But leaped lyke the playing lamines If one myght aske what ayled thee Thou sea that thou dydest so forbeare And Iordan what cause myght there be That draue the backe in suche a feare Ye myghty mountaynes in lyke case Why skipped you lyke rammes I saye Ye little hilles why from your place â—an ye to leape as lammes doe playe All the whole earth it shall behoue When Iacobs God shall be present To tremble shake and muche to moue And in his sight hym reuerent For at his wyll he turned tho The hard rocke in to water clere Conuertyng harde flynte stones also To springyng welles as dyd appere ¶ An example of praier against idolatrous tyraÌ„tes that set vp false worship in the reproche of Gods true worshyp Out of the Cxv. Psalme IF vnto vs poore mortall men No prayse is due of very ryght Howe are they mockte and blynded then How farre are they from perfect sight That to a stocke or dead Image Wil geue such laude as god should haue How vayne is he howe doth he rage That doth Gods glorie so depraue The whiche sinne and most vyle offeÌ„ce Dauid did so abhorre and hate That he a Psalme in Gods defence Compiled hath that eche estate May vnderstande howe farre awrye They wandred be from righteousnes The lyuing God that doe denye By an Image or false lykenes And therfore doth all men exhorte To fearâ— the lorde and in hym truste Whiche is a true and sure comforte To all that in his hope are iust His harpe in hande he therfore tooke And on his knees this noble kyng As it is in the Psalter booke This holy Psalme began to synge Non nobis Domine NOt vnto vs lord not to vs But to thy holy name alwayse For thy mercy truthe done thus Ascribed be all laude and prayse These heathen folke that faythles be Why should they saye to vs in spighte Where is their God let vs hym see In whom these Christians haue delyghte For their false Gods their chiefe best Are nothyng but syluer and goulde The handes of men both most and lest Haue forged them out of the moulde Yet haue they for their idols made Mouthes wherw t they can speak nothing And eyes also wherof the trade Is to be blynde from all seyng Suche eares also in them are wrought As heare nothyng that one can tell And noses whiche are likewyse nought For they with them can nothyng smell Vayne handes haue they and fete also For with their handes they handle not Nor with their feete they can not goe Nor sounde no voyce out of their throte Wherfore suche as doe Idols make Doe their owne workes resemble iust And they also that doe them take For Gods or haue in them their truste Let Israell then in the lorde Set all their truste and confidence And Araons house therto accorde For he is their most sure defence All ye that feare the lorde aright Truste in hym well be not afrayde For he will surely shewe his myght To succoure you and be your ayde The lorde will not forget doubtles But haue vs in his mynde full well The ryghteous houses he wyll bles Of Araon and of Israell Ye that doe feare the lorde therfore Are blessed both the great and small The lorde increase you more and more Both you and eke your children all For sithe ye are his chosen sorte And haue the lord whole in your thought He wyll you blesse with great comforte Both heaueÌ„ earth that made of nought The heauens and the firmament Are his and at his holy wyll But the rounde earth he hath forth lente The sonnes of mortall men vntyll The dead O lorde that are gone hence Can not in graue expresse thy wayes Nor suche as downe are in sylence Can honor thee or geue the prayse But we O lorde that be alyue Thy prayse wyll spreade and ramifye And in our hartes due thankes contryue Vnto thy name eternally ¶ An example of prayer from a repentant harte out of the Cxxx. psalm Sythe in this worlde all men doe fall And none from sinne is free and clere It doth behoue we study all In humblenes for to appere For in this lyfe we dayly see By stoutnes none can wynne nor gayne But rather it in eche degree Doth purchase woe and cruell payne Who is so fonde if he offende To stande hym selfe to iustifie And rather doth not knele and bende Tyll he haue pardon and mercy The noble prynce Dauid therfore Knowyng the frutes of humblenes Did froÌ„ his harte powre forth great store Of teares and contrite gentilnes Because he would all men should lerne The lyke to doe in their great nede He sheweth howe his harte did yerne Tyll he had felte mercy in dede Him selfe prostrating in due wyse For sorowe of his greuous sinne In prayer was his exercise Thus doth his humble sute begynne De profundis clamaui FRom care of harte that caue so depe So hath my soule my sinnes abhorde Repentantly I humbly crepe And call to thee for helpe O lorde O lorde witsafe my voyce to here I thee beseche to bowe thyne eares Suffer my prayer to appere Pourde forth to thee w t piteous teares For if thou wylt for euermore Our wyckednes laye by thy syde Or kepe a note of them in store Oh lorde who then may 〈◊〉 abide Thy mercy lorde then make vs taste Whiche is to thee most naturall That graciously forgeue thou mayste And rayse them whiche by frailtie fall This made me on the lorde to wayte My soule also on hym to byde His promise is without deceyte And from his worde he wyll not slyde My soule hath more earnest delyghte Vpon the lorde to watche and staye Than watchmen whiche wake al y e night And long ryght sore tyll it be daye Let Israell the Lordes electe The iust that godly be and wyse Haue to the lorde their whole respecte For mercy is his exercyse This Israell I saye he shall All wickednes from them expell From sinnes he shall redeme them all Though thei be more then tongue can tel Glory be to our god aboue The father whiche of myght is moste And to the sonne as doth behoue And also to the holy ghoste As it from the beginning was And yet doth to this tyme extende And shall be still as tyme shall pas For euer more worlde without ende ¶ An example that as wel penitent prayer as ioyfull thankes and prayse haue their due tyme and place out of the Cxxxvii Psalme AS eche thinge hath his due tyme herâ— On this earth where we goe So is ther tyme for ioye and glee And eke for care and woe For as we ioye in tyme of welth Praysing the lorde therfore So in the tyme of pensyvnes Of myrth we make no store In one subiecte two contraries Can neuer well agree Both myrth and wo at once in one A strange thyng were to see It would be thought a great madnes In ioye to wayle and
wrynge Neither can it be coumpted les In sorowe for to synge As when the Iewes in Babylon Where they were captiue all Commaunded were to playe and synge Of suche as made them thrall Which vaine request of their great foes These miserable Iewes Would not accomplyshe in no wyse But did the same refuse They hangde asyde their instrumentes And laide their songes awaye And knewe it was not tyme to synge But rather for to praye That god would them delyuer once From that their bondage vyle Wherin they had bene punyshed A long and wery whyle But after thre score and tenne yeres When God them home had broughte With holy psalmes to prayse his name They diligently sought And in remembrance of the wo And bondage where they were And ioye of their deliuerance They songe as ye shall here Super flumina Babilonis ONce as we by the ryuers sate That runne in Babylon With bytter teares waylyng our wo When we thought on Sion We layde a syde our thankfull tunes Of honour laude and prayse And hung our harpes on wylow trees That grew there in those dayes Therfore our foes whiche to that land As captiues did vs bryng The more our sorowes to augmente Required vs to sing Cōmaunding vs with spightful scorne And great derision Sing vs quod they some hebrue songs Of your blessed Sion As though it were conuenient Contrary to gods wyll Suche vayne preceptes of wycked men To felowe or fulfyll In suche a lande gods laude to singe With songes of his swete worde Where Images the honor haue That due is to the lorde If euer we Ierusalem So from our myndes consume We wysh our right handes might forget Our harpes to touche in tune And that our tongues within our mouth May cleue we are content When we should vtter any thyng That mynde may vs inuente Thy prayses oh Ierusalem If we preferre not styll Before the moste or greatest ioye That hap may vs vntyll These Edomytes our enemyes Oh lorde remember them Their wyckednes when they destroyde Thyne owne Ierusalem Among them selues thus gan they say Our citie to confounde Destroye and sacke it down with it And rase it to the grounde And thou O daughter Babylon Well worthy of no les Thy mirthe shall turne to misery And thy ioye to distres And he shall be a happy man That with suche lyke agayne Shall the rewarde as thou didst vs With great reprofe and payne Ye blessed shall he be in dede That shall rewarde the once In takyng of thy suckyng babes And dashe them to the stones ¶ An example of Gods prayse for his great care ouer his elect in disapointing their enemies delyueringe them out of the Cxl. Psalme VVHat can the mortall man Inuente deuyse or skan Against the wyll of god Or howe can we withstande Of god the heuy hande His myghty plague and rod What nede we then to care What wicked men prepare With crafte vs to destroye Sythe god the Lorde of all Can bryng vs out of thrall And turne our care to ioye The noble kyng Dauid The lyke thyng hath proued That who so feare the lorde There shall no wyght preuayle Though they doe vs assayle With workes of god abhorde For in his tyme of nede He prayed with all spede To god for helpe and ayde As it doth folowe here And ryght well doth appere What he therin hath sayde Eripe me domine DEliuer me O Lorde Accordyng to thy worde Lorde let me not be shent On me some pitie haue From subtyle wayghtes me saue Of enmies violent In heart they thynke myschiefe And seke to doe me griefe Their tongues they whet so sharpe As aders venym vyle That they may vs begnyle Full wycked wyles they warpe Kepe me O lorde therfore From enmies euer more Whiche wicked be and ill Thy helpe let me not wante For they would me supplante From doyng of thy wyll These proude men they haue sette For me a pryuy nette Where I should out and in Yea and in my pathwaye My soule for to betraye They laye bothe snare and gyn Lorde therfore haue I sayde Thou art myne only ayde Lorde here my depe desyre O Lorde thou art my welth O God my sauing health Graunt me that I require Let not these men vnpure On me take their pleasure Distroye their ill intente They are so proude and haulte That they them selues exalte Therfore let them be shente I meane suche men as be Of their great subtiltie At no tyme vnpreparde Lorde in their owne deceyte Wherwith they layde suche weyke 〈◊〉 their owne fete be snarde Let coles of fyre fall downe And cast them on their crowne And throwe them into hell From whence howe for to ryse There is no tongue so wyse That can them rede or tell Let nothyng prosper well On earth where suche men dwell Reproue their ryche renowne To mischiefe they be wunte With plages therfore them hunte And hedlong throw them downe I knowe the lorde will wounde And viterly confounde All men to pryde adicte And wyll auenge in dede The poore that stande in nede And are thus sore afflicte The ryghteous verely Shall prayse and magnifie Thy holy name therfore The heartes of pure pretence Shall dwell in thy presence Good lorde for euer more ¶ An example howe to prayse God for his almyghty powre and gentylnes Out of the Cxlv. Psalme AS he that would set forth to men The prayse of some good kyng To cause his subiec tes hym to loue And obey in all thynge Doth shew to them his great goodnes His powre and all his myghte That therby he may cause all folke In him to haue delyght And also that his enemies The more may stande in feare And where perhaps they would rebell To cause them to forbeare So Dauid doth gods glory shewe And powre omnipente To make harde hartes that feare not god To soften and relente That they myght come in vnitie Of God and of his lawe And leaueth no good meanes vnsought Them to intyse and drawe That vniformely mortall men Whiche in this worlde doe dwell Myght all agree praysinge the lorde And in vertue excell Whiche if ye staye or stande in doubte Howe to begynne this game Take here a Psalme which will instruct And leade you in the same Exaltabo te deus O God that arte myne only kyng I wyll thee magnify and so set forth thy laude praise To dure eternally From daye to daye euen euery daye Great thankes I wyll thee gyue And prayse thy name for euer more Whyle I haue tyme to lyue Great is the Lorde and meruaylous And worthy of all prayse There is no ende of his greatnes Or magnificent wayes From tyme to tyme for euer more Eche generation To others shall thy powre declare And thy workes evry one And as for me myne only talke Shall worshyp styll thy name Thy glory and thy wondrous workes And prayse the for the same Men of thy workes so meruaylous To speake shall haue
hearde The prayse of men whiche they desyre Is only their rewarde But at suche tyme as thou wylt praye Into thy chamber go A faythfull and a contrite harte Prayer must Issue fro And when thou hast closed thy dore And shut out wordly care And vayn thoughtes of this wretched worlde Thy prayer then declare Vnto thy god and father dere Whiche is in secrete still Seing the bothom of eche harte Eche thought eche worke and wyll Whoe will rewarde thee in such wise That it shall well appere That he hath heard thy hartes requeste Moste lyke a father dere But in thy prayer bable not With many wordes and vayne As Heathen men whiche thinke therby their purpose to obteyne It is the harte and not the lyppes Wherby thou mayste aspyre Thy sute to god for to attayne And to haue thy desyre The harte I saye both cleane and pure Must be the very meane For lips doe but prouoke gods wrath Where hartes be founde vncleane For god doth knowe before you speakâ— Your nede and all your lacke And wyll you kepe it you be iuste That nought shall goe to wracke And erre thou praye bethynke thy self Who did the hurt or greue Refrayne thy wrath in continent And louyngly forgeue If thou forgeue not other men Their trespasses and cryme Thinke not that god will thee forgeue Thy faultes at any time Contrariwyse if thou forgeue Suche as did the vnryght God by his promis wyll thee here And shewe the mercy bryght And where thou hast done any hurte It is not worth the whyle To praye before thou make amendes And thy selfe reconcyle But when thou art prepared thus In all pointes as I saye With pure harte in moste humble wyse On this sorte see thou praye Pater noster O Lorde that art our only god And father of vs all In heauen whiche arte resident To thee we crie and call Thy holy and thy blessed name That we may sanctifie Graunt that we may for euer vse The same reuer ently Oh let thy kyngdom downe descende And alwayes vs protecte That we may reigne in peace and ioye Whiche are thyne owne electe Thy worthy wyll let it be done Of worldly wretches here As it in heauen euer is Among thy saintes moste dere Our daily bread geue vs this daye Our bodies to susteyne And to our soules thy blessed worde Thy truthe styll to mainteyne Both for the body and the soule Relieue vs with thy store That we therby may taste thy grace This daye and euer more Our trespasses our great sinnes Redeme and clene forgeue As we forgeue and mercy take On them that doe vs greue O lorde into temptation Aboue our strengthe and powre Doe not leade vs at any tyme Least Sathan vs deuowre But with thy grace defende vs styll Let not thy goodnes cease But from all euylles vs defende Delyuer and release For onely to thee doth belonge The kyngdome very ryght The power and gloryous maiestie For euer so be it ¶ The abridgement of our Christen beleefe written as some suppose into .xii. Articles by the .xii. holy apostels of our sauiour Iesus Chryste THe .xii. Apostelles of Iesus our lorde After their holy preachyng a long tyme And settyng forth of goddes most holy worde Preaching repentaunce from al synne and cryme Yet not withstandinge all their dilygence Mistaking of goddes worde dyd make offence For many heresyes dyd then aryse And mysbeleâ—e in god our lorde aboue By mystakyng and worldely wyt lyke wise Whiche made from true fayth many to remoue For carnall reason walketh styll astray And vnto fayth dothe alwayes disobay These holy preachers therfore thinkinge best In this turmoyle to set order and staye Dyd then deuyse bothe vnto most and least Of true beleefe a breefe and perfect waye That all men might as well the younge as oâ—lde Sone lerne the same and in memory houlde Syth then the holy ghost hath taught vs thus It doth behoue that we dilygently Do learne the same to knowe and to discusse And kepe eche parte therof most faythfull Wherefore the summe of it I wyll reherse As here doth folowe in this kynde of verse Credo in deum patrem I Do beleue with stedfast true intent In God the father which is of all myght Who made heauen earth and al their whole content The nyght the day the darkenes and the lyght And I beleue in Iesus Christ our lorde Hys onely sonne thee uerlastyng worde Which of the holy ghost conceyued was And of the most pure virgyn Mary borne And vnder Ponce Pylat as came to passe Suffred and on the crosse was rente and torne And beyng dead was buryed in the ende And also downe into hell dyd descende And the thirde day accordyng to scripture He rose from death to perfect lyfe agayne And vp to heauen he ascended sure On god the fathers ryght hande to remayne Till at the last he once agayne shall come Both quicke and deade to iudge by rightfull dome I also beleue in the holy ghoste And in the church of chryst catholycall And of the sayntes the communion moste The forgeuenes of myne offences all And this our fleshe shall ryse agayne at last And I beleue eternall lyfe to taste Amen ¶ The songe of prayse and thankesgeuinge of blessed Mary the vyrgyn mother of our lorde and sauiour Iesus Chryst after the salutation of the Angell Gabriell and of Elizabeth mother of blessed Iohn baptist written Luke the j. Chapter Magnificat anima mea My soule truelye Shall magnifye The lorde and hym honour So shall my sprite Ioy and delyghte In god my sauyour Hys eyes he stayd On hys handmayde In poore and lowe degree And kinreds all From henceforth shall Knowe me blessed to be For he whose myght Excelleth ryght Hath exalted my â—ame Doynge to me Great thinges and hye And holy is is name His mercy sure Doth aye endure And doth not wast nor weare In kynredes all Continuall That do hym loue and feare He in his powre Hath at this howre His arme put forth at length The prowde abowght Bringeth to nowght What so their hartes inuenth He putteth downe From their renowme The mighty and the stronge And doth vp set In honour great The meeke that suffer wronge And he doth styll Both fede and fyll All those that hunger payne And doth them good When without foode The ryche empty remayne He hath in minde His mercy kynde His folke to helpe and saue His seruantes well Euen Israell That for his mercy craue As he like wise Dyd once promyse To Abraham before Our fathers olde that fayth dyd holde And their sede euermore Glory and prayse And laude alwayes Vnto the trynitie With one accorde Prayse we the lorde One god and personnes three As hath ben aye And at this daye Continueth as yet And shall extende Worlde without ende For euer so be it Finis ¶ The songe of prayse and thankes geuinge of holy Zachary father of Saynct Iohn baptist beinge restored to
