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
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
The Prologue AMids the twynnes when 〈…〉 Fayre Cithera and Iout beingue Last ouer went by his course ryght That he with them had conioyning Commodiously mitigating â—ath Mars and Saturns malice grette Whiche in thè Crabbe but lately mette Lykewyse Lucina then hir decte With eche planet diligently Hir selfe to ioyne with lyke aspecte Begynnyng first with Mercury To Iupiter consequently With Soland Cithera in haste With Saturne then and Mars at laste Almightie God that all hath wroughte Thus through their course moste naturall Within three signes together brought These sterres that crâ—atykes men call In these three were these planets all The Crab the Twyns the horned Bull Of wonders thus his workes are full At this tyme as for my solase To bany she pensyue heuynesse I went abrode the tyme to passe When thought my soule did sore oppresse Callyng my muses to to relese My soule whiche dyd in sorowe smarte Who aye were wonte to ease my harte The Muses nyne I meane whiche teache And Christen poets illuminate 〈…〉 with pen or mouth they preache 〈◊〉 â—ertuous and moste godly rate Of grace and knowledge they the gate Doe open in moste gentle wyse To all that goodnes exercise The fyrste of these is vertue fayre Whiche some men doe Arete call The seconde faith whiche doth repayre To sauing health as principall The third place lady hope haue shall The fourth is loue and wysdome fyue Whiche doe with grace ryght well reuyue Daine temperance the sixt muse is The seuenth is dame pacience The eight a lady full of blis To constancie in good pretence The nynthe of good experience Is mekenes or humilitie The purchasers of Gods mercie To these as I before haue sayde I made my playnte still as I went Desyring them of helpe and ayde Els am I all in peeces rent For ignorance moste pestilent With hir sonne error me assayle And would against my soule preuayle At lest quod I dere helpes alas Let come Arete and dame Spes Brynging with them dame Charitas That they my harte may bryng to ease And take from me my great disease This ougly griefe vyle ignorance And in hir stede knowledge aduance At last I sate downe on a grene Vnto a banke lenyng my backe But Phebus beames so whot did shyne That it constreined me to take The shade vnder the freshe grene brake Not farre from me then streight I spyde A groue whiche was there harde besyde Where as eche byrde with y â— swete noyse That nature gaue them to endure Began my harte for to reioyse Their notes my thought were so demure Whiche in short space did me procure My thoughtfull harte for to apalle That I into a sleape gan falle But in this slumber as I laye My spirit receyude no quiet rest Wherfore I wakte agayne streightwaye So sore encombred was my brest Whiche sought therof to be relest Thus on my muses gan I craue Take pitie on your simple slaue But then a freshe I herde agayne The byrdes that sang so swete a note To whom I sayde with glad harte fayne Now Christe his blessing on your throte And to my mynde it came I wote With laude and prayse for to aduance In them the Lordes hyghe ordinance O God quod I omnipotente We render the with hartes so pure All laude and prayse with good intente Thy handy workes doe me allure That my harte can ryght well indure For euer in this place to dwell And straight againe on sleape I fell But sure I had not rested long Yer that into a dreame I fell I sawe my thought the flowres among Fayre ladies three whiche dyd excell The prayse that any tongue can tell Aprochyng towardes me full faste For soth I was right sore agaste Me thought they compaste me about Standing as in a syrcle trayne The midlemoste without all doubte Dyd farre excelle the other twayne Them to beholde my harte was fayne Forsothe it was a semely syghte My harte therin dyd muche delyghte As I dyd earnestly beholde These ladyes three that weare so bryght From care my harte began vnfolde For I receiued perâ—ecâ—e syghte That madame hope so full of myght Was one of that same ladyes three That so about had compast me Of whom I had the knowledge founde By readyng of the worde of God As I behelde hyr in that stounde Hyr head at me she gan to nod Then from my harte the heauy lode Consumde away with all my thought For hope was come whom I had sought Then vp to hyr my handes I caste And kneled downe vpon the grounde Welcome quod I my hartes repaste