If poysonous mineralls, and if that tree,
Whose fruit threw death on else immortall us,
If lecherous goats, if serpents envious
Cannot be damn'd; Alas; why should I bee?
Why should intent or reason, borne in mee,
Make sinnes, else equall, in mee more heinous?
And mercy being easie, and glorious
To God; in his sterne wrath, why threatens hee?
But who am I, that dare dispute with thee
O God? Oh! of thine onely worthy blood,
And my teares, make a heavenly Lethean flood,
And drowne in it my sinnes blacke memorie;
That thou remember them, some claime as debt,
I thinke it mercy, if thou wilt forget.
[IX. 1635-69, B, O'F, S96, W: V. 1633, A18, D,
&c.]
[1 poysonous] poysons 1639-54
and if that] or if the B, O'F, S96]
[2 (else immortal) 1635-69]
[5 or] and B, O'F, S96]
[6 mee] mee, 1633]
[8 God;] God, 1633]
[9-10 thee O God? W: thee? O God, 1633-69]
[12 memorie;] memorie, 1633]
[14 forget.] forget, 1633]