his speche whiche was taken from him at the vision of the angell written Luke the fyrst chap. Benedictus dominus deus BLessed nowe be The almyghtye Lorde God of Israell Hys people whych Visiteth myche Redemynge them full well A myghtye horne Of saluation That hath to vs raysed Euen in the house So ryghteous Of his seruant Dauid As he spake by The mouthes holy Of hys Prophetes ech whan That ay haue bene Among vs sene Sence the worlde first began Which sayde that we Shoulde saued be From our enemyes all Who euer that Hath vs in hate Eyther the greate or small To performe ryghte Hys mercy bryght That he sometyme dyd graunt Our forefathers And remembers Hys holy couenaunt Hys othe once sworne For to performe Vnto our father dere Euen Abraham That when tyme came To vs it myght appere That from our foes We beynge lose And cleane delyuered We myght serue him From tyme to tyme Without all seruyâ—e drede In holynes And ryghteousnes With perfect wayes and pure For euermore Hys face before While our lyfe dayes indure And thou O chylde That art so mylde Shalt be calld the prophet Of the most hyest And hys sonne Chryst To shewe hys glory great The lorde of grace Before hys face Thou chylde shalte go I say For to prepare And eke declare his pure and chosen way To geue knowledge Of this the pledge Of their saluation his peoples synne That they are in The cleane remission Throughe the mercy Tender and free Of god wherby the day Springeth so bright Euen from the hight Doth visyte vs alway From deathes shadowe And darkenes lowe Suche as syt to release their feete eche tyde With light to guide Into the way of peace Glory and prayse And laude alwayes Vnto the Trinitie To the father And the sonne dere And to the ghost holy As hath ben aye And at this day Continueth as yet And shall be styll With right good wyll For euer so â—e it Finis ¶ The songe of prayse and thankes geuyng of holy Simeon at the Circumcisyon of our Lorde Iesu Chryste Luke ij Nunc dimittis THy seruaunt nowe Permyt mayst thowe For to depart O lorde In quiet peace from strife to cease According to thy worde Myne eyes our wealth Thy sauyng health haue sene nowe through thy grace Of thee preparde to be declarde Before all peoples face To be a lyght Styll shyning bryght Guyding the gentylles wel And for to be the great glory Of thy flocke Israell Let eury trybe Glory ascrybe Nowe to the deitye As hath bene is And shall not mysse To be continually Amen ¶ The r. commaundementes of almighty God written in ij tables of stone with y â— finger of God The first table conteyning iiij preceptes concerneth our duety towardes God The second table conteyning the other vjpreceptes concerneth our duetye towardes our neyghbour written in the xx Chapiter of Exodus and in the v. Chapiter Deuteronomium Argument The lyuyng God our onely Lorde That all thinges with his word hath made And as the scripture doth recorde Doth gouerne all in godly trade And knowth how apt man is to stray And all good thynges to disobay Wyth hys fynger for mannes behoue In tables twayne of stone dyd wryte Commaundementes ten hys heart to moue From guyle and wrong to truth and right In godlynes to guyde hys wayes They folow here note what he sayes I Am thy Lorde and God alone From Egypt land that â–ª brought the ryght Beholdyng thy distresse and mone From house of bonde I freede thee quight Wherefore thou shalte I say to thee None other Goddes haue before mee Thou shalt no grauen Image make Nor picture be it greate or smalle Or fygure that thy minde may take In heauen earth or waters all Nor honour them that shalt not thou Nor vnto them ne knele nor bowe For I thy God and onely Lorde A ielouse God am of suche synne And fathers faultes I haue abhorde Vpon their childern and their kynne In kynreds iij. or iiij or mo I vysit them that hate me so Which iustyce yet doth me not stay From mekenes mercy nor from grace Which I extende to them alway My holy lawes that do embrace To thousandes though none can deserue That I commaunde if they obserue The holy name thou shalt not vse Of me thy lord and God in vayne Vnlawfull othes thou shalt refuse Sweare not for false or fylthy gayne The Lorde will thee not holde vngylt Hys name in vayne if take thou wilt Remember that in any wyse the Sabaoth day thou sanctifie Syx dayes thou shalt thee exercise And labour for necessitie The seuenth day the Sabaoth is Of god almyght the lorde of blys Therfore this day beare well in minde No kinde of worke that then thou do Vnto whiche lawe thy sonne I bynde Thy daughter shall it kepe also Thy man thy mayde and eke thy beast In fyne within thy gate thy geast For in syx dayes the lorde created Heauen earthe sea and all of noughte The seuenth day take his rest he dyd Wherfore the lorde that all hath wrought The Sabaoth day dyd sanctifie And blessed it perpetually Thy father and thy mother dere Se that thou reuerently honour Let none ingratitude appere In thee to them but them soccour So in the lande longe shalt thou lyue Whiche thy lorde God to thee shall gyue Thou shalt not kyll note thou it well Also thou shalt no wedlocke breake I say also thou shalt not steale Nor witnes false thou shalt none speake Against thy neyghbours them to wrong But lyue vprightly them amonge And to conclude of this take hede What my lawes chieflye doe requyre Not onely to forbere the dede But also from the heartes desyre Of that thy neighbour doth possesse Of any thyng in more or lesse Particularlye to recite Thy neyghbours house couet thou not Nor yet hys wyfe his heartes delyght Hys man or mayde whych is his lot Hys oxe or asse or ought of hys Couet thou not thynke wel on thys ¶ The prayse of God the father sonne and holye ghost Wrytten in an holy Hymne by the worthy fathers Augustine and Ambrose Te Deum laudamus O God of myghte As it is ryghte We yelde the laâ—de and prayse Wyth one accorde To be the Lorde We knoweledge thee alwayse The earth throughout And all aboute Thy worshyppe doth expresse Thou doest appere A father dere In euerlastyngnesse To thee do call The Angelles all And cry wyth a loude dynne The heauens hye Eternallye And all the powres therin Both Cherubin And Ceraphin Do in thy prayse reioyce And thus alwayes Expresse thy prayse Wyth an incessant voyce Holye holye Thou art holye Lorde God of Sabaoth Thy maiestye And thy glorye Fylles heauen and earth both The gloryous sect Of thyne elect Apostles euery one Thy prayse doth showe All in a rowe And honour thee alone The Prophetes all Do on the call So goodly in their kynde That felow shyppe Doth not let slyppe To kepe thy
prayse in mynde The noble aray Of martyrs aye Thy prayse doth styll expresse The Church holye Where euer it be The lyke prayse doth confesse Infinitlye Thy maiestye O father doth endure And thy Sonne styll We honour wyll Onely so true and pure The holye ghost Our comforte most We do confesse to be Thou Chryst Iesu Mesias true Art the kynge of glory Thou art euer Of the father The euerlastyng sonne Which we confesse Both more and lesse That in this worlde do wonne When for our sake Thou dyddest take On thee man to restore The wombe so cleene Of the Virgin Thou dyddest not abhorre When thou the darte Of death so sharpe Dydst vanquishe and depriue Thou dydst vnlose Thy blesse to those That truelye dâ— beleue On the ryghte hande We vnderstande Of the father so dere In glorye greate There art thou set Tyll the last day appere Then we beleue Iudgemente to geue That thou from thence shalt come Most ryghteouslye Our iudge to be And iudge vs all and some Thy seruauntes pray Thee day by day Of thee some helpe to haue Whom wyth thy bloude Precious and good Thou dydst redeme and saue Make them indede To be numbred Wyth thy holy sayntes all For euermore Thy face before In glory eternall Thy people saue Whiche on the craue And blesse thyne heritage Gouerne them styll To doe thy wyll Euer from age to age For we dayly Thee magnifie And worshyp styll thy namâ— And styll intende Worlde without ende To continue the same Vouchsafe we praye O lorde this daye From sinne vs to defende For on thyne ayde Oure faith is stayde And euer doth depend Mercy O lorde Haue mercy Lorde Shewe vs thy mercy iuste On vs let lyght Thy mercy bright As we in thee doe truste And synce alway My truste and staye In the lorde is fyxed Oh graunt that I Eternally Be neuer confounded To the father And his sonne dere And to the holy ghoste Glory and prayse Geue we alwayes As we are bounden moste As was and is And shall not mys To be eche tyme and when For euer more Laude and honor To our lorde god Amen ¶ To his friend E. H. at whose requeste the author drue into metre the songe of the three chyldren whiche were put into the whot burning ouen which were called properly in the hebrue tongue Ananias Asarias Misael whose names Nebucadnezer chaÌ„ged into Cidrach Misach and Abednago in the Chaldey tongue Written Daniel in MY louyng friende Your boune and mynde Doth seme to me this tyde As Phaet on vayne Should once againe The sonne his chariot guide Who folyshly Immediatly May set the world on fire Till Ioue almight Most iust and right Doe sley him in his Ire Or one vnwise Should enterpryse To make or cause tapere From flynt stones dure Swete fountaynes pure Of waters cristall clerâ— Yet for to chuse Or once refuse Your most frendly request Is not in me Nor can not be At any time possest Therfore take well This small cantell Of my due and good will Though momus secte Then it reiecte No force it shall not skyll BLessed be thou O lorde god nowe The god of our fathers For thou alwayes Arte worthy prayse And of all great honers The name holy Of thy glory Worthy to be praysed Styll in worldes all Continuall Is to be magnified Be thou blessed In euery sted Of thy temple holy Whiche doste vs moue All thynges aboue To set vp thy glory More then worthy Thou arte truly Of laude and prayse eche daye Wherfore euer We wyll preferre And set the vp for aye Blessed alone In thy hyghe throne Be thou in thy kyngdom Thee aboue all We styll blesse shall In worlde of worldes to come Blessed be thou That lokest throwe The depe and yet doste syt The Cherubes on Worthy alone Of prayse descruing it The fyrmament And heauens hente Thee prayse which arte worthy For thy fauour Of all honoure Vnto eternitie Benedicite omnia opera Domini domino OYe workes all In generall Of god the lyuing Lorde Se that his prayse Ye shewe alwayes Set vp and it recorde Ye angels bryghte And heauens lyght And waters all aboue The fyrmament With one consent Prayse hym as doth behoue The lorde his powres Sonne Moone in cours Tell and shewe forth his prayse And neuer let Hym vp to set In his due laude alwayes O all ye sterres Dewe and showers O all ye wynds of God His prayse tell ye Hym magnifye As in his worde he bod Heate and fyer Wynter sommer Ye dewes and frostes hore Ye frost and coulde His prayse be boulde To set forth euermore O Ise and snowe His prayse forth showe Hym laude and magnifye Ye nyghtes and dayes With the lyke prayse Laude hym eternally Lyght and darknes His prayse expresse Lyghtnyng and cloudes I saye Let the earth speake And his prayse breake Forth for euer and aye Mountaines and hilles With your good wylles Herbes grasse al grene things Welles seas and flood Of hym speake good And declare his praysyngs Ye whales that lyue And all that meue In floodes and waters clere All soules of thayre Lykewyse repayre To make his prayse appere Bestes and cattâ—ll His prayse forth tell Ye chyldren of men pure Let Israell In prayse excell For euer to endure With one accorde Prayse ye the lorde That the lordes seruantes are Sprites and soules iust His prayse syng must Hym set vp and declare Let holy men Prayse hym eche when And humble men of harte With good pretence Euer from hence From his prayse neuer starte Ananias Azarias And Misaell prefer His prayses great And hym vp set For euer and euer Whiche hath from hell Vs saued well And clene delyuered And hath our breath Kepte safe from death And also hath vs ryd From burnyng flame Amydste the same And made the heate retire When we dyd craue He dyd vs saue In the mydst of the fyre Vnto the lorde Let vs recorde Both prayse and thankes therfore His hearte is kynde For we doe fynde His mercy euermore O all men ryght That are contryte Speake good and prayse the lorde For he truly Is almyghtie And of all gods the God O geue him prayse With thankes alwayes Whose mercy doth extende And doth indure Remayning pure Euer worlde without ende Prayse glorious Euer let vs Magnificently moste Geue the father And the sonne dere And to the holy ghoste From beginning Continuyng And nowe doth perseuer And shall doe aye From daye to daye For euer and euer Numeri .xiii. ¶ Sing this as The dawnyng daye beginnes to glare c. LEt now thy powre be great O lorde Lyke as thy lyps dyd once repeate And as we fynde it in thy worde Thy suffrance long thy mercy great For as thou doste our synnes forgyue And trespasses when we repent So are we sure no man on lyue From synne is free and innocent And of their father the misdede Thou visitest vpon the childe His generation and his
sede In .iiii. degrees therwith defylde But nowe oh lorde be gracious Vnto thy flocke and their offence And of thy mercy bounteous Remember not our negligence Thy people as thou didst forbeare From Egypt into wyldernes We the beseche in lyke maner That we may taste thy gentylnes ii Esdras .i. ¶ Syng this as O lorde our god we turne to thee c. LOrde god that in the heauens hie Doste kepe thy residence Thou art a god of terrible And great magnificence Thou that hast kept thy couenant And mercy eke in store For them that loue thee and obserue And kepe thy holy lore Oh let thine eares be attendante And marke what I doe saye And let thyne eyes be vigilant Beholde me when I praye For I am bent both daye and nyght To praye before thy face That to thy seruant Israell Thou wilt geue health and grace And to forgeue them all their synne That they did thee transgresse For in the person of them all Their faultes I doe confesse For I my selfe among them all Doe in the number syt My fathers house hath not bene free But did lyke synne commyt Corrupted haue we bene in that Thy lawes we haue not kept Thy wyll and thy commaundementes Because we did reiecte Yet call to mynde thy worde O lorde By Moyses that was sayde Thy seruant whom thou didst commaund For to proclayme thyne ayde The punishment that thou hast made For our transgressions Is for to scatter vs a broade Among the nacions But thou hast sayd and promysed That if we turne agayne Obseruyng thy commaundementes And in thy lawes remayne That though we scattred were abroade Neuer so farre about Yea in the vtmost partes of all Thou wouldst yet fynd vs out And gather vs from thence agayne Inâ—o the very place That thou vs gaue to dwell therin Of thy bountie and grace O heare vs nowe thy seruantes lorde And people of thy lande That were deliuerd by thy powre And by thy myghty hande O lorde nowe let thyne eares attendâ— To marke what we requyre For thee to serue and feare thy name Is nowe our whole desire Tobias .xiii. ¶ Syng this as The. 6. of Mathew If ye reade c. O Lorde our God for euer more Thy greatnes doth extende Thy powre thy kyngdom thy might For euer without end For after scurges helth Insues And pleasure after payne And vnto hell when thou hast brought Thou bringest out againe Wherby thou hast instructed vs That we may vnderstande That there is none by any meanes That may escape thy hande Geue thankes therfore vnto the lorde Ye children of the iuste Before the Heathen let his prayse Be shewed and discuste For therfore hath he scatred you His wondrous workes to showe Among the Heathen and the folke That dyd him neuer knowe That they may knowe and eke confesse That other there is none That is a god omnipotent But our good God alone Whiche hath vs made for our misdedes His chastisment to take And wyll vs saue and helpe agayne For his owne mercies sake Then praye to hym with feare dread And ponder well this thing And magnifie in all your workes The euerlastyng kyng For I will prayse him in the land Of my captiuitie For he dyd shewe the synfull folke His myghty maiestie O turne you vnto God therfore Ye sinners and doe ryghte Ye may be sure