Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey (1517-1547) [attributed]. Certayne Chapters of the proverbes of Salomon drawen into metre by Thomas Sterneholde, late grome of the kynges Magesties robes. (London, John Case for Willyam Seres, 1549-1550) . [STC 2760]

Miserere mei deus.

For thy greate mercies sake [1]
have mercy Lorde on me:
For thy goodnes do cleane away,
my great impuritie.
My misdeades put away, [2]
and eftsones make me cleane
From synne and all impuritie,
the for to serve agayne.
For nowe I do confesse, [3]
my faultes done unto the:
And myne offence is never from,
the presence of myne eye.
To the, even I to the, [4]
have done thys sore offence:
And this misedede, I shew my fault,
not ferynge thy presence.
But if thou wylt vouchsafe,
of thys me now to ease:
And geve thy worde to me,
I shal not the displease.
Then named shalt thou be
a god both juste and true:
Most constaunte in thy promises
not chaungyng them a newe.
Yea then I say thou shalt,
be counted juste in dede:
Condemning them that wil not turne
and call for helpe at nede.
All thynge is knowen to the,
and nothyng from the hydde.
Even how of synne I hadde no lacke [5]
when I was conceyved,
For why: to it also,
my mother was in thrall:
And when that I conceyved was
by hyr I hadde my fall.
And though it were not small, [6]
which by hyr then I hadde:
Yet in the trouth is thy delight,
whyche wisedome make me glade.
If thou (oh lord) whylt clense, [7]
and purge me from my sinne,
With Isope washte I shal be cleane,
a newe life to begynne.
If thou wilte putte awaye,
my synne, and me renewe:
Then shal I be that was once blake,
as whyte as is the snewe.
When thou shalt me rejoyce, [8]
and drawe to mirth agayne.
Then wyl my bones be voyde of wo,
which thou somtimes didst paine.
Thy face for thy names sake, [9]
do turne from mine offence:
And for thy mercyes greate I crave,
preserve me now from thence.
Oh Lorde make cleane myne herte, [10]
that I in me reserve:
And that thy sprite wythin my brest,
alway may me preserve.
For thy benignitie, [11]
forsake me not (oh lorde)
Ne take away thy blessed spirite,
lest that I be abhorde.
But rather graunt to me, [12]
the confort of thy hande:
And whyth thy sprite as principal
defend me to wythstand.
If that thou wylt thys graunte, [13]
then sinners shall I tell:
Their life how that they shal appoint
in joye with the to dwell.
And those that overthrowen,
and thral to sinne be made:
They shall repent and turne agayne,
by seynge of my trade.
Oh aucthour of myne health, [14]
from murder make me free:
Thy rightuousnes mi mouth shal tel
and praise it certaynly.
Release my tonge oh Lorde, [15]
wherof thou hast the cure.
That then it may declare abrode,
thy prayse, and eke thny power.
If that I shoulde applye, [16]
in presence for to brynge:
The outward sacrifice, oh lord,
it woulde please the nothynge.
Ne yet whylt thou regard,
as thoughe thou hadst respecte:
The offeryng that the heate doth purge,
whych we to the direct.
The sacrifice wherwyth, [17]
the lorde is pleased song,
It is the sprite which penitent,
that maketh hit great mone.
It is the herte of trouthe,
with dolour stroken sore:
Thou canste not Lorde despise these twayne
no not for evermore:
To Sion lorde alwayes, [18]
declare thy gentlenes:
Jerusalem the walles therof,
againe may have redresse.
The sacrifices then, [19]
shalbe pleasaunte to the:
Whych shall declare as tokens true,
our inwarde puritie.
I meane the purged offeryng,
and eke oblation:
On aulters when we, calves shal laye,
thy name to call upon.