of straw 180. Where being full of aches sores and biles Thy beauty turned to a tawny hue And that consum'd which was so faire ere whiles Vnknowne of those that thee but lately knew As a just vengeance to thy merits due Breathest thy last beneath some open stall Or di'st diseased in an Hospitall 181. There lies thy pompe and glory in the dust Thy body cloth'd with rags and all too torne Thy flesh comsum'd and wasted by thy lust Loathed condemn'd disdain'd and held in scorne Not one of all thy friends for thee will mourne Nor hardly thinke thee worthy for to have To hide thy stinking corps a simple grave 182. Loe here Amanda view thy selfe at large Behold thy life and after that thy death Peruse each line and letter I thee charge Let it not be forgotten in a breath To thy best thoughts I doe the same bequeath Advisedly consider of the matter I tell thee what is true and scorne to flatter 183. And if it take effect as I desire And breede a sorrow for thy time mispent If it shall cause thee from thy course retire And be a meanes to make thy heart relent And be reform'd by my admonishment Assure thy selfe that thou hast gain'd a friend That shall not faile thee till his life doth end 184. For my sake therefore I adjure thee here To turne thy course and bend another way For thy friends sake to whom thou shouldst be deere Come home unto thy selfe and doe not stay For thine owne sake I charge thee to obey And in compassion of that soule of thine Live not in darknesse when the sunne doth shine 185. Pity thy yeeres that are but young and tender Pity thy fathers care thy mothers love For thy sad kindreds sorrow pity render Let thy acquaintance some compassion move Looke not still downe but raise thy thoughts above If no thing else prevaile let feare of God Worke thy conversion and his threatning rod. 186. Strive to regaine the honour thou hast lost And seeke thy ruin'd credit to repaire Thy conscience is benum'd with follies frost Let thy warme teares of sorrow thaw the ayre That chils thy heart with nipping cold despaire And so dissolve thy crusty yce of sinne That hot repentance may let mercy in 187. Redeeme the time that thou hast spent in vaine And persue honour as thou followd'st vice Although unwilling yet thy selfe constraine Against thy will to vertue be not nice Tire not in acting goodnesse twice or thrice But persevere from one unto another As happy daughter of a blessed mother 188. And when thou hast this little Pamphlet read And seene the scope whereto these lines doe tend Let them not passe an hower out of thy head Vntill thy sorrow make thy life amend And worke a reformation in the end Doe not oh doe not put them from thy heart But to thy sickly soule some helpe impart 189. Then shall my prayers flie aloft with thine And my desires seeke earnestly thy blisse Thy happinesse shall be to me as mine Thy godly sorrow for thy life amisse Shall breed such joy as none shall be like this The comfort that thy soule shall thereby taste Shall be a Crowne of glory at the last 190. In hope therefore of this my good successe And of a happy welcome to these lines Wishing thou mayst thy wicked lusts suppresse I leave thee unto him whose grace refines Praying his blessing unto these designes Heavens grant thee that which none on earth can give A life prepar'd to die a death to live When I had written these lines I made them up in a little booke and by a friend which I had sent them unto her lodging with a letter likewise to be delivered unto her both which my friend presented to her owne hands and she receiving of them thankfully read over the letter presently in his sight and told him that so soone as she had perused the booke which should not be long she would send her answer unto me and so my friend taking a courteous farewell left her and returned telling me of the kinde welcome both of the letter and the booke which I was glad to heare of and therefore hoped in a short time to receive her answer which I did wish might be according as I both expected and desired I wayted for her answer about ten daies and not hearing from her well knowing in that time she might at her leisure have read it over I began to wonder what the reason should be imagining that eyther she was loath to bestow so much paynes as to reade it or else having read it she was offended at it and being willing to be satisfied herein yet unwilling that she should take any notice of my desire I sent another friend not to her lodging but neere unto it to the end that I might be assured whether she still continued there or whether she were removed to any other place my friend taking occasion secretly to enquire of her understood by one of the neighbours that she kept her old lodging and that she had lately beene very sicke and was not then recovered Of which her sicknes when I understood I was in some hope that she had considered seriously on the contents of the booke and that it had wrought so farre with her that she had layd the same to her heart and was thereby drawne to a strict examination of her owne life which might be the meanes of troubling her conscience so farre as that it might breede a distemper in her body and so be the cause of impayring her health desirous therefore to understand how she digested it whether there were any other cause of her disease I sent my friend to her lodging to see how she did not taking any notice that I had knowne of her sicknesse and withall to excuse my not comming unto her all that time whither when he came he was willingly conducted into her chamber where she then lay in her bed and delivering his message unto her she told him that she had beene very ill and wonderfull desirous to see me and entreated him to signifie so much unto me and that she was minded to send a messenger unto me but that by reason of her sicknesse she knew not how conveniently to doe it not speaking one word unto him concerning the booke My friend not staying long with her and promisig to acquaint me with her desire departed and telling me what her request was and in vvhat case he found her I resolved vvithin fevv daies to visit her and accordingly within a day or two after I came unto her chamber where being entred I found her sitting in her chaire by the fire and weeping exceedingly I comming in so suddenly and she turning her head espying of me presently leapt out of her chaire and comming towards me tooke me by the hand and looking earnestly in my face she began to speake to me to this effect the substance whereof for memory sake I
