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CHAP. XIII. Euening Meditation. Odes in imitation of the seuen pœnitentiall Psalmes, in seuen seuerall kinde of verse.

Domine exaudi orationem meam.

Vouchsafe admit thy gracious eares,
With milde regard for to attend
The prayers, that a plaining heart
With sorowing sighs to thee doth send:
And let thereto, ô louing Lord,
Thy Iustice and thy Trueth accord.
In rigour of thy righteous doome,
O do not scan thy seruants cause:
For there is none on earth aliue,
Through faultlesse life freed from thy lawes.
Then how may I in sinfull plight,
Seeme iust in thy all-seeing sight!
The friend of sinne, the foe of soules,
Downe to the earth my soule hath brought,
Which to the heauen should aspire,
Since from the heauen it was wrought:
O raise it vp againe to blisse,
From earth and all that earthly is.
Amids the darke misse-led am I,
Where lacke of light sinnes view denies:
I liue a life more like to death,
While dead from grace my bodie lies,
And where as care through secret smart
Sends anguish to afflict my hart.

But I (ô Lord) recall to minde
What thou hast done in time before,
And how thy Iustice hath beene great,
But how thy Mercy hath beene more.
Thus hope of helpe still comfort giues,
While Mercie still with Iustice liues.
My stretched hands to thee display
The ensignes of my yeelding hart:
My soule, as earth that water wants,
Of vertues fruit can beare no part.
I faint, send some reliefe of raine,
Lest els vnfruitfull I remaine.
Thy face of pitie, not of wrath,
Turne not, ô louing Lord, from me:
And let not, Lord, my owne misdeeds
Haue lasting force to anger thee:
For so might I compare my case
To theirs that furthest fall from grace.
But since my hope is firme in thee,
Let me betimes thy mercie haue,
The way of health make knowen to me,
My feet from erring paths to saue.
Onely to thee my soule retires:
Onely thy mercie it desires.
O free me from my sinfull foes,
To thee I flie to be secure,
Teach me the lesson of thy will,
And let me put it well in vre.
Thou art my God, and God of all
That for thy aide and comfort call.

Thou wilt vouchsafe to me, ô Lord,
Thy Holy Spirit to be my guide,
My faith and hope in thee is such,
And such it euer shall abide.
Reuiue thou wilt me for thy name:
Goodnesse in thee requires the same.
So that at last by thee, ô God,
My soule from bale to blis be brought;
And that in mercie thou subuert
All those my soules destruction sought:
And force of foes destroyd may be,
And I made safe for seruing thee.
All glory be to thee, ô God
The Father of eternall might,
And to the Sonne and Holy ghost,
Three man vndiuided plight,
As now it is, and was of yore,
And shall endure for euermore.

De profundis clamaui ad te Domine.

Even from the depth of woes,
Wherein my soule remaines,
To thee in supreme blisse,
O Lord, that highest raignes,
I do both call and crie.
It's deepe heart sorowes force,
That moues me thus to waile:
It's pity Lord in thee,
Must make it to auaile.
Thine eares therefore applie.

If strictly thou, ô Lord,
Obserued hast my sinne,
Alas, what shall I do?
What case them am I in,
If rigour thou extend?
But well, ô Lord, I know
Sweet Mercy dwels with thee:
And with thy Iustice then
It must expected be:
And I therefore attend.
My soule doth wait on thee,
Thy grace confirms my trust,
My warrant is thy word,
Thou keepest promise iust:
Keepe me, ô Lord, secure.
Let thy afflicted flocke
Comfort in thee retaine,
From dawning day to night,
From night to day againe
Let still their hope endure.
There is with our good God
Much mercy still in store.
Redemption doth remaine
With him for euermore.
Abundant is his grace.
His people he afflicts
He will not leaue distrest,
The thralled he will free
With ease of their vnrest,
And all their faults deface.

All glory be therefore,
O Father, vnto thee,
And so vnto the Sonne
The like great glory be,
And to the Holy Ghost,
Such as it woonted was
Before the world beganne,
Such as now yet it is,
And euer shall remaine,
Aboue all glory most.

Domine exaudi orationem meam.