That I haue sought now haue I founde The healer vp of this my wounde That iustice hath so fiersly made With thought that sharpe and cuttyng blade She tooke me then in hyr armes twayne And thus to me she sweetly sayde Be strong quod she stande vp agayne Oh man why shouldste thou be aâ—â—ayde For God hath made me for thyne ayde To thee we are sent from aboue Both vertue hope and also loue To loue then dyd I turne my face And vnto hyr I bowde my knee And gently she did me embrace Be of good chere O man quod she For here is also come to thee According to thy prayer true Arete or lady vertue When I had heard howe they had sayde That lady vertue was in place My harte forfothe was sore dismayde And colour rose streyght in my face And downe I fell before hir grace Desyryng hir beneuolence To pardon my rude negligence That lady then did me beholde And stepte and caught me by the hande Be not dismayde quod she be bolde And vp vpryght before me stande For I doe the to vnderstande That I am come downe from aboue And brought with me both hope and loue To hope and loue then dyd she call And thus began her tale to tell Marke well sayd she for shewe I shal How men from them do me expell And against their lorde God rebell Estemyng me but of small pryce And wholy geue them selues to vyce The lorde did ordeyne me for man That I should richely hym endue Why doe they thus forsake me than And synne and vyce so muche ensue Forsoth because they be vntrue Regardyng their owne wyt and wyll And wyll not harke gods worde vntyll Gods worde no no alas therfore Ther is no thyng I dare wâ—ll saye That worldly men doe more abhorre He that hath wyt perceyue it may Their outwarde workes doe them bewraye For when gods worde byds them amende With reason they theâ—r vycâ— defende And to be briefe nowe eche estate Doth seke all mâ—anes vyce to maynteyne And are with meat great debate So that I doe not ryghtly reigne At me the most part haue disdâ—yne All saue a fewe doe me resiste Whiche seweat the electe of Christe And thou O man marke what I saye To the I wyll my mynde declare That thou mayst nowe perceyue the waye Of worldly mâ—n and howe they fare That afterwarde thou mayest prepare Thy selfe
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
sayeth Paule that tribulacion Doth bryng forth pacience that goodly grace And pacience doth render forth anon Experience the whiche doth hope purchace Whiche blessed hope who so that may imbrace She neuer wyll confound them with no shame But bryngeth forth a lyfe free from all blame This pure and perfect hope that we declare The gift is of the Lorde and at his wyll Whiche none can get by worldly wytte nor care But with this hope god his electe doth fyll With whome she doth continue euer styll Not by mans wyll but by gods mercy pure This blessed hope with good men doth indure The God of hope therfore replenysh vs With peace and ioye and with a lyvly fayth And make vs ryche in hope of Christ Iesus And tholy ghoste whose powre all mistruste stayth Whiche is our comfort as the scripture sayth This Trimtie be praysed now therfore As hath been is and shal be euermore ¶ The prayse of Godly loue or charitie out of 1. Cor. 13. Iohn 4. OF Charitie or godly loue To make a perfect prayse This godly loue to prayse I saye In order good and due I tooke to me gods word and wrote What the holy gooste sayes In diuine Iohn and holy Paule whose wordes are very true Attende therfore ye Christians dere And louers of the Lorde Harke and geue eare vnto the truthe And blessed worde of lyfe And pray to god for perfect loue Your lyues therto accorde That ye may lyue in christen peace Free from all seruyle strife By office of a lyvly fayth What euer we receyue Or by the office of our hope What so we doe retayne By charitie or godly loue To gods truthe if we cleaue The frute therof we must applie To render well agayne As faith the firste preferment hath our soules to iustifie For by the same we only doe Receyue our sauyng health So loue of vertues is the chiefe Wherby we edefie By it we worke the wyll of god And seke our neyghbours wealth Though I coulde speake sayth Paule with tongues Of men orangels bryghte And had no loue then were I lyke Vnto the soundyng bras Or lyke the â—ynklyng simbales sounde A short and vayne delyght Whiche beyng gon men streight forget What maner noyse it was Ye though that I could prophesie And secretes vnderstande All knowledge or suche mighty