Sloane MS 1896

Sloane 1896

Paper, in Octavo, ff. 61, XVII Century.

1. Different forms of writs, belonging to some Register of the XIV Century. On Vellum. ff. 1-4.

2. A collection of poems written by the suffering prisoners in the days of Queen Mary, with a table of contents and prologue in verse affixed; viz. —

a. A Dialogue between death and youth, f. 6b.

The prologue begins: —

'Goe forth my paynfull booke

Thou art noe longer myne.'

The poem begins: —

Death 'Come on good fellowe, make an end,

For you and I must talke.'

b. 'The wofull lamentation of Mrs. Anne Saunders, which she wrote with her own hand being prisoned in Newgate, justly condemned to death.' ff. 8-10.

Begin: —

'I lament, I repent, I beleve, I rejoyce

I trust in the Lord Christ, he will here my voyse.'

c. 'A godly and vertuous songe or ballade made by the constant member of Christe John Carelesse, being in prison in the Kings benche for professing his word, whoe ending his dayes therin was throwen out and buryed most ignominiously upon a donghill by the adversaryes of Gods worde.' f. 11.

Begin: —

'Some men for sodayne joye do wepe

And some in sorrowe synge.'

d. 'An exhortation of the constant martir of Christe Robert Smyth, which he made unto his children being in prison in Newgate for the testimoniall of the truth commonly set fourth in the name of Mr. Rogeres.' ff. 13-15.

Begin: —

'Geve eare my children to my woord

Whome God hath dearly bought.'

e. 'The fifthe parte of the 119th Psalme in meter by Ro. Smyth.' f. 16.

Begin: —

'Teache me O Lord to walke thy wayes

My lyving to amend.'

f. 'Verses written at the request of a lady in her booke by Robert Smyth.' f. 16b.

Begin: —

'If you will walke the waye

That Christ hath you assigned.'

g. 'A letter written by Robert Smyth unto his brother.' ff. 17-19.

Begin: —

'As nature doth me bynde

Because thou art my bloudde.'

h. 'Another letter written by Robert Smyth unto his Freinde.' ff. 19b-23.

Begin: —

'The God geveth lyfe and light

And leadeth unto rest.'

i. 'A godly song in comendation of Mr. John Bradford who was burned for the sincere preaching of Gods worde.' f. 24.

Begin: —

'Lament we may both night and day

For this our brother deare.'

k. 'A dialogue betwene Christe and the pore oppressed synner.' f. 25.

Begin: —

'Synner — Alas! how long shall I bewaile

My wofull case to the.'

l. 'How every vice crepeth in under the name and shew of vertue.' f. 26.

Begin: —

'Ther is noe man so leude of lyfe

So fond in fylthy talke.'

m. 'Mans lyfe is full of mysery.' f. 27b.

Begin: —

'What way is best for man to chuse

What path to lyve in rest?'

n. 'A dossen of points sent by a gentlewoman to her lover for a newyeares gift.' f. 29.

Begin: —

'As I on newyeears day

Did walcke amidst the streate.'

o. 'A comfort unto him that is blynde.' f. 30.

Begin: —

'Thought other have their syght at will

With vayne dlights their mynde to fill.'

p. 'An exhortation to them that are loth to dye.' f. 32.

Begin: —

'As he doth more rejoice that hath

The winde and tyde at will.'

q. 'A generall discourse upon covetousnesse.' f. 33.

Begin: —

'The covetous carle when gredy eyes

The glittering gold doth blynde.'

r. 'All worldly pleasures vade.' f. 35.

Begin: —

'Let no man put his trust in that

Which will so sone decay.'

s. 'A description of the wickednesse of this worlde.' f. 35b.

Begin: —

'Who loves to lyve in peace

And macketh every chaunge.'

t. 'The repentant synner in adversity prayeth unto God for mercy.' ff. 38, 39.

Begin: —

'Unto the lyving Lorde

For pardon doe I pray.'

u. 'A comendation of friendshippe.' ff. 39b-41.

Begin: —

'Of all the heavenly giftes

That mortal men commend.'

v. 'The vanity of man's lyfe.' f. 42.

Begin: —

'Vayne is the fleting wealth

Wherupon the world stayes.'

w. 'A joyfull consolation wher Christ is lyvely felt. f. 42.

Begin: —

'When pensive hearts relieved are

With dewes of grace.'

x. 'The grieved sinner expostulateth with himselfe persuading to reformacion.' f. 42b.