with mercy then That he wyll you requite And as for me so wyll I doe In soule and with my voyce For why my god is only he In whome I wyll reioyce O prayse the lorde all ye that be His chosen and electe In ioâ—full dayes geue hym the thankes That still doth you protecte Tobias .iii. ¶ Sing this as the forme of perfect prayer beginnyng The .vi. of Mathewe O Lorde god thou art righteous Thy iudgements all are true Thy iust wayes thy faithfulnes Doth mercy styll ensue Be myndfull nowe O lorde on me And plage not for my sinne Nor haue no mynde of my misdedes Ne of myne elders kynne For we to thy commaundementes Weare not obedient wherfore among all nacions Thou hast vs captiue sent And scattred haste vs them among That dayly vs deryde For dredfull death most vyle shame Doth euer vs betyde In whiche thou hast declard O lorde Thy iudgementes great and hye We did not as thou didste commaunde Nor walkt innocently And therfore now O liuing lorde My prayer shall be styll That thou commaunde deale with me According to thy wyll Receaue O lorde my sprite in peace To thee I doe it gyue For it is more expedient For me do die then lyue Iudith 16. ON tabrets to the lorde let vs our thankfull songes begin Vpon the simbals let vs syng a new songe vnto hym With ioyfull thankes his name to prayse And call vpon the same It is the lorde that warres doth cease Yea the lorde is his name Which pitched hath his tentes of streÌ„gth His people all among Vs to delyuer from the handes Of all our enmies strong For from the mountaynes of the northe Came the Assirian And many thousandes myght we see Within his army than His multitude had shut the streames In all our coastes throughout And with his horsmen couerd were The valleys all about My markes boundes he sayd he wold Consume with burning fyre To kyll my young men with the sworde Was also his desyre To brayne my suckyng babes and geue Myne infantes for a praye My maydens and my virgins pure He thought to dryue awaye But through the lorde omnipotent Suche grace we vnderstande Of their purpose they are decevd Euen by a womans hande For with the handes of youÌ„g meÌ„ strong He truly was not slayne Nor they that were of Tytan borne To kyll hym toke no payne Nor gyant great but Indith lo Daughter of Merari For with hyr face she scattred them And with hyr great beutye Hir wydowes clothes hir morninge wede She gan theÌ„ to forbeare And did on suche as she was wonie On holy dayes to weare To helpe the wofull Israelites Whom ieopardie had hent Hir vertuous face she did anoynte With oyntment excellent And with an houe she trimde hyr heare Hir worke thus could she weaue She ware a lyÌ„nen stole also Thus did She him deceaue Hir slypers rauished his eyes Hir beutie eke his mynde And through his necke his own sworde went Suche ende lo did he fynde The Persians weare in doubt feare At hir audacitie The Medes dyd maruell very muche Hir bouldnes suche to be The humble folke reioyced then They Ioyde that erste dyd crye And they dyd feare that bragd before And fayne were nowe to flye Our womens sonnes then killed them Lyke slaues they ran away The seruantes of the lorde my God Thus caused them to straye A song of prayse vnto the Lorde To syng I will procure Thy glory lorde and strength also Inuincible and pure For eche thing y â— thy hande hath made Doth serue thee in his kynde
be Vpon vncerteyne staye Their workes as we may se Doe vanysh sone awaye And those contrary wyse That grounde their matter well Their worke shall well aryse And perfectly excell When mariage then is made For ryches or for gouide If goodes and ryches fade The loue doth lose his houlde If beautie eke so gaye The cause be of thy loue When beautie fades away Thy fantsye wyll remoue For if the cause doe quayle Where one the mynde is bent The effect then must fayle What so therin is ment Then vertue shall be best Who so wyll it retayne All other beyng cest She euer doth remayne For beauty beyng gone Whose dwellyng is not sure Dame vertue styll alone For euer wyll endure And when gould hath his ende The causer of muche strife Yet vertue shall extende And garnysh well the lyfe A good rewarde also To louers doth she gyue In kepyng them from wo A quiet lyfe to lyue If mariage then be wrought On vertue buylding loue No suche thing can be sought To stande without remoue Ye that wyll web therfore On vertue set your cure All contraries abhorre So shall your loue be pure For better were the tyme Of death and of the graue Then otherwyse to clyme A wedded loue to haue For goulde doth cause and gayne Contention and vnreste He that hath moste wyll fayne Hym selfe to be the beste And beautie ofte doth brede Mistruste and ielousy But vertue hath no sedâ— Of suche iniquitie Then happy is the loue On vertue whiche is knytte That styll without remoue Continue wyll and sytte Whiche in this lyfe cause is Of prayse and godly fame And also after this Of heauen for the same ⧠Nomen Authoris IN hope I doe endure Of that whiche I intende Hauing my fantsy sure No false thyng to pretende Hope styll dothe me allure At theyr handes whom I serue Lyke goodnes to procure Lo as I doo deserue A godly warnynge to put all men in remembrance of theyr myserable estate and that they are subiecte to death and corruption Syng this as It truthe maye take no trustye holde c. REmember well ye men mortall From whence ye came go ye shall Of earth god made thy shape formâ— And vnto earth thou shalt returne Remember well O man I say Thou art wormes meaâ—e and very clay Thou art none other thys is iust But earth and ashes dung and dust Remember well though thou be young Thou art nought but a sacke of donng Deferre no tyme tyll thou be old For of long lyfe thou hast no hold Remember well though now thou sâ—me As beautyfull as kyng or quene That when thou shalt departe and dyt Thou shalt rot stynke and putrefye Remember well thou dounghyll dyght With garments gay to please mens syght Remember earth thy first estate Thy lyons harte it wyll abate Remember well that thou shalt come At the last day vnto thy dome Wher if thou doe thy selfe exalt In extreme payne remayne thou shalt Remember well I saye aloude Thou earth and ashes be not proude Suche coste on earth why doste bestowe Leue of thy pryde be meke and lowe Remember and in fyne marke this Who so of hym selfe humble is The lorde wyll hym exalte on hye In heauen aboue the sterry skye The faithfull souldiour of Christe desireth assistance of God against his ghostly enemies HEreout O lorde the right request of him that faine would haue redrest the wronges that are so sore increst with in my soule so sore opprest O lord to thee with wofull crye I call for grace and for mercy And if thou helpe not then truly In deadly wo remayn must I. The world the diuell death and hell With great assaultes against me swell Lorde let thy grace in me excell Against their fury fierce and fell O lorde my God to the I praye Suffer me not to goe astraye And haue in mynde the pryce and day Wherwith thou didste my ransome pay Oh haue in mynde thine own great cost And let not this thy payne be lost In the O lorde my trust is most To dwell among thy holy host Thou knowst wherin my help doth staÌ„d Whereuer I be on sea or lande Good lorde put to thy helping hand Saue me from hell that fierce fyre brand ¶ An exhortacion to brotherly loue and vnitie BEholde it is a ioyfull thyng that brethern should continually together haue their good dwelling in concord and in vnitie This godly loue Dauid lykned Vnto that precious vncâ—ion Which descended vpon the head And into the beard of Aron Whiche being powred on his crowne Was euer more styll descendyng And from his beard it dropped downe Into the skirtes of his clothing And as this precious oyntment swete Did smell all of one swete sauour For Christen brethern it is mete To be all of one behauour He that loues God aboue all thyng His neighbour as him selfe lyke wyfe Fulfyls the lawe in so doyng Whiche Christe would haue vs exercyse For where this godly loue doth byde There present is the lorde Iesus Whiche neuer from his flock wyll slyde It they in loue continue thus Loue not y â— world thus faith S. John Ne any thing conteynde therin For who so settes his loue theron The loue of God is not in hym And none can loue the lorde aboue Whom with our eyes we neuer see If we our brethern doe not loue That alway present with vs be Let loue therfore be among vs And from it let vs neuer swarue As we are lovde of Christ Iesus Muche more then euer we deserue The dewe that fell on Syon hyll The whiche descended plesantly Is nothyng lyke this loue vntill Belovde of god etâ—rnally For god from â—yme to tyme doth geue To this loue his holy blessyng For all that doe with loue beleue Shall reigne in ioye without ending He sayth the lorde that loueth me Doth kepe my lawe and holy lore And vnto him geuen shall be A crowne to reigne for euer more Lorde in this loue we thee beseke To set vs in a quiet staye That we beyng louyng and meke May reigne with thee in hlys for aye The iust and true maÌ„ complaineth that flattery and falshod is more regarded then truthe and reioyseth that he is hated for the truthe IF truth may take no trusty hold nor cleue so fast as flattring sence wel may thy harte poore man be colde for then is gone all sure defence The Nyghtyngale must change her note And of the Cucow learne to syng The modest mynde must learne to dote Or conne some other fayued thyng If meanyng well may take no place Nor dealyng iust haue no regarde Thou must deuyse an other space To fayne suche thyngs as may be heard Shall vertue dwell in such disdayne And honestie be had in hate Then must we learne to glose and fayne Orels remayne in vyle estate But yf there be none other way To purchase fauor and good wyll Better it were I dare well saye In vyle
Iacob and Ioseph And Moses did the lyke By fayth how the redde sea went back Contrary to his kynde As on drye lande howe Israell dyd passe through that drye dyke The Egiptians when they the lyke Would seme to enterpryse They lackyng fayth weare drowned all As for their tâ—st rewarde By fayth the walles of Ierico Did falle downe in lyke wyse No force or engyn of the warres Against it once preparde The harlot Rahab in lyke wyse Nowe she dyd saue hir lyfe And perisht not with them that dyd Resist the wyll of god When she the spies receaued well In peace without all stryfe For she beleude that god would plage That contrey with his rodde What should be sayde of Gedeon Of Barach and Samson Iephte Dauid and Samuell And eke the prophetes all Who dyd by fayth great realmes subdue And myghty kyngdomes wonne They turnde their enemies to flyght And gaue their foes a fall By fayth some stopt the lyons mouthes Some quencht the rage of fyre By fayth some wrought out rightousnes Some promyse dyd obteyne Some scapie the sworde some were made strong Whom weaknes erste dyd tyre And women dyd their dead receyue To perfect lyfe agayne Some racked weare and would not voyde The danger of that wo Knowyng that they should ryse agayne Possessing better ioye With mockes and scornes and prisonment Lo some were tryed so Some were stoned some were tempted Thus did the worlde them noye Some hewed were a sonder quyghte Some with the sworde were slayne Some in the skynnes of shepe and gotes Disdeyned not to go In trouble and necessitie They were content to reigne In mountaynes desertes and in dennes By fayth this could they doe These was the worlde not worthy of Yet dyd it them despyse Though they did all through lyuly fayth Obteyne a good reporte Yet dyd they not that tyme receyue That God dyd them promyse That we with them and they with vs myght ioynctly haue comforte For Christe that holy promyse was The frute of all our fayth Without whom none can saued be No neither we nor they For in hym all fulfilled is That holy scripture sayth Ye Christ is he in whom both we And they our fayth doe staye For which all honor laude prayse To God ascribed be To the father and to the sonne And to the holy spyrite In vnitie and trinitie One God and persons three As hath ben is and shal be styll For euer so be it ¶ The prayse of hope out of many places of scripture HOpe the medcyn against dreadfull dispayre If we should prayse as doth hir well behoue As holy Paull we nede had to repayre to the third heuen or ells God from aboue to sound his voyce to one that he doth loue as in the holy mount Moyses dyd here And to Elias lykewyse did apere Or as the most blessed Apostles three At Olyuet euen Peter Iames and Iohn Where they the glorie of the Lord dyd see Transfigured that holy mount vpon Beside which syght they herde this voyce eche one This is myne only sonne and worde so bryghte In whom I fixe and set my whole delyght Who so I saye myght once haue suche a syghte Should afterward lacke no knowledge nor skyll To prayse dame hope that lady pure and bryght In whom all good men haue of ioye their fyll Who could without despayre suffer the ill That in this worlde we dayly see and byde If blessed hope stode not on our ryght syde Our spirituall foes that dayly vs asaulte As is the fende the flesh and world also With ignorance and error eke so haulte Behynde before we no where lacke a foe So that if hope once banyshte were vs fro Alas who could of gods fauour be sure That daily sethe his owne wayes so vnpure What man doth as god hath commanded playne That we should doe or els perysh in hell Sith none therfore can there vnto attayne For all doe disobey synne and rebell Howe can we thynke in heauen then to dwell If blessed hope doe not oure fayth directe That we in Christe are vnto blysse electe In all the stormes of Sathans cruell rage Wherwith he seketh mans soule to destroye If in our soules good hope dyd not aswage The sorowes that doe seke the same to noye And comfort them with quietnes and toye Assuryng them that doe their whole good wyll That Christ our lorde wyll all our wante fulfyll Without this hope I saye who could Indure The boystrous brunte of this moste mortall fyght Our enmies are no babes I you assure But very strong in respect of our myght Wherfore we ought to praye both daye and nyght To god our lorde that he woulde graunt vs aye That blessed hope with vs continue may Howe apte are we from comfort to decaye If we hyr helpe had not in our distres Sith she in Christe doth cause vs for to staye And to be bolde not fearyng our weaknes Syth our captayne in his great manlynes Is able styll our foes for to withstande If we in hym that battell take in hande As sayth saynt Paule hope is the geft of god In whiche we are made safe in all our nede And takes away of care the heauy lode An armor strong and spirituall indede An helmet sure wherwith we may procede Against the powres of darknes and of hell For heauenly thinges that we may wrestle well In it we ought to ioye and to reioyce As to the Romanes he doth farther saye And Peter also with a feruent voyce Sayth that we ought without all doubt and staye To yelde a reason of our hope alway Hope is the meane that men to God drawe nere without the whiche none faythfull may apere Who without hope can truly loue the lorde Who without hope can serue god in true feare Who without hope can cause his lyfe tacorde To vertues lore and fylthy synnes forbeare Who without hope can praye in true maner Who without hope can yelde god laude and prayse Who voyde of hope wyll walke in Christen wayes The blessed martyrs by the hope and truste That they had in the glorious lyfe to come Dyd from this worlde withdrawe their mynde luste And gladly suffred cruell martyrdom By fyre by sworde and briefly all the summe No kynde of death or tormente dyd despyse That wicked worldlynges could for them deuyse By hearyng scripture true hope doth procede And otherwyse can lyghtly not be had Confounded shall they neuer be in dede Whom perfect hope hath once with ioy made glad Whiche takes away all doubtfull dred so sad Whose hope in Christe therfore doth staye and reste We may well call them faithfull folke and bleste What so before tyme wrytten is sayeth Paule It written was vs to instructe and learne That we through comforte of the scriptures all And pacience might perfectly deserne The perfect hope to hope in God eterne Lo thus doth God in scripture vs procure Through hope in him of heauen to be sure We knowe
