The whole Psalter translated into English Metre which contayneth an hundreth and fifty Psalmes |
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Of the vertue of Psalmes.
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 | The whole Psalter translated into English Metre |  |
Of the vertue of Psalmes.
What
man hath hart: in heauines
With sundry cares opprest:
And would haue helpe: in redines,
To heale his thoughtfull brest.
With sundry cares opprest:
And would haue helpe: in redines,
To heale his thoughtfull brest.
And yet by man: in sueertie,
for Phisike want his cure:
Thus set in hard: perplexitie,
To God yet trusting sure.
for Phisike want his cure:
Thus set in hard: perplexitie,
To God yet trusting sure.
Let him beholde: the melodie,
of Dauids blissefull harpe:
In Psalmes there fynde: his remedie,
He may of care so sharpe.
of Dauids blissefull harpe:
In Psalmes there fynde: his remedie,
He may of care so sharpe.
If forreyne foe; or ennemy,
Hath wasted all thy coastes:
No helpe thou canst: haue suerly,
more strong to dawnt his boastes.
Hath wasted all thy coastes:
No helpe thou canst: haue suerly,
more strong to dawnt his boastes.
If theeues thy goodes: haue caught in net,
And haue made thee ful bare:
In Psalmes thy mynde: if thou do set,
they will thy losse repayre.
And haue made thee ful bare:
In Psalmes thy mynde: if thou do set,
they will thy losse repayre.
If wrung thou beest: by tyrannie,
And banishte out of land:
Thou mayst releaue: thy miserie,
Content by Psalmes to stand.
And banishte out of land:
Thou mayst releaue: thy miserie,
Content by Psalmes to stand.
If trayne be layd: all craftely,
In spite to trap thy way:
Take Dauids lore: than redily,
And bid thy foes go play.
In spite to trap thy way:
Take Dauids lore: than redily,
And bid thy foes go play.
Thou mournst and sighest: in doulefull hart,
by death thy children gone:
If Psalmes thou takest: in ghostly part,
They will asswage thy mone.
by death thy children gone:
If Psalmes thou takest: in ghostly part,
They will asswage thy mone.
In house and land: if poore thou lye,
downe cast on both thy knees:
Here maist thou haue: recouerie,
for all that thou canst leese.
downe cast on both thy knees:
Here maist thou haue: recouerie,
for all that thou canst leese.
If panges and paynes: both sharpe and fell,
with gripes thy body wrynges:
Sweete Dauids harpe: can ease thee well,
for it good Phisike singes.
with gripes thy body wrynges:
Sweete Dauids harpe: can ease thee well,
for it good Phisike singes.
If borne thou be: enuiouslie,
In skorne and great disdayne:
No patrone thou: canst better spie,
then Dauids life and raigne.
In skorne and great disdayne:
No patrone thou: canst better spie,
then Dauids life and raigne.
Thy hie degree: is low deiect,
by fortunes turnyng blast:
If Dauids state: thou seest reiect,
thou shalt be lesse agast.
by fortunes turnyng blast:
If Dauids state: thou seest reiect,
thou shalt be lesse agast.
Thy fieldes lye all: in baren sort,
by burnyng Sunne his heate:
To Dauids welles: if thou resort,
His dewes thy soyle shal weete.
by burnyng Sunne his heate:
To Dauids welles: if thou resort,
His dewes thy soyle shal weete.
Agayne if they: be ouerflowne,
By rage of water streames:
If Dauids Psalmes: thou makest thine owne,
Thy soyle must feele his beames.
By rage of water streames:
If Dauids Psalmes: thou makest thine owne,
Thy soyle must feele his beames.
(O foolishe men: that marke the skie,
The Starres and Planets gate:
By them to searche: their destenie,
and so repose their state.)
The Starres and Planets gate:
By them to searche: their destenie,
and so repose their state.)
And thus what wo: or miserie,
may moue or freat thy hart:
In Psalmes thou mayst: haue remedie,
to beare all payne and smart.
may moue or freat thy hart:
In Psalmes thou mayst: haue remedie,
to beare all payne and smart.
Not beare them well: I onely saie,
but them expell ful strong:
Who like in hart: can them defraie,
as Dauid did among.
but them expell ful strong:
Who like in hart: can them defraie,
as Dauid did among.
Not thus alone: hast thou thine ease,
of worldly griefe and payne:
But here thou mayst: all soules disease,
by comfort sweete restrayne.
of worldly griefe and payne:
But here thou mayst: all soules disease,
by comfort sweete restrayne.
