SAINT PETERS Complaynt - by Robert Southwell: 109-144/792

Is this the harvest of his sowing toyle?
Did Christ manure thy heart to breed him bryers? [110]
Or doth it need this unaccustom'd soyle,
With hellish dung to fertile heavens desires?
No, no, the Marle that perjuries doth yeeld,
May spoyle a good, not fat a barraine field.

Was this for best deserts the duest meed? [115]
Are highest worthes well wag'de with spitefull hire?
Are stoutest vowes repeal'd in greatest neede?
Should friendship at the first affront retire?
Blush, craven sott, lurke in eternall night:
Crouched in the darkest cave from loathed light. [120]

Ah wretch why was I nam'd son of a dove,
Whose speeches voyded spight, and breathed gall?
No kin I am unto the bird of love:
My stony name much better sutes my fall,
My othes were stones; my cruell tongue the sling: [125]
My God, the mark: at which my spight did fling.

Were all the Jewish tirannies too few,
To glut thy hungry lookes with his disgrace:
That these more hateful tyrannies must shew:
And spit thy poyson in thy Makers face? [130]
Didst thou to spare his foes put up thy sword:
To brandish now thy tongue against thy Lord?

Ah tongue, that didst his prayse and Godhead sound,
How wert thou stain'd with such detesting words
That every word was to his hart a wound, [135]
And launst him deeper than a thousand swordes?
What rage of man, yea what infernall spirite
Could have disgorg'd more loathsome dregs of spite?

Why did the yeelding sea like marble way,
Support a wretch more wavering then the waves? [140]
Whom doubt did plunge, why did the waters stay,
Unkind, in kindnesse; murthering while it saves ?
Oh that this toung had then been fishes food,
And I devour'd, before this cursing mood.

Notes

[l110] manure: To till or cultivate (land).1561   T. Norton tr. J. Calvin Inst. Christian Relig. iv. xiv. f. 94v   The word of God..if it light vpon a soule manured with the hande of the heauenly Spirite, it will be moste fruitefull.

[l113] Marle: An earthy deposit, typically loose and unconsolidated and consisting chiefly of clay mixed with calcium carbonate, formed in prehistoric seas and lakes and long used to improve the texture of sandy or light soil. 1589   G. Puttenham Arte Eng. Poesie iii. xxv. 254   The good gardiner seasons his soyle by sundrie sorts of compost: as mucke or marle.

[l114] fat: To enrich (the soil) with nutritious and stimulating elements; to fertilize.1594   T. Blundeville Exercises v. f. 265v   The flood Nilus, which by his inundations doth yearely..fatte the Countrie of Egypt. barraine: barren.

[l115] duest meede: the most appropriate reward/recognition.

[l116] wag'de: waged, paid for, rewarded.

[l119] sott:  A foolish or stupid person; a fool, blockhead, dolt. Obsolete.

[l121] sonne of a dove: Peter  was originally 'Simon Bar-Jona', meaning Simon 'son of Jonah'. 'Jonah' means 'dove' or 'pigeon'.

[l122] voyded: to void - To evacuate; to empty the bladder; to vomit.

[l122] gall: Bitterness of spirit, asperity, rancour (supposed to have its seat in the gall. 1577   R. Stanyhurst Treat. Descr. Irelande vii. f. 27/1, in R. Holinshed Chron. I   A pleasant conceyted companion, full of mirth without gall.

[l124] My stony name: At the beginning of Christ's public ministry, Andrew brought his brother Peter to meet the Messiah:

[42] And he brought him to Jesus. And Jesus looking upon him, said: Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is interpreted Peter. [John 1]

[l125] othes: oaths.

[l131] put up thy sword: A reference to Peter's reaction when Christ's enemies sought to seize him inn the garden of Gethsemane:

[10] Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it, and struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear. And the name of the servant was Malchus.[11] Jesus therefore said to Peter: Put up thy sword into the scabbard. The chalice which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it? [John 18]

[l133] Godhead sound:

[15] Jesus saith to them: But whom do you say that I am? [16] Simon Peter answered and said: Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God. [17] And Jesus answering, said to him: Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona: because flesh and blood hath not revealed it to thee, but my Father who is in heaven.

[l136] launst: lanced, pierced.

[ll139-142]: A reference to the incident described in the 14th chapter of Matthew's Gospel:

[24] But the boat in the midst of the sea was tossed with the waves: for the wind was contrary. [25] And in the fourth watch of the night, he [Jesus] came to them walking upon the sea.

[26] And they seeing him walk upon the sea, were troubled, saying: It is an apparition. And they cried out for fear. [27] And immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying: Be of good heart: it is I, fear ye not. [28] And Peter making answer, said: Lord, if it be thou, bid me come to thee upon the waters. [29] And he said: Come. And Peter going down out of the boat, walked upon the water to come to Jesus. [30] But seeing the wind strong, he was afraid: and when he began to sink, he cried out, saying: Lord, save me.

[31] And immediately Jesus stretching forth his hand took hold of him, and said to him: O thou of little faith, why didst thou doubt?