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WIFE OF BEITH
21

My lord quoth ſhe I do intend,
Lamenting for my former vice;
The poor thief, at the latter end,
For one word went to paradiſe.
The thief heard never of my teachings,
My heavenly teachings and my laws,
But thou waſt daily at my preachings,
Both heard, and ſaw and yet mickaws.
Maſter quoth ſhe the ſcripture ſays,
The Jewiſh woman who play'd the lown,
Conform unto the Hebrew laws,
Was brought to thee to be put down.
But nevertheless thou let her go,
And madeſt the Pharaſers afraid.
Indeed ſays Chriſt it was right ſo,
And that my bidding was obey'd.
Woman, he ſaid, I may not caſt
The children's bread to dogs like thee,
Although m mercies ſtill do laſt,
There's mercy here but not for thee.
But loving Lord may I preſume,
Poor w rm that I may ſpeak again,
The dogs for hunger were undone,
And of the crumbs they were right fain,
Grant me one crumb that then doth fall,
From thy bleſt children's table Lord,
That I may be refreſh'd withal,
It will me help enough afford.
The gates of mercy now are cloſed,
And thou canſt hardly enter in;
It is not ſo as thou ſuppos'd

For thou art deadly ſick in ſin,