fayth As could mountayns remoue And set them in the ocâ—an seas Or in some other lande For all these yet I were nothyng If that I had not loue If I dyd all my goodes bestowe To fede therwith the poore Or geue my body to the fyre Therin consumde to be And finally all that I can Tyll I could doe no more If I be destitute of loue It doth not profite me Loue suffreth longe is courteous And neuer doth enuye Loue neuer dealeth frowardly Nor venemously swell Loue seketh not hyr owne therby To deale dishonestly Loue vnto wrath prouoketh not But alwayes thynketh well In euels loue doth not reioyce Nor Ioye in wyckednes But alwaye doth reioyce in truthe And suffreth all thynges well Beleueth all and hopeth all And doth indure no les Thus loue in goodnes doth excede All that our tongues can tell Though prophesiyng doe faile serue No vse in any case And tongues to speake knoledge to As once they shall I saye After this lyfe these haue no vse Yet loue shall then in place Remayne with gods elect in ioyes And neuer fall awaye Our knowledge is but vnperfecte So is oure prophesiyng When perfectnes doth come in place Vnperfectnes must flee For when I was a chylde my talke Was then chyldysh talkynge Myne vnderstandyng in lyke case All then was chyldyshly And as a chylde also that tyme I dyd imagin playn But then so sone as manhod came My chyldishnes was gone Now see we but as in a glasse By speache moste darke and vayne But then shall we see face to face When let there shall be none My knowledge now vnperfect is Then shall it not be so Then shall I knowe as I am knowne By rule of ryght bâ—liefe Faith hope and loue doe nowe abyde Away they will not goe And of all those after this lyfe Loue shall abyde as chiefe Saynt Iohn diuinly counsels vs One an other to loue For euery one that loues sayeth he Of God is truly borne For loue doth euer suerly come From God the lorde aboue Suche as loue not doe not knowe god But rather doe hym scorne In this the loue of god to vs Doth perfectly apere He but not we dyd truly loue And payne for vs did take For he into thys worlde did sende His only sonne so dere That for our sinnes he myght therby A full agrement make Wherfore my louyng brethern dere If god so loued vs That we should one another loue Wâ— certeynly are bounde If we loue one an other then Our loue doth playne discusse That god in vs doth dwell and reygne And hath a perfect grounde For god is loue and who so doth In loue abide or dwell Dwelleâ—h in god and god in him Thus loue in vs is sure That in the day of iudgement iuste We should in hope excell For in this worlde we are lyke hym By loue perfect and pure By this we knowe the godly loue That there in is no feare It casteth out all feare and doubte Wherin is paynfulnes Wher â—â—â—or iâ— the perfect loue In nowyse can be there For loue doth alwayes fixe hyr selfe On peace and gentylnes If we loue god he loude vs fyrst Then wherof can we boste But who so sayeth he loueth God And doth his brother hate He is a lyer verely And none of Christes hoste And therby doth prouoke the plage To lyght vpon his paâ—e For how can he that loueth not His brother in this lyfe Whom he may with his eyes beholde At all tymes when he wyll Howe can he with the lyuyng god Be other then at stryfe Or loue him whiche he can not seâ— By nature or by skyll Therfore hath Christ coÌ„maunded vâ— â–ª That he whiche loueth god By perfect loue as he forbeares All that god doth abhorre That he also his brother loue All hate is hym forbod All honour prayse and laude to god For this nowe euer more Amen ¶ The prayse of Godly wysdome out of the booke of wysdome called Sapientia cap. vi THe worthy wyse kyng Salomon inwysdoms exercyse The godly wysdome doth commende And praise hir on this wise wisdomis a much better thing Then strengthe orforce to fyght a wyse man is more worth also Then strong men of much might This wysdome O ye myghtie kynges Se that ye conne and learne To you sith iudgement on this earth Is geuen to decerne Geue â—are to hyr I saye all you That rule the multytude Whiche in much people haue delight And all thynges should conclude The god that gaue you powre streÌ„gth That lorde I saye most hye Shall serch out all that ye inuente And your
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
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
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
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
