NE gay attire, ne marble hall, Ne arched roof, ne pictured wall; Ne cook of Fraunce, ne dainty board, Bestow'd with pyes of Perigord; Ne power, ne such like idle fancies, Sweet Agnes, grant to Father Francis: Let me ne more myself deceive; Ne more regret the toys I leave. The world I quit, the proud, the vain, Corruption's and Ambition's train; But not the good, perdie, nor fair, 'Gainst them I make ne vow, ne prayer; But such aye welcome to my cell, And oft, not always, with me dwell: Then cast, sweet saint, a circle round, And bless from fools this holy ground; From all the foes to worth and truth, From wanton old, and homely youth; The gravely dull, and pertly gay, Oh! banish these, and, by my fay, Right well I ween that in this age Mine house shall prove an hermitage. |