Contents -BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD

Edward Farr, ed. Select Poetry of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth. 1845.

The Song of Annah

X. Michael Drayton

MY heart doth in the Lord reioice;

That liuing Lord of might,

Which doth his seruant’s horn exalt

In al his people’s sight.

I wil reioice in their despight

Which erst haue me abhord,

Because that my saluation

Dependeth on the Lord.

None is so holie as the Lord;

Besides thee none there are;

With our God there is no God

That may himselfe compare.

See that no more presumptuously

Ye neither boast nor vaunt,

Nor yet vnseemly speak such things

So proud and arrogant.

For why? the counsell of the Lord

In depth cannot be sought:

Our enterprises and our actes

By him to passe are brought.

The bowe is broke, the mightie ones

Subuerted are at length,

And they which weak and feeble were

Increased are in strength.

They that were ful and had great store,

With labor buy their bread;

And they which hungrie were and poore,

With plentie now are fed:

So that the wombe which barren was

Hath many children born,

And she which store of children had

Is left now all forlorne.

The Lord doth kill and make aliue,

His iudgments all are iust;

He throweth downe into the graue,

And raiseth from the dust.

The Lord doth make both rich and poore;

He al our thoughts doth trie;

He bringeth low, and eke againe

Exalteth vp on hie.

He raiseth vp the simple soule

Whom men pursude with hate,

To sit amongst the mightie ones

In chaire of princely state.

For why? the pillers of the earth

He placed with his hand,

Whose mighty strength doth stil support

The waight of al the land.

He wil preserue his saints; likewise

The wicked men at length

He wil confound: let no man seem

To glory in his strength.

The enemies of God the Lord

Shall be destroied al;

From heauen he shal thunder send,

That on their heads shal fall.

The mightie Lord shall iudge the world,

And giue his power alone

Vnto the king; and shal exalt

His owne annointed one.