The later poems of John Clare :: :: University of Virginia Library

The later poems of John Clare

1837-1864 ... General editor Eric Robinson: Edited by Eric Robinson and David Powell: Associate editor Margaret Grainger

Clare, John (1793-1864)

Volume I

Poems written at High Beach, Epping, 1837–1841, and at Northborough, 1841

NORTHAMPTON MANUSCRIPT 27

OVERLAND MONTHLY

ENGLISH JOURNAL

NORTHAMPTON MANUSCRIPT 8

CHILD HAROLD

DON JUAN A POEM

BODLEIAN MANUSCRIPT DC 64 AND PETERBOROUGH MANUSCRIPT A 62

BIBLICAL PARAPHRASES

Poems written in Northampton Asylum, 1842–1864

II.

Volume II

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Poems written at High Beach, Epping, 1837–1841, and at Northborough, 1841

NORTHAMPTON MANUSCRIPT 27

SONG

[By A Cottage Near A Wood]

By A Cottage Near A Wood
Where The Small Birds Build & Sing
In My Dreaming Hours I've Stood
To Review The Lovely Spring
There Once Dwelt A Lovely Maiden
Whose Name I Sought In Vain
Some Called Her Lovely Lucey
& Others Honest Jane

Bye That Cottage Near A Wood
I Have Often Stood Alone
In A Sad Or Happy Mood
& Wished She Was My Own
The Small Birds Flitted Round Me
But Nature Pleased in Vain
For The Dark & Lovely Maiden
I Never Saw Again

Bye The Cottage Near The Wood
I Wished With Peace To Be
& The Blossoms Where She Stood
They Were More Then Gems To Me
More Fair Or Sweeter Blossoms
My Rambles Sought In Vain
& The Dark & Lovely Maiden
I Never Found Again

Bye That Cottage Near A Wood
The Childern Held Her Gown
& On The Turf Before It
Ran Laughing Up & Down
They Played Around Her Beauty
While I Sought Joys In Vain
But The Dark Haired Lovely Maiden
I Ne'er Could Find Again

Bye That Cottage Near A Wood
Where The Childern Used To Play
Spring Has Often Burst The Bud
& As Often Passed Away
But My Spring Joys Will Ne'er Return
Nought Can Their Shade Restore
Though She Left Her Image In My Heart
& I Love Her Evermore

Bye That Cottage Near A Wood
Though The Summer Flowers Appear
They Charm Not Me—& Where She Stood
Tis Winter All The Year
They Charm Me Not Now Loves Away
& Beauty Blooms In Vain
For The Dark & Lovely Maiden
I Never Found Again

[_]

Martin's version:

‘By a cottage near the wood
Where lark and thrushes sing,
In dreaming hours I stood,
Through summer and through spring:
There dwells a lovely maiden
Whose name I sought in vain—
Some call her pretty Lucy,
And others honest Jane.

By that cottage near a wood
I often stood alone
In sad or happy mood,
And wished she was my own.
The birds kept sweetly singing,
But nature pleased in vain;
For the dark and lovely maiden
I never saw again.

By the cottage near the wood
I wished in peace to be:
The blossoms where she stood
Were more than gems to me.

More fair or sweeter blossoms
My rambles sought in vain;
But the dark and lovely maiden
I never found again.

By that cottage near a wood
The children held her gown,
And on the turf before her
Ran laughing up and down.
They played around her beauty,
While I sought joys in vain;
She fled—the lovely maiden
I could not find again.

By that cottage near the wood,
Where children used to play,
Spring often burst the bud,
And as often passed away.
And with them passed my visions
Of her whom I adore;
For the dark and lovely maiden,
I love her evermore.’

OVERLAND MONTHLY

THE PANSY

It does me good, thou flower of spring,
Thy blossoms to behold;
Thou bloom'st when birds begin to sing,
In purple and in gold.

Along the garden-beds so neat
Thy flowers their blooms display,
When sparrows chirp and lambkins bleat
And hopes look up for May.

Then Emma thinks the heart's-ease blooms
When she the pansy sees;
But I see sleep among the tombs,
With heart that's ill at ease,

That asks for what it's lost and loved—
A quiet home and friends,
Where nature's feelings were approved
And peace made life amends;

Where love was all I had to sing,
And there these pansy flowers
Came shining in the dews of spring
To cheer the sunny hours.

But years may pass, as they have passed,
And I may hope in vain,
With hopes that linger to the last,
To see them bloom again.

The fairest flower that ever bloomed,
Or garden ever blest,
Looks cold to care, and ne'er was doomed
To ease the heart's unrest.

The heart's-ease in her happy hour
Might Emma's fancy please,
But life will often pluck the flower
And feel but ill at ease.

SONG ON TOBACCO

Some sing about love in their season of roses,
But love has in sorrow no blossoms to wear;
So I'll sing tobacco, that cheers and composes,
And lulls us asleep in our trouble and care.
So here's to tobacco, the Indian weed,
The peaceful companion through trouble and strife;
May it prove every smoker's best friend in his need,
And be to his heart a restorer through life.

There's the husbandman hourly tormented with care,
By his daily companion, a troublesome wife;
But a pipe of tobacco will soothe his despair,
And bring him sunshine in the shadows of life.
Then here's to tobacco, the Indian weed,
May it bless honest smokers with peace to the end,
For such a companion is friendship indeed,
Since it proves in the midst of all trouble a friend.

The statesman, the lawyer, the parson will find,
When business oppresses and sorrow grows ripe,
To steer clear of follies and strengthen the mind,
There's nothing like leisure and smoking a pipe.
So here's to that cheering tobacco once more;
May each honest smoker prove blest with the weed,
May it mend broken hopes and lost pleasures restore,
And always prove dear as a friend in his need.

[Beautiful woman, visions dwell]

Beautiful woman, visions dwell
Of heaven's joy about thee,
And every step I take is hell
That walks thro' life without thee.

[When with our little ones we spent]

When with our little ones we spent
Each Sunday after tea,
And up the wood's dark side we went
Or pasture's rushy lea,
To look among the woodland boughs
To find the bird's retreat,
Or crop the cowslip for the cows;
[OMITTED]

Then sat to rest the little feet
In many a pleasant place,
And see the lambs, who tried to bleat,
Come first in every race,
Then laugh'd the children's joys to view,
Who ran across the lea
At birds that from the rushes flew,
And many a wandering bee.

[You promised me, a year ago]

COLIN
You promised me, a year ago,
When autumn bleach'd the mistletoe,
That you and I should be as one;
But now another autumn's gone—
Its solemn knell is in the blast,
And love's bright sun is overcast;
Yet flowers will bloom and birds will sing,
And e'en the winter claim the spring.

LUCY
The hedges will be green again,
And flowers will come on hill and plain;
And though we meet a rainy day,
The hawthorn will be white with May.
If love and nature still agree,
Green leaves will clothe the trysting-tree;
And when these pleasing days you view,
Think Lucy's heart yet be true.

[Sweeter than roses was the face]

Sweeter than roses was the face
For whom I pluck'd the flower;
Sweeter than heaven was the place
In that delightful hour.

[Tis autumn now & harvests reign]

Tis autumn now & harvests reign
Brown swelling hills & hollow vales
The sudden shower sweeps oer the plain
& health breaths in the shivering gales
The coveys rise—the sportsman joys
& in the stubbles bleeding fall
The hunters face glows in the chase
He loves to hear the bugle call
That loud through wood & dingle rings
As oer the fence the courser springs

The songs of home in every field
From merry harvesters is heard
The hare as yet from harm will shield
Where barley waves its tawney beard
Some sing & blink oer kegs of drink

& love the drunkards brawls to own—
I love to dream by valleys stream
& live with quiet peace alone
The brook & wood the vale & tree
Are the green homes of joy to me

Some love to drink adieu to care
I love the solitude of rest
Some meet with woman false & fair
& think it joy to be distrest
The hazle nook the mossy brook
I love from feelings of the boy
The broad topt oak the ravens croak
& all of nature brings me joy
There solitude of sun & shade
A paradise on earth hath made

& yet the love of woman still
Hath been my sunshine all along
Her voice along the upland hill
Was music in my early song
Her love confest is still the best
To comfort every care & thrall
In poesys page her heritage
Reigns still the empress over all
Theres not a land where life hath been
But looks on woman as its queen

[I long to forget them—the love of my life—]

I long to forget them—the love of my life—
To forget them, and keep this lorn being my own;
The honey is cell'd in such changeable strife,
I long to keep sorrow and trouble my own—
To live in myself, and to be what I am,
And to leave earth's delusions and shadows behind,
Where love may not cheat, nor its happiness damn:
The shadows of hope I with nature may find.

O, bear me away from this changeable strife,
To the childhood of nature, the linnet and bee!
Let her flowers be my children, her freedom my wife,
Where God, my Creator, is constant and free.
The flower on the white bush, the nest in the ground,
Which my own happy childhood once shouted to find;
Let me live in those scenes, with the wind blowing round,
And I shall be happy to bear it in mind,

To think of the joys of that once-happy spot
Where I lived with my children the whole summer long—
The mother, the garden, the books and the cot,
The theme and affection of many a song.
The snowdrop and crocus are first in the year,
And there the tall foxglove its red-freckled bell
To the summer and bee was delicious and dear;
And down in the homestead, the pond and the dell

Would hide me an hour in its hazel so green,
While the world and its troubles kept far, far away;
And there silent solitude kept me unseen,
With love-ties around me the whole of the day.
And there was the robin, perch'd on the ash tree,
Would sing me a tune, and then drop for a worm;
And there the coy thrush my companion would be,
While the hazel-bush sheltered my seat from a storm.

And there came the linnet, with wool in its bill,
To build its new nest in the hedge or the thorn;
And there I could see the black sails of the mill,
And the spire in the gray, sleeping light of the morn.
And there came the heavy-wing'd kite o'er the lea,
And the old hens they call'd for their chickens aloud;
And there the black crow came and perch'd on the tree,
And the lark hid itself in the black-bosom'd cloud.

O, bear me away from this tumult and strife
Where woman or falsehood is not to be found—
To the scenes which I loved in the childhood of life,
In the fields which the thorn-hedges sheltered around;
Where trees without order in spinney clumps stand,
And in corners the aged or the whattled sheep pen;
O bear me to those dearest spots in the land,
And the peace of my lowly thatch'd cottage again!

ENGLISH JOURNAL

TO THE NIGHTINGALE

I LOVE to hear the Nightingale—
She comes where Summer dwells—
Among the brakes and orchis flowers,
And foxglove's freckled bells.

Where mugwort grows like mignonette,
And molehills swarm with ling;
She hides among the greener May,
And sings her love to Spring.

I hear her in the Forest Beach,
When beautiful and new;
Where cow-boys hunt the glossy leaf,
Where falls the honey-dew.

Where brambles keep the waters cool
For half the Summer long;
The maiden sets her pitcher down,
And stops to hear the song.

The redcap is a painted bird,
And sings about the town;
The Nightingale sings all the eve,
In sober suit of brown.

I knew the sparrow could not sing;
And heard the stranger long:
I could not think so plain a bird
Could sing so fine a song.

I found her nest of oaken leaves,
And eggs of paler brown,
Where none would ever look for nests,
Or pull the sedges down.

I found them on a whitethorn root,
And in the woodland hedge,
All in a low and stumpy bush,
Half hid among the sedge.

I love the Poet of the Woods,
And love to hear her sing,—
That, with the cuckoo, brings the love
And music of the Spring.

Man goes by art to foreign lands,
With shipwreck and decay;
Birds go with Nature for their guide,
And GOD directs their way—

GOD of a thousand worlds on high!—
Proud men may lord and dare;
POWER tells them that the meaner things
Are worthy of HIS care.

[MAID of Walkherd, meet again]

MAID of Walkherd, meet again,
By the wilding in the glen;
By the oak against the door,
Where we often met before.
By thy bosom's heaving snow,
By thy fondness none shall know;
Maid of Walkherd, meet again,
By the wilding in the glen.

By thy hand of slender make,
By thy love I'll ne'er forsake,
By thy heart I'll ne'er betray,
Let me kiss thy fears away!
I will live and love thee ever,
Leave thee and forsake thee never!
Though far in other lands to be,
Yet never far from love and thee.

SIGHING FOR RETIREMENT

O TAKE me from the busy crowd,
I cannot bear the noise!
For Nature's voice is never loud;
I seek for quiet joys.

The book I love is everywhere,
And not in idle words;
The book I love is known to all,
And better lore affords.

The book I love is everywhere,
And every place the same;
GOD bade me make my dwelling there,
And look for better fame.

I never feared the critic's pen,
To live by my renown;
I found the poems in the fields,
And only wrote them down.

And quiet Epping pleases well,
Where Nature's love delays;
I joy to see the quiet place,
And wait for better days.

I love to seek the brakes and fern,
And rabbits up and down;
And then the pleasant Autumn comes,
And turns them all to brown.

To common eyes they only seem
A desert waste and drear;
To taste and love they always shine,
A garden through the year.

LORD keep my love for quiet joys,
Oh, keep me to thy will!
I know THY works, and always find
THY mercies kinder still!

THE FOREST MAID

I love to see the forest maid
Go in the pleasant day,
And jump to break an idle bough,
To drive the flies away.

Her face is brown with open air,
And like the lily blooming;
But beauty, whether brown or fair,
Is always found with women!

She stoop'd to tie her pattens up,
And show'd a cleanly stocking;
The flowers made curtsies all the way,
Against her ancles knocking.

She stoop'd to get the foxglove bells
That grew among the bushes,
And, careless, set her basket down,
And tied them up with rushes.

Her face was ever in a smile,
And brown, and softly blooming;—
I often met the scorn of man,
But welcome lives with woman!

ON THE NEGLECT OF TRUE MERIT

FASHION and Folly always follow Fame,
Which Merit, slowly paced, is slow to claim.
The gaudy and the mean men love to praise,
But quiet Merit lives for other days.
There's pleasant CRUIKSHANK, hearty RIPPINGILLE,
And quiet HILTON, of diviner skill;
There's simple ETTY, never vain or proud,
Are left as common men among the crowd:

But Fame keeps watch and looks for other days,
And Merit claims for them diviner praise;
The others left behind have nought to claim,
And Merit wonders how they got to Fame;
For Merit still will live above the mean,
And CRUIKSHANK is what HOGARTH would have been.

THE SEQUEL TO JOHN BARLEYCORN

WHEN saucy Ale and I were young,
I told him to his face,
I'd put the tyrant in a song,
And bring him to disgrace.

But he would always give the lie,
And always bade me note;
He'd ever keep my pocket dry,
And leave me scarce a groat.

And when I blew his froth away,
He vowed he'd make me rue;
I tried to beat him every year,
But sure he said the true.

The coat had scarce a bit to own,
The hat was bare and brown,
All torn and open at the top,
Like pot-lid hanging down.

The maiden laughed, and well she might,
To see me brought so low;
And when I could not bear my plight,
I scarce had leg to go.

And when I gave him all I had,
He served me all the worse;
I lacked the friend who then might say—
‘Keep something in your purse.’

The scarecrow had a better hat,
Which cost but half a-crown;
And when I looked for Beauty's smile,
I only got her frown.

She turned her nose up at the coat,
With ‘Go, you drunkard, go!’
I found, while Ale was still a friend,
In each beside a foe.

He often bade me string my purse,
I tried to bear the jest;
I got a wife, I could not spend,
And bade him do his best.

He laughed at all the books I got
To while the night along;
He called them all but silly stuff,
And lit his pipe with song!

I waited like the trampled grass,
That might look up in spring;
I tried and got a better coat:
Now let him laugh and sing!

He ground me on, he kept me down,
And made me no amends;
I tried, and found the sober truth,
That robbers are no friends!

A WALK IN THE FOREST

I LOVE the Forest and its airy bounds,
Where friendly CAMPBELL takes his daily rounds;
I love the break neck hills, that headlong go,
And leave me high, and half the world below;
I love to see the Beach Hill mounting high,
The brook without a bridge, and nearly dry.
There's Bucket's Hill, a place of furze and clouds,
Which evening in a golden blaze enshrouds:
I hear the cows go home with tinkling bell,
And see the woodman in the forest dwell,
Whose dog runs eager where the rabbit's gone;
He eats the grass, then kicks and hurries on;
Then scrapes for hoarded bone, and tries to play,
And barks at larger dogs and runs away.

TO WORDSWORTH

WORDSWORTH I love; his books are like the fields,
Not filled with flowers, but works of human kind;
The pleasant weed a fragrant pleasure yields,
The briar and broomwood shaken by the wind,
The thorn and bramble o'er the water shoot
A finer flower than gardens e'er give birth,
The aged huntsman grubbing up the root—
I love them all as tenants of the earth:
Where genius is, there often die the seeds;
What critics throw away I love the more;
I love to stoop and look among the weeds,
To find a flower I never knew before:
WORDSWORTH go on—a greater poet be,
Merit will live, though parties disagree!

THE WATER LILIES

THE Water Lilies, white and yellow flowers,
How beautiful they are upon the lake!
I've stood and looked upon the place for hours,
And thought how fine a garden they would make.

The pleasant leaves upon the water float;
The dragon-fly would come and stay for hours,
And when the water pushed the pleasure boat,
Would find a safer place among the flowers:
They lay like Pleasure in a quiet place,
Close where the moor-hen loved her nest to make,—
They lay like beauty with a smiling face,
And I have called them ‘Ladies of the Lake!’
I've brought the longest pole and stood for hours,
And tried for years, before I got those flowers!

