Lord, I me submit,
vnto thy discipline,
And meekelie take correction thine,
for old offenses mine.
28
And haue my selfe prepard
Verse. 17. Quoni [...]m ego in fla­golla para­tus sum, & dolor meus in conspec­tu meo sem­per.
vnto the whip of paine,
Whereby my griefe and dolor may
still in my sight remaine.
29
And, Lord, thou knowest of old,
there is no good in me;
Not one man good vpon the earth,
not one seekes after thee.
30
Among thy chosen sort,
vnfaithfulnesse was found,
[Page 32]Likewise among thy Angels bright
were thousands cast to ground:
31
Then how much more (alas)
of wretches such as I,
That dwell in houses made of clay,
must sinne continuallie?
32
I will confesse to thee
Verse. 18. Quoniam iniquitatē meam an­nunciabo, & cogita­bo pro pec­cato meo.
all mine vngodlinesse;
And for my sinnes will take more thought
than well I can expresse.
33
And yet, [...] Lord, thy grace
must worke this good in mee;
By which I stedfastlie beleeue
I chosen am of thee.
34
For now by grace I mind
my sinfull life t'amend,
And vnto vertue will applie
my life vnto the end.
35
I see the follies past,
wherein I tooke delight,
To be both vile, wicked and nought,
Verse. 19. Inimici autem mei viuunt, & confirmati sunt super me; & multipli­cati sunt, qui ode­ [...]unt me iniquè.
and odious in thy sight.
36
And though my foes doo liue,
and ouer me made strong,
And they which hated me are great
and doo me troble wrong:
37
No maruell it's, ô Lord,
for why, they mightie bee,
And are, except thy grace assist,
too strong alwaies for mee.
38
They haue long time deuis'd
deceitfull craftie ginnes,
And by the same haue ouerthrowne
the strongest in their sinnes.
39
If anie time I flee
repentance for to find,
Then one of these malicious spirits
assaileth streight my mind;
40
And with deuises new,
and frauds that be vnknowne
He craftilie doth me subdue,
and so makes me his owne.
41
Thus, Lord, when I am bent,
Verse. 20. Qui retri­buunt mala [...] pro bonis, detrahebāt mihi, quo­niam seque­bar boni­tatem.
thy goodnesse to pursue,
Mine enimies doo me detract,
and breed my bale anew.
42
The wicked feend (alas)
doth manie times me grieue;
The world also dooth follow me,
the daies I haue to liue;
43
The flesh dooth me prouoke
with lust both lewd and nought:
Thus by these three mine enimies,
I am in thraldome brought.
44
Yet, Lord, forsake me not,
Verse. 21. Ne derelin­quas me do­mine deus meus, ne discesseri [...] à me.
ne let thy grace depart;
Least that mine enimies vnawares
doo thorough pearse my hart.
45
And though sometime, ô Lord,
thy presence thou withdrawe,
[Page 34]Whereby the feend may entrance make,
and bring me more in awe:
46
Yet, Lord, thy grace restore
to me poore wretch againe;
That I thereby may him resist,
to make his trauell vaine.
47
Giue heede therefore my God,
Verse. 22. Intende in adiutoriū meum do­mine deu [...] s [...]lut is [...].
which art my helpe and health.
Whose mercie, and whose goodnes shewd
is to my soule chiefe wealth.
48
Giue temporall health, ô Lord,
as vnto thee seemes best;
And to my soule thy sauing health,
in heauen with thee may rest: Amen.

Miserere mei. Psal. 51.

The first part.

1.
[...] O thou that mad'st the world of nought,
[...] whom God thy creatures call, Which for­medst
[...] man like to thy selfe, yet suffredst
[...] him to fall:
2.
Thou God, which by
[...] thy heauenlie word did [...] fleshe of virgin
[...] take, And so becam'st both God & man,
[...] for sinfull fleshes sake:
3
O thou that sawest when man by sinne
to hell was ouerthrowne,
Didst meekelie suffer death on crosse,
to haue thy mercie knowne:
4
Thou God, which didst the Patriarks
and fathers old diuine,
From time to time preserue and keepe▪
by mercie great of thine:
5
O thou that Noah keptst from floud,
and Abram daie by daie,
As he along through Aegypt past,
didst guide him in the waie:
6
Thou God that Lot frō Sodoms plague
didst safelie keepe also,
And Daniel from the lions iawes,
thy mercie great to show:
7
O thou good God, that didst diuide
the sea like hils to stand,
That children thine might thorough pas
from cruell Pharoes hand;
8
So that when Pharao and his host,
thy children did subdue,
Thou ouerthrewst them in the sea,
to proue thy saiengs true:
9
O thou that Ionas in the fish
three daies didst keepe from paine,
Which was a figure of thy death,
and rising vp againe:
10
I say, thou God, which didst preserue
amidst the fierie flame,
[Page 37]The three yoong men, which sang therin
the glorie of thy name:
11
Thou God haue mercie on my soule,
Verse. [...]. Miserere mei deus secundum magnam misericor­diam tuam: & secundū multitudi­nem mise­rationum tuarum de▪ le iniquita­tem meam.
thy goodnesse me restore,
And for thy mercies infinite
thinke on my sinne no more.
12
O Lord the number of my sinnes
is more than can be told,
Wherefore I humblie doo desire
thy mercies manifold.
13
For small offense thy mercie small
may soone small faults suffice,
But I (alas) for manie faults
for greater mercie cries.
14
And though the number of my sins,
surpasse the salt sea sand,
And that the filth of them deserue,
the wrath of thy iust hand:
15
Yet doo thy mercies farre surmount,
the sinnes of all in all,
Thou wilt with mercie vs relieue,
for mercie when we call.
16
Right well I knowe, man hath not power
so much for to transgresse,
As thou with mercie maist forgiue
through thine almightinesse.
17
I doo confesse my faults be more
than thousands else beside,
More noisome, and more odious,
more fowler to be tride,
18
Than euer was the lothsome swine,
or menstruall cloth beeraid:
To thinke thereon my wofull soule,
(alas) is yet afraid.
19
Wherfore, good Lord, doo notbehold
how wicked I haue bin,
But wash me from my wickednesse,
Verse. 2. Ampliùs laua me ab iniquitate mea, & à peccato meo mun­da me.
and clense me from my sin.
20
The Israēlites being defil'd
durst not approch thee nie,
Till they their garments and themselues
had washed decentlie.
21
The Priests also eke clensed were
ere they thy face would see,
Else had they perisht in their sinne;
such, Lord, was thy decree.
22
Alas how much more need I then
to craue while I am heere,
To wash my foule and spotted soule
that it may cleane appeere?
23
Polluted cloths with filth distaind
doo manic washings craue,
Ere that the Launder can obteine
the thing that he would haue.
24
My soule likewise (alas) dooth need
thy manie dewes of grace,
Ere it be cleane; for cankred sinne
so deepe hath taken place.
25
The Leprosie that Naman had,
could not be done away,
[Page 39]Till he seuen times in lordan floud
had washt him day by day.
26
How manie waters need I then
for to be washed in,
Ere I be purged faire and cleane,
and clensed from my sin?
27
But, Lord, thy mercie is the Sope,
and washing lee also,
That shall both scowre & clense the filth
which in my soule doo grow.
28
Why should I then (alas) despaire
of goodnesse thine to mee,
When that thy iustice willeth me
to put my trust in thee,
29
Thy promise, Lord, thy mouth hath past,
which cannot be but true,
That thou wilt mercie haue on them,
that turne to thee anew.
30
I know, when heauen and earth shall passe,
this promise shall stand fast:
Wherefore into thy Maiestie,
I offer now at last,
31
An hart contri [...]e and sorrowfull,
Verse. 3. Quoniam iniquitatē meam ego cognes [...]o, & peccatū meum con­tra me es [...] semper.
with all humilitie;
For heinous sinnes by it conceiu [...]d
through mine iniquitie.
32
I doo acknowledge all my faults,
my sinnes stand me before;
I haue them in remembrance, Lord,
and will for euermore.
33
Bicause thou shouldst the same forget
I still doo thinke thereon,
And set it vp before my face,
alwaies to looke vpon.
34
Against thee [...]nlie haue I [...]ind
and done ill in thy sight;
Verse. 4. Tibisoli peccaui, & malum co­ràte feci.
In whom it lies to punish me,
or to forgiue me quight.
35
But sure my hope is firmelie fixt,
that thou wilt me forgiue;
For with thine honour shall it stand,
to suffer me to liue:
36
That all the world may witnesse thee,
Vt iustisi­ceris in ser­monibus [...]uis, & vinca [...] cū iudi [...]aris.
a iudge most iust to bee,
For that thou wilt thy promise keepe,
to all that trust in thee:
37
That is, our sinnes thou wilt remit,
and cleane forget them all,
And bend thine eares vnto our plaints,
when we vpon thee call.
38
O Lord consider with thy selfe,
what mettall I possesse;
Behold in sinne I was conceiud,
Verse. 5. Ecce [...]nim in iniqui­tatthus cō ­ceptus sum & in pec­catis con­ [...]ep [...]t me [...] mea.
and borne in wickednesse,
39
From Adam first this sin was drawne,
whereby I am made prone
To doo the ill should thee offend,
and let the good alone.
40
Yea, manie a time I am so drawne
to doo I would not doo,
[Page 41]And that I would I leaue vndone,
for want of might thereto;
41
Such is, ô Lord, the strength and force
of my concupiscence:
But yet of greater force than this,
is, Lord, thine indulgence.
42
For thou wilt mercie shew to them,
that mercie doo require;
And wilt not turne thy face from such
as mercie doo desire.
43
Surelie of honor more is thine,
through pitie men to saue;
Than by thy iustice to condemne
such as deserued haue.
44
Therefore, ô Lord, receiue me now,
which doo my selfe accuse;
To th'nd thou shouldst my sins forgiue,
and all my faultes excuse.
45
O Lord, I doo not hide my sinnes,
but shew them vnto thee;
Because thou shouldst thy mercie grant,
as thou hast promisd mee.
46
For neuer yet thou hast beene found
in anie word vniust,
Ne canst thou now begin at me,
since that in thee I trust.
47
Thou, Lord, hast euer loued truth,
Verse. 6. Eteni [...] veritatem dilexisti.
and truth thou art most sure,
Thou art the verie veritie
for euer to endure.
48
Thou promisedst to Abraham,
his seede to multiplie,
Euen as the stars, and as the sand
that in the sea doth lie.
49
To Ishac and to Iacob eke,
like promise didst thou make;
And thou the same performed hast,
for this thy promise sake.
50
Thou promisedst to Iosue,
to strength him with thine hand;
And so he slue the Chananites,
and did diuide their land.
51
To Gedeon thou promise mad'st,
that he should set at large
The Israëlites, which were in thrall,
and in their en'mies charge.
52
When Ezechias lay sore sicke;
and well nie at deaths dore;
Thou promis'dst him his health againe,
to liue fifteene yeares more.
53
Thus hast thou kept thy promises,
to thousands else beside;
Who haue reposed trust in thee,
thou hast not helpe denide.
54
Euen so, good Lord, thy promise kepe
with me that am vniust,
A scabbed sheepe, one of thy flocke,
and ouerchargd with lust.
55
Which of long time haue run astray,
the time since I was borne,
[Page 43]Yet now returnd with heauie hart,
that's with repentance torne.
56
Thus hath thy grace now called me,
with mercie of thine hand;
And what thy will and pleasure is,
by grace I vnderstand.
57
Thou hast reuealed vnto me
the things that be vnknowne,
The secret points of wisedome thine
thy grace to me hath showne.
Incerta & occulta [...] manifesta­sti mihi.
58
The mysteries that hidden were
within thy sacred word,
Thou hast to vs made manifest,
by Iesus Christ our Lord.
59
I am now fed with bread of life,
that shall my hunger slake;
And from dame wisedoms water-springs
my drinke I often take.
60
Now wisdome hath cast out hir floud,
the plants all watred bee,
And still she seekes to lighten those,
that put their trust in thee.
61
Of this hir floud S. Paule did drinke,
and he vs taught thereby,
Thy wisdome, Lord, which secret was,
and hidden long did lie:
62
As thou to him didst manifest,
by thy free spirit before,
Which searcheth out the verie depth
[Page 44]of secrets thine and store.
63
Of this, Lord, part I tasted haue,
through mercie shewd to me,
And am now taught by them to know,
mine owne infirmitie:
64
And by it am I taught likewise
thy goodne [...]e for to know,
Beseeching thee this worke begun,
may neuer part me fro.
65
So that the light which kindled is,
in me by thy great grace,
May so increase, as darknesse, Lord,
may neuer more take place.

The third part.

