Miscellaneous works of George Wither | ||
These Duties, few of us regarded have,
But multipli'd our Feasts; made our selves brave;
Neglect, as others did, our day of Trial,
And sing unto the Lute, the Harp, or Viol,
Ev'n whilst our Brethren sharply punish'd are
For sins whereof their Judges are not clear:
For I, nor You, nor any one of them,
VVho with severity, their faults condemn,
Could be excus'd, if GOD should be severe
In questioning what hath been acted here.
As therefore, GOD shall bring them to my mind
To treat of those things I am now inclin'd,
VVhereby, Dooms threatened may be turned from
These Realms, or born with meekness when they come.
But, I will first inform you, by what light
I see those things, whereof I have a sight,
In hope it will be better, then be known
If Truth I write, or Fancies of mine own.
But multipli'd our Feasts; made our selves brave;
Neglect, as others did, our day of Trial,
And sing unto the Lute, the Harp, or Viol,
Ev'n whilst our Brethren sharply punish'd are
For sins whereof their Judges are not clear:
For I, nor You, nor any one of them,
VVho with severity, their faults condemn,
Could be excus'd, if GOD should be severe
In questioning what hath been acted here.
As therefore, GOD shall bring them to my mind
To treat of those things I am now inclin'd,
VVhereby, Dooms threatened may be turned from
These Realms, or born with meekness when they come.
But, I will first inform you, by what light
I see those things, whereof I have a sight,
In hope it will be better, then be known
If Truth I write, or Fancies of mine own.
Miscellaneous works of George Wither | ||