men For why my wrath is kindled like the fire And shall descend to the infernall lake The earth shall be consumed in mine ire My flames shal make the mighty mountains quake With many plagues I wil them stil annoy And with mine arrowes I will them destroy With hunger heat and with destruction I wil them burne consume and ouerthrow They shal be meat for beasts to feed vppon The ground invenom'd whereupon they goe In field in chamber stil my sword shall slay Man maid child with him whose head is gray And I will scatter them both far and neare And hence foorth make their memorie to cease Saue that the furious enemie I feare And that his pride shauld thereby more increase And they should say and foorth this rumor ring that they and not the Lord haue done this thing They are a nation void of counsell quite To vnderstand there doth not one intend But were they wise in it they woule delite And would consider of their latter end Can one or two put thousands to the flight Except the Lord do help them with his might For with our God their Gods may not compare Our foes themselues will still the same confesse Their Vines of Sodome and Gomorra are Their grapes of gaule clusters of bittenesse Their wine is like to Dragons poison sure or gaule of Aspes that no man may endure And haue not I laid vp in store this thing Amongst my treasures doe I not it hide The recompence with vengeance wil I bring And ast in time their foot awry shall slide For their destruction loe is nowe at hand And mischief here euen at their heels doth stand For why the Lord doth iudge the earth alone And to his seruants shew himselfe most kinde When he shall see their power is past and gone And none kept vp in hold nor left behind when men shal say let vs your goddes behold Where be they now whom ye so much extold Which oft did eat the fatted sacrifice And dranke the wine of the drinke offering Vnto your helpe now let vs see them rise Loe I am God and there is no such thing I kil giue life I wound make whole againe Out of my handes no man can ought retaine I lift my hands on high to heauen aboue Immortall I and onely liue for euer My glittering sword I sharpe for my behooue In righteous iudgment still I doo perseuer I wil send vengeance on mine enemies And many plagues on them which me dispise Mine arrowes then of blood shal haue their fill My sword shal eate the verie flesh of men For such my Saintes as they doo slay and kill And for the Captiues they imprison then And when I once begin reuenge to take From plague vengeance then I will not slake Ye nations all honour his people then He will reuenge his seruantes guiltlesse blood And surely plague the vile and wicked men Which stoutlie haue against him euer stood He will shew mercie stil vnto his land And on his people brought foorth by his hand A Song of Moses and the Israelites for their deliuerance out of Egypt The xv Chap. of Exodus I Will sing praise vnto the Lord for aiÌ„e Who hath triumphed gloriously alone The horse and rider he hath ouerthrowen And swallowed vp euen in the raging sea He is my strength he is my song of praise He is the God of my saluation A Temple will I build to him alone I will exalt my fathers God alwaies The Lord Iehouah is a man of warre Pharao his chariots and his mightie hoste Were by his hand in the wilde waters lost His Captaines drowned in red Sea so farre Into the bottom there they sanke like stones The mightie depthes our enemies deuour Thy owne right hand is gloorious in thy power Thy owne right hand hath bruised al their bones And in thy glorie thou subuerted hast The rebels rising to resist thy power Thou sentst thy wrath which shall them all deuour Euen as the fire doth the stubble wâ—st And with a blast out of thy nostrilles The flowing flood stood still as any stone The waters were congealed all in one And firme and sure as any rockes or hilles The furious foe so 〈…〉 stil And voweth to pursue with endlesse toile And not returne til he haue got the spoile With fire and sword they wil destroy and kill Thou sentst the wind which ouerwhelm'd them all The surging seas came sousing in againe As in the water so with might and maine Like lead vnto the bottome downe they fall Oh mightie Lord who may with thee compâ—â—â— Amongst the Gods I find none like to thee whose glorie's in holines whose feares in praises be whose chiefe delights in working woonders are Thou stretchest out thy right and holy arme And presently the earth did them deuour And thou wilt bring vs by thy mightie power As thou hast promist without further harme And for thy people Lord thou shalt prouide A place and seat of quietnesse and rest The nations all with feare shall be opprest And Palestina quake for all her pride The Dukes of Edom shal hang downe the head The Moabites shall tremble then for feare The Cananites in presence shall appeare Like vnto men whose fainting heartes were dead And feare and dread shall fall on them alas Because thou helpest with thy mighty hand So stil as stones amazed they shal stand Oh mightie Lord while thine elect doo passe And thou shalt bring thy chosen and elect Vnto the mount of thine inheritance A place prepared thy people to aduance A Sanctuary there thou shalt erect Which thou oh Lord establish'd hast therefore And there thy name shal raigne for euermore The most excellent Song which was Salomons wherein is declared the true and vnfained loue betweene Christ and his Church containing viii Chapters Chap. 1. LEt him imbrace his Deare with many a friendly kisse For why thy loue than any wine to me more pleasant is In smel thou art most like sweet odors vnto me thy name like precious ointmeÌ„t is so sweet as sweet may be Therefore the Virgins al of thee enamored are Entice me on to follow thee loe we our selues prepare The King hath brought me in to chamber richly dight He is my ioy his loue is sweet the good in him delight Ye daughters of Ierusalem although that browne I bee Than Arras rich or Cedars fruits I seemlier am to see Disdaine me not although I be not passing faire For why the glowing sunny raies discolloured haue my laire My mothers darlings deare with enuie swelling so Haue me coÌ„strain'd to keep their Vine thus I mine own forgoe Tell me my sweet and deare where thou thy flocke doost feed Or where thy litle Lamblings rest about midday indeed Els shall I walke about all wandring like a stray And seeke thee after other flocks through many an vnknowne way If that my pathes oh Paragon be so vnknowen to thee Go feed thy flock amongst the tents
