ANN ASKEW;
Intituled, I am a Woman Poor and Blind, etc.
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I Am a Woman poor and blind,
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and little knowledge remains in me;
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Long have I sought, but fain would find,
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what Herb in my Garden were best to be.
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A Garden I have which is unknown,
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which God of his goodness gave to me,
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I mean my Body, where I should have sown
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the seed of Christ's true Verity.
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My Spirit within me is vexed sore,
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my Spirit striveth against the same,
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My Sorrows do encrease more and more,
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my Conscience suffereth most bitter pain.
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I with myself being thus at strife,
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would fain have been at rest,
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Musing and studying in mortal life,
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what things I might do to please God best.
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With whole intent and one accord,
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unto a Gardener that I did know,
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I went and desired hem for the love of the Lord,
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true Seed in my Garden for to sow.
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Then this proud Gardener seeing me so blind,
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he thought on me to work his will,
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And flattered me with words so kind,
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to have me continue in my blindness still.
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He fed me then with lies and mocks,
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for Venial Sins, he bid me go
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To give my mony to Stones and Stocks,
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which was stark lies, and nothing so.
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With stinking meat then was I fed,
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for to keep me from my Salvation,
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I had Trentals of Mass, and Balls of Lead,
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not one word spoke of Christ's Passion.
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In me was sown all kind of feigned Seeds,
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with Popish Ceremonies many a one,
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Masses of Requiem, with other juggling Deeds,
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still God's Spirit out of my Garden was gone.
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Then was I commanded most strictly,
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if of my Salvation I would be sure,
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To build some Chappel or Chauntry,
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to be pray'd for while the World doth endure.
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Beware of a new learning (quoth he) it lies,
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which is the thing I most abhor,
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Meddle not with it in any manner of wise,
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but do as your Fathers have done before.
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My trust I did put in the Devil's Works,
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thinking sufficient my Soul to save,
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Being worse then either Jews or Turks,
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thus Christ of his Mirits I did deprave.
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I might liken myself with a woful heart,
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unto the dumb Man in Luke the Eleven,
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From whence Christ caused the Devil to depart,
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but shortly after he took the other seven.
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My time thus, good Lord, so quickly I spent,
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alas, I shall dye the sooner therefore,
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O Lord, I find it written in thy Testament,
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that thou hast mercy enough in store,
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For such Sinners as the Scripture saith,
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that will gladly repent and follow thy word,
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Which I will not deny whilst I have breath,
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for Prison, Fire, Faggot, or fierce Sword.
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Strengthen me, good Lord, in thy truth to stand,
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for the bloody Butchers have me at their will,
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With their slaughter-knives ready drawn in their hands,
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my simple Carcass to devour and kill.
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O Lord, forgive me my Offence,
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for I have offended thee very sore,
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Take therefore my sinful Body from hence,
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then shall I vile Creature offend thee no more.
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I would wish all Creatures and faithful Friends,
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for to keep from this Gardener's hands,
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For he will bring them soon unto their ends,
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with cruel Torments of fierce Fire-brands.
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I dare not presume for him to pray,
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because the truth of him it is well known,
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But since that time he hath gone astray,
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and much pestilent Seed abroad hath sown.
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Because that now I have no space,
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the cause of my death truly to show,
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I trust that hereafter that by God's holy Grace,
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that all faithful Men shall plainly know.
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To thee, O Lord, I bequeath my Spirit,
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that art the Work-master of the same,
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It is thine Lord, take it of right,
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my Carcass on Earth I leave from whence it came.
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Although to Ashes it be now burned,
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I know thou can'st raise it again;
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In the same Likeness as thou it formed,
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in Heaven with thee evermore to remain.
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