have set downe in verse as followeth viz. The penitentiall answer of the reformed Amanda 1. OH thou that art the onely man alive Which with these eyes I did desire to see Thou thou for whom my heart shall alwaies strive To gratulate the kindnesse showne by thee Welcome a thousand thousand times to me With that the teares gusht from her eyes apace And silence staid her tongue a little space 2. Then breaking forth in words againe she said Come deerest friend and sit thee downe by me Thy presence makes me joy and well appaid I have great matters to reveale to thee Such as till now I thought would never be Then rising from her seate she lockt the dore And came and sat downe by me as before 3. And fixing earnestly her eye upon me In a still silent manner she lookt on me And saie as if she had beene in a trance At length her milke white hand she did advance And then the same within my hand she laide Whilest with a ruthfull voice these words she said 4. I have perus'd each letter in thy Booke And carefully considered every line I did advisedly the same overlooke Applying of it to this heart of mine Which is awakened by those words of thine And thereby doe I understand aright My much lamented state and wretched plight 5. I see the scope whereto thy thoughts doe tend And understand the marke at which thou aim'st I finde thou art unto my soule a friend And through thy love thereto such right thou claim'st That thou wouldst save it though my life thou blam'st Oh such a friend how can I truely prize With that the teares downe trickled from her eyes 6. But doe not thinke quoth she that thou hast wrought On a remorselesse stone or senselesse stocke Let it not enter once into thy thought That thou hast beate an Adamantine rocke But unto me hast beene as Peters Cocke Checking my sinfull life that I might know The path was ill which I had traced so 7. Thou hast depainted here unto the life The miserablest creature ever breath'd A female wretch unfit to make a wife Shame to the sex one of all good bereau'd That hath all mischiefe in her heart conceav'd That nought but ougly sinnes about her beares A foule offence unto all modest eares 8. Thou hast before me laid what e'r is ill Murther lust thiefdome drunkennesse and pride All these with free consent and willing will I have embrac'd and none of them deni'd With many other fearefull sinnes beside Thou plainly hast discover'd unto me And made me see what erst I could not see 9. How blinde was I that knew not this before And yet I know I knew it too too well But wanted that true knowledge evermore That should unto my seared conscience tell That I was running downe the hall to hell Thou hast wide open set my hood-winkt eyes And made me see the divels fallacies 10. Thou hast made knowne to me the short content And fleeting comfort of a fading pleasure The miseries that waite on merriment Though they looke Gold-like yet they are not treasure A sudden joy that brings forth griefe at leasure A gilded Pill where poison lieth under A lightning flash before a clap of thunder 11. Nor hast thou lost the labour that thou took'st But brought thy paines unto a perfect end Thou hast obtain'd the thing for which thou look'st And as thou hast exprest thy selfe a friend Beyond all friendship and thy love doth tend To so much good as for to save a soule Teach me at full my follies to condole 12. For loe my heart is like to breake with sorrow For my lost time and for my life misled Well could I wish to die before too morrow And happie should I be if I were dead Since all true comfort from my heart is fled But that my conscience tels me presently I am not yet prepared for to die 13. For my sad soule that is of sable hue Stain'd with the spots of millions of sinne Must with a floud of teares be washt anew My hardned heart to melt must first begin And let a true repentance enter in Before I can expect or hope to have Comfort from him that di'd my soule to save 14. Oh leave me not in this my great distresse For feare I yeeld to desperation My sinfull heart doth feele such heavinesse And in it selfe such perturbation That I am voide of consolation Ready to sinke into the deepe abisse Of hels blacke gulfe where nought but horror is 15. Put forth thy helping hand to save me then And keepe me from the hazard I am in Thou brought'st me downe now raise me up agen And heale the sore that festred is by sinne Cure a sicke soule by wholesome medicine Purge the malignant humours which doe feede The swelling vice that in my heart doth breede 16. I must confesse I swim'd in lawlesse pleasure And gave large reines unto my boundlesse lust I dranke all vices in an equall measure And let religion in my heart to rust And suffer'd on my conscience such a crust That no remorse or sorrow for my sinne Could have admittance or once enter in 17. A Taverne was the Temple I did use A Stage the market where I bought and sold The Cloyster that I liv'd in was a stewes My Chamber the Exchange my trade t' uphold There did I trafique and contract for gold My ghostly father was a Galenist My Clarke a Pimpe a Pander was my Priest 18. I offer'd Holocausts on Venus Altar And burned Incense to the god of Love My Praier booke Astianassa's Psalter My Mattins were to Aphrodite above My Vespers would not Amarusia move Nor actions for a chaste Zenocrite But sitter for a wanton Chione 19. T was I that dranke iniquity like water And with the sow did wallow in the mire I sported like Adultus wanton daughter And let my selfe for money out to hire I was a bargaine fit for any buyer For Silver to mechanickes I was sold But with the Nobler sort I dealt for gold 20. I caus'd the usurer to empt his bags And made those fooles that were esteemed wise I shifted gallants from their robes to rags And chang'd their plush into a Countrey frize And by my cunning crafty policies I did allure the modest and the chaste Of Cytheraean dainties for to taste 21. All sorts all ages all degrees of men I could apply my selfe to please their pallet To Lords to Gentry to the Citizen I could prepare my selfe a dainty sallet Or to the begger that doth beare the wallet And like unto Theramines his shoe That fitted each mans foote so could I doe 22. Let a new lover take what shape he would As Neptune to Bisaltis like a Ramme As Jove to Danae in a showre of Gold Or to Aegina in a fiery flame Or like a Swan as he to Leda came Or to Europa in a Bulls true shape He hardly could my wily snares escape 23. As Rhodope the Thracian