synge That with gods honour laude and prayse All Israell dyd rynge Benedicam dominum I Wyll vnto the lorde Be geuing thankes alwayes My mouth and tungue shall euer be A speakyng of his prayse My soule shall make hyr boste In God the lorde of myght That poore oppressed men may here The same them to delighte Together let vs nowe In honor doe our partes His name to prayse and magnifie With meke and humble hartes For when I him besought He heard my prayer so That he did streyght delyuer me From all my care and wo. Receaue therfore the lyght And to hym drawe you nere And so without all shamefastnes Your faces shall appere For I poore man made once To hun my playnte and mone He heard me crye and dyd me ryd From troubles euery one His angell pytched hath His tente about his shepe I meane all suche as feare the lorde In saftie them to kepe His frendshyp proue and see And take therof a taste For they that truste in hym are sure Most happy at the laste O feare the lorde all ye His saynctes of him electe For such as feare him lacke nothyng He doth them well protecte The lyons ofte doe lacke And hunger for their foode But they which seke the lord shal wantâ— Nothyng the whiche is good Ye children all I saye Come harken to my voyce I wyll you teache to feare the lorde And in him to reioyce If thou to lyue in ioye And see good dayes be fayne Thy lyppes tongue from guyle wroÌ„s See that thou doe refrayne Se that thou doe none ill In goodnes neuer cease But se thou seke and folowe faste On quietnes and peace The lorde doth fixe his eyes On iust men louingly And to their prayers openly He doth his eares applye Contrariwyse the Lord Doth bende his countenance Of from the earth ill men to moue And their rememberance But to the iuste the lorde Doth so inclyne his â—are That when they praye he wyll them ryd From all trouble and feare The Lorde is nyghe to suche As are in harte contrite And he wyll saue suche as be meke And of an humble sprite Though iust mens troubles be Both manifolde and great The lord from care wyl make them free When they doe him intreate Their bones he wyll defende And kepe so free from cryme That not so muche as one of them Shall breake at any tyme. Misfortune or ill happe The wicked men shall kyll And suche as doe the iust men hate Shall peryshe in their ill The Lorde will saue the soules Of all that doe hym serue And all that put their trust in hym Shall not in peryll swerue ¶ An example that God heareth all suche prayers as are made with a faithfull harte out of the .liiii. Psalme EVery good phisicien That doth a medcyne proue To take effecte in curyng well Is striken streyght with loue Not only to geue god the prayse For his vertue and grace But dothe the same in wryting put To comfort all his race That all whiche after folowe hym In that moste godly arte May proue the lyke and prayse the lorde In lyke case for their parte Noble kyng Dauid in suche wyse Doth godly ioue bestowe By wryting medcines for the soule That other men may knowe As if they doubte at any tyme Howe he dyd health obteyne He dyd the same declare abrode In wryting to remayne That when to others lyke distres Here after may betyde With cleane hartes that they may prepare And lyke medcines prouide But I will neuer teache quod he In darke or doubtfull waye But suche as I in practice dyd By perfect proofe assaye And of my selfe probatum est Suche medicines I bryng And in example to you all In this wyse wyll I synge Deus in nomine tuo O God I call to thee for helpe In my distresse and nede For thy names sake in thy streÌ„gthe Auenge my cause w t spede For strangers full of tyranny Against me ryse and raue Suche foly she folke as feare not God Doe seke my lyfe to haue But lo God is my helpe at nede Yea only it is hee That doth my soule vpholde and saue From their iniquitee And euell shall the lorde rewarde Vpon myne enemyes And in his truthe destroy them all That vertue doe despyse With offrynges of an harte most free Now wyll I prayse thy name Because O lorde my comfort styâ—â— Consisteth in the same For thou lorde didst delyuet me From troubles manyfolde So that vpon my foes myne eye Doth his desire beholde For this to geue glory to god Shall be my hartes delyght To the father and to the sonne And to the holy sprite As it from the begynnyng was And at this time is sure And as it shall worlde without ende Continue and endure ¶ An example that the thankefull age gaue prayse to god for al his benefites geuen to his creatures out of the lxv Psalme of Dauid I Herde a preacher once declare Two partes to be in prayre The one to god in all our nede For succor to repayre And aske of hym with stedfast sayth All wherof we haue nede For Christ hath surely promysed That therof we shall spede The second part of perfect prayre Is geuyng thankes and prayse To God for all his benefites That we receyue alwayes This is the lyvly sacrifice The lyuing God to please As prayer of the penitent His anger doth appease And sure quod he the very cause That god ofte wyll not here Is that men for his benefites Vnthankfull doe appere For when we praye in tyme of nedâ— For plenty of our foode Howe can we thinke that God to vs Will geue ought that is good If we in tyme of plentie be Vnthankfull and ingrate To geue him praise and honor both According to the rate Yea I may also farther saye This lyuing without awe Ingratitude doth cause the lorde His goodnes to withdrawe And surely Dauid in this Psalme Lykewyse doth well declare That to prayse God we neuer should Any tyme cease or spare But for the goodnes whiche god doth On mortall men bestowe In prayse of his most holy name Some thankfull psalme to showe Howe men shall with a faythfull hartâ— Gods holy name agnise He doth instruct all Christen men By synging in this wyse Te decet hymnus deus in Sion TO the O god in Sion still Great prayses are in store To the also they vowe and kepâ— Their promyse euer more My prayer lorde sithe thou dost hearâ— And art my whole comfort All fleshe to the for succour shall In their due tyme resorte My mysdedes and my wickednes Against me doth preuayle Oh to my sinnes be mercifull That thus doe me asayle For thei are blest whom thou dost chose And in thy house retayne Or doste elect within thy court To dwell and to remayne For he shall leade a plesant lyfe Within thy holy place Thy temple shall hym satisfie With goodnes and with grace For wonders
Thou didst commauÌ„de straight it was Thy worde so strong we fynde Thyne holy sprite thou sentest out And strayght wayes it was made For nothyng can resist thy word Whiche dures and doth not fade For mountaynes they shall moued be With water from their springes And in thy sight harde thinges shal melt As wexe and liquid thynges And yet to them that doe thee feare Thy mercy doth extende From the fyrste tyme to this present And euer without ende Iob .i. OVt of my mothers wombe All naked came I loe And naked shall I turne agayne To earth that I came fro The Lorde gaue at the fyrst As his good plesure was And at his wyll dyd take agayne As it is come to pas The lorde his holy name Be praysed nowe therfore As it hath bene as it is nowe And shall be euermore Prouerb xxx O Lord two thinges I the require that thou me not denie but that I may the frute therof receiue before I die The first shall be that vanitie Thou wilt from me restrayne And eke the lips that luste to lye To flatterglose and fayne The seconde that thou make me not To poore in any wyse Ne yet to riche but meane lyuyng Of necessary cyse Least when I am to full of welth I thee forget and saye What felowe is the lorde when I Forgotten haue thy waye And lyke wyse least that pouertie Constrayne me out of frame And me prouoke to steale O God And to forsweare thy name Ecclesiasticus .xxiii. ¶ Syng this as I am the man whome God c. OH lorde I the desyre Of thyne abundant grace That pryde scornefull countenance Appeare not in my face Thy goodnes nowe extend Oh for thy mercies sake Disdeyne and all doluptuousnes Witsafe from me to take The fylthy fleshly lustes That to our bodies leane Destroye therof the fyery rage And make me chaste and cleane Of pitie oh good Lorde Extincte in me this fyre And let my mynde be mundifyd Of eche vncleane desyre Oh leaue me not I saye To myne owne lust and wyll Thyne ayde doe not from me withdrawe But be my succour styll Least wanting of thy helpe I runne in error blynde And fall into vnshamfastnes And obstinate of mynde Oh be thou my fortres That I may prayse thy name So shall I other men exhort Also to doe the same ¶ The songe of Esechia Ego dixi in dimidio c. Esaie .xxxviii. ¶ Syng this as I am the man whomâ— God c. VNto the gates of hell I wente I should haue wende Amid my days wheÌ„ as I thought My yeres were at an ende With in my selfe I sayde I neuer shall agayne Visite the Lorde the lorde I saye In this lyfe whyle I reigne I neuer loke agayne Before men to appeare Nor to beholde no worldly wyghtes That haue their dwellyng heare Myne age is folded vp Together at this daye As one should from the shepeherd poore His cottage take away And through my synnes my lyfe Is cut of and vndo As when the weuers worke is done His webbe he cuttes ato This pynyng sycknes wyll My lyfe in sunder rende For in one daye I well perceyuâ— My lyfe shall haue an ende Vntyll to morowe yet I thought to lyue so long But he my bones hath brused sorâ— Moste lyke a gyant strong For in one daye thou wylt Myne ende brynge on me lo As swalowes chatter in their laye Then gan I to doe so I cried lyke the crane And morned as the doue Directyng euer more myne eyes On hyght to hym aboue O lord then sayde I tho This sycknes doth me presse O ease thou me for in thy powre It is the same to ceasse What shall I saye the lorde His proâ—â—s made to me And he hym selfe performed hath The same as we may see All whyle I lyue therfore It shall not from my mynde My bytter life and howe therin I founde hym good and kynde Beyonde their yeres I see O lorde that men may lyue Whiche I to all men wyll declare And knowledge wyll them gyue In those prolonged yeres Howe I in ioye doe reigne And that thou causedst me to slepe And gaue me lyse agayne My pensiâ—nes beholde As bytter was as gall And for my health I longed sorâ— Out of that wofull thrall Thy pleasure was to saue Me from the filthy lake For thou O lorde hast all my sinnes Out trowne behinde thy backe For hell geues thee no prayse Nor death magnificence And in their graue none praise thy truth That parted be from hence The lorde hath wrought my health Our songes we therfore sure Wyll alwayes synge within thy house Whyle our lyfe dayes indure Ieremie .ix. ¶ Syng this as I am the man whome God c. O Who wyll geue my head Of water perfecte store And to mine eyes a wel of teares To flow for euer more So should myne outward acte Expresse myne inwarde payne To wepe and wayle both nyght and day My people that are slayne Would God I had elswhere A cottage in some place That from the people I myght be A farre distance and space That I myght leaue my folke And be from their resorte Adulterers because they be And eke a shrynkyng sorte Lyke bowes they bende their tongues Wherwith they shoote out lyes And grow on earth for why the worlde Doth alwayes truthe despyse From wickednes they goe To wickednes agayne And wyll not knowe me sayth the lorde Nor in my lawes remayne One from an other nowe Abstayn and shurnish muste For no man in his brother may With saftie put his truste Men doe their brethern seke To wrong and vnder mynde Disemblyng styll they practise guyle No truthe in them I fynde Their tongues they exercyse To lye and eke to fayne And mischiefe so they may commyt They force not for great payne Why doe I then remayne In this despitfull throng Whiche doe dissemble and nought els But falshod them among They wyll not knowe the lorde But wander styll awry Therfore thus sayth the lorde of hostes I wyll them melte and try For what should els be done To suche a people vyle Whose tongues are like to arowes sharpe To vtter fraude and guyle For with their mouthes they speake As though they ment but peace To hurte their neyghbour priuily Yet wyll they neuer cease Should I not punysh them For this thyng sayeth the lorde Or should not I aduenged be Of people so abhorde I shall them cause therfore On mountaynes to lament The desertes and the plesant playnes To mourning shall be bent For burned shall they be Their cattell and their store Of byrde or beaste there shall no voyce Be heard there any more Ieremie 17. ¶ Syng this as The sixt of Mathewe if ye reade c. O Lorde I shall be whole in dede It I be healed of the If thou witsafe nowe me to saue â–ª Then shall I saued be Thou arte my prayer and my prayse I haue none other forte To geue thee thankes
and excesse And none can cause them to conuert Wherfore I crye in heauines Lord Christ helpe evry wofull heart Who reigneth nowe but pryde alone Eche man in his owne sight is wyse And graue councell regardeth none But rather doth doctrine despyse Dissimulation and lewde lyes Is nowe excepted as an arte Whiche made me crye out in this wyse Lord Christ helpe evry wofull hart Suche are most wyse and honest now As sonest can their friendes beguyle Suche doth the most sorte best allowe Whose talke is fayre dedes most vyle Simplicitie is in exyle And as for truthe can make no marte Which made me morne crie this whyle Lorde Christ helpe evry wofull harte Gods worde both to and fro is toste As men doe with a tenis ball And wrested from pyller â—o poste To serue mens tourne for sinne and all But fewe from wickednes doe fall In godlynes to doe their parte Wherfore thus crie I euer shall Lorde Christe helpe evry wofull hearte Of wexe they make scripture a nose To turne and wryng it evry waye With many a false and filthy glose Suche as by errors walke astraye The same doe wrythe soules to betraye And from the truthe doe them peruerte Wherfore I shall crye day by daye Lord Christ helpe evry wofull hearte No error synce Christe did ascend But nowe it starteth stoutly forth The seamles coate of Christe is tend And vnitie is nothing worth Wherfore plentie is tournd to dearth And many plagues shall make vs smart Wherfore my crie styll forward goeth Lorde Christe helpe evry wofull heart But sure such hartes as here haue wo And in this worlde doe mone and morne The lorde Christe hath promysed so That they shall ioye his face beforne When suche as here deryde and scorne Shall suffer sorowe for their parte Which â—ewdly haue them selues forlorne Lorde Christe helpe evry wofull hearte Wo be to you that here reioyce Ye shall hereafter wepe and wayle For that ye would not heare the voyce Of Gods worde for your owne aâ—ayle Which although heaueÌ„ earth doe falle Shall styll remayne and byde in quarte Wherfore my voyce shall neuer fayle Lord Christ helpe evry wofull harte For all the byrdes with mery songe And the bryght shyning of the sonne And plesant floures I went among FroÌ„ wo my hearte myght not be wonne To see what worldly men had done For all doe ryde in sinne his carte Wherfore I ende as I begonne Lorde Christe helpe evry wofull hearte Amen ¶ A ditie named blame not my lute whiche vnder that title toucheth replieth and rebuketh the wycked state and enormities of most people in these present miserable dapes BLame not my lute though it doe sounde the rebuke of your wicked sinne but rather seke as ye are bound to know what case that ye are in And though this song doe sinne coÌ„fute and sharply wyckednes rebuke blame not my lute My lute and I sythe truth we tell Meanyng no good man to offâ—nde Me thynke of ryght none should refell The godlynes that we intend But muche rather if they haue grace They will our good counsell imbrace Then blame my lute Although my lute with sentence playn Rebuke all suche as fayne and glose With flatterers and lyces vayne That truthe to falshod can transpose Ye though we sharply speake and syng Against false and craftie wynnyng Blame not my lute And if my lute sound in your eare The priuy hate and larke of loue And howe ye should sclander forbeare Syth gods word doth ill toÌ„gues reproue Though as saint Iames we doe expresse The same a worlde of wickednes Blame not my lute Though my lute doe expres and show That prayet and holy fasting Is tourned nowe with hyghe and low To vncleane talke and banqueting Although we saye that chastitie Be gone and in place lecherie Blame not my lute Though with their own fewe be coÌ„tent Chastly to lyue with one good make But rather the moste part be bent Their constant vowe for to forsake Though some in Sodom rather byde Then honest mariage to prouide Blame not my lute If my lute blame the couetyse The glottons and the drunkards vyle The proud dysdayne of worldly wyse And howe falshod doth truth exyle Though vyce and sinne be nowe in place In sted of vertue and of grace Blame not my lute Though wrong in iustice place be set Committing great iniquitie Though hipocrites be counted great That mainteine styll idolatrie Though some set more by thynges of nought Then by the lorde that all hath wrought Blame not my lute Although eche man finde faulte with other And no man will him selfe acuse But eche man blameth his brother Though he him selfe as great faulte vse Though we see none their owne fault fynde Nor call repentance vnto mynde Blame not my lute Though my lute say that suche as preache And should men leade in wayes directe Doe lyue amys though truth they teache Whiche causeth truth to be suspect Though my lute say suche cause offence Through their great slouth and negligence Blame not my lute Though some gods worde doe still despyse For beggetly traditions Aduancing highly fayned lyes Of mens imaginations Although my lute doe suche accuse As by errors gods worde abuse Blame not my lute Although we see the clergie slack Wrong wayes by ryght for to redres Though some also goe rather back Then procede forth in righteousnes Although we saye that auarice Doth stop the mouthe and choke the wyse Blame not my lute Though offendors be borne withall Although the wolues in corners lurke That haue and will the lambes make thrall And daily doe their false seates worke Though whispryng treason in the eare Burst out somtyme without all feare Blame not my lute Though some also abuse the lute With sinfull songes of lechery Though some goe forth as beastes brute In false treason and trechery Though at eche sermon we may see Gods holy worde scorned to be Blame not my lute Blame not my lute I you desyre But blame the cause that we thus playe For burnyng heate blame not the fyre But hym that blowth the cole alway â–ª Blame ye the cause blame ye not vs That we meÌ„s faultes haue touched thus Blame not my lute Blame not my lute nor blame not me Although it sound against your sinne But rather seeke for to be free From suche abuse as ye are in Although we warne you to repent Whiche grant you God omnipotent Blame not my lute ¶ A song of the lute in the prayse of God and disprayse of Idolatrie ¶ Syng this as My pen obey c. MY lute awake and prayse the lord My heart and haÌ„des therto accord Agreing as we haue begon To syng out of gods holy worde And so procede tyll we haue done Prayse we the lord in this our song And syng it Christen men among That in a godly race doe ronne The whiche although it be not long Shall be right good or it be donne This