THE HARMONIE of the Church Containing The Spirituall Songes and holy Hymnes of godly men Patriarkes and Prophetes all sweetly sounding to the praise and glory of the highest Now newlie reduced into sundrie kinds of English Meeter meete to be read or sung for the solace and comfort of the godly By M. D. LONDON Printed by Richard Ihones at the Rose and Crowne neere Holborne Bridge 1591. To the Godly and vertuous Lady the Lady Iane Deuoreux of Meriuale GOod Madame oft imagining with my selfe howe to manifest my well meaning vnto your Ladishippe and in my loue towardes you most vnwilling to bee founde ingratefull either in the behalfe of my Countrie or the place of my byrth To the one your godlie life beeing a president of perfect vertue to the other your bountifull hospitalitie an exceeding releefe Then good Ladie my selfe as an admyrer of your manie vertues and a well-wisher vnto your happie and desired estate doo here present the fruites of my labours vnto your modest and discreet consideration hoping that you will measure them not by my abilitie but by their authoritie not as Poems of Poets but praiers of Prophets and vouchsafe to be their gracious Patronesse against any gracelesse Parasite And endeuour your selfe with this good Debora Hester and Iudith whose songes of praise I here present to your Ladiship to the aduancing of Gods glorie and the beautifieng of his Church Thus committing your Ladiship and all your actions to the protection of the Almighty and my short translation to your curteous censure I humbly take my leaue London this 10. of Feb. 1590· Your Ladiships to commaund in all dutifull seruices Michaell Drayton To the curteous Reader GEntle Reader my meaning is not with the varietie of verse to feede any vaine humour neither to trouble thee with deuises of mine owne inuention as carieng an ouerweening of mine owne wit but here I present thee with these Psalmes or Songes of praise so exactly translated as the prose would permit or sence would any way suffer me which if thou shalt be the same in hart thou art in name I mean a Christian I doubt not but thou wilt take as great delight in these as in any Poetical fiction I speak not of Mars the god of Wars nor of Venus the goddesse of loue but of the Lord of Hostes that made heauen and earth Not of Toyes in Mount Ida but of triumphes in Mount Sion Not of Vanitie but of Veritie not of Tales but of Truethes Thus submitting my selfe vnto thy clemencie and my labours vnto thy indifferencie I wish thee as my selfe Thine as his owne M. D. The Spirituall Songes and holy Hymnes contained in this Book 1 THe most notable Song of Moses which he made a litle before his death 2 The Song of the Israelites for their deliuerance out of Egypt 3 The most excellent Song of Salomon Containing eight Chapters 4 The Song of Annah 5 The Praier of Ieremiah 6 The Song of Deborah and Barach 7 A Song of the Faithfull for the mercies of God 8 Another Song of the Faithfull 9 A Song of thankes to God 10 An other Song of the Faithfull Other Songes and Praiers out of the bookes of Apocripha 11 The Praier of Iudith 12 The Song of Iudith 13 A Praier in Ecclesiasticus of the Author 14 The Praier of Salomon 15 A Song of Ihesus the sonne of Sirach 16 The Praier of Hester 17 The Praier of Mardocheus 18 A Praier in the person of the Faithfull 19 A Praier of Tobias FINIS The most notable Song of Moses containing Gods benefites to his people which he taught the Children of Israell a litle before his death and commanded them to learne it and teach it vnto their children as a witnesse betweene God and them Deutronom Chap. xxxii YEe Heauens aboue vnto my speach attend And Earth below giue eare vnto my will My doctrine shall like pleasant drops discend My words like heauenly dew shal down distil like as sweet showers refresh the hearbs again Or as the grasse is nourish'd by the raine I will describe Iehouahs name aright And to that God giue euerlasting praise Perfect is he a God of woondrous might With iudgment he directeth all his waies He onely true and without sinne to trust Righteous is he and he is onely iust With loathsome sinne now are you all defilde Not of his seed but Bastards basely borne And from his mercie therefore quite exilde Mischieuous men through follie all forlorne Is it not he which hath you dearly bought Proportion'd you and made you iust of nought Consider well the times and ages past Aske thy forefathers and they shall thee tell That when Iehouah did deuide at last Th'inheritance that to the Nations fel And seperating Adams heires he gaue the portion his Israell should haue His people be the portion of the Lord Iacob the lot of his inheritance In wildernesse he hath thee not abhorr'd But in wild Deserts did thee still aduance He taught thee still and had a care of thee And kept thee as the apple of his eie Like as the Eagle tricketh vp her neast Therein to lay her litle birdes full soft And on her backe doth suffer them to rest And with her wings both carie them aloft Euen so the Lord with care hath nourisht thee And thou hast had no other God but he And great Iehouah giueth vnto thee The fertilst soyle the earth did euer yeeld That thou all pleasure mightst beholde and see And tast the fruit of the most pleasant