Curtezan Did make Caraxus spend his whole estate And so through want of meanes turne Pirate than Whereby he aid incurre a mortall hate And on himselfe a lasting scandall brought So hath my luxury consum'd to nothing Rich heires and made them steale for meat and clothing 24. How many men have perisht by my fault And how am I made guiltie of their sinne Can I be ever sound that thus doe halt And by my winding plots and cunning ginne Intrap't the simple and ensnar'd them in Can I a ransome pay for this offence Or e'r be able to make recompence 25. Oh noe I cannot for beside my owne Other mens guilt lies heavie on my soule I have not beene content to sinne alone But caused others to make mine more foule And in their filihinesse did likewise rowle Their follies with mine owne I did conjoine And by commixtion made their vices mine 26. I was as common as the Proetides Receiving all that came with joy and mirth I thought on nothing but my owne delights Thinking there was no other heaven but earth Ah wicked wretch as e'r received birth My spotted life hath made me sathans denne Fuller of fiends then Mary Magdalene 27. Her sinnes I doe commit but want her sorrow Of all the ill she had I am possest I get the bad the good I cannot borrow I have her vices all but want the rest Her worst acts I embrace but leave the best My Saviours feete I wash not with my teares Nor with her doe I wipe them with my haires 28. I want the gifts of grace that she had given And her repentance my hard heart to move I cannot apprehend the joies of heaven Nor love my Saviour with her ardent love My hearts desire with hers flies not above I feele no spirituall comfort in my soule Nor can I thoroughly my state condole 29. All will be ready to report my shame And blaze my infamie in everie eare But none will pleade my cause to quit my blame Or for my sorrow that will shed a teare Or else excuse my fault when they it heare Indeed they cannot for my foule abuse Is farre beyond the reach of an excuse 30. How then shall I finde comfort in my griefe Or drive sad desperation from my heart My selfe unto my selfe yeelds no reliefe And other men no comfort will impart But rather adde more torment to my smart If thou shouldst leave me too in my distresse Then must I die in all my wickednesse 31. Oh teach me truely to lament my sinne And humble my proud heart by low submission Rowse me out of the sleepe that I am in That of my state I may have true cognition And make my peace with God by my contrition Instruct me in the perfect way of prayer Lest I fall headlong into deepe despaire 32. Helpe me to pray to God that he would showre Into my heart the graces of his Spirit That through his mercy and his saving power I may escape the guerdon of my merit And after life his heavenly blesse inherit Teach me to pray teach me sweete friend I say For I have almost quite forgot to pray 33. My heart is willing oh my heart is willing I feele my conscience terrified by sinne Oh by my teares by these my teares downe trilling Lift up thy heart with mine come come begin Lord ope my brest that grace may enter in Rowse my dead heart out of his drowsie den Pardon my faults sweete Iesus say Amen 34. Then from her eyes the teares did gush apace And downe she fell upon her bended knees Wringing her hands she did lament her case With sighes expressing her soules miseries In forcible and strong Hiperbolees My sinnes my sinnes she cries with heav'd-up-hands Are more in number then the Starres or Sands 35. Then beating of her brest in wofull wise With high swolne sobs and heavie heart-sicke grones Now woe is me now woe is me she cries My stinking sinnes lie boiling in my bones And kils my soule as Bees are starv'd by drones And whilst like furies round about they hem me As a just Iudge my conscience doth condemne me 36. Listen oh listen to my sad complaint I have no friend to moane to but to thee I need not with my follies thee acquaint Thou know'st my steps how retrograde they be And how my vices have overwhelmed me Pity my case and my sad state condole And adde some comfort to my sicke-growne soule 37. Be thou my Pharos to direct me home Vnto the harbour of my heavenly rest Without a helpe to guide me I shall roame And get a curse in seeking to be blest Good counsell to a soule that is distrest Comes in fit season and doth comfort bring To a sad heart that 's full of sorrowing 38. My Parents have forsooke me long agoe Detesting the vile course that I have led Brothers and sisters neither will me know My neere alliance wish that I were dead My friends that sometime were from me are fled My Parents Brothers Sisters Kindred Friends My very name their modest eares offends 39. All have forsaken me to let me perish And sinke my soule into the Stygian deepe Denying any comfort me to cherish But in sinnes cradle suffering me to sleepe That thence I have no heart at all to peepe But snorting in a dead security I want the sence of my impuritie 40. Nor have I hoarded treasure for my issue But brav'd it out in Iewels and in Gold In rich Embroider'd Silkes and cloth of Tissue And when t was bought it was not long unsold I thought not how to live when I was old But chang'd and pawn'd for to maintaine my pride And for the present onely did provide 41. For all the money that I have obtain'd And golden fees by playing of the Whore Vnto my selfe no riches have I gain'd But all is quite consum'd and I left poore Onely my wearing clothes and nothing more Sinnes golden gaines I see long will not last Suddenlie got as suddenlie doe wast 42. For as a Mill that 's set upon a river Purposelie ' built t' indure both winde and wether By force of a strong current for to drive her Receives all Corne to grinde that is brought thither And all the Countrey neere is served with her Some bringing to her others sent abroad And all of them deliver there their load 43. She shifts her worke and serves the turnes of all And everie one paies tribute for her paine Some giving single and some double toll Herselfe thereby not onely doth maintaine And keepe her in repare by such her gaine But to the Miller that doth keepe the Mill Supplies his wants and doth releeve him still 44. The like did I for by my commontrade From everie one that came I had a share And by that custome a rich living made And therewith kept my selfe in good repare And so maintain'd my clothing and my fare And what beside I did lay up in store My friends that kept