THE FRIGHTENED PLOUGHMAN

I WENT in the fields with the leisure I got,
The stranger might smile, but I heeded him not;
The hovel was ready to screen from a shower,
And the book in my pocket was read in an hour.

The bird came for shelter, but soon flew away;
The horse came to look, and seemed happy to stay;
He stood up in quiet, and hung down his head,
And seemed to be hearing the poem I read.

The ploughman would turn from his plough in the day,
And wonder what being had come in his way,
To lie on a molehill, and read the day long,
And laugh out aloud when he finished his song.

The peewit turned over and stooped o'er my head,
Where the raven croaked loud, like the ploughman ill-bred,
But the lark high above charmed me all the day long,
So I sat down and joined in the chorus of song.

The foolhardy ploughman I well could endure,
His praise was worth nothing, his censure was poor;
Fame bade me go on, and I toiled the day long,
Till the fields where he lived should be known in my song.

A WALK ON HIGH BEACH, LOUGHTON

I LOVED the Forest walks and beechen woods,
Where pleasant STOCKDALE showed me far away
Wild Enfield Chase, and pleasant Edmonton;
While Giant London, known to all the world,
Was nothing but a guess among the trees,
Though only half a day from where we stood.
Such is ambition! only great at home,
And hardly known to quiet and repose.
I loved the Forest walk, and often stood
To hear boys halloo to their wilder sheep;
While quiet TURNER sat upon a hill,
And gentle HOWARD cut his sticks and sang.
The Sticker trailed her faggot on the ground,
And all the Forest seemed to live with joy.

LONDON VERSUS EPPING FOREST

THE brakes, like young stag's horns, come up in Spring,
And hide the rabbit holes and fox's den;
They crowd about the forest everywhere;
The ling and holly-bush, and woods of beach,
With room enough to walk and search for flowers;
Then look away and see the Kentish heights.
Nature is lofty in her better mood,
She leaves the world and greatness all behind;
Thus London, like a shrub among the hills,
Lies hid and lower than the bushes here.
I could not bear to see the tearing plough
Root up and steal the Forest from the poor,
But leave to freedom all she loves, untamed,
The Forest walk enjoyed and loved by all!

GREATNESS OF MIND

GREAT men are always kind, however rare,
And more like common men than others are;
The poor man saw the King and wondered on,
To find him only like his neighbour JOHN:

Greatness will live with Kindness everywhere;
The sun shines brighter when the days are clear;
Time mellows fruit, and suns bring on the flowers,
And Greatness lives with Kindness in all hours:
Fame makes them giants with her idle praise,
Though common men at home, like common days:
But Pride is ever low, and will deride;
It nothing knows, for Ignorance is Pride.
Pride would be great, but Folly laughs aloud,
And Pride sinks down to nothing in the crowd.

THE GIPSY CAMP

THE snow falls deep; the Forest lies alone:
The boy goes hasty for his load of brakes,
Then thinks upon the fire and hurries back;
The Gipsy knocks his hands and tucks them up,
And seeks his squalid camp, half hid in snow,
Beneath the oak, which breaks away the wind,
And bushes close, with snow like hovel warm:
There stinking mutton roasts upon the coals,
And the half-roasted dog squats close and rubs,
Then feels the heat too strong and goes aloof;
He watches well, but none a bit can spare,
And vainly waits the morsel thrown away:
'Tis thus they live—a picture to the place;
A quiet, pilfering, unprotected race.

THE TRUE SPIRITUAL WORSHIP

GOD lives alone in quiet thoughts,
And not in empty fears;
The idle rave and noise aloud—
GOD never interferes.

The Prophet heard the noisy storm—
The quiet ne'er despair—
The Prophet heard the thunder loud,
But GOD was never there.

The Prophet heard the still, small voice,
The way but seldom trod;
The Prophet lifted up his eyes,
And knew the voice of GOD!

Men lay the rage of men to GOD;
He hears the feeble call;
GOD heeds; HIS is the kindest love,
To be the friend of all!

LOVE AND BEAUTY

WHEN Beauty fills the lover's eyes,
And lives like doubtful weather,
Her bosom seems to sleep with love;
They lie like birds together.

Love finds them angels ready made,
So beautiful and blooming;
But Time comes in, though half afraid,
And rudely calls them woman.

Time, like a robber, every year
Takes all the fame he gives;
While Beauty only goes away,
And Virtue only lives.

THE COURTSHIP

Where are you going lovely maid
The morning fine & early
Im going to Walkerd Sir she said
& made accross the barley

Her neck a thumb & finger span
Her bosom swelling over
Her waist was half the vulgar kind
An armful for a lover

I asked her name she blushed away
The question seemed to burn her
A neighbour came & passed the day
& called her Patty Turner

She led me on a pleasant way
Through fields when brown & fallow
Dear Walkerd lay upon the hill
& Stamford in the hollow

I see the oak agen the door
The wood agen the garden
I bade good bye she turned agen
With smiles my look rewarding

I wrote my better poems there
To beautys praise I owe it
The muses they get all the praise
But woman makes the poet

A womans is the dearest love
Theres nought on earth sincerer
The leisure upon beautys breast
Can any thing be dearer

The muses they are living things
& beauty ever dear
& though I worshiped stocks & stones
Twas woman every where

In loves delight my steps was led
I sung of beautys choice
I saw her in the books I read
& all was Mary Joyce

I saw her love in beautys face
I saw her in the rose
I saw her in the fairest flowers
In every weed that grows

Till Patty fell in beautys way
That dearer loves recall
& stood a flower in beautys way
The lily of them all

THE COWSLIPS

THE dancing Cowslips come in pleasant hours;
Though seldom sung, they're everybody's flowers:
They hurry from the world, and leave the cold;
And all the meadows turn from green to gold:
The shepherd finds them where he went to play,
And wears a nosegay in his mouth all day:
The maiden finds them in the pleasant grove,
And puts them in her bosom with her love;
She loves the ladysmocks: and just beyond
The water blobs close to the meadow-pond.
I've often gone—about where blackthorns stood—
And got the Bedlam-Cowslips in the wood;
Then found the blackbird's nest, and noisy jay
And up and threw the Cowslips all away!

THE MOCK BIRD

I'VE often tried, when tending sheep and cow,
With bits of grass and peels of oaten straw,
To whistle like the birds. The thrush would start
To hear her song, and pause, and fly away;
The blackbird never cared, but sang again;
The nightingale's fine song I could not try;
And when the thrush would mock her song, she paused,
And sang another song no bird could do!
She sang when all were done, and beat them all.
I've often sat and mocked them half the day,
Behind the hedge-row, thorn, or bullace tree:
I thought how nobly I could act in crowds.
The woods and fields were all the books I knew,
And every leisure thought was Love and Fame.

THE BOTANIST'S WALK

THE Forest meets the blessings of the Spring;
The chestnut throws her sticky buds away,
And shows her pleasant leaves and snow-white flowers;
The nightingale is loud, and often heard
The notes of every song, and hardly known,
She hides and sings, a stranger all the day;

The spurge, with caper-flowers of yellow green—
And called ‘wild capers’, when I went in woods
To look for nests and hear the nightingale;
Dog-mercury shoots; the sloe is full of flowers;
A willow flowers, and just above the ground,
The furze, like myrtle, scarce a finger long,
Is every where, and full of golden flowers;
And butterflies, the colour of the flowers—
As if the winds had blown them from their stalks—
Are all about, and every where is Spring!

NORTHAMPTON MANUSCRIPT 8

[Nigh Leopards hill stand All*ns hells]

Nigh Leopards hill stand All*ns hells
The public know the same
Where lady sods & buggers dwell
To play the dirty game

A man there is a prisoner there
Locked up from week to week
He's very fond they do declare
To play at hide & seek

With sweethearts so they seem to say
& such like sort of stuff
Well—one did come the other day
With half a pound of snuff

The snuff went here the snuff went there
& is not that a bad house
To cheat a prisoner of his fare
In a well ordered madhouse

They'll cheat you of your money friend
By takeing too much care o't
& if your wives their cun---ys send
They're sure to have a share o't

Now where this snuff could chance to stop
Perhaps gifts hurded are up
Till Mat & steward open shop
& have a jolly flare up

Madhouses they must shut up shop
& tramp to fairs & races
Master & men as madmen stop
Life lives by changeing places

[What happy thoughts the summer yields]

What happy thoughts the summer yields
Like woman soft & fair
The voice of love is in the fields
While music fills the air

[—Truth must be truth & will where e'er we go]

—Truth must be truth & will where e'er we go
Though bigots howl & fight to answer ‘No’

BALLAD—FRAGMENT

[O Lord God Almighty How Usefull Art Thou]

O Lord God Almighty How Usefull Art Thou
To Darn The Knaves Cloak & To Paint The Thieves Brow
As Good As A Laundress Thy Kindness Has Been
To Help Starving Sinners & Wash The Unclean
Thou'rt As Good As A Nurse To The Sickly & Lame
That Live In Bad House's & Die In Ill Fame
For The Worst In The World Have A Passport For Heaven
While The Best Go To Hell Like A Deed Unforgiven

& I'll Hazard Hell Upon Life's Roughest Waves
Before I'll Be Cheated By Ruffians & Knaves
Plain Honesty Still Is The Truth Of My Song
& I'll Still Stick For Right To Be Out Of The Wrong
The Honest & True My Example Shall Be
For While A Man's Honest His Conscience Is Free

CHILD HAROLD

Many are poets—though they use no pen
To show their labours to the shuffling age
Real poets must be truly honest men
Tied to no mongrel laws on flatterys page
No zeal have they for wrong or party rage
—The life of labour is a rural song
That hurts no cause—nor warfare tries to wage
Toil like the brook in music wears along—
Great little minds claim right to act the wrong

Ballad

Summer morning is risen
& to even it wends
& still Im in prison
Without any friends

I had joys assurance
Though in bondage I lie
—I am still left in durance
Unwilling to sigh

Still the forest is round me
Where the trees bloom in green
As if chains ne'er had bound me
Or cares had ne'er been

Nature's love is eternal
In forest & plain
Her course is diurnal
To blossom again

For home & friends vanished
I have kindness not wrath
For in days care has banished
My heart possessed both

My hopes are all hopeless
My skys have no sun
Winter fell in youths mayday
& still freezes on

But Love like the seed is
In the heart of a flower
It will blossom with truth
In a prosperous hour

True love is eternal
For God is the giver
& love like the soul will
Endure—& forever

& he who studies natures volume through
& reads it with a pure unselfish mind
Will find Gods power all round in every view
As one bright vision of the almighty mind
His eyes are open though the world is blind
No ill from him creations works deform
The high & lofty one is great & kind
Evil may cause the blight & crushing storm
His is the sunny glory & the calm

Song

The sun has gone down with a veil on his brow
While I in the forest sit museing alone
The maiden has been oer the hills for her cow
While my hearts affections are freezing to stone
Sweet Mary I wish that the day was my own
To live in a cottage with beauty & thee
The past I will not as a mourner bemoan
For abscence leaves Mary still dearer to me

How sweet are the glooms of the midsummer even
Dark night in the bushes seems going to rest
& the bosom of Mary with fancys is heaving
Where my sorrows & feelings for seasons were blest
Nor will I repine though in love we're divided
She in the Lowlands & I in the glen
Of these forest beeches—by nature we're guided
& I shall find rest on her bosom agen

How soft the dew falls on the leaves of the beeches
How fresh the wild flower seems to slumber below
How sweet are the lessons that nature still teaches
For truth is her tidings wherever I go

From school days of boyhood her image was cherished
In manhood sweet Mary was fairer then flowers
Nor yet has her name or her memory perished
Though abscence like winter oer happiness lowers

Though cares still will gather like clouds in my sky
Though hopes may grow hopeless & fetters recoil
While the sun of existance sheds light in my eye
I'll be free in a prison & cling to the soil
I'll cling to the spot where my first love was cherished
Where my heart nay my soul unto Mary I gave
& when my last hope & existance is perished
Her memory will shine like a sun on my grave

Mary thou ace of hearts thou muse of song
The pole star of my being & decay
Earths coward foes my shattered bark may wrong
Still thourt the sunrise of my natal day
Born to misfortunes—where no sheltering bay
Keeps off the tempest—wrecked where'er I flee
I struggle with my fate—in trouble strong—
Mary thy name loved long still keeps me free
Till my lost life becomes a part of thee

Song a

I've wandered many a weary mile
Love in my heart was burning
To seek a home in Mary[s] smile
But cold is loves returning

The cold ground was a feather bed
Truth never acts contrary
I had no home above my head
My home was love & Mary

I had no home in early youth
When my first love was thwarted
But if her heart still beats with truth
We'll never more be parted
& changing as her love may be
My own shall never vary
Nor night nor day I'm never free
But sigh for abscent Mary

Nor night nor day nor sun nor shade
Week month nor rolling year
Repairs the breach wronged love hath made
There madness—misery here
Lifes lease was lengthened by her smiles
—Are truth & love contrary
No ray of hope my life beguiles
I've lost love home & Mary

Love is the main spring of existance—It
Becomes a soul wherebye I live to love
On all I see that dearest name is writ
Falsehood is here—but truth has life above
Where every star that shines exists in love
Skys vary in their clouds—the seasons vary
From heat to cold—change cannot constant prove
The south is bright—but smiles can act contrary
My guide star gilds the north—& shines with Mary

Song b

Heres where Mary loved to be
& here are flowers she planted
Here are books she loved to see
& here the kiss she granted

Here on the wall with smileing brow
Her picture used to cheer me
Both walls & rooms are naked now
No Marys nigh to hear me

The church spire still attracts my eye
& leaves me broken hearted
Though grief hath worn their channels dry
I sigh o'er days departed

The churchyard where she used to play
My feet could wander hourly
My school walks there was every day
Where she made winter flowery

But where is angel Mary now
Loves secrets none disclose 'em
Her rosey cheeks & broken vow
Live in my aching bosom

My life hath been one love—no blot it out
My life hath been one chain of contradictions
Madhouses Prisons wh---re shops—never doubt
But that my life hath had some strong convictions
That such was wrong—religion makes restrictions

I would have followed—but life turned a bubble
& clumb the jiant stile of maledictions
They took me from my wife & to save trouble
I wed again & made the error double

Yet abscence claims them both & keeps them too
& locks me in a shop in spite of law
Among a low lived set & dirty crew
Here let the Muse oblivions curtain draw
& let man think—for God hath often saw
Things here too dirty for the light of day
For in a madhouse there exists no law—
Now stagnant grows my too refined clay
I envy birds their wings to flye away

How servile is the task to please alone
Though beauty woo & love inspire the song
Mere painted beauty with her heart of stone
Thinks the world worships while she flaunts along
The flower of sunshine butterflye of song
Give me the truth of heart in womans life
The love to cherish one—& do no wrong
To none—O peace of every care & strife
Is true love in an estimable wife

How beautifull this hill of fern swells on
So beautifull the chappel peeps between
The hornbeams—with its simple bell—alone
I wander here hid in a palace green
Mary is abscent—but the forest queen
Nature is with me—morning noon & gloaming
I write my poems in these paths unseen
& when among these brakes & beeches roaming
I sigh for truth & home & love & woman

I sigh for one & two—& still I sigh
For many are the whispers I have heard
From beautys lips—loves soul in many an eye
Hath pierced my heart with such intense regard
I Looked for joy & pain was the reward
I think of them I love each girl & boy
Babes of two mothers—on this velvet sward
& nature thinks—in her so sweet employ
While dews fall on each blossom weeping joy

Here is the chappel yard enclosed with pales
& oak trees nearly top its little bell
Here is the little bridge with guiding rail
That leads me on to many a pleasant dell
The fernowl chitters like a startled knell
To nature—yet tis sweet at evening still—
A pleasant road curves round the gentle swell
Where nature seems to have her own sweet will
Planting her beech & thorn about the sweet fern hill

I have had many loves—& seek no more—
These solitudes my last delights shall be
The leaf hid forest—& the lonely shore
Seem to my mind like beings that are free
Yet would I had some eye to smile on me
Some heart where I could make a happy home in
Sweet Susan that was wont my love to be
& Bessey of the glen—for I've been roaming
With both at morn & noon & dusky gloaming

Cares gather round I snap their chains in two
& smile in agony & laugh in tears
Like playing with a deadly serpent—who
Stings to the death—there is no room for fears
Where death would bring me happiness—his sheers
Kills cares that hiss to poison many a vein
The thought to be extinct my fate endears
Pale death the grand phis[i]cian cures all pain
The dead rest well—who lived for joys in vain

Written in a Thunder storm July 15th 1841

The heavens are wrath—the thunders rattling peal
Rolls like a vast volcano in the sky
Yet nothing starts the apathy I feel
Nor chills with fear eternal destiny

My soul is apathy—a ruin vast
Time cannot clear the ruined mass away
My life is hell—the hopeless die is cast
& manhoods prime is premature decay

Roll on ye wrath of thunders—peal on peal
Till worlds are ruins & myself alone
Melt heart & soul cased in obdurate steel
Till I can feel that nature is my throne

I live in love sun of undying light
& fathom my own heart for ways of good
In its pure atmosphere day without night
Smiles on the plains the forest & the flood

Smile on ye elements of earth & sky
Or frown in thunders as ye frown on me
Bid earth & its delusions pass away
But leave the mind as its creator free

This twilight seems a veil of gause & mist
Trees seem dark hills between the earth & sky
Winds sob awake & then a gusty hist
Fanns through the wheat like serpents gliding bye
I love to stretch my length 'tween earth & sky
& see the inky foliage oer me wave
Though shades are still my prison where I lie
Long use grows nature which I easy brave
& think how sweet cares rest within the grave