field Honey for thee out of the flint he brought And oile out of the craggie rocke he wrought With finest butter still he hath thee fed With milke of Sheep he hath thee cherished With fat of Lambes and Rammes in Bazan bred With flesh of Goates he hath thee nourished With finest wheat he hath refresht thee still And gaue thee wine thereof to drink thy fill But hee that should be thankfull then for this Once waxing fat began to spurne and kicke Thou art so crancke and such thy grosenesse is That now to lust thy prouender doth pricke That he that made thee thou remembrest not And he that sau'd thee thou hast clean forgot With Idols they offend his gracious eies And by their sinne prouoke him vnto yre To deuils they doo offer sacrifice Forsake their God and other goddes desire Gods whose beginnings were but strange new Whom yet their fathers neuer fear'd nor knew He which begat thee is cleane out of mind The God which form'd thee thou doost not regard The Lord to angre was therewith inclinde His sonnes and daughters should him so reward And there he vow'd his chearfull face to hide To see their end and what would them betide For faithlesse they and froward are become And with no God moue me to ielousie To angre they prouoke me all and some And still offend me with their vanitie And with no people I will mooue them then And angre them with vaine and foolish
which did thee bring Let it be like a priuie seale within thy secret heart Or like a Signet on thy hand thy secrets to impart For iealousie is like the graue and loue more strong than death From whose hot brands ther doth proceed a flaming fiery breath The flouds cannot alay his heat nor water quench his flame Neither the greatest treasure can counteruaile the same Our litle sister hath no breasts what shal we doo or say when we shal giue her to her Spouse vpon her wedding day If that she be a wall on that foundation sure A princely pallace wil we build of siluer passing pure And if she be a doore she shall inclosed be With braue and goodly squared boords of the fine Cedar tree I am a mightie wall my breasts like Towers hie Then am I passing beautifull in my beloueds eie King Salomon a vinyard had in faire Baalhamon field Each one in siluer yeerely dooth a thousand peeces yeeld But yet my vineyard Salomon thy vine doth far excell For fruit and goodnes of the same thou know'st it very wel A thousand siluer peeces are euen yearely due to me Two twousand likewise vnto them the which her keepers be Oh thou that in the garden dwell it learne me thy voice to know That I may listen to the same as thy companions doo Flie my beloued hence away and be thou like the Roe Or as the Hart on mountaine toys wheron sweet spices growe The Song of Annah for the bringing foorth of Samuel her sonne The second Chap. of the first booke of Samuel MY heart doth in the Lord reioice that liuing Lord of might which doth his seruāts horn exalt in al his peoples light I wil reioice in their despight which erst haue me abhord Because that my saluation dependeth on the Lord. None is so holie as the Lord besides thee none there are With our God there is no God that may himselfe compare See that no more presumptuously ye neither boast nor vaunt Nor yet vnseemly speak such things so proud and arrogant For why the counsell of the Lord in depth cannot be sought Our enterprises and our actes by him to passe are brought The bowe is broke the mightie ones subuerted are at length And they which weake and feeble were increased are in strength They that were ful had great store with labor buy their bread And they which hungrie were poore with plenty now are fed So that the womb which barren was hath many children born And she which store of children had is left now all forlorne The Lord doth kill and make aliue his iudgments all are iust He throweth downe into the graue and raiseth from the dust The Lord doth make both rich poore he al our thoughts doth trie He bringeth low eke againe exalteth vp on hie He raiseth vp the simple soule whom men pusude with hate To sit amongst the mightie ones in chaire of princely state For why the pillers of the earth he placed with his hand whose mighty strēgth doth stil support the waight of al the land He wil preserue his Saints likewise the wicked men at length He wil confound let no man seem to glory in his strength The enemies of God the Lord shal be destroied all From heauen he shal thunder send that on their heads shal fall The mightie Lord shall iudge the world giue his power alone Vnto the King and shal exalt his owne annointed one The Song of Ionah in the Whales bellie In the second Chap. of Ionah IN griefe and anguish of my heart my voice I did extend Vnto the Lord and he therto a willing eare did lend Euen from the deep and darkest pit the infernall lake To me he hath bow'd down his eare for his great mercies sake For thou into the middest of surging seas so deepe Hast cast me foorth whose bottom is so low woondrous steep Whose mighty wallowing waues which from the floods do flow haue with their power vp swallowed me ouerwhelm'd me tho Then said I loe I am exilde from presence of thy face Yet wil I once againe behold thy house and dwelling place The waters haue encompast me the floods inclosde me round The weeds haue sore encōbred me which in the seas abound Vnto the valeyes down I went beneath the hils which stand The earth hath there enuiron'd me with force of al the land Yet hast thou stil preserued me from al these dangers here And brought my life out of the pit oh Lord my God so deare My soule consuming thus with care I praied vnto the Lord And he from out his holie place heard me with one accord Who to vain lieng vanities doth whollie him betake Doth erre also Gods mercie he doth vtterly forsake But I wil offer vnto him the sacrifice of praise And pay my vowes ascribing thanks vnto the Lord alwaies The Praier of