ABRAHAM

Saram Saram, thy mind I well allow, Nought hast thou said but I the same avow. Come on, and let us both give thanks together For Gods great mercy since our continued ̄ ming hither The fruit thereof as both of us hath found: Let praise & thanks from both of us resound. Of truth no better can a man devise, Than of the Lord to sing the excellence, For none can pay him other recompense For all his gifts which daily he does send, Than in the same, his goodness to commend. Go to my Saram, that great God of ours Hath blessed us, to intent that we all hours Should for his gifts which he alone does give, Him serve and praise as long as we do live. Now let us hence and chiefly take good heed, We hazard not our son to much in deed, By suffering him to haunt the company Of wicked folk, with whom you see we be. A new made vessel holds long the sent Of that that first of all is in it penned. A child by nature never so well dispozed, By bringing up is quite and clean transpozed. Lord here I am. What! burn him! burn him! well I will do so: But yet my God, the thing thou puttest me to Seems very strange and irksome for to be: Lord, I beseech thee, wilt thou pardon me? Alas, I pray thee give me strength and power, To do that thou commandest me this hour. I well perceive and plainly now do find, That thou art angry with me in thy mind. Alas my Lord I have offended thee. Oh God by whom both heaven & earth made be, With whom intendest thou to be at war? And wilt thou cast thy servant down so far? Alas my son, alas, what shall I do? This matter as kes advised looking too. A good heart (wife) does show it self at need Nay rather in God. Can ever God his word once said unsay No no, and therefore be you out of doubt, That God will keep prosper him throughout. No hazarding it is where God does guard him. I neither dread nor doubt of any hap. What ere it be, it does from God aryze, I shall ere long, if God so list. For that our God will well enough provide. Who die in following God needs never care. God does foresett men's dying times always. What ever you think, God thinks otherwise My fellows: we have now to go Good six days journey ere we rest: See that your carriages be pressed And all the things that we shall need. On then: and God be with you still. The mighty God who of his goodness ay, From time to time even to this present day, So kind and gracious unto us hath be, Be helpful still both unto you and me. Deal wisely howsoever that you fare: I hope this journey which we going are Shall be performed happily. Farewell. Gowe on Sirs, let us hence apace. My children: this is now the third day That we have traveled making little stay. Here must you tarry: as for me, I will With Isaac go yet further onward still, Unto a place from hence yet distant more Which God almighty showed me before, Where I must pray and offer sacrifyze As he requires. Wherefore in any wyze Abide you here, and stir not hence. But thou Son Isaac shalt go with me as now: For God requires in this behalf thy presence. This bundle unto him betake, And I the fire and knife will take. We shall (God willing) come again right soon But in the mean while, wot you what to done? Pray you to God both for your selves and us. Alas, alas, was never wight, ywus. That had such need as I. Well Sirs, I say no more but God be wy. Alas a poor father am I. Oh my son most deer, God will provide. Abide thou here I say, While I to God a little while do pray. At my return, my son, thou shalt know all. But in the mean time pray thy self here too Oh God my God, thou seest my open heart, And of my thoughts thou seest each secret partly, So that my case I need not to declare. Thou seest, alas thou seest my woeful care. Thou only canst me rid of my diseaze, By granting me (if that it might thee pleaze) One only thing the which I dare not crave. What? what? and is it possible that Gods Behest and deed should ever be at odds? Can he deceive? even to this present day He hath kept touch in all that he did say. And can he now unsay his word? no, no. But yet it would ensue he should do so, If he my son should take away as now. What say I? Oh my God, my God, sith thou Dost bid me, I will do it. Is it right That I so sinful and so wretched wight, Should fallen to scanning of the judgements Of thy most perfect pure commandments? It maybe that I have imagined Amiss: the more it is examined, The more the case seems strau ̄ ge. It was per chance Some dream or wicked fiend that at a glance Did put this matter in my head for why, So cruel offerings please not God perdy. He cursed Cain for killing of his brother: And shall I kill mine Isaac and none other? Alas alas what meant I so to say? Forgive me, Lord, and pluck me back again From this lewd raze wherein my sin gan go: Oh Lord my God deliver me from this woe. This hand of mine shall certainly him smite. For sith it is thy will, it is good right It should be done. Wherefore I will obey. So doing I should make my God untrue. For he hath told me that there should insew, So great a people out of this my son, As over all the earth should spread and run. And therefore if that Isaac once were killed, I see not how this covenant could be held. Alas Lord, hast thou made him the ̄ for nowght? Alas Lord, is it vain that thou so oft Hast promised me such things in Isaake, As thou wooldst never do for others sake? Alas and can the things repealed be, Which thou so oft hast promised unto me? Alas and shall my hope have such and end? Whereto should then men hope & trusting to ̄ worser? The sum of all I minded to have said, Is that to thee I heartily have