years we do take a view Or count the number of our able men Flattring our selues there with as if that then Hauing so great and huge a multitude Though we were nere so inexpert and rude There were no cause of feare but a Realmes might Consists not in the number that must fight More in their skill for of good souldiers ten Will foile a hundred vnexperienc't men Such as we are For 't is a shame to speake How wonderfull vnfitty and how weake This ignorance makes most of vs except VVhom braue South-hamptons gouernment hath kept In warlike order I doe meane indeed Our Hampshire Ilanders of whom for need A hundred boyes that nere had haire on chin Shal from fiue hundred of vp-landish win Both field and Towne By which it may appeare Good gouernment with profitable feare VVithin a few short yeares so wel wil thriue One shal become to haue the odds of fiue These therefore that haue wisedome for to tell When they do any thing amisse or well Stil in this Passion obserue a meane And not to feare nor to presumption leane OF DESPAIRE SATY 11. NO more of feare for lo his impious brat Lookes now to be admitted this is that We call Dispaire with ghastly looks he stands And poisons ropes or poin-yards fills his handes Still ready to do hurt one step no more Reaches from hence vnto dam nations dore This is that Passion giues a man instruction To wrest the Scriptures to his owne destruction And makes him think while he on earth doth dwel He feeles the very torturing pangs of hell It makes men rage like furies screeeh and houle With exclamations horrible and foule Like Monsters more then men Onely damnation Is in their mouthes no mercy nor saluation They seeme to hope for they extreamely feare Some monstrous shapes which seeme for to appeare Through their imaginations and the paine That they in soule and conscience do sustaine All earthly tortures doth so much exceed That they haue thought them selues in hell indeed Oh what repentant liues some vow to liue If God would but once more vouchsafe to giue Their health and hope againe then they would spend Their liues and good vnto no other end But wholly for his glory yet there 's now Some liuing that haue quite forgot that vow God giue them grace to looke into their error Or they wil one day find a double terror Some in this agony haue little will To any thing vnlesse it be to kill Or make themselues away whereto the Diuell The author and chiefe causer of this euill Vnlesse that God in mercy him preuents Is ready to prouide him instruments I euen quake to thinke what humors be Attending on this hellish maladee And for some cause I mean not here to shew them But pray that all had grace for to eschew them Now some do thinke this passion being taken Can very hardly be again forsaken But let none thinke so for why God in distresse Doth neuer leaue man quite without redresse Nor can we say that he hath left vs voyd Of helpe for this when ere we are anoy'd Through Satans guile for pittying our case He leaues vs hope of fauour and of grace If wee 'l lay hold on 't which to make more cleare He let his euerlasting loue appeare In highest measure by the sacrifice Of CHRIST his sonne for our iniquities And also did not sinne thus make vs blind For euery greefe of body and of mind He hath ordain'd a salue All Christians know Or should at least the spring from whence doth flow A pretious liquor that will quickly cure Our strongest Passions if the cup be pure Or if we do not so presume as stand And lap it here and there with our owne hand For that 's the way to sooth vp many a passion And the all-only cause of Desperation Which from all good-men I do wish as farre As earth's low center from the highest star But now dispaire or distrust is twofold One sort of which I haue already told Being concerning matters of saluation The horriblest and feareful'st desperation But th' other is alone of earthly things Yet mighty disaduantage with it brings VVhere it gets entrance this makes many loath To vndertake great matters cause through sloth They do dispaire to reach them yea it breeds A carelessnesse in man and thence proceeds Not a few treasons for the breach of law Makes many times the subiect in such awe That he dispaires of pardon for his ill And therefore not alone remaines in 't still But being guilty for to salue one sore Incurs the danger of a thousand more And for because he thinkes himselfe vndone Wil for assurance to Rebellion runne Besides there 's some dispairing of their cause And being brought to triall by the lawes For some offence are obstinately mute To these forsooth the commons do impute A manly Resolution cause thereby They saue their landes to