Classic Poem

A solempne and repentant Prayer, for former life mispent.
O H heavenly Lord, who plain doost see
y e thoughts of ech mas heart:
Who sendest some continuall plague
& some release of smart:
Pittie, O Lorde, the wofull state
wherein I dayly stand,
And onely for thy mercies sake
now helpe me, out of hande.
And as it was thy pleasure fyrst,
to plague me thus with greefe:
So canst thou Lorde, if thee it please
with speede send me releefe.
I must of force confesse O Lorde
I can it not denye,
That I descrue these plagues and worse
and that continually:
Yet doo not thou therefore on me
thy Judgements iust extend:
But pardon me and graunt me grace
my life for to amend.
And banish (Lord) from me
delights of worldly vanitie,
And lend me helpe to pace the pathes
of perfect pietie.
And truely so to treade the pathes,
and in such godly wise,
That they may bring me to the place
of perfect paradice:
And not to wander vp and downe
in wayes of weary wo,
Where wicked wily wanton toyes
do leade me too and fro:
The Sap of Sapience likes me not
that pleaseth not my taste:
But fonde delight, that wicked weede
was all my chiefe repaste:
Wherein as hooke within the baight
so doo I plainly finde
Some hidden poyson lurking lyes,
for to infect my minde:
But wherefore doo I finde it now?
because, I now doo see
That wanting smart, I wanted grace
for to acknowledge thee.
But now, O Lorde, that I so sore
doo feele thy punishment:
I doo lament my folly great
and all my sinnes repent:
And to thy heauenly throane O Lord
for mercy I appeale,
To send me (Lord) some heauely salue
my greevous sores to heale.
Beholde, O Lord, my sorrowes such
as no man dooth endure:
And eke, my greevous sicknesse such
as none but thou canst cure:
And as thou art a gratious God,
to men in misery,
So pitty me, that thus (O Lord)
doo pine in penurie:
And as thou art a help to all
that put their trust in thee:
So (luld in this my deepe distresse)
some comfort lend to me:
And hold, O Lord, thy heauy hand,
and lay thy scourge aside:
For (Lord) the greevous smart thereof
I can no longer bide.
Forgiue my sinnes forget the same
beholde my humble heart,
Who, onely Lord, doo trust in thee
for to releeue my smart:
And after this my wretched life:
Lord, graunt me of thy grace
That I in heauen, at latter daye
may haue a loyfull place.