Begin: —

'Ah wofull caitife clad with care

Why dost thou not complaine?'

y. 'How inward griefes oppressing enforce us to cry for mercy.' ff. 43, 48.

Begin: —

'The griefe which hath my heart possest

With tigers force so hard procedes

z. 'The hope of the godly on earth for the time of deliverance.' f. 43.

Begin: —

'A time will come when once we shall

From turmoiles rage restored be.'

aa. 'Our being at point of death defyeth the world.' f. 44.

Begin: —

'I passe not for this world

I count it meerly vayne.'

bb. 'A thanckesgeving for one from perill of death restored to former health.' f. 44b.

Begin: —

'Should my pore heart O dearest Lord,

Thy goodnesse greate from minde reject.'

cc. 'The grieved synner acknowlegeth his sinne and craveth pardon for the same.' f. 45.

Begin: —

'Deare Christ my pore and pensive brest I wailing lift to the.'

dd. 'A warning unto repentaunce and of Christs coming unto judgement.' f. 45b.

Begin: —

'What meanes this carelesse world to vaunce

In course of carelesse race.'

ee. 'A prayer for one being afflicted with sinne.' f. 47.

Begin: —

'If thou wilt Lord extend thy grace

If thou wilt yet thy favour show.'

ff. 'God in all turmoiles will preserve his true churche.' f. 48.

Begin: —

'This fickle world doth nothing else

But vex the churche with griefe.'

gg. 'The guilty conscience acknowledging her sine craveth pardon for the same apealing form justice unto mercye.' f. 48b.

Begin: —

'Judge me not Lord in wrathfull ire

Ne yet reject me utterly.'

hh. 'The wretchednesse of man's estate untill redresse and comfort come from Christ.' f. 49.

Begin: —

'What cause ther is alas to waile

The wretched wofull state.'

ii. 'How happy and assured they are in all stormes that firmely depend upon God.' f. 49b.

Begin: —

'In rage of storme and tempest all

Which syn or Sathan up doth raise.'

kk. 'Against the enemyes of the true churche entending the destruccion therof.' f. 50b.

Begin: —

'Confound thy foes O Mighty God

With Justice sword in hand.'

ll. 'The faithfull desyre (according to Gods will) to make exchange of earth for heaven, and therefore wish the coming of Christ.' f. 51

Begin: —

'Till Christ our Lorde retourne

To throne his saints in blisse.'

mm. 'Deth with houreglasse in the one hand and speare in the other threateneth all estates.' f. 51b.

Begin: —

'Loe heare I vaunce with speare and shield

To watche my pray; to spoyle, to kill.'

nn. 'The synner being ashamed of his synne dareth hardly crave release for the same. f. 53.

Begin: —

'Alas for shame how dare I sue

To the my God for grace?'

oo. 'To the same effect of that afore.' f. 53b.

Begin: —

'The conscience sore agast

When sence of synne doth greve.'

pp. 'The triumphe of death.' f. 54.

Begin: —

'I am that champion greate of power

On barbed horse with coulor pale.'

qq. 'England repenting encouraged against all the adversaries thereof.' ff. 54b-56.

Begin: —

'No whit dismay thy selfe you little yle

Though rage of blustering tempest raised be.'

rr. 'God doth blesse this realme for the receyving of straungers being persecuted for the gospell although some do repine therat.' f. 56b

Begin: —

'If England will take heede

As cause ther is indeede.'

ss. 'A godly and vertuous song made by the honorable the Earle of Essexe, late deceassed,' 1576. f. 58.

Begin: —

'O heavenly God, oh Father deare

Cast downe thy heavenly eye.'

Owners of Manuscripts: Browne (Sir Thomas).

Owners of Manuscripts: Browne (Edward), M.D.

includes:

• ff. 1-4 b Law OF ENGLAND: Forms of writs: 14th cent.
• ff. 5-59 Poetry ENGLISH: Poems by the Protestant prisoners, temp. Mary I.: 17th cent.
• ff. 6 b-58 Philip and Mary I of England: Poems by Protestant prisoners in their reign: 17th cent.
• ff. 8-1 1 Anne Saunders, Prisoner in Newgate: Lamentation, in verse: 17th cent.
• f. 11 John Carelesse, Prisoner in the King's Bench: A godly ballad: 17th cent.
• ff. 13-24 Robert Smyth, Prisoner in Newgate: Short metrical pieces on various subjects: 17th cent.
• f. 24 John Bradford, Prebendary of Paul's (1551): Verses in his honour: 17th cent.
• f. 58 Walter Devereux, 1st Earl of Essex: Verses on his deathbed by: 1576.