Remind me not of other years or tell
My broken hopes of joys they are to meet
While thy own falshood rings the loudest knell
To one fond heart that aches too cold to beat
Mary how oft with fondness I repeat
That name alone to give my troubles rest
The very sound though bitter seemeth sweet—
In my loves home & thy own faithless breast
Truths bonds are broke & every nerve distrest

Life is to me a dream that never wakes
Night finds me on this lengthening road alone
Love is to me a thought that ever aches
A frost bound thought that freezes life to stone
Mary in truth & nature still my own
That warms the winter of my aching breast
Thy name is joy nor will I life bemoan—
Midnight when sleep takes charge of natures rest
Finds me awake & friendless—not distrest

Tie all my cares up in thy arms O sleep
& give my weary spirits peace & rest
I'm not an outlaw in this midnight deep
If prayers are offered from sweet womans breast

One & one only made my being blest
& fancy shapes her form in every dell
On that sweet bosom I've had hours of rest
Though now through years of abscence doomed to dwell
Day seems my night & night seems blackest hell

England my country though my setting sun
Sinks in the ocean gloom & dregs of life
My muse can sing my Marys heart was won
& joy was heaven when I called her wife
The only harbour in my days of strife
Was Mary when the sea roiled mountains high
When joy was lost & every sorrow rife
To her sweet bosom I was wont to flye
To undecieve by truth lifes treacherous agony

Friend of the friendless from a host of snares
From lying varlets & from friendly foes
I sought thy quiet truth to ease my cares
& on the blight of reason found repose
But when the strife of nature ceased her throes
& other hearts would beat for my return
I trusted fate to ease my world of woes
Seeking loves harbour—where I now sojourn
—But hell is heaven could I cease to mourn

For her for one whose very name is yet
My hell or heaven—& will ever be
Falsehood is doubt—but I can ne'er forget
Oaths virtuous falsehood volunteered to me
To make my soul new bonds which God made free
Gods gift is love & do I wrong the giver
To place affections wrong from Gods decree
—No[w] when farewell upon my lips did quiver
& all seemed lost—I loved her more then ever

I loved her in all climes beneath the sun
Her name was like a jewel in my heart
Twas heavens own choice—& so Gods will be done
Love ties that keep unbroken cannot part
Nor can cold abscence sever or desert
That simple beauty blessed with matchless charms
Oceans have rolled between us—not to part
E'en Icelands snows true loves delirium warms
For there Ive dreamed—& Mary filled my arms

Song

O Mary sing thy songs to me
Of love & beautys melody
My sorrows sink beneath distress
My deepest griefs are sorrowless
So used to glooms & cares am I
My tearless troubles seem as joy
O Mary sing thy songs to me
Of love & beautys melody

‘To be beloved is all I need
& them I love are loved indeed’
The soul of woman is my shrine
& Mary made my songs divine
O for that time that happy time
To hear thy sweet Piana's chime
In music so divine & clear
That woke my soul in heaven to hear

But heaven itself without thy face
To me would be no resting place
& though the world was one delight
No joy would live but in thy sight

The soul of woman is my shrine
Then Mary make those songs divine
For music love & melody
Breath all of thee & only thee

Song

Lovely Mary when we parted
I ne'er felt so lonely hearted
As I do now in field & glen
When hope says ‘we shall meet agen’
& by yon spire that points to heaven
Where my earliest vows was given
By each meadow field & fen
I'll love thee till we meet agen

True as the needle to the pole
My life I love thee heart & soul
Wa'n't thy love in my heart enrolled
Though love was fire 't'would soon be cold
By thy eyes of heavens own blue
My heart for thine was ever true
By sun & moon by sea & shore
My life I love thee more & more

& by that hope that lingers last
For heaven when lifes hell is past
By time the present—past & gone
I've loved thee—& I love thee on

Thy beauty made youths life divine
Till my soul grew a part of thine
Mary I mourn no pleasures gone—
The past hath made us both as one

Now melancholly autumn comes anew
With showery clouds & fields of wheat tanned brown
Along the meadow banks I peace pursue
& see the wild flowers gleaming up & down
Like sun & light—the ragworts golden crown
Mirrors like sunshine when sunbeams retire
& silver yarrow—there's the little town
& oer the meadows gleams that slender spire
Reminding me of one—& waking fond desire

I love thee nature in my inmost heart
Go where I will thy truth seems from above
Go where I will thy landscape forms a part
Of heaven—e'en these fens where wood nor grove
Are seen—their very nakedness I love
For one dwells nigh that secret hopes prefer
Above the race of women—like the dove
I mourn her abscence—fate that would deter
My hate for all things—strengthens love for her

Thus saith the great & high & lofty one
Whose name is holy—home eternity
In the high & holy place I dwell alone
& with them also that I wish to see
Of contrite humble spirits—from sin free
Who trembles at my word—& good recieve
—Thou high & lofty one—O give to me
Truths low estate & I will glad believe
If such I am not—such I'm feign to live

That form from boyhood loved & still loved on
That voice—that look—that face of one delight
Loves register for years, months, weeks—time past & gone
Her looks was ne'er forgot or out of sight
—Mary the muse of every song I write
Thy cherished memory never leaves my own
Though cares chill winter doth my manhood blight
& freeze like Niobe my thoughts to stone—
Our lives are two—our end & aim is one

Ballad

Sweet days while God your blessings send
I call your joys my own
—& if I have an only friend
I am not left alone

She sees the fields the trees the spires
Which I can daily see
& if true love her heart inspires
Life still has joys for me

She sees the wild flower in the dells
That in my rambles shine
The sky that oer her homstead dwells
Looks sunny over mine

The cloud that passes where she dwells
In less then half an hour
Darkens around these orchard dells
Or melts a sudden shower

The wind that leaves the sunny south
& fans the orchard tree
Might steal the kisses from her mouth
& waft her voice to me

O when will autumn bring the news
Now harvest browns the fen
That Mary as my vagrant muse
& I shall meet agen

Tis pleasant now days hours begin to pass
To dewy Eve—To walk down narrow close
& feel ones feet among refreshing grass
& hear the insects in their homes discourse
& startled blackbird flye from covert close
Of white thorn hedge with wild fears fluttering wings
& see the spire & hear the clock toll hoarse
& whisper names—& think oer many things
That love hurds up in truths imaginings

Fame blazed upon me like a comets glare
Fame waned & left me like a fallen star
Because I told the evil what they are
& truth & falshood never wished to mar
My Life hath been a wreck—& I've gone far
For peace & truth—& hope—for home & rest
—Like Edens gates—fate throws a constant bar—
Thoughts may o'ertake the sunset in the west
—Man meets no home within a womans breast

Though they are blazoned in the poets song
As all the comforts which our lifes contain
I read & sought such joys my whole life long
& found the best of poets sung in vain
But still I read & sighed & sued again
& lost no purpose where I had the will
I almost worshiped when my toils grew vain
Finding no antidote my pains to kill
I sigh a poet & a lover still

Song

Dying gales of sweet even
How can you sigh so
Though the sweet day is leaving
& the sun sinketh low
How can you sigh so
For the wild flower is gay
& her dew gems all glow
For the abscence of day

Dying gales of sweet even
Breath music from toil
Dusky eve is loves heaven
& meets beautys smile
Love leans on the stile
Where the rustic brooks flow
Dying gales all the while
How can you sigh so

Dying gales round a prison
To fancy may sigh
But day here hath risen
Over prospects of joy

Here Mary would toy
When the sun it got low
Even gales whisper joy
& never sigh so

Labour lets man his brother
Retire to his nest
The babe meets its mother
& sleeps on her breast—
The sun in the west
Has gone down in the ocean
Dying gales gently sweep
O'er the hearts ruffled motion
& sing it to sleep

Song

The spring may forget that he reigns in the sky
& winter again hide her flowers in the snow
The summer may thirst when her fountains are dry
But I'll think of Mary wherever I go
The bird may forget that her nest is begun
When the snow settles white on the new budding tree
& nature in tempests forget the bright sun
But I'll ne'er forget her—that was plighted to me

How could I—how should I—that loved her so early
Forget—when I've sung of her beauty in song
How could I forget—what I've worshiped so dearly
From boyhood to manhood—& all my life long—
As leaves to the branches in summer comes duly
& blossoms will bloom on the stalk & the tree
To her beauty I'll cling—& I'll love her as truly
& think of sweet Mary wherever I be

Song

No single hour can stand for nought
No moment hand can move
But calenders a aching thought
Of my first lonely love

Where silence doth the loudest call
My secrets to betray
As moonlight holds the night in thrall
As suns reveal the day

I hide it in the silent shades
Till silence finds a tongue
I make its grave where time invades
Till time becomes a song

I bid my foolish heart be still
But hopes will not be chid
My heart will beat—& burn—& chill
First love will not be hid

When summer ceases to be green
& winter bare & blea—
Death may forget what I have been
But I must cease to be

When words refuse before the crowd
My Marys name to give
The muse in silence sings aloud
& there my love will live

Now harvest smiles embrowning all the plain
The sun of heaven oer its ripeness shines
‘Peace-plenty’ has been sung nor sung in vain
As all bring forth the makers grand designs
—Like gold that brightens in some hidden mines
His nature is the wealth that brings increase
To all the world—his sun forever shines
—He hides his face & troubles they increase
He smiles—the sun looks out in wealth & peace

This life is made of lying & grimace
This world is filled with whoring & decieving
Hypocrisy ne'er masks an honest face
Story's are told—but seeing is believing
& I've seen much from which there's no retrieving
I've seen deception take the place of truth
I've seen knaves flourish—& the country grieving
Lies was the current gospel in my youth
& now a man—I'm farther off from truth

Song

They near read the heart
Who would read it in mine
That love can desert
The first truth on his shrine
Though in Lethe I steep it
& sorrows prefer
In my hearts core I keep it
& keep it for her

For her & her only
Through months & through years
I've wandered thus lonely
In sorrow & fears
My sorrows I smother
Though troubles anoy
In this world & no other
I cannot meet joy

No peace nor yet pleasure
Without her will stay
Life looses its treasure
When Mary's away
Though the nightingale often
In sorrow may sing
—Can the blast of the winter
Meet blooms of the spring

Thou first best & dearest
Though dwelling apart
To my heart still the nearest
Forever thou art
& thou wilt be the dearest
Though our joys may be o'er
& to me thou art nearest
Though I meet thee no more

Song

Did I know where to meet thee
Thou dearest in life
How soon would I greet thee
My true love & wife

How soon would I meet thee
At close of the day
Though cares would still cheat me
If Mary would meet me
I'd kiss her sweet beauty & love them away

& when evening discovers
The sun in the west
I long like true lovers
To lean on thy breast
To meet thee my dearest
—Thy eyes beaming blue
Abscent pains the severest
Feel Mary's the dearest
And if Mary's abscent—how can I be true

How dull the glooms cover
This meadow & fen
Where I as a lover
Seek Mary agen
But silence is teazing
Wherever I stray
There's nothing seems pleasing
Or aching thoughts easing
Though Mary live's near me—she seems far away

O would these gales murmur
My love in her ear
Or a birds note inform her
While I linger here
But nature contrary
Turns night into day
No bird—gale—or fairy
Can whisper to Mary
To tell her who seeks her—while Mary's away

Dull must that being live who sees unmoved
The scenes & objects that his childhood knew
The school yard & the maid he early loved
The sunny wall where long the old Elms grew
The grass that e'en till noon retains the dew
Beneath the wallnut shade I see them still
Though not such fancys do I now pursue
Yet still the picture turns my bosom chill
& leaves a void—nor love nor hope may fill

After long abscence how the mind recalls
Pleasing associations of the past
Haunts of his youth—thorn hedges & old walls
& hollow trees that sheltered from the blast
& all that map of boyhood overcast
With glooms & wrongs & sorrows not his own
That oer his brow like the scathed lightening past
That turned his spring to winter & alone
Wrecked name & fame & all—to solitude unknown

So on he lives in glooms & living death
A shade like night forgetting & forgot
Insects that kindle in the springs young breath
Take hold of life & share a brighter lot
Then he the tennant of the hall & Cot
The princely palace too hath been his home
& Gipseys camp when friends would know him not
In midst of wealth a beggar still to roam
Parted from one whose heart was once his home

& yet not parted—still loves hope illumes
& like the rainbow brightest in the storm
It looks for joy beyond the wreck of tombs
& in lifes winter keeps loves embers warm

The oceans roughest tempest meets a calm
Cares thickest cloud shall break in sunny joy
O'er the parched waste showers yet shall fall like balm
& she the soul of life for whom I sigh
Like flowers shall cheer me when the storm is bye

Song

O Mary dear three springs have been
Three summers too have blossomed here
Three blasting winters crept between
Though abscence is the most severe
Another summer blooms in green
But Mary never once was seen

I've sought her in the fields & flowers
I've sought her in the forest groves
In avanues & shaded bowers
& every scene that Mary loves
E'en round her home I seek her here
But Marys abscent every where

Tis autumn & the rustling corn
Goes loaded on the creaking wain
I seek her in the early morn
But cannot meet her face again
Sweet Mary she is abscent still
& much I fear she ever will

The autumn morn looks mellow as the fruit
& ripe as harvest—every field & farm
Is full of health & toil—yet never mute
With rustic mirth & peace the day is warm

The village maid with gleans upon her arm
Brown as the hazel nut from field to field
Goes cheerily—the valleys native charm—
I seek for charms that autumn best can yield
In mellowing wood & time ybleaching field

Song

Tis autumn now & natures scenes
The pleachy fields & yellowing trees
Looses their blooming hues & greens
But nature finds no change in me
The fading woods the russet grange
The hues of nature may desert
But nought in me shall find a change
To wrong the angel of my heart
For Mary is my angel still
Through every month & every ill

The leaves they loosen from the branch
& fall upon the gusty wind
But my hearts silent love is staunch
& nought can tear her from my mind
The flowers are gone from dell & bower
Though crowds from summers lap was given
But love is an eternal flower
Like purple amaranths in heaven
To Mary first my heart did bow
& if she's true she keeps it now

Just as the summer keeps the flower
Which spring conscealed in hoods of gold
Or unripe harvest met the shower
& made earths blessings manifold

Just so my Mary lives for me
A silent thought for months & years
The world may live in revellry
Her name my lonely quiet cheers
& cheer it will what e'er may be
While Mary lives to think of me

Sweet comes the misty mornings in september
Among the dewy paths how sweet to stray
Greensward or stubbles as I well remember
I once have done—the mist curls thick & grey
As cottage smoke—like net work on the sprey
Or seeded grass the cobweb draperies run
Beaded with pearls of dew at early day
& oer the pleachy stubbles peeps the sun
The lamp of day when that of night is done

What mellowness these harvest days unfold
In the strong glances of the midday sun
The homesteads very grass seems changed to gold
The light in golden shadows seems to run
& tinges every spray it rests upon
With that rich harvest hue of sunny joy
Nature lifes sweet companion cheers alone—
The hare starts up before the shepherd boy
& partridge coveys wir on russet wings of joy

The meadow flags now rustle bleached & dank
& misted oer with down as fine as dew
The sloe & dewberry shine along the bank
Where weeds in blooms luxuriance lately grew
Red rose the sun & up the morehen flew
From bank to bank the meadow arches stride
Where foamy floods in winter tumbles through
& spread a restless ocean foaming wide
Where now the cowboys sleep nor fear the coming tide

About the medows now I love to sit
On banks bridge walls & rails as when a boy
To see old trees bend oer the flaggy pit
With hugh roots bare that time does not destroy
Where sits the angler at his days employ
& there [the] Ivy leaves the bank to climb
The tree—& now how sweet to weary joy
—Aye nothing seems so happy & sublime
As sabbath bells & their delightfull chime

Sweet solitude thou partner of my life
Thou balm of hope & every pressing care
Thou soothing silence oer the noise of strife
These meadow flats & trees—the Autumn air
Mellows my heart to harmony—I bear
Lifes burthen happily—these fenny dells
Seem Eden in this sabbath rest from care
My heart with loves first early memory swells
To hear the music of those village bells

For in that hamlet lives my rising sun
Whose beams hath cheered me all my lorn life long
My heart to nature there was early won
For she was natures self—& still my song
Is her through sun & shade through right & wrong

On her my memory forever dwells
The flower of Eden—evergreen of song
Truth in my heart the same love story tells
—I love the music of those village bells

Song

Heres a health unto thee bonny lassie O
Leave the thorns o' care wi' me
& whatever I may be
Here's happiness to thee
Bonny lassie O

Here's joy unto thee bonny lassie O
Though we never meet again
I well can bear the pain
If happiness is thine
Bonny lassie O

Here is true love unto thee bonny lassie O
Though abscence cold is ours
The spring will come wi' flowers
& love will wait for thee
Bonny lassie O

So heres love unto thee bonny lassie O
Aye wherever I may be
Here's a double health to thee
Till life shall cease to love
Bonny lassie O

The blackbird startles from the homestead hedge
Raindrops & leaves fall yellow as he springs
Such images are natures sweetest pledge
To me there's music in his rustling wings
‘Prink prink’ he cries & loud the robin sings
The small hawk like a shot drops from the sky
Close to my feet for mice & creeping things
Then swift as thought again he suthers bye
& hides among the clouds from the pursueing eye

Song

Her cheeks are like roses
Her eyes they are blue
& her beauty is mine
If her heart it is true

Her cheeks are like roses—
& though she's away
I shall see her sweet beauty
On some other day

Ere the flowers of the spring
Deck the meadow & plain
If theres truth in her bosom
I shall see her again

