THE COVNTRIE Mans Comfort OR Religious Recreations fitte for all well disposed persons Which was Printed in the yeere of our Lord 1588. And since corrected amended and enlarged by the same Author I. R. PSAL. 34. 11. Come ye Children in vnderstanding I will teach you the feare of the Lord. COL 3. 16. Let the words of Christ dwell in you plenteously in all wisedome teaching and admonishing your owne selues in Psalmes Hymnes and spirituall Songs singing with a grace in your hearts to the Lord. Printed at London by M. D. and are to be sold by Anne Boler at the signe of the Marigold in Pauls Church-yard 1637. To the Christian Reader grace and peace GOod Reader in the yeere of our Lord 1588. when the Divell Pope and Spaniard did rage against our late Q. Elizabeth never to be forgotten and this kingdome to haue both killed vs and to possesse the land and when God had so miraculously delivered vs from that invincible Navie as they termed it I wrote this Booke containing in it many good Songs Ditties Carrols for the comfort and solace of all those that are well disposed after so miraculous deliverance from our enemies the Pope and Spaniards If therfore it happen to light into hands that are wise and learned know this that I doe not count it so fit a booke for thee as for the Schollers of pettie Schooles the poore Coutrieman and his familie who wil aske these vain questions som times saying what shall we doe in the long winter nights how shall we passe away the time on Sundayes what wold you haue vs doe in the Christmas Hollydayes For such haue I made this booke wherein I shall no doubt please their merrie minds a little for that they are naturally given to sing if happily I may winne them to sing good things and forsake euill And when the gun-powder Treason was found out and bewrayed I began to looke over this little booke and finding as great cause to mooue vnto thankefulnesse now as then I did as my leasure serued me correct amend my former labors and added and augmented them more then was in the former booke and now haue finished the same I offer it to the view of all well minded persons and as for others that cannot take plaine labors in good part I leaue them to themselues and the rest vnto God The Lords poore and humble seruant I. R. The Countrymans comfort A song in stead of an Introduction to this worke worthy your reading and entituled A Table of good Counsell It will goe to the tune of in Create if you sing it FIrst learne to honour God aright Let loue and feare thereto provok Obey the King with all thy might Submit thy selfe to Parents yoke Imbrace the good and shunne the ill This is the summe of wisedomes skill To know thy selfe thou must apply And try thy friend before thou trust Content thy selfe clime not too hie Let word and deed be all waies iust Striue not to swim against the streame Account not of a drowsie dreame Wish not for wealth by parents death A friend farre passeth worldly good And while the body yeeldeth breath Seeke not for to exceede in foode For great excesse of meate and drinke Doth cause the soule in sinne to sinke Faint not though fortune fauour fooles Fret not at others good successe Delight to sit in learned schooles Thy former faults seeke to redresse Spurne not at him that tells thy crime Mend that against another time Spend sparingly yet not too nye And make accompt how wealth doth wast Hate Suretiship all debt bookes flie To giue thy word make thou no hast Let not apparrell sumptuous be But still remember thy degree Respect not only present time But marke also what may ensue For cracke of credit is a crime Change not an old friend for a new Take heed of brasen face past shame And loue to liue in honest fame Praise no man till thou dost him knowe Dispraise not rashly any wight Least shame thereby to thee may growe Speake but few words place them aright Into the world then maist thou goe And say thy friend hath taught thee so The summe of the Creed in Meeter IN Father Sonne and Holy Ghost Beleeue I stedfastly And that Christ Iesus Man became I hold as earnestlie He also suffered for our sinnes Himselfe still voyde of sinne Who did descend the manner how I say not much therein We find that Christ felt so much paine As satisfied Gods Ire And reconciled man to God That 's all we neede require And as for Christ in Pix in bread Or harrowing vp of Hell Of Purgatory Limbus twaine The Scripture doth not tell One true Church Catholike there is One earth still Millitant And I a member of the same Through Christ now Tryumphant This Church it hath Communion And God remitts their sinne To life and glory they shall rise And they shall neuer linne To sing out HALLELVIAH In euerlasting Blisse Wherefore beleeue and liue well here That so you may be his Amen The summe of the Tenne Commandements 1 None but Iehova haue for God 2 No Creature worship thou 3 Take not Gods holy Name in vaine 4 Keepe well the Sabboth now 5 Thy Parents honor and obey 6 No murder once commit 7 Be none adulterer at all 8 Steale not by hand or wit 9 False witnesse beare thou not I say 10 Ne couet not in heart Thy neighbors wife seruant or goods That God gaue for his part These Ten Commandements we deuide Still into