Odes In Imitation of the Seaven Penitential Psalmes with Sundry other Poemes and ditties tending to deuotion and pietie [by Richard Rowlands] |
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SAINT PEETERS COMFORT. |
 | Odes In Imitation of the Seaven Penitential Psalmes |  |
81
SAINT PEETERS COMFORT.
Ev'n there where sin, my silly soule defyld,
Shame bad mee hy, and seeke to hyde my face,
Foule face of myne, that that faire face behild,
And could my so wel knowing it out face,
And make himself eu'n whome I did deny,
True witnes, vnto my fals periury.
Shame bad mee hy, and seeke to hyde my face,
Foule face of myne, that that faire face behild,
And could my so wel knowing it out face,
And make himself eu'n whome I did deny,
True witnes, vnto my fals periury.
I scarsly was gon foorth out of the halle,
VVhen sorrow straight my soule did apprehend,
Poore soule of myne, deseruer of thy thralle,
VVhose fault no manner skuses can defend,
Only vnfayned teares, told my destresse
And with my grief declar'd my guiltinesse.
VVhen sorrow straight my soule did apprehend,
Poore soule of myne, deseruer of thy thralle,
VVhose fault no manner skuses can defend,
Only vnfayned teares, told my destresse
And with my grief declar'd my guiltinesse.
In sorrowes iayle, thus captiue did I ly,
And there lament, and there my case complaine,
And there did pittie ouer-heare my cry,
And did in my behalf accesse obtaine,
To sue to him whome I deny'd to know,
To let him know my grief for doing so.
And there lament, and there my case complaine,
And there did pittie ouer-heare my cry,
And did in my behalf accesse obtaine,
To sue to him whome I deny'd to know,
To let him know my grief for doing so.
VVho daigning then vpon my hart to look,
vpon my hart, the spectacle of wo,
Hee there-vpon so great compassion took,
That hee on it sweet mercy did bestow,
Sweet mercy, that it self so far extends,
As to accept contrition for amends.
vpon my hart, the spectacle of wo,
Hee there-vpon so great compassion took,
That hee on it sweet mercy did bestow,
Sweet mercy, that it self so far extends,
As to accept contrition for amends.
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And that the world heerof might witnes bee,
His mercy renouated al his loue,
Th' effects whereof all men in mee might see,
But none more then my self did euer prooue,
The good I had before, that stil I hild,
Only my guylt hee only hath annild.
His mercy renouated al his loue,
Th' effects whereof all men in mee might see,
But none more then my self did euer prooue,
The good I had before, that stil I hild,
Only my guylt hee only hath annild.
For where my soule for mercy only sought,
It mercy found, eu'n in the moste degree,
And mercy loue with it vnited brought,
Deer loue, my dying soules restauratie,
Lyf of my lyf, which did mee now restore,
To lyuely strength, which I did lack before.
It mercy found, eu'n in the moste degree,
And mercy loue with it vnited brought,
Deer loue, my dying soules restauratie,
Lyf of my lyf, which did mee now restore,
To lyuely strength, which I did lack before.
The wound is heal'd, yet must the skar remaine,
The skar my stil remembrance of the sore,
For which, kynde grief stil wil I entertaine,
That neuer may sufficiently deplore,
Kynd-grief it is, close in my hart it lies,
To vrge the euer-dutie of myne eyes.
The skar my stil remembrance of the sore,
For which, kynde grief stil wil I entertaine,
That neuer may sufficiently deplore,
Kynd-grief it is, close in my hart it lies,
To vrge the euer-dutie of myne eyes.
For though my hart all comfort haue receaued,
That heauens comfort did on it bestow,
Yet can it not of that grief be bereaued,
That doth eu'n out of that self comfort grow,
For in admyring so great grace extended,
I grieue that I so sweet a Christe offended.
That heauens comfort did on it bestow,
Yet can it not of that grief be bereaued,
That doth eu'n out of that self comfort grow,
For in admyring so great grace extended,
I grieue that I so sweet a Christe offended.
My deerest Lord, oh might I dy for thee,
That brag'd to dy with thee, and the deny'd,
By thy strong ayd I must assisted bee,
For neuer thought shal in my brest abyde,
To say I wil, and not assistance craue,
Because my wil, must thy wil also haue.