their posterity But sure there is no wise-man wil commend Him that so desperately seekes his end And wilfully doth cast away himâ—elâ—e Body and soule perhaps to saue his pelfe To some suruiuors where as if he bide On hope and not dispaire for to be tride According to the lawes he may be cleer'd And quitted of the danger he so fear'd As some haue beene Besides if we indure But a small paine if we despaire of cure Ease or amends 't wil make it seem to be Vnsufferable whereas if that we Haue any Hope the ease we looke to win VVill mittigate the torture we are in His winter toyle what Ploughman could sustain If he despaired of his haruest gaine And the strong'st army needs must faint and â—ly If it despaire before of victory But to conclude it must be vnderstood Dispaires a Passion that is no time good 'T is alway hurtfull and I can obserue Nothing whereto a man may make it serue Vnlesse to helpe a troope of coward fight For could a man lead them past hope of flight VVhere they should see there were no remedy But they must dye or get the victory Despaire in that case may giue them the day That would haue lost it to haue run away OF HOPE SATY 12. THrice welcome Hope the diuel keep home the tother Dispaire feare ar sitting for no other This is the Passion that of all the rest We haue most reason to esteme of best For if it be with good aduise applide A salue it is God did himselfe prouide To ease not onely euery outward greife But when the very soule doth want releefe It wil redresse her paine although it were The shaking of that hideous monster feare Oh precious Balme Yea if that man had power To take it to himselfe at such an hower When black Dispaire doth pinch him that indeed Would quite expell it and he should not need Apothecary drugs But what can wee Apply aright and not instructed be By Gods good inspiration Nay 't is true We are so farre vnlike for to
spare you thus til death do fet yee But rub you whilst you are aliue to fret yee Yet do not think â— meane to blaze your shame In scattered Libels that shal want a name No I hate that I le tell the illes you doe And put my name for witnesse therevnto Then 't is but fetching me ad Magistratum And laying to me Scandalum Magnatum Which though you proue not rather yet then faile You were best hang or clap me into Iaile To stay my tongue so much you may do to me And that 's the worst I know that you can do me But whether runnes my ouer-sawcy Pen There 's Vanity besides in Noblemen The Gentleman for some repute but Vaine Beyond his power oftentimes doth straine Our Yeomen toe that neuer Armes haue borne To Gentillize it makes themselues a scorne But their Gaine 's enuy with a greater charge Yet of these fooles the Catalogue is large Then ere that lesson be halfe taken forth They must ad Knight-hood or 't is nothing worth Mony may get it therefore many sue it Although with shame and Beggery they â—rue it And Credit they expect in vaine thereby For it turnes rather to their infamy Because it is bestowne without deserts And yet in troth our Knights haue done their parts For most haue well deseru'd it but as how Brauely in field en'e in a field at Plow But why looke we in meere Humanity For that which sauors not of Vanity Since Diuine matters cannot quite be free But with the same must oft corrupted be Diuines striue not so much for to impart The truest Doctrines as to shew their Art The grace their speach more with vaine words for sound Then with graue sayings needful and profound But t is a vaine thing wondrous full of shame And in my iudgement highly merits blame To paint o're that whose beautie 's neuer fuller Then when it shines forth in it proper Colour Againe they striue what Ceremonies fit And best beseemes the Church meane while omit More weighty matters who that 's wise would stand Like many wrangling spirits in this land Vpon such idle Questions as they know 'T is no great matter on which side they goe And such as best in my conceit befits None but vnquiet and seditious wits Heere 's my Opinion be they not the cheefe Grounds of Religion or the same Beleefe Saluation comes by that men go about By their inuentions for to bring in doubt So 't be not that they touch as sure they dare not Let all the rest go which way 't will I care not Haue not our Lawyers many vaine delayes Vnnecessary Writs and idle staies For to prolong mens suites when they might foile The party faulty e'ne with halfe that quoile They 'l for their fee relate some pretty tale Like the wise story of old Iack i'ith vale Which if they once haue thorowly begun Vndo them quite that tarry til 't be done Iack Doe Dick Roe with whom y 'ad ne're to doe Thei le