I will love her as long
As the brooks they shall flow
For Mary is mine &
Whereso ever I go

Honesty & good intentions are
So mowed & hampered in with evil lies
She hath not room to stir a single foot
Or even strength to break a spiders web
—So lies keep climbing round loves sacred stem
Blighting fair truth whose leaf is evergreen
Whose roots are the hearts fibres & whose sun
The soul that cheers & smiles it into bloom
Till heaven proclaims that truth can never die

The lightenings vivid flashes—rend the cloud
That rides like castled crags along the sky
& splinters them to fragments—while aloud
The thunders heavens artillery vollies bye
Trees crash, earth trembles—beast prepare to flye
Almighty what a crash—yet man is free
& walks unhurt while danger seems so nigh—
Heavens archway now the rainbow seems to be
That spans the eternal round of earth & sky & sea

A shock, a moment, in the wrath of God
Is long as hell's eternity to all
His thunderbolts leave life but as the clod
Cold & inna[ni]mate—their temples fall
Beneath his frown to ashes—the eternal pall
Of wrath sleeps oer the ruins where they fell
& nought of memory may their creeds recall
The sin of Sodom was a moments yell
Fires death bed theirs their first grave the last hell

The towering willow with its pliant boughs
Sweeps its grey foliage to the autumn wind
The level grounds where oft a group of cows
Huddled together close—or propped behind
An hedge or hovel ruminate & find
The peace—as walks & health & I pursue
For natures every place is still resigned
To happiness—new life's in every view
& here I comfort seek & early joys renew

The lake that held a mirror to the sun
Now curves with wrinkles in the stillest place
The autumn wind sounds hollow as a gun
& water stands in every swampy place
Yet in these fens peace harmony & grace
The attributes of nature are alied
The barge with naked mast in sheltered place
Beside the brig close to the bank is tied
While small waves plashes by its bulky side

Song

The floods come oer the meadow leas
The dykes are full & brimming
Field furrows reach the horses knees
Where wild ducks oft are swimming
The skyes are black the fields are bare
The trees their coats are loosing
The leaves are dancing in the air
The sun its warmth refusing

Brown are the flags & fadeing sedge
& tanned the meadow plains
Bright yellow is the osier hedge
Beside the brimming drains
The crows sit on the willow tree
The lake is full below
But still the dullest thing I see
Is self that wanders slow

The dullest scenes are not so dull
As thoughts I cannot tell
The brimming dykes are not so full
As my hearts silent swell
I leave my troubles to the winds
With none to share a part
The only joy my feeling finds
Hides in an aching heart

Abscence in love is worse then any fate
Summer is winters desert & the spring
Is like a ruined city desolate
Joy dies & hope retires on feeble wing
Nature sinks heedless—birds unheeded sing
Tis solitude in citys—crowds all move
Like living death—though all to life still cling—
The strongest bitterest thing that life can prove
Is womans undisguise of hate & love

Song

I think of thee at early day
& wonder where my love can be
& when the evening shadows grey
O how I think of thee

Along the meadow banks I rove
& down the flaggy fen
& hope my first & early love
To meet thee once agen

I think of thee at dewy morn
& at the sunny noon
& walks with thee—now left forlorn
Beneath the silent moon

I think of thee I think of all
How blest we both have been—
The sun looks pale upon the wall
& autumn shuts the scene

I can't expect to meet thee now
The winter floods begin
The wind sighs through the naked bough
Sad as my heart within

I think of thee the seasons through
In spring when flowers I see
In winters lorn & naked view
I think of only thee

While life breaths on this earthly ball
What e'er my lot may be
Wether in freedom or in thrall
Mary I think of thee

Tis winter & the fields are bare & waste
The air one mass of ‘vapour clouds & storms’
The suns broad beams are buried & oercast
& chilly glooms the midday light deforms
Yet comfort now the social bosom warms
Friendship of nature which I hourly prove
Even in this winter scene of frost & storms
Bare fields the frozen lake & leafless grove
Are natures grand religion & true love

Song

Thourt dearest to my bosom
As thou wilt ever be
While the meadows wear a blossom
Or a leaf is on the tree
I can forget thee never—
While the meadow grass is green
While the flood rolls down the river
Thou art still my bonny queen

While the winter swells the fountain
While the spring awakes the bee
While the chamois loves the mountain
Thou'lt be ever dear to me

Dear as summer to the sun
As spring is to the bee
Thy love was soon as won
& so twill ever be

Thou'rt loves eternal summer
The dearest maid I prove
With bosom white as ivory
& warm as virgin love
No falsehood gets between us
Theres nought the tie can sever
As cupid dwells with venus
Thou'rt my own love forever

Song

In this cold world without a home
Disconsolate I go
The summer looks as cold to me
As winters frost & snow
Though winters scenes are dull & drear
A colder lot I prove
No home had I through all the year
But Marys honest love

But Love inconstant as the wind
Soon shifts another way
No other home my heart can find
Life wasting day by day
I sigh & sit & sit & sigh
For better days to come
For Mary was my hope & joy
Her truth & heart my home

Her truth & heart was once my home
& May was all the year
But now through seasons as I roam
Tis winter everywhere
Hopeless I go through care & toil
No friend I e'er possest
To reccompence for Marys smile
& the love within her breast

My love was ne'er so blest as when
It mingled with her own
Told often to be told agen
& every feeling known
But now loves hopes are all bereft
A lonely man I roam
& abscent Mary long hath left
My heart without a home

27

The Paigles Bloom In Shower's In Grassy Close
How Sweet To Be Among Their Blossoms Led
& Hear Sweet Nature To Herself Discourse
While Pale The Moon Is Bering Over Head

& Hear The Grazeing Cattle Softly Tread
Cropping The Hedgerows Newly Leafing Thorn
Sounds Soft As Visions Murmured Oer In Bed
At Dusky Eve Or Sober Silent Morn
For Such Delights Twere Happy Man Was Born

3

Green bushes & green trees where fancy feeds
On the retireing solitudes of May
Where the sweet foliage like a volume reads
& weeds are gifts too choice to throw away
How sweet the evening now succeeds the day
The velvet hillock forms a happy seat
The white thorn bushes bend with snowey may
Dwarf furze in golden blooms & violets sweet
Make this wild scene a pleasure grounds retreat

18

Where are my ‘friends’ & childern where are they
The childern of two mothers born in joy
One roof has held them—‘all’ have been at play
Beneath the pleasures of a mothers eye
—& are my late hope's blighted—need I sigh
Hath care commenced his long perpetual reign
The spring & summer hath with me gone bye
Hope views the bud a flower & not in vain
Long is the night that brings no morn again

4

Now Come The Balm & Breezes Of The Spring
Not With The Pleasure's Of My Early Day's
When Nature Seemed One Endless Song To Sing
A Joyous Melody & Happy Praise
Ah Would They Come Agen—But Life Betrays
Quicksands & Gulphs & Storms That Howl & Sting
All Quiet Into Madness & Delays
Care Hides The Sunshine With Its Raven Wing
& Hell Glooms Sadness Oer The Songs Of Spring

5

Like Satans Warcry First In Paradise
When Love Lay Sleeping On The Flowery Slope
Like Virtue Wakeing In The Arms Of Vice
Or Deaths Sea Bursting In The Midst Of Hope
Sorrows Will Stay—& Pleasures Will Elope
In The Uncertain Cartnty Of Care
Joys Bounds Are Narrow But A Wider Scope
Is Left For Trouble Which Our Life Must Bear
Of Which All Human Life Is More Or Less The Heir

6

My Mind Is Dark & Fathomless & Wears
The Hues Of Hopeless Agony & Hell
No Plummet Ever Sounds The Souls Affairs
There Death Eternal Never Sounds The Knell
There Love Imprisoned Sighs The Long Farewell
& Still May Sigh In Thoughts No Heart Hath Penned
Alone In Loneliness Where Sorrows Dwell
& Hopeless Hope Hopes On & Meets No End
Wastes Without Springs & Homes Without A Friend

Song

Say What Is Love—To Live In Vain
To Live & Die & Live Again

Say What Is Love—Is It To Be
In Prison Still & Still Be Free

Or Seem As Free—Alone & Prove
The Hopeless Hopes of Real Love

Does Real Love On Earth Exist
Tis Like A Sun beam On The Mist

That Fades & No Where Will Remain
& Nowhere Is Oertook Again

Say What Is Love—A Blooming Name
A Rose Leaf On The Page Of Fame

That Blooms Then Fades—To Cheat No More
& Is What Nothing Was Before

Say What Is Love—What E'er It be
It Center's Mary Still With Thee

7

What Is The Orphan Child without A Friend
That Knows No Fathers Care Or Mothers Love
No Leading Hand His Infant Steps Defend
& None To Notice But His God Above
No Joy's Are Seen His Little Heart To Move
Care Turns All Joys to Dross & Nought To Gold
& Smiles In Fancys Time May Still Disprove
Growing To Cares & Sorrow's Menifold
Bird Of The Waste A Lamb Without A Fold

8

No Mothers Love or Fathers Care Have They
Left To The Storms Of Fate Like Creatures Wild
They Live Like Blossoms In The Winters Day
E'en Nature Frowns Upon The Orphan Child
On Whose Young Face A Mother Never Smiled
Foolhardy Care Increasing With His Years
From Friends & Joys Of Every Kind Exiled
Even Old In Care The Infant Babe Appears
& Many A Mother Meets Its Face in Tears

9

The Dog Can Find A Friend & Seeks His Side
The Ass Can Know Its Owner & Is Fed
But None Are Known To Be The Orphans Guide
Toil Breaks His Sleep & Sorrow Makes His Bed
No Mothers Hand Holds Out The Sugared Bread
To Fill His Little Hand—He Hears No Song
To Please His Pouting Humours—Love Is Dead
With Him & Will Be All His Whole Life Long
Lone Child Of Sorrow & Perpetual Wrong

10

But Providence That Grand Eternal Calm
Is With Him Like The Sunshine In The Sky
Nature Our Kindest Mother Void of Harm
Watches The Orphan's Lonely Infancy
Strengthening The Man When Childhoods Cares Are Bye
She Nurses Still Young Unreproached Distress
& Hears The Lonely Infants Every Sigh
Who Finds At Length To Make Its Sorrows Less
Mid Earths Cold Curses There Is One To Bless

11

Sweet Rural Maids Made Beautifull By Health
Brought Up Where Natures Calm Encircles All
Where Simple Love Remains As Sterling Wealth
Where Simple Habits Early Joys Recall
Of Youthfull Feelings Which No Wiles Enthrall
The Happy Milk Maid In Her Mean Array
Fresh As The New Blown Rose Outblooms Them All
E'en Queens Might Sigh To Be As Blest As They
While Milkmaids Laugh & Sing Their Cares Away

12

How Doth Those Scenes Which Rural Mirth Endears
Revise Old Feelings That My Youth Hath Known
& Paint The Faded Bloom Of Earlier Years
& Soften Feelings Petrefied To Stone
Joy Fled & Care Proclaimed Itself My Own
Farewells I Took Of Joys In Earliest Years
& Found The Greatest Bliss To Be Alone
My Manhood Was Eclipsed But Not In Fears
—Hell Came In Curses & She Laughd At Tears

13

But Memory Left Sweet Traces Of Her Smiles
Which I Remember Still & Still Endure
The Shadows Of First Loves My Heart Beguiles
Time Brought Both Pain & Pleasure But No Cure
Sweet Bessey Maid Of Health & Fancys Pure
How Did I Woo Thee Once—still Unforgot
But Promises In Love Are Never Sure
& Where We Met How Dear Is Every Spot
& Though We Parted Still I Murmur Not

14

For Loves However Dear Must Meet With Clouds
& Ties Made Tight Get Loose & May Be Parted
Springs First Young Flowers The Winter Often Shrouds
& Loves First Hopes Are Very Often Thwarted
E'en Mine Beat High & Then Fell Broken Hearted
& Sorrow Mourned In Verse To Reconscile
My Feelings To My Fate Though Lone & Parted
Loves Enemies Are Like The Scorpion Vile
That Oer Its Ruined Hopes Will Hiss & Smile

Ballad

The Blackbird Has Built In The Pasture Agen
& The Thorn Oer The Pond Shows A Delicate Green
Where I Strolled With Patty Adown In The Glen
& Spent Summer Evenings & Sundays Unseen
How Sweet The Hill Brow
& The Low Of The Cow
& The Sunshine That Gilded The Bushes So Green
When Evening Brought Dews Natures Thirst To Allay
& Clouds Seemed To Nestle Round Hamlets & Farms
While In The Green Bushes We Spent The Sweet Day
& Patty Sweet Patty Was Still In My Arms

The Love Bloom That Redded Upon Her Sweet Lips
The Love Light That Glistened Within Her Sweet Eye
The Singing Bees There That The Wild Honey Sips
From Wild Blossoms Seemed Not So Happy As I
How Sweet Her Smile Seemed
While The Summer Sun Gleamed
& The Laugh Of The Spring Shadowed Joys From On High

While The Birds Sung About Us & Cattle Grazed Round
& Beauty Was Blooming On Hamlets & Farms
How Sweet Steamed The Inscence Of Dew From The Ground
While Patty Sweet Patty Sat Locked In My Arms

15

Yet Love Lives On In Every Kind of Weather
In Heat & Cold In Sunshine & In Gloom
Winter May Blight & Stormy Clouds May Gather
Nature Invigorates & Love Will Bloom
It Fears No Sorrow In A Life To Come
But Lives Within Itself From Year To Year
As Doth The Wild Flower In Its Own Perfume
As In The Lapland Snows Springs Blooms Appear
So True Love Blooms & Blossoms Every Where

Ballad

The Rose Of The World Was Dear Mary To Me
In The Days Of My Boyhood & Youth
I Told Her In Songs Where My Heart Wished To Be
& My Songs Where The Language of Truth

I Told Her In Looks When I Gazed In Her Eyes
That Mary Was Dearest To Me
I Told Her In Words & The Language Of Sighs
Where My Whole Hearts Affections Would Be

I Told her in love that all nature was true
I convinced her that nature was kind
But love in his trials had labour to do
[OMITTED] Mary would be in the mind

Mary met me in spring where the speedwell knots grew
& the king cups were shining like flame
I chose her all colours red yellow & blue
But my love was one hue & the same

Spring summer & winter & all the year through
In the sunshine the shower & the blast
I told the same tale & she knows it all true
& Mary's my blossom at last

16

Love is of heaven still the first akin
Twas born In paradise & left its home
For desert lands stray hearts to nurse & win
Though pains like plagues pursue them where they roam
Its joys are ever green & blooms at home
The sailor rocking on the giddy mast
The soldier when the cannons cease to boom
& every heart its doubts or dangers past
Beats on its way for love & home at last

17

Nature thou truth of heaven if heaven be true
Falsehood may tell her ever changeing lie
But natures truth looks green in every view
& love in every Landscape glads the eye
How beautifull these slopeing thickets lie
Woods on the hills & plains all smooth & even
Through which we see the ribboned evening skie
Though Winter here in floods & snows was driven
Spring came like God & turned it all to heaven

18

There Is A Tale For Every Day To Hear
For Every Heart To Feel & Tongue To Tell
The Daughters Anzious Dread The Lovers Fear
Pains That In Cots & Palaces May Dwell
Not Short & Passing Like The Friends Farewell
Where Tears May Fall & Leave A Smile Beneath
Eternal Grief Rings In The Passing Bell
Tis Not The Sobs Of Momentary Breath
Ties Part Forever In The Tale Of Death

19

The Dew falls on the weed & on the flower
The rose & thistle bathe their heads in dew
The lowliest heart may have its prospering hour
The sadest bosom meet its wishes true
E'en I may joy love happiness renew
Though not the sweets of my first early days
When one sweet face was all the loves I knew
& my soul trembled on her eyes to gaze
Whose very censure seemed intended praise

20

A soul within the heart that loves the more
Giving to pains & fears eternal life
Burning the flesh till it consumes the core
So Love is still the eternal calm of strife
Thou soul within a soul thou life of life
Thou Essence of my hopes & fears & joys
M---y my dear first love & early wife
& still the flower my inmost soul enjoys
Thy love's the bloom no canker worm destroys

21

Flow on my verse though barren thou mayest be
Of thought—Yet sing & let thy fancys roll
In Early days thou sweept a mighty sea
All calm in troublous deeps & spurned controul
Thou fire & iceberg to an aching soul
& still an angel in my gloomy way
Far better opiate then the draining bowl
Still sing my muse to drive cares fiends away
Nor heed what loitering listener hears the lay

22

My themes be artless cots & happy plains
Though far from man my wayward fancies flee
Of fields & woods rehearse in willing strains
& I mayhap may feed on joys with thee
These cowslip fields this sward my pillow be
So I may sleep the sun into the west
My cot this awthorn hedge this spreading tree
—Mary & Martha once my daily guests
& still as mine both wedded loved & blest

23

I rest my wearied life in these sweet fields
Reflecting every smile in natures face
& much of joy this grass—These hedges yields
Not found in citys where crowds daily trace
Heart pleasures there hath no abideing place
The star gemmed early morn the silent even
Hath pleasures that our broken hopes deface
To love too well leaves nought to be forgiven
The Gates of Eden is the bounds of heaven

24

The apathy that fickle love wears through
The doubts & certaintys are still akin
Its every joy has sorrow in the view
Its holy truth like Eve's beguileing sin
Seems to be losses even while we win
Tormenting joys & cheating into wrong
& still we love—& fall into the Gin
My sun of love was short—& clouded long
& now its shadow fills a feeble song