her tongue and spake no more Wiping her eyes and bending downe her head And sitting at my feete upon the stoare Which with her teares she had bewatered Then reaching forth her hand to me she sed Oh my sweet friend on thee my comfort lies Blest be the time that e'r I saw thine eyes 68. As by the hand thou raisest me from ground With that she rose and looked in my face And sounding of my heart that was unsound Didst by thy meanes assisted with Gods grace Awaken me and let me know my case So fall not backe but let thy constant love Rowse up my thoughts to raise them up above 69. Speake wilt thou tell me what thou dost intend Thou know'st my purpose let me now know thine Wilt thou continue unto me a friend Thou seem'st to tender this poore soule of mine Dost thou unto my future good encline Boldly goe on leave not the worke undone Finish the thing thou hast so well begun 70. This said she paus'd againe and stopt her voice Earnestly looking when I would replie Her sweete sad lookes did make my heart rejoice Seeing her sorrow was so heavenlie And from a heart voide of all fallacie And noteing thus how her desire was bent I made this answer without complement 71. I see Amanda what I joy to see And what I did desire I might behold I hope thou dost not meane to flatter me And seeme to make that hot which is but cold And so make Brasse to shine like perfect Gold I doubt not but thy manners are refin'd And being melted will be better coin'd 72 I trust thy sorrow is a reall sadnesse By thy foule life and mortall sinnes procured And then that sorrow breeds in me such gladnesse To thinke that grace is in that heart immured Which hath so many unto vice allured That all the powers I have with free consent Shall be applied to further thy intent 73. By a free gift unmerited from any Had I receiv'd a thousand pounds in Gold Titles of honour priviledges many And faithfull friends as I am minutes old With other blessings more than may be told They could not more rejoice this heart of mine Then this long-wisht conversion of thine 74. For I le assure thee I such pleasure take In this thy dolour for thy follies past That since thy sinne doth cause thy heart to ake This bitter is so sweet unto my taste That if thy sorrow with thy life doth last And thou repentest of thy wickednesse As now to me thou seem'st to doe no lesse 75. Here take my hand and with my hand my heart And what I say beleeve it to be true These eyes of mine out of mine head shall start The day that 's past shall be begun anew And things consum'd shall come againe to view Before I faile unto my utmost power To adde unto thee comfort every houre 76 Take thou no thought for clothing or for foode Nor any thing that may procure content My care shall be so much to doe thee good Both for thy soules and bodies aliment That thou shalt want nothing convenient Reforme thy life conforme thy will to mine I will informe thee in the path divine 77. Such things as are not for thy wearing fit Thy gorgeous cloathes thy jewels and the rest Leave them to me I will dispose of it And change them for thy good as I thinke best Vnto thy ranke thou shalt be neately drest In civill manner but for gay attire It must not suite at all with thy desire 78. Thy goods dispos'd of I will thee provide Of all things fit for a reformed minde A Bible and some holy bookes beside Wherein thou mayst a heavenly comfort finde I will procure thee as thou hast enjoyn'd Set formes of prayer for a contrite sinner Thou shalt not want fit for a young beginner 79. I have a mother vertuously dispos'd An ancient matron pious and devout To whom I have this my intent disclos'd And what herein at first I went about Whilst I of thy conversion was in doubt She shall receive thee with the greatest care Providing for thy lodging and thy fare 80. I have a sister much about thy yeeres A hopefull mayd religious and chast And such a one as the Almighty feares That all uncivill actions doth distaste And is with many spirituall blessings grac't She shall yeeld comforts to thee many a one And be thy loving kinde companion 81. If thou wilt heare I le read to thee each day Precepts for prayer rules for meditation If thou wilt pray I le joyne with thee to pray In private Votes or publique congregation And lead thee in the path to thy salvation And if thy pleasure thereunto inclines I will acquaint thee with profound Divines 82. I le lead thee forth to Sermons every weeke And unto common Service twice a day The most approved Preachers I will seeke That through thy eare shall to thy heart convey Such heavenly comforts that when thou dost pray Thou shalt be rapt with a divine delight Of the Almighties mercy and his might 83. If that the City doth content thee best Live in the City to thy hearts content Or if the Countrey yeeld thee better rest Vnto the Countriey life I give consent All places are alike for to repent If that the heart desires th' Almighties grace God doth accept the person not the place 84. Make thou thy peace with God by thy contrission I with thy friends will labour for thy peace Appease Gods wrath by hearty true submission I doubt not but thy Parents wrath shall cease And their fresh love shall mightily increase That aged couple all thy friends beside Will joy that in thy sinnes thou ha'dst not di'd 85. Be of good cheere and walke along with me This is no fitting place for thee to stay My mother sister and my selfe for thee Will make provision as is fit straightway We will all take thee to our charge this day For nothing but thy soule doe thou take thought We will provide thy body shall want nought 86. Tell me quoth I art thou well pleas'd with this And dost thou freely thereunto assent I am quoth she and thinke the greatest blisse Waites on me now that e'r to me was sent Thy pleasure I le attend incontinent Dispose of me as thou thinkst best to day Vnto thy will I willingly obey 87. With that I cal'd a Porter to the doore And bid him take her Boxes and her Chest Her Trunkes her Bed her Goods and all her store And bring them to my house where they should rest And to be ordred then as I thought best To which command of mine he did consent And so convei'd them thence incontinent 88. Then did I take Amanda by the hand Whilst with my tongue I made her this replie Since thou hast vow'd to be at my command Yeelding thy selfe into my custody Accepting of my offer courteously Be of good courage come along with me I le be thy safegard none