With Hyssope, Lord, besprinkle me,
Verse. 7. Asperges me donune Hyssope & [...]: lauabis me, & supra niu [...]m d [...] ­alba [...]or.
and clense me from my sin:
More whiter then shall I be made,
than euer snow hath bin:
2
Thou didst command this herb with blood
a sprinkle for to be,
To sprinkle such as clensed were
from lothsome leprosie.
3
A bundle of this herbe, ô Lord,
thou didst command also
To dip in blood of simple sheepe,
and therewithall to show
4
Vpon the doore-posts of the house,
the slaier might it see,
[Page 45]Wherby the plague might shun the place
and from thy people flee.
5
These vnto vs doo represent
the blood of thy deere Sonne,
Without the which no man is cleane,
what euer can be donne.
6
And he that marks his soule therewith
and puts his trust therein,
The slaier hath no power to hurt,
nor plague him for his sin.
7
If with this grace thou sprinkle me,
I shall be white I knowe;
And though as blood my sinnes appeare,
they shall be like the snowe:
8
Yea, though my sinnes as purple were
or as the scarlet die,
Thy grace shall make them as the wooll,
t'appeare before thine eie.
9
Then shall I heare the words of ioie,
Verse, 8. Auditui meo dabis gaudium & laetitiā.
of gladnesse so likewise,
That Nathan to king Dauid spake,
whom thou didst not despise.
10
That is, My sinnes are now put out,
what euer I haue donne,
And are forgiuen me quite and cleane,
by Iesu Christ thy sonne.
11
Then shall I heare the words Christ spake,
to him the palsie had;
My sonne thy sinnes are thee forgiuen,
arise, go home, be glad.
12
Then shall I heare thee also speake
by inspiration,
Whereby I shall be comforted
in tribulation.
13
Yea, Lord, The bones thou broken hast,
E [...] exulta­bunt o [...]a quae con­f [...]egisti▪
shall then againe reioice▪
Through working of thy heauenly grace
and sweetnesse of thy voice:
14
That is, The powers of my poore soule
whom sin so weake hath brought,
Whereby it wanted power to worke
the good it long time sought,
15
Shall then recouer that was lost,
and be reuiu'd againe,
And through the quick'ning of the spirit
sinne shall no more remaine.
16
Wherefore, Thy face turne from my sins,
Verse. 9. Auertc faciem tu­ [...]m à pec­catis meis, & omnes iniquita­tes meas dele.
and wipe my faults awaie,
And eke all mine iniquities;
most humblie I thee praie:
17
I meane the face of iustice thine,
where with thou doost behold
The sinnes we dailie doo commit,
to punish manifold:
18
This face, good Lord, turne y u from me
and from the faults I make,
And them forget, and me forgiue,
for thy great mercie sake.
19
But, Lord, the face of mercie thine,
from me turne not awaie,
[Page 47]But therewithall behold me still,
and helpe me daie by daie.
20
For what am I, if that thy grace
thou take awaie from mee?
A bondman vnder sinne and death,
and cast awaie of the [...].
21
And euerie man thy grace that wants
shall haue an hart of stone,
As Pharao had, after thy grace
departed was and gone.
22
He shall both see and heare indeed,
yet shall be deafe and blind;
His eares and eies shall stopped be,
the truth he shall not find.
23
His hart likewise shall frozen be,
or as the stonie wall;
He shall thy creatures like and loue,
and loue not thee at all:
24
Yea, such a hart, ô Lord, in me
long time hath taken place,
Which no waie can be mollifide,
but by thy speciall grace.
25
Wherefore I praie thee hart [...]lie,
remooue this hart from me;
And, Lord, in me a new hart make,
Verse. 10. Cor mun­dum cre [...] in me deus.
that flexible may be:
26
A fleshie hart, both soft and meeke,
an hart that I may knowe
Thou art the Lord, without whose grace
no goodnesse I can showe.
27
This grace it is that must reuiue
a right spirit, Lord, in me.
E t spiritū rectum.
My spirit through sinne is crooked made,
and lothsome for to see.
28
Make it vpright therefore to be,
Innou [...] in visceribus mei [...].
and that decline it may
From worldlie pleasures light & vaine,
that vanish soone away.
29
Vouchsafe, ô Lord, to heauenlie things
my spirit may still aspire,
And with thy grace replenisht be,
most humblie I desire.
30
Let neither yet aduersitie,
nor worldlie wealth also
Plucke downe my spirit, nor hinder it,
where it desires to go.
31
Nor cast me off at anie time,
Vers. 11. Ne proi [...] ­cias me à facie tua; & spiritū sanct [...]n tuū ne au­feras à me.
from presence of thy face;
Ne take from me thy holie spirit,
ô Lord, in anie case.
32
My sins, good Lord, behind thee cast,
there euer to remaine:
But cast not me from thy sweet face,
as thou didst wicked Caine.
33
Nor from thy fauour cast me so,
as thou didst cast king Saule,
For if that I thy presence loose,
I cannot choose but fall.
34
O Lord how sweet and gratious
is this thy spirit most pure!
[Page 49]It leadeth those that loueth thee,
where righteous folke endure.
35
Grant, Lord, that this thy holie spirit
may dwell within me still,
And me confirme in righteousnesse,
according to thy will.

The fourth part.

O Lord my God, restore to me
thy sauing helth againe,
Vers. 12. Redde mi­hi Laetitiā salutaris tui, & spi­ritu prin­cipal [...] con­firma m [...].
And stablish me with thy chee [...]e spirit,
that it may still remaine,
2
My sins, ô Lord, haue beene the cause
that I thy grace did want,
And when thy grace departed was,
I found thy spirit but scant:
3
The losse wherof did greeue me much,
and by the same I found
All goodnesse gone, all wickednesse
within me to abound.
4
For light and darknesse may not be▪
at one time in one place;
No more may sinne and wickednes
associate be with gra [...]e.
5
Wherefore, the greatnesse of my losse
hath made my greefe the more;
And where in sinne I had delight,
I now repent it sore.
6
Behold therefore, most mightie God,
mine inward greefe of mind;
[Page 50]And of thy goodnesse me restore,
to that I cannot find:
7
I meane thy holie sacred spirit,
which I through weakenesse lost,
Mine enimies were strong and fierce,
and cruellie me tost:
8
So that my soule too feeble was,
their power for to withstand;
Good Lord in grace yet once againe
confirme me with thy hand:
9
And let thy spirit no more depart,
no Lord, not when I die,
But that it may still with my soule
remaine continuallie.
10
Then shall I stedfastlie instruct
the wicked in thy waie,
Verse. 13. Docebo in­iquos vias [...]uas; & [...]npij ad [...]e conuer­tentur
Whereby they may to thee returne,
that long haue gone astraie.
11
I will my selfe put foorth, ô Lord,
to sinners all that bee,
As an example them to cause
for to returne to thee.
12
I will not cease for to declare
thy iustice euerie where,
And of thy iudgement bring them all
in terrour and in feare.
13
And then will I againe extoll
thy mercies ouer all,
To plucke them from despairing, Lord,
least anie therein fall.
14
Thus shall I able to doo,
being confirmd in thee,
By working of thy holie spirit,
which thou shalt put in mee.
15
Thy seruant Moses was afraid
to go on message sent,
Till thou promis'dst to be with him,
when he to Pharao went:
16
After which time he doubted not,
but foorth went on his waie,
Accomplishing thy holie hest,
as thou didst bid him saie.
17
the seuentie elders of the host,
to thee whom Moses brought,
Till part of Moses spirit they had,
were able to doo nought:
18
But after that, they prophesied,
and did the people guide,
And ruled them with righteousnes
and truth on euerie side.
19
Lord, Peter at a womans voice,
thy sweet sonne Christ denaid,
And readie was him to forsake;
he was so sore afraid:
20
Vntill that thou reuiuedst him
with this thy spirit of grace:
Yea, Lord, thy sonnes Apostles all
were bidden for a space
21
To bide within Ierusalem,
in praier and in loue;
[Page 52]Till they were with thy holie spirit
fulfilled from aboue.
22
Wherfore send downe thy noble spirit
in me the same to be,
And from the guiltinesse of blood,
Vers. 4. Libera me de sangui­nibus deus deus salu­tis meae.
good God deliuer me.

The fift part.

THou God, that God art of my health,
deliuer me, I praie,
From sinne that I committed haue
against thee daie by daie.
2
A multitude of sinnes there be
from flesh and blood that growe,
Which I through my concupiscence
haue dailie done I know.
3
And this corruption is in me
by nature, as I find;
For what is he can make that cleane,
that is vncleane by kind?
4
How can a man of woman borne
be cleane? I faine would know;
The child that is but one daie old,
is yet vncleane also.
5
Thus flesh & blood such works bring foorth,
as aie corrupted bee,
And therefore cannot heauen enioie,
ne dwell and reigne with thee.
6
Vpon corrupted nature mine,
ô Lord, powre foorth thy grace;
[Page 53]And from these bloods deliuer me,
and all my sinnes deface.
7
Then, Lord, shall I be purged cleane
from all my wickednesse,
Which grant, good God, So shall my toong
exalt thy righteousnesse:
Et exalt [...] ­bit lingu [...] mea iusti­tiā tu [...]n [...],
8
In that thou mercie shewst to me,
being a wicked man,
Giuing me grace pensiue to be,
my greeuous sinnes to scan.
9
Making me iust that am vniust,
wherein thou God art found,
In mercie, truth, and righteousnesse
most perfect, sure and sound.
10
But yet, ô Lord, before my toong
thy righteousnesse can raise,
My lips and mouth thou open must,
Vers. 15. Domine labia mea aperies, & os meū an­nunciab [...] laudē [...]
whereby to shew thy praise.
11
For else, vnseemelie praise will be,
where lips be lickt with sin;
And where the mouth with wickednesse
is stuffed full within.
12
Good Lord, the Prophet Esaie,
when he thy glorie sawe,
Confest his lips to be vncleane,
and there [...]ore stood in awe;
13
Vntill such time a Seraphin
thou sent'st, with burning cole
His lips to touch, and therewithall
he by and by was whole:
14
I meane that his vnrighteousnes
was then forgiuen him quight,
And all his sinnes and wickednes
was cleane put out of sight.
15
O Lord my God, in such a sort
vouchsafe my mouth to tuch▪
That I thy glorie may set foorth
to little and to much.
16
To offer sacrifice to thee,
Verse. 16. Quoniam si voluisses sacrifici­um, dedis­sem vti [...] ▪ holocau­stis non de­lectaberis.
or offrings burnt were vaine;
No pleasure, Lord, hast thou in them,
nor ought in them remaine.
17
They were but figures of that thing,
which now to passe is come,
That is, the liuelie sacrifice
of Iesus Christ thy sonne.
18
To offer gold to thee, ô Lord,
or treasure of the land,
It needeth not; sith all the world
is thine, and at thy hand.
19
And yet I will not emptie come,
but offer vnto thee
An humble spirit, with hart contrit [...],
Verse. 17. Sacrificiū deo spiri­tus contri­bul [...]tus; cor contri­tū & hu­miliat [...]m deus non despicies.
for mine iniquitie.
20
This sacrifice, ô Lord, I knowe
thou wilt no time despise;
But it behold, and looke thereon
with thy most gratious eies:
21
And, Lord, for y there nothing should
be left behind in mee,
[Page 55]Both bodie, soule, and all hir powers
I offer vnto thee:
22
And as a liuelie sacrifice,
as Ezechias did,
Such time as he thy fauour got,
and health rcouerid.
23
The same did Marie Magdalen
offer in humble sort:
The theefe also vpon the crosse
to his endlesse comfort.
24
Great numbers mo vnspeakable
by this thy fauour wan;
And I, through grace, now penitent,
although a sinfull man,
25
Doo claime no lesse of mercie thine,
for to be shewd to me:
Bicause thou art, as then thou wast,
and euermore shalt be.
[...]6
To Sion, Lord, likewise shew foorth
thy fauour and thy grace;
Verse. 18. Benign [...] fac domin [...] in bona vo­luntate tu [...] Sio [...].
That is, vnto thy faithfull flocke
disperst from place to place.
27
Such as depend on thee alone,
and doo themselues forsake,
Vpon the walles of this thy fort
thou, Lord, must vndertake
28
Watchmen to set, continuallie
the same for to defend,
Least that the en'mies vnawares
bring all to wofull end.
29
Thou knowst, ô Lord, of what small force
mankind hath euer bin,
Since first our father Adam fell,
when he committed sin.
30
Helpe vs therfore, most mightie God,
so with thy heauenlie grace.
As we in building Sion here,
by faith may see thy face:
31
So shal we then, through mercie thine
be squared stones meet found
To building of Ierusalem,
Vt aedificē [...]ur muri [...]erusalē.
whose walles doo still abound
32
With liuely stones of thy true church
heere militant in earth;
Where thine elect still offer shall,
while thou shalt spare them breath,
33
Such offrings burnt, as thou best lou'st
which is of thanks & prai [...]e,
We shall not spare the same to doo,
while life shall length our daies.
34
This sacrifice of iustice is,
Sacrifici [...]s̄ iust it [...]ae.
which all thy creatures craue
To giue the same onelie to thee,
most worthie so to haue.
Vers. 19. Tunc ac­ceptabis [...]blationes & holoca [...] sta, tun [...] imponent super alta­re tuu [...] vitulos.
35
This is the bullocks of our lips,
whereof the Prophet saies,
We shall with lips vnto thy name
confesse most condigne praise:
36
Which shall to thee accepted bee,
ten thousand times much more,
[Page 57]Then were the bullocks great and fat.
offred in time before.
37
Lord grant we may in number be
of thine elected sort,
which shall this sacrifice present
vnto our soules comfort:
38
And that as burning incense sweete
thou wilt receiue the same,
Vpon thine altar, which is Christ,
our meane for sin and blame: Amen.

Domine exaudi. Psal. 102.

The first part.

