A   But now they that are yo&ubar;ger then I, haue me in derysion: yee, euen they, whose fathers I wolde haue thought scorne to haue set with the dogges of my catell. The power ∧ strength of their handes might do me no good: for the tyme is but lost among them. For very misery and honger, they fled in to the wyldernesse horrible ∧ waist, pluckynge vp nettels amonge the busshes, and the Iuniper rotes for their meate. And when they were dryu&ebar; forth, m&ebar; cryed after them, as it had bene after a thefe. Their dwelling was besyde foule brokes, yee, in the caues and dennes of the earth. B   Amonge the busshes wente they aboute crying, and vnder the thornes they gathered them selues together. They were the chyldren of fooles and vylaines, which are vexed out of the worlde. ^noteNow am I their songe, and am become their ieastinge stock: they abhorre me, and flye farre fro me, and stayne my face with spetle. For þe; Lord hath loosed the strength of my body, and brought me lowe. The brydle haue they cast out of my syght. Upon my right hande ryse the yonge men agaynst me, they haue hurte my fete, treadinge vpon me, as vpon the wayes that they wolde destroye. My pathes haue they clene marred. It was so easy for them to do me harme, that they neded no man to helpe them. They fell vpon me, as it had bene the breakinge in of waters, and came in by heapes to destroye me. Fearfulnesse is turned agaynst me.

C   Myne honoure vanisshed awaye more swyftly then the wynde, and my prosperite departeth hence, lyke as it were a cloude. Therfore is my mynde powred full of heuynesse, and the dayes of my trouble haue taken holde vpon me. My bones are pearsed thorow, in the night season, &abar;d my synewes take no rest. For the vehemencie of sorow is my garment chaunged: and according to the diuersite of heuynes am I gyrded with my coate. He hath cast me into the mire, and I am become like asshes and dust. Wh&ebar; I crye vnto the, thou doest not heare me, ∧ though I st&abar;de before the, yet thou regardest me not. Thou art become myne enemye, and with thy violent hande thou takest part agaynst me. In tymes past thou didest set me vp on hie, as it were aboue the wynde, but now hast thou geuen me a very sore fall, Sure I am, D   that thou wilt deliuer me vnto death &club; eu&ebar; to the lodginge that is due vnto all m&ebar; liuinge. Now vse not men to do violence vnto them, that are destroied allready: but where hurte is done, there vse they to helpe. Did not I wepe with him that was in trouble? Had not my soule compassion vpon the poore? Yet neuerthelesse, where as I loked for good, euell happened vnto me: and where as I wayted for light, there came darcknesse My bowles sethe within me, ∧ take no rest, for the dayes of my trouble are come vpon me. Mekely and lowly came I in, yee, and without any displeasure: I stode vp in the c&obar;gregacion, and communed with them. But now, I am a companion of dragons, and a felowe of Estriches. My skynne vpon me is turned to black, and my bones are br&ebar;t with heate: my harpe is turned to sorowe, and my pype to wepynge.

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