To St Margeret
To St Margeret
1
Fair of heaven, who took’st in hand
and to imitate,
And for
Wast for thy lily faith retained in band:
5
Alone on foot and with thy naked hand
Thou didst like Michael and his host, and that
For which on horse arm’d George we celebrate
Whilst thou like them a didst withstand.
Behold my soul, shut in my body’s jail,
10
The which the drake of hell gapes to devour!
Teach me, O Virgin, how thou didst prevail!
Virginity, thou say’st, was all thine aid.
Give me then purity instead of power,
And let my soul, maid chaste, pass for a maid.
6 Annotations