OBlessed and most mightie God,
Sing this t [...] the tune of 51. Psalme.
of grace the fountaine, spring
Of mercie, great and plentifull,
most rich in euerie thing:
2
Thy blessed sonne in power with thee,
is euen the same thou art,
In wisedome, knowledge, and mercie
alike in euerie part:
3
Thou didst not spare him down to send
from heauenlie throne aboue,
To suffer death, mankind to saue;
so ardent was thy loue.
4
Thou mad'st him poore was rich before
to make vs rich thereby;
For now is he made one with vs,
through power of Deitie.
5
Good Lord my praier hearken t [...],
Verse. 1. Domine exaudi [...] ­rationem meam, & clamor [...] ad [...]e ven [...]at.
and let my dolefull crie
Come vnto thee, and pearse the eares
of thine high Maiestie.
6
Shew foorth, ô Lord, thy countenance
of delectable showe,
And with the eies of pitie thine,
some fauour on me throwe.
Verse. 2. Non auer­tas faciem tuam à me in quacun­que die tri­ [...]ulor incl [...] ­na ad me a [...]rem tu­ [...]m.
7
And in the daie of trouble mine
thine eare bow downe to mee,
And turne not thou thy face awaie,
when I shall call on thee:
8
But chee [...]lie at the point of death,
giue eare and me defend;
And let thy grace procure and worke
in me a ioifull end.
9
In whatsoeuer daie I call,
In qua­cun (que) die [...]uocaue­ro te, velo­citer exau­di me.
ô Lord, with speed giue eare:
And me deliuer from the greefs
of troubles and of feare.
10
In speedie calling on thy name,
ô Lord, thou tak'st delight,
And answer thine more readie is,
than anie may recite.
11
Wherfore in hast make speed, ô Lord,
in hearing, when I praie;
As I by need am driuen to craue
thi [...]e aiding helpe and staie.
12
For why, the time of life is short
that I haue here to bide,
[Page 59]And am vncerteine of the time
when time from me shall slide.
13
At first thou Adam didst in due,
when he created was,
With life of immortalitie;
but sinne brought death (alas)
14
Which death from him is due to vs,
that beareth life this daie,
Verse. 3. Quia de­ [...]ecerunt si­cut [...]umus dies [...]
.
So that my daies like to the smoke
consume and waste awaie.
15
Age ouertaketh youth, I see,
and youth by stealth dooth flie,
As dooth the smoke vanish awaie
aloft vnder the skie.
16
Yea manie times it chanceth so,
ere age come vs vpon,
That death by stroke such wound dooth make
that life with speed is gone.
17
Thus passeth foorth my time of life,
more swifter I may sa [...]e,
Than is the ship good vnder saile,
or eagle after praie.
18
My bones are waxen verie drie,
Et ossa me [...] sicu [...] cremi­um [...]rue­runt.
as is the fierbrand,
Or as the pot of claie, which dooth
in flaming fornace stand.
19
As bones of mine doo well susteine
the flesh the bodie keeps;
So dooth the powers of soule susteine
the soule that neuer sleeps:
20
Which being moistned with thy grace
shall quicke and liuelie bee,
And able for to worke those works
most pleasing vnto thee.
21
But if thy grace be still withdrawne,
then all shall drie remaine;
Both bodie, soule, and al their powers
in euerlasting paine.
Vers. 4. Percussu [...] [...]um vt fae­ [...]ū, & ar­uit cor me­um.
22
Full well may man be likened i [...]
the grasse or withered ha [...],
My hart is striken with remorse,
bicause I went astray.
23
So long as man by gift of grace
dooth liue, and worke aright:
So long is he greene flourishing,
and liuelie in thy sight.
24
But when that sinne makes entrie in,
which causeth man to fall,
Then by and by he withereth,
and barren is withall.
25
I haue forgot my bread to eate,
Quia obli­tus sum cō ­ed [...]re panē meum.
that thou to me didst giue;
Which is thy holie sacred word,
by which my soule doth liue.
26
And I haue eaten of the fruit
of the forbidden tree,
And tasted haue of sinne and death,
and brought thy wrath on mee.
27
Wherefore my leaues wither awaie,
my fruit falles on the ground,
[Page 61]And as a barren tree am left
vnperfect and vnsound.
28
The feareful voice of sentence thine,
for mine offenses donne,
Doth cause me mourne, lament & grone
my time yet for to ronne.
vers. 5. A voce ge­mitus mei, adhaesit os meum carni meae.
29
And with the voice of mourning mine,
my bones haue cleaued hard
vnto my flesh, and sticke so fast,
that nothing I regard.
30
Thus like vnto a pellican
I draw my selfe alone,
Vers. 6. S [...]milis fa­ctus sum pellicano solitudinis.
And call to mind my greeuous crimes,
and doo the same bemone.
31
The pellican as some report,
hir harmelesse birds doth kill,
And three daies after mourneth shee,
and is vnquiet still;
32
Then with hir breake hir breast she plucks
till bloud guish out amaine,
Which she lets drop vpon hir yoong,
till they reuiue againe.
33
Thus, Lord, doo I with my sweet birds,
which are my works through grace,
By sinne committed I them kill,
and doo them all deface:
34
But yet by praier for thy grace,
which springs of grace indeed,
The said dead works are quicke againe,
my sicklie soule to feed.
35
And Adam was a pellican,
touching some propertie;
For through his [...]inne he slue the birds
came of his progenie:
36
And dead he had remained still,
had not sweet Christ thy sonne
Shed foorth his blood, vs to reuiue,
by mercie great was donne.
37
He kils, and can raise vp to life;
he strikes, and heales againe;
As in the persecution
of Paule appeered plaine.
38
Shame causeth me for to withdrawe
my selfe to be alone,
Factus sum sicut [...]yctico­ [...]ax in do­ [...]icili [...].
As dooth the crowe that flies by night,
which would be seene of none.
39
And if I could, I would me hide
from thee, as Adam did,
Such time he tasted of the fruit,
that thou didst him forbid,
40
The works of darknes loued I,
and therefore did I flee
From the most bright and shining sunne
of iustice due to mee.
Verse. 7. Vigilaui & factus [...]um sicu [...] passer so­ [...]tarius in tecto.
41
O Lord, for this cause doo I sigh,
still sorrowe, weepe, and waile,
As one that ouerwatched is,
whose rest and sleepe dooth faile.
42
And as the sparrowe doo I watch,
that drawes hir selfe alone▪
[Page 63]Vnder the euings of the house,
hir fellowes want to mone.
43
And to augment my greefe withall,
mine enimies all daie
Doo raile on me, and me reuile;
Verse. 8. Tota di [...] exprobr [...] ­bant m [...]hi inimici mei.
so spiteful as they may.
44
Alas, againe, My feined freends,
that praised me before,
Against me now conspire themselues,
Et quilau­d [...]bant me, aduersum me tur [...] ­bant.
and vexe me verie sore.
45
Such false and feined flatring friends,
much woorse and harmefull bee,
Than those that openlie professe
and shew their en [...]mitie.
46
But both those sorts are sent to me,
for plague vnto my sin,
And for the great iniquitie
that I haue wallowed in.

The second part.

My bread with ashes doo I eate;
Verse. 9. Quia cine­rem tanqua p [...]nem mā ­ducabam.
that is, I right well knowe,
As I of earth and slime was made,
to earth againe shall go.
2
Thus, in such bitter thoughts as these,
I eate my bread withall,
And ming my drinke with weeping teares,
Et potum meum cu [...] fletu mis­ceba [...].
that from mine eies doo fall:
3
Bicau [...]e thou angrie art with me
for mine offenses past;
[Page 64]O Lord, I know when time shall come,
of iudgement day at last:
Vers. 10. A facie i­ [...]ae & in­dignatio­nis tuae.
4
Thy wrath and Indignation,
shall then proceed from thee,
And fall vpon the heads of those
that worke iniquitie.
5
O Lord theu hast me lifted vp,
Quia ele­ [...]asti me, & allisisti me.
and throwne me to the ground,
In that thou mad'st me like thy selfe,
ere I was to be found.
6
No higher couldst thou lift me vp
than to beatitude;
But then (alas) thou let'st me fall,
whereby I this conclude.
7
My noble soule thou ioined hast
with massie earth and claie,
And bodie fraile, the weight whereof
driues downe my mind alwaie,
8
and Lord, in my creation
thou hast set me so hie,
Aboue all other creatures
that are vnder the skie.
9
And almost equall am I made
with blessed Angels thine;
But in this state when I transgresse,
damnation then is mine.
10
So that without thy mercies helpe
I am in farre woorse plight
Than anie beast, whose life or soule
with bodie dies outright.
11
My daies (alas) awaie d [...]o passe,
Vers. 11. Dies mei sicut vm­bra de [...]li­nauerunt, & ego sicu [...] faenum aru [...].
as shadowe new begunne;
And I am withered like the grasse,
changed by heate of sunne.
12
Lord grant in shadow of this life,
I may haue grace to see
The light and knowledge of thy word,
and waies prepard for mee:
13
Which word giues light vnto the babe
yet sucking at the brest;
For after that this life is past,
repentance none dooth rest.
14
And since the time, ô Lord, is short
of mine abiding heere,
Thy grace continue towards me,
my guiltinesse to cleere.
15
For truelie thine abiding is
for euer to endure,
Vers. 12. Tu autē do­mine in ae­ternū per­manes, & memoriale tuum in ge­nerationem & genera­tionem.
And thy remembrance throughout
all generations sure.
16
But what is thy rememberance,
through generations all?
It is the diuine propertie,
that vnto thee dooth fall.
17
For to be meeke and mercifull,
which thou hast euer donne,
From time to time, and age to age,
since first the world begonne;
18
And art more mindfull of our state,
and readier to forgiue,
[Page 66]Than is the mother of hir child
late borne with hir to liue.
19
Arise therefore, and mercie shew,
Vers. 13. Tu exsu [...] ­ [...]ens muse­reberis Si­on.
good Lord, vpon Sion,
Which is thy faithfull people all,
or congregation.
20
For time it is on hir to looke,
Quia tem­pu [...] mise­rendi e­ [...]s, quia vemt tem­pu [...].
and mercie thine extend;
She hath long time great paine sustaind,
whereof the craues an end.
21
What is this time, whereof we speake?
was euer anie time,
In which thou didst not mercie shew
to louing seruants thine?
22
No verelie. For from the time
the angels downe did fall,
Vntill the time the world shall end,
thy mercie euer shall,
23
As it hath bin, from time to time,
vpon all that repent;
But cheeflie was thy mercie shew'd
when Christ was hither sent
24
To suffer death, to win vs life:
thereby he enter might
The glorie of thy Maiestie,
aboue the angels bright.
25
This time was cald the time of grace,
and was appointed, when
The fulnesse of the time was come,
which was vnseene to men.
26
And yet before, this time to him
was seene by Deitie,
Wherby, ô Lord, all things thou doost
in order with mercie.
27
This time of heauenlie grace we trust
shall still continue heare,
To those in time that serueth thee
with penance, loue and feare.
28
The stone of Sion pleased well
thy seruants for thy truth,
Vers. 14. Quoniam placuerūt seruis tuis lapides e­ius, & ter­rae eius mi­serebuntur.
and they vpon the ground thereof
shall pitie haue and ruth.
29
Apostles thine thy seruants were,
the stones good Christians bee;
And thou the sure foundation
of this faire worke to see.
30
Not vpon man, nor angels bright
did they this building laie;
Vers. 15. Et time­bunt gen­tes nomen tuum do­mine, & omnes re­ges terrae gloriam tu­am.
But vpon thee the corner stone,
of all their worke the staie.
31
And as the heathen, Lord, shall feare
and tremble at thy name;
So Sion shall thy faithfull Church,
giue glorie to the same.
32
Bicause thou, Lord, hast Sion built,
thou wilt be seene therein,
Vers. 16. Quia aedi­sicauit do­minus Sion▪ & videbi­tur in glo­ria [...]a.
In glorie and great maiestie,
with mercie for our sin.
33
Wherefore, most louing father deere,
regard our humble sute,
[Page 68]And not dispise the plaints we make,
nor doo our sinnes impute.
Vers. 17. Respexit in oratio­nem humi­lium, & non spre­ [...]it precem eorum.
34
As thou beheldst the sacrifice
that Abel gaue to thee,
And as the praier ludith made;
so cast thine eie on mee.
35
With those same eies vouchsafe to looke
vpon vs, when we praie,
Whereby the fame of mercie thine
may wirtten befor aie
36
For those that after vs shall come,
Vers. 18. Scribātur baec [...] ge­neratione alterà, & pop [...]lus qui crea­bitur lau­ [...]abit do­mim [...]n.
by faith that borne shall be,
To render thanks, due laud, and praise
vnto thy Maiestie.
37
This mercie sure annexed is
to nature thine diuine;
When all was lost through deadlie sin,
yet didst thou make vs thine.
38
Thou Lord aloft,
Vers. 19. Quia pro­spexit de excelso sancto suo dominus de caelo in terram as­pexit.
from heauenlie throne,
didst view all things alowe;
And wouldst vouchsafe vpon the earth
thy gratious eyne to throwe;
39
To see and heare the plaints we make,
that [...]ettered be in thrall,
And sent'st thy deere beloued sonne
from sinne to loose vs all:
Vers. 20. Vt audi­ret gemi­tus com­pcdito­rum, vt soluerec silios inte­remptorum.
40
And he thereby put downe the diuel,
of death that victor was,
And death in vict'rie was consum'd,
this hath he brought to pas.
41
For why his sting of deadlie sinne,
thou Lord hast pluckt away,
To make vs thinke of goodnesse thine
wherein reioise we may:
42
And th [...]t in Sion we may shew
the glorie of thy name,
Vers. 21. Vt. annun­cient in Sion nomen domini, & laudem eius in Ierusa­lem.
And likewise in Ierusalem
with praise to doo the same:
43
That is, when we togither meete
in faith, with one accord,
As well the kings, as subiects poore,
to serue and praise the Lord.
Vers. 22. Quum col­ligentur po­puli simul, & reges, ve seruiant deo,
44
Thou art, ô Lord, in substance one,
and yet in persons three;
To whom all powers in heauen & earth,
obeisance giue to thee.
45
Thou sendest downe thy dews of grace
vpon vs for to light,
That we therwith good works may shew
to eu'rie bodies sight.
46
I answere may,
Vers. 23. Respondiei in via vir­tutis suae.
by no meanes else,
good works be wrought by me,
But by the vertue and the grace,
that dooth proceed from thee.
47
Thorough thy might thy laws we kepe
not of our selues we knowe,
But by the measure of thy grace,
thou didst on vs bestowe.
Paucitatē di [...]rum me­ [...]rum nun­cia mihi.
48
And yet ô Lord, I faine would know
how short my daies shall be;
[Page 70]And eke how long mine enimies
shall triumph ouer me:
49
Which is, thy Church desires to know
how long she shall abide,
Beset with cruell enimies
about on euerie side.
50
To whom thou hast an answere made,
by Christ thy blessed sonne,
That still thy power with hir shall bee,
vntill the world be donne.
51
And we hir children thee desire,
to bring vs to the end
Of this short time, that we with thee
may to the heauens ascend.
52
And til that time, good Lord vouchsafe
thou wilt continue still
Thy grace and fauour towards vs,
according to thy will:
53
And not to leaue me anie time
in middle of my daies;
Vers. 24. Nereuo [...]es me in di­midio die­rum meo­rum.
But by thine aid bring all my time
to end, vnto thy praise:
54
That after these my temporall daies,
I may behold and see
Thine euerlasting daies and yeeres,
In gene­rationem & genera­tionem a [...]m tui.
which cannot numbred bee,
55
For all times heere doo swiftlie passe,
as time that is vnsure;
But yet time of Eternitie
for euer shall endure.
56
For why, ô Lord, Eternitie
is verie substance thine;
Which substance who so seekes to know,
no reason can define.

The third part.

WIthout beginning, Lord, thou wast,
Verse. 25. In initio tu domine ter­ram fundâ­sti, & ope­ra manuum tuarum sun [...] coeli.
and yet beginning gaue
To heauen and earth, and all therein,
which that creation haue.
2
Thy hands them wrought, which is thy power
thy word them made also,
And at the last, They perish shall,
and motion theirs forgo.
Verse. 26. Ipsi peri­bunt.
3
Their substance stil they all shal kepe,
yet all shall changed bee;
For heuen and earth shall new be made,
of glorie great to thee.
4
Likewise the bodies of all men
shall perish with the rest,
And in another sort shall rise,
to thee as seemeth best.
5
But thou, Lord, trulie shalt endure
in thy high glorie great,
Tu [...]utem permanes.
In maiestie omnipotent,
sitting on mercie seat;
6
When all shall wax and weare awaie,
Et omnes sicut vesti­mentum ve­terassen [...]: & sicut [...] ­pertorium mutabis eos, & mu­tabuntur.
as garments old to see,
And as a vesture new put on,
we all shall changed bee.
7
As garments to the bodie are
to couer them withall;
So be the bodies of the soule,
their vestures and their pall:
8
But thou art euen the selfe same one▪
Vers. 27. Tu autem idemipse es.
which euer doost abide,
That is to saie, omnipotent,
and so is none beside.
9
Inuisible thou art likewise,
immortall eke withall;
And as thy yeeres shall neuer faile,
Et anni tui non de [...]ici­ [...]ut.
so euer bide they shall:
10
So shall the soules of thine elect
immortallie remaine,
In ioie and great felicitie,
not knowing anie paine.
11
The soules of those that wicked are
immortall be also,
But they contraire shall endure
continuall paine and wo.
12
And Lord, The sonnes of seruants thine
togither they shall dwell:
Verse. 28. Filij seruo­rum tuorū [...]ita­bunt: & semen eo­rum in se­culum di­ [...]igetur.
Likewise their seed shall in thy sight
still prosper and doo well,
13
Thy seruants, Lord, the prophets were
Apostles thine also,
From whom by faith we haue receiu'd,
as we beleeue and know.
14
And now vouchsafe, most mightie God,
to send vs of thy grace;
[Page 73]That in this life our faith by works
may shine in euerie place:
15
That they to all may signifie
how we thy seruants bee,
And that both soule and bodie may
remaine and rest with thee.

De profundis. Psal. 130.