Tables twaine And take them for our spirituall guide And our direction plaine First to the worship of our God And then to Christian loue That we may shunne the fiery rod And liue in heauen aboue Then doe not like to Papists adde Nor take from this his Law But downe with Images and all And euer liue in Awe And as the Lord did make vs all So let him teach vs too For he knowes what is best for vs And we blind what to doe FINIS A Briefe of the Lords Prayer O Father ours which art in heauen Still hallowed be thy Name Thy kingdome come thy will be done In earth without all blame As it performed is in heauen Ofsoules and Angels bright Where thou art serued without sin And praysed day and night Giue vs this day our daily bread Forgiue our sinnes likewise As we forgiue them that vs hurt When quarrells doe arise Into temptation lead us not So to be overcome As wicked persons euer are That lose thy sweet kingdome For thine is that celestiall place With power and glorie still Both now and euermore Amen Say we with right good will To pray to Saints or creatures then you see t is Po-pe-rie To haue a Picture in this worke Is idle certainely A Crucifix is nothing worth Ne Beades to count vpon For blind-men they must leaue those Paints And pray to God alone FINIS The Summe of the old Covenant or Testament with the
their iollitie and say it is but vanitie Refraine the santasies deere friends aske mercy for your former sinnes Accompt this world to be but lent praise God and alwayes be content His benefits both great and small we must giue reckning for them all Our time is short right well we know and none is sure when he shall goe With speed then let 's prepare to die for sure this word is vanitie Death is the end of mortall life and death doth cease all worldly strife He bridles vp the brainsicke foole and doth dispute in fancies schoole Where dainty damsels he doth meet and laps them all in shrowding sheet All Adams amorous impes beside which decke them selues in pomp pride With vgly face most tufully he takes them from their vanity If I might moue the minde of man onely in heart to way and scan How I haue now in verse displaid nothing but truth in that is sayd Repentance sure with teares would call helpe Lord forgiue thy people all O guide our steps still with thy word deliuer us from euill good Lord Inflame our hartes with ioyes on hie so shall we hate all vanitie In this song we are put in mind of our fraile and weake estate and we are taught how to lull and bring asleepe our affections that we may goe to God To the tune of the 15. Psalme SIng lullaby as women doe wherewith they bring their babes to rest And lulaby can I sing too as womanly as can the best With lulaby the child they still with sugred songs they sing out shrill Such wanton babes God knowes have I that must be stild with lulaby First lulaby my youthfull yeares it is now time to goe to bed For crooked age and hoarie haires haue wonne the haven in my head With lulaby then youth be still with lulaby subdue thy will Sith courage quailes and comes behind goe sleepe and so beguile thy mind Next lulaby my wanton playes let reasons rule restraine thy thought Since that I finde by sundry wayes how deere thou hast thy sporting bought With lulaby take thou thine ease with lulaby thy dumps appease Blest is that wight which ere he die doth sing aright this lulaby Now lulaby my gasing eyes that wonted were to glance apace For every glasse may now suffice to shew the furrowes in my face With lulaby then winke a while with lulaby thy lookes beguile Let no faire face nor beauty bright entice thee vnto vaine delight And lulaby my body eke which once was clad in trim attire Warme furs to cloth thee now goe seeke in chayer keepe thee by the fire And lulaby let some man sing while thou to God doest make reckning Prepare thy selfe alwayes to dye forget not this my lulaby With lulably then bring asleepe dispaire which commeth by mistrust And Sathans doubts which faine would creep into our hearts that are but dust Put confidence in Gods mercy and euermore sing lulaby Commit thy selfe to Christ alone with him to ioy when life is gone Last lulaby in graue we make amidst the greedy wormes in clay Vntill that Christ accompt shall take of euery one at the last day Wherefore let vs sing lulaby till all his sinnes sleepe quietly And then to God make hast away in heauen with him to liue for aye The lamentable mone of a sorrowfull soule IN trouble thus I heard one cry Vpon his knees with weeping eye Saying O whither should I flie Where might I wish my selfe to be That God take no account of me For why my sinnes are growne so great That if I come to iudgement seat In vaine it is for to intreat A place therefore to hide me in I craue by reason of my sinne If in the heauens I seeke to be There must I needes be seene of thee In hell is no defence for me Thy presence fills each place I know In heauen aboue and earth below If I had wings at will to flie Beyond the seas that farthest lie Yet there thy hand and power is nie To bind and bring me backe againe In place where I should still remaine Thou doest possesse me every whit My heart my raines my head my wit My sinewes that my joynts