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| DROOPING and dying in depth of dispaire; | |
| Wasted and wearied with sorrow and smart; | |
| Pinched and pained in pencifull chaire, | |
| Yet dare not discouer the thoughts of my heart: | |
| To keepe them or shew them brings griefe alike to me, | 5 |
| To keepe them or to shew them alike doth vndo me. | |
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| O dayes full of dolour! O nights of vnrest! | |
| O times full of trouble! O seasons vnkind | |
| If aught could be added, or aught be decreast, | |
| Then might there be hope some comfort to find: | 10 |
| But resolute ruine still standing at doore, | |
| Death cannot haue entrance, nor life be secure. | |
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| O God, if thou dost it to punish my sinne, | |
| I am thy poore seruant, the worke of thy hand, | |
| All fraile and vnstable without and within, | 15 |
| Vnable without thee one houre to stand: | |
| But sith thou hast promist to helpe where is need, | |
| Lord, keepe then thy promise, and helpe me with speed. | |
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| Thou know’st what I lacke, thou know’st what I aile, | |
| O Father of mercy, O Fountaine of grace: | 20 |
| Sith none that hath sought thee did euer yet faile, | |
| Lord, let not me onely be thrust out of place: | |
| But looke thou on me as thou lookest on all, | |
| And helpe thy poore seruant that lyeth in thrall. | |
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| I graunt of my merites I may be ashamed; | 25 |
| Not mercy but iudgement doth fit my desert: | |
| My life hath bene loose, my thoughts all vntamed, | |
| And whatso was holy, that did I peruert. | |
| Not therefore for me, but for thy name sake, | |
| Vouchsaue me thy mercy, my sorrow to slake. | 30 |
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