 | [The Courte of Vertu |  |
An example howe happye and blessed they are that faythfully feare god,
out of the .Cxii. Psalme.
Suche
good historiographers
As wryte the dedes of men,
Of kynges & lordes, some good some ill,
That reigned nowe and then:
As wryte the dedes of men,
Of kynges & lordes, some good some ill,
That reigned nowe and then:
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As they doe wryte of euell men
In rebuke and disprayse,
That lyuing men may lerne to flee
And voyde suche wicked wayes.
In rebuke and disprayse,
That lyuing men may lerne to flee
And voyde suche wicked wayes.
So doe they prayse and muche cōmend
Suche men as lyued well,
The worthy and the noble actes
Wherin in they did excell.
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.
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.
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.
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 cōmaūdementes,
Dothe set his whole delyght.
Doth feare the Lorde aryght,
And to kepe his cōmaūdementes,
Dothe set his whole delyght.
[26]
His streene or sede vpon the earth
With myght shall be increste,
Thus shall the kynde of faythfull men
Eternally be bleste.
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.
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.
great lyght there doth aryse:
Whiche sheweth loue and mercy both
In vertuous exercyse.
A good man sure is mercifull
And lendeth where is nede,
And doth discretly waye his wordes
Before they doe procede.
And lendeth where is nede,
And doth discretly waye his wordes
Before they doe procede.
And suche a man for no distres
From god wyll moue or flee:
Wherfore his ryghteousnes shall haue
Eternall memorie.
From god wyll moue or flee:
Wherfore his ryghteousnes shall haue
Eternall memorie.
Of ill tydynges or heauy newes,
Suche one is not afrayde:
His hearte doth stande faste and beleue,
The lorde to be his ayde.
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.
And wyll not shrynke, vntyll
That he vpon his enemies
Hath his desire and wyll.
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He from his store abundantlye
Disperseth to the poore:
For righteousnes are all his workes
And doynges euer more.
Disperseth to the poore:
For righteousnes are all his workes
And doynges euer more.
With honor shall his horne or strengthe
Exalted be on hye:
Whiche when the vngodly beholde,
They wyll the same enuye
Exalted 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.
And so consume away:
Thus in their owne luste wycked folke
Shall peryshe and decaye.
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