O let, ô Lord, thine eares enclined be
To heare the praiers that I make to thee:
And my hearts griefe that breaketh foorth in cries,
O let it haue the power to pierce the skies.
Turne not from me thy fauourable face,
What day or houre I am in heauie case:
But when I call to thee in my distresse,
O heare me, Lord, and send me soone redresse.
My daies and yeares, alas with little gaine,
Like vnto smoke, how are they past in vaine!
My forces, Lord, how are they parch't and dry!
Deuotions lacke yeelds moisture no supply.
The blasted grasse my image now can show,
My withered heart confirmes that it is so,
And I forgotten haue, vnto my griefe,
To eate the bread of my soules best reliefe.
And my too much regard of earthly care,
Before my selfe for grace I could prepare,
Made reason to abandon reason quite,
And to affliction fast it selfe vnite.

But now, ô Lord, since that I now beginne
To see my selfe, and know the shame of sinne;
From earthly traine I will retire my minde,
Thee will I seeke my sauing health to finde.
In desert like as liues the Pelicane,
Or as the Crowe that doth day light refraine,
Or chirping Sparrow sitting all alone,
I shrowd, I watch, retir'd I make my mone.
But while, O Lord, I doe endure this life,
Expecting peace, by fleeing worldly strife,
Old friends I finde become new noisome foes,
O loue me Lord, for losse of loue of those.
My penance not restraind through scorne of these,
My foode I take with ashes and with teares,
The more I feare lest thou on me shouldst frowne,
That canst me raise, and raising cast me downe.
My daies decline as doth a shadow passe,
And I as haie that whilome was as grasse:
But thou from age to age shalt euer be,
Then euermore, ô Lord, forget not me.
Vouchsafe, ô Lord, in puissance to arise,
To raise thy Sion that depressed lies:
Now is the time, the time doth now expire,
It mercy wants, and mercy doth desire.
This glorious worke was first begun by thee:
Thy seruants erst were glad the stones to see:
And they will grieue with hearts afflicted care,
If so the ruines thou dost not repaire.
But when, ô Lord, thy works shall shew thy fame,
The faithlesse people then shall feare thy name,
And earthly kings shall bend their glory downe
At thy celestiall glory and renowne.

Because thy Church, thy Sion, thou diddest build,
Where thou wouldst euer haue thy honor hild,
And hast not vnregarded heard the plaint
Of faithfull folke, thrald in vntruths restraint.
And that no time, remembrance may impaire
Of thy mainteined worke and mercy rare:
Let people now, for people to ensue,
Thy praise record, thy praises to renue.
For from high heauen to this low earthly place,
From blisse to bale our Lord enclines his face,
The groanes to heare, the grieued to release,
To free from thrall, to make affliction cease.
The more may Sion now sound foorth his fame,
Ierusalem his praises may proclaime,
Wherein his Church, his people do accord,
And where as kings are subiects to their Lord.
Who may, O Lord, the datelesse daies relate,
That of all ages ouerpasse the date?
It's thou to vs hast put appointed space,
O stop not me ere halfe I runne my race.
These elements by alteration strange
Shall changed be, and so remaine in change:
But thou, ô Lord, that workst all at thy will,
Wast earst the same, the same remaining still.
Vouchsafe, ô Lord, their ofspring to preserue,
That thee in feare, and faith, and loue do serue,
And in thy waies directed to remaine,
A lasting life in lasting blis to gaine.
Vnto the Father, Sonne and holy Ghost,
All praise and glory be ascribed most,
As heere before the world begun,
And as it now, and euer shall be done.

Miserere mei Deus.

Haue mercy ô good God on me
in greatnesse of thy grace,
O let thy mercies manifold
my many faults deface.
Foule, filthie, lothsome, vgly sinne
hath so defiled me,
With streames of pittie wash me cleane,
else cleane I cannot be.
Too well my foule vnclensed crimes
Remembrance doe renew,
Too plaine in anguish of my heart
they stand before my view.
To thee alone, ô Lord, to thee
these euils I haue done,
And in thy presence, woe is me,
that ere they were begun.
But since thou pardon promisest
where hearts true ruth is showne;
Shew now thy mercies vnto me,
to make thy iustnesse knowne.
That such as doe infringe thy grace,
be made asham'd, and shent,
As rife thy mercies to behold,
as sinners to repent.
With fauour view my foule defects:
in crimes I did beginne:
My nature bad, my mother fraile,
conceau'd I was in sinne.

