Page:Wife of Beith (10).pdf/21

21 Obtained his father full remission.

I spared my judgments many tim

And spiritual pastors did thee send;

But thou renewd'st thy former ecrimescrimes [sic],

Aye more and more me to offend.

My Lord, quoth she, I do amend,

Lamenting for my former vice

The poor thief at the latter

For one word went to paradise.

The thief heard never of me teaching,

My heavenly precepts and my laws,

But thou was daily at my preachings,

Both heard and saw, and yet miskaws

Master, quoth she, the scriptures shows,

The Jewish woman which play'd the lown;

Conform unto the Hebrew laws,

Was brought to thee to be put down,

But nevertheless thou lett'st her go,

And made the Pharisees afraid.

Indeed, says Christ it was right so,

And that my bidding was obey'd,

Woman, he said, I may not cast

The childrens' bread to dogs like

Although my mercies yet do last,

There's mercy here but none for thee

But, loving Lord, may I presume

Poor worm, that I may speak again,

The dogs for hunger were undone,