Katherine Parr

Printed Writings 1500–1640: Series 1, Part One, Volume 3

Janel Mueller

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2016
• ISBN:
  9781351924252
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: Literary Criticism for Comparative Literature
• Index: Literature

The sixth and last queen of Henry VIII, and friend of Anne Askew, Katherine Parr (c.1513-1548) has a threefold claim to recognition for her contribution to the literary culture of her time. First, as a loving and adept stepmother to the royal children, who took a directive role in their education; second, as the patroness of a circle of Protestant humanist intellectuals who spearheaded the translation of Erasmus's Latin Paraphrase upon the newe testamente; and third, as the author of the two vernacular religious works reproduced here, which established her as the earliest woman writer in English to see original works reach print and bear her name.

The Lamentacion of a synner

A lamentacion or complaynt of a Sinner.

When I consion in y bethinking of myne euill, ck toreched former lyfe, myne obsti nate, stonye and untractable herte, to havt to muche exceded in iullnes, that it hath not only neglected, yea contened, and disposed gods holye preceptes and cōmaundments: But also embraced, receyued, and estemed vayu, folish, and feyned tristes: I am partly by the hate I owe to sinne, who hath reigned in me, partly by the love I owe to all Christians, whome I am contente to edifye, even with thexample of myne owne shame, forced and constrayned with my harte and wordes, to confesse and declare to the world, how ingrate, negligent, unkynde, and stubberne, I have bene to god my Creatour: ck howe beneficial, mercyful, and gen till, he hath been alwayes to me his creature, being suche a miserable, and wreatched sinner. Truly I have taken no lytle final thing upon me, firct to setfurth my whole sto bernes, ck contempt in wordes the whiche is incomprehensible in thought (as it is in the Psalme) who understandeth his fauts, next this to declare the excellent beneficence, mer cy, and goodnes of god, whiche is infinite, uninsurable: neyther can all the wordes of Angels, and men, make relation thereof, as appcrteyneth to his moste high goodnes.

Who is he that is not forced to confesse the same, if he consider what he hath receyued of God, and doeth daylye receyue. Yea if men would not acknoweledge, ck confesse the same, the stones would crye it out. Cruly I am constrained and forced to speak and write therof to mine own confusion and shame, but to the glorye and praise of god. For he as a louyng father, of most abundant and high goodnes, hath heaped upon me, innumerable benefites: And I contrary, have heaped manysolde sinnes, dispisyng that whiche was good, holye, pleasaut, ck acceptable in his sight, ck choysing that whiche was delictous, pleasant, ck acceptable in my sighte. And no meruayle it was y I so dyd. for I woulde not learne too knowe the lorde ck his wayes, but loved darknes better thālyght, yea darkenes semed to me light. I ēbraced ignorance as perfect knowlege, ck know lege lemed to me superfluous and uayne: I ragarded little gods worde, but gave myself to vanities and shadowes of the worlde. I forleke hym, in whome is al truth, ck folowed the bain folish imagmacions of my hert. I would have covered my sinnes with the pre tence of holynes, I called supersticion, godly meanine, ck true holynes, errour: the lord did speake many plesant and swete wordes unto me, and I would not hear: he called me diuerlly but through froward nes I woulde not aunswere. Mine euils ck miseries be so many ck gret, that thet accuse ine euen to my face. Oh howe miserable ck wretchedly am I confounded when for y multitude ck greatnes of my sines I am compelled to arcuse my self, was it not a marueilous unkyndenes when God dyd speake to me, ck also call me, y I woulde not answere hym what mā so called would not have heard-or what man hea ring, woulde not have aunswered. If an earthly Prince had spoken, eyther called him I cuppose there be none but would willingly have dooen bothe. Some therfore what a wretche ck Caytif am I: that when the Prince of princes, y king of kinges, did speak ma ny plealaunt ck gentle wordes unto me, and also called me so many ck sundry times, y they can not be numbred: And yet not with standing these gveate signes and tokens of love, I would not cum unto him, but hid my self out of his sight, seking many croked ck by wayes wherein I walked so long that I had clene lost his sight And no meruayle or wunorefor I had a blynde gyde called led Ignoraunce, who dymmed so mynesyes, y I coulde neuer pecfectelye gette anye lighte of the fayer, goodlye,streyght, and right mayes of his doctrine: but continualty trauayled bnocomfortably, in foule, wieked, croked, and percuersewayes. Yea and because they wer so muche hauted of manye, I coulde not thicke but I maulked in the perfit and right may, haning more regarde to the noumbre of the walkers, then to the or der of the walking: beleuyng also moste suerlye with company to have walked to heauen, where as I am most sure they moulde have broughte me downe to hell ring of the true siuyng god, a wurthipped bisible idoles, A ymages made of mennes handes, beleuing by theym to have gotten heuen, yea to say the truthe I made a great y dol of my self: for I loved my self better then god. And certaynly looke how many thinges are loved or preferred in our hartes before god, so many are taken and astemed for ydoles, and false gods.