In it we take our ende The Sommer whiche doth repe Our sede both corne and frute Alas to hot this heate to hot With men thus goeth the brute And as with sommers heate We doe complayne and scoulde So do we wayle on wynters there And blame hym for his coulde No welth without some wo No Ioy without some care No blysse without his dolefull bale Thus wretched men doe fare We seke for sugred welth As we should aye dwell here The bytter galle of mysery Therfore doth strayte appere The wyne that cheres the hearte Doth ofte tymes vexe the brayne And woman made was for mans helpe Who doth hym ofte great payne Sometyme we call for dryth Some tyme we aske for rayne Some tyme we saye we haue to much Of eche thus we complayne In musyke we delyght And calle for it some tyme Wherof we sone be wery lo And blame our selues of cryme And iudge our selues to be Both vayne fonde and vnpure Because our myrth without sorowe No long tyme doth indure And whyle this dredfull care Had fraughted thus my breste I me bethought what myght be founde To purchase here moste rest And that we myght let passe With lesse disease of mynde These contraries that vs assaulte Of so repugnant kynde And temperance was the thyng That then came to my thought A better ayde in suche a case Is no where to be sought And therin seke to fynde The wyll of God aboue And doe the dedes prescribed vs Within the lawe of loue ¶ The iust innocent complayneth on sclanderous tongues LIke as the larke within the marlions foote from solace supplanted it were with me if thou lord wert not my buckler and boote at whose hand I hope saluacion to see My hope and helth lord is only in thee My castell of comfort my shylde and defence From sclanderous tongues Lorde delyuer me That thei no iust cause haue through myne offence So shall their deceites turne to their own shame Although for a tyme they chance to preuayle When truthe shall be tryde and vtred by fame Their falshod may faynte and vtterly quayle For they doe reporte that I neuer did My iudgement and cause I yelde vnto thee That out of this wo ryght fayne would be ryd And neuer did why so sclandred to be Oh mercifull lord creator of all I doe remember men sclandered thee Great diuell and Belzebub they did the call Thy myracles dayly though they did see If thou se it good thy seruant to trie By sclander of tongues and vntrue reporte For pacience thy gifte to suffer I crye Rememberyng thee my selfe to comforte For helpe at thy hande I only resorte Resolue their harde hartes and cause them relent For they that loue euell doe alwayes suporte All suche as to lyes and sclaunder are bent Yet if thy wyll weare that they myght repent Confessing their fault their falshod and guyle To comfort somwhat the poore innocent That falshod and lyes hath put in exyle Thy glory so should we largely expresse And teache it to men and cause them to feare Whiche were for this crime a perfect redresse For nothyng so much could make theÌ„ forbeare Thus all my whole cause to thee I commit My matters with thee I alway decyse Iustly in iudgement because thou doest syt And ryghteousnes is thy whole exercyse O lord geue theÌ„ grace to leaue ther great crime And me for to suffer walke without blame So wyll I endeuor from tyme to tyme To blesse and to prayse thy most holy name The innocent sclaundered complaineth praying for the conuertion of his enemies AL coÌ„fortles lo without any ayd now shuld I remayn if God wer not he which in y e defeÌ„ce of good meÌ„ hath sayd in all their distresse their helper to be My hope is therfore sure fixed O lorde That thou dost abhorre all vntrue reporte And as thou dost byd in thy holy worde All only for helpe to thee I resorte From thee O good lord ther is nothyng hyd Prouoke them by force their lyfe to refrayne For they doe reporte that I neuer dyd Accepted of suche as lyes doe maynteyne Good lord let not them their purpose obteyn Which in these my days wold turn me to shame Not that I refuse to suffer the peyne But only that it turne not to their blame My harmes be heinous wheÌ„ they me defame But yet the moste harme to them doth returne When they vpon me doe reporte the same That they can not proue it maketh me morne Lo thus am I bent in good part to take The sclander of tongues rememberyng thee Contented to suffer all thynges for thy sake For vengeance only belongeth to thee Oh mercifull Lord I render therfore To thee condygne thaÌ„ks which art my defence O strengthen me then good lorde euer more That I may styll suffer with pure pacience And finally graunt oh mercifull lorde That these false lyers may turne and conuert And being instructed by thy swete worde They may be ryght sad and sory in heart To God our Creator and lord omnipotent The Father the Sonne and the holy ghost Thre persons and one God most excellent Be all prayse and honour as worthy most ¶ The complaint of Christ our sauiour agaynst the Ingratitude of mankynde THys of the Lord is the complaynt Of man how he was sold and bought And thus he sayd hym to attaynt Myne own people what haue I wroght For towards me thou art so faynt And I thy loue so dere haue bought Thy answer loke thou nothyng paynt To me for why I knowe thy thought Haue not I done all that I ought Or els what haue I left behynd Thou sterst my wrathe I hurt thee nought Why art thou to thy frend vnkynd I sought thy loue it was well sene When I thee made so lyke to me Myne earthly workes both quicke and grene To thee I gaue bothe fruite and tree From Pharao that was fierce and kene Out of Egypt delyueryng thee I kylled hym and all hys men And the redde sea in twayne dyd flâ—e Which I commaunded drye to bee The water serude thee and the wynde From bondage so I made thee free Why art thou to thy frend vnkynd Full forty yeares in wyldernes To wyn thy loue I dyd the lead Toward a land of great ryches With Manna also I thee fed To thee to shewe my great kyndnes Thy kynde to take I had no drede I left my myght and toke mekenes Myne owne heart bloud for thee I bled To buy thy soule my selfe I led And bound my selfe thee to vnbynde Thus with great pâ—yne thy turne I sped â–ª Why art thou then to me vnkynde For thee I ordeynd Paradyse And shewde to thee my Testament And thou agayne dydst me despyse In breakyng my commaundement Thy synnes were great in dyuers wyse For to my foes thou dydst consent Downe I thee thrust thou couldst not ryse Thy wyts from thee away they went A naked wretche poore shamd and shent And as for
to be sold With many mo gaudes then here can be told Forgettyng obedience hatyng Gods lawe And lyue with theyr makes without loue or awe And many oppressors thys day doth reygne That robbe pyll poore men wiues to maynteyn And fearyng least theyr great pride shold be lesse The poore mans cause they wyll neuer redresse To mayntayne theyr wiues that proud are nyse Lewde â—ubbers sometyme doo rebell and ryse A lowie with a lorde wyll proudely checkmate And is not content wyth hys poore estate Agaynst men of honour the person vyle Prowdly presumeth wo worth the whyle Boyes agaynst elders preferment dyd take And at theyr own wyl wold magistrates make For by theyr apparell none can now know The hygh estate from the most poore and low Eche lasse lyke a lady is clothed in sylke That dayly doth go to market with mylke Whych neuer theyr port could yet maynteyn well Vnlesse they were whores their husbands steale Besyde the vndecent maner to see That eche one doth go in others degree Vayne women loue not the men graue and sage But rufflers that rudely â—aue can and rage Whose seruent desyre must always prouyde To set foorth theyr wyues in pompe and in pryde For so that suche women may haue theyr wyll They passe not although theyr husbdaÌ„es doo spyll Such wepe when theyr husbaÌ„ds be sick in dead And turne it to laughter when they be dead Wherfore suche proude women are lyke in hell To be rewarded with proude Iesabell Vnlesse they repent and shortly amend Whyche God gyue them grace yet once to intend That I myght haue cause yet once in my dayes As muche for to wryte to theyr laude and prayse For blessed be they that hold them content With cleane apparell honest and decent And women bearyng of beautie the name Without discrete maners ioynde with the same Salomon dothe them no better allowe Then a gold ryng in the nose of a sowe Therfore let old women honestly lyue And good examples to yong women gyue That one by an others conuersation May learne to leaue theyr abhomination That vertuous dedes in those of the Citie May be example vnto the countrey For they of the countrey euer take hede How they of the citie doo weare theyr wede Therfore I may say and so I say wyll The Citie is fyrst the Author of yll My prayer therfore shal be day and nyght That eche parte may mende and walk here aright That I may report the maydes of my countrey Thankes be to God haue lerned honestye Whyche God graunt me grace to see in my tyme Thus make I an ende of thys symple ryme ¶ The complaynte of a certayne famous town for the death of an honest matron wyfe to one of thinhabitantes of the same wyth an answer to the sayd complayn in fyne a generall prayse of all honest vertuous womeÌ„ FOorth as I went my way of late Whych was of Iune the .xvi. day After my due and wonted rate To set my worke in quyete stay A sodeyne voyce there dyd me fray And muche to muse dyd me constrayne So greuously it dyd complayne Merueylyng then I gan to saye What are you that doo sygh and grone Answere it made without delaye A famous towne dothe make thys monâ— For suche a losse as I haue one I thynke there hath in no place dwelt As Christes members haue well felt And why quod I what is the case What cause haue you thus to complayne Wyth greuous syghes it sayd alas Oh cruell death full of dysdayne Why dydst thou not a whyle refrayn But lyke a scadell vermyne styll Thou takste the good and leavst the yll What gyrlyshe gylls what wanton scoldes In me dothe reigne to my great shame Whom honest men that them beholdes Reporteth in hurt of my fame Suche in his rage Death wyll not tame But modest matrons good and true In all the haste he dothe subdue For of the best the lest of all He hath not taken manerly But snatched hath the principall In all my ioy moste cruelly And turned to calamitie My staye my health and my delyght Whych reigned in that godly wyght She bare suche fauour to the truthe And beneficiall to the poore Hyr goodly traynyng vp of youthe As maydens sobre and demure And honest wyues some be you sure To whom she was a godly lyght And to theyr fete a lanterne bryght Her good constant womanlynes Hir obedience in her duetye Her lemtie and gentylnes Her hate of vice in lyke degree Her better sure I neuer see Her fayth was good her lyfe also Her lyke there are not many â—no She loued truthe and godlyuesse She gaue the hungry meate and drynke She lethed vyce and wyekednes She was without all fault I thynke She holpe the poore and dyd not shrynk She clothed the naked and colde She holpe the sycke many a folde Thus death hath taken hir away That mother was of modestye And none can tell the truthe to saye The losse that I susteyne therby Therfore I may well wepe and cry And say Alas wo worth the tyme That brought to me this wofull cryme Be styll thou towne thus sayd I then Beware and harke what I shall tell Thou maynteâ—nest all wycked men Agaynst the good thou doste rebell Yea suche as preache the Lordes gospell Therfore no doubte come is the day God turnes his face from thee away Syth thou in tyme refusedst grace Thou shalte be left as one confusde Sythe thou doste wyckednes imbrace And godlynes thou hast refusde Before the Lord thou art accusde And he it is that in his wrathe Wyll take away thy frendes by death Therfore leaue of thus death to blame And blame for it thyne owne offence And thyn inhabitantes by name Be of good there I saye to you Though I expresse you not by name For knowne is your indenor true To those that wyll set forth the same So that immortall is your fame Example as ye haue by this Your syster that departed is Whose worthy prayse shall neuer die But like is to indute for euer For why she lyued worthyly And to the ende she did perscuer God graunt vs all so to endeuour That we may liue whyle we be here With God in glory to appere â—â—nen authoris If any maruell that the name Of towne or corps I not reherse Hatefull enuy causde the same Nought els kept them out of my verle Hate therfore here shall haue no cause At any person to disdeyne Let all men flee from enuies clawes Lest she doo them some grefe and peyne ¶ An exhortacion for vertuous men to perciste in vertue and to prayse Christ the authour of vertue to whom be all honour and glory AmeÌ„ Triplex AL vertuous men that vertue loue in vertue still reioyce and for those gifts praise Christ our lorde with one hart minde and voyce with one hart minde and voyce Contra tenor ALl vertuous men that vertue loue in vertue still reioyce and for those
preache and recorde Let vertue therfore be had in all pryse Whiche styll to goodnes doth good men entyse And well doth rewarde all suche as hir serue And kepeth nought back that they doe deserue But with goodnes styll doth rychly augmente All suche as vnto hir seruice be bent And neuer doth leue them ne yet forsake Till ended be all that they vndertake She neuer doth sease to spurre them forwarde Tyll they be in blysse of heuâ—ns rewarde Whiche is the whole thyng they seke for and sue That serue in the court of Lady vertue And styll for hir sake doe suffer and byde The stumps and the mocks of suche as deryde Ye hatred and scorne and all kynde of spyghte Of such as in vyce and synne doe delyght But vertue doth tâ—ache to suffer this rage That we may styll passe on in our pylgrimage Considering that we but strangers are here And wander styll towarde our countrey dere And make ouâ— selues lyght from burden and lode Sythe in this vayne worlde is no sure abode No meruaile though then the worlde doth them hate And euer be styll with them at debate For Christ vnto his hath made it well knowne The worlde shall aye loue and fauour his owne And those from the worlde and sinne that remoue It is not possible the worlde should them loue The cause as sayeth Christe of all this whole stryfe Is that from the worlde they differ in lyfe For as in this worlde no mans lyfe is sure The vertuous lyfe shall eternally dure Though here they be murdred and sene for to die Of suche as all vertue and goodnes denye Then howe can we counte them short tyme to lyue To whom lady vertue rewarde doth gyue Whom as sayâ—h Gelasius ought styll to be From teror and dread and wrath euer free Her consolation where she doth bestowe In ryche or in poore in hyghe or in lowe From bondage of sinne she doth them free make Lo thus are her seruantes safe for hyr sake Among the good rootes that depely besette Vertue sayeth Tullie the chiefe prayse doth getie The whiche by no kynde of vyolence may Be hurte or destroyde by nyght or by daye From wanton desyres her seruantes flee all And folowe styll iustice as sayeth saint Paule Faith loue and vniâ—ie well doth accorde In them whiche with cleane hartes â—onor the Lorde Lactancius also would all men remember That they the true honor to vertue doe render With sensing or prayer she honor hath none Nor yet with an Image of woodde or of stone But only with good wyll and purpose true This honor to vertue alwayse is due For he that in Christes fayth doth not remayne In no wyse to vertue may apertayne Vertue refreyneth wrath without measure And also absteyneth from carnall pleasure The frutes of the spiritie as true godly loue Pacience and peace and ioy from about Bounteousnes goodnes and longe sufferance Gentlenes fayth and modest temperance Sobernes continence and chastitie All these in vertues courte officers be Therfore the quene vertue it may well beseme To were a moste hyghe and ryche diadeine ¶ The prayse of faithe Hebre. 11. IF I shall enterpryse to make A due prayse vnto fayth I can in no wyse better that Whiche written is of Paule In his epistle to the Iues marke therfore what he saieth though not eche woord yet wyll I here resite the summe of all Fayth is a perfect confidence Of thynges that hoped are And a most constant certeintie Of thynges whiche are not sene For therby did the fathers olde As scripture doth declare Obteyne a iust and good reporte That long tyme since hath bene And we through faythe doe vnderstande God dyd the worlde ordeyne By Christe his sonne the blessed worde That no beginnyng had By it also howe thynges were wrought We doe knowledge obteyne Thynges that are sene by thinges not sene Were ordeyned and made By fayth also as we doe reade The ryghteous man Abell Dyd offer vp a sacrifice More plentyfull then Cayne And therby had a wytnes true As holy wryte doth tell That he was iust Though he be dead His fame doth styll remayne By fayth Enoch translated was That death he should not see And was not founde for god therfore Had taken hym awaye Before whiche tyme he wan the name A ryghteous man to be Because he dyd the wyll of god And pleasde hym nyght and daye But sure without a lyvly fayth It can be in no wyse That any man by any meane The lyuyng god should please For all that come to god beleue And their fayth exercyse That he rewardeth them that seke Hym with eternall ease By fayth Noe beyng warnde of god Vnsene thynges dyd eschue Preparde an arke and savde his folke As holy scripture sayth Wherby he dyd ccondemne the worlde That synne dyd styll insue And became heyre of ryghteousnes Accordyng vnto fayth By fayth our father Abraham When he first called was To goe into a place most strange Dyd by and by obeye Whiche place though he inherite should As after came to pas When he went forth he knewe it not Nor no part of the waye By fayth into the promyste lande I saye he dyd remoue A strange countrey where he dyd long In tabernacles dwell And so dyd Isaac and Iacob Heyres with him from aboue All these dyd for a citie looke Which God had buylded well Through fayth Sara receiued strength When she was nowe past age To conceyue and bryng forth a sonne That perfect was and pure Because she iudgde the promyser Both faythfull true and sage Lo thus by fayth there sprang great health Where thought was no recure And therfore sprang there forth of one That dead was to esteme As many folke in multitude As are starres in the skye And as the sand on the sea shore Hir ofspryng then did seme The whiche without number to be No creature can deny These dyed in fayth yet the promys None of them dyd receyue But seyng it as afarre of They dyd right well beleue That as many as so it sawe And to the same dyd cleaue Salutyng it by livly fayth None euell should them greue These faythfull men the fathers olde As truthe was did confesse That they strangers and pilgrymes weare Vpon this earthly vale For they that see suche thynges before Of truth declare no lesse But that they doe a countrey seke Ryght hygh aboue this dale Also if they had mynded once The countrey whence they came They had leysour to turne agayne To that whiche they dyd loue But now it shewes they dyd desyre A thyng of better fame That is to saye a heauenly soyle With God the lorde aboue Wherfore the lyuing God hym selfe Estemeth it no shame To be called the God of these And suche lyke godly men For he a citie excellent Hath builded for the same And thynketh nothing ill bestowde That may well pleasure them Who so the texte wyll farther reade To folowe there shall fynde That Isac
