Contents -BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD

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

Psalme LI

LXXXI. Elizabeth Grymeston

HAVE mercy, O good God, on me,

In greatnesse of thy grace:

O let thy mercies manifolde

My many faults deface.

Foule, filthy, loathsome, vgly sinne

Hath so defiled me:

With streames of pity wash me cleane,

Els cleane I cannot be.

Too well my foule uncleansed crimes

Remembrance do renew;

Too plaine in anguish of my heart

They stand before my view.

To thee alone, O Lord, to thee,

These euils I haue done,

And in thy presence: woe is me

That ere they were begun!

But since thou pardon promisest,

Where heart’s true ruth is showen;

Sheu now thy mercies vnto me,

To make thy iustice knowen:

That such as do infringe thy grace,

Be made asham’d and shent;

As rife thy mercies to beholde,

As sinners to repent.

With fauour view my foule defects:

In crimes I did beginne;

My nature bad; my mother fraile;

Conceiu’d I was in sinne.

But since thyself affectest trueth,

And trueth itselfe is thee,

I truely hope to haue thy grace,

From sinne to set me free:

Since to the faithfull thou before

The secret science gaue,

Whereby to know what thou wouldst spend

The sinfull world to saue;

Whose heauenly hysope, sacred drops,

Shall me besprinckle so,

That it my sinne-defiled soule

Shall wash more white than sno.

O when mine eares receiue the sound

Of such my soule’s release,

How do sinne-laden limmes reioyce

At heart’s true ioye’s encrease!

From my misdeeds retire thy sight;

View not so foule a staine;

First wipe away my spots impure,

Then turn thy face againe.

A cleane and vndefiled heart,

O God, create in me;

Let in me, Lord, of righteousnesse

A spirit infused be.

From that most glorious face of thine

O cast me not away;

Thy Holy Ghost vouchsafe, O God,

With me that it may stay.

The ioy of thy saluation, Lord,

Restore to mee againe;

And with the spirit of graces cheefe

Confirme it to remaine:

That when at thy most gracious hand

My sutes receiued be,

The impious I may instruct,

How they may turn to thee.

For when, O Lord, I am releast

From vengeance and from bloud,

How ioyfull I shall speake of thee,

So gracious and so good!

The Lord wilt giue me leaue to speak,

And I thy praise will shew;

For so thy graces do require,

Thou doest on me bestow.

If thou sinne-offrings hast desired,

As wonted were to be,

How gladly those for all my illes

I would haue yeelded thee!

But thou accepts in sacrifice

A sorrowing soul for sinne;

Despising not the heart contrite,

And humble minde within.

Deale graciously, O louing Lord,

In thy free bounty will,

With Zion, thy deare spouse on earth,

And fortifie it still:

That so thou mayest thence receiue

That soueraigne sacrifice

From altar of all faithful hearts,

Deuoutly where it lies.

To thee, O Father, glory be,

And glory to the Sonne,

And glory to the Holy Ghost

Eternally be done.