Ieremiah bewailing the captiuitie of the people In the fift Chap. of his Lamentations CAl vnto mind oh mightie Lord the wrongs we daily take Consider and he hold the same for thy great mercies sake Our lands our inheritance meere strangers do possesse The alients in our houses dwel and we without redresse We now alas are fatherlesse stil pursude with hate Our mourning mothers nowe remaine in wofull widdowes state We buy the water which we drink such is our grieuous want Likewise the wood euen for our vse that we our selues did plant Our neckes are subiect to the yoke of persecutions thrall We wearied out with cruell toile and find no rest at all Afore time we in Egypt land and in Assyria serued For food our hunger to sustaine least that we should haue sterued Our fathers which are dead gone haue sinned wondrous sore And we now scourg'd for their offence ah woe are we therefore Those seruile slaues which bondmen be of them in fear we stand Yet no man doth deliuer vs from cruel Cattiues hand Our liuings we are forr'd to get in perils of our liues The drie and barren wildernesse therto by danger driues Our skins be scortcht as though they had bin in an ouen dride With famine and the penury which here we doo abide Our wiues and maides defloured are by violence and force On Sion and in Iuda land sans pity or remorce Our kings by cruel enimies with cordes are hanged vp Our grauest sage and ancient men haue tasted of that cup. Our yoong men they haue put to sword not one at al they spare Our litle boyes vpon the tree sans pitie hanged are Our elders sitting in the gates can now no more be found Our youth leaue off to take delight in musicks sacred sound The ioy and comfort of our heart away is fled and gone Our solace is with sorrow mixt our mirth is turn'd to mone Our glory now is laid full low and buried in the ground Our sins ful sore do burthen vs whose greatnes doth abound Oh holy blessed Sion hill my heart
is woe for thee Mine eies poure foorth a flood of teares this dismal day to see Which art destroied and now lieth wast from sacred vse trade Thy holie place is now a den of filthy Foxes made But thou the euerliuing Lord which doost remaine for aye Whose seat aboue the firmament full sure and still doth stay Wherefore dost thou forsake thine owne shal we forgotten be Turne vs good Lord and so we shall be turned vnto thee Lord cal vs home from our erile to place of our abode Thou long inough hast punisht vs oh Lord now spare thy rod. The Song of Deborah and Baracke The fift Chap. of Iudges PRaise ye the Lord the which reuenge on Israels wrongs doth take Likewise for those which offered vp themselues for Israels sake Heare this ye kings ye princes al giue eare with one accord I wil giue thanks yea sing the praise of Israels liuing Lord. When thou departedst Lord from Seir and out of Edom field The earth gan quake the heauens rain the cloudes their water yeeld the moūtains hie before the Lord haue melted euery del As Synay did in presence of the Lord of Israell In time of Sangar Anaths sonne and in old Iaels daies the paths were al vnoccupied men sought forth vnknown waies The townes cities there lay wast and to decay they fel Til Deborah a matrone graue became in Israell They chose thē gods then garboils did within their gates aboūd A spear or shield in Israel there was not to be found In those which gouern Israel my heart doth take delight And in the valiant people there oh praise the Lord of might Speak ye that on white Asses ride that by Midden dwell And ye that daily trade the waies see forth your minds you tell The clattering noise of archers shot when as the arrowes flew Appeased was amongst the sort which water daily drew The righteousnesse of God the Lord shal be declared there And likewise Israel righteousnes which worship him in feare The people with reioicing hearts then all with one consent I mean the Lords inheritante vnto the gates they went Deborah vp arise and sing a sweet and worthy song Baracke lead them as Captiues forth which vnto thee belong For they which at this day remaine do rule like Lords alone The Lord ouer the mightie ones giues me dominion The roots of Ephraim arose gainst Amalecke do fight And so likewise did Beniamin with all their power and might From Macher came a company which chiefest sway did beare From Zebulon which cunning clarks famous writers were The kings which came of Isacher were with Deborah tho Yea Isacher and Barack both attend on her also He was dismounted in the vale for the deuisions sake Of Ruben the people there great lamentation make Gilead by Iorden made abode and Dan on ship boord lay And Asher in the Desart he vpon the shore doth stay They of Zebulon and Nepthaly like worthy valiant wightes Before their foes euen in the field aduanc'd themselues in fight The kings themselues in person fought the kings of Canaan In Tanach plaine wheras the streame of swift Megido ran No pay no hyer ne coine at all not one did seem to take They serued not for greedy gain nor filthy lucre sake The heauens hy and heauenly powers these things to passe haue brought The stars against proud Sisera euen in their course haue fought The stream of kishons anciēt brook hath ouerwhelm'd thē there My soule sith thou hast done thy part be now of harty cheare The hardened hooues of barbed horse were al in peeces broke By force of mightie men which met with many a sturdy stroke The Angel hath pronounc'd a curse which shal on Meroz fall And those that doo inhabite there a curse light on them all Because they put not forth their hands to help the liuing Lord Against the proud and mighty ones which haue his truth abhord Iaell the Kenit Hebers wife most happy shal be blest Aboue al other women there which in the tents do rest He asked water for to drink she gaue sweet milk to him Yea butter in a lordly dish which was full tricke and trim her left hand to the