Song

I saw her in my springs young choice
Ere loves hopes looked upon the crowd
Ere loves first secrets found a voice
Or dared to speak the name aloud

I saw her in my boyish hours
A Girl as fair as heaven above
When all the world seemed strewn with flowers
& every pulse & look was love

I saw her when her heart was young
I saw her when my heart was true
When truth was all the themes I sung
& Love the only muse I knew

Ere infancy had left her brow
I seemed to love her from her birth
& thought her then as I do now
The dearest angel upon earth

25

O she was more then fair—divinely fair
Can language paint the soul in those blue eyes
Can fancy read the feelings painted there
—Those hills of snow that on her bosom lies
Or beauty speak for all those sweet replies
That through loves visions like the sun is breaking
Wakeing new hopes & fears & stifled sighs
From first love's dreame's my love is scarcely waking
The wounds might heal but still the heart is aching

26

Her looks was like the spring her very voice
Was springs own music more then song to me
Choice of my boyhood nay my souls first choice
From her sweet thralldom I am never free
Yet here my prison is a spring to me
Past memories bloom like flowers where e'er I rove
My very bondage though in snares—is free
I love to stretch me in this shadey Grove
& muse upon the memories of love

Hail Solitude still Peace & Lonely good
Thou spirit of all joys to be alone
My best of friends these glades & this green wood
Where nature is herself & loves her own
The hearts hid anguish here I make it known
& tell my troubles to the gentle wind
Friends cold neglects have froze my heart to stone
& wrecked the voyage of a quiet mind
With wives & friends & every hope disjoined

Wrecked of all hopes save one to be alone
Where Solitude becomes my wedded mate
Sweet Forest with rich beauties overgrown
Where solitude is queen & riegns in state
Hid in green trees I hear the clapping gate
& voices calling to the rambling cows
I Laugh at Love & all its idle fate
The present hour is all my lot alows
An age of sorrow springs from lovers vows

Sweet is the song of Birds for that restores
The soul to harmony the mind to love
Tis natures song of freedom out of doors
Forests beneath free winds & clouds above
The Thrush & Nightingale & timid dove
Breathe music round me where the gipseys dwell—
Pierced hearts left burning in the doubts of love
Are desolate where crowds & citys dwell—
The splendid palace seems the gates of hell

DON JUAN A POEM

‘Poets are born’—& so are whores—the trade is
Grown universal—in these canting days
Women of fashion must of course be ladies
& whoreing is the business—that still pays
Playhouses Ball rooms—there the masquerade is
—To do what was of old—& now adays
Their maids—nay wives so innoscent & blooming
Cuckold their spouses to seem honest women

Milton sung Eden & the fall of man
Not woman for the name implies a wh---e
& they would make a ruin of his plan
Falling so often they can fall no lower
Tell me a worse delusion if you can
For innoscence—& I will sing no more
Wherever mischief is tis womans brewing
Created from manself—to be mans ruin

The flower in bud hides from the fading sun
& keeps the hue of beauty on its cheek
But when full blown they into riot run
The hue turns pale & lost each ruddy streak
So 't'is with woman who pretends to shun
Immodest actions which they inly seek
Night hides the wh---e—cupboards tart & pasty
Flora was p---x---d—& womans quite as nasty

Marriage is nothing but a driveling hoax
To please old codgers when they're turned of forty
I wed & left my wife like other folks
But not untill I found her false & faulty
O woman fair—the man must pay thy jokes
Such makes a husband very often naughty
Who falls in love will seek his own undoing
The road to marriage is—‘the road to ruin’

Love worse then debt or drink or any fate
It is the damnest smart of matrimony
A hell incarnate is a woman-mate
The knot is tied—& then we loose the honey
A wife is just the protetype to hate
Commons for stock & warrens for the coney
Are not more tresspassed over in rights plan
Then this incumberance on the rights of man

There's much said about love & more of women
I wish they were as modest as they seem
Some borrow husbands till their cheeks are blooming
Not like the red rose blush—but yellow cream
Lord what a while those good days are in coming—
Routs Masques & Balls—I wish they were a dream
—I wish for poor men luck—an honest praxis
Cheap food & cloathing—no corn laws or taxes

I wish—but there is little got bye wishing
I wish that bread & great coats ne'er had risen
I wish that there was some such word as 'pishun
For ryhme sake for my verses must be dizen
With dresses fine—as hooks with baits for fishing
I wish all honest men were out of prison
I wish M.P's. would spin less yarn—nor doubt
But burn false bills & cross bad taxes out

I wish young married dames were not so frisky
Nor hide the ring to make believe they're single
I wish small beer was half as good as whiskey
& married dames with buggers would not mingle
There's some too cunning far & some too frisky
& here I want a ryhme—so write down ‘jingle’
& there's such putting in—in whores crim con
Some mouths would eat forever & eat on

Childern are fond of sucking sugar candy
& maids of sausages—larger the better
Shopmen are fond of good sigars & brandy
& I of blunt—& if you change the letter
To C or K it would be quite as handy
& throw the next away—but I'm your debtor
For modesty—yet wishing nought between us
I'd hawl close to a she as vulcan did to venus

I really cant tell what this poem will be
About—nor yet what trade I am to follow
I thought to buy old wigs—but that will kill me
With cold starvation—as they're beaten hollow
Long speeches in a famine will not fill me
& madhouse traps still take me by the collar
So old wig bargains now must be forgotten
The oil that dressed them fine has made them rotten

I wish old wigs were done with ere they're mouldy
I wish—but heres the papers large & lusty
With speeches that full fifty times they've told ye
—Noble Lord John to sweet Miss Fanny Fusty

Is wed—a lie good reader I ne'er sold ye
—Prince Albert goes to Germany & must he
Leave the queens snuff box where all fools are strumming
From addled eggs no chickens can be coming

Whigs strum state fiddle strings untill they snap
With cuckoo cuckold cuckoo year by year
The razor plays it on the barbers strap
—The sissars grinder thinks it rather quere
That labour wont afford him ‘one wee drap’
Of ale or gin or half & half or beer
—I wish prince Albert & the noble dastards
Who wed the wives—would get the noble bastards

I wish prince Albert on his german journey
I wish the Whigs were out of office &
Pickled in law books of some good atorney
For ways & speeches few can understand
They'll bless ye when in power—in prison scorn ye
& make a man rent his own house & land—
I wish prince Alberts queen was undefiled
—& every man could get his wife with child

I wish the devil luck with all my heart
As I would any other honest body
His bad name passes bye me like a f---t
Stinking of brimstone—then like whisky toddy
We swallow sin which seems to warm the heart
—There's no imputing any sin to God—he
Fills hell with work—& is'n't it a hard case
To leave old whigs & give to hell the carcass

Me---b---ne may throw his wig to little Vicky
& so resign his humbug & his power
& she with the young princess mount the dickey
On ass milk diet for her german tour
Asses like ministers are rather tricky
I & the country proves it every hour
W---ll---gt---n & M---lb---n in their station
Coblers to queens—are phisic to the nation

These batch of toadstools on this rotten tree
Shall be the cabinet of any queen
Though not such coblers as her servants be
They're of Gods making—that is plainly seen
Nor red nor green nor orange—they are free
To thrive & flourish as the Whigs have been
But come tomorrow—like the Whigs forgotten
You'll find them withered stinking dead and rotten

Death is an awfull thing it is by God
I've said so often & I think so now
Tis rather droll to see an old wig nod
Then doze & die the devil don't know how
Odd things are wearisome & this is odd—
Tis better work then kicking up a row
I'm weary of old Whigs & old whigs heirs
& long been sick of teazing God with prayers

I've never seen the cow turn to a bull
I've never seen the horse become an ass
I've never seen an old brawn cloathed in whool—
But I have seen full many a bonny lass
& wish I had one now beneath the cool
Of these high elms—Muse tell me where I was
O—talk of turning I've seen Whig & Tory
Turn imps of hell—& all for Englands glory

I love good fellowship & wit & punning
I love ‘true love’ & God my taste defend
I hate most damnably all sorts of cunning—
I love the Moor & Marsh & Ponders end—
I do not like the song of ‘cease your funning’
I love a modest wife & trusty friend
—Bricklayers want lime as I want ryhme for fillups
—So here's a health to sweet Eliza Phillips

Song

Eliza now the summer tells
Of spots where love & beauty dwells
Come & spend a day with me
Underneath the forest tree
Where the restless water flushes

Over mosses mounds & rushes
& where love & freedom dwells
With orchis flowers & fox glove bells
Come dear Eliza set me free
& oer the forest roam with me

Here I see the morning sun
Among the beachtree's shadows run
That into gold the short sward turns
Where each bright yellow blossom burns
With hues that would his beams out shine
Yet nought can match those smiles of thine
I try to find them all the day
But none are nigh when thou'rt away
Though flowers bloom now on every hill
Eliza is the fairest still

The sun wakes up the pleasant morn
& finds me lonely & forlorn
Then wears away to sunny noon
The flowers in bloom the birds in tune
While dull & dowie all the year
No smiles to see no voice to hear
I in this forest prison lie
With none to heed my silent sigh
& underneath this beachen tree
With none to sigh for Love but thee

Now this new poem is entirely new
As wedding gowns or money from the mint
For all I know it is entirely true
For I would scorn to put a lie in print

—I scorn to lie for princes—so would you
& ere I shoot I try my pistol flint
—The cattle salesman—knows the way in trying
& feels his bullocks ere he thinks of buying

Lord bless me now the day is in the gloaming
& every evil thought is out of sight
How I should like to purchase some sweet woman
Or else creep in with my two wives to night—
Surely that wedding day is on the comeing
Abscence like phisic poisons all delight—
Mary & Martha both an evil omen
Though both my own—they still belong to no man

But to our text again—& pray where is it
Begin as parsons do at the beginning
Take the first line friend & you cannot miss it
‘Poets are born’ & so are whores for sinning
—Here's the court circular—o Lord is this it
Court cards like lists of—not the naked meaning
Here's Albert going to germany they tell us
& the young queen down in the dumps & jealous

Now have you seen a tramper on race courses
Seeking an honest penny as his trade is
Crying a list of all the running horses
& showing handbills of the sporting ladies
—In bills of fare you'll find a many courses
Yet all are innoscent as any maid is
Put these two dishes into one & dress it
& if there is a meaning—you may guess it

Don Juan was Ambassador from russia
But had no hand in any sort of tax
His orders hung like blossoms of the fushia
& made the ladies hearts to melt like wax
He knew Napoleon & the king of prusia
& blowed a cloud oer spirits wine or max
But all his profits turned out losses rather
To save one orphan which he forced to father

Theres Docter Bottle imp who deals in urine
A keeper of state prisons for the queen
As great a man as is the Doge of Turin
& save in London is but seldom seen
Yclep'd old A---ll---n—mad brained ladies curing
Some p---x---d like Flora & but seldom clean
The new road oer the forest is the right one
To see red hell & further on the white one

Earth hells or b---gg---r sh---ps or what you please
Where men close prisoners are & women ravished
I've often seen such dirty sights as these
I've often seen good money spent & lavished
To keep bad houses up for docters fees
& I have known a b---gg---rs tally travers'd
Till all his good intents began to falter
—When death brought in his bill & left the halter

O glorious constitution what a picking
Ye've had from your tax harvest & your tythe
Old hens which cluck about that fair young chicken
—Cocks without spurs that yet can crow so blythe

Truth is shut up in prison while ye're licking
The gold from off the gingerbread—be lythe
In winding that patched broken old state clock up
Playhouses open—but mad houses lock up

Give toil more pay where rank starvation lurches
& pay your debts & put your books to rights
Leave whores & playhouses & fill your churches
Old clovenfoot your dirty victory fights
Like theft he still on natures manor poaches
& holds his feasting on anothers rights
To show plain truth you act in bawdy farces
Men show their tools—& maids expose their arses

Now this day is the eleventh of July
& being sunday I will seek no flaw
In man or woman—but prepare to die
In two days more I may that ticket draw
& so may thousands more as well as I
To day is here—the next who ever saw
& In a madhouse I can find no mirth pay
—Next tuesday used to be Lord Byrons birthday

Lord Byron poh—the man wot rites the werses
& is just what he is & nothing more
Who with his pen lies like the mist disperses
& makes all nothing as it was before
Who wed two wives & oft the truth rehearses
& might have had some twenty thousand more
Who has been dead so fools their lies are giving
& still in Allens madhouse caged & living

100

If I do wickedness to day being sunday
Can I by hearing prayers or singing psalms
Clear off all debts twixt god & man on monday
& lie like an old hull that dotage calms
& is there such a word as Abergundy
I've read that poem called the ‘Isle of Palms’
—But singing sense pray tell me if I can
Live an old rogue & die an honest man

I wish I had a quire of foolscap paper
Hot pressed—& crowpens—how I could endite
A silver candlestick & green wax taper
Lord bless me what fine poems I would write
The very tailors they would read & caper
& mantua makers would be all delight
Though laurel wreaths my brows did ne'er environ
I think myself as great a bard as Byron

I have two wives & I should like to see them
Both by my side before another hour
If both are honest I should like to be them
For both are fair & bonny as a flower
& one o Lord—now do bring in the tea mem
Were bards pens steamers each of ten horse power
I could not bring her beautys fair to weather
So I've towed both in harbour blest together

Now i'n't this canto worth a single pound
From anybodys pocket who will buy
As thieves are worth a halter I'll be bound
Now honest reader take the book & try

101

& if as I have said it is not found
I'll write a better canto bye & bye
So reader now the money till unlock it
& buy the book & help to fill my pocket

103

BODLEIAN MANUSCRIPT DC 64 AND PETERBOROUGH MANUSCRIPT A 62

[Tis martinmass from rig to rig]

Tis martinmass from rig to rig
Ploughed fields & meadow lands are blea
In hedge & field each restless twig
Is dancing on the naked tree
Flags in the dykes are bleached & brown
Docks by its sides are dry & dead
All but the ivy bows are brown
Upon each leaning dotterels head

Crimsoned with awes the awthorns bend
Oer meadow dykes & rising floods
The wild geese seek the reedy fen
& dark the storm comes oer the woods
The crowds of lapwings load the air
With buzes of a thousand wings
There flocks of starnels too repair
When morning oer the valley springs

104

[So let us all be jolly]

So let us all be jolly
& laugh off melancholly
For grieving is a folly
Within the life of man
Then push about the joram
Leave the glass of joy before 'em
& mirth make up the quoram
We'll be happy if we can

[My heart my dear Mary from thee cannot part]

My heart my dear Mary from thee cannot part
But the sweetest of pleasure that joy can impart
Is nought to the memory of thee

[His face is like a dragon]

His face is like a dragon
His a---se is like a frog
At heart a mere piegon
In manner quite a hog

105

BIBLICAL PARAPHRASES

ISRAEL PASSING OVER THE RED SEA

the Lord He Has Triumphed His People Are Free
The Horse & The Tyrant Are Whelmed In The Sea

[In Jacob he hath not seen evil or guile]

In Jacob he hath not seen evil or guile
Nor in Israel perversness his truth to defile
Their Lord & their God these good tidings doth bring
& behold in their camps are the shouts of a king
God brought them from Egypt from bondage & ill
& he is as strong as a unicorn still
There is no enchantment can Jacob alarm
& Israel there's no divinations to harm
Of Jacob & Israel said it shall be
What hath God wrought that his people are free
Behold like a lion the people shall rise
& like a young lion the nations surprise
He shall not lie down till he eat of the prey
& drink of the blood of the slain in his way
Balak said unto Balaam I see they are free
Neither curse them nor bless them but hearken to me

106

Balaam answered Balak have I not swore
That what the Lord said I must do & no more?
Then Balak to Balaam—come with me I pray thee
Peradventure 't'will please God to curse them for thee
Then he took him toward Jeshimon, to the top of mount peor
& built seven altars as wont' said the seer
Seven bullocks & rams for the Lord are requir'd
& Balak did all that the prophet desired

BALAAMS PARABLE SECOND PART

NUMBERS CHAP 24th

& when Balaam saw that it pleased the Lord well
To bless them—he sought not enchantment or spell
But he turned to the wilderness loved in his youth
Where nature & God live in silence & truth
& Balaam he cast up his eyes & again
Saw Israel abideing in tents on the plain
& the spirit of God came upon him like dew
& his parable then did the prophet pursue
Balaam hath said the offspring of Beor
& the man whose eyes have been open'd saith here
Who heard in the words of the Lord & who saw
Visions of th'almighty in tremblings & awe

107

Who fell in a trance but his eyes where unclosed
How goodly thy tents are O Jacob disposed
As beautifull valleys spread forth far & wide
As gardens like eden by th'rivers green side
As trees of lign aloes which God as the giver
Did plant—& as cedars beside the green river
He shall pour water out of his buckets—his seed
Shall be in the waters to flourish & speed
His king shall be higher then Agag in power
& his kingdom exalted in glory & dower
God brought him from Egypt—he hath as it were
The strength of a unicorn—terror & fear
Shall eat up the nations—his enemies all
Break their bones & with arrows pierced through they shall fall
He couched—he lay down as a lion at lair
As a great lion who shall compeat with him there
He who so blesseth Gods people is blest
& cursed is he who shall injure their rest
Then Balak being wrath with the Seer of the Lord
Smote both hands together in anger unawed
Saying I called thee to curse them through nations & climes
& behold thou hast blessed them three seperate times
Now flee thee therefore to thy place from this hour
I thought to promote thee to honour & power
But thy God keeps thee back from all honours desert
So flye to his refuge & quickly depart
Then Balaam to Balak spoke fearless in thrall
Did I not say to thy messengers all
If Balak would let me his riches behold
& give me his house full of silver & gold
I cannot so wrong the commands of the Lord
To do good or ill of my feeble accord
But what the Lord showeth me that will I seek
& what my God biddeth me that will I speak