doe knit Thou broughtst me from my mothers womb And thou shalt raise me from my tomb Thy passing power thy workes declare Thy threats shew what thy terrors are Thou seest all secrets every where My soule therefore that is in woe Alas then whether shall it goe As I was in this great distresse One spake and sayd to me doubtlesse Despaire not man through heavinesse For God delighteth not to see The death of sinners credit me By faith on these words I tooke hold And yet I durst not be too bold But tremblingly as one acold I prayd and gaue God thankes withall For comfort in such wo full thrall And thus I was received well As one releast from paines of hell My horror sure no tongue can tell Those pinching paines that I did feele Would surely breake an heart of steele A Christian promise then made I And vow'd a vow to God on hie That from henceforth continually His faithfull servant I will be Which to performe Christ strengthen me You sinners obstinate and ill That daily doe resist Gods will Giue eare now to my crying shrill Amend your liues while you haue space Or else you are in wofull case For our good King now let us pray The Lord preserue him night and day His counsell eke God keepe for aye This Realme good Lord saue and defend From euery foe to the worlds end A ditty declaring the fervent desire of a christian soule To the tune of O Lord of whom I doe depend SWeete Iesus who shall giue me wings of pure and perfect loue That I may mount from earthly things and rest with thee aboue For heere beneath I flie about in weake and weary case Like to the Doue that Noe sent out which found no resting place Euen thou O Iesus by thy power must giue me wings to flie Else shall I neuer know thy lure to stoope obediently Ne can I rise off from the fist of worldly pleasures vaine But stubbornely thy will resist to mine eternall paine My wearie wings sweete Iesus marke and grant me my request Put forth thy hand out of thine Arke and take me to thy rest For sure with thee are endlesse ioyes and no man there laments But here with vs are great annoyes whereof each one repents In heauen thy Saints doe sing to thee without all strife and feare But we on earth at variance be and subiect much to care Deggerly conceipts and base O toyes of deepe contempt From which sweet Iesus by thy grace my silly soule exempt For I have learn'd to loath those things wherein I did delight And unto thee the King of kings I come with all my might Craving a place with thy great host where I may sing alwayes To Father Sonne and holy Ghost all honour laud and praise
away the painefull day The horse and Mule with sound of bell Encouraged is to labour well The Head enfraught with frantike toies The tuned strings doe make full graue The heart opprest and voide of ioy Will greatly ioy Musicke to haue When studie deepe hath duld the braine Musicke will sharpe the edge againe We read how Dauid plaid full trimme Before the holy Arke of God And how his wife for mocking him By sentence iust was then forbod For hauing Children any more But barren should she be therefore The shepheards and the Angels eke When that our Sauiour Christ was borne With voice did laud that lambe so meeke That died for mankind without scorne We ought to praise the Lord also VVith musicks art in wealth and woe A song well set well sung with voice Or other musicke handled fine Farre passeth any earthly noyse Yea rather is a thing divine And some doe writ that Musicke euen Doth represent the ioyes of heauen Since Musick is a science such That God will honoured be withall A fish and fowle ioyes therein much And euery thing to nature thrall Hath he not then a stony heart That can dispraise this noble art Loue Musicke therefore in her use Loue Poetry void of abuse Heare songs and Instruments somtimes So as they lead not to ill crimes And thus an end of Musicks praise VVhich God aduance in all our dayes FINIS A song in commendation of diuers instruments of Musicke PRaise the Lord O man mortall Night and day upon him call Sing and say both great and small That God is good and iust Search and seeke the Scripture well It doth testifie and tell Euery one in ioy shall dwell That in the Lord doth trust Take the sounding Trumpet shrill Tabrell and the sweete Timbrill Winde the Flute with right good will That Saints on earth may heare Let the Drummer strike amaine Till our spirituall foes be slaine Then with ioy retire againe And serue the Lord in feare Bring the Bandora to blay Let the Bumberd come and Bray Put not Dulcimers away Nor pipes that praise the Lord Send the Cinfan and Simball Sacbuts long and virginall Let the Lute and Citterns small Agree with one accord Heare the Crumpehorne and the Harpe Hoboise and the Regale sharpe Let the Vialls come and carpe Our minds for to delight Sing with Shalmes and Psaltery Play vpon the Organes hie Cause the Cornets for to crie In skillfull peoples sight Learne in Gods word how you may Vse these Instruments in play Putting the abuse away That wicked men doe use Let your mirth and Musicke still Be according to Gods will Carnall lust for euer kill On good things alwayes muse March with Moses valiantly Answer Miriam singingly After Israels victorie