But since thy selfe effectest truth,
and truth it selfe is Thee;
I truely hope to haue thy grace
from sinne to set me free.
Since to the faithfull thou before
the secret science gaue,
Whereby to know what thou wouldst spend,
the sinfull world to saue.
Whose heauenly Hyssope sacred drops,
shall me besprinckle so,
That it my sinne-defiled soule
shall wash more white then snow.
O when my eares receiue the sound
of such my soules release,
How do sinne laden limmes reioice,
at hearts true ioies encrease!
From my misdeeds retyre thy sight,
view not so foule a staine,
First wipe away my spots impure,
then turne thy face againe.
A cleane and vndefiled heart,
ô God, create in me:
Let in me, Lord, of righteousnesse
a spirit infused be.
From that most glorious face of thine
ô cast me not away,
Thy holy Ghost vouchsafe, ô God,
With me that it may stay.
The ioy of thy saluation, Lord,
restore to me againe,
And with the sprite of graces chiefe,
confirme it to remaine.

That when at thy most gracious hand
my sutes receiued be,
The impious I may instruct
how they may turne to thee.
For when, ô Lord, I am releast
from vengeance and from blood,
How ioyfull shall I speake of thee,
so gracious and so good!
Thou, Lord, wilt giue me leaue to speake,
and I thy praise will showe:
For so thy graces do require
thou doest on me bestowe.
If thou sinne offrings hadst desired,
as wonted were to be,
How gladly those for all my illes,
I would haue yeelded thee!
But thou accepts in sacrifice
a sorrowing soule for sinne,
Despising not the heart contrite,
and humbled minde within.
Deale graciously, ô louing Lord,
in thy free bounty will
With Sion thy deare spouse on earth,
and fortifie it still.
That so thou mayest thence receiue
that soueraigne sacrifice,
From altar of all faithfull hearts,
deuoutly where it lies.
To thee, ô Father, glory be,
and glory to the Sonne,
And glory to the holy Ghost
eternally be done.

Domine ne in furore.

Amiddes the fury, my deare Lord,
rebuke not me,
Nor let thy chasticement befall,
when wrathfull thou shalt be.
Thy arrowes in my selfe I feele
already stand,
I see, ô Lord, thou fixed hast
at me thy ayming hand.
Within my selfe (ô woe is me)
no health I finde,
Through feare and terror of thy face,
that seemes to wrath enclinde.
My very bones disturbed be,
gone is their peace,
My owne beholding of my sinnes,
doth worke my woes encrease.
And as my sinnes surmounting are,
I must confesse,
So are they mounted on my head,
and heauy me oppresse.
My crimes forepast and pardoned,
like starres remaine,
That putrifi'd breake out anewe,
because I sinne againe.
A wofull wretch am I become,
crooked I grow,
Each day I waile, and while I liue,
I will continue so.

My members by illusions led
me so restraine,
My healthlesse body is vnapt
true vertue to retaine.
By great affliction I am brought
exceeding lowe;
Be moued, Lord, through my loud groanes,
thy mercies to bestowe.
My suites, ô Lord, tend all to thee,
thou knowest my case;
My plaints and penance, Lord, accept,
that so I may haue grace.
Within my selfe my silly heart
is vexed still,
My force is lost, my sight I lacke
to see and shun my ill.
In my displeasing thee, ô Lord,
right well I see,
My friends are foes, my life is sought,
and force is wrought on me.
They wish my ill, and speake my scorne;
and when they smile,
Their hate admits no time of stay
to studie fraud and guile.
But I, alas, with patience prest
must all forbeare,
Like to the dumbe, and seeming deafe,
I neither speake nor heare.
And for because, ô gracious God,
I trust in thee,
Thou wilt, I know, my louing Lord,
giue eare and aide to me.