as thou hast not wit to guide thy selfe Nor carefully to thine owne body see But of thy selfe so wastefully art free Such as respect not credit nor good name Are to all goodnes a reproach and shame 91. Dost thou thinke foule to live by honest paine When t is esteem'd a commendable thing Many thereby a vertuous name doe gaine And to themselves deserved honour bring Yet thou delight'st so much in wantoning Thou leavest God to waite upon the divell And art asham'd of goodnes not of evill 92. Be not asham'd of that deserv's no shame But shame to doe what brings a shamefull end Be thou asham'd with shame to staine thy name And shamefully thy honour to mispend Such shame a shamefull punishment will send And as thou shamelesse of all shame dost live So death to thee a shamefull end will give 93. Thou dar'st not publiquely be seene abroad For feare thy cloathes be pluckt from off thy backe But keep'st thy chamber with thy Pimpe and Bawd For if thou walk'st the streets thou shalt not lacke Such as will make thy bravery goe to wracke Close stooles durt chamber-pots shall wash thy clothes For thy foule life that stinkes as bad as those 94. One comes and cries alowd there goes a whore A Bridewell baggage that deserves the lash Oh hang her queane she makes a thousand poore T is pity there should live such filthy trash To weare good cloathes and swagger thus in slash Pull off her Plush disrobe her of her gowne And into Kennell thrust the Strumpet downe 95. Thus shouting and out-crying they abuse thee If that thou shew'st thy selfe in open Streete And thinke it no dishonour to misuse thee And if thy best acquaintance doth thee meet He passeth by ashamed thee to greete Knowing it is a blemish to his name To be seene speaking to so bace a dame 96. That makes thee like an Owle come forth by night And steale into a Taverne in the darke Because thou dar'st not to be seene by light And fearing then that some thy waies doe marke Thou tremblest if thou heare a dog but barke The day to some doth fly away too fast Thou reckon'st it the greatest foe thou hast 97. Oh! how a Constable will make thee start And runne into a corner for to shun him A Beedle puts such feare into thy heart That thou can'st make thy feete strive to out runne him As if thou hadst beene she that had undone him As children love the Beares of Paris-garden So dost thou like the sight of a Church-warden 98. Bridewell expects thee for to beate some Hempe And Middleton doth want thee for his cart The Compters will not yeeld thou art exempt From their command but that they claime a part And share in thee and ought not thence to start The Marshals of the City and the Court Must play with thee in earnest not in sport 99. Dost thou not blush Amanda tell me true To see thy selfe as in a mirrour here I call thee by such names as are thy due And speake the simple truth without all feare Nor can I any longer thee forbeare Reade farther yet and looke thou well unto it The pity I have on thee makes me doe it 100. How many severall waies wilt thou devise To make that faire which is but foule deceit Why dost thou cast such glances with thine eyes T is but to draw the Fish unto the baite Thy golden Apples are but counterfeit Thy teares thy sighes thy smiles thy pensive passion Are borrowed showes and meere dissimulation 101. As a hot blast before a hasty showre So are thy pleasing and enamouring smiles Thy voyce Hiena-like is to devoure Thy sweete alluring songs are Syrens wiles Thy teares are but the teares of Crocodiles Eyes of a Basiliske a Panthers breath A Tigers heart intending nought but death 102. Thou art a Serpent in a Christall brooke A poyson'd Potion in a Cup of Gold A Magicke spell within a golden booke A painted Sepulcher of bones and mould Bitter in taste though glorious to behold Thy wolvish throat for guiltlesse Lambs doth gape And play'st the devill in an Angels shape 103. Drone like from painefull Bee thou suck'st the honey Moth like thou cloath'st and feed'st on others spoyle Canker-like eating and consuming money Grashopper-like thou sing'st whilst others toyle And like a Caterpiller liv'st the while Like leprosies thou art or scabs or tetters Or the blacke Crosse before the row of Letters 104. Thy glorious clothing and thy glittering show Thy gorgeous dressing and thy painted face Makes thee admir'd of them that doe not know The seeming substance of a fained grace But oh within that heart there is no place For vertues harbour nor of sinne no sence But balefull lust and stinking impudence 305. How cunningly thy lover to deceive Wilt thou faine showes of sorrow and of passion For sometime in his presence thou wilt leave Thy wanton trickes and then in imitation Of a griev'd soule thereby to gaine compassion Sigh and seeme sad dejecting of thy looke As of thy life no comfort thou had'st tooke 106. Then wilt thou tell him how thou lov'st the man And that his great neglect doth make thee sad That thou must love him still doe what he can Though backe from him no love againe be had And that through passion thou art almost mad Then wilt thou kisse and hugge him in thine armes Sheding forth teares to make those teares thy charms 107. When out alas thou scarce hast seene him thrice And dost not know what honest love doth meane And then perchance forsooth thou wilt be nice And tell him thou dost scorne to be uncleane And dost abhorre the very name of queane And by thy fained seemings so to winne My dainty gallant to a deadly sinne 108. Thus ayming onely to be onely ill Thou seem'st to hate vice that thou may'st be vicious Willing to have unwillingly thy will Striving through modesty to be pernicious And hating whoredome to be meretritious Thus thy faire glosses seeme for to discover Thy cursed disposition to thy lover 109. Consider how thy guilt doth make thee fly From house to house from one Streete to another Thou dar'st not in one lodging long timelie But strive by changing place thy sinne to smother That thy lewd courses no man may discover Thou know'st full well that what thou dost is ill Yet wilt thou lose thy soule to gaine thy will 110. This moneth neere Westminster thy lodgings are The next moneth thou remov'st to Clarkenwell Within a while that chamber is to farre Then to the Strand thou backe returnst to dwell Ther 's better trading as report doth tell From thence unto the City dost thou flie And for a moneth or two thou there dost lie 111. It is not long but there is notice taken That so much company makes thee suspected And thereupon that place is straight forsaken To Shoreditch then thou go'st to be protected But there thou art not to thy minde respected And
keep 't the same Their classicke vertues to their endlesse glories Have volumes fil'd with memorable stories 157. Poore Baldraca the mirrour of a mayd Though base by birth of meanest parentage Thought scorne to have her honesty betray'd By Otho greatest Monarch of that age Though he a Kingdome for it would ingage She highly priz'd her honour more then treasure And scorn'd his gifts should win her to his pleasure 158. Read thou the Story of Penelope Of Chiomara and Timoclea Of Camma and of bright Zenocrite Of the Aegyptian faire Edesia Of Claudia and of chast Lucretia And many more beside whose high-priz'd worth In Histories are to their praise set forth 159. Theano blusht when one by accident Espi'd her arme unto the elbow bare Doubting she should be thouht incontinent And therefore as ashamed and in feare Forthwith to cover it shee did not spare Blaming her selfe that let it so be seene As if therein immodest she had beene 160. Oh! wert thou but of her opinion And neere allide 〈…〉 to the rest So as twixt thee and them there were