bring to help your cause and God knowes who And for your benefit they can affoord Many a foolish sencelesse idle word Which they I know will not account as vaine Since that 't is with a Vengeance brings them gaine Besides as I suppose their lawes they pen'd In their old Pedlers French vnto this end The Vulgar should no farther knowledge reach Then what shall please their Maisterships to teach Or else they haue the selfe-fame policie As the Professors of damn'd Papistry Who Sacred writ in forraine tongues conceal'd Least that their knauish trickes should be reueal'd What can they not in our owne language find Words of sufficient force t' expresse their mind That cannot be denied but t is a trouble So easily to counterfeit and double In a knowne Tongue when th' other but a few Can vnderstand but that obstreperous Crew These make the lawes almost to none effect Their courses are so wondrous indirect To them they fauour they delaies can grant Though Iustice her due expedition want Sometimes vpon one matter we may see That sundry iudgments shal pronounced be Now there 's a motion granted next day crost So fee and labour 's to no purpose lost And stil the Clrent shal be so deluded That when he hope 's al 's done there 's nought concluded Nay though we heare the vtmost sentence past Which by all course of Law should be the last Why then I say though all seeme wholly ended Yet may the Execution be suspended And for some trifle to the poore mans terror Be cald in question by a Writ of Error So that the right oft yeelds vnto the stronger VVhen poore mens purses can hold out no longer Oh miserable state what should we say May not the Country think themselues a prey These Rauens liue on May we not suppose By their delayes and some such tricks as those They practise only for to cheat and gull And on our ruines fil their gorges full Yes questionlesse for they Themselues do raise Vnto this height on other mens decayes Not their owne Vertuâ—s Oh though't be too late Yet let me wish that we had kept the State And Simple Innocence we once retain'd For then we had not of this ill complain'd Nor yet those moouers of sedition knowne Now to a mony-headed monster growne But since that time is past we may complaine Yet must nere looke to see those dayes againe We haue good Lawes but they too seeme in vaine Since they according to each Lawyers braine May be now wrested too and fro to make The matter good that he doth vndertake I 'le say it plainely and yet not belye them There 's few but rich-men can haue iustice by them And pray you iudge now is not that Law vaine Which when it is enacted to restraine Some priuiledge or custome that hath stood As a great hinderance to the publike good Should of it Vertue be so slightly gui'd As by a licence to be disanuld Moreouer there be some too much to blame Or poenall lawes are onely lawes in vaine Made in terrorem tantum to affright And not for execution of the right And I may liken them vnto those logges That Iupiter threw downe to rule the frogges At first they come forth with such thundring terror That we doe tremble to commit an error But in a day or two they are so still For ought I see we may doe what we will Vnlesse that we be poore or some despight vs Then peraduenture thei 'le go neere to fright vs A tweluemonth after if so long they last Twenty to one then all the furie 's past Did you but note it you would much admire To see how strictly Iustices inquire On daies of sitting what Abuses raigne How those they threate that slackly doe complain How they wil raile and fume and chafe and storme As if all evils they would quite reforme Within a moment But things violent Cannot you know be long time permanent Nor is their zeale for
enter league with new Who at their parting thought for to haue kist her But were so drunken that they euer mist her For there they quaft so long they did not know Which way nor whether nor yet when to goe That some suppose yea and they think so still Their horses brought thē thence against their will For if so bee that they had wanted wit To come themselues the fooles had been there yet If you 't was made by read with discontent You are too blame none knowes by whom 't was ment There is no cause you should dislike my Rime That learnes you wit against another time When others are thus vaine could you forbeare it And note the follies in 't you would forsweare it As kind's your Hostesse seemes yet this is plaine Shee 'l flout and vse the next as wel for gaine Now what do you vnto these Gallants say Were they not pretty witty ones I pray It may be they wil frowne at this 't were fit And I am very sorry for 't but yet One humor