prayed, To give me issue: hoping that when thou Hadst granted it, I should have lived now In joy and pleasure: but I see full well, The contrary to my desire befell. For of my sons, which were no more but twain, To put away the one my self was fain: And of the other (Oh hard extremity) Both father I, and tormenter must be, Yea tormenter, yea tormenter, alas. But art not thou the self same God, which was Contented for too here me patiently, When I did pray to thee so instantly, Even in the mids of all thy wrath and ire, When Sodom thou didst mind to burn w to fire? Now then my God and King, wilt thou say nay, When for my self I unto thee do pray? Whom I begat him must I now deface. Oh God, at leastwise grant me yet this grace. Some other man my son to death may wound Alas my Lord, and must this hand of mine To such a stroke against all kind decline? How will it towch his woeful mother near, When ̄ of his violent death she needs shall here? If I allege thy will for my defence, Who will believe that thou wilt so dispense? And if men do not credit it: what fame Will fly abroad to my perpetual shame? I shall be shunned of all men more and less, As pattern of extremest cruelness. And as for thee, who will unto thee pray, Or on thy word and promise ever stay? Alas, may these hoar hears of mine abide The sorrow that is likely to betide? Have I already passed so many dangers, Have I so traveled countries that are strau ̄ gers, In heat and cold, in thirst and hunger still, Continually obedient to thy will: Have I so long time lived lingeringly, Now in the end to die unhappily? Oh heart of mine, clyue, clyue, asunder clyue: And linger here no longer time alive. The speedier death, the lesser is the grief. What said I? what intend I? Oh my God Which didst create and make me of a clod, Thou art my Lord, and I thy servant true. Out of my native country thou me drew. How oftentimes hast thou assured me, That unto mine this land should lotted be? And when thou gave me Isaac, didst not thou Most faithfully and constantly avow, That out of him such offspring should be bred, As should this land throughout all overspread? Then if thou wilt needs take him now away, What should I thereunto against thee say? He is thine own, I had him of thy gift. Take him therefore. Thou knowest best how to I know thou wilt to life him raze again, Rather than that thy promise should be vain. Howbeit Lord, thou knowest I am a man, No good at all or do or think I can. But yet thy power which ay is invincible, Does to belief make all things possible. Hence flesh, hence found affections every chone: You humane passion let me now alone. Nothing to me is good or reasonable, Which to Gods will is not agreeable. See where my son walks up & down alone. Oh silie child! Oh wretched men, death oft Within our bosoms lodgeth him full soft, When furthest of we take him for too be. And therefore right great needs always have we To lead such life, as if we fain would die. But wotest thou my son (alas) what I Intend to say? Alas, that word does kill my heart the rather. Yet must I better courage to me take. Isaac my son: alas my heart does quake. Oh my deer child: it is as thou hast said. Alas my God. Ah my deer child, wist thou what thing it were Mercy good Lord, thy mercy grant us here. My son my son, beholdest thou this line. This wood, this fire, and eke this knife of mine? This gear my Isac serveth all for thee. Alas my son. Oh of mine age the only staff and stay, My derling, Oh my derling, feign would I That I for thee a thousand times might die: But God will have it otherwise as now. Alas my son, God hath commanded me To make and offering unto him of thee, To my great grief, to my great grief and pine, And endless woe. Who? my deer son! my God my God grant grace, That I may die now prese ̄ to in this place. Alas, no whit that name Agrees to me. yet should we be to blame If we obeyed not God. Ah what a thing, a what a sighed is here! Mercy good God, now for thy mercy deer. Alas my son, before thou leave this light And that my hand do give thvnkindly blow, Upon thy mouth let me a kiss bestow. Isac my son, let this same arm of mine Which must thee kill, embrace this neck of thine You skies the great gods work ay glistering in our eyes Which well have seen how God (who still is true) Did me with fruit by Isaac here indew: And thou Oh land five times to me behight, Bear witness that my fingers do not smite This child of mine for hatred or for vengeance, But only for to yield my Due obeisance, To that great God which hath created me, And all the things that live or move or be: Who saves the good that put in him their trust, And stroys the bade that serve their wicked lust. Bear witness that I faithful Abraham, Through gods great goodness still so steadfast am As notwithstanding all that humane wit Can say or think, to make me now to flit: In one belief I ever do remain, That not one word of God does happen vain. But now my hand, high time it is that thou Do gather strength to execute thy vow. That by thy killing of mine only son, Thy deadly stroke may through my heart eke run, A, a, a, a. Did ever man so piteous case yet find? Was ever any friendship yet so kind? And was there ever yet so piteous case. I die my son, I die before thy face. Alas who ever yet so stout a mind Within so weak a body erst did find? Alas my son I prey thee me forgive Thy death. It kills me that thou may not live. My God here I am. Oh God. Oh Lord a man may see. How good it is obedient for to be To thee: the case is fitly furnished. I will go take him tied by the head. Lord here I am.