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[The Courte of Vertu

contaynynge many holy songes, Sonettes, psalmes and ballettes] [by John Hall]

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An example that as wel penitent prayer, as ioyfull thankes and prayse, haue their due tyme and place,
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

An example that as wel penitent prayer, as ioyfull thankes and prayse, haue their due tyme and place,

out of the .Cxxxvii. Psalme.

As eche thinge hath his due tyme here,
On this earth where we goe:
So is ther tyme for ioye and glee,
And eke for care and woe.
For as we ioye in tyme of welth,
Praying the lorde therfore:
So in the tyme of pensyvnes,
Of myrth we make no store.
In one subiecte two contraries
Can neuer well agree:
Both myrth and wo at once in one
A strange thyng were to see.
It would be thought a great madnes.
In ioye to wayle and wrynge:
Neither can it be coumpted les
In sorowe for to synge.
As when the Iewes in Babylon
Where they were captiue all,

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Commaunded were to playe and synge,
Of suche as made them thrall.
Which vaine request of their great foes,
These miserable Iewes
Would not accomplyshe in no wyse,
But did the same refuse.
They hangde asyde their instrumentes
And laide their songes awaye,
And knewe it was not tyme to synge:
But rather for to praye,
That god would them delyuer once,
From that their bondage vyle:
Wherin they had bene punyshed
A long and wery whyle.
But after thre score and tenne yeres,
When God them home had broughte,
With holy psalmes to prayse his name,
They diligently sought.
And in remembrance of the wo,
And bondage, where they were,
And ioye of their deliuerance,
They songe as ye shall here.

Super flumina Babilonis.

Once as we by the ryuers sate
That runne in Babylon,

[33]

With byttter teares waylyng our wo,
When we thought on Sion:
We layde a syde our thankfull tunes,
Of honour laude and prayse,
And hung our harpes on wylow trees,
That grew there in those dayes.
Therfore our foes whiche to that land
As captiues did vs bryng,
(The more our sorowes to augmente,)
Required vs to sing.
Cōmaunding vs with spightful scorne
And great derision:
Sing vs (quod they) some hebrue songs
Of your blessed Sion.
As though it were conuenient
Contrary to gods wyll,
Suche vayne preceptes of wycked men,
To folowe or fulfyll.
In suche a lande gods laude to singe
With songes of his swete worde:
Where Images the honor haue
That due is to the lorde.
If euer we Ierusalem
So from our myndes consume:
We wysh our right handes might forget
Our harpes to touche in tune.

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And that our tongues within our mouth
May cleue we are content,
When we should vtter any thyng,
That mynde may vs inuente:
Thy prayses oh Ierusalem
If we preferre not styll,
Before the moste or greatest ioye
That hap may vs vntyll.
These Edomytes our enemyes
Oh lorde remember them,
Their wyckednes when they destroyde
Thyne owne Ierusalem.
Among them selues thus gan they say,
Our citie to confounde:
Destroye and sacke it, down with it,
And rase it to the grounde,
And thou O daughter Babylon,
(Well worthy of no les)
Thy mirthe shall turne to misery,
And thy ioye to distres.
And he shall be a happy man
That with suche lyke agayne
Shall the rewarde, as thou didst vs,
With great reprofe and payne.
Ye blessed shall he be in dede
That shall rewarde the once,
In takyng of thy suckyng babes
And dashe them to the stones.