plante in his kynde All herbes rootes that growe on earth Their vertue I can fynde And howe they differ in degre In qualitie and powre All secrete and vnsought knowledge Doth spryng in wysdoms flowre Whiche he hath geuen vnto me That all this worlde hath made He taught me howe to vse this flowre That dures and doth not fade In hyr is spirite to vnderstande In holy exercyse In knowledge great she doth abounde And all thynges that are wyse I saye that with almyghty God All only she is one Subtyll and full of gentylnes And gracious alone She is courteous and discrete Quycke vndesiide and playne Swete and doth loue all that is good Reiectyng that is vayne She is sharpe yet forbideth not To doe ryghtly and well Kynde sure and free and to be briefe In vertue doth excell In althynges she is circumspecte Wherof she taketh cure All knowyng spirites she doth receyue That are both cleane and pure For wysdom doth in nymblenes All other thynges excell And therby through all thynges to pas She doth atayne full well For of the lyuyng god she is The breath of powre doubtlesse The cleanes of almyghty god Therby she doth expresse Therfore can no defyled thyng Come once within hyr syght For she the very bryghtnes is Of euerlastyng lyght She is the myrror vndefylde Wherin all good men see The Image of almyghty god In his great maiestie And for so muche as she is one All thynges are hyrs as due And beyng stedfast in hyr selfe She doth all thinges renewe Among the multitude of folke She doth hir selfe conuaye And entreth into holy soules In them to byde and staye She maketh god prophetes and frends The truthe to preache and tell For god doth loue none but suche men With whom wysdome doth dwell The sonne and starres may not compare With hir in lyght I saye For why hyr lyght doth farre excede The brightnes of the daye For be the daye neuer so bryght Yet night approcheth faste To quenche the beautie of the same And pattes it out in haste But wisdome can not be subdude I saye by wickednes Nor in hir sight to blemyshe hyr Can byde no folyshnes ¶ An example of a contemplatiue minde in the seruice of God out of the xxv Psalme THe noble king Dauid by name Hauing the spirite of truthe Who euer truly serued God Euen from his very youth He knowyng that by humblenes He sonest should aspyre To haue his prayer heard of God And obteine his desyre Disdeined not vpon his knees Hym selfe to prostrate lowe For sithe the harte must humble be Let outwarde members knowe That they shal not them selues refrain Their dutie to expresse My knees therfore shall doe their due So shall my handes no lesse Myne eyes shall vpwarde also tourne The heauens to beholde With stretched handes and bowed knees My prayer to vnsoulde My voyce I wyll not silent kepe But wyll expresse with tongue The meaning of a faythfull hatte And sing it in a song Debating with him selfe this thing Directing all aryght In this wyse he began to sing To god with all his myght Ad te dominum leuaui TO the oh lorde I lyfte my soule My god I truste in thee O suffer not myne enemies To tryumphe ouer me Ne yet let such as in thee truste Rebuke or shame susteyne But rather confounde scornefull men That spitefully dysdeyne To the I praye my kyng and god O shewe to me thy wayse And teach thy pathes O lord to me Thy name that I may prayse O lorde leade me to speake thy truthe And learne me to be iuste Myne only god and sauyng health All daye in thee I truste Forget not lorde but call to minde Thy tender mercy pure Let not thy louyng kyndnes slacke That euer hath ben sure Forget my sinnes remember not The fraylnes of my youthe For thy goodnes and mercy lorde Thynke vpon me with ruthe O ryghteous lorde with frendlynes Wytsafe to shewe thy myght Wherby thou shalt the sinners teach◠To walke thy waye a ryght The simple thou doest teache guyde Thy perfect wayes to knowe And thou doste suche instructe aright As humble be and lowe Thy wayes O lorde are mercifull Thy faythfulnes is bent To all that kepe thy couenant And faythfull testament For thy names sake therfore O lord◠Be mercifull to me And to my synnes that are so great And myne iniquitie Who so therfore doth feare the lorde He wyll hym shewe I saye His hyghe and his diuine preceptes His pure and chosen waye His soule shall euer be at ease His wayes shal prosper well His sede also shall styll possesse The lande therin to dwell The lorde his secretes dothe shew forth To suche as feare him styll Declaring them his testament His couenant and will O lorde my god to the therfore I wyll myne eyes dyrecte And praye to thee tyll thou haste losde My fete out of the nette O turne thee vnto me therfore Now for thy mercies sake Consider lorde my mysery Howe I am desolate The sorowes of my harte are great Ryght sore they doe me greue O ryd me from these troubles all For in thee I beleue O loke on myne aduersitie And my great mysery Forgeue me all my sinnes also Where I offended thee Consider how myne enemies Are many and peruearte That towardes me maliciously Are bent with hatefull hearte Oh preserue thou my soule therfore Within thy kepyng iust And let me not confounded be For in thee doe I truste Let iust dealyng and innocent O god styll with me dwell And from all vyle aduersitie Delyuer Israell ¶ An example how that we should alwayes be thankefull vnto almighty God for his benefites out of the xxxiiii psalme of Dauid AS in our streightes of nede We all are glad and fayne Some comfort at the handes of god By prayer to obtayne So when we haue recevd Of god our whole desyre That we should therfore thankfull be Good reason doth require For who so benefites At mortall men receaue If afterwarde the geuer dothe Ingratitude perceaue The same will streyght withdrawe His liberalitie From suche a stubberne blocke hed beaste As can not frendshyp see If vyle ingratitude To men be suche a cryme That it wyll frendly loue kepe backe Against an other tyme What beastly dogges are they Howe can we call them lesse That for great kyndnes of the lorde Doe paye vnthankfulnesse Whiche asketh nought of vs But honour laude and prayse For all the good he doth bestowe On vs a thousand wayes Wherfore that noble kyng And prophet of the lorde Dauid who dyd after Gods harte Agree and well accorde Gods glorie doth expresse In doyng of his due And for the benefites of God His harte declareth true Not only in hym selfe To flee ingratitude But other also to instructe That are vnlernde and rude In darke obliuion Gods goodnes for to hyde Or to forget his benefites Dyd neuer hym vetyde His harpe he toke in hande And thus began to
great thou doest declare In truthe to teache vs ryght O god of our saluation In the is our delyghte Of all thynges how thou arte the hope It can not be discuste All that on earth or sea remayne In the doe hope and truste Thou gyrded haste thy selfe also With myghty strength and powre And hast the myghty mountaynes setts As they stande at this howre Thou of the sea stillest the waues Their roryng and their rage The madnes of the multitude Thou also canst aswage The outmoste dwellers on this earth Thy signes doe see and feare By the mornyng and euenyng starres Thy prayses doe appeare The earth eke howe thou visitest With good it for to blesse And bryngest plentie on the same We knowledge and confesse For the ryuer of god doth flowe So full of water pure That on the earth plentie of corne For man he doth procure The forowes he doth water so That clotts doe breake in pece Swete drops of rayne doth soften them And causeful great increce The yere thus doth he crowne blesse With plentie and goodnes The clowdes do drop great fatnes down Ingendring plentiousnes The dwellinges in the wyldernes Are fat in lyke maner The little hilles on euery syde Doe plesantly appere The fouldes with shepe y â— vales with corne So ratefie this thing That in thy prayse for very ioye All people laughe and synge ¶ An example howe happye and blessed they are that faythfully feare god out of the Cxii Psalme SVche good historiographers As wryte the dedes of men Of kynges lordes some good some ill That reigned nowe and then As they doe wryte of euell men In rebuke and disprayse That lyuing men may lerne to flee And voyde suche wicked wayes So doe they prayse and muche coÌ„mend Suche men as lyued well The worthy and the noble actes Wherin in they did excell That others they myght so prouoke To folowe in lyke wyse To wynne the spurres of godly fame By vertues exercise So Dauid to prouoke all men To godlynes and grace Doth vse the lyke that all men may The feare of god imbrace In fayth howe that the feare of god All goodnes styll dothe bryng He vsed in an holy Psalme In this wyse for to syng Beatus vir qui timet THe man is blest and happy which Doth feare the Lorde aryght And to kepe his coÌ„mauÌ„dementes Dothe set his whole delyght His streâ—ne or sede vpon the earth With myght shall be increste Thus shall the kynde of faythfull men Eternally be bleste For ryches ioye and plentie great His house shall wynne and gayne His iust dealyng and ryghteousnes For euer shall remayne For to the godly in darknes great lyght there doth aryse Whiche sheweth loue and mercy both In vertuous exercyse A good man sure is merciâ—ull And lendeth where is nede And doth discretly waye his wordeâ— â–ª Before they doe procede And suche a man for no distres From god wyll moue or flee Wherfore his ryghteousnes shall haue Eternall memorie Of ill tyd ynges or heauy newes Suche one is not afrayde His hearte doth stande faste and beleue The lorde to be his ayde His harte I saye is stablyshed And wyll not shrynke vntyll That he vpon his enemies Hath his desire and wyll He from his store abundantlye Disperseth to the poore For righteousnes are all his workes And doynges euer more With honor shall his horne or strengthe Exaited be on hye Whiche when the vngodly beholde They wyll the same enuye Which in their hate shal gnash their teeth And so consume away Thus in their owne luste wycked folke Shall peryshe and decaye ¶ An example of the prayse of God for his omnipotencie out of the Cxiii Psalme KYng Dauid knowyng well Howe vertue dyd excell All other worldly thyng Did chiefly in Gods feare All wyckednes forbeare That may gods anger brynge For god is of suche powre That nothyng at no howre Can hym withstande or byde For he may worke his wyll All mortall men vntyll At euery tyme and tyde Therfore we are al bownde That dwell in this worlde rounde To prayse the lyuing lorde And in that lorde of myght To set our whole delight And in his holy worde Wherfore this noble kyng Studied aboue all thyng His dutie to walke in To syng Gods laude and prayse He maketh no delayes But thus he doth begynne Laudate pueri dominum YE seruantes prayse the lorde And with hartye accorde Se that ye doe the same Loke that ye render store Of prayses euer more Vnto his blessed name His name that we should prayse He is worthy alwayse Euen from the rysing tyme Of the sonne fayre and bryght Vntyll it be in sight That downe he doth inclyne The lorde is hie of myght There is no kynde of wyght That can with hym compare His gloris certainly Aboue the heauens hye Remayne and euer are Who is lyke vnto him Or wyll presume to clymme Where he so hygh doth dwell Yet is this lorde so meke To beholde and take kepe Of earth and heauen well Whoe doth the symple take Out of the myery lake To set them vp agayne He takes out of the dust All that in him doe truste To ryd them from their paine So that he may them sette Among the prynces great By his great powre and myght The prynces all among Whiche gouerne doe the thronge Of people daye and nyght He doth redeme also The woman from hir wo That barayne long hath bene A mother full of blys Of children nowe she is Hir housholde may be sene ¶ An example how Dauid praysed God for his delyueryng of Israell by great miracles out of Egypt Out of the C. xiiii Psalme VVHo so in Exodus wyll reade Shall see what wonders god there wrought From Egypt when as he dyd leade His people and from thence them brought What myracles by Moses hande To Pharao was expressed playne That he therby myght vnderstande No more gods people to restrayne And how God by his mighty powre And stretched arme did bryng them thence And howe the red sâ—a dyd deuoure Kyng Pharao for his recompence And howe God did in wyldernes Prouyde his people drynke and meate So that they lackte in their distres No kynde oâ— thynge to drynke or eate Whiche Dauid bearyng well in mynde Did with a Psalme geue god the prayse And doth therto all good men bynde With godly harte lo thus he sayes In exitu Israel de Egypto FRom Egipte lande when Israell where they loÌ„g tyme weare thraule bonde From among people strange and fell When Iuda gan to scape the honde This Iuda then I saye was made His holy people and his flocke And Israell was in lyke trade Becomde his lordship all the stocke Whiche when the ragyng sea behelde It flâ—d as one should it desire And Iordan â—â— lyke case dyd yelde And backwarde did turne and retyre The mountaynes at the sight of this Could not be styll but skipte lyke ramines The little hylles eke would not mis
delyght And alwayes shall be talkyng of Thy greatnes and thy myght Of thyne abundant kyndnes we Wyll kepe memoriall And syng of thy great ryghteousnes From henceforth all men shall For thou O lorde art gracious Yea mercifull and meke Long suffring and of great goodnes To them that doe hym seke To euery man lyberally The lorde doth shewe his loue And ouer all his goodly workes His mercy styll doth moue And they expresse thy glory great Thy kyngoome and thy powre To men that all these myght be knowne At euery tyme and houre Thy kyngdom euerlastingly A kyngdome is ryght sure Thy lordshyp shall from age to age Eternaly endure For in his dedes he faithfull is What so he take in hande His workes he all holy and iuste Both vpon sea and lande The lorde vpholdeth all that are In danger for to fall Them that be downe he lyfteth vp When they on hym doe call The eyes of all on thee O lorde Doe wayte and put their trust And thou dost geue to them their meate In season due and iuste Thou openest thy holy hande Thy powre and thy good wyll All lyuing thynges plentifully Therwith that thou mayst fyll The lorde is righteous in his wayes His workes be holy all And he is nyghe to faithfull men When they on him doe call Suche as feare him he will fulfyll To them their whole desire He will them here and helpe also When they doe hym require All suche as loue and feare the Lorde Them styll preserueth he And he wyll scatter all abroade Suche as vngodly be My mouth shall speake prayse y e lorde And that abundantly Let all fleshe thanke his holy name With laude eternally ¶ The nynth chapiter of Ecclesiasticus or booke of Iesus the sonne of Sirach ¶ The argument OF iclousie who so wyll heare vnto my tune harke drawe nere howe ye shall of the harlottes vyle eschâ—â—â— the sleyght the fraude and guile What mischiefe and what hurte they doe To suche as harken them vnto Howe vayne and vyle adultrie is Howe fonde they are that walke amys Howe we shoulde kepe an olde frend true And neuer change hym for no newe Howe for to leade a godly lyfe In holynes without all stryfe How that a kyng by wysdomes lore Should rule and gouerne euermore Howe eche man should in his degree Se that his worke well vsed be And howe the folysh talkatyue Are the moste wicked folke on lyue To Iesus Sirach geue good eare Whiche telles his tale in this maner Ecclesiast Cap. ix BE not ouer thy wyfe Ielouse but without strife kepe wel thy house Lest that she shewe some point of ill Or wycked sleight the for to spyll Nor tangle not thy powre nor lyfe With a false whore which maketh strife Lest she redounde within thy strength And so confounde thy soule at length Beholde not women vayne nought Whiche vpon men set all their thought On suche I saye set not thy care Lest they betray thee in their snare Abstayne and flee hir wicked waye That loues to geste scoffe daunce playe To hir consent not in no wyse Though she the tempte and ofte entyse Loke not to longe vpon a mayde Least with hir forme thou be dismayde Muche lesse on harlotes then haue mynde Nor on women of suche ill kynde Least thou decaye before thyne age And so consume thyne heritage In townes and