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
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
reiect What are the frutes of lyvly fayth Whiche are the tokens true Of those whom God in Christ our helth With grace doth styll reuewe Is it not lyfe agreable To that ye teache and saye Howe can ye otherwyse with glose These verities denaye To what end speake ye all these wordes Wherin ye so glory I st not as good of godly dedes To tell an history Who best think you should me perswade Their churche and fayth to loue Or who to folow or beleue Should the moste mens hartes moue Of him that sayde and no good dyd Or he that helde his peace Walkyng a goâ—â— and Christian lyfe Among the 〈◊〉 prease Though faith by hearing come in dede Whiche I will not denye Wordes voyde of workes did neuer yet Worke halfe effectually It is but lyke the flowers gaye That floryshe fayre and grene And wyther streyght as sone as sonne Doth whot vpon them shyne Lyke wytherd haye vpon house tops That many tymes doth growe Whiche sodeynly doth spring and spreade Makyng a braggyng showe But streyght for lack of perfect roote Or grounde wheron to staye It wytherd is that no man can His handfull beare away Wherfore vnles ye preach with works The frutes of wysdom pure Your wytty wordes are vanitie Your ground is nothyng sure Howe some haue geuen vyle offence I nede not here to name For wyse men wyll my meanyng see And doe but reade this same And who so by an others fall Can staye and take good hede That man to be wytty and wyse We shall beleue in dede A buylder wyse vpon the rocke Christ doth hym ryghtly call That doth the gospell heare or reade And doe therafter shall Contrarywyse the negligent That gods worde vnderstande Are lykned to the folysh man That buylded on the sande Of whiche he fyrst was able well All stormes for to abyde Where as the last vnconstant was And subiect styll to slyde Wherfore for Christes bloud I saye Ye preachers all beware And that your lyfe make none offence Se that ye set your care For cursed are ye if ye doe Gods worke negligently And here I ende syth ye do knowe The same as well as I. But he that knowes his maisters wâ—â— Take this for your fare well And doth it not with many stripes Shall beaten be in hell ¶ Against y â— dissimulacion craft vn constaÌ„cie false dealing gredy couetousnes vntemperate catynge and drynkyng and incontinencie of an old man and the cause why the author others forsoke refused the societie of suche one O Monstrous satyre Of insaciat mynde Whose fylthy desyre All vertue doth blynde Can neyther thyne age Nor experience The vyle lust aswage Of concupicence Can not the balde hed With bearde and heare whyte Once stande thee in sted To brydle delight Can not the dimme eyes And nere foure score yeres Once make the despyse That in thee apperes How shall the young man His wayes reforme then As Dauid doth scan When suche are ould men If learnyng nor tyme Nor number of dayes Can scoure away cryme The cause of disprayse Nor scripture studie In suche a long space Made at hande redy Assistance of grace How canst thou thy selfâ— Gods messenger name Syth in this vyle pelfe Thou semest past shame But what man hath sene As yet other frute In suche as haue bene So beastly and brute With God and man to Dissemblyng to lye Where all that they doe Is Hipocrisye For he that wyll cloke The enmies of God And saye they reuoke That God hath forbod To shelde them from lawe And danger of cryme By crafte for to drawe And detract the tyme How shall we hym thinke The brydgroms true frende That falsly doth shrynke From hym to the fende And that to make truse Betwene wolues shepe Good men to misuse That dyd the flock kepe Betwene saynctes dogs What feloshyp is Betwene fylthy hogges And chyldren of blis Betwene the elect â–ª And vyle reprobate Betwene the reiect And blessed estate Betwene good and bad Betwene heauen and hell Betwene subiect sad And traytrous rebell Then those that proteste Suche vyce to forsake Howe can they requeste A peace for to make Making but one churche Of vertue and vyce How falsly suche lurche Is knowne to the wyse If riotously To lashe out and waste Moste prodigally Of deynties to taste The redyest waye be To please God aryght And Gods face to se And serue hym in spryte If to be careles To burden ones frende And to make redres Haue neuer in mynde Borowyng frankly No caryng to pay And somtyme falsly To shyft so away If to be wandryng So