This is the cou'naunt that I make,
From henceforth neuermore
Whill I agayne the worlde destroye
With water, as before.
And of my cou'naunt this shall be
The sygne and token sure,
Twene me and you and all the world
For euer to indure.
My bowe in cloud I haue there set,
That when a clowde shall falle,
This bowe therein shall then be seene
Of liuing creatures all.
And I wil not vnmyndful be
Of this my cou'naunt past
Twixt me and you and euery flesh,
Whyles that the worlde shall last;
But stil will thinke vpon the same,
And loke vpon the bowe,
The token, signe, and seale most sure
Of couenaunt that I showe.
THIS BOOKE TO THE READER.
PERUSE with pacience, I thee praye,
My symple style, and metre base;
The works of God with wisdome waye,
The force of loue, the strength of grace.
Loue caused God his grace to giue
To such as shoulde for hym be slayne:
Grace wrougt in theym, while thei did liue,
For loue to loue their Christ agayne.
Now grace is of such strength and might,
That nothing may the same withstande :
Grace putteth death and hell to flight,
And guydes vs to the lyuing lande.
The force of loue also is suche,
That feare and payne it doeth expell:
Loue thynketh nothing ouermuche;
Loue doth all earthly thynges excell.
Thus loue and grace of God began
To worke in them to dooe hys wyll:
These, vertue's force, wrought loue in man,
That feare was past theyr bloude to spill.
WHEN worthy Wattes with constant crie
Continued in the flamyng fier;
When Simson, Hawkes, and Jhon Ardite,
Did tast the tyrante's raging yre;
When Chamberlaine was put to death,
We wisht for our Elizabeth.
When blessed Butter and Osmande
With force of fyre to death were brent;
When Shitterdun, Sir Franke, and Blande,
And Humfrey Middleton of Kent;
When Minge in Maistone toke his death,
We wisht, etc.
When Bradford, beautified with blisse, When yong Jhon Least in Smithfield died; When they like brethren both did kisse, And in the fyre were truely tried ;
When teares were shed for Bradford's death, We wysht, etc.
When Dirick Harman lost his lyfe;
When Launder in their fume they fried;
When they sent Euerson from stryfe,
With moody mindes and puffed pride;
When Wade at Dartford died the death,
We wisht, etc.
When Richard Hooke, limlesse and lame,
At Chichester did beare the crosse;
When humble Hall for Christe's name
Ensued the same with worldly losse ;
When Jone Polley was brent to death,
We wysht, etc.
When William Ailewarde at Redding
In prison died of sickenesse soore;
When Abbes, which fained a recanting,
Did wofully wepe and deplore;
When he at Bery was done to death,
We wishte, etc.
When Denly died at Uxbridge towne,
With constant care to Christe's cause;
When Warren's widow yelded downe
Her flesh and bloud for holy lawes;
When she at Stratforde died the death,
We wishte, etc.
When Laurence, Collier, Coker, and Stere,
At Cantorbury were causeless slayne,
With Hopper and Wright, six in one fier,
Conuerted flesh to earth agayne;
When Roger Corier was done to death,
We wishte, etc.
When Tankerfield at St Albon's,
And William Bamford spent his bloud;
When harmefull hartes as hard as stones
Brent Robert Smith and Steuen Harwood;
When Patrick Pattenham died the death,
We wishte, etc.
When Jhon Newman and Thomas Fusse
At Ware and Walden made their ende;
When William Hailes for Christ Jesus
With breath and bloude did still contende;
When he at Barnet was put to death,
We wishte, etc.
When Samuell did firmely fight,
Till flesh and bloud to ashes went;
When constant Cob, with faith vpright,
At Thetforde cruelly was brent;
When these with joy did take their death,
We wishte, etc.
When William Allen at Walsingham
For trueth was tried in fiery flame;
When Roger Cooe, that good olde man,
Did lose his lyfe for Christe's name;
When these with other were put to death,
We wishte, etc.
When Bradbridge, Streter, and Burwarde,
Tuttie, and George Painter of Hyde,
Vnto their duty had good regarde,
Wherefore in one fier they were fried;
When these at Cantorbury toke their death,
We wishte, etc.
When Jhon Lesse, prisoner in Newgate,
By sickenes turned to yerth and claye;
When wicked men, with yre and hate,
Brent Thomas Heywarde and Goreway;
When Tingle in Newgate toke his death,
We wishte, etc.
When Richard Smith in Lowlar's tower,
Androwes and Kyng, by sickenes died,
In faier fieldes they had their bower,
Where earth and clay doth still abide;
When they in this wise did die the death,
We wishte, etc.
When Glouer and Cornelius
Were fiercely brent at Couentrie;
When Wolsey and Pigot for Christ Jesus
At Ely felt like crueltie;
When the pore bewept master Glouer's death, We wishte, etc.
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