more which I haue noted vaine For to be told of they must not disdaine It may anoy them if they do not mend it Yea notwithstanding they so much defend it 'T is this they too much of their valour vaunt And so extreamely for vaineglory haunt That for to get themselues a valiant name Or peraduenture halfe an howers fame Thei 'l hazard life and limbe yea soule and all Rather then in their brauery thei 'l let fall That vaine Repute Oh silly sencelesse men What wil the breath of fame auaile you when You lye in dust and molded vp in clay Perhaps you shall be spoken of a day In some poore village where your bodies lye To all the earth besides your fame shall dye And it may be whereas you looke for glory You shall but serue for to make vp the story Of hare-brain'd fooles so how soere some deem you Men that haue vnderstanding wil esteeme you But yet there is a crew that much anoyes The Common-weale some call them Roaring-Boys London doth harbour many at this time And now I think their Orders in the Prime And flourishing estate Diuers are proud To be one of that Brotherhood alow'd And reason too for why they are indeed No common fellowes but they all exceed They do but oh Now wherein is it think ye In villanies for these be they wil drink yee From morne til night from night till more againe Emptying themselues like Conduits and remaine Ready for more stil Earth drinks not the showers Faster then their infernal throat deuoures Wine and strong liquors These be they wil sweare As if they would the veile of heauen teare And compell God to heare their blasphemy These are the Patrons of all villany VVhoores Champions Deceit and trechery With the most loathsome vice of lechery Is all their practise Thunder when it roares Ioynd with the raging waues that beat the shoares Together with the winds most rude intrusion Make not a noyse more full of mad confusion Then do these helhounds where they vse to houze Or make their most vnciuill rendeuouze For a more Godlesse crew their cannot well Be pickt out of the boundlesse pit of hell Yet these base fellowes whom I must confesse I cannot find words able to expresse Are great mens darlings As some vnderstand The absolutest Gallants in this land And onely men of spirit of our time But this opinion's but a vulgar crime For they which vnderstanding haue see plaine That these and all their fauorites are vaine And sure 't were good if such were forc't to giue A strict account by whom and how they liue Thus haue I brought to light as wel's I can Some of the Vanities I 'ue seene in man But I do feare in taking so much paine I haue but showne my selfe to be most vaine Because I haue spent time and reprehended That which will ne're the sooner be amended But yet there 's hope it may and therefore I Will say thus much more that this Vanity Consisteth not alone in words and workes It hath tane root within and also lurkes About the heart and if it there be sought I know it also may be found in thought And that it is makes one man sit and plot What is by traffick with Virginea got What it may cost to furnish him a fleet That shall with all the Spainish Nauy meete Or how he may by Art or practise find A nearer passage to the Easterne Inde When as perhaps poore foole besides his coate He is not worth a Portsmouth passage boate Nor neuer meanes to trauell so much sea As from High-ferry to South-hamp on-key Another wood-cocke is as fondly vayne And to no purpose doth molest his braine To study if he were a Nobleman What kind of carriage would befit him than How and in what set wordes he would complaine Of the abuses that he now sees raigne Where he would make his place of residence How he would keep his house with Prouidence And yet what plenty daily at his dore Should be distributed vnto the poore What certaine Sheepe and Oxen should be slaine And what prouision weekly to maintaine His Lordly port How many seruing-men He meant to keep and peraduenture then What pleasure he will haue as haukes and hounds What game he wil preserue about his grownds Or else he falls to cast what profits cleare His giftes and bribes wil come to in a yeare How hee 'le put off his hat cause people than Shall say he is a courteous Noble-man Then vpon this againe he falls to plot How when that he the peoples loue had ' got If that the King and all his kindred dye And if none may be found for to supply That Regall office the respect they beare him Vnto that Princely dignity may reare him Then too his thoughtes on that estate so feed That he forgets quite what he is indeed And if a man could hit so iust a time To come vpon him when his thoughts in Prime And giue him vnawares a sodaine knock