O God thou art the guide
of those th [...]t blinded bee,
Sing this to the tu [...]e of the 38. Psal [...].
and vnto [...] that are opprest
a succour sweet we see.
2
A comfort to the weake,
as ease to those in paine,
A life vnto the dead in graue,
that sleeping yet remaine.
3
O Lord this makes me bold,
though wicked I be found,
And ouerwhelmed deepe in sinne,
and therein being dround,
4
To call and crie to thee,
from depth of miserie,
Where none but thou can raise me vp▪
and safe deliuer me.
5
I can but mourne and weepe,
fetch sighs, lament and crie;
As dooth the woman great with child,
whose hower draweth nie:
6
She no time can take rest,
till she deliuered bee;
[Page 74]Nor I, till that my conscience feele
to be forgiuen of thee.
7
It is not distance long,
that keepes my praiers backe;
Thou, Lord, doost heare before we call,
and giuest what we lacke.
8
Ionas was in the sea,
and in the fish three daies,
And from the deepe he cald on thee,
and streight thou didst him raise.
9
Out from the deepe likewise,
Verse. 1. De pro­ [...]undis cla­maui ad te domine.
of sinne and wickednesse,
To thee I call; Lord heare my voice,
and free me from distresse.
10
And let thine eares,
Verse. 2. Domine exaudi vo­tem meam. Fiant au­res tuae in­tendentes ad vocem deprecati­ [...] meae.
sweet Lord,
to heare attentiue bee;
The voice and praier of my plaint,
that now I make to thee.
11
And since that Christ, thy sonne,
hath suffered for vs all,
From endlesse death, to which by sinne
we bounden were and thrall;
12
Let not my sinnes then, Lord,
to me be stop or staie,
Whereby by plaint should not be heard,
nor voice when I shall praie:
13
But rather wipe awaie
my sinnes for euermore.
The burden of the which I feele
too greeuous be and sore.
14
If thou, Lord, be extreame,
Verse. 3. S [...] iniqui­tates obser­uaueris do­mine, domi­ne quis su­stinebit?
to marke what sinnes be donne,
Alas, no flesh shall saued bee,
that is vnder the sonne.
15
O Lord, if that the iust
shall no time able bee,
To enter into iudgement thine,
to plead his case with thee;
16
What shall become of me,
that dailie doo offend,
And of my sinne and wickednesse,
(alas) doo knowe none end?
17
Most vile and wretched man,
and caitife wo forlorne,
What shall I doo? but flee to thee
with hart beerent and torne.
18
For mercie is with thee,
Verse. 4. Quia apud te propitia­t [...]o est.
increasing more and more,
Wherwith thou didst vouchsafe to come
mankind for to restore.
19
Wherein was satisfied
thy iustice, and also
Thy mercie found that which it sought;
as we by grace doo knowe.
20
How feruent was this loue,
to which thou didst vs bind?
First by the lawe of nature writ
Verse. 5. Et propte [...] legem tua [...] susti [...] te domine.
in euerie hart or mind,
21
And then by lawe, which was
in Tables written deepe,
[Page 76]That euerie one according lie,
the same should hold and keepe:
22
Which was, that one of vs
should with the other beare,
And thereby to fulfill thy will,
with pitie, loue, and feare.
23
I knowing this, am glad,
contented eke withall,
For to remit such iniuries,
as vnto me may fall.
24
For why, good Lord, I know
thou doost forgiue to mee,
Much more offenses euerie daie
committed vnto thee.
25
And when it shall thee please,
to scourge me for my sin;
I gladlie shall the same receiue,
knowing what I haue bin:
26
And that thy chastisement
proceeds of verie loue;
Which all shall turne to me such welth,
as no man can remoue:
Sustinuit [...] mea in [...].
27
Hoping, after this life,
my soule shall then obtaine,
Which hope abides still in thy word,
an euerlasting gaine.
28
Such hope my soule hath had,
Verse. 6. Sperauit anima mea in do­ [...].
by grace thou gau'st to me,
And by the same I firmelie trust
my soule shall saued be.
29
The husbandman, through hope,
his ground dooth plough, and sow;
The same in hope dooth reape & thresh,
that gaine thereby might grow:
30
Euen so will I abide
in hope of glorie thine,
Not onelie in my yough, ô Lord,
or anie pointed time:
31
But still from morning watch,
A custodi [...] matutin [...] vsq▪ ad no­ct [...]m.
vntill the night of death,
Which is, from youth, vnto mine age,
when life shall passe with breath.
32
Who so shall cast awaie
this hope, ere death proceed,
Shall loose the time he watcht before,
and want thy helpe at need.
33
This hope in promise thine,
my soule hath safelie laid
Within the bosome of hir breast,
for euer to be staid.
34
And verie meet it is,
that Israëll also,
Verse. 7. Speret Is­raēlin do­mino.
Which is all faithfull Christians,
this hope should feele and knowe.
35
For blessed is the man,
that in the Lord dooth trust,
Quia apud dominū mi­sericord [...], & copiosa apud [...]um▪
And who in man affiance puts,
he surelie is accurst.
36
For mercie is with God,
and grace abundant store,
[Page 78]With which Israël is redeem'd
redemptio. verse. 8. Et ipse re­demit Is­raël ex omnibus iniquita­tibus eius. Sing this to the tune of the Creed Quic [...] (que) [...]ul [...].
from sinne for euermore: Amen.

Domine exaudi. Psal. 143.

The first part.

O Lord, long time I wandred haue,
and gone from thee astraie,
And lost the portion y me gau'st,
in wastfull sinners waie:
2
With grace thou didst replenish me,
therewith to follow thee;
But Iust and liking of the flesh
hath driuen the same from mee,
3
So that vnworthie farre I am,
for to be cald thy sonne;
My wickednesse so soule appeeres,
and faults that I haue donne:
4
Yet with the wastfull child, o Lord,
I doo my selfe accuse;
verse. 1. Domine exaudi o­rationem meā, auri­bus percipe obsecratio­nem me­am, & in ver [...]tate tua exau­di me.
And am with shame surpriz'd & caught
I did my selfe abuse;
5
Wherfore Lord, ponder my desire,
and heare me when I praie,
And for thy truth and righteousnes
attend to that I saie.
6
Thou hast with gifts indued me,
of bodie and of mind,
And I the same abused haue,
and shew'd my selfe vnkind.
7
Thy iustice still dooth threaten me
with euerlasting paine,
Thy mercie yet dooth promise me,
to be restord againe.
8
Enter not into iudgement then,
Verse. 2. Et non in­tres in iu­dicium cum seruo tuo: quia non iustificabi­tur in con­spectu tu [...] omnis vi­uens.
with me, I humblie praie:
For in thy sight no man is iust,
as of himselfe to saie.
9
We all by sinne our selues haue made,
more lothsome than the swine,
And fowler to be looked on,
were not for mercie thine;
10
Which shall vs make like to the wooll
in colour faire and white,
When all our sinnes thou shalt forget,
and cleane put from thy sight.
Verse. 3. Quia per se­cutus est in­imicus ani­mam meam humiliauit in terra vi­tam meam: collocauit me in ob­scuris, sicut mortuos se­culi.
11
But yet the diuell, mine enimie
my soule pursueth still,
And hath brought lowe my life in earth,
a seruant to his will;
12
And with his net me compast round,
where vaine delights doo dwell,
Where lust vncleane and wickednesse
to bide dooth me compell.
13
He hath me set in darknesse such,
as men that no life haue,
Or as those people being dead,
or couered in the graue.
Verse. 4. Et anxia­tus est super me spiritus meus in me, turba­tum est cor meum.
14
Now, Lord, My spirit so vexed is,
my hart is greeu'd also,
[Page 80]My conscience likewise witnesse beares
of anguish mine and wo.
15
My wisdome, Lord, confused is
by reason of my sin,
Repentance great my hart dooth rent,
to thinke what I haue bin.
16
I call to mind the daies of old,
Verse. 5. Memor sum die­rum anti­quorum, meditatus sum in om­nibus ope­ribus tu [...] in factis manuum [...]ua [...]um medit abor.
and works that thou hast wrought,
The maruellous deeds thy hands haue done,
I muse on in my thought.
17
As in the time of Moses lawe,
where mercie was not showne,
And he that did the same transgresse,
by death was ouerthrowne:
18
Yet in this hard and seuere time,
thy mercie foorth was sent,
By prophets thine, with promise made,
to all that did repent.
19
If thou in time of crueltie
couldst then such mercie showe,
Much more, ô Lord, in time of grace
on me thy mercie throwe.
20
I haue spred foorth my hands to thee,
Verse. 6. Expandi manus me­as adce, anim [...] mea sicut terra sine [...]qu [...].
my soule for helpe doth crie,
As from the earth, that moisture wants,
where water none dooth lie:
21
That is, my life I changed haue,
from vaine delights that bee,
And haue my soule spred foorth at large,
that thou hir filth mightst see.
22
For as the earth that moisture wants,
must barren be by kind;
So if my soule be void of grace,
no good is there to find:
23
But yet through moisture of that grace
from thee that dooth proceed,
Vouchsafe I may thy mercie haue,
and that, ô Lord, with speed.
24
Heare me, ô Lord, and that right soone,
Verse. 7. Velociter exaudi me domine, de­fecit spiri­tus meus.
for why my spirit is weake,
And feeble made; much like a man
that wanteth power to speake.
25
The feare is such that I possesse,
I readie am to fall,
The strength wherewith my bodie liues
is gone awaie with all.
26
This feare of endlesse punishment,
which I deserued haue,
Had well nie brought me in despaire,
or I possesse the graue.

The second part.

GOod Lord turne not thy face awaie,
Non auer­tas faciem tuam a me, ne similis e­ro descen­dentibus in la [...]ura.
least I be like to those
That doo descend into the pit,
where nought but horror growes.
2
Thou wilt not, Lord, the death of him
that hath offended thee;
But rather that he should returne,
and saued so to bee.
3
Thou art the true and onelie God,
the Sauiour of mankind;
Without thee there is nothing else
that we shall mercie find.
4
Then turne to me thy countenance,
of amiable grace,
And let thy mercie shadow me,
while life I haue and space:
5
And lay not to my charge, good Lord,
the sinnes that I haue donne;
But them forget, and me forgiue,
for Christes sake thy sonne.
6
And cause thy mercie to be heard,
Verse. 8. Auditam faec mihi manè mis­ericordi­am tuam, quia in te speraui.
of me before the prime;
For I in thee haue put my trust,
alone from time to time.
7
Most blessed Lord, grant that I may
thy mercie sweet obtaine,
And that right soone thou me release
from my deserued paine.
8
With great repentance doo I call,
my hope assureth mee,
Thou wilt forgiue me all my sinnes,
bicause I trust in thee.
9
I knowe that thou art nigh to all
that call vpon thy name,
And wilt direct their steps aright,
that craue of thee the same.
Notā [...]c mihi viam in qua am­bulem; quiae ad te leuaui animam meam.
10
Wherefore, good Lord, shew me the waie
I ought for to walke in,
[Page 83]For I my soule haue lifted vp
to thee with all my sin.
11
Lord, manie times indeed thou hast
directed me the waie,
And I haue purpos'd in my selfe
no more to go astraie:
12
Yea, when I haue repentant bin,
and vowed in my hart
Thy lawe for to obserue and keepe,
and neuer to depart;
13
The diuell my deadlie enimie
contriu'd the matter so,
But his deceit, ere I was ware,
gaue me the ouerthrow:
14
And, Lord, without assistance thine,
he vanquish will ere long,
All the kingdomes vpon the earth,
Verse. 9. Eripe me de inimicis me­is, domine ad te confu­gi.
he is become so strong.
15
Deliuer me from all my foes;
for vnto thee I flie,
And giue me strength, my God, to doo
thy will effectuallie.
16
For of my selfe no power I haue
Verse. 10. Doce me fa­cere volun­tatem tu­am, quia de­us meus es tis.
to doo the good I should,
Ne for to wish or thinke the good
that verie faine I would.
17
Thy mercie onelie, Lord, it is
by which I must preuaile;
For man without thy helpe and aid,
of purpose needs must faile.
18
Thou hast with reason and with will
indued me, I knowe;
But will (of force) without thy grace
must reason ouerthrowe.
19
Wherfore,
Spiritus bonus de­ducet me in terram rectam.
Lord, let thy holie spirit
conduct me in the waie,
Vnto the land of righteousnesse,
I thee beseech and praie:
20
Where thine elect and chosen sort
thy brightnesse shall behold,
With such heauenlie felicitie
as cannot here be told;
21
Not that I haue deserued, Lord,
for to possesse the same;
But for thine endlesse mercies sake,
and for thy holiename.
Vers. 11. Propter nomen tu­ [...]m domi­ne.
22
Thou wilt not Lord, the death of him
that dailie dooth offend:
But that he rather doo conuert,
and so his life amend:
23
This is thy will, this is thy mind,
though I a sinner bee;
If by repentance I doo turne,
then wilt thou turne to me:
24
And then shall I receiued be,
and be reuiu'd againe;
Viui [...]icabis me in aequitate tua.
And through thy equitie be freed
of euerlasting paine.
25
For whereas I by sinne am dead
spirituallie to saie,
[Page 85]I shall be thinke me of the same,
and for thy mercie praie.
26
My bodie now by nature weake,
shall then in strength arise,
And shall in glorie shine more bright,
than dooth the sunne in skies.
27
Where now, the same, â Lord, is giuen
to lust and lewd delight,
Shall then arise all spirituall,
and yeeld to reasons might.
28
No grosenesse then, but that it may
pearse through the thickest stone;
And as for things corruptible,
it shall haue mind of none.
29
Immortall it shall euer be,
Et duces de tribulatio­ne animam meam.
impassible withall,
Betweene the bodie and the soule
shall then no strife befall.
30
Thus,
Vers. 12. Et in muse­ricordia tua disperdes i­nimicos me­os.
Lord, Thou shalt bring foorth my soule
from troubles all that bee,
And shalt mine enimies destroie,
through mercie shewd to mee.
31
Thou shalt them vtterlie confound,
that doo my soule molest;
Et perdes omnes qui tribulant animam me­am, quon [...] ­am ego ser­uus tuus sum.
For I by grace thy seruant am,
and in thy mercie rest.
32
Good Christ, which gau'st thy life for me
and suffredst on the tree:
Preserue my bodie and my soule,
and mercie haue on mee, Amen.
FINIS.
A Handfull of Honisu …

A Handfull of Honisuckles: Gathered by VVilliam Hunnis, one of the Gentle­men of hir Highnesse Chapell, and Mai­ster to the Children of the same.

Prepard with faith, confirmd with hope, and furnished with loue,
Approch and praie; so thou beelowe shalt please the Lord aboue.

Newlie printed by Henrie Denham. 1583.

Prou. 15, verse. 29.

The Lord is absent verie far,
from such as be vniust;
[figure]
But [...]coth heare the righteous praie,
[Bicause in him they trust.]

Certaine short and pithy Praiers vnto Iesu Christ our Sauiour.