cities doe not gase As one whose wittes were in amase Nor wander not in euery strete Least with ill men perhappes thou mete Chiefly of all turne thy face fro The woman gaye whiche worketh wo. Beholde not muche the great bewtie Of any one vnknowne to thee For in tyme past suche fooles haue bene Which with their fonde eyes as I wene â–ª Did so regarde the beuty fayre Of strangers where they did repayre That they decayd through their desire Whiche burned lyke the flaming fyre Wherfore women adulterous Should only be regarded thus As most vyle dounge durte myre claye That eche man treads on in his waye For suche as on them wonder had Were by their beutie tangled mad All wysdom they from them did caste So whot of fonde loue was the blast Lead thou therfore a godly lyfe Couet thou not thy neighbours wyfe Syt not with hir at any sted Lye not with hir vpon a bed No talke with hir make thou at wyneâ— Least thy heart should to hir inclyne Therby makyng thy bloud to fall And so destroy thy lyfe and all Forsake not thou a good olde friende For suche a newe is harde to fynde For a newe friende is lyke newe wyne Whiche is not good tyll it be fyne But when the wyne is olde and pure Then mayst y â— drynke hym with plesure Desyre not the honor therfore That synnâ—rs gayne and kepe in store If thou dydst their destruction knowe Whiche will them once all ouerflowe To suche honour thou wouldst not haste Nor of their vayne welth wysh to taste Of one thyng more warne thee I will Abstain froÌ„ such whose powre may kill For if with suche thou makest stryfe He may sone take from thee thy lyfe Forsee and shurne eche casualtie So shalt thou scape all ieopardie Take good hede of an ill neighbour Least with some crafte he thee deuoure With wyse men be in company So shalt thou gayne great honestie Let iust men be thy gestes alwayes Ioye in gods name and geue hym prayse Be courteous gentyll good and kynde Haue gods feare euer in thy mynde Let all thy workes and talke be bent Vpon the lordes commaundemente Eche good craftes maÌ„ shuld set his wil His worke to frame by discrete skyll Whiche being set before mens eyes Shall cause hym to be counted wyse For eche worke brought to gorgeous end Doth cause all men it to commende A prynce that rightly gouerne wyll Lyke wise of wisdom should haue skyll So well he should wysdom decerne That at his talke others myght lerne Hym that doth many fonde wordes vse A wyse mans parte is to refuse For suche in towne and in citie Doe kyndle stryfe and vylainy They neither weye cause tyme nor place In them is neither wytie nor grace They are past shame I saye therfore Refuse suche men and them abhorre ¶ The maner of true and perfecte prayer instituted by our sauiour Iesus Christe the only sonne of God the wisdom of the father and seconde person in trinitie THe syxt of mathewe if ye reade example ye may finde What praier is and how to vse the same in perfecte kynde For Christ our only mercy seate So soundly hath vs taughte That in his gospell we may fynde Not els where to be sought When thou doste praye sayth Christe our Lorde Se that thou doe refuse The vayne glory that hippocrites Doe in their prayers vse For they wyll in the synagoges Their prayers to appere In open stretes or in suche place As moste men may them here For whiche their folysh vaynglorie That would of men be
for all my helpe To the I must resorte Beholde those men that say to me In mockage and in scorne Where is the worde of God say they Let it come vs beforne Though not withstanding when I led Thy flocke in godly trayne Into thy wayes by violence I did them not constrayne Ne yet the death of any man I neuer dyd desier Thou knowste right wel that before thee My tongue was not a lyer Be not to me to terrible O lorde but me refrayne For thou arâ—e he in whom I hope In perill and in payne Confound me not but confound theÌ„ That doe my lyfe pursue Nor feare me not but make thou them To feare and eke to rue And powre on theÌ„ their painful plague When thou shalt see the tyme And them destroye that haue thee done So detestable cryme Ieremie .xxxi. ¶ Syng this as On tabrets to the Lorde c. O Lorde thou hast corrected me For my sinfull lyuyng Though I did as a calf vntame Receyue thy chastening Conuert me from my sinne and so Shall I conuerted be Thou art my God and only Lorde And others none but thee So sone as thou hast turned me From sinne I shall returne Before whiche tyme I haue no powre My selfe for to reforme Which when thou madest me perceiue And vnderstande the same I smoâ—e my selfe vpon my thyghe In my great zeale and shame For shamful thinges sure haue I done Oh let my youth therfore Confounded be with his reproofe For nowe I them abhorre ¶ Out of the thirde chapiter of Ieremies lamentations I Am the man whom God in his wrath and fury hath with his rodde made right expert of eury mysery He droue and led me forth In darknes to endure But as for lyght I myght none see So weare my wayes obscure He only agaynst me Doth turne his hande and powre And laith the same vpon me styll At eury tyme and howre My flesh and skyn waxe olde My bones are brused all He buylded round and closde me in With trauell and with galle In darknes he me sette As dead for euer more He hedgd me in and fettered me With heauy linkes and sore With clamors pitiously Though I to hym did call My prayer and my painfull playnt He heareth not at all My wayes he stopped vp With stones of cubike forme My pathes are made so crokedly I not where me to torne As doth the cruell beare Lye wayting for his praye And as the lyon in his hole To take me in my waye He marred hath my wayes In peces he me brake He altogether layde me waste And brought me all to wrake And when he bente his bowe He made his marke of me The arrowes of his quiuer â—o Into my raynes shot he I laughed am to scorne Of people in the throng They make deridyng songes of me And mocke me all day long He fylde my hungry soule With bale and bitternes And wormwod was my drynke also In my great thyrstynes In peces weare my tethe In dust he did me roule All good thynges then I cleane forgot No reste had my poore soule Then in mynde I thought My selfe vndone to be For in the lorde I see quod I There is no helpe for me O yet remember then My misery and wo The wormwod and the bitter gall And my troubles also Yea some rememberance I truste and hope thou hast For why my soule within me lorde Doth melte away and waste Whyle I dyd these thynges thus Consyder in my harte I gat some houlde of hope agayne That was so long aparte How thy mercies oh lorde Are not gone clene awaye And howe thy louyng kyndnes doth Not cease from vs for aye My faythfulnes is great And euer doth renewe As after the most darkest nyght The mornyng doth ensue The lorde quod my soule tho He is my porcion Therfore my faythe and perfect hope Is fixâ—e on hym alone O howe good is the lorde To them that in hym truste And to the soule that seketh hym With feruent mynde and luste Lo then howe good it is Vpon the Lorde to staye And tary for his sauyng health With stilnes daye by daye Howe good is it for man His yoke on hym to take And from his youth vp weare the same Whiche wyll hym perfect make Suche one alone wyll syt And holde hym selfe ryght styll Who by hym selfe wyll euer dwell And quiet be from ill Hym sclfe he doth prostrate To harke for hope with loue And offreth styll his cheke to them That smyte or wyll reproue In hope thus wyll he reste And purely styll perseuer For god the lorde wyll not forsake His chosen flock for euer But though he seme somtyme To cease of for a space By multitude of mercies he Receaues agayne to grace He suffreth sonnes of men Not from his harte to fleete Nor all the prisners on the earth He treades not vnder feete He doth not iudgment geue By mans desertes in syght And to condemne man in his cause The lorde hath no delyght What kynde of man is he How mad is suche a one Without the lordes commaundment That sayth ought may be done Out of the holy mouth Of God the lorde moste hye Both ill and good doth not procede What man can this denye Why doth the lyuyng man Then grudge and murmur so At his owne sinne let him repyne And so commit no mo Behold we our owne wayes And eke bethynke vs well Aâ—d turne agayne vnâ—o the lorde From whom we did rebell To heauen let vs lyfte Our heartes and handes on hye And to the Lorde that there in is On this wyse let vs crye Dissemblers haue we bene And did thee sore offende O lorde let vs intreat thee yet That thy wrath now may ende We hid are in thy wrath And persecutyng payne Without all fauor and regard O lorde thou hast vs slayne For in a cloude from vs Thy selfe thou hydest so That through the thicknes of the same Our prayers can not go For outcastes are we nowe The Heathen vs despyse Our enmies all on vs they gape And mocke in sondry wyse And subiectes are we made To feare and to the snare Destruction on vs is come And we despysed are Whole ryuers from myne eyes Of teares doe styll increase My peoples hurte doth cause myne eyes From wepyng not to cease For why there is no reste O lorde consider this O when wylt thou from heauen loke And mende that is amys Myne eyes haue causde my hearte Insonder for to ryue The daughters of my citie made My wo so to reuyne As foulers seke to haue The byrdes within their pawes Myne enmies sharply hunted me And that without a cause Into a pit moste depe My lyfe put downe they haue Because I should not ryse they layde A stone vpon my graue They powred water then Vpon my head also Nowe am I quyte and clene vndone To my selfe thoughte I tho Yet from this pit profounde I called to the lorde Whiche heard my playnt
pitâ—ous crie And hath my lyfe restorde When I did syghe and crie And for redemption praye Thou heardst my voyce and turnedst not Thyne eares from me away Thy selfe thou didst inclyne Thy name when I dyd call And vnto me thus hast thou sayde Haue thou no feare at all For thou O lorde arte he That dyd my soule mayntayne And hast from death redemed me And gavst me lyfe agayne O lorde auenge my cause On them that me blaspheme Thou knowst how thei would worke me wâ— Against me what they meane Thou knowest lorde their spyghte And all that they inuent Against me what their lyps deuyse And their moste vyle intent Howe they syt downe and ryse O lorde thou doest beholde And how all day in songes on me They nothyng els but scoulde According to their workes Their rewarde them disburse And geue them that their harâ—es doe feare That is to saye thy curse O lorde persecute them With indignation From vnder heauen roote them out And leaue of them not one Oseas .xiiii. O Lord our God we turne to the thy word we doe embrace Forgeue vs our iniquitie receyue vs vnto grace To offer then in Godly wyse Shall be out whole intent Our lyps the lyvly sacrifice Of prayse shall the present To man for helpe and fortitude We wyll not seke therfore And strength of horse we wyll conclude To trust in them no more The workes eke that our handes dyd make That vayn are must fall We doe determine to forsake No more on them to call For it is thou that art our God And euer shalt remayne For mercy at thy fatherhod The fatherles attayne O that they would haue this remorâ—â— Sayth God and them conuert I would them heale of all their sores And loue them with mine hearâ—e My wrath I would from theÌ„ decline To them that I may be As dâ—w doth make the lylye shyne So beutifull to se Their roote lyke vnto Libanus Shall breake out of the ground And as the olyfe bewtious Their branches shall abound As Libanus so excellent Theyr swetnes shall excell Wherof as all men doe assent Ryght plesant is the smell For as the câ—rne vnder that tree Doth flory she well and growe So are they shadowed by me From hurte and ouerthrowe And as the growyng of the vyne So shall they spryng in dede Of Libanus as doth the wyne So shall their name excede Propose I wyll this thee vnto O Ephraim therfore From henceforth what haue I to doe With I dols any more I wyll thee heare and geue thee grace And leade thee forth aryght And I wyll be to thee lyke as The grene fyrre tree in syghte On me set thy foundation Whiche am to the so kynde Thy lyvly frutes then evry one Vpon me shalt thou fynde This vnderstand the godlywyse That repe for this rewarde The ryght instruct wyll exercyse The same with good regarde The lorde his wayes be iust and ryght The godly walke the same The wycked folke doe stumble guyte And fall out of the frame Ionas Cap. ii IN my trouble and payne to thee lord I did call my plaint thou heardest plain broughst me out of thrall Out of the womb of hell To the when I did crye My voyce thou heardest well And holpe me louyngly Thou threwst me downe as dead Full depe into the sea And made about my head The floudeâ— to compas me The water waues in haste Went ouer me with myght I thought I had ben cast Away out of thy syght But yet agayne shall I Go to thy holy place Whiche is thy churche holy And thanke therfore thy grace In depnes where I laye The water sude my lyfe The wedes were wrapte always About my head with stryfe Into the helles depnes Descendyng did perseuer In wo and great distresse Barde in with earth for euer But thou oh God my lorde Hast brough my lyfe agayne And hast my soule restorde From corruptible payne When that my soule did faint Vpon the lorde I thought My prayer and my playnt Was to thy temple brought Therfore they that delyght In vanitie so vayne For sake his helpe and myght That mercy doth retayne But I wyll prayse and paye That I hym vowed haue And thanke the lorde alwayâ— That did me helpe and saue ¶ A consideration of the vnryghteousnes of the vayne miserable world ¶ Syng this as Of Ielousy who so wyll heare DIrectly who so nowe wyl walke In pathes of plain perfect way whose hartes mouthes together talke Not glosing by deceit astray That flatter none for mede nor loue Nor ruled by affection Nor wyll for worldly glory moue Nor yet for brybes infection Such meÌ„ had nede their countes to cast In what maner to thriue and gayne For here let them be sure and fast No frendshyp doth for suche remayne â–ª Requisitly they doe regarde The ioyes layde vp in lyfe to come And that is only the rewarde Wheron their mynde is all and summe Wherfore we may with truthe coÌ„clude That suche as loue this worldly pelfe From heauen doe them selues seclude As doth that wretch who kylles him self And those agayne that doe despyse These mundane gandes as vyle vayne May well be called godly wyse For heauens blysse they shall obtayne ¶ A ditie of lamentation against the dissemblyng and hipocriticall false dealynge vsed of moste folke in these dayes that is to saye holy and honest talke myxed with wicked and vicious dedes IN sommer time when flowrs gan spryng and evry bough bent to his kind Phebus shone bright the birdes did sing as natures order hath assignd I walked to recreat my mynde which out of sorowe might not starte but saide as duty did me bind lord Christ help evry wofull hart My wittes were tossed to and fro That truthe is preached sincerly Yet wycked lyuers neuer mo Were in this worlde ryght sikarly Wherfore I wepte full bitterly None but God only knew my smarte Whiche me constrayned lowd to cry Lorde Christ helpe evry wofull harte None doth in his vocation walke But eche estate wandreth awry Yet haue the moste part godly talke And commit deedes cleane contrary Thus walke they in hypocrisie In well doyng none doth his part Wherfore I cryde ryght hartily Lorde Christ helpe evry wofull hart The man that is most couetyse Wyll talke most against wrongful gayne Thinkyng by speakyng in suche wyse His subtill purpose to obtayne As though perfection did remayne In flaâ—tring tongues myndes peruert This caused me to crye agayne Lorde Christe helpe evry wofull heart How doth the ryche oppresse the poore Punyshing them that therof tell Howe doth the wolfe the lambe deâ—oute And enuy in his venym swell Howe falsly doe men buye and sell To speake of this it is my part For sure these frutes came out of hell Lord Christ helpe evry wofull heart In dronkenes they haue no pere That conterfet moste sobernes Their talke is often chaste and clere That moste frequent lasciuiousnes Whordom adultrye
