[Roxburghe Collection, II. 113; Rawlinson, 38; Euing, Nos. 62, 63.]
The

Dying Tears of a Penitent Sinner. Which was written as he lay on his Death-bed, according to his own direction. Wherein we may behold how steadfastly he believed in the precious Death and passion of our Lord Jesus Christ. And how willing He was to leave this World.

TO THE TUNE OF, The Faithful Friend; or, The Brother's Gift.

DRav

Raw near, kind friends and neighbours all, which now are come to see,

And to bear witness of my death; give ear a while to me.
I do desire no worldly wealth, no treasure nor no store;
But I desire God's heavenly grace, and I desire no more.
O Gracious God, O Father dear, in mercy look on me;
And send me comfort from above, in my extreamity.
To thee, O Lord, I make my moan, to thee I call and cry;
Strengthen my faith in pangs of death, against the enemy.

6

Dying Tears of a Penitent Sinner.

363

Thou art my only strength and stay, my Rock, Defence, and

Guide;

Direct my steps to come to Thee, so that I may not slide.

Thy promise is, good Lord, that when a sinner doth intend
Quite to forsake his wicked life, wherein he doth offend,

Thou wilt forgive and pardon grant, for his offences all:
And thou, O Lord, wilt hear my voice, when on thee I do call.
I do confess my sins are great, and loathsome to behold;
Yet, for thy Son Christ Jesus' sake, bring me into thy fold.

The second part.

TO THE SAME TUNE.

Ay not, dear Father, to my charge the things that I have
done;

I have broken thy Commandments, and been a wicked Son.
Servants their Masters will obey, children their Parents fear,
But I have been a stubborn Son, to thee, O Father dear.
Ever since I was born, I have deserv'd thy wrathful ire:
Yet now, with true unfeigned tears, thy mercy I desire.
And if my days on earth, again, were present to begin,
I never would incline to run, as I have done, in sin.

But time will not recalled be, which makes my soul lament:
That I have led so vile a life, I do in heart repent.

O Heavenly God, O Father sweet, in mercy look on me : And send me comfort from above, in this my misery. Christ Jesus came into the World, to save and set us free : As many sinful wretches as do trust (O Lord) in thee.

30

He did indure the punishment, which unto us was due;
Because we should shake off our sins, and learn to live anew.

If we consider of his pains, and how his time he spent,
It well may make our stony heart to soften and relent.
His blessed body for our sins did Blood and Water sweat:
His very soul did grieve for us, his torments were so great.

After the Jews had scourged him, with many wounds beside, They caus'd one1 t' bear his Cross on which he should be Crucified.

38

And there between two Thieves they plac'd our blest Redeemer sweet,

And cruelly, upon the Cross, they nail'd his hands and feet.

A bloody Souldier, with his Spear, did pierce his tender side; All which Christ Jesus at that time did patiently abide.

And by his wounds we [a]re made whole; his blood hath cleansed me:

O Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, all praise be given to thee.

And now, dear Wife and Children all, I bid you all adieu; Serve God, obey the King, and see you pay each man his due. Let not your Eyes shed tears for me; to weep it is in vain : I trust, in Christ, in heaven we shall each other see again.

As good old Simeon did forsake this world, even so do I. Come, Lord, when 'tis thy blessed will, I willing am to dye. [50

Finis.

Printed for F. Coles, T. Vere, J. Wright, J. Clarke, W. Thackeray, and T. Passinger.

[Black-letter. One woodcut. Date of Euing's 62, for F. Grove, 24 Dec., 1638.]

Sorrowful Lamentation of a Penitent Sinner.

W

Jaques.-"To him will I: out of these convertites

There is much matter to be heard and learn'd."

-As You Like It, v. 4.