The day shall come (saith Christ)
and that shall manie see;
Who calles vpon my name,
shall surelie saued bee.
[...] O IESV meeke, ô IESV sweet,
[...] ô IESV sauiour mine, most grati­ous
[...] IESV to my call thy gratious eares
[...] incline.
I know, good IESV, ere I speake,
thou know'st what I would haue:
Iesu, thy grace I know it is,
that bids me mercie craue.
O Iesu deare, whose pretious bloud,
was shed on crosse of tree,
Sweet Iesu, for thy passion sake,
haue mercie now on mee: Amen.
O Iesu sweet, grant that thy grace
alwaies so worke in mee,
I may desire the thing to doo,
most pleasing vnto thee.
O Iesu meeke, thy will be mine,
my will be thine also:
And that my will may follow thine,
in pleasure paine and wo.
O Iesu, what is good for mee,
is ay best knowne to thee:
Therefore according to thy will,
haue mercie now on mee: Amen.
O Iesu deare, doo thou with mee,
euen as thy will shall please,
Sweet Iesu, put me where thou wilt
to suffer paine or ease.
Iesu behold, I am but thine,
where I be good or ill:
Ye [...] by thy grace I readie am,
thy pleasure to fulfill.
Iesu, I am thy workemanship,
most blessed maist thou bee:
[Page 3]Sweet Iesu, for thy mercie sake,
haue mercie now on mee: Amen.
O Iesu meeke, grant that I may
repose my trust in thee:
For thou, sweet Iesu, art the peace,
and true tranquillitie.
Thou Iesu, art the verie peace,
and quietnesse of mind;
The onelie rest vnto the soule,
that shall thy fauour find.
Wherfore sweet Iesu doo vouchsafe,
my soule this peace may see:
And for thy painefull passion sake,
haue mercie now on mee: Amen.
O Iesu, if thou doo withdrawe
thy comfort for a time,
Let not despaire take hold on mee,
for anie sinfull crime;
But giue me patience to abide
thy pleasure and thy will:
For sure thy iudgements all are right,
though I be wicked still.
But yet a promise hast thou made,
to all that trust in thee:
According to which promise Lord,
haue mercie now on me: Amen.
O Iesu deare, giue me that grace,
I gladlie suffer may,
What euer so thy pleasure be
vpon me for to lay.
O Iesu meeke, what thanks ought I
to giue vnto thy name,
Which for my sinnes to set me free,
hast suffered death and shame?
O Iesu sweet, my wickednesse
I doo confesse to thee;
Wherefore, as thou hast promised,
haue mercie now on me: Amen.
O Iesu sweet, a little thing
sometime doeth vex me sore,
And makes me slowe to giue thee thanks
ah! wo is me therefore.
Iesu, againe sometime I thinke,
still stronglie for to stand:
But when a little trouble coms,
I streight fall vnder hand.
Thus I susee, a small thing makes
temptation great to be:
My weakenesse Iesu doo behold,
and mercie haue on me: Amen.
O Iesu Christ, in all things now
assist me with thy grace:
And make me strong w t heuenly strength
while life I haue and space.
Iesu let not mine enimie
the feend, ne yet the flesh
Preuaile, though still they me assaile
from daie to daie afresh.
But Iesu, strengthen thou my spirit,
it may the victor be,
And for thy tender mercie sake,
haue mercie now on me: Amen.
O Iesu, who shall giue me wings
of perfect peace and loue,
That I therewith from hence may flee,
and rest with thee aboue?
O Iesu, when shall I ascend,
and feele how sweet thou art,
And leaue the earth, and loue thee best,
with all my soule and hart?
Sweet Iesu, when thy pleasure is,
the time is knowne to thee:
Both now and then ô Iesu deare,
haue mercie Lord on mee: Amen.
O Iesu, king of glorie great,
the comfort of vs all;
Wee wander heere in wildernesse,
and euerie day doo fall.
Sweet Iesu, come and visit mee,
my heauie soule make glad,
Which now through sinne in prison lies,
all heauie, sicke, and sad.
Good Iesu, with thy presence set
my soule at libertie,
And for thy bitter passion sake,
haue mercie now on mee: Amen.
O Iesu, oft it greeueth mee,
and troubleth sore my mind,
That I so weake and fraile am found,
to wander with the blind.
O Iesu deare, thou lasting light,
whose brightnesse doth excell,
The clearnes of thy beams send downe,
within my heart to dwell.
O Iesu, quicken thou my soule,
that it may cleaue to thee,
And for thy painefull passion sake,
haue mercie now on mee: Amen.
O Iesu, grant I may resigne
my selfe vnto thy will,
And that I may my selfe forsake,
and cleaue vnto thee still.
O Iesu, grant that I may haue
of ioie and inward peace,
And of the paines I haue deseru'd,
Good Iesu me release.
Sweet Iesu, giue me inward ioie,
my soule to feed on thee,
[Page 7] And for thy tender mercies sake,
haue mercie Lord on mee: Amen.
O Iesu sweet, I knowe I am,
but vanitie and sin,
Vnconstant as the wind that blowes,
and euer so haue bin.
Whereof then Iesu may I brag?
or what haue I to say?
Shall I of men seeke to bee prais'd?
or yet extold for ay?
No Iesu sweet, the true praise is,
for to be prais'd of thee;
Wherfore, good Iesu, weigh my case,
and mercie haue on mee: Amen.
O Iesu, thou my glorie art,
in thee will I reioice,
And not, good Iesu, in my selfe,
nor yet in that mans voice,
That worldlie honour may mee giue,
to set mee vp on hie:
To rule among the sonnes of men,
and sit in dignitie.
These are but shadowes to compare,
to glorie that's with thee;
Sweet Iesu, for thy glorie sake,
haue mercie now on mee: Amen.
O Iesu, heere in earth we liue,
and soone deceiued are
With vaine delights y e world doth yeeld;
wherein we runne too farre.
But yet, sweet Iesu, if I could
behold my selfe right well,
I should, good Iesu; plainelie see,
and thereby trulie tell,
The troubles that are falne on mee,
were for offending thee;
For which offense I pardon craue,
haue mercie Lord on mee: Amen.
O Iesu Christ, vnder whose power,
is both the sea and land:
Arise and helpe, me to defend,
by power of thy strong hand,
From such as lurke and lie in wait,
and seeke to doo me wrong:
Sweet Iesu, see how weake I am,
and how that they be strong.
Iesu, make hast and come with speed,
my trust is all in thee,
And therefore Iesu, helpe me now,
and mercie haue on mee: Amen.
O Iesu, comfort mine exile,
asswage my dole and greefe,
[Page 9] With thee to bee is my desire,
mine onelie cheefe releefe.
Iesu, the pleasures of this world,
they may not long indure;
And he that puts his trust therein,
shall find them all vnsure.
Sweet Iesu, grant that I may haue
mine onelie ioie in thee;
And for thy bloudie passion sake,
haue mercie now on mee: Amen.
O Iesu Christ, that hast mee made,
and with thy bloud mee bought:
Suffer mee not to be condemn'd,
whom thou hast made of nought.
O Iesu mild, in time of need
thy mercie doo bestowe,
And in thy iustice iudge mee not,
nor doo thy rigor showe.
O Iesu, in extremitie,
I doo appeale to thee;
Wherefore sith that I trust in thee,
haue mercie now on mee: Amen.
O Iesu sweet, for heauenlie things
I often seeke to find,
But then affections of the world
doo backeward plucke my mind.
Againe, I seeke for to subdue
th'affections that doo rise,
But to my spirit they will not be
subiect in anie wise.
Thus Iesu meeke, thou seest I striue,
and all to bee with thee,
Wherefore good Iesu make mee strong,
and mercie haue on mee: Amen.
O Iesu, many times I praie,
and call vpon thy name;
When that my heart is farre away,
alas I more to blame.
And that good Iesu coms to mind,
that custome often brought,
Whereby the praiers that I make,
be vaine and turne to nought.
Sweet Iesu, pardon and forgiue,
when I so praie to thee,
And for thy endlesse mercie sake,
haue mercie Lord on mee: Amen.
O Iesu, be not long away,
nor in thy wrath depart,
But mortifie that flesh desires,
and lighten thou my hart:
Send foorth the burning flames of loue,
cleane to consume for ay;
[Page 11] The cloudie fansies of my mind,
which trouble me alway.
Good Iesu, gather all the powers
of my poore soule to thee;
And make me to refuse the world,
and mercie haue on me: Amen.
O Iesu mild, thine eare bow downe,
and ponder my desire;
Deale not with me as I deserue,
to punish in thine ire:
But me defend, ô Iesu meeke,
through mercie great of thine,
From dangers such as may befall
this sinfull soule of mine.
O Iesu, hide not now thy face,
from him that calles on thee;
But Iesu, for thy bitter death,
haue mercie now on mee: Amen.
O Iesu sweet, with mercie now
reforme that is amisse,
And with the strength of thy great grace,
send light where darknesse is.
Good Iesu, from my secret faults,
doo make me cleane and bright,
And from presumptuous sins, ô Lord,
defend me through thy might.
Good Iesu, cast my youthfull sinnes
behind thy backe to bee;
And for thy tender mercie sake,
haue mercie now on mee: Amen.
O Iesu, shut not vp my soule
with those that run astraie,
But let the shadow of thy wings,
my soule protect alwaie.
Good Iesu, turne thee vnto me,
and cleanse me from my sin,
Sweet Iesu Christ, doo not behold,
how wicked I haue bin:
But thinke vpon thy mercies great,
though I vnworthie bee;
And for thy pain [...]full passion sake,
haue mercie now on mee: Amen.
O Iesu sweet, giue me an hart,
that is contrite and pure,
A bodie chast, that humble is,
and constant to endure.
A mind that is with heauenlie ioies
replete through thy great grace,
A soule likewise to magnifie
thy praise in eu'rie place.
O Iesu, for thy mercie sake,
let these proceed from thee;
And then no doubt I shall be sure,
thou mercie hast on mee: Amen.

Certaine blessings pro­mised by God vnto all those that doo loue and feare him. Deut 28.

WHo hearkens to the voice of God,
and dooth his law fulfill,
Shall blessed be in towne and field,
with mercie and good will.
His fruit likewise shall blessed be,
that from his lo [...]es shall spring,
His corne and cattell shall increase,
with plentie of all thing.
His oxen and his flocks of sheepe,
shall blessed be with store,
His going out, and comming in,
shall blest be euermore.
His enimies that shall arise,
shall fall before his face,
And flee for feare, as dooth the beast
the hunter hath in chace.
His houses that be made for store,
with great increase shall grow:
And euerie thing he takes in hand,
shall blessed be also.
Vou [...]hsafe, good God, to giue me grace,
so to direct my mind,
[Page 14] As by the same in time of need,
I may thy blessing find: Amen,

A meditation when ye go to bed.

O Lord my God, I wandred haue,
as one that runnes astray,
And haue in thought, in word, in deed,
in idlenesse and play,
Offended sore thy Maiestie,
in heaping sin to sin,
And yet thy mercie hath me sparde,
so gratious hast thou bin.
O Lord, my faults I now confesse,
and sorie am therefore,
But not so much as saine I would,
ô Lord, what wilt thou more?
It is thy grace must bring that spirit,
for which I humblie pray,
And that this night thou me defend,
as thou hast done this day:
And grant when these mine eies & toong
shall faile through natures might,
That then the powers of my poore soule,
may praise thee day and night: Amen.

A meditation at your vprising.

O Lord, this night who hast me kept
from dangers all that bee,
And hast me giuen of rest and sleepe,
so much as pleaseth thee:
Where other of my brethren poore,
of better life than I,
Doo wander vp and downe the streets,
and harbourlesse doo lie.
And some with sicknesse are opprest,
some impotent and lame:
Thus doost thou deale w t creatures thine
to glorie of thy name.
O Lord, in sort as I deserue,
thou hast not dealt with mee;
But hast me giuen wherewith to liue,
in better case to bee.
Most mightie God, this day likewise
protect me from all blame,
And giue me grace, I thankfull be,
with praises for the same: Amen.

Athanasius his Creed, com­monlie called, Quicún (que) vult.

By faith we please the Lord,
By faith we are set free,
By faith we worke the will of God,
Faith will not idle bee.
[...] What man is he will saued be, must
[...] first the true faith haue: Which faith
[...] vnlesse he hold and keepe, hys soule
[...] God will not saue. And this is now
[...] the perfect faith, to worship God in
[Page 17] [...] three: The Father, Son, & holie Ghost,
[...] all three in Vnitie.
The persons neither to confound,
nor substance to diuide:
For he that so shall thinke of them,
from perfect faith is wide.
For of the Father, of the Sonne,
and of the holie Ghost:
Be persons three in seuerall,
and all in might be most.
The Father, Sonne, and holie Ghost,
in Godhead equall bee:
In glorie like, and so in might,
and so in Maiestie.
Such as the heauenlie Father is,
such is the Sonne also:
Such is likewise the holie Ghost,
all three one God, no mo.
The Father was vncreated,
so was the Sonne likewise:
The holie Ghost vncreated,
still one for to deuise.
The Father without number is,
none may him comprehend:
The Sonne likewise, and holie Ghost,
all three one without end.
The Father, Sonne, and holie Ghost,
eternall doo endure:
And yet not three eternals be,
but one eternall sure.
Not three, that number doo exceed,
nor three vnmade certaine:
But three in one, and one in three,
for euer doo remaine.
The Father, Sonne, and holie Ghost,
omnipotent be all:
And yet not three omnipotents,
but one beleeue we shall.
The Father God, the Sonne is God,
the holie Ghost also:
And yet three Gods we shall not say,
of Gods but one, no mo.
The Father Lord, the Sonne is Lord,
and holie Ghost is Lord:
Yet not three Lords, but one in three,
and three in one accord.
For like as we compelled be,
by Christian veritie,
Ech person of them to confesse,
both God and Lord to bee:
So are we by the same forbid,
in anie wise to saie,
Three Gods to be, or yet three Lords,
but three in one alwaie.
The Father is not created,
begot, nor made of none:
The Sonne ne made nor created,
begot of him alone.
The holie Ghost is from them both,
ne made, create, nor got;
But from the father and the sonne
proceeding had, we wot.
So then there is of fathers one,
not fathers three, we see:
One sonne, not three: and so likewise,
one holie Ghost to bee.
And in this holie Trinitie,
is none more great than other:
But that the whole three persons be
coequall altogither.
So that in all, as foresaid is,
the Vnitie in three,
And Trinitie in Vnitie,
ought worshipped to bee.
Yet furthermore, it needefull is
vnto saluation,
That we beleeue of lesus Christ
the incarnation.
The right faith is, that we beleeue,
and with one mouth foorth-show,
That Iesus Christ the sonne of God,
is God and man also.
God of his Father substance is,
begot ere world was wrought,
And man, by flesh and bloud he tooke,
of hir who foorth him brought.
Both perfect God, and perfect Man,
is he without diuiding:
And of a reasonable soule,
and humane flesh abiding.
He to the Father equall is,
touching his Deitie:
But he is lesse than Father is,
by his humanitie.
Who though he be both God and man,
yet one is he, not twaine:
That is to saie, one Iesus Christ,
for euer to remaine.
One, not by turning Godhead his
into the flesh we see:
But taking manhood into God,
by power of Deitie.
One, yet not by confusion
of this his substance sure:
But by Vnitie of person,
which euer shall endure.
For as the reasonable soule
and flesh one man dooth make:
So God and man is but one Christ,
which suffered for our sake.
And then descended into hell,
the third day rose againe:
From death to life, thus hath he done,
mankind to rid from paine.
And after this ascended he
[...] vnto the heauens on hie:
And on his Fathers right hand sits,
one God etern [...]llie.
From thence he shall come down againe
a rightfull iudge to bee:
To iudge the liuing and the dead,
as he their woorks shall see.
At whose descending all shall rise,
in twinkling of an eie:
And with this flesh shall him behold,
in throne of Maiestie.
Then they that haue done righteouslie,
shall heauen haue for their hire:
And they th [...]t haue done wickedlie,
haue euerlasting fire.
This is the true and perfect faith,
all Christians ought to haue:
Which faith vnlesse we doo beleeue,
our soules God will not saue.
Praise we these persons three in one,
and likewise one in three:
As from the first hath bin, now is,
and euermore shall bee: Amen.

