In prison have I seen, or this, a woful wight,

37

That never knew what freedom meant, nor tasted of delight,

With such unhopèd hap in most despair hath met, Within the hands that erst wore gyves to have a sceptre

set.

And by conjures 1 the seed of kings is thrust from state, Whereon a grieved people work ofttimes their hidden hate. Other, without respect I saw of friend or foe,

With feet worn bare in tracing such, whereas the

honours grow.

And at death of a prince great routs revived strange, Which, fain their old yoke to discharge, rejoiced in the change.

But when I thought, to these as heavy even, or more, Shall be the burden of his reign, as his that went

before,

And that a train like great upon the dead attend,

I 'gan conclude, each greedy gain hath its uncertain end. In humble spirit is set the temple of the Lord;

51

Where if thou enter, look thy mouth and conscience may

accord!

Whose Church is built of love, and deck'd with hot

desire,

And simple faith; the yolden ghost his mercy doth require :

Where perfectly for aye he in his word doth rest,

With gentle ear to hear thy suit, and grant thee thy request. In boast of outward works he taketh no delight,

Nor waste of words; such sacrifice unsavoureth in his sight.

9

1 'Conjures conspiracies. Yolden ghost: the mind yielded or

devoted.

CHAPTER V.

WHEN that repentant tears hath cleansed clear from ill The charged breast, and grace hath wrought therein amending will,

well assail

With bold demands then may his mercy
The speech man saith; without the which request may

none prevail.

More shall thy penitent sighs his endless mercy please, Than their importune suits, which dream that words God's wrath appease;

For heart, contrite of fault, is gladsome recompense; And prayer, fruit of faith, whereby God doth with sin dispense.

As fearful broken sleeps spring from a restless head,
By chattering of unholy lips is fruitless prayer bred. 10
In waste of wind, I rede, vow nought unto the Lord,
Whereto thy heart to bind thy will freely doth not accord;
For humble vows fulfill'd by grace right sweetly smoke:
But bold behests, broken by lusts, the wrath of God
provoke.

Yet bet1 with humble heart thy frailty to confess,
Than to boast of such perfectness, whose works such fraud
express.

With feigned words and oaths contract with God no

guile;

Such craft returns to thine own harm, and doth thyself defile:

And though the mist of sin persuade such error light, Thereby yet are thy outward works all dampned1 in his sight.

As sundry broken dreams us diversely abuse,

So are his errors manifold that many words doth use.

With humble secret plaint, few words of hot effect

23

Honour thy Lord; allowance vain of void desert neglect. Though wrong at times the right, and wealth eke need

oppress,

Think not the hand of justice slow to follow the redress:
For such unrighteous folk as rule withouten dread,

By some abuse or secret lust he suffereth to be led.
The chief bliss that in earth to living man is lent,
Is moderate wealth to nourish life, if he can be content. 30
He that hath but one field, and greedily seeketh nought,
To fence the tiller's hand from need, is king within his
thought.

But such as of their gold their only idol make,

No treasure may the ravin of their hungry hands aslake. For he that gapes for good, and hoardeth all his gain, Travails in vain to hide the sweet that should relieve his

pain.

Where is great wealth, there should be many a needy

wight

To spend the same; and that should be the rich man's chief delight.

The sweet and quiet sleeps that wearied limbs oppress, Beguile the night in diet thin, not feasts of great excess: But waker1 lie the rich; whose lively heat with rest 41 Their chargèd bulks2 with change of meats cannot so soon digest.

Another righteous doom I saw of greedy gain;

With busy cares such treasures oft preservèd to their bane:

The plenteous houses sack'd; the owners end with shame Their sparkled goods; their needy heirs, that should enjoy the same,

Waker:' wakeful.-Bulks :' bodies.-3 Sparkled :' scattered.

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From wealth despoiled bare, from whence they came they
went,
Clad in the clothes of poverty, as Nature first them sent.
Naked as from the womb we came, if we depart,

With toil to seek that we must leave, what boot to vex the heart?

What life lead testy men then, that consume their days In inward frets, untemper'd hates, at strife with some always?

Then 'gan I praise all those, in such a world of strife, As take the profit of their goods, that may be had in

life.

For sure the liberal hand that hath no heart to spare This fading wealth, but pours it forth, it is a virtue rare: That makes wealth slave to need, and gold become his thrall,

Clings1 not his guts with niggish2 fare to heap his chest withal;

But feeds the lusts of kind3 with costly meats and wine; And slacks the hunger and the thirst of needy folk that

pine :

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No glutton's feast I mean in waste of spence to strive, But temperate meals the dulled spirits with joy thus to

revive.

No care may pierce where mirth hath temper'd such a breast:

The bitter gall, season'd with sweet, such wisdom may digest.

''Clings: shrinks up.-2 Niggish:' niggard.—3 Lusts of kind:' desires of nature.

0

A PARAPHRASE OF SOME OF THE PSALMS OF DAVID.

PROEM.

WHERE reckless youth in an unquiet breast,
Set on by wrath, revenge, and cruelty,
After long war patience had oppress'd;
And justice, wrought by princely equity;
My Denny1 then, mine error deep impress'd,
Began to work despair of liberty;
Had not David, the perfect warrior, taught

That of my fault thus pardon should be sought.

PSALM LXXXVIII.

O LORD! upon whose will dependeth my welfare,
To call upon thy holy name, since day nor night I

spare,

Grant that the just request of this repentant mind

So pierce thine ears, that in thy sight some favour it may find.

My soul is fraughted full with grief of follies past;

My restless body doth consume, and death approacheth

fast:

Like them whose fatal thread thy hand hath cut in

twain,

Of whom there is no further bruit, which in their graves remain.

O Lord! thou hast me cast headlong, to please my foe, Into a pit all bottomless, whereas I plain my woe.

10

'Denny' in the old edition the word is not 'Denny,' but conscience.' Sir Walter Denny, a friend of the Howard family, and one of the executors of Henry VIII., may be the person meant.