The Works of William Fowler Secretary to Queen Anne, Wife of James VI. Edited with introduction, appendix, notes and glossary by Henry W. Meikle |
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[PSALME 102.] |
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 | The Works of William Fowler |  |
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[PSALME 102.]
rebring agane that golden uorld that we may better say,
with better caus and better speed then euer before this day,
That thow eternal god now sett vpon thy highest thrane,
aduanced far aboue the heauens, yea, highest heauens eache an[e],
hath cast thy cherful gratious Eye vpon the earth so low,
to giue an eare vnto the grones which from thy child dou flow.
heare then hir capatiue children now wh[ic]h looketh bot for death,
who ar appointed to be slaine with vndeserued wreath;
with better caus and better speed then euer before this day,
That thow eternal god now sett vpon thy highest thrane,
aduanced far aboue the heauens, yea, highest heauens eache an[e],
hath cast thy cherful gratious Eye vpon the earth so low,
to giue an eare vnto the grones which from thy child dou flow.
heare then hir capatiue children now wh[ic]h looketh bot for death,
who ar appointed to be slaine with vndeserued wreath;
and gather thame togeather, lord, into thyne holy hill,
which scattred wer in wyldernes amongst such tigers still;
which scattred wer in wyldernes amongst such tigers still;
and vnite, lord, to the agane these realmes which ar withdrawen
by satans slight from the, o god, and hes thy word not knawen.
this thow may doe sith thow art king, yea, king aboue al kings,
to quhome al pouer dois belong in creating all things.
let then thy name be called on, and thair thy prase proclaimd,
within that [OMITTED] whair thow will haue thy name with honour named.
by satans slight from the, o god, and hes thy word not knawen.
this thow may doe sith thow art king, yea, king aboue al kings,
to quhome al pouer dois belong in creating all things.
let then thy name be called on, and thair thy prase proclaimd,
within that [OMITTED] whair thow will haue thy name with honour named.
I haue a thousand thousand tymes afflicted sorlye bene,
the course wherein I walked haue in twoe is cutt, I mene;
my deing dayes drawes on, o lord, yea, shortned as it were,
death semes to dryve me to my grave and to [OMITTED] with feare.
so I haue come, euen forced, lord, for to beseache thy name
thou would not pluk me so away nor thole that death me clayme,
bot that thow would me suffer, lord, to finish this my race.
and end my dayes with greater lenght and in thy further grace.
bot quhils that I considder soe theternetie of god,
this change dois nothing me amaze nor yet my hope is snod,
for that my sure fondations be far more suerlye layd
then iff they wer be heauen and earth vpholden and vpstayed:
for though the earth be setled well by his miraculous frame,
and setled so substantiallye be him that layd the same,
and though these heu[n]lye circled spheres so neuer yet hes suervd,
may [OMITTED] such great revolts with thunder be preservd,
and In such measeur moved one, and compass as exact,
as none can euer yet amend nor better euer mak,
yet notheles must al this geare and glorye pass away,
and all this changles solid mas sal changed be one day,
and all this goodlye glorious shew sal vanish as we see
a garment old to wer away and older for to be.
bot thow, o god, o mightie god, so in thy self perfyte,
is from al change and altering exempted euer quite:
beginning none nor end thow hast, thou did thy pouer declair
in the varietie of thy workes, in fyre, seis, earth and air.
the course wherein I walked haue in twoe is cutt, I mene;
my deing dayes drawes on, o lord, yea, shortned as it were,
death semes to dryve me to my grave and to [OMITTED] with feare.
so I haue come, euen forced, lord, for to beseache thy name
thou would not pluk me so away nor thole that death me clayme,
289
and end my dayes with greater lenght and in thy further grace.
bot quhils that I considder soe theternetie of god,
this change dois nothing me amaze nor yet my hope is snod,
for that my sure fondations be far more suerlye layd
then iff they wer be heauen and earth vpholden and vpstayed:
for though the earth be setled well by his miraculous frame,
and setled so substantiallye be him that layd the same,
and though these heu[n]lye circled spheres so neuer yet hes suervd,
may [OMITTED] such great revolts with thunder be preservd,
and In such measeur moved one, and compass as exact,
as none can euer yet amend nor better euer mak,
yet notheles must al this geare and glorye pass away,
and all this changles solid mas sal changed be one day,
and all this goodlye glorious shew sal vanish as we see
a garment old to wer away and older for to be.
bot thow, o god, o mightie god, so in thy self perfyte,
is from al change and altering exempted euer quite:
beginning none nor end thow hast, thou did thy pouer declair
in the varietie of thy workes, in fyre, seis, earth and air.
and for as [m]uch as I, o lord, am stayed vpon thy pouer,
and am assured of thy will vnchangful euerye houer,
and am assured on that throne, whairof thy glorious sonne
hath taken ful possession and for vs al hes wonn,
that I sal be coheare with him through the eternal treuth,
integrit[i]e, obedience, the mercie, mercie, reuth,
whairwith he hath me purchessed that blist eternal realme,
whair holye angells with thair h[ar]ps dois praise him and with psalme,
so am I certenlye resolued this stafe will me v[p]hold,
so as I may to trust thairto be most assurd and bold;
and that through al the tempests, lord, by which thow dois me leed,
that to thy bountye and thy pouer men might the more tak heed,
my hope is that I shal arryve in that eternal heaven,
which thow euen in thy mercyes great vnto theme al hes geven;
whairin sal these thy servants all, with children thyne elect,
from age to age reflorishing, and quhome thow dois protect,
sal haue our duelling world but end, and in that lasting glore,
whair they, thy church, and children als sal deirlye the adore.
and am assured of thy will vnchangful euerye houer,
and am assured on that throne, whairof thy glorious sonne
hath taken ful possession and for vs al hes wonn,
that I sal be coheare with him through the eternal treuth,
integrit[i]e, obedience, the mercie, mercie, reuth,
whairwith he hath me purchessed that blist eternal realme,
whair holye angells with thair h[ar]ps dois praise him and with psalme,
so am I certenlye resolued this stafe will me v[p]hold,
so as I may to trust thairto be most assurd and bold;
and that through al the tempests, lord, by which thow dois me leed,
that to thy bountye and thy pouer men might the more tak heed,
290
which thow euen in thy mercyes great vnto theme al hes geven;
whairin sal these thy servants all, with children thyne elect,
from age to age reflorishing, and quhome thow dois protect,
sal haue our duelling world but end, and in that lasting glore,
whair they, thy church, and children als sal deirlye the adore.
finis.
| The Works of William Fowler | |