A06719:132
Davids harp full of most delectable harmony, newly stringed and set in tuneDauids harpe ful of moost delectable armony, newely strynged and set in tune
Davids harp full of most delectable harmony, newly stringed and set in tune by Theodore BasilDauids harpe ful of moost delectable armony, newely strynged and set in tune by Theadore Basille
printed for Joha, 1542
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
¶ The eight string. Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints.
¶ The eyght strynge. Precious in the syghte of the Lord is the death of his Sayntes.
This song of our Minstrel David must needs be very pleasant & delectable to the hearers, seeing that he singeth all things in such a godly & goodly order, & setteth every thing in his right place. For after that he hath made mention of paying his vows unto the Lord, which is to do all things according to the commandment of God, & not after the fancy of carnal reason, nor the judgment of the wise ⟨image 60⟩worldlings; whereof is like to ensue, as we have heard before, much trouble, yea very death (for the world can not abide to be rebuked nor to have his pomp, pride, pleasures, glory, honour, hypocrisy, superstition, feigned holiness, pharisaical justice, glistering righteousness, doting invention, fleshly imaginations, good ententes. &c. to be reproved yea & condemned by y• word of God) he now declareth what a dear & precious a thing the death of Saints, that is to say, of the faithful is in the sight of the LORD, be it recounted before the world of never so great ignominy, despite, reproach and shame. And this doth he to encourage men to pay their vows unto the Lord, that is to say, to be earnest in the word of God, to seek the promotion of his glory & to walk innocently before the eyes of his divine mayest, though all the ⟨image 61⟩world, yea very hell should be wood and rise up against us. Precious, saith he, in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints.
This song of our Mynstrel Da uid must nedes be very plesaūt & delectable to the hearers, seyng yt he syngethe all thynges in suche a godly & goodly order, & setteth euery thynge in his ryght place. For after that he hath made mēcion of payenge his vowes vnto the Lord, whyche is to do all thynges accordynge to the cōmaūdemēt of God, & not after the fansy of carnall reason, nor the iugemente of the wyse