Conceit his vnderstanding so would lock That I suppose because it stands with reason He would go neere hand for to call out Treason For oftentimes mens hearts are so anoyd VVith those vaine thoughts whereon they are imploid That for a time they so forgetfull grow Nor what they are nor where they do not know But now since you may see there doth remaine Nothing in man but is in some sort vaine And since I must be driuen to confesse His vanities are great and number-lesse I 'le go no farther in this large Suruey For feare Discourse should carry me away And peraduenture so I may become Lesse pleasing and more tedious to some VVhich to auoyd though I no end espy Yet heare I end to treat of Vanity OF IN CONSTANCY SATYR 2. YEt there 's another property in men That meanes to set my Muse to work agen In constancy and that no other is Vnlesse I vnderstand
friend neare death and ready for to leaue This wretched life and if they heare him say Some parâ—ing words as if he might not stay Nay say not so these comforters reply Take heart your time 's not come ye shall not die What man and grace of God you shal be stronger And liue no doubt yet many a faire day longer Thinke not on Death with many such like words Such as their vnderstanding best affoords But where is now become this peoples wit VVhat doth their knowledges esteeme more fit Then death to thinke on chiefly when men be About to put off their Mortalâ—tie Me thinkes they rather should perswade them then Fearelesse to be resolu'd to die like Men. For want of such a resolution stings At point of Death and dreadfull horror brings â—e'ne to the soule cause wanting preparation She lies despairing of her owne saluation Yea and moreouer this full well know I He that 's at any time afraide to die â—s in weake case and whatso'ere he saith Hath but a wauering and a feeble Faith But what need I goe farther to relate The frailty I haue seene in Mans estate Since this I haue already said makes cleere That of all Creatures God hath placed here Prouided we respect them in their kind VVe cannot any more vnable finde For of our selues we haue not power to speake No nor to frame a thought we are so weake Against our bodies eue'ry thing preuailes And oft our knowledge and our iudgement failes Yea if that one mans strength were now no lesse Then all men doe in generall possesse Or if he had attaind to ten-times more Then all Gods creatures ioyn'd in one before Yet would his power be eauen then so small When he stands surest he 's but sure to fall 'T is onely weakenesse that doth make vs droupe And vnto Crosses and diseases stoupe That makes vs Vaine Inconstant and Vnsure Vnable any good things to endure It brings vs to the seruile base subiection Of all loose Passion and vntam'd affection It leads vs and compels vs oft to stray Both beside Truth and out of Reasons way And lastly we and that because of this Either doe Nothing or do all amisse Which being so we may with Dauid then Confesse that we are rather Wormes then men OF PRESVMPTION SATYR 4. SOft heedlesse Muse thou no aduisement tak'st Wast not of Men that last of al thou spak'st It was and of the weaknessâ— too of men Come then with shame now and denie 't agen Recaâ—t for so the matter rhou didst handle Thou maist be curst for t with Bell Booke Candle Is mankind weake who then can by their powers Into the Aire hurle Palaces and Towers And with one blaste'ne in a moment make Whole Kingdomes and braue Monarchies to shake Or what are they that dare for toaspire Into Gods seat and if it might be higher That forgiue sinnes as fast as men can do them And make Iehouah be beholding to them I 'ue heard of such what are they would I wist They can make Saints they say of whom they list And being made aboue the Stars caÌ„seat them Yea with their own hands make their Gods eat theÌ„ Ha are they men How dar'st thou then to speake Such Bâ—asphemy to say mankinde is weake I tell thee this Muse either Man is strong And through thy babling thou hast done him wrong Or else beyond his limits he doth erre And for presumption puts downe Lucifer I st so Nay then I prethee Muse goe on And let vs heare of his presumption For I doe know cause I haue heard him vaunt That he 's a Creature proud and Arrogant And it may be he is not of such might As he makes show for but vsurps some's right There't goe's indeed for though he be so base So weake and in such miserable case That I want words of a sufficient worth To paint his most abhorred vilenesse forth Yet such is also his detested Pride That I suppose the Diuell is belide By euery man that shall affirme or say He is more proud for doe but marke I pray This Creature man