a union And that thou couldst a better course digest Then that which hitherto thou hast exprest Thy meretritious life would be amended And thou at thine owne follies much offended 161. But now the course that thou dost undertake Is most abominable rude and base It makes the hearts of honest people ake So vile a life should spoyle so faire a face Want of Gods feare and of his heavenly grace Hath overgrowne thy heart with impudence And fil'd thy veines full of concupiscence 162. Yet doe not thinke Amanda that thou art The onely she nhich hath this way transgrest Though sinne hath made a conquest of thy heart And for some yeeres hath thereof beene possest Grace notwithstanding hath an interest On which if wisely thou lay hold in time It will re-enter and evict thy crime 163. Commence thy sutte against the power of hell By writ of Melius Inquirendum brought And prosecute it till thou dost expell That bold suggestor lust and brought to nought Her false suggestions that these mischiefes wrought Three helpes thou hast to make thy title faire Against all claime Repentance Faith and Prayer 164. These three conjoynd bind fast the armes of sinne Chaine up ill thoughts ill words ill actions all Expelling vice and letting vertue in They captivate I say and keepe in thrall The force of hell and poâ—â—â— sathanicall By these thou dost ascend unto the throne Of the almighty Godhead three in One. 165. Be not dismayd Amanda nor despaire Although thy sinnes are of an ougly shape Boldly approach to God by frequent prayer Ther 's yet a meanes whereby thou mayst escape And stop hels mouth though it so wide doth gape As bad as thou have wallowed in like sinne Whose heart at last have let Gods spirit in 166. Hilaria's daughter Aphra borne in Creete A famous Bawd as in those daies did live For prostitution did three servants keepe Common for any that would money give She for her folly past did so much grieve That by Narcissus of Ierusalem Being converted suffer'd Martyrdome 167. Niceta faire and Aquilina to Both famous strumpets of admired feature Were by St. Christopher transformed so That each of them became a new made creature Embracing grace and quite forsaking nature And after many torments and much paine Vnder King Dagnes both of them were slaine 168. Another Thais an Aegyptian borne Growne very rich by prostitution Of whose vile course Panutius oft did warne Was wonne at last by 's admonition Vnto a godly and devout contrition Went from the stewes whereas she liv'd a Whore And in a Monastery died poore 196. Pelagia of Antioch sometime Exceeding rich and beautifull withall Immoderate in lust and in her prime Her minde that was before veneriall By Bishop Nonius grew seraphicall Her sinnes bewail'd her wealth at nought she set Liv'd and did poorely in Mount Oliver 170. See to thy comfort these and many moe Whose boundlesse lust had made them sathans slave Yet notwithstanding were converted so And from their sinnes retracted that they have By penitence their wicked soules to save Through Christ obtain'd their sins to be forgiven And are now crowned blessed Saints in Heaven 171. Thus the true penitents shall mercy finde Although their sinnes are of a Scarlet die And sure unlesse thou wilfully art blind Thou mayst perceive grace offer'd to thine eye Embrace it then I charge thee presently Or else I see thee so expos'd to slaughter Earths plagues will seize thee here hels hereafter 172. I see me thinkes a solemne Congregation At Old-Bridevvell of grave and solid men Sitting together there in consultation What punishment shall be inflicted then On thy polluted corps and thou agen Standing neere to them in another roome Trembling with feare attending of thy doome 173. The Iudges on thy pennance there agree'd For executing of their strict command According as they had before decreed A Beedle comes and takes thee by the hand To bring thee forth and lets thee understand That thou for all thy bravery and cost Must walke with him unto the whipping post 174. Whither he brings thee straightwaies without slaying Puls off thy robes and lockes thy hands up fast Then to his office without long delaying Thy clothes pul'd downe starke naked to thy waste He thereby lets thee understand the taste Of his smart Whipcord where there doth imprint Each lash a seame and every knot a dint 175. For flourishing with hand above his head And shaking of his foure limb'd instrument In the descent so learnedly they spread About thy shoulders that incontinent Thy dainty skin is all sanguinolent And so he deales his lashes one by one Till the set number of his stripes are done 176. Thus being of thy silkes and Sattins stript Exposde to publique shame and so disgrac'd And for thy impudent abuses whipt A poore blew gowne upon thy backe is plac'd And Canvas coyse upon thy head unlac'd Where in that guise thou marchest from the stocke And then dost practise Hempe Flaxto knocke 177. This is the least of all that can betide thee If by great fortune thou diseases misse The lash will scourge thee and thy friends deride thee And whatsoever more disgracefull is That will attend thy shame as well as this And nothing shall be wanting till thou hast Plague upon plague for all thy follies past 178. Thus living in dishonour and disgrace A scandall to thy Kindred and thy Friends Thy pleasure lasting but a little space Ripe in iniquity thy glorie ends And to a dismall sad confusion tends And having lost thy credit and good name Conclud'st thy daies in infamy and shame 179. For being turn'd into the open streete Vnworthy of a chamber or a bed Bare legg'd not having shooes unto thy feete Nor any thing to put upon thy head Scarce rags to keepe thy secrets covered Ly'st unlamented for the lice to gnaw And eate thy flesh upon a pad