So deepe in sinne: no wight can bee,
no conscience so thrall:
But prest reliefe: here may he see,
to reyse his deadly fall.
no conscience so thrall:
But prest reliefe: here may he see,
to reyse his deadly fall.
No wight can be: so burdenous,
mans senses harde to presse:
But Psalmes that be: so vertuous,
can soone the weight redresse.
mans senses harde to presse:
But Psalmes that be: so vertuous,
can soone the weight redresse.
Now go and searche: the Discipline,
of mortall men so vayne:
Who taught by wit: or sort deuine,
of them these helpes to gayne.
of mortall men so vayne:
Who taught by wit: or sort deuine,
of them these helpes to gayne.
So foule shalt thou: deceiued bee,
to trust their rules and lawes:
As dreamers be: which thinke to see,
all wealth within their clawes.
to trust their rules and lawes:
As dreamers be: which thinke to see,
all wealth within their clawes.
Go now to men: and beg their art,
in sicknes thee to saue:
By meanes vntrue: to heale thy smart,
where God thy hart should haue.
in sicknes thee to saue:
By meanes vntrue: to heale thy smart,
where God thy hart should haue.
This Prophet here: forbiddeth thee,
thus once from God to stray:
Euen he that harpth: all melodie,
of godly wisdomes way.
thus once from God to stray:
Euen he that harpth: all melodie,
of godly wisdomes way.
For what thou readst: Saint Austen holdth,
in law or stories true:
In Prouerbs wise: or prophets olde,
the Psalme doth it renue.
in law or stories true:
In Prouerbs wise: or prophets olde,
the Psalme doth it renue.
Both what is past: and what to come,
the psalme doth it perfourme:
It is a law: in perfect some
to maners them to fourme.
the psalme doth it perfourme:
It is a law: in perfect some
to maners them to fourme.
Though Scripture booke: sayth Athanase,
of vertue rule it bee:
Yet Psalter
booke: of soule it hase,
the state for eche degree.
of vertue rule it bee:
Yet Psalter
booke: of soule it hase,
the state for eche degree.
In other bookes: where man doth looke,
but others wordes seeth he:
As proper hath: this onely booke,
most wordes his owne to be.
but others wordes seeth he:
As proper hath: this onely booke,
most wordes his owne to be.
It is a glasse: a myrrour bright,
for soule to see his state:
A garden fayre: all fully dight,
with herbes most delicate.
for soule to see his state:
A garden fayre: all fully dight,
with herbes most delicate.
A treasure house: ye may repute,
this booke of all good lore:
All wholsome salue: to distribute,
to eche mans griefe and sore.
this booke of all good lore:
All wholsome salue: to distribute,
to eche mans griefe and sore.
For who delyghth: them well to sing:
his mynde shall feele a grace:
Of sinne both dulde: the cursed sting:
and vertue come in place.
his mynde shall feele a grace:
Of sinne both dulde: the cursed sting:
and vertue come in place.
The Psalmes sayth he: in verse be folde:
and tuned by musike sweete:
The eare to please: of yong and olde,
so Dauid thought it meete.
and tuned by musike sweete:
The eare to please: of yong and olde,
so Dauid thought it meete.
Iosephus sayth: and Philo wrighth,
That Dauid Metres made:
Quinquemetres: some trimetres,
by musikes tract and trade.
That Dauid Metres made:
Quinquemetres: some trimetres,
by musikes tract and trade.
For that that is: commended both,
with tune and tyme aright:
It sinkth more sweete: and deeper goth,
in harte of mans delight.
with tune and tyme aright:
It sinkth more sweete: and deeper goth,
in harte of mans delight.
O wondrous fact: of God I saie,
in his deuise so playne:
Though we be seene: but sing and plaie,
the soule yet winth his gayne.
in his deuise so playne:
Though we be seene: but sing and plaie,
the soule yet winth his gayne.
The 
Psalter booke: of Psalterie,
an instrument so namde:
For that the Psalmes: most commonly,
to it were tuned and framde.
Psalter booke: of Psalterie,
an instrument so namde:
For that the Psalmes: most commonly,
to it were tuned and framde.
And who that noth: and hath it waighde,
how Psalmes by Metre go:
Can blame no art: by rythme so layde,
nor musike squard therto.
how Psalmes by Metre go:
Can blame no art: by rythme so layde,
nor musike squard therto.