108

& now lo! I go to my people again
Come & I'll show thee—then language more plain
What this people here which my blessings must praise
Shall do to thy people in strifes latter days
& he took up his parable justly & clear
Saying Balaam the prophet the offspring of Beor
Who fell in a trance & yet having his eyes
Open to visions that gleamed in the skies
Do I not speak the most high in my voice
Are they not the almighty's his chosen & choice
I shall see him anon but not now with my eyes
& I shall behold him anon but not nigh
Out of Jacob a star shall illumine the skies
A Sceptre from Israel shall flourish & rise
& smite all the corners of moab with strife
& destroy all the childern of Sheth to the life
& Edom shall be a possesion & Seir
Shall be a possesion for enemies near
& Israel shall do valiant deeds for their dower
Out of Jacob comes he with dominion & power
To destroy him that yet in the city remains
& prosper the freedom of mountains & plains
& when he had looked over Amaleck—he
Took up his parable justly & free
Amaleck first of all nations—the giver
Of life dooms thy end that thou perish forever
& he looked on the Kenites not caring to mock
Saying strong is thy place like a nest in the rock
Nevertheless Kenites shall fail in that day

109

& Ashur shall carry them captives away
& he took up his parable—nothing to miss
Alas who shall live when my God doeth this
Ships come from Chittim in islet & river
T'affect Ashur—& Ebor shall perish for ever
& Balaam arose to his place on that day
& Balak he also sojourned on his way

SONG OF DEBORAH

In The War Days Of Shamgar Of Anath & Jael
When The High Ways Were Leveled & Hamlets Laid Low
& Every Heart Seemed In Its Courage To Fail
& Sought Out The Bye Ways In Fear Of The Foe

The Inhabitants Ceased In Each Village To Dwell
Desolation Drove Comfort From Mountain & Plain
Till I Even Deborah Rose To Foretell
That God Would Unite With His Chosen Again

110

They Chose Them New Gods With Presumption Elate
Forty Thousand In Israel Without Shield Or Spear
Their False Hearted Foemen Hurled War At The Gates
& The Gods Of Their Choice Were Unable To Hear

With The Rulers Of Israel My Heart Would Agree
Who Offered To Serve In The Troops Of The Lord
& Joined With The People To Fall Or Be Free
They Blessed The True God & Met Truth In His Word

Bless Ye The Lord Who Brought Comfort & Peace
Speak Ye That Ride On White Asses & Say
How The God Of Our Sires Brought His People Release
Yet Sit Down in Judgement To Show The Right Way

Now They're Delivered From Archers & War
At The Wells Where The Joyous Draw Water & sing
Where Fear Heard The Noise Of The Archers Afar
& Death Often Crimsoned The Clear Flowing Spring

There Shall They Sing In The Praise Of The Lord
There Shall They Herd & Draw Water In Peace
Each Village Agen Shall Its Comforts Afford
& War In The Valleys Of Israel Shall Cease

The People Of God Shall Go down To The Gate
Awake Awake Deborah Waken & Sing
Lead Captivity Captive Thou Barak Too Great
Is Israel For Chuseing The Lord For Their King

Then Him That Remaineth right constant & true
He Made Have Dominion Oer Nobles & peers
The Lord He Made Me Have dominion & Shew
To Govern the Mighty nor hearken to Fears

111

Out Of Ephraim was there even a root
Went out against Amalek faceing the foe
After Benjamin Thou That wert swifter of foot
& Thy People to join were not tardy Or slow

Out of Machir Came Governers ready to Serve
Out of Zebulun they that could handle the Pen
The princes of Issacah They That Deserve
The protection of God & the praises of men

Barak went down To The valley on foot
While Deborah led forward & cheared on the fray
But for Reuben's divisions the soldiers was smote
There was great thought of heart on that terrible day

Why abide in the sheepfold to hear the flocks bleat
For Reubens divisions looks searched in the heart
None breathed a word or a wish to retreat
Would Israel from God in her troubles depart

Gilead abode beyond Jordan away
Why did Dan in his ships on the ocean retire
On the seashore there Asher continued to stay
& abode in his breeches

But Zebulim Naphtali people of might
They jeoperded life unto Death on that day
In all the high places & field of the fight
They fought like the tiger devouring the prey

The Kings came & fought in the strength of his word
Kings of Canaan in Taanach arose like the sun
They took gain nor money in wars of the Lord
By the waters [of] Megiddo battled & won

112

Heaven fought in the cause whom the wicked disdain
The stars in their courses—the water & flood
All fought against Sisera—tempest & rain
& God drowned His anger in slaughter & blood

The old stream of Kishon it swept them away
That ancient of streams all its banks overflowed
O my soul thou hast trodden down strength on that day
For the strongest hearts quail in the strength of the Lord

The horse hoofs were broken with pranceing & maimed
The pranceings of mighty ones foiled in their toils
Their strength was exhausted their swiftness was lamed
& the Lord oer his people in victory smiles

Then the Angel of God in his vengance & ire
Uttered curses on Meroz & dwellers therein
Curse Meroz he said in a language of fire
Curse ye bitterly Meroz because of their sin

They fought not nor came to the help of the Lord
Where numbers & strength would his people oppose
To the Lord they would aid or assistance afford
When the pride of the mighty came down as their foes

But blessed be Jael & the kindred of Jael
Wife of Heber the Kenite whose courage was true
For blest above women—her heart did not fail
When the foe of the [OMITTED] lay [OMITTED]

He asked for water—she offered him milk
& brought him forth butter & bade him to eat
Sleep fell oer his weariness softer then silk
& eden seemed spreading her rest at his feet

113

But her hand she put forth to the hammer & nail
& pierced the proud head of her foe to the earth
At Her feet he bowed down & in death he turned pale
& lay like a shade without being or breath

The Mother of Sisera looked from her tower
& cried through the lattice ‘Where, where can he stay
Why tarry the wheels of his chariots & power
Have they not sped & divided the prey

Her wise Ladies answered her eagerness—yea
She answered herself in the heaves of her heart
Have they not sped & divided the prey
To each man of spoils & of maidens a part

A prey of rich needlework took in the spoils
To Sisera the chief of the army—my son
A prey of rich colours rewarding the toils
& meet for the necks of the victors who won

Let all that love God be as bright as the sun
In the might of the morn & in goodness accord
Forty years the land rested when freedom was won—
So let all thine enemies perish O Lord

DAVIDS LAMENT &c

The Beauty Of Israel Is Fallen Away,
Her Walls Are In Ruins, Her Heroes Are Slain!
Her Lands Are Become To The Spoiler A Prey
& Her Daughters May Weep For The Mighty In Vain

114

Tell Not The Defeat In The City Of Gath
In The Streets Of Proud Askelon Breathe Not The Name
Philistia's Fair Daughters Will Triumph In Mirth
& Bring The Pale Daughters of Judah To Shame

Let Not The Uncircumcised Triumph Aloud
Let No Dews On Thy Mountains Gilboa Be Shed
Nor The Rain On Thy Herbage Descend From The Cloud
Since The King & His People Are Fallen & Dead

Saul Fell In His Strength Like A Weed By The Way
As Though He Had Ne'er Been Anointed To Reign
Yet Jonathan's Bow Turned Not Back From The Fray
& Sauls Sword Was Red With The Blood Of The Slain

Saul & Jonathan They Were Both Lovely & Strong
They Were Pleasant In Life In Defeat They Were Brave
More Swift Than the Eagles Then Lions More Strong
& In Death Undivided Both Went To The Grave

Weep Daughters Of Israel Weep Over Saul
Who Cloathed You In Scarlet Most Fair To Behold
With Other Delights That Your Loves May Recall
& Enriched Your Apparel With Silver & Gold

The Mighty Are Fallen The Battle Is Oer
O Jonathan Thou In Thy Places Was Slain
I'm Distressed For Thee Brother But All Is No More
& Mourning The Fallen Is Weeping In Vain

Thy Talk Was So Pleasant When Friendship Was Won
Thy Faith E'en The Love Of All Women Surpassed
But The Mighty Are Fallen The Battle Is Done
& The Weapons Of War Even Perished At Last

115

DAVIDS PRAYER

Who am I my God & my Lord
& what is my house in thy eye
Thou hast brought me here of thy sovereign accord
& cloathed me in majesty

Yet this was a trifling thing unto thee
Thou hast spoke of thy servant whose house is to last
Like a man of estate & of noble degree
O God though in lowness his lot hath been cast

What can David speak more unto thee
For the honour of thy servant—or need
For thou knowest thy servant was of humble degree
& exaltest him highly indeed

O Lord for thy servants sake only
Hath thou done all this greatness to me
According to thy own heart thou blessed me once lonely
For all these great things are of thee

O Lord there is none beside thee
No other God living but thou
According to all that we hear or we see
From our beings beginning 'till now

There is no God but one—on the land or the sea
According to all we have heard with our ears
What nation is like to thy people now free
Israel redeemed of the Lord in their fears

116

God went to redeem them & make them a name
Of greatness & terribleness—even like thee
Driveing out nations from before them like flame
The redeemed from proud Egypt—who conquored the sea

For Israel thy people thou madest thine own
& thou Lord became their own God e'en as mine
Let the thing thou hast spoke of thy servant be done
& his house be established forever as thine

Do as thou hast said—be of goodness the giver
Let it even be established o Lord as thy will
That thy name may be magnified now & forever
& the true God be God of all Israel still

& a God to all Israel now & for aye
& the house of king David be established of thee
For thou o my God told thy servant that day
Thou wouldst build him a house—even so let it be

Therefore thy servant hath found in his heart
To pray before thee—& he knows from his soul
Thou art God & has promised thy love to impart
To thy servant as long as the seasons shall roll

The house of thy servant let it please thee to bless
That it may be before thee the boon & the giver
All nature & life doth thy bounty confess
& all that thou blesseth—is blessed & forever

117

SOLOMONS PRAYER &c &c

Then said Solomon the Lord hath made known
He would dwell in thick darkness with nature alone
But I've built an house where faith bows the knee
& built up a grand habitation for thee
& made thee a place for thy dwelling forever
There thy mercey may rest & thy love never sever
& the king turned his face & blessed while he turned
The whole congregation that hither sojourned
He blest them forever for God & his good
& the whole congregation of Israel stood
& he said blessed be God of Israel the Lord
Who hath with his hands fullfilled his own word
That he spake unto David my father & said
‘Since the day that I brought forth my people from dread
‘From Egypt & bondage no city was named
‘In the tribes of all Israel no dwelling proclaimed
‘To build me an house that my name might be there
‘Nor chose I a king for their comfort or care
‘But my name now shall dwell in fair Jerusalem
‘& David I've chosen as king over them’
Now it was in the heart of my father to raise
A house for the Lord whom all Israel should praise
But the Lord to my Father this thing did proclaim
As it was in thy heart to build an house to my name
As it was in thine heart to do so thou didst well
But thou shalt not build the house where my mercey shall dwell
Yet my mercey shall live & the thing shall be done
By the offspring that comes from thy loins & thy son
So the Lord hath performed all the words he hath spoken
& fulfilled all he vowed to my Father unbroken

118

For I'm set up as King upon Davids high throne
& have built up a house to Jehovah alone
& the ark of the covenant stands in its shade
Which God with the childern of Israel made
By the alter of God in thy presence Israel
He spread forth his hands in true worship & zeal
A scaffold of brass made King Solomon there
The height three cubits & five cubits square
In the midst of the court great Jehovah to please
& upon it he stood & then kneeled on his knees
Before the whole congregation whom God had forgiven
& spread forth his hands in the presence of heaven
& said O Lord God of all Israel—forgiven
There is no God like thee in the earth or the heaven
Who keepests thy covenant truth as thy own
& still to thy servants thy mercey is shown
While still they will walk with their whole hearts before thee
Thou who crownest David my Father with glory
Thou promised my Father & made it to stand
& spak'st with thy mouth & fullfilled with thy hand
Thou hast kept every promise nor took none away
But all are fullfilled as it is on this day
Now therefore God almighty of Israel the Lord
Still keep with David my father thy word
The promise thou made him saying that which is right
& ‘there shall not fail thee a man in my sight
To sit over Israels great people & throne
So thy childern take heed to the law as my own
To walk in the way as I've laid before thee
In my law as thou hitherto hast before me
Now then God of Israel their being & Lord
Verifye that thou hast spoken—thy word
With David thy servant—O speak it agen
But will God in deed make his dwelling with men
On the earth will our prayers & petitions so gain thee
When the heaven of heavens hath not room to contain thee
How much less this temple which now I have built
Though the earth with thy love & thy glory is gilt

119

Therefore have respect to thy servant his prayer
Let not supplications be vapour & air
O Lord God almighty do list to the cry
Of thy servant who prays to his maker on high
Thou God of all Israel before thee I pray
That thy eyes may look over this house night & day
On the place of Jehovah the glory of fame
On the place thou hast chose as the house of thy name
& harken & heed as a symbol of grace
To the prayer which thy servant now prays to this place
Hear thou from thy dwelling place even in heaven
& hearing O Lord let our sins be forgiven
If a man sin against his neighbour—almighty forbear
& an oath be laid on him to make him to swear
& the oath to this house on thy alter they bring
Then hear thou from heaven & do the just thing
By requiteing the wicked doing justice to all
On his own head let the wickeds own reccompense fall
Justifying the righteous—his ways to approve
& giving his righteousness—mercey & love
If Israel get worse & from enemies flee
Because they have sinned against goodness & thee
& again shall confess thy great name & return
& make in this house supplication & mourn
Then hear thou from heaven & evil forgive
In Israel thy people that mercey may live
& bring them again like a wreck to the strand
To the place which thou gav'st them their fathers own land
When the heavens shut up have no season of rain
Because they have sinned against thee—once again
Yet if they turn toward this place & pray
& confess thy great name & return from their way
When thou dost afflict them—in mercy believe
Then hear thou from heaven o Lord & forgive

120

The sins of thy people & Israel shall know
The good way wherein thou hast taught them to go
On their land of inheritance scatter thy rain
& the land & thy people shall flourish again
If there be pestilence blastings & dearth
& mildews & locusts spreading deserts oer earth
If their enemies come & lay cities in thrall
& sickness & sores threaten death over all
Then what prayer soever by man shall be made
Or of thy people Israel when wronged & affraid
When every one knows his own grief to proclaim
& spreads forth his hands in this house to thy name
Then hear thou from heaven thy own dwelling place
& render to every man blessings & grace
According to truth do thou raise them agen
For thou knowest the hearts of the childern of men
Which thou gave to our fathers our birthright to be—
That they may fear thee & walk in thy ways
So long as they live in the land of thy praise
Moreover conscerning the stranger with thee
Which is not of Israel but come from afar
For thy great name & justice in peace or in war
For thy hand that's almighty & outstre[tc]hed arm
If they pray in this house—do thou keep them from harm
Then hear from the heavens thy dwelling on high
To the strangers petition do thou heed & reply
Though a stranger may plead do thou grant his request
That the people of earth may believe thee as best
As Israel doth know of thy goodness & fame
& may know that this temple is called by thy name
If thy people go out to thy enemies far
In the way that thy guideance shall send them to war
& their prayers unto thee towards this city proclaim
Towards the place & the house I have built for thy name

121

Then hear from the heavens—petitions & prayers
& mentain thy own cause in thy peoples affairs
If they should sin against goodness & thee
For there is not a man that from sin is all free
& thou in thy anger sends strifes roughest waves
& deliver'st them up to their foemen as slaves
& they carry them captives in terror & fear
To lands & strange countrys far off or near
Yet should they bethink them whose childern they are
While they are captives & pray to thee there
In the midst of captivity saying aright
‘That we have dealt wickedly Lord in thy sight’
If to thee they return with their soul & their heart
In the land of captivity—thither thou art
Although they are captives let them pray towards their land
& the citys to stay the dread wrath of thy hand
The land of their fathers great Lord & thy fame
& toward the house I have built for thy name
Then hear thou from heaven thy dwelling place—hear
Their prayers, supplications, & terrible fear
Forgive thy own people & dwell in their cause
& bring them once more to their land & thy laws
& though they have sinned before thee let them live
The erring restore before thee &—forgive
Let thine eyes Lord be open in mercey & grace
& attend to the prayer that is made in this place
Arise o Lord God in thy resting place—thou
Let thy priests o Lord God as before thee they bow
Be cloathed with salvation thy mercies to prove
& thy saints all rejoice in thy goodness & love
From th'face of thine anointed Lord turn not away
But remember the mercies of David for aye

122

JOB—38th CHAP: 1st PART

Then God half angered ansered Job aright
Out of the wirlwind & the darkening storm
‘Who darkeneth counsil thus & argues wrong
‘By words without all knowledge vague & void
‘Gird up thy loins now like a man—for I
‘Demand of thee—& answer me aright
‘Where wast thou mortal when I formed & laid
‘Foundations of the earth & sea—declare
‘If thou hast understanding think & speak
‘Who hath the measures laid & knowest thou
‘Or who hath stretched the line upon its base
‘Whereon are earths foundations fastened—say
‘Or who hath planned & laid the corner stone
When all the morning stars together sang
& all the sons of God did shout for joy
Or who as if with doors shut up the sea
When it break forth as issuing from the womb
When I made its garments of the racking clouds
& wrapt thick darkness as its swaddling bands
& brake up for it my decreed abode
& set up bars & doors to keep it staid
& said here shalt thou come not further
& here shalt thy proud waves be staid
Hast thou commanded morning since thy days
& caused the bright day spring to know its place
That it might hold on earths extreemest ends
& the wicked might be shaken out therefrom
It is turned as clay into the seal