fugitiuly Leauyng the lyuyng Sure and constantly Intendyng therby With slâ—yghtes to deceaueâ— With subâ—iltie slye Both to take and leaue If bybbyng of wyne Tyll belkyng boyle out Be the true ryght lyne To fynde heauen out If lasciuious talke Prouokyng to synne Be the way to walke Heuen blysse for to wynne Then fare well saye I All workes and vertue We may well defie All good dealyng true But wo worth that suche Had euer the place That so and so muche The truthe doe disgrace Why takste in thy mouthe My worde sayth the lord That hast from thy youth All vertue abhord Thy lyfe to accord Doste also despyse Myxyng with my word Papystry and lyes If these causes nowe Be full sufficient Suche to dysallowe And from hym discent Also to abstayne Hym to hyde or cloke Hys doynges refrayne And also reuoke My frendes I desyre That they beare wyth me Though I doo retyre And from suche one flee For I thynke the pot Scant whole wyll appere Nor from fylthy spots The water be clere And rather I sure Had lyfe to forgo Then with mynde vnpure Affectionat so With suche one to beare In suche confusion That can not forbeare His frayle affection ¶ A song against the sinful time wherin all thynges are out of order and synne groweth nere vnto rypnes IT is not tyme That synne and cryme Myght cease that ye might mend Can plague nor payne Make you refrayne Nor from wickednes wende Shall eche brother Malyce other Can nothyng you perswade Once to tender Eche good member Whom Christ hath bought made Syth ye professe Of faythe no lesse Then the Apostles all Should you dâ—spyse Thus eche good guyse With lyues most sensuall Can one vessell At once expell From hym both swete and sowre Or can a man Any tyme whan At once both laughe and loure As wolues wroth Your selues ye cloth In lambe skinnes to seme good Hipocrites subtill Haue hartes styll britle Two faces in one whoode Commend they wyll Gods swete worde styll As though they lovd it well Yet they vary Most contrary Vnto that pure gospell In psalmes saying And in praying They seme to haue perfection Yet their delyght Is all in spyght Whiche is a great infection In wrathe and pryde From grace they slyde Wyth fylthy fornication Enuy and hate Excesse debate And all abhomination In auarice Beyond
All slouthfull sleape let vs refuse To vertuous workes let vs be beat Let vs commyt our selues to Christ Wyth thankes prayse him first to serue Whyche dothe out deadly foes resyst And from all dangers vs preserue And then thys type se that you mynde That lyke as you in nyght doo rest And in the mornyng your selues fynde Awake and redy to be brest So shall our bodyes slepe by death And after be to lyfe restorde When Christ shall come restore breth And Iudge vs all as sayth his worde Then mekely let vs hym desyre That it may be hys blessed wyll That we thys day may well aspire By grace his seruyce to fulfyll So that we may do hurt to none Nor of none other hurt receaue But styll be kept by Christe alone That Sathan neuer vs deceaue But styll in christen godlynes By grace we may our selues prepare Of all offence and wyckednes For to escape the nette or snate Thys graunt vs Lord omnipotent For Christ his sake our mercy seate That we may tast ioyes permanent Before thy throne of glory great Amen ¶ A ditie to be sung at nyght when men go to bed Syng this as In sommer time when flowres gan spryng c. NOwe that the day is wasted cleane And Phebus dothe hym self absent And Hesperus dothe downward leane And lurkyng nyght with darknes bent Her mantle darke abrode to spreade And hyde from vs the welkyn cleare The starres also are prepared With glystryng lyght nowe to appeare Therfore of force we must nedes yelde In bed to sleape and take our rest Forsakyng cleane both strete and field And other workes bothe most and least Wherfore to Christ now let vs call In thys our nede vs to assist From drede and feare and dangers all Defend our sely soules O Christ O Lord defend vs wyth thy grace In thys our nede when we do slepe Syth we are able at no space Ourselues from dangers small to keepe O Lord that styll hast wakyng eyes And knowst no sleape nor felest nyght Out humble sute do not despyse But vs defende now by thy myght Defende vs wyth thy grace and powre To helpe our selues syth we ne can Nor haue no strength at any howre The same to doo so weake is man O let thy powre out feblenes Wyth helpe of grace this nyght supply O way our myserablenes And comfort vs wyth thy