Thus Bernard sweete: in holy rede,
Christes death reuolued in rythme:
So Ambrose sage: and worthy Bede,
thought this no shame or cryme.
Christes death reuolued in rythme:
So Ambrose sage: and worthy Bede,
thought this no shame or cryme.
And what is verse: but rythme to name,
in Lattine, Frenche, or Greeke:
Our Englishe verse: I count the same,
though all men hit not leke.
in Lattine, Frenche, or Greeke:
Our Englishe verse: I count the same,
though all men hit not leke.
The Psalmist stayde: with tuned songe,
the rage of myndes agast:
As Dauid did: with harpe among,
to Saule in furye cast.
the rage of myndes agast:
As Dauid did: with harpe among,
to Saule in furye cast.
With golden stringes: such harmonie,
his harpe so sweete did wrest:
That he relieud: his phrenesie,
whom wicked sprites possest.
his harpe so sweete did wrest:
That he relieud: his phrenesie,
whom wicked sprites possest.
Both Powle and Iames: in their deuise,
bid Psalmes with voyce to vse:
In hymnes and songes: sweete exercise,
To God in hart to muse.
bid Psalmes with voyce to vse:
In hymnes and songes: sweete exercise,
To God in hart to muse.
Who tunes and rythms: as aske their kyndes,
to Psalmes can frame I saie:
The sweete in strength: for that he fyndes,
must beare the bell awaie.
to Psalmes can frame I saie:
The sweete in strength: for that he fyndes,
must beare the bell awaie.
The singyng man: and Poete must,
with graue deuine concurre:
As Dauids skill: all three discust,
when he his harpe did sturre.
with graue deuine concurre:
As Dauids skill: all three discust,
when he his harpe did sturre.
Depart ye songes: lasciuious,
from lute, from harpe depart:
Geue place to Psalmes: most vertuous,
and solace there your harte.
from lute, from harpe depart:
Geue place to Psalmes: most vertuous,
and solace there your harte.
Ye songes so nice: ye sonnets alls,
of lothly louers layes:
Ye worke mens myndes: but bitter gall,
by phansies peuishe playes.
of lothly louers layes:
Ye worke mens myndes: but bitter gall,
by phansies peuishe playes.
My readers all: now must I pray,
in worth to take my payne:
I ment but well: as well they may,
meane well, and winne some gayne.
in worth to take my payne:
I ment but well: as well they may,
meane well, and winne some gayne.
As some beforne: the lyke hath playde,
of Psalmes to pike their choyce:
And them in ryme: so fyne haue layde,
to sing with musikes voyce.
of Psalmes to pike their choyce:
And them in ryme: so fyne haue layde,
to sing with musikes voyce.
Then some in prose; most learnedly,
haue tournd the phrase and worde:
Some glose haue made: full diuersly,
yet sang in good accorde.
haue tournd the phrase and worde:
Some glose haue made: full diuersly,
yet sang in good accorde.
That some in verse: right latenly,
haue strunged Dauids harpe:
They haue their laudes: most worthely,
their paynes ought no man carpe.
haue strunged Dauids harpe:
They haue their laudes: most worthely,
their paynes ought no man carpe.
Herein because: all mens delight,
bene diuerse founde in mynde:
I tournd the Psalmes: all whole in sight,
in rythmes of diuers kynde.
bene diuerse founde in mynde:
I tournd the Psalmes: all whole in sight,
in rythmes of diuers kynde.
And where at first: I secret ment,
but them my selfe to sing:
Yet frendes requestes: made me relent,
thus them abrode to bring.
but them my selfe to sing:
Yet frendes requestes: made me relent,
thus them abrode to bring.
Expresse his pen: in exercise,
who list, he may, that can:
By this is wrought: no preiudice,
I trust to God or man.
who list, he may, that can:
By this is wrought: no preiudice,
I trust to God or man.
Uerse cleare to frame: was first pretence,
I followed Hierome next:
Third Chaldey glose: fourth seuentie sence,
rythme, tyme, were fift and sext.
I followed Hierome next:
Third Chaldey glose: fourth seuentie sence,
rythme, tyme, were fift and sext.
So Uatablus: and Pellicane,
in truth were not reiecte:
Nor Munster yet: or Pagnyne playne,
in tonges were fled for secte.
in truth were not reiecte:
Nor Munster yet: or Pagnyne playne,
in tonges were fled for secte.