Alas howe have I biolated this holly, pure, amoste high presept A comaunoment of y love of god. whiche precepte byndeth meto love hym with my hole bearte, minde, force, strengthe, a onderstrandyng. And Ilyke into an cuil wieked, disobedtent chylde, have geven my wyl, power, alences to the contrary: markyng almost of ruery earthly a carnal thing a god: furthermore the bloud of chritste was not reputed by me suffictet for to mashme trom the fisth of my sinnes: neyther suche wayes as he bath appoynted by his woro. But I jounght for suche rifrat as the bishop of Rome bath planted in his ryranny a kingdom, trusting with great considence by the dettue the nines of them, to receyue full remiffio of my sinnes. And so Joyd as much as was in me to obfuscate a darke y great benefis of christes Dassion: then the which no thought caconseyne any thyng of more Balue: there can not be done so great an iniurie a displeasure to almightie god our father, as to treade onder foote christ, his only begotten and welbeloued sonne. All other synnes in the world gathered sogether an one, be not so heynous, a detestable in the sight of God. And no woder, for in Christ crucified, God doeth thewe him selfe moste noble a glortous, enen an almightie God, and most louyng father, ins his onely deare and chosen bleffed sonne. And therfore A counte my selfe one of y most micked amyserable synners, because I have been so much contrary to Christ my sauior. Daule desyred to knowe nothyng but Christ erucified after he had been rapt into the thirde heaven, where he not covenient mete to better to menne: but counted all his workes, and doynges as nothyng, to mynne christ.

And I most presumptu onlly thinkyng nothyng of Christ srucitied, went about to sette foorth myne onne righteousnes, faiyng with the proude Dharisey. Good Lorde I thanke the, I am not likro ther men. I am none adulterer, nor fornicatour, and so foorth, with such like wordes of baineglorp, ertollyng my selfe, and dispisyng others, workyng as an hired seruaut for wagies, or els for ceward: and not as a louyng childe, only for bery love, with oute respect of wagies or reward as I ought to have doen, ney ther did I considre how bene ficial a father I had, whodid thew me his charitie merry of his own inere grace a good nes, y when I was moste his enemie, he sent his only begot ten a welbeloued sooune into this worlde of wretcbednes miserie, to suffre most cruellsharp death for my redecion.

But my harte was so stony hard, that this great benefite was never truly liuely printed in my hert although with my wordes is was ofte rehersed, thinking inyself to be sufficiently instructed in y same beying in dede in blind igno rauce. And yet I stood so wel in myne own indgement opinion I thought it bayne to seke in creace of my know lege therein. Daule calleth Christ the wisedome of god, suen the same Christe was to me folishnes: my pryde blid nes deceived me, harones of my hart wstode the growing of truth within it. Suche wer the truites of my rarnall humayn realos to have rot ten ignorauce in price for ripe leasonable knolege. Suche also is the malice wikednes possesseth the bettes of men such is the wisdome plesing of the flesh. I professed Christ in my baptisme when I bega to live, but I warued from hym after baptisme, in continuavce of my living, even as the hethen whiche never had begunne. Christ was innorent and boyde of all lynne, I wailo med in filthy sinne: and was free from no synne Christ was obedient ondid his father even to thedeath of croffe, I disebedient, most frubburne even to the consution of trueth. Christ was meke and humble in heart, I moste proud and bainglotion. Christ dispised the worlde with all the banities therof, and I made it my god because of banities. Christ came to ferve his brethren, coveted to tule over them. Christ dispised morldly honor and i muche delited to attain thesame, Christ loved base limple thinges of the world and I estemed the moste fayre and pleasunt thinges. Chrest loved povertie, and I welth. Chrest was ientle, and mercyfull to the poore, and i hatde hearted and bnientle. Chriest prayed for his enemies, and i hated mine. Christ reioysed in the covercion of synners, was not greved to se theyr revercion synne. By this declaracion all creatures may perceive how farre I was fro Christ, about christ, yeahow contrary to Christ, although I bare the name of a christa. Insomuche that if any man had sayd I had been without Christ, I would have stifely with stande thesame. And yet I neither knewe Christ, nor wherfore be came. As concetryng the effect and purpose of his cuming, I had a certayne bain blinde know lege, both cold dead, whiche may be had wal sin, as doth playnly appere by this my cofesston open declaracion.