mercy O let vs then with mynde contrit With prayse and prayer to Iesus Lye downe to rest and so commyt Our selues to hym that saueth vs. O Lord forgeue vs all our synne And plant true fayth wythin our brest And after cares that we are in Let vs ones tast eternall rest Amen ¶ A ditie to be sung at dyner tyme and meales Syng thys as If truth may take no trusty holde c. AS roote of tree dothe of the grounde Take moysture named radicall And causeth branches to abounde Wyth that he geues them ouer all And suffreth no small twyg to want But naturally doth dispose Suche as he hath plentie or scant Vnto the nutriment of those As Nature by thys industry Dothe cause thynges vegitall to grow In other sort shee dothe apply On animals good to bestowe Among the whych we men mortall That formed are to Gods Image Wyth meate and drynke nutrimentall We maintaynde are from age to age The myghty maker of all thynges Hys creatures leaues not destitute An that they haue is hys geuyng As well to man as beastes brute Leste therfore we appere vnkynde Vnto this God that all dothe sende To prayse his name with thankful mynd And gratfull harts now let vs bende Let vs not one morcell receyue Wyth forgetfull ingratitude Least to our owne lustes god vs leaue More wretched then brute beastes rude Ne yet let vs in any wyse Forget the nedy brethern poore The sycke and lame do not despyse Nor hym that goes from doore to doore For God hath made vs ministers That one an others nede should serue Wherfore we are but murderers If in our fault our neyghbours sterue And may be to that dogge comparde That lay vpon an heape of haye Spying the oxe come thitherwardâ— Wyth barkyng draue the same away Whyche nedes must be churly she enuy Syth he hym selfe no haye could eate To stand at baye so frowerdly And kepe the poore oxe from hys meate Let vs therfore doo otherwyse And from our bellies somwhat spare In loue to shewe some exercyse To brethern poore that nedy are For who so to the poore dooth geue Dothe lend to God on vsury And shall receyue for hys releue Great gayne agayne abundantly To hym therfore most gratefully Geue honour glory thankes and prayse To hym as one in Trinitie All honour be nowe and all ways ¶ An other to the same purpose Syng thys as Heare out O Lord the ryght request c. VVHen ye take foode at any tyme Your bodyes to refreshe with ought Remember Gods infynite powre Which all hath made formde of nought Remember eke his prudent reygne His mercy and benignitie Who all his workes doth aye susteyne And gouerne styll continually And consequently call to mynde Hys clemency and great mekenes Whych all creatures dothe fede fynde Yea hys most foes in theyr dystresse Pander also the great meruayle How many great gyftes he ordeynes Sufficient foode and all victayle For all that this whole world conteines Haue mynde how fast we do declynâ—e How apt we are styll to decay Whiche only he by powre diuine Preserues els were we gone away No mans wysedom nor angell bryght Were able this to take in hand In any wyse or thyng more lyght The way howe once to vnderstande Sythe of hys gyftes therfore we lyue Were it not cursed vnkyndnes That we due praise shold hym not geue Oh hatefull vile vnthankfulnes At thy table let sobernesse And wysedome be wyth talke most chast Myndyng styll his pure holynes Whose gyftes this time in hand thou hast Let bytter wordes and backbytyng From thy table secluded be Hys loue to thee rememberyng Whole kyndnes is great towardes thee This place therfore contaminate Not wyth dysprayse of any man Syth thou feciste here for thyne estate Gods fauour that no wyght want can Let therfore here no hate appere Where God so greatly shewes his loue But rather loue thy brother dere As gods great giftes here doo the moue Lorde graunt vs grace for euermore That we thy mercyes so muche mynde That hatred our heartes may abhore And neuer shewe our selues vnkynde Amen ¶ An other grace ALl folke that lyue in lyuely fayth Confesse wyth one accorde That all creatures are fed of God And prayse therfore the Lorde Lest then we shewe ingratitude And mere vnthankfulnesse By lawe of loue graft in our heartes Let vs our fayth expresse And prayse the Lord for thys our foode Here present to vs sent And for our helth whyche he to vs Mercyfully hath lent And for hys worde to fede our soules We also ought
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
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