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 | Miscellaneous works of George Wither |  |
As well mine, I confess, as others crimes,
Have multipli'd the troubles of these times;
And, therefore, I must undergo my share,
In what our National demerits are.
But, they can never force me to despair,
Because, I have a Mediators pray'r;
And, such a gracious GOD to trust unto,
As neither looks for more than men can do,
Nor doth severely mark what's done amiss
Through frailty, and without maliciousness.
And, though, a real unsuccesseful zeal
To do my duty to this Commonweal
Hath lost me some friends, and foes made me many,
I, am not a malicious foe to any;
Nor were my suff'ings, since these wars begun,
For any knavery, but, for having none:
And, therefore, I shall thrive, when honest men
May have a thriving time; but, not till then:
And such a time (though by what's pre-declar'd,
It may a very long time be deferr'd)
May, very possibly, soon come to pass,
If he, that shall have pow'r, hath also grace
To use it prudently, when he receives it
To that intent, for which GOD chiefly gives it;
And shall vouchsafe a more indulgent eare
To them, whose words, by deeds confirmed were,
Than to the Complements of seeming friends,
Who fawn upon him for sinister ends.
Have multipli'd the troubles of these times;
And, therefore, I must undergo my share,
In what our National demerits are.
But, they can never force me to despair,
Because, I have a Mediators pray'r;
And, such a gracious GOD to trust unto,
As neither looks for more than men can do,
Nor doth severely mark what's done amiss
Through frailty, and without maliciousness.
And, though, a real unsuccesseful zeal
To do my duty to this Commonweal
Hath lost me some friends, and foes made me many,
I, am not a malicious foe to any;
26
For any knavery, but, for having none:
And, therefore, I shall thrive, when honest men
May have a thriving time; but, not till then:
And such a time (though by what's pre-declar'd,
It may a very long time be deferr'd)
May, very possibly, soon come to pass,
If he, that shall have pow'r, hath also grace
To use it prudently, when he receives it
To that intent, for which GOD chiefly gives it;
And shall vouchsafe a more indulgent eare
To them, whose words, by deeds confirmed were,
Than to the Complements of seeming friends,
Who fawn upon him for sinister ends.
| Miscellaneous works of George Wither | |