123

& they stand as garments cloathing it with light
Their light from wickedness is still withheld
& the high arm is broken in its might
Hast thou entered in the ocean springs
Or walked in search of the unfathomed deeps
Hath death his gates e'er opened unto thee
Or shown the shadows of eternal sleep
Hast thou percieved the breadth of earth or space
If thou knowest all or part thereof—declare
Where is the way wherein the light may dwell
& as for darkness where doth it repose
That thou should'st take it to the bound thereof
& know the paths that leadeth to its home
Knowest thou as much because thou wast then born
Or since because thy numbered days was great
Hast thou entered the palace of the snow
Or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail
Which for the time of trouble I reserve
Against the day of battle & of war
By what way is light parted—knowest thou
Which scattereth oer the earth the eastern wind
For the overflow of waters who divides
A channel & a course that it may speed
Who guides forked lightenings through the sultry sky
& gives the thunder terrors shuddering voice
To cause the rain on spots where no man is
On wildered wastes where no man cares to dwell
To satisfy the waste & desolate ground
& cause the bud to blossom there in spring
Hath the rain a father—silence—speak
Or who begets the drops of morning dew
Out of whose womb cometh the chilly ice
& the heavens hoar frost who gendered can[s]t thou tell
The waters are hidden as beneath a stone
& the face of the deep is frozen like a rock
The influences of Pleiades canst thou bind
Or loosen Orions belt—canst thou bring forth
Nazzaroth in his season or yet guide

124

Arcturus with his sons—man knowest thou
The ordinances of heaven—canst thou set
The dominion thereof in earth—let silence speak
Canst thou lift up thy voice to clouds & sky
& bid the rain in waters cover thee
Canst thou send lightenings forth that they may go
& answer ‘here we are’—say who hath put
Wisdom in the inward parts & who hath given
Prime understanding to the beating heart
Who can number in wisdom heavens host of clouds
Or the bottles of heaven who can stay
When the clods cleave fast together & the dust
Groweth hard as a rock—can mortals hunt
Prey for the Lion or the lions whelps
When hid in dens or in the coverts couched
They lie in wait for prey—& who provides
The raven with his food—his young ones cry
To God & wander for the lack of meat

JOB CHAP. 39

Knowest thou the time when wild goats breed
On rocks—or mark when the swift hinds calve
Canst thou number the months that they fulfill
Or know the time when they bring forth their young
They bow themselves in travail & bring forth

125

& cast out their fond sorrows on the hills
Their young ones are the image of themselves
They grow up with corn go forth & not return
Who hath sent out the wild ass free or who
Hath loosed his weary bonds—whose house I made
The wilderness—his home the barren land
The multitudes of citys are his scorn
Neither regardeth he the drivers cry
His free born pasture is the mountain range
His search is after every thing thats green
Will Unicorns thy slaving voice obey
Or by thy crib abide—or in the glebe
Bind him to trace the furrow—or will he
Harrow the fertile valley after thee
Wilt thou trust him because his strength is great
Or wilt thou leave thy labour to his will
Wilt thou trust him to garner up thy seed
& gather home thine harvest to the barn
Gavest thou the peacocks tail his purple gold
Or wings & feathers to the ostrich tribe
Who leaveth her eggs on the earth to hatch
Warming them in the dust—forgetting that
The foot may crush or wild beast break their shells
Against her young ones she is hard & strange
As though they were not hers—her labour is
In vain withouten fear—God hath deprived
Her heart of reason—understanding lacks
To aid her toils—yet when she soars on high
She scorns both horse & rider in her flight
Hast thou given the horse his strength or cloathed
His neck with thunder—canst thou make him fear
& flee like a grasshopper—the glory

126

Of his nostrils is fierce & terrible
He paweth the ground in strength rejoiceing
& goeth onward to meet the battle
He scorns to be affraid & mocks at fear
Neither turneth he away from the sword
Against him the loaded quiver rattles
The glittering spear & the burnished shield
& his untamed fierceness swallows the ground
Neither heeds he the sound of the trumpet
He drives among the trumpets & laugheth ah ah
& the rage of battle he smelleth afar
The thunder of captains & shoutings of war
Doth thy weak wisdom teach the hawk to flye
& stretch her wings toward the southern sky
At thy command doth eagles mount & make
Their nests on high—their erie is the rock
In the strong place & on the rocky crag
From thence their prey is noted & their eyes
Beholdeth far—her young ones suck up blood
& where the slain is—there the eagles flye

JOB CHAP 40

Moreover God answered Job & said
Shall he who contends with God instruct him
He that reproveth God—let man reprove
Then Job made answer Lord behold I'm vile
What shall I answer thee—my voice is dumb
I lay my hand upon my mouth & fear
Once have I spoken but I answer not

127

Nay twice—nor further dare I now proceed
Then out of the fierce whirlwind & the storm
The Lord he answered fearfull Job & spake
‘Gird up thy loins again & like a man—
I will demand of thee—declare & speak
Wilt thou my judgments disannul & me
Condemn as wrong—that thou mayst righteous be
Is thine the power—hast thou an arm like God
Or canst thou thunder with a voice like him
Thyself with excellence & majesty array
With glory & with beauty deck thyself
& cast abroad thy rage of viewless ire
Behold the proud abase him with thy wrath—
Around look on the proud & bring him low
Tread underfoot the wicked in their place
Together hide them in degrading dust
& bind their faces under secret thralls
Then will I also unto thee confess
That thy right hand & arm thy self can save
Behold Behemoth which I made with thee
He eateth grass as doth the ox—lo now
His strength is in his loins his force & power
Is in the navel of his belly—moving now
His tail like to a cedar—his sinewed stones
Are wrapt together—his bones are strong as brass
Aye firm unflinching all as iron bars
Chief of Gods ways is he—he that made him
Can make his sword to pierce him & destroy
The mountains surely bring him forth his food
Where all the beast o'th' field do herd & play
Coverts of shady trees do make his lair
In the reed forests of the untrodden fens
The shady trees doth cover him with shadow

128

& willow brooks encompass him with shade
Behold he drinks a river in his thirst
& trusts to swallow Jordan in his mouth
He takes it with his eyes in thirsty draughts
& his nose pierces through the hidden snares

JOB 41 CHAP

Canst thou with hooks Leviathan draw out
Or with a chord let down amidst the deep
Canst thou put hooks into his mountain nose
Or bore his jaw through with a feeble thorn
Will he to thee a supplication make
Or speak soft words to make a friend of thee
Will he with thee make covenant—or thou
Make him for aye thy servant or thy slave
Wilt thou as with a bird play with his strength
Or bind him for thy maidens sportive smiles
Shall thy companions banquet on his flesh
Or part him among merchants for rich gain
Or canst thou fill his skin with barbed hooks
Or pierce his island of a head with spears
Lay thy hand on him & the battle fear
Remember thou the strife & do no more
Thy hopes of him behold are all in vain
Shall not one at his sight be soon cast down

129

To stir him up theres none so fierce to dare
Who then is able by my power to stand
Who hath prevented that I should repay
All under the whole heavens lives as mine
His parts & powers I will not consceal
His great proportions & his jiant powers
The facing of his garment who can see
Or with his double bridle tamper him
The doors of his face who can unlock
His teeth stand round as terrible as death
His scales they are his pride shut up secure
From mortal eye as is a closed seal
One to another joins the common air
Comes not between them—nor a passage finds
They stick & join & sundering is in vain
He neeses & a splendid light doth shine
His eyes are like the mornings bright & fair
Out of his mouth breath comes like burning lamps
& issuing sparks leap out as living fire
His nostrils as a boiling chaldron smokes
His breath is kindled coals—& terrors flames
Come issuing from his mouth in terrors play
In's neck like to a mountain strength remains
& sorrow before him is turned to joy
His flakes of flesh join firm within themselves
& fast as is the mountain cant be moved
His heart is like the stone of adamant
Nay as the nether mill stone firm & hard
When he is roiled the mighty are affraid
When he breaks forth they purifye themselves
The sword assailing him will never hold
The dark harbergeon or glittering spear
Iron is straw & brass as rotten wood
The arrow neither makes him fear or flee
Sling stones are stubble aiming at his power

130

Darts count as rotten straw & are no more
He laugheth at the shaking of a spear
Sharp stones are under him he heeds them not
He spreads sharp pointed things upon the mire
The sea beneath him like a chaldron boils
& like a pot of oil or ointment shines
& after him a path of light shines far
One thinks the sea all hoary where he swims
Earth owns nought like him made without a fear
High things are open to his mountain view
King over all the childern brutes of pride

[_]

[Pet. MS A62 version:]

Canot thou draw out Leveathon
With an hook or a chord
Which thou lettest down
—Like the breath of a word

Canst thou put a hook in his nose
Or bore through his jaw with a thorn
Will he supplicate unto thee
Man to him is as mist in the morn

Unto thee will he speak in soft words
Or a covenant make up with thee
To him seas scarce a lodging affords
Wilt thou take him thy servant to be

Wilt thou play with his strength as a bird
Or bind him thy maidens to please
Shall thy friends make a banquet of him
That monarch & king of the seas

131

Shall they sell him to merchants for gain
Whose life like an island moves on
Canst thou fill his head with fish spears on the main
Do but strike & thy strength it is gone

Lay on him thine hand do no more
Remember the battle & strife
Behold him thy hope is no more
The sight of him dangers thy life

None are so fierce that dare stir him to strife
This monster & king of the sea
Then how can a man the mere shadow of life
Be able to stand before me

Who hath served me with the justice & truth
That I should repay him with favours divine
Whatsoever exists upon earth & in sooth
The whole that the heavens containeth are mine

PSALM 19

The heavens his wonderous works declare
The firmament his power
His handyworks are written there
Through every day & hour

132

Day unto day in language speaks
Night unto night will shine
In knowledge—& all language reads
& hears that voice divine

Their line & words through all the earth
Hath all the world oer run
His tabernacle there hath birth
A dwelling for the sun

As a bridegroom from his chamber comes
He shows his shineing face
Rejoiceing as the season blooms
As a strong man runs a race

His going forth is from the end
& to the end of heaven
His circuit shines on every land
Where his rays of life are given

The law of God a perfect law
Converts the soul & tries
Gods testimonies all are pure
& makes the simple wise

The statutes of the Lord are sure
The heart rejoiceing still
The Lords comandments they are pure
My eyes with love they fill

133

The fear of God is clean & pure
Endureing still forever
The judgments of the Lord are sure
& righteous as the giver

& more to be desired are they
Then gold can e'er become
More sweeter then the honey jar
Or e'en the honeycomb

Their stedfast truth thy servant warms
Their faith is his regard
In keeping them my being earns
A safe & sure reward

Who can his errors understand
Cleanse me from secret faults
Keep back thy servant in thy hands
That he nor fails nor halts

Let no presumtious sins e'er have
Dominion over me
Then shall I meet a welcome grave
Or live upright with thee

Of vile transgressions great & small
Lord keep me innoscent
Then shalt thou hear my conscience call
& know my good intent

The meditations of my heart
Lord keep them all with thee
Let all the words my thoughts impart
With thy own sanction be

134

Do thou accept me e'er I fall
By thy avenging rod
My strength my hope my life my all
& my redeeming God

PSALM 91

He that dwelleth in the secret place
Of God the great & high
Beneath the shadow of his grace
In quiet peace shall lie

The Lord my lasting friend shall be
He is my refuge still
The fortress of my cares is he
& trust in God I will

Surely from the fowlers snare
He shall deliver thee
& from the noisesome pestilence
Still keep thee pure & free

His truth shall shield & buckler give
When hell its vengance flings
Beneath his feathers thou shalt live
& his defending wings

Nights terrors all shall flee away
Nor fears thy soul alarm
The arrows that are shot by day
Shall do thy life no harm

135

From pestilence that walks by night
Thy dwelling shall be free
Destruction that at noon shall blight
Shall never injure thee

A thousand by thy side shall fall
Ten thousand by thy hand
But nought shall bring thee into thrall
While God thy friend shall stand

Thou shalt behold it with thine eyes
The wicked's sure reward
Because the Lord thy refuge lies
Thy house is Gods regard

No evil thou shalt meet at large
No plague thy dwelling rase
For he shall give his angels charge
To keep thee all thy days

Thee they shall bear up in their hands
Nor leave thee all alone
Lest thou should'st dash in troubles lands
Thy foot against a stone

Thou shalt tread on the Lions main
& crush the adders crown
Young Lions by thy foot be slain
That tramples Dragons down

Because on me he sets his love
I'll keep his heart from shame
I'll set him high all foes above
Because he knows my name

136

On me his inward love shall call
In care I'll bring relief
I'll answer him in every thrall
& honour his belief

With length of life & honours too
Him I will satisfye
To him salvation will I shew
When troubles days are bye

PSALM 97

The earth reigneth now earth is green in his smiles
Let gladness extend through her hundreds of isles
Clouds & darkness are round him almighty & lone
& truths righteous judgments inhabit his throne
A fire goes before him that never burns out
That burns up his enemies round & about
His thunders & lightenings blazon the world
The earth saw & trembled where ruin was hurled
Where the Lord of the earth in his majesty sped
Hills melted like wax in his presence & fled
The heavens his righteousness prove every hour
& all people see both his glory & power
Worship him all ye Gods & confounded be they
Who serve graven images beings of clay
Zion saw & was glad at the voice of his word
Judahs Daughters rejoiced in thy judgments O Lord
The Lord oer the earth is exalted & high

137

Far above all the Gods is his home in the sky
Hate evil ye people whose love is the Lord
He preserveth his saints by the truth of his word
He delivereth from evil & bondage & thrall
From the hand of the wicked he saveth them all
For the righteous the light of his mercey is sown
To the up right of heart all his gladness is shown
Ye righteous rejoice in the Lord all your days
To the memory of his holiness offer your praise

[Lord hear my prayer when trouble glooms]

Lord hear my prayer when trouble glooms
Let sorrow find a way
& when the day of trouble comes
Turn not thy face away
My bones like hearth stones burn away
My life like vapoury smoke decays

My heart is smitten like the grass
That withered lies & dead
& I so lost to what I was
Forget to eat my bread
My voice is groaning all the day
My bones prick through this skin of clay

The wildernesses pelican
The deserts lonely owl
I am their like a desert man
In ways as lone & foul
As sparrows on the cottage top
I wait till I with faintness drop

138

I bear my enemies reproach
All silently I mourn
They on my private peace encroach
Against me they are sworn
Ashes as bread my trouble shares
& mix my food with weeping cares

Yet not for them is sorrows toil
I fear no mortals frown
But thou hast held me up awhile
& thou hast cast me down
My days like shadows waste from view
I mourn like withered grass in dew

But thou Lord shalt endure forever
All generations through
Thou shalt to Zion be the giver
Of joy & mercey too
Her very stones are in their trust
Thy servants reverence her dust

Heathens shall hear & fear thy name
All kings of earth thy glory know
When thou shalt build up Zions fame
& live in glory there below
He'll not despise their prayers though mute
But still regard the destitute

139

[He harmonized darkness to night & repose]

He harmonized darkness to night & repose
When the beast of the forest creep forth as our foes
After their prey the young Lions are roaring
Seeking meat from the God of all nature's adoring
They gather together at rise of the sun
& hide in their dens when his bounty is won
Man goeth to work as the morning sun smiles
& labours till eve brings release to his toils
How manifold Lord are thy works & thy power
Thou has made all in wisdom both forest & flower
The earth it is full of thy riches & good
So is this great ocean & fathomless flood
Where small & great beasts of a wonderfull size
In numberless numbers our fancys surprise
Things creeping & swimming in harmonized strife
& there go the ships like to phantoms of life
& there's great leviathan spouting the spray
Which thou'st made in the depths of the ocean to play

140

ISAIAH CHAP 47

Come down & sit in dust
Daughter of Babalon
Come on the ground ye must
Thy throne & power is gone
Daughter of the chaldeans thy race is oer
Thou art the tender & delicate no more

Take millstones & grind meal
Uncover thy fair locks
Bare legs & thighs reveal
For God thy treachery mocks
Pass oer the streams thy nakedness is seen
& shame is oer thee though thou art a queen

Thy inmost shame is seen
Reverse thy every plan
I'll vengance take nor mean
To meet thee as a man
As for our redeemer he feels shame
The holy one of Israel is his name

Sit there in silence now
& into darkness flye
Uncoronet thy brow
Chaldeans daughter sigh
For thou shalt never more be called
Lady of kingdoms thy base power enthralled

141

I with my people wrath
Did their heritage polute
& in thine hands left both
To make them destitute
Thou shewed no mercey but with heavy stroke
Upon the ancient hast thou laid the yoke

I'm a Lady & forever
Thou saidst it—so depart
Thou remembered not the giver
Nor laid these things to heart
No wickedness on earth can thee defend
Thou ne'er remembered once the latter end

Therefore hear thou this
Thou Lady to pleasures given
That dwelleth careless & amiss
& rests no hope on heaven
Saying ‘I am’ as there was none beside
‘& know no loss of childern in my pride’

‘Nor be a widow lone’
Yet these too mournfull things
Shall in a moment reach thy throne
With all that sorrow brings
For all thy devinations shall they come
& leave thy pomp all childless & no home

In wickedness thy trust
Hath said none seeth me
Thy wisdom & thy lust
It hath perverted thee
& thou hast said & felt it in thy heart
There's none beside me—sorsoress depart

