| Edward Farr, ed. Select Poetry of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth. 1845. | | | | The Complaynt of a Sinner | | XVII. Humphrey Gifford |
| | | LIKE as the theefe in prison cast | |
| With wofull wayling mones, | |
| When hope of pardon cleane is past, | |
| And sighes with dolefull grones: | |
| So I a slaue to sinne, | 5 |
| With sobs and many a feare, | |
| As one, without thine ayde, forlorne, | |
| Before thy throne appeare. | |
| |
| O Lorde, in rage of wanton youth | |
| My follies did abounde, | 10 |
| And eke since that I knewe thy trueth | |
| My life hath beene vnsound: | |
| Alas! I do confesse, | |
| I see the perfect way, | |
| Yet frayltie of my feeble fleshe | 15 |
| Doth make me run astray. | |
| |
| Aye me, when that some good desire, | |
| Woulde moue me to doe wel, | |
| Affections fond make mee retire, | |
| And cause me to rebell. | 20 |
| I wake, yet am asleepe; | |
| I see, yet still am blinde; | |
| In ill I runne with hedlong race; | |
| In good I come behinde. | |
| |
| Loe, thus in life I daily die, | 25 |
| And dying shall not liue; | |
| Unlesse thy mercy speedily | |
| Some succour to me geue. | |
| I die, O Lorde, I die! | |
| If thou doe mee forsake, | 30 |
| I shall be likened vnto those | |
| That fall into the lake. | |
| |
| When that one prop or onely stay | |
| Holdes vp some house or wall, | |
| If that the prop be tane away, | 35 |
| Needes must the building fall: | |
| O Lorde, thou art the prop | |
| To which I cleaue and leane: | |
| If thou forsake or cast mee of, | |
| I still shall liue in paine. | 40 |
| |
| Although my hard and stony hart | |
| Be apt to runne astray, | |
| Yet let thy goodnesse mee conuert, | |
| So shall I not decay: | |
| Sweete God, doe rue my plaints, | 45 |
| And sheelde me from annoy: | |
| Then my poore soule, this life once past, | |
| Shall rest with thee in ioy. | | | | |
|
|