naile she put her right the hammer wrought Wherewith presumptuous Sisera vnto his death she brought And from his corps his head she cut with mortal deadly wound When through the tēples of his head she naild him to the groūd He bowed then vnto the earth and at her feet can fall And where he fell there still he lay bereau'd of sences all The mother then of Sisera in window where she lay Doth marueil much that this her sonne doth make so long a stay Her Ladies then they hearing that make answer by and by Yea to her speaches past before her selfe doth this replie Hath he not gotten mightie spoiles and now diuision makes Each one a Damosell hath or twaine which he as captiue takes Sisera of costly coloured robes ful rich with needle wrought Hath got a pray which vnto him as chiefest spoiles are brought So let thine enemies O Lord sustaine and suffer blame And let thy chosen blessed ones that loue and feare thy name Be like the Son when in the morne his glorie doth increase Or like the land which many a yeare hath bin in rest and peace Another Song of the faithfull for the mercies of God In the xii Chap. of the prophesie of Isaiah OH liuing Lord I still will laude thy name for though thou wert offended once with me Thy heauy wrath is turn'd from me againe and graciously thou now doost comfort mee Behold the Lord is my saluation I trust in him and feare not any power He is my song the strength I leane vpon the Lord God is my louing Sauiour Therefore with ioy out of the well of life draw foorth sweet water which it dooth afford And in the day of trouble and of strife cal on the name of God the liuing Lord. Extol his works and woonders to the sunne vnto al people let his praise be showne Record in song the meruails he hath done and let his glorie through the world be blowne Crie out aloud and shout on Sion hill I giue thee charge that this proclaimed be The great and mightie king of Israell now onely dwelleth in the midst of thee A Song of the faithfull In the third Chap. of the prophesie of Habacucke LOrd at thy voice my heart for feare hath trembled Vnto the world Lord let thy workes be showen In these our daies now let thy power be knowen And yet in wrath let mercie be remembred From Teman loe our God you may behold The holie one from Paran mount so hie His glorie hath cleane couered the Skie And in the earth his praises be inrolde His shining was more clearer than the light And from his hands a fulnesse did proceed Which did contain his wrath and power indeed Consuming plagues and fire were in his sight
He stood aloft and compassed the land And of the Nations doth defusion make The mountains rent the hilles for feare did quake His vnknown pathes no man may vnderstand The Morians tentes euen for their wickednes I might behold the land of Midian Amaz'd and trembling like vnto a man Forsaken quite and left in great distresse What did the riuers moue the Lord to ire Or did the floods his Maiesty displease Or was the Lord offended with the seas That thou camest forth in chariot hot as fire Thy force and power thou freely didst relate Vnto the tribes thy oath doth surely stand And by thy strength thou didst deuide the land And from the earth the riuers seperate The mountaines saw and trembled for feare The sturdy streame with speed foorth passed by The mighty depthes shout out a hideous crie And then aloft their waues they did vpreare The Sun and Moon amid their course stood still Thy speares and arrowes forth with shining went Thou spoilest the land being to anger bent And in displeasure thou didst slay and kill Thou wentest foorth for thine owne chosens sake For the sauegard of thine annointed one The house of wicked men is ouerthrowne And their foundations now goe all to wracke Their townes thou strikest by thy mightie power With their own weapons made for their defence Who like a whyrl-wind came with the pretence The poore and simple man quite to deuoure â—â—ou madest thy horse on seas to gallop fast Vpoâ—â—â—e waues thou ridest here and there My â—â—â—als trembled then for verie feare 〈◊〉 at thy voice my lips shooke at the last Griefe pierc'd my bones and feare did me annoy In time of trouble where I might find rest For to reuenge when once the Lord is prest With plagues he wil the people quite destroy The fig-tree now no more shall sprout nor flourish The pleasant vine no more with grapes abound No pleasure in the citie shall be found The field no more her fruit shal feed nor nourish The sheep shall now be taken from the fold In stall of Bullocks there shall be no choice Yet in the Lord my Sauiour I reioice My hope in God yet wil I surely hold God is my strength the Lord my only stay My feet for swiftnesse it is he will make Like to the Hinds who none in course can take Vpon high places he will make me way A Song of thankes to God in that hee sheweth himselfe Iudge of the world in punishing the wicked and maintaining the godlie In the xv Chap. of the prophesie of Isaiah OH Lord my God with praise I wil perseuer Thy blessed name in song I wil record for the great wonders thou hast done O lord Thy trueth and counsels haue bene certain euer A mightie citie thou makest ruinat The strongest townes thou bringest to decay A place where strangers vsually do stay And shall not be reduc'd to former state The proudest people therefore stoupe to thee The strongest cities haue thee still in feare Thou strengthnest the poore man in dispaire And helpest the needie in necessitie Thou art a sure refuge against a shower A shadow which doth from the heat defend The raging blasts the mighty forth doth send Is like a storme which shakes the stateliest tower Thou shalt abate the forraine strangers pride Like as the heat doth drie the moistest place The glorie of the proud thou shalt deface Like as the cloudes the sunny beames doo hide The Lord of hostes shal in this mount prouide And to his people