From Ludolfe that: Carthusian,
the collect most deryueth:
No prayse pardy: to any man,
to hide, by whom he thriueth.
the collect most deryueth:
No prayse pardy: to any man,
to hide, by whom he thriueth.
Who more will searche: how here it goes,
let him the Hebrew trye:
Where wordes were skant: with texts or glose
that want I did supplye:
let him the Hebrew trye:
Where wordes were skant: with texts or glose
that want I did supplye:
And that in some: reportes be found,
and wordes as spare put to:
They may be lest: the sence yet sound,
though Metre varyth so.
and wordes as spare put to:
They may be lest: the sence yet sound,
though Metre varyth so.
If some be blamde: to rythme to thicke,
transpose the wordes ye may:
The lesse by right: may Momus kicke,
the beame so soone away.
transpose the wordes ye may:
The lesse by right: may Momus kicke,
the beame so soone away.
If some will carpe: so light a warke,
graue Psalmes in rythmes displayde:
Let Michol heare: before the arke,
how Dauid daunced and playde.
graue Psalmes in rythmes displayde:
Let Michol heare: before the arke,
how Dauid daunced and playde.
Where sences straunge: oft diuersly,
be seene in writers skill:
I did yet pen: my fantasie,
let others do their will.
be seene in writers skill:
I did yet pen: my fantasie,
let others do their will.
Presuming not: yet thus in sight,
as I could this do best:
My Lute was set: in whole delight,
these tunes deuine to wrest.
as I could this do best:
My Lute was set: in whole delight,
these tunes deuine to wrest.
And yet good frende: beare thou with mee,
though wordes be straynd among:
The verse and phrase: forst breuitie,
I sude yet sence most strong.
though wordes be straynd among:
The verse and phrase: forst breuitie,
I sude yet sence most strong.
Require not heere: great difference,
In wordes so ofte the same:
Although to feele: great violence,
I might not chaunge the name.
In wordes so ofte the same:
Although to feele: great violence,
I might not chaunge the name.
Conceyue in hart: no griefe to sore,
wordes olde so ofte to vewe:
Thy gayne therby: is wrought the more,
though wordes be neuer newe.
wordes olde so ofte to vewe:
Thy gayne therby: is wrought the more,
though wordes be neuer newe.
How can we feele: sacietie,
in fourmes of godly speache:
The soule which feelth: aduersitie,
loues playnes health to seache.
in fourmes of godly speache:
The soule which feelth: aduersitie,
loues playnes health to seache.
Among gay wordes: that hart were seene,
therto she bendeth first:
She doth not gase: on bushe so greene,
or suckth the post for thirst.
therto she bendeth first:
She doth not gase: on bushe so greene,
or suckth the post for thirst.
Right path of truth: most earnestly,
God graunt we holde in worde:
To lyue to God vnfeinedly,
In hart with one accorde.
God graunt we holde in worde:
To lyue to God vnfeinedly,
In hart with one accorde.
Us song should moue: as sprite therby,
might tunes in concorde sing:
God graunt these Psalmes: might edifie,
that is the chiefest thing.
might tunes in concorde sing:
God graunt these Psalmes: might edifie,
that is the chiefest thing.
So els if tune: should reason rule,
and senses brute haue will:
To fleshly lust: might voyce recule,
and soule bide barren still.
and senses brute haue will:
To fleshly lust: might voyce recule,
and soule bide barren still.
No pastime vayne: to sing in voyce,
or thus to set in rythme:
Repyne not frende: at this my choyce,
vouchsaue my restfull tyme.
or thus to set in rythme:
Repyne not frende: at this my choyce,
vouchsaue my restfull tyme.
Uerse harde in mouth: while oft I chowde,
I spied therin no wast:
Cleare sent to mynde: more sweetely flowde,
earst thus not felt in tast.
I spied therin no wast:
Cleare sent to mynde: more sweetely flowde,
earst thus not felt in tast.
Nor yet of this: I do repent,
sith thus my hart I easde:
Iudge Reader well: my good entent,
so thinke that God be pleasde.
sith thus my hart I easde:
Iudge Reader well: my good entent,
so thinke that God be pleasde.
All shrewd to iudge: thy neighbours cause,
may thee the lyke befall:
Euen feare thou God: and kepe his lawes,
now this is ende of all.
may thee the lyke befall:
Euen feare thou God: and kepe his lawes,
now this is ende of all.
| The whole Psalter translated into English Metre | |