E take the opportunity of admitting another "Penitent Sinner," who belongs to Roxburghe Collection, III. 37. The tune is marked as being "The Lamentation of a Sinner," which probably refers to the tune of Fortune, my Foe. To save space we run two half-lines advanced into one whole line, and employ small type; this ballad being from a later volume, to bring the Sinners into one congregation.

1 Misprinted caus'd dun to:" the allusion may be to Simon the Cyrenian. A provincialism of "caus'd un" for "caused one; or else for "caus'd him,” in reference to the Saviour himself for a time bearing the weight of the Cross.

[Roxburghe Collection, III. 37.]

The Sorrowful Lamentation of a Penitent Sinner.

THE TUNE IS, The Lamentation of a Sinner [= Fortune, my foe].1

Lord my God, I come to thee, in all my grief and pain,
Now turn to me in my distress, and comfort me again.
And enter not to judgment, Lord, with sinful dust and clay;
Nor with thy servant be not wrath, nor turn thy face away.

And lay not, Lord, thy hand on me, too heavy in thy fume;
For I am weak, and in thy wrath I quickly shall consume;
I am afraid of thee, O Lord, because thou did'st me beat,
But yet I know that Jesus Christ will for my soul intreat.

I am a sinful wretch, O Lord, for Mercy I do cry;
Now help me. Lord, in my distress, and extream misery.
For unto thee, Lord, do I cry, by night and eke by day,
Now help me for thy Mercy sake, and that without delay.

8

12

1 We have mentioned "The Confession of a Penitent Sinner," already reprinted, but it was sung to the tune of "O man in desperation" (on which we have to write in connection with "England's New Bellman," for which see p. 468). There is also (in Pepys Coll., I. 41) "The Complaint of a Sinner," beginning "Christ is my Love, he loved me: "which is appointed to the tune of The bonny broome. Also, "The Dreame of a Sinner" (Ibid., I. 39), which begins, "In slumbering slepe I lay;" to the Tune of Rogero: printed for E. Wright. The present reference to The Lamentation of a Sinner marks a ballad entitled "The Young Man's Repentance; or, The Sorrowful Sinner's Lamentation (Roxb. Coll., II. 562), beginning, "You that have spent your time in wickedness." Licensed by Richard Pocock; to the tune of Aim not too high = Fortune, my foe.

But do not beat me overmuch, my loving Father sweet,
Lest that this frail and wicked flesh should from sweet Jesus flect.
I come again unto thee, Lord, I do thee now imbrace,
And turn to me thy countenance, thy favour and thy face.

16

And bring me home unto thy fold, for I am gone astray,

And wand'red in an unknown path, which brought me to decay.
But now to thee, my loving Lord, for mercy I do cry,
Now hear my plaint, sweet Jesus Christ, and ease my Misery.

20

And when it is thy gracious will, that I this sinful Life shall leave :
Sweet Jesus Christ, into thy hands, I do my soul bequeath.
And here I do intreat thee, Lord, from the bottom of my heart,
That from my Faith in Jesus Christ I never do depart.

24

But in the very pangs of death, to thee, Lord, may I cry,
Receive my Soul into thy hands, for now to thee I flie.
And be a Father, loving Lord, unto my children small,

Which I shall leave here in this World, when thou dost for me call. 28

Also, I pray thee, loving Lord, to give their Mother grace,
To train my children in thy fear, that they may thee imbrace.
And from th' enticements of this world, the flesh, and filthy fiend,
Lord, aid them with thy mighty hand, and guide them to the end.

32

That at the last and dreadful day, thou maist receive us all;
Under the cover of thy wings, we may be free from thrall.
And once again, my loving Lord, I do thee hearty pray,
Even for thy Son Christ Jesus' sake, to wash our sins away.

36

Printed for F. Coles, T. Vere, and J. Wright.

[In Black-letter. One woodcut (repeated in "England's New Bell-Man," p. 467), resembling the one below in attitude, but reversed like the figure on p. 365. Date of issue like previous ballad from same publishers: between 1685 and 1690.]