did Natures powerfull King God that of nothing framed eu'ry thing Mâ—uld out of Clay a peece which he had rent E'ne from the Earth the basest Element And whereas he might haue beene made a Thrall Yea and the very Vuderling of all That God with title of Chief Ruler grac't him And as a Steward ouer all things plac't him Gaue him a pleasant garden for to till And Leaue to eate of eu'ry tree at will Onely of one indeed he did deny him And peraduenture of that one to try him But see his insolence though God did threat Death if he eate and though that God was great And so exceeding Iust that he well knew All that he threatned doubtles would ensue Thogh God were stroÌ„g could had maÌ„ bin prouder Pore clay-bred worm haue stampt him into pouderâ— Yet not withstanding all this same did he Presume to tast of that forbidden tree A rash beginning but he sped so ill D' yee thinke he held on this presumption still To heare he had left that offence 't were newes But Cain and Nimrod Pharaoh and the lewes Shew'd it continued and grew much more Rather then lesser then it was before Caine in his murther and his proud replie Nimrod in that he dar'd to build so high Pharaoh by boldly tempting God to shew His sundry plagues to Egypts ouerthrow And many waies the last but what need I Recite examples of Antiquitie Or for to taxe old ages for that crime Since there was nere a more presumptuous time Then this that 's now what dare not men to doe If they haue any list or minde thereto Their fellow creatures they doe much contemne Vaunting that all things were ordain'd for them Yea both the gladsome daies and quiet nights Sun Moone Heauen with those glorious lights Which so be spangle that faire azure roofe They thinke were onely made for their behoofe When as alas their poore and weake command Cannot extend so farre for to withstand The least Starres force and them and their estate Sunne Moone and starres too do predominate Before our fall indded we did excell All other creatures that on earth did dwell But now I thinke the very worst that be Haue iust asmuch to boast vpon as we Our soule 's defil d And therefore if in Sence We place our worth and cheefe prehemmence T is knowne that there be diuers Creatures then VVill haue the vpper hand for they passe men And though we still presume vpon 't t is vaine To challenge our old Soueraingty againe For when that we from our obedience fell All things against vs also did rebell Lyons and Beares and Tigers sought our blood The barren earth deny'd to yeeld vs food The clouds raignd plagues and yet dare we go on We find such pleasure in Presumption But for because there 's some do scarcely know How we do in that
Of all presumptions the most accurst And fulst of Danger Silly man take heed Do not before thy selfe an euill deed For when God wil forgiue and man forget Thy owne ill Conscience will oppose and set Her selfe against thee tell thee thine offending And keep thee back from euer apprehending Grace of forgiuenesse neither wil affoord The smallest comfort of the sacred word But rather to thy sad remembrance call Each saying that may serue to prooue thy fall And though that fire wondrous torture brings Vnto the body yet when conscience stings Nor fire nor sword nor hell it selfe can yeeld Aworser to ment God defend and shield Me from the like and giue me grace to feare So that I may preserue my Conscience cleare In all my actions And then I shall be In better case a thousand fold then he That vnto wealth and honour hath obtaind With a craz'd Conscience that is blurd and stain'd Alas how easie wert to climbe or mount To worldly Reputation and Account How soone could I if I had an intention For to contriue or plot a damn'd inuention Get golden heapes yea and so priuily That though t were done by craft and villany I by the blinded World would yet be deem'd Perhaps more honest but much more esteem'd Then now I am But God forbid that I Such base vaine trash and dunghil stuffe should buy At such a rate for there 's no Iewell dearer Nor any losse a man can haue goe nearer Then peace of Conscience which for to be true The ancient Poets very wisely knew And therefore fain'd their Fâ—ries with intent For to declare the inward punishment Of guilty mindes which sure they might do well For there is in them Diuels yea and hell With all her torture what else was the cause Nero who knew no God nor feared lawes When he had kil'd his mother tooke no rest But thought he saw her comming to molest And plague him for 't What made him to surmise He was still tortur'd in such hellish wise That furies did to his appearance scorch His liuing body with a burning torch Wast not his