A meditation to be said of women with child.

In time of trouble call on me,
and I will then deliuer thee.
THe time drawes nie,
of bitter painefull throwes,
How long I shall
the same endure, God knowes.
O Lord my God,
I humblie aske of thee,
Make haste sweet Christ,
and safe deliuer mee.
Although by sinne
deseru'd I haue right well,
Such paine as this,
yea more than toong can tell:
Yet ah! my God,
turne not awaie thy face,
Nor me forsake,
in this so sharpe a case.
This wombe, and fruit
that springeth in the same,
Hast thou create,
to glorie of thy name.
[Page 23]Opprest with paine,
ô Lord when I shall bee,
Make lesse the same,
so much as pleaseth thee.
And grant good God,
thy creature may proceed,
Safelie on liue,
with mercie at my need.
In Christes name,
I will my trauell show:
Now holie Ghost,
come comfort me in wo.
Come father deare,
and let thy power descend:
O Iesu Christ,
thy mercies great extend.
Ah God! behold
my dolour and my smart;
Sweet holie Ghost,
my comforter thou art:
Take part with me,
and heare my wofull crie:
Exaudi me,
miserere mei: Amen.

A meditation to be deli­uered from Sinne.

O Lord my God,
I humblie beseech thee,
And Iesus Christ,
thine equall in Deitie,
With holie Ghost,
of like power in maiestie,
And three in one,
and likewise one in three,
Which is to saie,
one blessed Trinitie:
Grant that the power
of thy Diuinitie,
May in this life
alwaies deliuer me,
From fornication,
and adulterie,
From wicked sort
of vncleane companie:
From sudden death,
and cursed blasphemie:
From vaineglorie,
and hypocrisie:
From malice, hatred,
and crueltie:
From the detestable
and great enormitie
Of sedition and
priure conspiracie:
[Page 25]From all false doctrine
and heresie:
From pride in hart
and vanitie;
From pestilence, famine,
and bloudthirstie:
From iust desert
of slander and infamie:
From filtie sinne,
and vile iniquitie.
And when as I
vpon thy name shall crie;
Heare my request,
and grant me thy mercie: Amen.

A praier for the Queenes most excellent Maiestie.

O King of heauen, of earth, of sea,
and all things else beside,
Vnder whose power, and in whose hands
the harts of Kings abide;
Vouchsafe to guid our gratious Queene
Elizabeth aright,
That she in peace with helth may reigne
and gouerne through thy might;
And when thy godlie will shall be
to end hir liuing daies;
Hir soule may then with angels thine,
sound forth thine endles praise: Amen.

A thankesgiuing before meate.

FOR fo [...] such as we find,
Let vs giue thanks therefore,
And not forget the poore to feed,
with some part of our store.
Let all our talke be such,
whereby no grudge may growe,
Ourselues well easd, & God best pleasd,
Christ grant it may be so.
God long preserue in peace and helth,
Our gratious Queene Elizabeth: Amen.

A thankesgiuing after meate.

THou God be praised for the food,
we haue receiu'd from thee;
And giue vs grace a life to lead,
More thankfull for to bee:
Lord long preserue in peace and helth,
Our gratious Queene Elizabeth: Amen.
FINIS.
The poore Widowes Mi …

The poore Wi­dowes Mite. Gathered by VVilliam Hunnis, one of the Gentle­men of hir Highnesse Chapell, and Mai­ster to the Children of the same.

Who knocks with hope, and craues in faith, shall haue their iust request;
By loue who seeks, the way shall find to port of quiet rest.

Newlie printed by Henrie Denham. 1583.

[Page]

[figure]

To the Queenes Maiesties Highnesse.

E Except your Highnes well allow
this gift of humble mind,
L Lacke shall my hope the gladsome fruit,
it sought thereby to find.
I If gift with giuers loiall hart
your Maiestie will trie,
Z Zeale more than gift shall triumph then
before your Princelie eie.
A A Persian prince, in gratious part,
tooke water of the well,
B Bicause he sawe the giuers zeale,
the giuers gift excell:
E Euen so my zeale, renowmed Queene,
equiualent is with his,
Th. Though I offense commit, to giue
so slender gift as this.
R Remembring yet your Princelie woont,
of clemencie withall:
E Example such hath boldned me,
vpon my knee to fall.
G Great gifts of gold, and gems of price,
poore Hunnis would present,
I If he them had: in stead whereof
hee praies this may content.
N New yeere, and manie, God you send,
in health with peace to raigne,
A And after when your spirit departs,
with Christ it may remaine.
Your Highnes loiall subiect and humble obedient seruant. W. H.

The Authour.

W WHo seekes with works alone to win
the life that shall remaine,
I Is farre deceiu'd: for ift be so,
then Christ hath dide in vaine.
LL Let our good woorks our faith declare,
by faith we are made free,
I It coms from God, that goodnesse is,
no good at all in mee.
A As man himselfe vnable is,
in thought to please the Lord,
M Much lesse to woorke or doo the deed,
that might his health accord.
H Here I professe one God to serue,
from secret search of hart,
V Vnto his sacred word to cleaue,
and neuer to depart.
N No time my Prince nor Magistrate,
by will for to offend,
N Ne wish I woorse vnto my fo,
than to my verie frend.
I In Christ by faith, by no meanes else,
my righteousnesse dooth flowe:
S Such was his loue, such is my faith,
and euer shall be so.

The Poore widowes Mite.

The first Meditation.

[...] Ah helples wretch! what shall I
[...] doo? or which way shall I ronne?
[...] The earth bewrais, & heuen records
[...] the sins that I haue donne.
The gates of hell wide open stand,
for to receiue me in,
And fearefull feends all readie be,
to torment me for sin.
Alas, where shall I succour find?
the earth dooth me denie,
And to the sacred heauens aboue,
I dare not lift mine eie.
If heauen and earth shall witnesse be,
against my soule for sin,
[Page 32]Vntimelie birth (alas) for me
much better then had bin.
And now despaire approcheth fast,
with bloodie murdering knife,
And willeth me to end my greefes,
by shortning of my life.
Shall I despaire? Thou God forbid,
for mercie more is thine,
Than if the sinnes of all the world
were linked now with mine.
Despise not then, most louing Lord,
the image of thy face,
Which thou hast wrought and dearelie bought
with goodnesse of thy grace.
And since thy bloudie price is paid,
and bitter paines all past;
Receiue my plaints, accept my spirit,
and mercie grant at last:
[...] So shall my soule reioice, reioice,
[...] and still for mercie crie, Peccaui,
[...] Pecca╌ui, Miserere mei.

The .2. Meditation.

THou God that rulst & rainst in light
that flesh cannot attaine;
Thou God, that knowst the thoughts of men
are altogither vaine;
Thou God, whom neither toong of man
nor angell can expresse:
Thou God it is that I doo seeke,
thou pitie my distresse.
Thy seat, ô God, is euerie-where,
thy power all powers extend,
Thy wisdome cannot measur'd be,
for that it hath no end.
Thou art the power and wisdome too,
and sole felicitie,
But I a lumpe of sinfull flesh,
nurse of iniquitie.
Thou art by nature mercifull,
and Mercie is thy name,
And I by nature miserable,
the thrall of sin and shame.
Then let thy nature, ô good God,
now worke his force in me,
And clense the nature of my sinne,
and heale my miserie.
One depth, good Lord, and other craues;
my depth of sinfull crime,
Requires thy depth of mercie great,
for sauing health in time.
[Page 34]Sweet Christ grant y thy depth of grace,
may swallowe vp my sin,
That I thereby may whiter be,
than euer snowe hath bin:

¶So shall my soule reioice, Sing those foure lines to e [...]erie meditation following. reioice, and still for mercie crie, Peccaui, peccaui, miserere mei.

The .3. Meditation.

BEfore thy face, and in thy sight,
haue I, deuoid of shame,
O Lord, transgressed willinglie,
I doo confesse the same:
Yet was I loth that men should knowe,
or vnderstand my fall,
Thus feard I man, much more than thee,
thou righteous iudge of all.
So blind was I and ignorant,
yea rather wilfull blind,
That suckt the combe, & knew the Bee
had left hir sting behind.
My sinnes, ô God, to thee are knowne,
there is no secret place,
Where I may hide my selfe, or them,
from presence of thy face.
Where shall I then my selfe bestowe?
or who shall me defend?
None is so louing as my God;
thy mercies haue no end?
[Page 35]In deede I grant, and doo confesse,
my sinnes so hainous bee,
As mercie none at all deserues:
but yet thy propertie
Is alwaies to be mercifull,
to sinners in distresse;
Whereby thou wilt declare and shew
thy great almightinesse.
Haue mercie Lord on me therefore,
for thy great mercies sake,
Which camst not righteous men to call,
but sinners part to take:

¶So shall my soule reioice, reioice, and still for mercie crie, Peccaui, peccaui, miserere mei.

The .4. Meditation.

MOst gratious God, do not behold,
the number of my sin,
Ne yet consider with thy selfe
how wicked I haue bin;
But rather thinke I am but dust,
or as the withered hay,
Which flourisheth to day in field,
tomorrowe shorne away.
My flesh rebelles against the spirit,
my spirit too weake is found,
By sinne conceiu'd in mothers wombe,
my soule first caught hit wound.
[Page 36]My flesh is fraile, too weake and vaine,
to doo the thing I should,
And what I would not, that doo I,
contrarie that I would.
Thou seest, ô Lord, how w [...]ake I am,
not able for to stand
Without the succour, helpe and aid
of thy most mightie hand.
And what is hee, that will not staie
the man that's like to fall?
Or will refuse the sicke to helpe,
for helpe when he doth call?
If thou wilt lay vnto my charge,
the burden of my sin;
O Lord, the conquest is but small,
that thou thereby shalt win.
For why, they glorie and thy praise,
in mercie dooth consist,
Vnto the which I yeeld my selfe,
to doo with what thou list:

¶My soule shall trust in thee, in thee, and still for mercie crie, Peccaui peccaui, miserere mei,

The .5. Meditation.

IF I demand what mercie is?
thou God wilt answere mee,
That mercie is th'abundance great
of thy diuine pi [...]ie;
[Page 37]Wherewith thou vew'st th'afflicted sort,
that on the earth doo lie:
And what is this compassion then,
but proofes of thy mercie?
Our fathers old the same haue felt,
and now in rest doo raigne,
And thou are still the selfe-same God.
for euer to remaine.
Our fathers were conceiu'd in sinne,
and so are we likewise;
Wilt thou compassion shew on them,
and children theirs despise?
One faith in Christ we all professe,
one God in persons three,
As thou compassion hadst on them,
compassion haue on mee.
Ponder, ô God, my harts desire,
most humblie doo I craue;
And doo away all my misdeeds,
and so compassion haue.
And as of sinners manie a one,
whose number is vnknowne,
Thou didst vouchsafe to drawe to thee,
and make them all thine owne:
So now vouchsafe, most gentle God,
likewise to drawe me in,
And make me righteous by thy grace,
forgiuing me my sin.

¶So shall my soule reioice, reioice, and still for mercie crie, [Page 38] Peccaui, peccaui, miserere mei.

The .6. Meditation.

MOst mightie God, I doo confesse,
ten thousand times and more,
Thou hast me washed from my sinne,
and salued still my sore:
But I through sinne am falne againe,
and fowler now am made,
Than euer was the filthie swine
with mier ouerlade.
How oftentimes shall we forgiue,
ech other that offend?
Seuentie times seuen, the scripture saith,
which signifieth no end.
If man to man such fauour shew,
that wretched caitiues bee,
How much more thou, ô gratious God,
to them that call on thee?
It is thy nature to forgiue,
my nature can but fall;
Though thou be iust in all thy works,
thy mercie passeth all.
What time a sinner dooth repent,
and turne to thee at last,
All sinnes foredone thou wilt forget,
thy promise so hath past.
Behold, ô God, I turne to thee,
with sorrowe for my sin,
[Page 39]And doo repent euen from my hart
that I so lewd haue bin.
Now wash me, Lord, yet once ag [...]ine,
with fountaine of thy grace,
That I among thy sacred Saints,
with thee might haue a place:

¶So shall my soule reioice, reioice, and still for mercie crie, Peccaui, peccaui, miserere mei.

The .7. Meditation.

LIke as the guiltie prisoner stands,
before the iudge so tride,
With quaking breath, & shiuering limbs,
his iudgement to abide:
Euen so, ô God, before thy face
in fearefull state I stand,
And guiltie crie to thee my iudge,
and now hold vp my hand.
Nothing haue I to plead for life,
no goodnesse is in mee:
Of sinne, deceit, and wickednesse,
guiltie, good Lord, guiltie.
Thus by thy righteous doome, ô God,
and sacred lawe diuine,
Condemn'd am I to endlesse paine,
through iust deserts of mine.
Alas, what then is to be said?
or what is to be donne?
[Page 40]For mercie yet will I appeale,
to Iesu Christ thy sonne.
For neuer yet hath it beene heard,
since first the world began,
That Iesu Christ did turne his face,
from ani [...] sinfull man;
Which vnto him for mercie came,
with sad repentant mind:
O Lord, shall I then be the first
that shall no mercie find?
Shall I be he, thou wilt despise,
that humblie comes to thee?
No no, sweet Christ, thy promise is
for to deliuer mee:

¶Wherefore my soule be glad, be glad, and crie incessantlie, Peccaui, peccaui, miserere mei.

Verses vpon the Lords Praier.

Our father, which art in heauen.

[...] A thing thou art frō which al things
[Page 41] [...] beginning tooke their name, And thou
[...] without beginning art, that gaue all
[...] things the same. We call thee God,
[...] some Iehouah, some Tetragrammaton:
[...] By all thy names thou art the thing,
[...] wee all depend vpon.
We be thy sonnes, thy children deare,
and heirs of kingdome thine,
By which we doo presume and say,
Our father most diuine,
Which art in heauen, deuoid of shape,
that reason can deuise,
[Page 42]Ne yet art thou there to be felt,
or seene of humane [...]ies.