me had it evermore 45. For many came themselves and brought their fee Whereby I had great trafique and great gaine A nurse I had to fetch some home to me They likewise would well pay me for my paine If one suffiz'd not I could send forth twaine And what I got from many one by one I spent upon my secret friend alone 46. Him did I feede with money and with diet With all thing needfull that he wanted nothing My Luxurie maintain'd his beastly riot Pawning my owne to buy him change of clothing To cure his wants no filthy actions loathing What e'r by sinne I got to him I sent it And he no sooner had it but he spent it 47. Thus did I alwaies gaine to keepe me poore Still living bad to make another ill And to maintaine a knave I plaide the whore And suffer'd want that he might have his fill Killing my selfe another for to kill Sinne in my selfe sinne foster'd in another A wicked issue of a wicked mother 48. Since then my deerest friend I did expose My selfe to infamy and foule excesse Yet thereby nothing got but still did lose And heape up sinnes not feeling my distresse Till thou hast made me know my wretchednesse Loe I accuse mislike condole repent My selfe my fault my state my life mispent 49. Here take my clothes and sell them all away They are not for my wearing any more My Silkes and Sattins change for simple say Rich costly garments sute not with a Whore A proud-swolne heart becometh not the poore Those Iewels that I have and rings of gold Receive them here and let them all be sold. 50. What shall I doe with rich Tuftafaties Wrought Velvets Damaskes Grogerams and Plush Set forth with Lace and rare Embroyderies My Purples and my Scarlets make me blush My Musfes and Fannes I doe not wey a rush My fine Bonelaces and my dainty Purles My Needle-workes my Bracelets and my Curles 51. Take them sweete friend and set them all to sale My Earings Pendents and my chaines of Pearles My Rubies Saphires and my Diamonds all They are for Ladies and for wives of Earles Not sit for Strumpets and for light heel'd girles My dainty Linnen Cambrickes and my Lawnes Sell them away and put them off for Pawnes 52. Riste my Chests my Boxes and my Trunkes Seize all the goods within them thou shalt finde Such things as those are farre unmeete for Punkes They suite not any longer with my minde Let them to better uses be assign'd Rich Iewels gorgeous clothes and garments fine Pit not a body so defil'd as mine 73. Take them away remove them from my sight And put them off to any that will buy Then to the poore distribute every mite They doe deserve it better farre then I To them I doe bequeath it willingly Riches unjustly got from other men Distribute them to strangers backe agen 54. And laying all these costlie robes aside Procure for me some discontented blacke A plaine sad Gowne my nakednesse to hide That their appeare not lightnesse on my backe That gidly vanitie may goe to wracke Or as a fitter habit for my sinne A frocke of haire to clothe my carcase in 55. And let me henceforth take my leave of mirth As the unfittest subject of my minde Let not rejoycing in my heart have birth Vntill a spirituall gladnesse I doe finde And heavenly light of grace in me hath shin'd Let sollies hatred and sinnes discontent Adde to my soule a ghostly merrimem 56. Helpe me oh helpe me to some holy booke To stirre my heart up to devotion Get me a Bible I therein may looke That Gods good Spirit in me may have motion And of his holy Word I may have notion And by the apprehending of the Deity Be stirred to the practice of true piety 57. Bring me acquainted with some good divine That may direct me in the path to heaven And search this dull and unsound heart of mine Lest I let all things goe at sixe and seven And backeward fall sowr'd with dissembling Leaven One that will well informe me in the right And trie me lest I play the Hypocrite 58. Conduct me to the Temple of the Lord Where I some powerfull Minister may heare That may unfold to me his sacred Word And thunder out his threatnings to mine eare And make his judgments unto me appeare And bringing me to see my wicked error Gods mercy may embrace me after terror 59. Get me a lodging in some private place Where I may harbour with some modest wife That my acquaintance may not see my face Where I may lead a quiet civill life Voide of all anger infamy and strife That by contemning whatsoe'r is evill I may avoide the allurements of the divell 60. Or else direct me to some Countriie grange The City is too full of base temptation That I may both my heart and habit change And in a lonely private habitation Persue with constancy this alteration And weyning of my selfe from worldly pleasure By sudden leaving sinne grow good at leasure 61. Looke to my steppes and let thy watchfull eye Have a regard unto my future course I dare not trust my selfe lest presently The power of sinne doe conquer me by force And by backesliding make me worse and worse Let thy especiall care for my soules good Be still applying to me heavenly foode 62. For though I now resolve with constant heart Never to take that wicked course againe And that the sence of sinne doth breed a smart In my sad soule now thinking to refraine From the blacke die that will my conscience staine Yet still I feare and feare it most of all Lest I againe into those follies fall 63. I know the divell hath a thousand baites To catch me in the compasse of his Net I know he deales by counterfeits and sleights And for my soule faire seeming shewes doth set Till me intangled in his snares he get I know his art and cunning pollicies And that doth make me feare his fallacies 64. Thou hast begun to manifest thy love In striving to reclame me from my follie Let it not die but whilst I live and move Persue therein and let thy care be wholy To guide me in the path of vertue soly Helpe to confirme me in my weake desires That my small sparkes of zeale may grow to fires 65. Helpe me to pray to God to grant me grace To persevere in this my reformation That I may now repent whilst I have space Craving his spirit of regeneration And of my sinnes beginning retractation A willing heart I have to turne to heaven Pray for me then that grace to me be given 66. And I will pray uncessantly that God Would powre into my heart his holy Spirit That sinne in me may have a period And I his heavenly Kingdome may inherit And so receive his mercie not my merit Lord heare my praier cleanse me from my sinne Open my heart that grace may enter in 67. This said she held
shall injure thee 89. This said we both together left the roome And I conducted her along the street Vntill I brought her to my Mothers home Whereas at doore my Sister did her meete And then my Mother did her kindly greete And entertain'd her in most courteous wise As either of them could in heart devise 90. Then did Amanda live and spend her time In holy duties reading and in prayer With griefe lamenting her fore-passed crime Till she was even brought unto the staire Through horror of her sinn of blacke despaire But of Gods speciall grace he did impart The joy of his good Spirit to her heart 91. For many good Divines did flocke unto her Applying godly comforts to her soule And greatly striving their best good to doe her Taught her so well her follies to condole And mortifie her sinnes erewhile so foule That they at length by daily information Wrought in her a good hope of her salvation 92. Then with more comfort would she pray and talke Yet pensive still of sinne she would complaine Forth of the house she seldome times would walke Vnlesse it were to Church and backe againe If she were well she would not thence abstaine Sermons and Service she did oft