On Pharaoh and his hoast Ioy with ioyfull Iaell shee Debora and Baruck hee VVho did Siseras downfall see Of whom there was much boast Brittaine thinke on things of waight Spaniards comming eighty eight VVith the Powder plot conceipt VVhere of all sorts should tast Dally not with God therefore Trust not Papists any more Banish them that blessings store May come to vs in hast Their Sinnes of Idolla-try Our Sinnes of impiety Both of them to God doth cry For vengeance night and day Let vs therefore now repent And all our sinfull wayes lament Let our minds to good be bent And we shall liue for aye FINIS A song against Fortune and those that haue or doe defend the same which may be sung to the Tune of Fortune my foe why dost thou frowne on me FOrtune shall bene God nor guide of mine Fortune to thee nothing I will resigne Fortune thou art the heathens Queene and Princesse How should a Christian take thee for his Mistres Fortune some say shee hath a restles wheele Turning the same that men her power may feele Fortune doth giue and take life as a Princesse Thus euery way is Fortune tooke for Mistres But shall I shew the folly of this thing And credit haue if I the truth doe bring Then giue me leaue I will proue this Heathnesse To be no Goddesse Princesse Queene or Mistresse Fortune what is it who can tell or shew It is no God nor Angell this we know No man nor woman no creature dumbe or senceles No vice nor vertue to be made a Princesse What world or worke did Fortune make or frame What law or Gospel comes forth in her name Whom doth shee call to count with as a Princesse Where will shee raigne when this world 's turnd to ashes Seeth no man can define what Fortune is Nor yet declare her workes of bale or blisse Seeth none did ever see or know this Princesse Why should a christian take her for his Mistres In God therefore that made both Sa and land Heaven earth and all things with his mightie hand In him alone the father of all mercies I put my trust aboue all earthly Princes Fortune and Fancy Hazz and Happe and chance Venture and Destiny Lucke an ignorance God will destroy and call account of Princesse Of young and old of servants and of Mistres Fortune ye see then is but even a name Which Heathen Nations to themselues did frame Of prophane people only she is Princesse And therefore christians should haue no such Mistres Where God is knowne and truely knowne indeed There Fortunes name is banisht with all speed Ye a all grosse sinne which doth our God offend Which thing I prayse and so my song shall end FINIS A song or Ditty made on this theame I know not what wherein is shewed how men ought not to set their mindes on worldy pleasure but on the living Lord. To the tune of Labandalashot and doth runne on the names of them that gaue the theame and his that made the song VVHo viewes the life of mortall man His state and where of he began Shall find such hugy heapes of woe As neither tongue nor penne can show Wherewith our mindes should daunted bee From vsing worldly mirth and glee And mooue vs to consider well What paines here are prepar'd in hell For wicked people as their lot which haue done heare they know not what If euerie man would heare Gods word and reuerently obey the Lord Then wickednesse would not abound But grace and vertue would be found In yong and old in hie and low In servants and in childre'n also In rich and poore in great and small In preachers and in people all Who delight in this and that And often doe they know not what Looke round about in each degree And marke what crimes and faults we see Behold the court and country too And then note well what great a doe There is in euery kind of state Few are content with simple rate But euery one will elime aloft Till triall hath them plainely taught T is vaine in hope of this or that To say or doe they know not what Loue is not found but here and there Leud lust doth flourish euery
Two most excellent songs or Ditties made by Queene Elizabeth as it is credibly reported and as it is very likely by some words in it in the yeare 1588 When the Spaniard came to possesse this land and is in manner of a prayer to God DEliver me O Lord my God from all my foes that be And eke defend all Christian soules that put their trust in thee Preserve us now and evermore from all the wicked traine Who long and thirst for Christians bloud and neuer will refraine Mine enemies O Lord be strong and thou the same dost know And that without offence in me they seeke mine ouerthrow My hope and helpe in all distresse hath euer beene in thee And thou O Lord of thy goodnesse didst still deliuer me Come now and end this strife likewise the cause is wholly thine Wherfore to thee my selfe and suite I wholly doe resigne The other song of Queene Elizabeth made in manner of a thankes giuing to God for her and our deliverance from the inuincible Nauie of the Spaniard as he termed it which thanks and praise was performed at Saint Pauls crosse in London LOoke and bow downe thine eare O Lord from thy bright spheare behold and see Thy handmaid and thy handy worke among thy Priests offring to thee Ecco's resounding vp the skies my selfe and scepter sacrifice My soule ascend his holy place