Let not, O Lord, my foes preuaile,
lest they reioyce,
Sith scarse my feet I may remoue,
but they aduance their voice.
Of my misdeeds I am prepar'd
to beare the smart:
Still is my sinne before my sight,
and sorow in my hart.
I will reuolue my faults forepast
amids my minde,
And those I truely will confesse,
that I may mercy finde.
Hate hath confirm'd on me my foes,
in wrong full wise,
And still they liue, and do increase,
whose enuy neuer dies.
They yeeld me ill that gaue them good,
and me defie,
Because I goodnesse would ensue,
from which they seeke to flie.
Forsake me not, O Lord my God,
in state distrest;
Be ready, Lord, to my reliefe,
my life in thee doth rest.
To Father, Sonne, and Holy Ghost
all glory be,
From former endlesse date to dure
to all eternitie.

Beati quorum remissæ sunt.

O how much blest may they remaine,
That pardon for their guilt obtaine,
And whose great ill, and ech offence,
Lies hid in contrite penitence!
What happy state may he be in,
To whom our Lord imputes no sin,
Whose conscience doth no guile retaine,
That can himselfe beguile againe?
I did my sinnes in silence holde,
In griefe whereof my bones grew olde:
Meane while my dayes in plaints of paine,
Without redresse, I spent in vaine.
But when, O Lord, thy heauy hand
No day or night I could withstand,
But that in anguish ouerworne,
My conscience prickt as with a thorne:
Loe then, O Lord, I did beginne
To vtter all my secret sinne,
No longer list I ought conceale,
But ech in iustice to reueale.
Against my selfe, I sayd, will I
My wrongs confesse, and faults defie:
To thee, O Lord, O Lord to thee,
That hast from all absolued me.
And since I thus thy mercies finde,
Let ech of good and godly minde
Approch to thee in happy time,
To pray for pardon of his crime.

For such as so do sincke in sin,
That still they plunged lie therein,
Vnable are of thee to gaine
What contrite sinners can obtaine.
O Lord, my refuge rests in thee,
When troubles do enuiron me:
O free me then, my freedomes ioy,
From such as seeke me to annoy.
Great comforts, Lord, I do conceaue,
Thou me thy seruant wilt not leaue:
But wilt instruct and guide me right,
And keepe me euer in thy sight.
O ye that carelesse are of grace,
Beholde, and see your brutish case,
And be not as the horse and mule,
That liue deuoid of reasons rule.
And thou, O Lord, in mercies rife,
Vouchsafe restraine their straying life,
With bit and bridle make them stay,
That vnto thee will not obey.
Since that for those of sinfull trade
Full many scourges there be made,
Well's him that doth in God repose,
Whose mercies may his soule enclose.
Be therefore ioyfull in our Lord,
All that to righteousnesse accord;
Let ech with gladnesse beare his part,
That hath a pure and perfect hart.
All glory be, O Lord, to thee;
And to thy Sonne in like degree,
As also to the Holy Ghost
Perpetuall and enduring most.

Domine ne in furore.

VVhen my misdeeds, ô God,
may thee to anger mooue,
Amids the rigour of thy rage,
vouchsafe me not reprooue.
Nor when for my offences
thy chastisement must be,
In thy displeasure, ô deare Lord,
let it not light on me.
Thy mercies Lord I craue,
of strength I am bereft;
O salue the sorenesse, that my sinne
vpon my bones hath left.
My much aggrieued soule,
my sorrowes doth abound:
How long, O Lord, shall they endure,
or comfort be vnfound?
O turne thy selfe to me,
and rid my soule of paine,
Euen for thy mercies which exceed,
and euer doe remaine.
O hasten thee, O Lord,
to saue and set me free:
Amongst the dead (to their auaile)
there's none can thinke on thee.
And in the depth of hell,
where there is no redresse,
Who is it that will giue thee praise,
or vnto thee confesse?

My sighings for my sinnes
haue past in painfull wise,
And I each night will wash my bed
with teares of wailing eies.
My sight is vext with feare
of furie in thy rage,
O that my sinnes must be my foes
to weare me out in age.
Away, away from me,
all yee that are vniust:
Let him my wofull sound receaue,
in whom I put my trust.
That I with ioy may say,
how to my suites accord,
Vouchsafed hath to condiscend
my deare and louing Lord.
Let shame my foes befall,
and vexed let them be,
Their owne conuersion, or their shame,
Lord, let them quickly see.
Glory, ô God to thee,
and vnto Christ thy sonne,
As also to the holy Ghost,
let endlesly by done.
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