here shal make a feast Offatted things and dainties of the best Of Marrow and wines finely purified And in this Mountaine by his mightie hand That same dark cloud the Lord wil cleane destroy Euen with the vaile which doth his folke annoy And death no more before his face shall stand The Lord will wipe out of his chosens eies The teares which doo their faces so distaine And their rebuke shal now no more remaine Thus saith the Lord these be his promises And men shal say then loe this same is he This is our God on whom we did attend This is the Lord that will vs stil defend We will be glad and ioyfull Lord in thee Thy hand oh Lord here in this mount shall rest And cursed Moab shall by thee be beaten As in thy iudgment thou of long doost threaten As in Mamena straw of men is thresht And ouer them the Lord his hand shal holde As he that swimmeth stretcheth him at length And by his power and by his mighty strength The proud and stout by him shal be controlde Thy highest walles and towers of all thy trust He shall bring downe and lay them all full lowe Vnto the ground his hand shall make them bow And lay thy pride and glorie in the dust An other Song of the faithfull wherein is declared in what consisteth the saluation of the Church In the xvi Chap. of the prophesie of Isaiah ANd in that day this same shal be our song In Iuda land this shall be sung and said We haue a citie which is woondrous strong And for the walles the Lord himself our aid Open the gates yea set them open wide And let the godly and the righteous passe Yea let them enter and therein abide Which keepe his lawes and do his trueth imbrace And in thy iudgment thou wilt sure preserue In perfect peace those which doo trust in thee Trust in the Lord which dooth all trust deserue He is thy strength and none but onelie he He will bring downe the proud that looke so hie The stateliest buildings he wil soone abase And make them euen with the ground to lie And unto dust he will their pride deface It shall be troden to the verie ground The poore and needy downe the same shal tread The iust mans way in righteousnes is found Into a path most plaine thou wilt him lead But we haue waited long for thee oh Lord And in thy way of iudgment we do rest Our soules doth ioy thy name still to record And thy remembrance doth content vs best My soule hath long'd for thee oh Lord by night And in the morn my spirit for thee hath sought Thy iudgments to the earth giue such a light As al the world by them thy trueth is taught But shew thy mercie to the wicked man He wil not learne thy righteousnes to know His chiefe delight is still to curse and ban And vnto thee himselfe he will not bow They doo not once at all regard thy power Thy peoples zeale shall let them see their shame But with a fire thou shalt thy foes deuoure And cleane consume them with a burning flame With peace thou wilt preserue vs Lord alone For thou hast wrought great woonders for our sake And other Gods beside thee haue we none Only in thee we all our comfort take The dead and such as sleep within the graue Shal giue no glorie nor yeeld praise to thee Which here on earth no place
the last iudgement day For he such quenchlesse fire and gnawing wormes shal send Into their flesh as shal consume them world without an end A Praier of the Authour In the xxiii Chap. of Ecclesiasticus LOrd of my life my guide and gouernour Father of thee this one thing I require Thou wilt not leaue me to the wicked power Which seeke my fall and stil my death desire Oh who is he that shall instruct my thought And so with wisdom shall inspire my heart In ignorance that nothing may be wrought By me with them whose sinne shall not depart Least that mine errors growe and multiplie And to destruction through my sinnes I fall My foes reioice at my aduersitie Who in thy mercie haue no hope at all My Lord and God from whom my life I tooke Vnto the wicked leaue me not a pray A haughty mind a proud disdainfull looke From me thy Seruant take thou cleane away Vaine hope likewise with vile concupiscence Lord of thy mercie take thou cleane from me Retaine thou him in true obedience Who with desire daily serueth thee Let not desire to please the greedy mawe Or appetite of any fleshly lust Thy seruant from his louing Lord withdraw But giue thou me a mind both good and iust The Praier of Salomon In the ix Chap. of the book of Wisdome OH God of our forefathers all of mercie thou the Lord Which heauen and earth and al thinges els createdst with thy word And by thy wisdome madest man like to thy selfe alone And gauest him ouer thy workes the chiefe dominion That he shoud rule vpon the earth with equity and right And that his iudgments should be pure and vpright in thy sight Giue me that wisdome which about thy sacred throne doth stay And from amongst thine own elect Lord put me not away For I thy seruant am and of thy handmaid borne A sillie soule whose life alas is short and all forlorne And do not vnderstand at all what ought to be my guide I mean thy statutes and thy lawes least that I slip aside For though a man in worldly things for wisdome be esteem'd Yet if thy wisdom want in him his is but folly deem'd Thou chosest me to be a King to sit on royall throne To iudge the folk which thou of right dost chalenge for thy own Thou hast commanded me to build a Temple on thy hill And Altar in the self same place where thou thy selfe doost dwel Euen like vnto thy Tabernacle in each kind of respect A thing most holy which at first thy selfe thou didst erect Thy wisdome being stil with thee which vnderstands thy trade When as thou framedst first the world and her foundation laid Which knew the thing that most of all was pleasant in thy sight Thy wil and thy commandements wherein thou takst delight Send her down from that heauenly seat wheras she doth abide That she may shew to me thy will and be my onely guide For she dooth