The Works in Verse and Prose of Nicholas Breton For the First Time Collected and Edited: With Memorial-Introduction, Notes and Illustrations, Glossarial Index, Facsimilies, &c. By the Rev. Alexander B. Grosart. In Two Volumes |
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A solempne and repentant Prayer, for
former life mispent. |
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 | The Works in Verse and Prose of Nicholas Breton |  |
A solempne and repentant Prayer, for former life mispent.
Oh heavenly Lord, who plain doost seeye thoughts of ech mās heart:
Who sendest some continuall plague,
& some release of smart:
Pittie, O Lorde, the wofull state,
wherein I dayly stand,
And onely for thy mercies sake,
now helpe me, out of hande.
And as it was thy pleasure fyrst,
to plague me thus with greefe:
So canst thou, Lorde, if thee it please,
with speede send me releefe.
I must of force confesse, O Lorde,
I can it not denye,
That I deserue these plagues and worse,
and that continually:
Yet doo not thou therefore on me
thy Judgements iust extend:
But pardon me, and graunt me grace
my life for to amend.
And banish (Lord) from me,
delights of worldly vanitie,
And lend me helpe, to pace the pathes,
of perfect pietie.
And truely so to treade the pathes,
and in such godly wise,
That they may bring me to the place,
of perfect paradice:
And not to wander vp and downe,
in wayes of weary wo,
Where wicked wily wanton toyes,
do leade me too and fro:
The Sap of Sapience likes me not,
that pleaseth not my taste:
But fonde delight, that wicked weede,
was all my chiefe repaste:
Wherein, as hooke within the baight,
so doo I plainly finde
Some hidden poyson lurking lyes,
for to infect my minde:
But wherefore doo I finde it now?
because, I now doo see
That, wanting smart, I wanted grace,
for to acknowledge thee.
60
doo feele thy punishment:
I doo lament my folly great,
and all my sinnes repent:
And to thy heauenly throane, O Lord,
for mercy I appeale,
To send me (Lord) some heauēly salue,
my greevous sores to heale.
Beholde, O Lord, my sorrowes such,
as no man dooth endure:
And eke, my greevous sicknesse such
as none but thou canst cure:
And as thou art a gratious God,
to men in misery,
So pitty me, that thus (O Lord)
doo pine in penurie:
And as thou art a help to all
that put their trust in thee:
So (luld in this my deepe distresse)
some comfort lend to me.
And hold, O Lord, thy heauy hand,
and lay thy scourge aside:
For (Lord) the greevous smart thereof,
I can no longer bide.
Forgiue my sinnes, forget the same,
beholde my humble heart,
Who, onely Lord, doo trust in thee,
for to releeue my smart:
And after this my wretched life:
Lord, graunt me, of thy grace,
That I in heauen, at latter daye,
may haue a ioyfull place.
FINIS.
| The Works in Verse and Prose of Nicholas Breton | |