Contents -BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD

Edward Farr, ed. Select Poetry of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth. 1845.

Psalme LI

XII. William Hunnis

1

O THOU, that madst the world of nought,

Whom God thy creatures call;

Which formedst man like to thyself,

Yet suffredst him to fall:

2Thou God, which by thy heauenlie word

Didst fleshe of virgin take,

And so becamst both God and man,

For sinful fleshe’s sake:

3O thou, that sawest when man by sinne

To hell was ouerthrowne,

Didst meeklie suffer death on crosse,

To haue thy mercies knowne:

4Thou God, which didst the patriarks

And fathers old diuine

From time to time preserue and keepe

By mercies great of thine:

5O thou, that Noah kepts from floud,

And Abram daie by daie,

As he along through Ægypt past,

Didst guide him in the waie:

6Thou God, that Lot from Sodom’s plague

Didst safelie keepe also,

And Daniel from the lions’ iawes,

Thy mercie great to shew:

7O thou good God, that didst diuide

The sea like hils to stand,

That children thine might thorough pas

From cruell Pharoe’s hand;

8So that when Pharoe and his host

Thy children did pursue,

Thou ouerthrewst them in the sea,

To prooue thy saiengs true:

9O thou, that Ionas in the fish

Three daies didst keepe from paine,

Which was a figure of thy death

And rising vp againe:

10I say, thou God, which didst preserue

Amidst the fierie flame

The three young men which sang therein

The glories of thy name:—

11Thou, God, haue mercie on my soule,

Thy goodnesse me restore,

And for thy mercies infinite

Thinke on my sinne no more.

12O Lord, the number of my sinnes

Is more than can be told;

Wherefore I humblie doo desire

Thy mercies manifold.

13For small offense thy mercie small

May soone small faultes suffice;

But I, alas! for manie faults

For greater mercie cries.

14And though the number of my sins

Surpasseth salt sea land,

And that the filth of them deserue

The wrath of thy iust hand;

15Yet doo thy mercies farre surmount

The sinnes of all in all;

Thou wilt with mercie vs relieue,

For mercie when we call.

16Right well I knowe man hath not power

So much for to transgresse,

As thou with mercie maist forgiue

Through thine almightinesse.

17I doo confesse my faultes be more

Than thousands else beside,

More noisome, and more odious,

More fowler to be tride,

18Than euer was the lothsome swine—

19Wherefore, good Lord, doo not behold

How wicked I haue bin;

But wash me from my wickednesse,

And clense me from my sin.

20The Israelites, being defil’d,

Durst not approach thee nie,

Till they their garments and themselues

Had washed decentlie.

21The priests also eke clensed were

Ere they thy face would see;

Else had they perisht in their sinne—

Such Lord was thy decree.

22Alas! how much more need I then

To craue while I am heere,

To wash my foule and spotted soule,

That it may cleane appeare!

23Polluted cloths with filth distaind

Doe manie washings craue,

Ere that the launder can obteine

The thing that he would haue.

24My soule likewise, alas! dooth need

The manie dewes of grace,

Ere it be cleane; for cankred sinne

So deepe hath taken place.

25The leprosie that Naaman had

Could not be done away,

Till he seuen times in Iordan floud

Had washt him day by day.

26How manie waters need I then

For to be washed in,

Ere I be purged faire and cleane,

And clensed from my sin!

27But, Lord, thy mercie is the sope,

And washing lee also,

That shall both scowre and clense the filth

Which in my soule doe grow.

28Why should I then, alas! despaire

Of goodness thine to mee,

When that thy iustice willeth me

To put my trust in thee?

29Thy promise, Lord, thy mouth hath past,

Which cannot be but true,

That thou wilt mercie haue on them

That turne to thee anew.

30I know, when heauen and earth shall passe,

This promise shall stand fast:

Wherefore vnto thy Maiestie

I offer now at last

31An hart contrite and sorrowfull

With all humilitie,

For heinous sinnes by it conceiu’d

Through mine iniquitie.

32I doo acknowledge all my faultes;

My sinnes stand me before;

I haue them in remembrance, Lord,

And will for euermore.

33Because thou shouldst the same forget,

I still doo thinke thereon,

And set it vp before my face,

Alwaies to look vpon.