What cause now have I to lament, sight a wepe for my lyfe and tyme so cuyl spent wyth how muche humilitie a lo wines ought I to cum knowe lege my sinnes to god gevig him thankes, that it hath plesed hym of his aboundaunte goodnes to geve me time of cepentavce: for I knowe my sinnes in the consideracion of the to be so grevous, and in number so ercedyng, that I have deserued bery often eternal danacion. And for the deserving of gods wrath, so ma nifoldely ove, I must onces sauntly geve thankes to the mercy of god, beseching also that the same delay of punish ment, cause not his plage to be the sorer, since imyne owne conscience con deneth my for iner doings. But his mercye ercedeth al iniguitie: yf I shoulde not thus hope, Alas what should I seke forrefuge a coforteno mortall nam is of power to help me: a for multitude of my sinnes, I dare not lift by mine iyes to heaven where seat of ingement is, I have to muche offended god. What shal I fal in delpe racion naye I will cal opon Christ the light of the worlde the tountayn of life, the relief of al careful, a pearemaker be wene god a man, the only health a comfort of al true repentant sinnets. De ranty his alinighty power save me, a deliver me out of this mise rable state, hath will by his increy to save even the whole sinne of the world. I hve no hope nor confidece in any creature, neyther in heaven, nor carth, but in Christ my whole a only sauiour. de came into the world to save lincers, a to beale them are sicke, for he sayeth: the hole have no ned of aphificion. Beholde lorde howe I cum to the, a synner, sick, greunusly wounded, I aske not brard, but the crums that fal from the chyldres table. Cast me not oute of thylight, fight, although I have deshelled to be cast into hell fyer.

It I shoulde loke upon my lumes, t not upon thy mercy I shoulde dispayer: for in iny selfe I synde nothing to saue me, but a dunghyll at wikednesse, to condemne me: if I shoulde hope by mine owne streng the, and power to turn out at this mase of miquitie, t wickednes, wherein I have walked so long, I shoulde be decepued: for I am so ignoraunt blinde, meak, and feble that I can not bring myselfe out of this intangled t wapwarde mase: but the more I secke meanes and mayes to winde my selfe but, the more I ain mrapped and tangled therein.

So that I percerue my striving therin to be hindecance, my travail to be labour spencin going backer. It is y hand of the lorde that can and wyl bring me oute of this endeles mase of death: for wout I be preuéted by y grace of y ford, I can not ask forgeuenes nor be repentant or lory for them.

There is no man can auow y Christ is thouly samour of y worlde, but by the holy goste: yea as waul sayeth, no man can say the sorde Iefus. but by the holy goste. The spirit helpeth our intermstie. t maketh continuall intercession for by as, in suche fordwful grenings, as cannot be repressed, Therfore I wil first requires t praye the lorde, to give me his hoty spicit to teache me to auold that christe is y sautour of y worth, and to viter these wordes: the ford Iefus, t finally to help mine intirmities, t to intercede for me. For I am most eertaine t suer, that no creature in heaven nor earth is of power, or can by any mean help me, but god who is omnipotente, almighty, beneficial t inerciful wel willing, and louing to al those that cal t put their hole cōsidence t truste in him. And therefore I mylseke no other ineanes nor Aduocate, but christes holp spirit, who is ōly the aduocate I mediatour betwene god I man, to help t relyue me. But nold what ma keth me so bolde, t hardye, to presume to cum to the lord in suche audacitie t boldnes being so greata a Sinnern ruly nothing but his own worde: for he saith: Cum to me al ye that labour, t are burdened, and I shal refresh you: what gentle mereiful, and comfortable woordes are these to all finners, wer not a frantik, mad, beastiy t foly she man, y woulde tunfor aide helpes, or refuse to and other crea ture, what a most gracious comfortable, and gentle, saying was this, which suche plesant and iwete wordes, to alIure his enemies to cum unto him. Is there anye worldlye prince or magistrate, y would shelde suche clemeneye, and mercie, to these disobedient t cedellous subiectes having offeded the, I cuppose they would not with such wordes allure them ercepte it were to cal they, whom they cannot take, t punishe they in being taken. But even as Christe is prince of princes, and lorde of lorde, so his charitie, and merede ercedeth I surinoun ceth all others. Christ saieth if carnall fathers god give good giftes to theyr children when they aske theyin, howe muche more shall your heavenlye father, being in substaunce all holpe, and moste highly good, give good giftes to al thein that aske him It is no small nor title gifte that I, nowe require, neither thinke I my selfe woorthy to receine suche a noble gifte being so ingrate, virkinde, t wicked a childe. But tollen I behold the benignitie, libera litie, merey, t goodnes of the lord, I am encoraged, boldened, t stired to ask such a noble gift. The lord is so bountiful, t liberal, that be wil not have as satistied t contented with one gift, neither to aske simple t smal gifts. And ther fore be promiseth and bindeth him self by his word, to give good t beneficial giftes to al them y ask him with tru saith about whiche, nothing can be don acceptable or pleasing to god. For sayth is the foūdaci on, t grounde of al o...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Table of Contents
• Original Copyright Page
• Preface by the General Editors
• Introductory Note
• Prayers or Meditacions
• The Lamentacion of a synner
• Appendix: Variant leaves from the first edition of Lamentacion of a synner (STC 4827), Pembroke College Library