I am a Woman Poor and Blind

Anne Askew, intituled, I am a vvoman poor and blind
1670
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A25457
Wing A3213
ESTC R33120
13098937
ocm 13098937
97392
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Anne Askew, intituled, I am a vvoman poor and blind
1 broadside.
s.n.,
[London :
167-?]
Place and date of publication suggested by Wing.
Reproduction of original in the Harvard University Library.
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eng
Askew, Anne, 1521-1546.
Ballads, English.
2008-06
TCPAssigned for keying and markup
2008-09
SPi GlobalKeyed and coded from ProQuest page images
2008-11
John PasSampled and proofread
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Anne Askew, intituled, I am a VVoman Poor and Blind.
I Am a woman poor and blind,
and little knowledge remains in me;
Long have I ſought, but fain would I find,
what herb in my Garden were beſt to be.
A garden I have which is unknown,
which God of his goodneſs gave to me,
I mean my body, where I ſhould have ſown,
the ſeed of Chriſts true verity.
My ſpirit within me is vered ſore;
my ſpirit ſtriveth againſt the ſame:
My ſorrows do encreaſe daily more and more,
my conſcience ſuffereth moſt bitter pain.
I with my ſelf being thus at ſtrife,
would fain have been at reſt:
Muſing and ſtudying in mortal life,
what things I might do to pleaſe God beſt.
With whole intent and one accord,
unto a Gardiner that I did know;
I went and deſired him for the love of the Lord
true ſeeds in my garden for to ſow.
Then this proud Gardiner ſeeing me ſo blind,
he thought on me to work his will,
And flattered me with words ſo kind,
to have me continue in blindneſs ſtill.
He fed me then with lies and mocks,
for venial ſins he bad me go:
To give my money to ſtones and ſtocks,
which was ſtark lies and nothing ſo.
With ſtinking meat then was I fed,
for to keep me from my ſalvation:
I had Trentals of Maſs, and Balls of Lead,
not one word ſpoke of Chriſts paſſion.
In me was ſown all kind of fained ſeed,
with Popiſh Ceremonies many a one:
Maſſes of Requiem, with other juggling deeds
ſtill Gods ſpirit out of my garden was gone.
Then was I commanded moſt ſtrictly,
if of my ſalvation I would be ſure,
To build ſome Chappel or ſome Chauntry,
to be pray'd for whilſt the world doth endure.
Beware of a new learning (ſaith he) it is lies,
which is the thing I moſt abhor:
Meddle not with it in any manner of wiſe,
but do as your fathers have done before.
My truſt I did put in the devils works,
thinking them ſuff
•
cient my ſoul to ſave:
Being worſe then either Jews or Turks,
thus Chriſt of his merits I did deprave.
I might liken my ſelf with a woful heart,
unto the dumb man in Luke the eleven:
From whence Chriſt cauſed the devil to depart
but ſhortly after he took the other ſeven.
My time thus good Lord ſo quickly I ſpent,
alas ſhall I dye the ſooner therefore?
O Lord I find it written in thy Teſtament,
that thou haſt mercy enough in ſtore.
For ſuch ſinners as the Scripture ſaith,
that will gladly repent and follow thy word,
Which I will not deny whilſt I have breath,
for priſon, fire, faggot, nor fierce ſword.
ſtrengthen me good Lord in thy truth to ſtand,
for the bloody butchers have me at their will,
With their ſlaughter-knives ready drawn in their hand,
my ſimple carcaſs to devour and kill.
O Lord forgive me mine offence,
for I have offended thee very ſore,
Take therefore my ſinful body from hence,
then ſhall I vile creature offend thee no more.
I would wiſh all creatures and faithful friends
for to keep from this Gardners hands,
For he will bring them ſoon unto their ends,
with cruel torments of fierce fire-brands.
I dare not preſume for him to pray,
becauſe the truth of him it was well known,
But ſince that time he hath gone aſtray,
& much peſtilent ſeed abroad he hath ſown.
Becauſe that now I have no ſpace,
the cauſe of my death truly to ſhow,
I truſt hereafter that by Gods holy grace,
that all faithful men ſhall plainly it know.
To thee, O Lord, I bequeath my ſpirit,
that art the work-maſter of the ſame,
It is thine Lord, therefore take it of right,
my carcaſs on earth I leave, from whence it came.
Although to aſhes it be now burned,
I know thou canſt raiſe it again:
In the ſame likeneſs that thou it formed,
in Heaven with thee evermore to remain.
FINIS.