142

Therefore shall evil come
From whence thou shalt not know
All powerless thou to shun the doom
Or to avert the blow
To sudden desolation shalt thou go
& to the ruin which thou shalt not know

With thy enchantments stand
That ever against the truth
The labours of thy sceptered hand
& even known from youth
If profit springs from each liscentious tale
If so be thou with wickedness prevail

With many counsils now
Thou'rt weak & weary grown
Astrollogers may bow
Around thy tottering throne
Stargazers soothesayers let them save or shun thee
From things that surely now shall come upon thee

Behold as stubble they
Before the fire shall burn
Themselves shall pass away
& know not where to turn
They shall not deliver themselves from the power
Of the flame which shall ignite consume & devour

In that desolate charm
There shall not be a fire
Or a coal left to warm
Though through cold they expire
Thus shall they be unto thee & ungrieved
With whom thou hast laboured & revelled & lived

143

Thy merchants from thy youth
They shall wander one & all
To his quarters & the truth
Shall leave thee more in thrall
Though slave dealers take thee though bondsmen enslave thee
There's none shall be able to shield thee or save thee

LAMENTATIONS OF JEREMIAH CHAP. 3

I am the man that affliction hath seen
By the rod of his wrath sorely scourged have I been
He hath turned against me like a vision of night
& led me to darkness & not into light
He turneth his hand against me all the day
My flesh & my skin he made old as a prey
He hath builded against me & broken my bones
I'm compassed with gall & travel & moans
He hath set me in places of darkness & cold
Like a being forgot as the dead are of old
He hath made my chain heavy & hedged me about
He hath shut out my prayer & I cannot get out
He hath enclosed all my ways with hewn heavy stone
& made all my paths both crooked & lone
He was unto me as a bear by the way
Or hideing in secret as a lion to slay
He pulled me in pieces my ways were all turned
Like a desolate being I sorrowed & mourned
I'm a mark for his arrow he bendeth his bow
& empties his quiver to pince me with woe

144

To my people I was a derision & prey
& their song was my sufferings all the long day
He hath filled me with bitterness trouble & thrall
& made me mad drunk both with wormwood & gall
With gravel stones also my teeth he hath broke
He hath covered me over with ashes & smoke
Thou took my souls peace in a desolate hour
I forgot my prosperity riches & power
& I said that my strength in the Lord now must sever
& my hopes in my God now are perished forever
Remembering mine afflictions my misery & thrall
Confinement persecution—the wormwood & gall
My soul hath them still in remembrance the pain
& is humbled within me to feel it again
This I recall to my mind & I sigh
Yet therefore have hope that the worst may be bye
It is of Gods mercies we are not consumed
Because his compassions fail not—yet entombed
His love seems to me in the desolate hours
Yet faith shall be new every morning like flowers
The Lord saith my soul is my portion & stay
Therefore he's my hope both by night & by day
The Lord he is good unto them that will wait
To the soul that will seek him both early & late
It is good that a man he should hope without friends
For the Lord of salvation to make him amends
It is good that a man bear the yoke of his youth
& endure persecution for the sake of the truth
He keepeth his silence & sitteth alone
Because he hath born it as a grief of his own
He hideth & putteth his mouth in the dust
If so that the Lord be his hope & his trust
He giveth his cheek to the smiter nor fears
He is filled with reproach at their insolent jeers
For his Lord & his God forsake him will never
& though he cause grief will not leave him for ever

145

He will have compassion—I am not affraid
For his mercies in multitudes come to our aid
He hurteth not willingly th'afflicted agen
Nor willingly grieveth the childern of men
To c[r]ush underfoot the imprisoned of earth
To turn aside the right of a man from his birth
To subvert a man in his cause or to blot
But his right the most high he approveth it not
Who saith & it cometh to pass in the sun
When the Lord he commandeth it not to be done
Out of Gods mouth it was ne'er understood
That mixture proceeded of evil & good
Wherefore doth a living man daily complain
When our sins they are punished rebukeing is vain
Let us search out our ways & to comfort accord
& turn us agen to the help of the Lord
Let us lift up our hearts & our hands unforgiven
Imploreing God the most high & the mercies of heaven
We have transgressed & rebelled against thee
Thou hast covered with anger—persecuted we flee
Thou hast not pardoned we seek thee again
Thou hast not pittied but smitten & slain
Thou hast covered thyself in the depth of a cloud
That our prayer should not pass or be heard uttered loud
In the midst of thy people—the great & the small
Thou hast made us the refuse offscouring of all
All enemies open their mouths to deride
Fear & snares are against us on every side
Desolation destruction hath left us no shore
With rivers of waters mine eyes runneth oer
For the destruction of the daughter of my people's renown
Without intermission my tears trickle down
Till the lord shall look down from the heavens & see
I mourn for my own citys daughters & me
Mine enemies chased me like a bird from its nest
My heart from its home & would give me no rest
They've cut off my life in the dungeon—to sever
& cast a stone on the door of my freedom forever

146

I said I'm cut off & my heart it felt dead
When waters & darkness flowed over mine head
From out the low dungeon I called on thy name
Thou heardest O Lord my petition & came
Hide not thine ear to my breathing & cry
Thou drawest near in the day that I thought I should die
‘Fear not’ was the voice when I called upon thee
Thou hast pleaded the cause of my soul & I'm free
Thou hast witnessed my wrongs & redeemed my life
Judge thou my cause thou hast witnessed the strife
Against me all their vengance thy wisdom hath seen
& thou knowest what their hidden immag[in]ings mean
The lips of all those who rose up in the fray
Their device against me is as clear as the day
Their reproaches thou hearest—when they sit down or rise
I am their music to scoff & despise
Render them Lord as their justice demands
A reccompence mete to the work of their hands
Give them sorrow of heart that may inly condemn
Be the hatred of heaven thy curse upon them
Persecute & destroy them as somthing abhored
From under the face of thy heaven O Lord

147

PRAYER OF HABACUK

I heard thee O Lord & was stricken with fear
When the voice of thy wrath rung a knell to my ear
Revive thou thy work in the midst of my days
That my heart may rejoice in thy bounty & praise
O Lord ere thy vengance in fury come forth
Remember thy mercy in midst of thy wrath
Thou, Lord God of Temaan, thou most holy one
From the mountains of Paran thy presence was shown
Thy glory encircled the face of the sky
& the earth it was full of thy praise from on high
Thy brightness was glory the essence of light
& thy hands held the horns of thy power in my sight
Before thee pale famine & pestilence came
& coals at thy feet burnt & kindled to flame
He measured the earth in loud pealings of thunder
He beheld & the nations were driven asunder
The hills everlasting were shook in his scales
The perpetual mountains bowed down into vales
His power is eternal everlasting his ways
& earth air & heaven are full of his praise
The tents of all Cush in affliction I saw
& The Curtains of Midian did tremble in awe
Was thy wrath against rivers O Lord that they flee
Did thine anger swell mountains in calms of the sea
When thou rode on thy horses & chariots of fire
O Lord was the chosen's salvation thine Ire
Thy Bow was quite naked—Lord sheath up thy sword
According to the oaths of the tribes & thy word
Thou didst cleave earth with rivers that mightily sped
Mountains saw thee & trembled, yea, trembled & fled

148

Worlds of water broke loose & in thunder passed bye
The deep uttered voices & mounted on high
His brine in the clouds of the heaven was mixed
Sun & Moon in their grand habitation were fixed
These all wait on thee though high mountains in size
& their meat in due season thy bounty supplies
That thou givest they feed on as succour & food
Thou op'nest thy hand lo! it fills them with good
Thou hidest thy face they are troubled & cry
Thou takest their breath & in dust they all lie
Thou sendest thy spirit they start into birth
& again thou renewest the face of the earth
The glory of God is endureing for ever
The Lord shall rejoice in his works as the giver
Though thou lookest on earth & it quakes at thy stroke
Though he toucheth the hills in their pride & they smoke
I will sing while I live my creator to praise
I will sing praise to God to the end of my days
Meditation of him shall sweet comfort afford
& my heart shall be glad in the Love of the Lord
Let sinners consume from the face of the earth
Let the wicked no more have a being or birth
Bless thou the Lord o my heart & my soul
Praise ye the Lord long as seasons shall roll

149

THE LAST JUDGMENT

—ST MATT. FROM VER. 31st TO THE END

When the son of man comes in his glory anew
& all holy angels surrounding him too
Then shall he sit upon glory his throne
& before him all nations be gathered as one

The one from the other he'll seperate then
The wise & the good from lascevious men
The sheep from the goats the good shepherds divide
As gold in the furnace is heated & tried

When his sheep are no longer of comfort bereft
Shall be placed on his right hand & the goats on his left
Come ye blessed of God bid to troubles adieu
& inherit the kingdom prepared for you

From the foundation of earth—the beginning of time
Come of every colour from every clime
For when I was hungered ye offered me meat
& when I was thirsty your water was sweet

Ye lodged me a stranger—forsaken of all
When naked ye cloathed me nor left me in thrall
I was in prison ye came to me there
& your talk made my bonds unconfined as the air

Then shall the righteous say when did we Lord
See then an hungered & offer thee food
Or thirsty to give thee of drink as a guest
A stranger to find thee a welcome & rest

150

Or naked & cloathed thee in part of our wealth
When saw we thee sick & restored thee to health
Or in prison came to thee to make thy bonds free
& the king shall make answer—ye did it to me

For verily I say unto you in as much
As ye've done it to the least of my brothers twas such
Ye have done it to me in the mind & the heart—
He shall say to the left now ye cursed depart

From me into hell everlasting & fire
With the devils own tortures & never expire
For I was an hungered & ye gave me no meat
& athirst but ye brought me no drink in my heat

I was a stranger ye offered no rest
Naked ye cloathed me not—sick & distrest
Ye visited not to give health or set free
Then shall they say Lord—whenever did we

See then an hungered or sick or athirst
Or naked or stranger or in bonds from the first
& did not administer comfort to thee
Then shall he answer them saying—as ye

Did it not to the poorest & least of my fold
Your friendship to me was as barren & cold
& these shall go away to the punishment due
But the righteous shall find joys eternity true

151

[I saw the lamb who opened the first seal]

I saw the lamb who opened the first seal
& heard a voice like thunder ‘Come & see’
From one of the four beast—then did reveal
The heaven a portion of its mystery
One sat on a white horse from thraldom free
A crown was given him who had the bow
& he was left as good & great shall be
Conquoring & to conquor—too & fro
& fame & victor of the world below

The second seal was opened & I heard
The second beast say ‘Come & see’ aloud
Another horse went out red as a pard
& power was given him to stir the crowd
& take peace from the earth & whom war bowed
& hell cried havoc bursting like a flood
With a hugh sword to murder & to slay
Rushed headlong hurrying from the hellish brood
While citys burned to flame & earth itself wept blood

THE NEW JERUSALEM

REV. CHAP 21st

& I looked & I saw a new heaven
& earth on the bosom of day
For the first earth was fled with its deeds unforgiven
& its heaven had perished away
& the ocean was dry & no longer it ran
Which had rolled ever since the creation of man

152

& I John the most holy city descried
New Jerusalem coming from God to the living
Adorned for her husband prepared as a bride
& I heard a great voice speaking loud from the heaven
Behold the tabernacle of God is with men
& there he will dwell with his people agen

They shall be his people united & free
The choice of his love not the fear of his rod
& God shall dwell with them forever & be
Their soul keeping saviour redeemer & God
He shall wipe away all the tears from their eyes
There shall be no more death neither sorrows nor crys

Nor shall there be any more sickness or pain
For the world & their sickness is passed & away
& he that sat on the throne said again
In language as bright as meridian day
& he said to me write I make all things as new
& the words which I spake are both faithfull & true

& once more he said unto me—now it is done
I am Alpha—Omega—beginning & end
Their thirst shall have water as clear as the sun
For I am lifes fountain benefactor & friend
To him that oercometh all goodness is won
His God I will be then & he is my son

But the vain unbelieving & them that have fear
The abominable—murderers whoremongers & liars
Idolaters scorcerers mocking the seer
I leave in the lake of unquenchable fires
There burning forever their being & breath
& this is the second existance of death

153

One of the seven angels then came unto me
Which held the seven plagues in seven phials of strife
Saying come hither & I will show unto thee
The light of salvation the bride & lambs wife
& me in the spirit he carried away & won
To a great & high mountain that peered to the sun

Whose forhead looked green in the realms of the sky
Whose crags in the beams of eternity nod
& shewed me a city great glorious & high
New Jerusalem descending from heaven & God
Having Gods glory eternitys light
As precious as jasper as crystal more bright

& had a great wall shining spacious & high
& twelve gates about it that glittered like flames
& twelve angels watched from the realms of the sky
& written thereon were the tribes & their names
On the east & the north six gates I descried
& the south & the west three on every side

Twelve foundations the walls of the city upheld
& twelve names thereon—the apostles of God
& he that talked with me a golden reed held
An emblem of justice & truth not his rod
To measure the city the gates & the wall
In kindness & love doing equal by all

& the plan of the city it lieth foursquare
The breadth is as long as the height & the length
Twelve thousand furlongs his reed measured there
The contents of that city of glory & strength
The length & the breadth & the height of the plan
Are equal—like God in his mercey to man

154

& he measured the wall with the reed in his hand
Of cubits one hundred & forty & four
According to the measure of a man was the wand
That is of the angel who guarded the door
The walls was of jasper the city pure gold
As clear as a mirror of glass to behold

The walls of the city were garnished like fire
With all manner of sorts of rich precious stones
The first foundation was jasper the second sapphire
The third chalcedony more splendid then thrones
The fourth was an emerald green as the waves
Of the earth that was vanished with oceans & graves

The fifth was sardonix & sardius the sixth
The seventh was chrysolyte—yellow & green
& Beryl the eight[h] & of yellow unmixt
The ninth was a topaz—the rest they were seen
Chrysoparsus a jacinth an amethist—blue
As violets that in the old fallen world grew

The twelve gates were twelve pearls of delight to behold
Every gate was one pearl where no mortal could look
& the street of the city was paved with pure gold
Transparent as glass & the waves of a brook
& no temple there showed itself in my sight
For the Lord God himself was its temple & light

155

No need had the city of sun or the moon
To shine on its splendour—the builder & giver
Of its glory—was also its light & its boon
His sun shone upon it for ever & ever
There the nations of them that are saved meet a home
There the kings of the earth bring their glories & come

& its gates they shall never be closed by day
& night in that city shall never be known
The righteous shall there truth & glory display
& the honour of nations shall make it their own
No wickedness there shall destroy their abode
Or enemies poison the friendship of God

In no wise shall enter any thing to defile
& no abomination of evil come nigh
No wickedness working deception or guile
Nor any that forgeth or maketh a lie
But they which are written in Gods book of life
They shall live here forever from sorrow & strife

156

THE RIVER OF THE WATER OF LIFE

—REV. CHAP. 22

& he showed me a river in midst of the street
Of the water of life clear as chrystal & pure
Flowing out from the throne of the Lord—heaven sweet
The weary to bless & the feeble to care
& on each side the river like comfort in thrall
The tree of life grew as a blessing for all

Twelve manner of fruits did its branches supply
That every month ripened—so fertile the sod
& the leaves of the tree 'neath Jehovahs own eye
Held a cure for the nations who trusted in God
No curse shall there be in that endless of day
With the Lord—where his servants shall serve him for aye

& his name it shall be on their forheads of light
& they shall see his face—nor his majesty shun
No candle is needed where never was night
Neither is wanted the light of the sun
For the Lord God of light & of life is the giver
& they shall reign with him forever & ever

& he said unto me all these sayings are true
& faithfull—& now are as being begun
The God of the prophets sent his angel to shew
To his servants the things which must shortly be done
Behold I come quickly & blessed is he
Who keepeth the sayings of this prophecy

157

I John saw these things & heard while I saw
& when I had heard & had seen unforgot
I fell at the feet of the angel with awe
But he said unto me see thou do it not
For I'm thy fellow servant & worship aright
& of thy bretheren the prophets who live in his light

Of them which keep the sayings this book doth contain
Of which thou art witness what God doth reveal
Worship God—him alone—other worship is vain
These sayings he said unto me—never seal
Leave the prophecy open till all understand
For the kingdom is come & the time is at hand

& he thats unjust—unjust let him be
& he that is filthy live filthy at will
& he that is righteous—leave righteousness free
& he that is holy live holily still
Behold I come quickly my reward is with me
To give all men according as his work it shall be

I am Alpha Omega beginning & end
Time past as the present—the first & the last
They are blest that on all my commandments attend
The tree of life is their right—when lifes troubles is past
The gates are all open the passage is free
& the new golden city their dwelling shall be

For without the dogs growl & the sorcerers cheat
& murder that stabs with idolators bye
& whoremongers all their old deeds to repeat
& they whoso loveth & maketh a lie
I Jesus have sent my angel t'record
These things unto you & the church of the Lord

158

I am the offspring of David & root
& I am the bright & the morning star
& the bride & the spirit say come—eat the fruit
& let him that heareth say come from afar
& let him that parcheth with thirst come & drink
For the water of life ever flows to the brink

To every man living I now testify
That hears the words of this book—& yet doeth the sin
To add any thing unto this prophecy
God shall send him the plagues that are written therein
& if any man take from this book—dealing strife
God shall take out his part from the volume of life

& in the most holy city shall meet with no home
Nor share of the things in this volume of joy
He that testifieth this saitheth quickly I come
Even so come Lord Jesus all sin to destroy
The power of Gods love be with all—now—& then
& the grace of christ jesus be with you—Amen