That brag'd to dy with thee, and the deny'd,
By thy strong ayd I must assisted bee,
For neuer thought shal in my brest abyde,
To say I wil, and not assistance craue,
Because my wil, must thy wil also haue.
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That shepe was I which did his way mistake,
And he the shepheard that recalled mee,
Of mee his mercies-miracle to make,
By abling mee his deputy to bee,
For hee my self a shepheard did ordain,
That not deseru'd to bee a shepheards swain.
And he the shepheard that recalled mee,
Of mee his mercies-miracle to make,
By abling mee his deputy to bee,
For hee my self a shepheard did ordain,
That not deseru'd to bee a shepheards swain.
Thus not my cry me and punishment therefore,
His pardon only stretched to deface,
But he me rais'd to what I was before,
And did renew and ampliphy his grace,
And I that fel the lowest of eleauen,
Stil hold my charge to keepe the keyes of heauen.
His pardon only stretched to deface,
But he me rais'd to what I was before,
And did renew and ampliphy his grace,
And I that fel the lowest of eleauen,
Stil hold my charge to keepe the keyes of heauen.
The Rock of stone hee hath confirmed mee,
VVhereon the buylding standes that cannot fail,
Gainst which helles puissance and superbitie,
May offer force, but neuer shal preuail,
Thus I that late through feeble fainthes fel,
Support the force, that breakes the force of hel.
VVhereon the buylding standes that cannot fail,
Gainst which helles puissance and superbitie,
May offer force, but neuer shal preuail,
Thus I that late through feeble fainthes fel,
Support the force, that breakes the force of hel.
Do'st thow mee loue, thryce did he ask of mee,
In three demaundes of fayned doubtfulnes,
For what my loue to him was bound to bee,
And what it was, I needed not expresse,
VVel hee it wist, and would but let mee see,
By such demaundes, how wel he loued mee.
In three demaundes of fayned doubtfulnes,
For what my loue to him was bound to bee,
And what it was, I needed not expresse,
VVel hee it wist, and would but let mee see,
By such demaundes, how wel he loued mee.
And more then these; do'st thow mee loue quoth hee,
God wot more cause had I my Lord to loue,
Yet such hee did allow my loue to bee,
As that it did a more reward behooue:
Giuing to mee the office for my meed,
At parting hence; his lambes and sheep to feed.
God wot more cause had I my Lord to loue,
Yet such hee did allow my loue to bee,
As that it did a more reward behooue:
Giuing to mee the office for my meed,
At parting hence; his lambes and sheep to feed.
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Loue is my debt, for loue and mercy due,
And gratitude the intrest thereon rising,
The obligation standes in heauens view,
And was set downe by equities deuising,
The date it beares is endlesse to auail,
My soule the pawne to forfait yf I fail.
And gratitude the intrest thereon rising,
The obligation standes in heauens view,
And was set downe by equities deuising,
The date it beares is endlesse to auail,
My soule the pawne to forfait yf I fail.
Performance of thy promis Lord I see,
Strengthned am I, my brethren strength to giue,
My faith shal neuer fail thow warrant'st mee,
Then in my mouth truthe must for euer liue,
And though I dy; succession wil supply,
Vndying truthe, vnto posteritie.
Strengthned am I, my brethren strength to giue,
My faith shal neuer fail thow warrant'st mee,
Then in my mouth truthe must for euer liue,
And though I dy; succession wil supply,
Vndying truthe, vnto posteritie.
And all the graces thow ha'st giu'n to mee,
To bynd and lose the free and bond of sin,
Must not in my liues-ending ended bee,
Though by thy gift they do in mee begin,
But in successiue power remaine for euer,
To yeild the lasting graces of the giuer.
To bynd and lose the free and bond of sin,
Must not in my liues-ending ended bee,
Though by thy gift they do in mee begin,
But in successiue power remaine for euer,
To yeild the lasting graces of the giuer.
O endlesse comfort ending thus my care,
Vn-ending thankes must therefore bee my parte,
VVhich for thy due, I duly wil prepare,
To offer on the Alter of my hart,
VVhereas the syre of loue for euer lies,
To serue for my eternal sacrifise.
Vn-ending thankes must therefore bee my parte,
VVhich for thy due, I duly wil prepare,
To offer on the Alter of my hart,
VVhereas the syre of loue for euer lies,
To serue for my eternal sacrifise.
| Odes In Imitation of the Seaven Penitential Psalmes | |