know and vnderstand yea al things doth foresee And by her works and mighty power I shall preserued bee Then shal my works accepted be and liked in thy sight When I vpon my fathers throne shall iudge thy folke aright Who knoweth the counsell of the Lord his deep and secret skil Or who may search into his works or know his holy will For why the thoughts of mortal men are nothing els but care Their forecasts and deuises all things most vncertaine are The bodie is vnto the soule a waight and burthen great The earthly house depresseth down the mind with cares repleat The things which here on earth remain we hardly can discern To find their secret vse and trade with labor great we learne For who doth search or seek to know with traueill with care The secrets of the mightie Lord which hie in heauen are Who can thy counsels vnderstand except thou doo impart Thy wisdome and thy holy spirit doost send into his heart For so the waies of mortal men reformed are and taught The things that most delighteth thee which wisdom forth haue brought A Song of Ihesus the sonne of Sirach In the last Chap. of Ecclesiasticus I Will confesse thy name O Lord And giue thee praise with one accord My God my King and Sauiour Vnto thy name be thankes and power I haue bene succoured by thee And thou hast still preserued me And from destruction kept me long And from report of slaunderous tongue From lips stil exrcisde with lies And from my cruell enemies Thou me in mercie doost deliuer Thy blessed name be praisde for euer From monsters that would me deuoure From cruell tyrants and their power In all affliction paine and griefe Thou succourest me with some reliefe From the cruell burning flame Poore I inclosde within the same From the deepe infernall pit From venom'd tongues that poison spit From speeches that of malice spring From accusation to the king From all reproch and infamy From slander and like villanie My soule to death praise thou the Lord And laud his name with one accord For death was readie thee to take And thou neare the infernall lake They compassed me round about But there was none to helpe me out I look'd when succour would appeare But there was none that would come neare Vpon thy mercies then I thought And on the wonders thou hast wrought How from destruction thou doost saue Such as in thee affiance haue In praier then I did perseuer That thou from death wouldst me deliuer Vnto the Lord I crie and call That he would rid me out of thrall Therefore I still will praise thy name And euer thanke thee for the same My praiers shall of thee be heard And neuer from thy eares debard Thou sau'st me from destruction And other mischiefs more than one Therefore wil I praise thee O Lord And in my songs thy name record The Praier of Hester for the deliuerance of her and her people In the xiiii Chap. of Hester O Mighty Lord thou art our God to thee for aid I crie To help a woman desolate sith danger now is nie Euen frō my youth I oft haue hard my predecessors tel That from amongst the nations all thou chosest Israell And chosest those our fathers were from theirs that went before To be thine owne and hast perform'd thy promise euermore Now Lord we haue committed sin most grieuous in thine eies Wherfore thou hast deliuered vs vnto our enemies Because that to their heathen gods with worship we haue gone Knowing that thou art God the Lord the righteous Lord alone Yet not content nor satisfied with these our captiues bands But with their Idols they thēselues haue ioin'd shaken hands Quite to abolish and subuert what thou appointed hast And this thine owne inheritance euen vtterly to waste To shut and stop the mouthes of those that yeeld thee thanks and praise Thy glorious temples to defile thine Altars vp to raise And to induce the heathen folke to laud their Idols
might To magnifie a fleshly King a man a mortall wight Then let not such the Scepter sway whose glorie is of nought Least they deride vs when that we to miserie are brought And those deuises they haue wrought t'intangle vs withall May turne vnto their owne decay and on their heads may fall Remember Lord and shew thy selfe to vs in time of need And strengthen me thou King of kings Lord of power indeed Instruct my tongue with eloquence my speaches to impart Before the Lions face and by thy wisdome turne his heart To hate our deadly enemie so wholly bent to ill Destroy him and al such as doo consent vnto his will But let thy hand deliuer vs and help and succour me Sith I am now left comfortlesse and haue no help but thee Thou know'st right well all things O Lord this thou knowest then I hate the glory and the pompe of wicked sinful men And vtterly detest the bed of any heathen wight Vncircumcised most vnpure and odious in thy sight Thou knowest my necessitie and that with hate I beare This token of preheminence which on my head I weare And as a filthy menstruous cloath I take thereof such shame As being by my selfe alone I neuer weare the same And that at Hamans table yet thy handmaid hath not fed Nor tooke delight in princes feast nor drank wine offered And neuer wi'd in any thing since first I hether came Vntil this day but in the Lord thou God of Abraham Oh thou the high and mightie God heare thou the voice crie Of them whose hope whose trust and stay only on thee doth lie And now in need deliuer vs out of their cruell hand And from the dread and feare O Lord wherin we dayly stand The Praier of Mardocheus In the xiii Chap. of Hester Oh Lord my Lord that art the King of might Within whose power all thinges their being haue Who may withstand that liueth in thy sight If thou thy chosen Israell wilt saue For thou hast made the earth and heauen aboue And al things els that in the same do mooue Thou madest all things and they are all thine own And there is none that may resist thy will Thou know'st all things and this of thee is knowne I did not erst for