JOACHIM

¶The weighty charge that God hath given, to such as do live here, And joined are the poor to guide, does fret my heart with fear, The charge we have to help the joust, and vice to punish to, Oh Lord thou knowest it is to great for mortal men to do. The Princes thought to live at ease, the poor man to take pain, But dangerous is the Princes life, and dangerous once again, Oh God let it not seem to Thee that I would change my fate, But if it be thy will good Lord, rid me from Rulers state. ¶In froth right pity are you come, I thought your absence long, For when I am in place alone, my passions seem full strong, I cannot rid out of my brain the charge of our degree, How rightly we should rule the world, which crooked is to see, I promise you if I might speak without offence of God, There is no sharper punishment, then is the Rulers rod. Yea let us do even what we can to rule each thing aright, Thou knowest Lord the weight is such it passes much our might. ¶What Susan dost thou chide me now, I will fell Thee my mind, That women there be none at all, but shrews they are by kind, ¶What is it dinner time so soon, me thinks it scantly noon, ¶Lo now my masters you may see, the state of married men, My wife is come, I must be gone, I must yield to her when, ¶Are not the Judges yet come here, alas what is their care, They uva gh at all no poor men case, but ply their dainty fare, I heard of late, I trust not true, they care not who do curse, Or who do bless they force it not, so they may fill their purse, O Lord thou knowest how thou dost hate, y e wicked bribing wight, And I know Lord not one at all, can hide him from thy sighed, And if they be such wicked men, as Fame hath spread for true, Do teach them Lord to mend their fault, & frame themselves anew. Thou gloriest not in sinners seat, which from thy laws remeue, Thou grantest them time of thy grace, for to repent and live, I speak but as the common bruit, hath filled every ear, I hope my self o Lord my God, they do Thee love and fear, Well since they are not come in deed, I will go home again, Where till they come in viewing things, my self will take some pain And God preserve and bless you all, I speak to eke degree, And he always remain with you, and also go with me. ¶Also good Lord amongst thy gifts, which every day are seen, We have to praise thy mighty grace, for our most noble Queen. Defend her Lord in all affairs, give passage to thy word. And cut them short that will her woe, grant this Oh living Lord. ¶A Judges state is straight indeed, and to be looked upon, But if so straight as you do fear, then were we woe begun. But this I think if evidence our matters do desyde, Our ground is sure, our path is straight, our sentence cannot slide. ¶Oh God when thou madste man of nought, thou framdste him in such bliss, As he should still isy thy grace, and feel no heaviness. Unto thy likeness him thou madste, among thy works of wonder, And S ttest him in Paradise, where is no thirst hunger. This joyful life did he lead still, till death the Devil and Hell, By disobeying of thy doom did spite his state so well, He fell from that and now is come, into such weakness Lord, As what a love of him does come, by Thee it is abhorred. Therefore good Lord since thou haste placed, me for a Ruler here, Grant that no word may pass my mouth, without thy love and fear ¶Your conclusion now I see, is that I should obey, wise in this her small request, well, well, I say not nay, But Susan come let us go home, the sooner shall we dine, As I do you, so shall you me, obey another time. ¶Well farewell my Masters till after noon, I trust you will dine, and be here again soon. ¶Seven times is said that in one day, the joust man does offend, Then seven times seven do I alas, good Lord do it amend, And grant that what I take in hand, or what I shall begin, May guided be by thy good grace, and so I shall not sin. Well to see what my mates have done, to help each poor men case, I will absent my self a while, and get me from this place, But yet before that I go hence, Lord shield me with thy might, And grant me by thy wonted grace, to judge eke thing aright, I pass not of this pomped world, nor might that is therein, I seek good Lord by thy good grace, in heaven a place to win. And therefore I assure my self, my hope shall be no less, That if thou guide me with thy grace, I shall obtain thy bless. And so shall all that virtue seeks, and live here on the ground, And they that do the contrary, God will them sure confound. Well weighty business calls me hence, to God I leave you all, Who grant us all to stand upright, and not in sin to fallen. ¶When ̄ stormy clouds does show their force, & boisterous winds work care Then each man say when these are passed, y e weather will be fair. And semblably my Lord my God, amid my heavy cheer, I hopte at length, as now it does, my quiet would appear, I have to thank thy majesty for every kind of gift, But chiefly for mine honest wife, my heart to Thee I lift. How didst thou Lord against her foes her simpleness defend, How didst thou clean deliver her, even at her latter end. I thank Thee Lord yet once again, thou haste deserved so, That from thy praise my heart nor lips shall hence forth never go.