frequent And to no place as Church so gladly went 93. There would she listen with her best attention And pray as earnestly as any prai'd Avoiding sinne by diligent prevention And workes with faith to couple she assai'd Desires of pleasure were in her decai'd The onely path in which she striv'd to trace Was to repent for sinne and pray for grace 94. Oh how she loath'd the very name of whore And all that led a wicked wanton life Their sinfull courses she did much deplore The unmarried wench the widow and the wife As she knew many in those actions rise So she endeavour'd moving them by letter For to reclaime them and to make them better 95. No roaring youngster came within her sight Nor lustfull Prodigall did see her face Her secret friend that was her sole delight Was now forsaken and quite out of grace Whereas she lay he must not know the place Nor he nor any now must looke upon her That had before attempted her dishonour 96. Thus did she leade her life unto her death Dying to sinne and living unto grace To goodnesse wholly she did her bequeath She tooke no pleasure in her comely face Nor any evill motion did embrace But spent her time in holy contemplation To beate downe sin shame the worlds temptation 97. Two yeeres she liv'd in sound and perfect health The most reformed creature on the earth She had not much and yet desir'd no wealth Humble she was as one of meanest birth And more inclin'd to sadnesse then to mirth Vaine pratling and much talking she despises Delighting most in pious exercises 98. She did no company at all admit But modest vertuous and of good report To talke of Plaies she would not heare of it She tooke no joy in any kinde of sport Meetings at Tavernes now she car'd not for t She did not seeke for to augment her store And what she had to give she gave the poore 99. She did abandon every earthly pleasure Delighting onely in religious bookes Her godly zeale did make the heavens her treasure From thence alone she for her comfort lookes Her studie was to shun the divels hookes And all her hopes on which she did depend Was on Christs merits at her latter end 100. After two yeeres that she had lived thus She fell through griefe into a heckticke feaver The which at length did grow so dangerous That of all hopes of health it did bereave her And never left her till her life did leave her Weaker and weaker still she pin'd away And saw how nature in her did decay 101. She knew her thred of life was almost spun And with great patience tooke her visitation She did rejoyce her life so neere was done Being acquainted long with tribulation And now her heart with heavenly consolation Was so replenisht and with such delight She would not longer live if that she might 102. Her griefe grew stronger still as she grew weake Hasting apace to bring her to her end At length she did desire with me to speake Where at her bed I straight way did attend Then reaching me her hand she said my friend My onely friend thy love through heavens grace Hath-sav'd the sinfull'st soule that ever was 103. The booke thou sent'st that little Paper booke Wherein thou did'st unmask my foule offence Behold and see what true effect it tooke That booke I say did worke in me the sence Of my owne follie and my impudence I blesse the time for this thy blessed favour And blesse the Lord that blest thy good endeavour 104. And here my latest thankes to thee I give And with these thankes of mine this little Ring My houre is come I can no longer live Wear 't for my sake although a worthlesse thing I cannot recompence thy meriting My tongue doth faile goe toule the passing bell A thousand times sweet friend farewell farewell 105. This said she drew her hand into the bed The time approaching of her latest 〈◊〉 Then turning up her eyes to heav'n she sed Lord to thy hands I doe my spirit commend Then to the wall her body did she bend And with a feeble voice againe she cri'd Iesus receive my soule so she did 106. And so she did so she di'd to live And living as she did she sweetely di'd Her death to her a lasting life did give Her life before her death was mortisi'd And at her death her life beatifi'd Death vanquisht life concluding of her paine Shee liv'd to die and di'd to live againe FINIS A Meditation upon Death NOthing more wisht then wealth yet that must leave us Nothing more sweete then love that lasts not ever Nothing more kinde then friends yet they l deceive us Nothing more fast then wedlocke yet they sever The world must end all things away must fly Nothing more sure then death for all must dy More honours may be got but they 'l away More beauty may be had but t will not last More wealth may be obtain'd but t will decay More joyes may follow but those soone are past For long continuance t is in vaine to try Nothing more sure then death for all must dy Sure love must dy though rooted in the heart Sure t is that all things earthly are unstable Sure friends are pure friends yet such friends must part Sure t is that all things here are variable Nor two nor one may scape nor thou nor I Nothing more sure then death for all must dy Then let the rich no longer covet wealth Then let the proud vaile his ambitious thought Then let the sound not glory in his health Then let all dy since all must come to nought The elder sish as well as younger fry Nothing more sure then death for all must dy Death tooke away King Herod in his pride Death spar'd not Hercules for all his strength Death strooke great Alexander that he did Death long spar'd Adam yet he di'd at length The begger and the King the low the high Nothing more sure then death for all must dy For Scepters Crownes Emperiall Diadems For all the beauties that on Earth doe live For pleasures treasures jewels costly jems For all the glories that the world can give She will not spare her dart but still replie Nothing more sure then death for all must dy All from the highest to the low'st degree All Nations People Kingdomes Countries Lands All in the Earth or Aire or Sea that be All all must yeeld to her all conquering hands She wounds them all with an impartiall eye Nothing more sure then death for all must dy Must all then dy then all expect their death Must ' all things vanish Sunne and Moone and Starres Must every living creature yeeld his breath Must all things end our joyes delights and cares Yes all with an united voice doe cry Nothing more sure then death for all must dy Dy let us then but let us dy in peace Dy to our sinnes that dying we may live Dy to the world that grace may more increase Dy here to live with him that life doth give Die we must needs let wealth and pleasure ly Nothing more sure then death for all must dy FINIS Nothing More Sure Then Death For All Must Dy.