Like as the armed knight <br />Appointed to the field, <br />With this world will I fight <br />And Faith shall be my shield. <br /> <br />Faith is that weapon strong <br />Which will not fail at need. <br />My foes, therefore, among <br />Therewith will I proceed. <br /> <br />As it is had in strength <br />And force of Christes way <br />It will prevail at length <br />Though all the devils say nay. <br /> <br />Faith in the fathers old <br />Obtained rightwisness <br />Which make me very bold <br />To fear no world's distress. <br /> <br />I now rejoice in heart <br />And Hope bid me do so <br />For Christ will take my part <br />And ease me of my woe. <br /> <br />Thou saist, lord, who so knock, <br />To them wilt thou attend. <br />Undo, therefore, the lock <br />And thy strong power send. <br /> <br />More enmyes now I have <br />Than hairs upon my head. <br />Let them not me deprave <br />But fight thou in my stead. <br /> <br />On thee my care I cast. <br />For all their cruel spight <br />I set not by their haste <br />For thou art my delight. <br /> <br />I am not she that list <br />My anchor to let fall <br />For every drizzling mist <br />My ship substancial. <br /> <br />Not oft use I to wright <br />In prose nor yet in rime, <br />Yet will I shew one sight <br />That I saw in my time. <br /> <br />I saw a rial throne <br />Where Justice should have sit <br />But in her stead was one <br />Of moody cruel wit. <br /> <br />Absorpt was rightwisness <br />As of the raging flood <br />Sathan in his excess <br />Suct up the guiltless blood. <br /> <br />Then thought I, Jesus lord, <br />When thou shalt judge us all <br />Hard is it to record <br />On these men what will fall. <br /> <br />Yet lord, I thee desire <br />For that they do to me <br />Let them not taste the hire <br />Of their iniquity.<br /><br />Anne Askew<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-ballad-which-anne-askew-made-and-sang-when-she-was-in-newgate/
