Father FRANCIS's Prayer

Ne gay attire, ne marble hall, Ne arched roof, ne pictur'd wall; Ne cook of Fraunce, ne dainty board, Béstow'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 pray'r; 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.