plesant song shall not song be To the goddesse of lechery Nor to nothyng vnder the Sunne But praysing of the almyghty My lute and I tyll we haue done This teacheth vs Dauid the kyng With harpe and lute geue God praysyng All men that in this worlde doe wonne To God therfore geue prayse and synge As my lute and I haue begonne This lord first made al things of nought And when against his lawe we wrought From heauen he sent downe his sonne Whiche with his gospell vs all taught After the whiche we haue not donne Although in man weare nothyng good Hym to redeme Christ shed his blood with thrones y e Iuâ—s our lord did crown He suffred death vpon the roode Lo thus our sauyng health was donne On this therfore we fix our fayth That Iesus Christ as scriptur sayth Is only our saluation Vpon this rocke who so him stayth Thus sayth the lord it is well don But one thing sore my harte doth greue That hipocrites made vs beleue In Idols both of wodde and stone From Christ our rock they did vs dryue Wo be to them what haue they done Whiche canker still within their heartes Doth yet remayne and fewe conuertes For at gods worde they frete and frown Therfore my lute it is our partes Them to rebuke as we haue done God sent his worde vnto this ende That we our synfull lyues should mende And yet repenteth fewe or none My lute therfore let vs intende To say the truthe tyll we haue done If in our songe we should recyte Nowe eche estate doth not vpright Whiche will be their confusion Whiche knowe the truthe and do not ryght My lute when should our song be done But to be short my hartes intent Is to prayse God omnipotent Whoe of our helth the thred hath spunne And hath his worde to vs nowe sent To mende our lyues tyll we haue done Mans soule to saue Christ died therfore Who of vs men doth aske no more But this lesson to lerne and conne With loue to kepe his holy lore In whiche all perfect workes are donne Lorde graunt vs to thy worde to cleane That no man other doe deceaue And in that zeale that I begunne Lauding our lorde God here I leaue Be styll my lute my song is done ¶ A ditie shewyng the office of all estates warnyng them to repent walke euery estate accordyng to their callyng LEt heauen harke earth geue eare let mountains bowe with humblenes let waters all their rage forbeare and once growe to some stablenes wauer no more with evry wynde but once cleane to a constant mynde In fayth and loue for why the lord him self doth speake and will you els in sonder breake euen from aboue Let not god speake now to deafe eares Nor vnto hartes made of flynt stone But rather with repentant teares Bewayle your synnes now evry one And let a godly lyfe all newe Shew forth frutes of repentance true And them expresse That from henceforth in such new lyfe We may remayn without all stryfe In righteousnes Let suche as shewe the heauenly muse Haue godly conuersation Least through their vyle and great abuse They worke abhomination When as in synfull wayes they walke Contrary to their outwarde talke And gods true worde For who that sclandreth so the truthe Their myrth shall turne to wo and ruthe Before the lorde Let kynges that mountains sygnifie In iustice doe styll their due part Supporte no more iniquitie Nor mainteyne suche as areperuart Se that henceforth with all your myght Ye put downe wrong mainteine right Or els surely The lord God whiche is kyng of all Your glory â–ª turne to shame he shall Moste ryghteously Let nowe the waueryng multitude That signifyd is by the sea Oh let I saye this rable rude Still henceforth cleaue to constancie And not them selues as waters showe Vnstable for to ebbe and flowe But styll depende Vpon the churche to lerne their due And serue their kyng w t hartes most true Euen styll an ende Let not the churche be temporall Let not rulers â—e rude and vayne Let no man from his calling fall But eche man in his state remayne Let not the common people deale With matters highe of common weale â–ª For why I saye If one anothers callyng vsâ— All equitie they doo refuse From day to daye Let all men nowe repent therfore And leaue theyr synne without delay And henceforth vse the same no more Least by theyr goyng thus astray Gods wrathe in hast they doo procure For this theyr doyngs so vnpure In synfull trade Knowe that the Lorde his mercy styll Dothe offer all with ryght good wyll That he hath made Let men whyle mercy then doothe last Haue mynde of this theyr onely meane Abhorre theyr yll lyfe that is past Lyftyng their eyes vp into heauen Lokyng from thence for theyr reliefe Whiche is a salue for all our griefe Swete Christe Iesu Your hartes and eares I say attend That you to blysse without all end May hence insue ¶ A Ditie declaringe the daungerous abuse of all degrees whyche go astraye from theyr vocation PErforme O penne I thee desyre The thyng that we dyd late deuyse Blowe to this cole kyndle thys fyre That suche may know as truth despise That darknes shall no more them hyde No secrete place shall they prouyde To couer guyle For now the lyght shall them bewray That secretly haue gone astray A ryght long whyle Suche Princes as the poore oppresse Vnder titie of gouernance And wyll no poore mans cause redresse But all theyr ioye and fyne pastance Is howe with craft in couerture They may in theyr yll wayes indure And styll remayne It shall appeare at the laste day That they haue wrongly gone astray Vnto theyr payne Suche prelates as for fylthy gayne With errors doo mens soules destroy And on theyr flock lyke lordes wyll raigne Wherin Gods woorde they doo anoy The fleece to take is all theyr care And for the soule no foode prepare But venym vyle Suche prelates shall once know I say That they haue falsly gone astray With fraude and guyle Suche men of lawe as wyll for golde Make thyngs seme right the which at wrong And wyll for gayne with falshode hold And eke delaye the tyme to long Suche as in Iudgement wrest the lawe And wrongly doe the sentence drawe Wrong to supporte Poore innocentes for to betraye For brybes they goe from ryght astraye In wicked sorte Suche marchantes as are not content With right and reason for to wynne But daily doe false fraude inuent To gayne by wickednes and synne â—nlawfull gayne and vsury And counterfetyng wyckedly Muche marchandyse In hell they shall once fele I saye Howe they by fraude haue gone astraye In vntust wyse Suche leches as wyckedly vse Medicines arte but not aryght But fasly doe the same abuse And to that arte doth wrong and spyght They rob and murder where they go From place to place workyng muche wâ— Without cunnyng The Diuell
recite What other hurtes your bewtie doth With your apparell proude and lyght Tempting the Irailtie of weake youth Therefore vse nowe meknes and truth This olde sayde sawe may warne you all That pryde wyll surely 〈◊〉 a fall ¶ An inuectiue against the most hatefull vyce enuy ¶ Syng this as Let nowe thy power he great O Lorde c. ALl they that will of enuy here Vnto my song let thâ—â—â— attend If you will â—erne then draw you nere Let enuious meÌ„ their mysse ameÌ„d Vnto my lippes haue good respect And marke what shall from them insue Enuy with blyndnes dothe infect And styll disprayseth dame vertue Within this worlde so full of sinne It is a scabbe sayth Tullius If that suche men as be therin To vertue shall be enuious Oh wicked worlde full of â—nuy Polluted with despight and hate Receiue agayne simplicitie Take loue and banysh all debate Salomon sayth in sapâ—ence I wyll none enuy nor disdeyne Banysh them cleane from my presence Wisdom wyll none suche enterteyne For hatefull enuie is mother Of wycked wordes fond ferce and fell Contrary wyse loue doth couer The wordes whiche are not spoken well Sythe loue then is the remedy Against enuy that wycked vyce Take loue to you continually It is a treasure of great pryce ¶ Agaynst slouthe Syng this as Of Ielousye who so wyll heare MArke and geue eare ye slouthful meÌ„ And to my song geue good respect Aryse out of your drousy dell To Idlenes that are subiect Ryght truly sayde kyng Salomon As smoke the tender eyes offende So slouthfull men are wrathe anon Wyth suche as moue them to amend Go to sayth he thou slouthfull beast Go to and slumber out thy fyll Wyth folded armes lye downe to rest Accordyng to thyne idle wyll As one that iourneyth all day long So pouertie shall on thee lyght And as a souldier fierce and strong Necessitie shall shâ—w her myght But who so is industrious And wyll his labour well apply His increace shall be plâ—ntious And he shall haue abundantly In slouthfull soules thus saith the Lord My wysedome it can taâ—â— no peace Oh be conuerted by Gods word Ye slouthfull men and callâ— for grace Who so to worke no payne wyll take Buâ— liues in slouâ—h thus saith S. Paul His company we must forsake And gâ—ue to hym no meate at all Thus sayth the lord therfore awake Thou that dost slepe and stande vpright Stande vp from death for Christes sake And Christ the â—orâ— shall geue thee lyght ¶ A description of auarice SAint Bernard saith the chariot of auarice is borne on fower wheles of vicâ—s in through which the poore are torne The first is couragâ—â—aynt and fonde The next vngentylnes The thirde contempt of God the fourth Of death forgetfulnes And horses two this chariot drawes That is as muche to saye As Raueny and Nygardshyp Whiche are in it alwaye The Carter whiche dooth dryue them bothe He is a greedye knaue And who so would hys name were knowen It is Desyre to haue That Carter dryueth with a whyp Whych whyp of cordâ—s hath twayne That is Great appetite to get And Lothe to yeld agayne Ryght many of the cart haue scorne And them that cartes doo dryue Yet moste men for to dryue thys cart Thys daye contende and stryue And they that take in most yll part Of carters to beare name Doo dryue thys carâ—e of coâ—etyse And muche delyght the same And suche as weare bothe sylke and golde That strange is for to see Doo sue to master Auarice His carters for to bee Where some were wont with speâ—â—â— shield Theyr countrey to defend Haue layde asyde theyr armour quight And to this carte attend The Clergy whych should preache and teache If they dyd playe theyr parte Doo laye asyde the worde of God And dayly dryue thys carte The Merchant and the learned leche And eke the man of lawe Forsake theyr artes and dayly doo This carte bothe dryue and drawe And they that common carters be Oâ— moste men called so Doo knowe least how to dryue this cart And farthest are therfro Our money as sayth Seneca Ought ay to be our drudge To serue for our necessitie And at our wyll to trudge But yf we as a lady dâ—re Make her our souerayne She wyll not mysse to bryng our soules Into eternall payne God of hys mercy therfore graunâ— This cartynge we may leaue To loue and lyberalytie That we may alway cleaue Free from the thefe and from the moâ—he That we may horde our store Forsakyng gredy auarice And dryue hys carte no more ¶ A dittie of the pen inueiyng against vsury and false dealyng MY pen obey my wyll a whyle till I see good to ende this stile for if all men would sinne abhorre such songs we nede not to compile nor my pen should write so no more If all men of their worde were true Promis to kepe and paye their due What â—â—de had pennes to worke therfore But sythe no whyght wyll truthe ensue Pennes were as good to wryte no more Pennes are abusde and that dayly About all craft and vsury We may well say alas therfore And yet least we make them angry It semes as good to wryte no more Yet let vs shewe the lordes intent Howe thaâ— for gaynes nought should be lent All fashod God wyll plage ryght sore And yet my penne least we be shent It semes as good to wryte no more For all in vayne we speake scripture To suche as wyll in synne endure For they amende neuer the more But hate all godly counsayle pure That warneth them to synne no more Yet if all men with suche pretence Should cease to shewe their conscience They should transgresse gods holy wre Yet sythe none wyll it reuerence It semes as good to wryte no more The scripture thus doth specifie In Dauids psalmee blâ—ssed is he That lendeth freely ryche and poore Without all gayne of vsury Yet doe they vse it styll the more Though some for writing wyl vs blame These crafty men whome we not name These false got 〈…〉 they must 〈◊〉 To those of whom they got the same Or els be damnde for 〈…〉 For though some men haue bene â—â— thys In vsury that dyd amys And haue bene warnde of it before That doo repent yet fewe there ys But rather vse it more and more But sure in hell theyr bed is 〈◊〉 And all that vse of crafte the trade Are lyke the same to rue ryght â—ore In crafte and guyle yet syth they wâ—de It were as good to wryce â—â— more God graunt as in this song is meâ—â— We may amende all and repâ—nt Rootyng out vyce to the harde core To serue the lorde omnipotent In loue and truthe for euermore ¶ An exhortation to wrathfull men Syng this as I am the man whom God c. IF wrathe were paynted out In perfect lyuely hue As coulde Apelles in hys lyfe Wyth colours â—yne and true Or as Demosthenes Deserybe it coulde with â—en
estate to tary styll What call ye then the vyle estate As some doo iudge this is the thyng If my superior doo me hate And would me to displeasure bryng And that also without desert If reason may the cause decerne And haue disdeyn for my true heart Wherfore to please I am to lerne Yet is myn heart determind sure If truth and reason take no place Of suche disdeyne to take no cure But wyse men rather wyll imbrace For yf wysedome were noblenes As noble byrthe and ryches is Then should not truth be in dystres And flattrye should of fauor mis. So flattrye and bland eloquence Should as they are be compted vyle And truth should then make none offence Nor vertue reigne in suche exyle Blamd but not shamd the prouerbe is And truth can haue none other wrong So may they hap theyr marke to mys That thinke them selues in falshod stroÌ„g Then hated lo I must reioyce And fonde regarde despyse as vayne Closing my mouth stoppyng my voyce From speache in presence of disdayne ¶ An holsome warning for all men that beare the name of Christians to lyue Christianly O Harke a whyle vnto my style all ye that Christians be that beare that name and doe not frame your liues accordingly Is Fayth in syche As beyng ryche Though they doo Christ professe That euery houre Do Christe deuoure And his poore flocke oppresse For we are all As sayth saynâ— Paule Membres of one body Of Christe Iesu â— round of vertue And of all veritie Then the poore man As proue I can Is Christ his member true As well as he What so he be That ryches doth endue Why should ye then To symple men Beare suche despight and hate Syth they be all In Christ equall With you in all estate Christ his kyngdome Was neuer wonne By wealth or hygh degree All though that here Some doo appere To reygne in dignitie Then let none thynke That Christ wyll shrynke When he shall iudge vs all Of all your wealth So got by stelthe You to accompt to call When yf he fynde Ye were vnkynde To your poore brethern dere Then wyll he say Go from me aye Into eternall fyre When I lackt meate And fayne would eate In sycknes thyrst and coldâ— In all my nede Not one good dede That you to me doo wold Then wyll ye say Wythout delay Lord when dyd we thee see Lacke any foode To doo thee good And dyd it not to thee And he agayne Shall answer playne I truely say to you Ye styll oppreste And muche detest The poore my members true When ye therfore Did them abhorre That â—re of lowe degree To me alone And other none Ye did that iniury Saint Iohn doth proue We can not loue God whom we doe not see If we doe hate Our brethern that Are present to our eye Nowe call for grace Whyle ye haue space Your wycked lyues amende And so procede In worde and dede True Christians to the ende ¶ A short song exhorting all men to abstayne from the vse of false weyghtes and measures MY harte constraines my mouth to tell the dutie of eche worldly wight howe they be taught in the gospell one with other to deale vpright with euen weightes ballance iust so doe we must So doe we must this is no naye Also with measure iust and true Who so doth not at the last day Ryght sore are lyke for it to rue When he shall goe for wante of breath Vnto his death Vnto his death when he must goe With painful panges and torment strong Then is he lyke to suffer wo For that his dealyng false and wrong Suche one is lyke in extreme payne For to remayne For to remayne wo worth the whyle That any man so fond should fare With othes his neighbour to beguyle When he should truly sell his ware O wherfore then dâ—o ye vnwyse Prudence despyse Prudence despyse that should so well Lâ—ade you in Godly wayes and ryght And teache you also how to deale With your neyghbours iustly vpryght For he that to amend denayes Thus the Lorde sayes Thus the Lord sayth very certayn Such measure as ye mete to other Suche measure shall ye haue agayn How then yf you deceyue your brother Thynk you that God wyll forget thys No no Iwys No no Iwys ye may be sure For heauen and earth shall ioyntly saylâ— â–ª But Gods word shall for euer dure In force and strength styll to preuayle All false dealers for to expell Downe in to hell Down in to hell therfore take hedâ— And call for gods grace and mercy Amend your wycked lyues with spede Lamentyng them repentantly God geue vs grace so to intende And there an ende ¶ A Ditie declarynge the sted fast hope and trust that the faythfull afflicted soule hath in Christ Iesu LIke as certain the hart wold faine of the fountain obtain the spring so hath my sprite his whole delight in God almight aboue all thing Myne enmies strong All the daye long To doe me wrong Is their intent Euery howre On me they loure Me to deuoure They doe inuent This doe I see For to myne eye It is truly Alwayes obiect With might and mayne Them selues they strayne My soule to gayne And to infect My soule therfore Doth tremble sore And euermore Doth stande in feare And all the whyle Myne enmies smyle Me to beguyle They not forbeare Therfore I say My sâ—ule alway Reiâ—yce and stay Thy selfe in Christ Though men extold Agaynst thee hold In Christ be bold Them to resyst Who is alyue That dareth stryue Strong dyuels fyue Although they were Thys can I proue O Lorde aboue If thou me loue I nede not feare O God of myght Strengthen my spryte That doth delyght Only in thee O holy Lord Let thy swâ—â—e word Wyth one accord Styll be wyth me O Christ Iesu Ground of vertue Messias true As sayth Scripture To thee I pray Graunt that I may In heauen aye With thee indure ¶ A song shewing that no commoditie is without a discommoditie ¶ Syng this as I am the man whome God c. AS I dyd sytte and muse Once by my selfe alone The wretched state of worldly wights The mind was fixed on Howe no commoditie May here with man indure Without some discommoditie To shewe it selfe vnpure By fyre we haue great ayde In colde vs for to warme Whiche in an houre somtime doth burnâ— Rewarding vs with harme We may lyue certayne dayes Without both drinke and meate But without ayre not one moment The lack would be so great Yet somtyme by his rage We mortall men doe fynde That trees houses and cattell eke Are ouerthrowne with wynde The water who can lack That in this worlde doth byde Yet many one therin is drownde By great aboundyng tyde The earth wheron we dwell And seke great welth to fynde In sekyng to possesse the same With iudgement vayne and blynde When we thynke to possesse This earth that we attende Behold the same possesseth vs