malice nor for ill Presumption nor vaine glorie els at all Come nor bow downe vnto proud Hamans call I could haue bin content for Israels sake To kisse the soles euen of his verie feet But that I would not mans vaine honor take Before Gods glorie being so vnmeet And would not worship none O Lord but thee And not of pride as thou thy selfe doost see Therefore oh Lord my God and heauenly king Haue mercie on the people thou hast bought For they imagine and deuise the thing How to destroy and bring vs vnto nought Thine heritance which thou so long hast fed And out so far from Egypt land hast led Oh heare my praier and mercie doe extend Vpon thy portion of inheritance For sorrowe now some ioy and solace send That we may liue thy glorie to aduance And suffer not their mouthes shut vp oh Lord Which stil thy name with praises doo record A Praier in the person of the Faithfull The xxxvi Chap. of Ecclesiasticus HAue mercie on vs blessed Lord Which madest all thinges with thy word Behold vs Sauiour from aboue Illuminate vs with thy loue And let the wicked dread thy name Which neuer sought vnto the same And knowe that thou art God alone And like in woonders to be none Oh Lord lift vp thy mightie hand The world thy power shall vnderstand As by vs thou art sanctified By them so be thou magnified That they may learne thy power to knowe As we that be thy seruantes doo Thou art the liuing Lord alone And other Goddes besides thee none Renew the signes Lord thou hast showne And let thy woonderous woorks he knowne Declare the strength of thy right hand Let them thy power vnderstand Arise to iudgment in thine yre Poure out thy wrath as hot as fire Destroy the cruell aduersarie To spoile our foes Lord doo not tarie Shorten thou these wicked daies Thinke on thine oath at all assaies Let thy woonders Lord appeare And be thou praised farre and neare In burning fire Lord let them die Which doe escape and seek to flie And let them perish with annoy Which seeke thy people to destroy Cleaue thou the heads of mighty kings Our enemies in godly things And let the world behold and see That we are chosen vnto thee Lord gather Iacob vnto thee That they thy might power may see that they thy wondrous works may show And to be thine themselues may know Vnto thy folke impute no blame Which euer cald vpon thy name To Israel Lord be thou milde Thy only heir thy first borne child Vnto Ierusalem shew pitie Thy sanctuarie and thy citie Blesse Sion where thy prophets liue Thy glorie to thy people giue And be thou witnesse vnto those Which haue bene thine still to dispose And raise them vp oh Lord on hie Which in thy name doo prophesie Reward them Lord that waite for thee That they thy Prophets trueth may see Heare thou thy seruants praier oh Lord As thou to Aaron gauest thy word Guide vs in way of righteousnesse The earth thy glorie shall expresse And to the world it shall be knowne Thou art eternall and alone A Praier of Tobias exhorting all men to praise the Lord. Tobias Chap. xiii BLess'd be that king which euermore shal raign So euer may his kingdome blessed be Which punisheth and pittieth againe Which sends to hell and likewise setteth free Before whose presence may no creature stand Nor any thing auoid his heauie hand Ye children of his chosen Israell Before the Gentles stil confesse his name With whom he hath appointed you to dwell Euen there I say extol and laude his fame He is a Lord and God most gracious And still hath bene a father vnto vs. He wil scourge vs for our iniquitie Yet mercie will he take on vs againe And from those nations gathered shall we be With whom as strangers now we do remaine Yf in your harts he shal repentance find And turne to him with zeale and willing mind When as your dealings shall be found vpright Then wil he turn his face from you no more Nor thenceforth hide his presence from your sight But lend his mercie then laid vp in store Therefore confesse his name praises sing To that most great and highest heauenly King I will confesse him in captiuitie And to a wicked people shewe his might Oh turne to him vile sinners that you be And doo the thing is vpright in his sight Who's there can tell if he will mercie showe Or take compassion on you yea or noe I will extoll and laude thy name alwaies My soule the praise of heauens King expresse All tongues on earth shall spread abroad his praise All nations shew foorth his righteousnesse Ierusalem thou shalt be scourged then But he wil spare the sonnes of righteous men Faile not to giue the Lord his praises due And still extoll that euerlasting King And help to build his Tabernacle newe In which his Saints shall euer sit and sing In which the captiues shall haue end of griefe In which the poore shall euer find reliefe Many shall come from countries far and neare And shall great giftes vnto his presence bring Many before his presence shall appeare And shal reioice in this great heauenly King Cursed be those which hate thy blessed name But bless'd be those which loue like the same Triumph with ioy ye that be good and iust Though scattered now yet shall you gathered be Then in the Lord fix all your hope and trust And rest in peace till you these blessings see blessed be those which haue bin touch'd with griefe when they haue seen thee scourg'd want reliefe Those only shall reioice with thee againe And those shall be partakers of thy glorie And shall in blisse for ay with thee remaine Now passed once these troubles transitorie Then oh my soule see thou reioice and sing And laud the great and highest heuenly King And he will build Ierusalem full faire With Emeralds and Saphyrs of great price With precious stones he will her walles repaire Her towers of golde with worke of rare deuice And all her streetes with Berall will he paue With Carbunckles and Ophirs passing braue And all her people there shall sit and say Praised be God with Aleluiah FINIS