The Church.
177
Let the wonder of this pitie
Be my dittie,
And take up my lines and life:
Hearken under pain of death,
Hands and breath;
Strive in this, and love the strife.
Be my dittie,
And take up my lines and life:
Hearken under pain of death,
Hands and breath;
Strive in this, and love the strife.
¶ The Posie.
Let wits contest,
And with their words and posies windows fill:
Lesse then the least
Of all thy mercies, is my posie still.
And with their words and posies windows fill:
Lesse then the least
Of all thy mercies, is my posie still.
This on my ring,
This by my picture, in my book I write:
Whether I sing,
Or say, or dictate, this is my delight.
This by my picture, in my book I write:
Whether I sing,
Or say, or dictate, this is my delight.
Invention rest,
Comparisons go play, wit use thy will:
Lesse then the least
Of all Gods mercies, is my posie still.
Comparisons go play, wit use thy will:
Lesse then the least
Of all Gods mercies, is my posie still.
¶ A Parodie.
Souls joy, when thou art gone,
And I alone,
Which cannot be,
Because thou dost abide with me,
And I depend on thee;
And I alone,
Which cannot be,
Because thou dost abide with me,
And I depend on thee;
Yet when thou dost suppresse
The cheerfulnesse
Of thy abode,
And in my powers not stirre abroad,
But leave me to my load:
The cheerfulnesse
Of thy abode,
And in my powers not stirre abroad,
But leave me to my load:
O
