Becoming America - An Exploration of American Literature from Precolonial to Post-Revolution, 2018a

BECOMING AMERICA
SEVENTEENTH CENTURY ENGLISH COLONIAL LITERATURE
Gods wrathful ire kindled like re
against them ercely ameth.
Their Judge severe doth quite cashire
and all their Pleas o take,
That never a man, or dare, or can
a further Answer make.
CLXXXVII
Their mouthes are shut, each man i [. . .] put
to silence and to shame:
Nor have they ought within their thought
Christs Justice for to blame;
The Judge is just, and plague them must,
nor will he mercy shew
(For Mercy’s day is past away)
to any of this Crew.
CLXXXVIII
The Judge is strong; doers of wrong
cannot his Power withstand:
None can by ight run out of sight,
nor scape out of his hand.
Sad is their sta [. . .] e; for Advocate
to plead their Cause there’s none:
None to prevent their punishment,
or misery to bemo [. . .] e.
CLXXXIX
O dismal day! whither shall they
for help or succour ee?
To God above, with hopes to move
their greatest Enemee?
His wrath is g [. . .] eat, whose burning heat
to ood of Tears can [. . .] lake:
His word stands fast, that they be cast
into the burning Lake.
CXC
To Chr [. . .] st their Judge? he doth adjudge
them to the Pit of Sorrow:
Nor will he hear or cry, or tear,
nor respite them on morrow.
To Heav’n? Alas they cannot pass,
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