Hallowed be thy name.

THy name, ô God, is woonderfull,
though we the same abuse,
And by thy name such things are done,
as make the mind to muse.
The heauens aboue, the earth belowe,
and waters vnder them,
Thy name hath wrought miraculouslie,
all for the vse of men.
O maruellous God! what is thy name?
or what shall I thee call?
Thou art in power omnipotent,
the mightiest power of all.
Then mightie Power of powers it is,
vouchsafe the same in mee,
So worke thy will, that in my life
thy name may hallowed bee.

Thy kingdome come.

THy kingdome euerlasting is,
in truth and equitie,
In fauour, loue, and righteousnesse,
to all in miserie.
Bow downe thy heauens, ô mightie king,
whereby thy grace may fall;
[Page 43]That this thy kingdome might descend,
into the harts of all.
So shall our sinnes be driuen away,
our flesh made tame also,
And we found righteous in thy sight,
a perfect life to showe.
Vouchsafe to grant, ô heauenlie king,
this blessed worke may bee,
Thy kingdome still to dwell in vs,
and we to dwell in thee.

Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heauen.

THy will is good, our will is nought,
thy will be therefore donne:
Such was thy will, that Iesus Christ,
thy deare and onelie sonne,
Should teach thy will to sinfull flesh,
our wicked lusts to kill;
And he thy will vpon the crosse,
the same did there fulfill.
O heauenlie father, let thy will
in earth fulfilled bee,
Among vs men, as with thy Saints
in heauenlie Hierarchie.
And grant thy will so worke in vs,
that we thy will confesse,
In word, in life, in faith, in loue,
and perfect holinesse.

Giue vs this daie our dailie bread.

THy word, thy truth, & Christ thy son,
is bread that we should haue;
Vouchsafe our soules may feed thereon,
most humblie we doo craue.
For man dooth not by bread alone
passe foorth his vitall daies,
But by ech word thy mouth proceeds
vnto thy endlesse praise.
Sink in our harts, thy sweet sonnes death
and such impression make,
As we thereby may cheerefull be,
to suffer for his sake
Such crosse as pleaseth thee to laie
vpon our backes to beare;
With shield of faith to bide the brunt,
against all worldlie feare.

And forgiue vs our trespasses, as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs.

WE knowe, forgiuenes is at hand,
when we for mercie call;
If we ech other doo forgiue,
thou wilt forgiue vs all.
Such promise hast thou made, ô God,
from which thou wilt not swerue,
[Page 45]And yet it lie not in our power,
the same for to deserue.
So weake is man, so feeble too,
not able once to mind
The thought that's good, or do the deed,
that might thy mercie find.
This will thy grace must worke in vs,
our brethren to forgiue,
Which grant, ô God, that we therewith,
in rest with thee may liue.

And lead vs not into temp­tation.

ANd though temptations needfull be
thy seruants strength to trie,
And that our sinnes and wickednesse,
by faith awaie doo fsie:
Yet Lord, thy grace the same doth worke
whereby we stiflie stand,
Against the world, the flesh, the diuell,
winning the vpper hand.
Thus of our selues (alas) too weake,
temptations aie too strong,
Thy grace it is must vs defend,
else are we throwne along.
Grant when by sin through want of grace
great falles we doo sustaine,
That then thy grace might visit vs,
and reare vs vp againe.

But deliuer vs from euill.

FRom euill that we by sin deserue,
most mightie God defend,
And rid vs free from filthie fall,
of miserable end.
Withhold thy seuere punishment,
and let thine eie of grace,
Take vew vpon th'afflicted sort,
and helpe our wretched ca [...]e.
From surging Seas of worldlie waues,
wherewith we be opprest,
Discharge and set our soules on shore,
in port of quiet rest.
So shall we then our praiers make,
with conscience safe and sound,
And by thy grace shall able be,
our en'mie to confound: Amen.

The Christian faith.

ONe God in persons three,
and three in Godhead one,
I doo beleeue my sauing health
dooth rest in him alone.
The first, the Father high,
Creator of vs all,
[Page 47]The second is his onelie Sonne,
the Word whom scriptures call.
The third, the holie Ghost,
of both who dooth remaine,
In mightie power and Deitie,
coequall with the twaine.
The word of loue to vs,
flesh void of sin became,
Of virgins wombe by power diuine,
most pure he tooke the same.
And then for sinfull flesh,
his flesh was sacrifis'd,
By bitter, sharpe, and shamefull death,
as cruell Iewes deuis'd.
His flesh with whips was rent,
his head becrown'd with thorne,
His bodie naild on crosse of tree,
his hart with speare was torne.
Thus all his bloud he shed,
to death his life made thrall,
To pacifie his fathers wrath,
procur'd by Adams fall.
He died, and was buried,
descended downe to hell,
From death to life he rose againe,
he loued vs so well.
When fortie daies were come,
to heauen ascended hee,
In sight from men of Galilie,
in faith to vs that bee.
[Page 48]From whence I doo beleeue,
he shall againe descend,
To iudge all flesh, and of the world
to make a finall end.
The dead from graue shall rise,
the quicke shall changed bee,
And eu'rie eie shall face to face
behold his Maiestie.
By grace who hath done well,
with him in heauen shall raigne:
By sinne who hath done wickedlie,
in euerlasting paine.
FINIS.
COMFORTABLE Dialogs …

COMFORTABLE Dialogs betweene CHRIST and a SINNER, tou­ching the soules health.

  • Humble sutes of a sinner for mercie in miserie.
  • A Lamentation touching the follies and vanities of our youth.
  • A Psalme of reioising for our spirituall re­demption.
  • A Christian confession to the blessed Trinitie.
  • Praiers for the good estate of the Queenes High­nesse, &c.

Gathered by W. Hunnis, one of the Gentlemen of hir Highnesse Chapell, and maister to the children of the same. 1583.

A Dialog betweene Christ and a Sinner.

CHRIST.
[...] Arise from sin thou wicked man, before
[...] the trump dooth sound: Least thou a­mong
[...] the guiltie sort, a damned soule
[...] be found. My sheepe why doost thou per­secute?
[...] my lambs why dost thou kill?
[...] My selfe why dost thou cru╌ci╌fie,
[Page 52] [...] and guiltles blood thus spill? Arise I
[...] saie, arise, arise.
SINNER.
[...] What fearefull thundering voice is this,
[...] that soundeth in mine eare: Which bids
[...] me rise, and brings my soule, and all hir
[...] powers in feare?
CHRIST.
[...] It is the voice of him thy iudge, that shall
[...] thy iudger bee: Which bids thee rise
[Page 53] [...] while sunne dooth shine, that thou thy
[...] selfe maist see: For after sunne be set in
[...] shade, and darksome clouds appeere:
[...] Too late is then for to a╌rise, if thou arise
[...] not heere. Arise I saie, arise, arise.
SINNER.
[...] O Lord by grace I now behold, wherein
[...] I did offend.
CHRIST.
[...] What made thee thus against my saints,
[Page 54] [...] such crueltie extend?
SINNER.
[...] It was my fault through ignorance,
[...] by which I might not chuse.
CHRIST.
[...] And yet I saie thine ignorance, shall
[...] not thy baults excuse.
SINNER.
[...] By grace I am re╌pen╌tant made,
[...] Wilt thou not mercie haue?
CHRIST.
[...] If thou by grace re╌pen╌tant bee,
[Page 55] [...] yet must thou mercie craue.
SINNER
[...] O Lord blot out my fyl╌thie deeds,
[...] and clense mee from my sinne:
CHRIST.
[...] Aryse and walke, thou art made cleane,
[...] as thou beleeu'st therein.

Another dialog betweene Christ and a Sinner, to be soong as the former.

CHRIST.
AWake from sleepe, and watch awhile,
prepare your selues to praie;
For I mine angell will send foorth
to sound the iudgement daie,
That mine elect and chosen sort
might find my saieng true:
How that the time I shorten will,
for them and not for you.
Awake I saie, awake, awake.
SINNER.
And yet, ô Lord, the little whelps
would licke the crums that fall,
Thy chosen sort are verie few;
but manie doost thou call.
CHRIST.
I call to you that will not heare,
I stretch mine armes at large,
For to imbrace such as doo come,
and all your sinnes discharge.
Wherefore if you refuse to come,
I will you then forsake;
[Page 57]And to my feast will strangers call,
and them my children make:
Awake therefore, and rise from sleepe,
awake, I saie, awake, awake.
SINNER.
Not so, good Lord, thy mercie far
aboue our sinnes abound.
CHRIST.
And yet I will a iusticer
in iustice mine be found.
SINNER.
Thy promise is to pardon sinne,
and therein art thou iust.
CHRIST.
Your sinnes repent, and praie therefore,
in vaine is else your trust.
SINNER.
O Lord thy grace must this performe,
or else it cannot be.
CHRIST.
My grace you haue, the same applie,
and blessed shall you be.
SINNER.
Through this sweet grace, thy mercie Lord
we humblie doo require.
CHRIST.
[Page 58]
By mercie mine I you forgiue,
and grant this your desire.

AMEN.

An humble sute of a repentant sinner, for mercie.

[...] Giue eare, ô Lord, to heare my
[...] heauie carefull cries: And let my
[...] wofull plaints ascend, aboue the
[...] starrie skies, And now receiue the
[Page 59] [...] soule, that puts his trust in thee: And
[...] mercie grant to purge my sinnes,
[...] mercie, good Lord, mercie.
My soule desires to drinke,
from fountaine of thy grace:
To slake this thirst, ô God, vouchsafe,
and turne not of thy face.
But bow thy bending eare,
with mercie when I crie:
And pardon grant for sinfull life,
mercie, good Lord mercie.
Behold at length, ô Lord,
my sore repentant mind,
Which knocks with faith, & hopes therby▪
thy mercies great to find.
Thy promise thus hath past,
from which I will not flie:
Who dooth repent trusting in thee,
shall taste of thy mercie.
Mercie, good Lord, mercie, mercie.

¶Another to the same effect.

[...] Behold, ô God, the wretched state,
[...] my sillie soule is in: How sore op­prest
[...] and ouerchargde, with foule
[...] and filthie sinne. Behold likewise
[...] the prison foule, I meane my baned
[Page 61] [...] brest: Where wickednes and sinne a­bounds,
[...] and breeds my soules vnrest.
Behold ô God how oft my soule,
dooth lift hir selfe to thee:
As one in dungion darke and deepe,
desiring light to see.
Behold also, how faine it would,
doo that might please thy will:
But cruell sinne with his affects,
doo drawe me backward still.
Behold, I doo not that I would,
as lawe of thine requires,
But I doo that I would not doo,
contrarie my desires.
Such is the working of the feend,
such be his wilie waies,
With [...]ust to set my hart on fire,
whereby my health decaies.
Such pleasant baites laies he abroad
with pois'ned hookes of sin,
And traines my senses all thereto,
and drownes my soule therein.
[Page 62]But mercie is with thee my God,
for such as mercie craue,
Among the which I humblie aske,
some mercie for to haue.
For light offense thy mercie small,
may soone appease thine ire,
But mine offenses manifold,
thy mercies great desire.
And since by mercie I must win,
thy fauour and thy grace,
From my misdeeds and sinfull life,
with mercie turne thy face.

¶Another to the same purpose.

[...] My soule ô God, doth now confesse,
[...] a wicked life long led in sinne:
[...] And how the same to thee is knowne,
[Page 63] [...] ere that my lips to speake begin.
[...] Such is the fruit, such is the tree,
[...] with mercie Lord deliuer mee.
Shall I, ô Lord, for this despaire
of hope, of helpe, and health at last?
Or shall I thinke thou seek'st reuenge,
vpon my sinfull life that's past?
No no, my faith dooth witnes mee,
Thy bloud from sin hath set me free.

AMEN.

A Lamentation touching the follies and vanities of our youth.

[...] ¶Alack when I looke back, vpon
[...] my youth that's past, And deepelie
[...] ponder youths offense, & youths re­ward
[...] at last: With sighes and sobs
[...] I saie; ô God I not denie, my youth
[...] with follie hath deseru'd, with follie
[Page 65] [...] for to die. But yet if euer sinfull
[...] man, might mer╌cie mooue to ruth,
[...] Good Lord with mercie doo forgiue,
[...] the follies of my youth.
In youth I rangde the fields,
where vices all did grow:
In youth I wanted grace,
such vice to ouerthrow.
In youth what I thought sweet,
most bitter now I find:
Thus hath the follies of my youth,
with follie kept me blind.
Yet as the Eagle cast's hir bill,
whereby hir age renut'h:
So Lord with mercie doo forgiue,
the follies of my youth: Amen.

A psalme of reioising for the woonderfull loue of Christ, ratified by his meritorious death and passion, for our spirituall redemp­tion.

LEt vs be glad and clap our hands,
with ioie our soules to fill:
For Christ hath paid the price of sinne,
with mercie and good will.
By his good will he flesh became,
for sinfull fleshes sake:
By his good will disdained not,
most shamefull death to take.
By his good will his blood was spilt,
his bodie all to rent:
By his good will to saue vs all,
he therewith was content.
By his good will death hath no power,
our sinfull soules to kill:
For Christ hath paid the price of sinne,
with mercie and good will.
Since Christ so dearelie loued vs,
let vs from sinne refraine:
For Christ desireth nothing els,
in lieu of all his paine.
And that we should each other loue,
as he vs loou'd before:
[Page 67]So shall his loue abide in vs,
and dwell for euermore.
Let then our loue so dwell in him,
our wicked lusts to kill:
For Christ hath paid the price of sin,
with mercie and good will.

AMEN.

A praier for the good estate of Queene ELIZABETH.

THou God that guidst both heuen and earth,
on whom we all depend:
Preserue our Queene in perfect health,
and hir from harme defend.
Conserue hir life in peace to reigne,
augment hir ioies withall:
Increase hir friends, maintaine hir cause,
and heare vs when we call.
So shall all we that faithfull be,
reioise and praise thy name:
O God, ô Christ, ô holie Ghost,
giue eare and grant the same.

AMEN.

A Christian confession of and to the Trinitie.

1 O Thou almightie, omnipotent, and e­uerlasting God the father of heauen; I doo beleeue, con­fesse, and acknowledge thee to be the God of all power and might, yea the almightie power it selfe, and to be of nothing going be­fore, neither made, created, nor begotten, but to be a thing before all things, giuing beginning vnto euerie thing, thy selfe being with­out beginning, and without en­ding.

2 O Thou sonne of God, which art the word of the father, and [Page 69] second person in Trinitie; I doo likewise beleeue, confesse, and ac­knowledge thee to be of the fa­ther, without beginning, before all worlds, neither made nor crea­ted, but begotten, and art equall with the father in power, might, glorie, maiestie, and deitie, and to be as thy father is, the fountaine and well-spring of all wisedome, grace, and mercie.