ascribe him strength and sing him prayse For hee restraineth Princes spirits and hath wrought wonders in our dayes He made the windes and waters rise and did destroy mine enemies This Iacobs head this Israels God the fiery piller and the cloud Which kept the Saints from Pharoahs rod and drencht the honour of the proud He hath preserued now in loue the soule of me his turtle doue A Carroll for Christmas day To the tune of Rogeero VVE come to sing of Christ our King According to the time Therefore prepare and giue good eare Let hearts and all incline Divinitie our cheife Story which speakes of mans Saluation Shewes that the Lord by his pure word made all good by creation Mankind did beare Gods Image faire the creatures all were blest Then sathans evill made him a divell and he gave man small rest But tempted him by Eva's sinne till Paradice was gone Thus they and we were left you see in fearefull state each one Then God above in tender love to men that was but dead Said that indeed the womans seed should breake the Serpents head To Abraham to Isaack then to Iacob and the Iewes A covenant sure aye to endure God made of this good newes Before their eyes in Sacrifice our Saviour was displayd In figure types and other rites on Altar he was laid To Priests to Kings were shew'd these things to Prophets and the rest Who did assure that Virgin pure should beare this heavenly guest Realmes now in peace all warres did cease Iohn Baptist came to preach And he likewise did some baptize that heard when he did teach The time full come God sent his Sonne in shape of sinfull flesh Thus God and man one Christ became our soules for to refresh Angels did bring newes of this thing to Shepheards in the night To whom they said be not afraid at this so heavenly sight But goe your way and make no stay Christ is at Bethelem Behold him there borne poore and bare for sinne of mortall men Then gloriously from heaven hie the Angels they did sing Praise to Gods name peace without blame on earth to men living Shepheards did goe and found it so as Angels had foretold Christ meekly lay swadled in hay within the stable cold This child he is our soules chiefe blisse our tree of life and all Our Abell slaine our Isaack plaine our Ioseph left in thrall Our paschall lambe that hether came for his deere Spouse to die Our Manna sweet our Rocke so deepe our Arke of Sanctuarie Our mercy Seate our altar great ou Lampe and lauor faire Our priest our King and euery thing that we might not despaire What thankes and praise in all our daies ought we and ours to giue Vnto Gods name that wrought the same Long time ere man did liue This is the day of our great ioye if we will ioy therein And not assigne this blessed time to vanitie and sinne But euermore in vertues store to spend our daies aright Which God grant vs through Christ Iesus to doe with all our might Another Carroll for Christmas day made as if it were spoken by Christ to Adam and his posteritie REmember O thou man O thou man O thou man Remember O thou man thy time mis-spent Remember O thou man how thou camst to me than And I did what I can therefore repent Remember Adams fall O thou man O thou man Remember Adams fall from heaven to hell Remember Adams fall how we were condemn'd all To hell perpetuall there for to dwell Remember Gods goodnes O thou man O thou man Remember Gods goodnes and promise made Remember Gods goodnes his son should come doubt lesse Our faults for to redresse bee not afraide The Angels all did sing O thou man O thou man The Angels all did sing on the Shepheards hill The Angels all did sing praise to our heauenly king And peace to man living with a good will The Shepheards amazed was O thou man O thou man The Shepheards amazed was to heare Angels sing The Shepheards amazed was how that should come to passe That Christ our Mesias should be our King To Bethelem do they goe O thou man O thou man To Bethelem doe they goe these Shepheards three To Bethelem doe they goe to see if that were so That Christ were borne or no to set us free As the Angels before did say O thou man O thou man As the Angels before did say it came to passe As the angels before did say they foūd the babe wher it lay In manger wrapped in hay so poore it was Give thanks to God alway O thou man O thou man Give thankes to God alway with hearts most jolly Give thanks to God alway for this most joyfull day Let all men sing and say Holy Holy Holy A Carroll for S. Stephens day The holding of the same O Lord our God poure downe thy grace and holy Spirit from heauen That we may celebrate aright Christs birth as did Saint Stephen The Dittie it selfe When Iesus Christ ascended was into the heavens hie His twelve Apostles spent much time in praying earnestly And when the holy Ghost was sent they preached bold by skill The word of God in every place according to his will The number of the Church increas'd and grew exceedingly So that the Apostles lacked helpe in that their ministrie Wherefore they chose seuen worthy men of good report and fame That tooke the almes vp for the poore the blind the halt and lame Saint Stephen that worthy Martyr he was one of them they chose A man full of the holy Ghost against whom there