Conscience that had priuy beene Vnto the fact was not the cause within His owne bad selfe If t were let 's to amending Of our presumptuous sinnes aud bold offending If neither in regard of God nor men Oh le ts for feare of our owne Conscience then Yet there 's another thing which wert wel weighd Our rash presumption would be som-what staid The End of life with the ne're-ending paine God for presumptuous sinners doth ordaine Could we note that with deaths vncertaine times And how it takes men acting of the crimes Euen in the very nick of their offence And beares them ere they can repent them hence To such a place where nothing shall appeare But all the Gastly obiects of grimme feare Whereas each sense shall seuerally sustaine The miserable smart of endlesse paine The tender feeling shall in euery part Be subiect to th' intollerable smart Of hellish flames commixt with chilling cold Tortures beyond conceit not to be told The dainty mouth that had the Curioust tast And of the choysest cates still made repast Shall be fild vp yea belly throat and all With filth more loath-some then the bitterest gall The once perfumed Nostrill there shall drinke Foule noysome smels beside the sulpherous stinke Of choaking flames and there the listning eare Fed with the sound of pleasing Musicke heare Shall change it for the wofull screeching cry Of Damned soules that in hels torture lye VVhose hydeous howlings can by no defence Be kept from percing that amazed sence And then while they shal trembling thinke to flye From those amazements that do seeme so nigh To there the feareful'st obiects of the sight Their quite despairing mindes shall more affright For garish formes of foule mishapen fiendes And vgly Bugs for euermore attends To thwhart each looke But if this do not make Thy ouer hardened heart oh man to quake If this relation be too weake to win Or to reclaime thee from thy wonted sinne Reader if this do no impression leaue So that thou canst not any feare conceiue Through this description thinke vpon t at night Soone in thy bed when earth 's depriu'd of light I say at mid-night when thou wak'st from sleepe And lonely darknesse doth in silence keep The Grim-fac't night And but immagine then Thou wert borne all alone to some darke den And there set naked though thou felts no paine Yet seeing no way to get out againe If thou shouldst in that naked loneness heare Some yelling voyce or some strange noyse drawneâ—â— VVith threatning or but calling on thy name Oh with what Patience couldst thou bide the samâ— But if withall thy wandring eyes should marke And now and then see pearing through the darâ— Some monstrous visages or vgly faces VVhich shold make proffer of some rude embrâ—â—â— And smetime seeme as if they would begin VVith griping pawes to ceize thy trembling skiâ— Or but suppose that in thy Chamber there Where cannot be the hundreth part of feare Because to thee the place well knowne will be And thou must haue wherewith to couer thee Yet there I say suppose thou shouldst behold Nor such grim obiects as are heere foretold But Onely heare the dolefull voyce of men Complaining in the darke And now and then Behold the ghastly shape of friends long dead Wrapt in their sheetes as they were buried Or else from out thy Chamber floore to rise A troupe of bony pickt Anatomies Come pointing to thee as if thou wert he That must ere long their bare companion be Then thou wouldst feare I know and think on him Whose might fearful power thou didst contemn Thou wouldst consider better of the feare And hellish horror I haue mention'd heare That Dungeons estate thou would'st conceiue And somewhat thy presumptuous actions leaue Thou wouldst not so cast all thy care behind thee But watch thy self for feare least death shold finde thee Doing some il nor wouldst thou thus delay Times of repentance still from day to day But oh show should I hope that this I plead Will worke in them that shall but barely read What I haue writ Since I my selfe that know And haue some inward seeling of that woe For get my selfe I thought when I shall be From such and such like cares and troubles free Then wil I all my vanities forsake A better course of life I le vndertake And only seeke the glory of his name By whom I liue That day ere long time came Then I had other lets but if that they As I did seeke they might were once away I would indeed my duty better doe Well so it pleas'd God I orepast them too Yet somthing hindred still that I could neuer In my intended Christian course perseuer But euer found vnto my griefe and sorrow That I was bad to day and worse to morrow But oh thou God that knowst my hearts desire Do not oh