O Thou God the holie Ghost, 3 and third person in Trinitie, which art with the father and the sonne, the giuer of all comfort, vertue and goodnesse; I doo also beleeue, confesse, and acknow­ledge thee, to be of the father and of the sonne, neither made, nor created, nor begotten, but from God the father, and from God the sonne proceeding, equall with the father and the sonne, without be­ginning [Page 70] of time, and without end, in like power, might, glorie, maie­stie, and deitie as is the father and the sonne, all three in one, and one in three, one verie GOD euerla­sting, not three Gods euerlasting, of one essence or being, euer per­durable or during, without mea­sure, not changeable, almightie, one substance, and in one nature simple.

4 I Doo beleeue, confesse, and ac­knowledge ech one of your per­sons to be equall to the other, in all maner of perfection; and ech one person to be omnipotent or almightie, and to be one begin­ning of all things; and that togi­ther you made & created all crea­tures, visibles & inuisibles, spiritu­als and corporals; and that, by al­mightie vertue, from the begin­ning of time, you three togither [Page 71] did create (and that of nothing) the creature angelike, and the world­lie nature; and then you made man common to the first two na­tures: for man is of bodie corpo­rall, and of soule spirituall.

ALso I doo beleeue, confesse, 5 and acknowledge, that thou the father art one other, and thou the sonne art one other, and thou the holie Ghost art one other. For thou, ô father, maiest not be the sonne, nor the holie Ghost; nor thou, ô sonne, maiest not be the fa­ther, nor the holie Ghost; nor thou ô holie Ghost, maiest not be the father, nor the sonne: but to you three persons is one being, and one nature common, the which is the beginning of all things; and out of this beginning there is no beginning.

[Page 72] 6 ANd I beleeue, confesse, and acknowledge, that thou, ô father, art no greater, nor of grea­ter power than is the sonne, nor than is the holie Ghost. For the vnitie of your diuine being is e­quall or alike togither: for such as thou art, ô father; such art thou, ô sonne, and such art thou, ô holie Ghost. And thus thou holie and blessed Trinitie art one God, the first beginning, without begin­ning, fountaine of all mercie, grace, goodnesse, and vertue, which by thy knowledge dooest knowe all things present, and to be here­after.

7 ANd further I doo confesse, ac­knowledge, and stedfastlie beleeue, that thou, ô sonne of God art without beginning, coëternall with GOD the father, and with God the holie Ghost. And by the [Page 73] whole consent of you three in one, and one in three, and by the ouer­shadowing of the holie Ghost, thou, ô holie and most blessed sonne of God, didst enter into the wombe of the most vnspotted a­mongst women, the blessed vir­gine Marie, in whom was no ble­mish of sinne after the salutation of the angell Gabriel, when she had by the working of the holie Ghost, answered these words of meeknesse; Behold and see, I am the handmaid of the Lord, be it vnto me according to thy word.

THus thou blessed sonne of 8 God diddest not forsake or leaue thy Godhead, but didst take flesh or manhead of the blessed virgine vnto thy Godhead, being still perfect God with the father in Godhead, and perfect man al­so. In which manhead thou wert [Page 74] lesse than the father, but yet equall with the father touching thy dei­tie or Godhead: as after thy most blessed natiuitie thou didst prooue in thy humanitie to bee perfect God.

9 FOR without anie teacher or schoolemaister, thou hadst all perfect knowledge of sciences & learning. Thou changedst water into wine. Thou gauest sight to the man borne blind. Thou open­lie saidst to the Iewes and Phari­sies; I which speake to you, am the beginning. Thou feddest manie thousands of people with a few loaues of bread, and with a few fi­shes. The wind and sea obeied at thy commandement. Thou rai­sedst Lazarus from death vnto life, which was foure daies dead, and stinking in his graue. In this, ô God, and in manie more excel­lent [Page 75] miracles, thou didst shew thy selfe to be perfect God.

ANd also thou didst shew thy 10 selfe to be perfect man: for thou didst eate, drinke, and sleepe, and so tookest increase of nature, as man dooth. Thou weptst, thou fastedst, thou sufferedst all the mi­series of man, sin onelie excepted.

IT also well pleased thee to ful­fill, 11 to performe, and to accom­plish all the words and saiengs of the holie patriarchs and prophets, which they had vttered and spo­ken of thee, long time before thou tookest our humane nature vpon thee. And so to fulfill the prophe­sies, thou sufferedst that thine hu­mane nature should be betraied and taken, by the kissing of thine vnkind disciple Iudas.

[Page 76] 12 THou also suffredst cruell per­secutions of the Iewes, & af­ter maine punishments they blas­phemed thee, and cried vpon Pi­late to haue thee crucified; and so vnder Ponce Pilate thou didst suf­fer to be crucified, and vpon the crosse didst die, touching thy hu­manitie; and after wast thou ta­ken downe, buried, and by the po­wer and might of thy deitie des­cendedst into hell, according to the scripture.

13 ANd I beleeue (notwithstan­ding that thy sepulchre was made fast and sealed, & also wat­ched and kept by certeine soldi­ers therevnto appointed) that the third daie, by thy Godhead or di­uine power, thou didst arise in thy humanitie. And fortie daies after thou didst ascend into heauen, in the sight of men of Galile, and in [Page 77] faith vnto vs that be; where thou doost remaine perfect GOD and perfect man, sitting on the right hand of the father, from whence thou shalt come and iudge both the liuing and the dead. By the dead I vnderstand the bodie which is mortall, and by the liuing I vn­derstand the soule which is spiri­tuall and immortall.

ANd also I acknowledge, con­fesse, 14 and stedfastlie beleeue, that I shall, among all thy reasona­ble creatures, arise from death to life, and with them shall stand and behold thy diuine maiestie face to face; thou sitting in the throne of thine eternall iudgement. And thine elect, and those whom thou hast shewed mercie vpon, shall be seuered from the wicked repro­bates, as lambes from woolues; the saued sort vpon thy right hand, [Page 78] and the other vpon thy left, where we shall all receiue our last and fi­nall iudgement. The which iudg­ment, ô Lord, I doo most humblie beseech thee may be vnto me, not after my sinnes and wickednesse; but according vnto thy great and vnspeakable mercies.

Grant this, ô thou most holie and blessed father of heauen, which art with the sonne, and with the holie Ghost, the worlds creator; and haue mercie vpon me, haue mercie vpon me.

Grant this, ô thou most holie and blessed Iesu, the onelie sonne of God, the worlds Sauiour and redeemer; and haue mercie vpon me, haue mercie vpon me.

Grant this, ô thou most blessed and holie Ghost, which art togi­ther with the father & the sonne, the worlds comforter; and haue mercie vpon me, haue mercie vp­on [Page 79] me.

Grant this, ô thou most holie, most blessed, most glorious and e­uerlasting Trinitie; and haue mer­cie vpon me, haue mercie vpon me, haue mercie vpon me, Amen.

A praier for the Queenes most excellent Ma­iestie.

O Almightie and mercifull GOD, creator & gouer­nour of all things, whose strength is euerie where, and whose power is infinite; which as thou euer art omnipotent, and in [Page 80] all thy works most gratious and ouer maruellous; so vnto vs thy poore seruants, grant we humblie beseech thee, that ELIZABETH our gratious QVEENE, and next vnder thee here on earth our go­uernour, may long liue, and lead a healthfull, quiet, and peaceable life. And if, ô Lord, at anie time the wicked, through malice shall con­spire and gather themselues togi­ther against thee, and hir thine annointed; wee hartilie beseech thee, either with speed to conuert and turne their harts, or ouer­throwe their force, and bring their deuises to naught. And although, ô Lord, that we, through our ma­nifold sinnes and wickednesse, doo not deserue to haue so good and so excellent a Iewell to rule & reigne ouer vs; yet, good Lord, we harti­lie praie thy diuine maiestie, to behold the great and vnspeakable [Page 81] miseries, which the losse of so pretious a Pearle may bring vpon vs and our posteritie, and to auert the same. This, ô Lord, we doo humblie craue of thee, that wee may long time enioie hir; or else that we, who faithfullie doo loue hir, may with hir be dissolued, according to thy good will and gratious pleasure, A­men.

A praier to be said of euerie true Christian before the receiuing of the holie Communion.

O Most sweet louer of al mankind, Lord & Sauior Iesu, I hum­blie beseech thee for thy bitter passi­on sake to remoue from me pride, enuie, and detraction, yea wrath, malice and impatiencie, and all other sicknesses & diseases of the soule. And plant, good Lord, in my hart and mind true meekenesse, charitie, patience, chastitie, tem­perance, and modestie, with all such other vertues, medicines, and [Page 83] preseruatiues vnto the soule. And mortisie in me, good Lord, all vn­cleane motions, carnall desires, and inordinate affections: and re­uiue in me the loue of vertues, and the perpetuall exercises thereof; so that in this time and all times I may woorthilie receiue this holie and blessed sacrament, vnto thine honour and glorie, and my soules endlesse ioie and comfort.

O Lord, I knowe and doo con­fesse here before thy diuine maie­stie, that I am vnwoorthie, and ve­rie much vnwoorthie, & most vn­woorthie, through my manifold sinnes and wickednes to licke the crums that fall from thy table: but notwithstanding I knowe as well againe, and so doo I in hart and mind stedfastlie beleeue, and the same doo acknowledge in mouth and word, that thou my Lord God art omnipotent and almightie, [Page 84] and so maiest by thy power infi­nite, if it so please thy maiestie to make me woorthie and accepta­ble to sit at thy table, and there to taste and feed of the most pure and heauenlie viands: for thou alone, ô Lord, maiest and canst iu­stifie a sinner, and of a vile, foule, and filthie wretch, make a cleane, white, and pleasant person.

Therefore gratious Lord, I be­seech thy woorthie maiestie for thy almightie power, which I firmelie and stedfastlie beleeue; and for thine infinite and endlesse wise­dome, which I boldlie confesse; and for thine excellent goodnesse and truth, wherein I fullie hope and trust; and for all this togither as one: frame me and make me woorthie and acceptable vnto thy godlie presence, and grant me for­giuenesse of all my sinnes, and the feruent flame of thy loue, that I [Page 85] may now at this time receiue this holie sacrament with puritie of hart, and cleanesse of conscience, with spirituall gladnesse and hea­uenlie ioie.

O most mercifull Sauiour Iesu, I humblie beseech thee, for this ho­lie mysterie of thy blessed bodie and bloud, wherewith we vnwoor­thie wretches be continuallie fed, and dailie washed, clensed, sancti­fied, and made holie, and so par­takers of thy most high diuinitie: grant me, Lord, and giue me the pretious garment of innocencie, with such furniture of other orna­ments thervnto according, as best may please thy gratious goodnes, wherewith I may (as in my wed­ding vesture) in a good and cleane conscience approch vnto thy pre­sence; so that this celestiall & hea­uenlie sacrament receiued, may be vnto me health and saluation [Page 86] of soule and bodie, vnto life euer­lasting, Amen.

A praier to be said of euerie true Christian after the receiuing of the holie Communion.

IN most humble, most lowlie, and most har­tie maner, with most due reuerence I thank thee, good Lord, most holie father, and euerlasting God, that by the bountie of thy mercifull grace wouldest vouchsafe thus to re­fresh and feed my soule through faith with the benefits of the death and passion of thy sonne our Lord God, and Sauior Iesu Christ. And I beseech thine infinite goodnesse, that this the sacrament of thy deth and passion, which I most vnwoor­thie wretch haue now receiued, [Page 87] come neuer hereafter in iudge­ment & condemnation vnto me for mine euilles, merits, and de­seruings; but rather, good Lord, it may come vnto the profit and comfort of my bodie, and vnto the saluation of my soule vnto the life euerlasting, Amen.

A godlie praier to be said before the preaching of the word.

NEither is hee that planteth, neither he that watereth anie thing at al, but thou ô Lord, that giuest the increase. Increase we beseech thee the seed of thy word, and cause it to fructisie an hundred fold. Open our eies, that we may see the woonderfull things contei­ned in thy lawe. Incline our harts [Page 88] to thy testimonies, and not vnto vanities. Euermore bee on our right hand, and perfect the worke that thou hast begun among vs. Beare our most gratious ELIZA­BETH in thine owne bosome, and set thine eies alwaies vpon hir for good: let the spirit of know­ledge and holines remaine in hir ministers; blesse hir Councellers with wisedome and discretion; hir Nobles with fortitude and cou­rage; hir Iudges with iustice and mercie; hir Magistrates with dili­gence and faithfulnes; hir People with feare and perfect obedience, that we may all with one mind and one mouth saie with the pro­phet; He that is mightie hath doon for vs great things, and holie is his name, A­men.

A praier necessarie to bee said at all times.

O Bountifull IESV, ô sweet sauior, ô Christ the Sonne of GOD, haue pitie vpon mee, mercifullie heare mee, and despise not my praiers. Thou hast created me of nothing: thou hast redee­med me from the bondage of sin, death, and hell, neither with gold nor siluer, but with thy most pre­tious bodie once offered vpon the crosse, and thine owne bloud shed once for all, for my ransome: ther­fore cast mee not awaie, whome thou by thy great wisedome hast made; despise me not, whom thou hast redeemed with such a preti­ous treasure: nor let my wicked­nesse destroie that which thy good­nesse hath builded. Now whilest I liue, ô Iesu, haue mercie on mee: [Page 90] for if I die out of thy fauour, it will be too late afterward to call for thy mercie. Whilest I haue time to re­pent, looke vpon me with thy mer­cifull eies, as thou didst vouchsafe to looke vpon Peter thine Apo­stle, that I may bewaile my sinfull life, obteine thy fauour, and die therin. I reknowledge, that if thou shouldest deale with mee accor­ding to verie iustice, I haue deser­ued euerlasting death. Therefore I appeale to thy high throne of mer­cie, trusting to obteine Gods fa­uour, not for my merits, but for thy merits, ô Iesu, who hast giuen thy selfe an acceptable sacrifice to thy father, to appease his wrath, and to bring all sinners (truelie repenting and amending their euill life) into his fauour againe. Accept mee, ô Lord, among the number of them that shall bee saued. Forgiue mee my sinnes, giue me grace to lead a [Page 91] godlie and innocent life, grant me thy heauenlie wisedome, inspire my hart with [...]aith, hope, and cha­ritie; giue me grace to be humble in prosperitie, patient in aduersi­tie, obedient to my rulers, faithfull vnto them that trus [...], dealing truelie with all men, to liue chast­lie in wedlocke, to abhorre adul­terie, fornication, and all vnclean­nes: to doo good after my power vnto all men, to hurt no man, that thy name may be glorified in mee during this present life, and that I afterward may obteine euerla­sting life, through thy mer­cie, and the merits of thy passion, A­men.

FINIS.

[Page]1583 Imprinted at London, by Henrie Denham, dwelling in Pater noster Rowe, at the signe of the Starre.

Cum Priuilegio.

This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal. The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission.