Vpon his death-bed ready for the graue But he could wish that he had liu'd to die A holy Hermit in some hollow Caue And spent those houres in pious meditations Were cast away in fruitlesse recreations 104 What ioyes vs most and giueth bese content Wealth honour beautie valour soueraigntie When death approcheth doth vs most tormen And trench vpon our present miserie By how much we enioy whil'st that we liue The greater is th' account we haue to giue 105 It is not all thy gold can purchase then A minutes respite to repent nor all The drugs Phisitions minister to men Who doe themselues the helps of nature call Can spin out time so preualent is death To giue thee leaue to breath another breath 106 The mightie Monarch of the world whose power No humane force can limit here erects His ne plus vltra Looke he ne're so sower Grim Death feares not his frowes not force respects Inexorable strikes him to the heart Kils him stone dead before he feeles in smart 107 Th' ambitious Statesman with his working braine Th' officious Courtier with forc'd complement The Grand Madam with all her buxome traine Th' ingenious Sycophant the male-content To plot collogue sport gibe repine desist At death sad summons with a head I wist 108 When all thy limmes are wrackt with dying paine With cold dead sweat all couerde ouer thinke What thornie thoughts will then distract thy braine How many Cups of Sorrow thou wilt drinke And sad repentance when thou shalt behold Thy sinnes as in a Catalogue inrold 109 What then will pleasure and commodities Of this vaine world auaile thee Princes fauours Victorious conquests ' gainst thine enemies In office great and by thy owne endeuours Thy Children Kinsfolkes in abundance left When thou poore soule shalt be of all bereft 110 Imagine thou wast euen now to die For so thou art for ought that thou canst tell And then examine whether nothing lie Heauy vpon thy guiltie conscience well From all impartialitie be free Then thinke each bell that toles toles out for thee 111 Vse but the selfe-same diligence thou wouldst In case thy body were infirme and ill For thy soules health as reason good thou shouldst Or for thy friends how many are there will Ride day and night nay venter their owne liues To saue a friends when for the soule none striues 112 Doth but a finger ake much more the head Or stomacke be distemperd straight we runne To a Phisition and recouered What diligence those meates and drinkes to shunne Procuring such infirmitie we vse But proferd Phisick for our soules refuse 113 Neglect th' anointed of our Lord nay spit The venome of our malice in the face Of Church authoritie and slander it To make our owne disorders no disgrace And ioy to spie a fault where there is none In one of them to mitigate our owne 114 We thinke all cost too little we bestow Vpon our selues the greatest enemy We haue to hasten our owne ouerthrow But poore halfe staruen mendicants deny A slenderalmes or if some few we giue Thinke it sufficient how so ere we liue 115 A certaine good religious Prince being aske By one of his a carelesse Courtier why From his delights he so himselfe had taste And did not spend his dayes in Iollitie As others did to whom he little said But by example thus his answers made 116 First placing him vpon a rotten chaire Hung vp in cords and vnderneath a fire Ouer his head a naked sword a haire Supporting it then said learne to aspire And shew a cheerefull countenance and be Merry thy selfe as thou inuitest me 117 Who thus replyde my Lord can I reioyce Seeing the fatall period of my life Present with such varietie and choice Of casualties on euery side me rife A rotten seat a fire vnderneath A naked sword all threatning present death 118 Such is my case answer'd the Prince to him My bodie weake and doth each moment waste Hell vnderneath the recompence of sinne The sword of Iustice ouer me is plac't These are the motiues why I doe retire Death iudgement heauen and hels eternall fire 119 O foolish man that neuer wilt impose An end vnto thy follies yet canst say Vnto thy selfe in priuate only those Shall smile in death who neuer ran that way Then wrong not so thy iudgement as to doe What thine owne conscience pleads thee guilty to 120 But some the better to aduance their folly Discourse of death and they reply you le put Me straight into a fit of Melancholy Flinging away in anger or else shut Their eares and wish you alter your discourse Or basely iest you out on 't which is worse 121 Others not only grumble when they heare Of death but if you chance to bring their age In question though perhaps they be not neere Gray haires will enter strait into a rage Challenge your breeding nothing else disgest But their owne commendations merit least 122 These are the carelesse crew of Libertines Spending their dayes in sensualitie Hauing no other end in their designes Of whom thus holy Iob doth prophesie Amidst their pleasures and delights they dwell And in a moment are thrust downe to hell 123 O fearefull sentence able to awake A sinne sicke soule though nere so fast asleepe Cause the religious Anchoret to quake And euery minute his pale visage steepe With brinish teares sinne only life and death Are separated with a little breath 124 Authore incognito THreescore and ten the life and age of man In holy Dauids eye was but a span And halfe that time is lost and spent in sleepe So only thirty fiue for vse we keepe Our dayes of youth must be abated all Childhood and youth wise Salomon doth call But vanitie for vanitie he sayes Is what befals vs in our childish dayes Our dayes of age we take no pleasure in And those of sorrow wish had neuer bin So age deducted youth and sleepe and sorrow Only one span is all the life we borrow 125 What can the World aduance vs though we should Be numberd amongst those cald fortunate We are but cast within the finer mould And made more brickell greatnesse of estate Doth but augment our cares preferment winne Of popular applause which nurtures sinne 126 And puffes thee vp like to a windie bladder Tost in the ayrie Element of fame So by degrees thou climst the fatall Ladder Making thy fall the greater and thy shame O feele thy pulse the horologue of time Which doth each minute more or lesse very fine 127 Industrious nature hath not beene so free In her indowments thou shouldst be so proud Allotting euery liuing thing but thee Wherewith they may defend themselues and shrowd Their nakednesse man only left to reason Which once infringde he 's guilty of high treason 128 When hellish thoughts thy easie yeelding will Transport for profit or for pleasures sake Without reflection be it good or ill Iust or vniust that thou dost vndertake Reflect
the rape 177 When Dauid felt his bosome swell with pride A man according vnto Gods owne heart Thus he began himselfe himselfe to chide Dost thou not know poore creature what thou art Naked thou camst into the world with paine From whence thou naked shall returne againe 178 Philip a King of Macedon we reade With this inscription daily was saluted Leauing his lodgings that he might take heed The better what with his great weaknesse shuted Remember man that thou art mortall still To subiugate a Refractorie will 179 Great Chrales sed fifteene beggers euery day With his owne hands an antidote for pride Which spectacle would Princes duly lay Before their eyes so many would not guide The Sterne of State so Imperiously but know The debt is equall that we mortals owe. 180 Henry the Second King of France was slaine With one poore spill flew from a broken speare In th' hight of triumphs caus'd to entertaine His Daughters Nuptiall when he least did feare Deaths fierce assault who finds as many doores To enter in as we haue nerues and pores 181 Tarquin was merry when a small fish bone Stucke in his throat and choakt him so we reade Of Fabius with one small haire alone Swallow'd in milke was instantly found dead Set these sad spectacles before thine eye And let thy foule misdeeds before thee die 182 Time past thou canst not properly call thine Of that to come thou hast least certaintie Not sure to liue one minute so in fine Amidst of all thy iouiallitie One only point of nimble footed time Is all thou hast to bragge on or call thine 183 How many goe vnto their quiet rest In perfect health of bodie and of minde Resolu'd to be the next day at some feast Or merriment expecting there to find All things that may administer delight Who disappointed are by death that night 184 The ioyfull Bridegroome to the Church repaires With his faire Mistris brighter then the Sunne And for no cost that may delight her spares Proud of the prize with difficulty wonne Who liue not both although together wed To taste the pleasures they imagined 185 The greedie griping Purchaser oft times Giues earnest for the soyle he neere enioyes And he that plants the Vineyard prunes the Vines All his endeuours totally imployes To see it flourish neither tastes the wine Nor eates the grapes for which he spent his time 186 The Clyents fees the Lawyer pleads the cause Rests with the Iudge in his most priuate brest For good or bad successe as he doth pause Vpon the matter death doth him arrest Tels him the verdict vnder hand and seale Against himselfe is past without repeale 187 Nugamur mortemque procul procul esse putamus At medijs latet haec abdita visceribus Scilicet ex illa qua primum nascimur hora Prorepunt iuncto vitaque morsque pede Partem aliquam furtim qua se metitur ipsa De vitae filo quelibet hora rapit Paulatim morimur momento extinguimur vno Vt lampas olco deficiente perit 188 We trifle as if death were nothing nie When it doth lurking in our bowels lie For hand in hand from our first houres birth Death walkes withlife to qualifie our mirth Stealing each minute though perceiu'd by none Part of lifes clue to lengthen out her owne So by degrees we in a moment die As when a Lampe for want of oyle growes drie 189 The Deuill casts such mists before our eyes That what is neerest we thinke farthest of Beliefe soone enters where desire lies Which makes vs looke on Funerals and laffe Although we see our fellowes daily die Promise vnto our selues eternitie 190 Obiecting what caus'd this what that mans death Who else had liued many a faire yeare Reflecting not we draw the selfe-same breath And lyable to those mishaps they weare Nor that the yong sheepe commeth from the fold As soone vnto the slaughter as the old 191 A thiefe condemn'd to die although he goe Vnto the place where he must suffer death Farther then doth his fellowes or more slow Knowes he must die and his protracted breath But multiplies his miseries well knowing Though he goe nere so slowly yet he 's going 192 And when thou waking liest in thy bed How often dost thou heare the passing bell For some departing soule not fully dead Perchance some friend thou louedst deerely well With whom not long before thou oft hadst bin Copartner in some execrable sin 193 When discontents our vexed soules oppresse We value it a happinesse no more To breath this loathsome ayre forgot no lesse Forward in folly then we were before Only those freely may reioyce in death Who with content drew discontented breath 194 How many brought to vse the common phrase During this momentary Pilgrimage Euen to deaths doore returning in a maze Make holy vowes to heauen and engage Their soules for true performance which within One moneths forgot as no such thing had bin 195 Sea-faringmen with timerous passengers Who saile within an inch of death each houre When Neptune rores th' frighted soules deters How Saint like will they out petitions power But calme the waues becomming smooth and euen Drinke drunke and sweare as they 'd pull God from heauen 196 How penitent how humble and submisse A sicknesse shaken sinner thou shalt see That one would sweare he nere would doe amisse Againe for all the world recouer'd hee Sooner forgets it then a childe the rod And violates his plighted troth to God 197 Thrice happy soules who only liue to breath The little time of innocencie forth Whose harmelesse thoughts did euer saile beneath The knowledge of the base worlds little worth He that is borne to day and dies to morrow Looseth some houres of ioy but moneths of sorrow 198 Had Pryam dy'd before the walls of Troy Dismantled weare or Paris Helene scene He had gone to his Sepulchre with ioy Old Hecuba beene buried a Queene Anchises need not to haue sought a shore T'interre his bodie had he dy'd before 199 Doe not we daily heauen importune Though indirectly through a vaine delusion And greedie appetite for wealth which soone Becomes the Author of our owne confusion The humble Cottage pouertie doth guard Nor stands in need of either watch or ward 200 Who would not be a second Cicero Or sweet tongu'd Ouid or Demosthenes Whose too much worth wrought their owne ouer-throw Sick men desire what 's worst for their disease Then death there 's nothing we can lesse endure Yet wish those things which our own deaths procure 201 Preheminencie is but enuies pray Be it in wealth wit beautie eloquence To want pride lust ambition making way ' Gainst which there is no bulwarke of defence Nature nere fram'd an excellence so great Death could not studie some way to defeat 202 T is strange to see what stratagems men vse To propagate decaying Families When nature doth her common helpes refuse By rebaptizing their lost progenies Their names entayling for
goe limping to immortalitie Leaues him oft-times although decrepit ill To be the Ouer-seer of his Will 22 For honour this for office that man waites A third gapes for a new bought Benefice Meane while death with ineuitable baites Cancels their hopes the Priest the Clarke suruiues And many a time and oft when he is dead Feeds on the Goose that graseth ore his head 23 Poore wretched man why dost thou captiuate Thy knowledge and betray it to mischance Striuing to hide thy miserable fate Which thou maist call thine owne inheritance Naked thou wast deliuerd from the Wombe And naked shalt returne vnto the Tombe 24 How soone thou know'st not For thou art but here Tenant at will although for terme of life Nor will thy Land-lord giue a parting yeare Nor be kept out by Lawes contentious strife What euidence soeuer thou produce Or long prescriptions fraudulent abuse 25 Why then doe thy vaine thoughts reflect so much On Glow-wormes that haue neither warmth nor light Earth has no reall happinesse and such As carelesse of their soule thinke no delight But what these bodies taste time and their griefe Will furnish with repentance not reliefe 26 Who was thy Father filth and rottennesse The Wormes thy brethren and thy sisters are So holy Iob doth thy descent expresse Thy life a vale of euer-feeding care A Sommers bird a fading flower of May Tomorrow dead that flourisheth to day 27 Th' vncertaine certaine houre of our death The table-booke of humane misery Tels vs Mortalitie is but a breath Shut in or out by casuality Early or late by day or night abroad At home or wheresoe're we make aboad 28 Thinke how a tyle-sheard passing on thy way By accident fals downe and strikes thee dead And that ere long thou mayst be wrapt in clay Who euen now enioy'st thy downy bed He that to such fraile euidence doth trust Doth carue the water and ingraues in dust 29 What though thy house be sumptuous and thy fare Thy wife both vertuous beautifull and wise Thy children hopefull and obedient are Thy seruants most obsequious in their guise Thy coffers full thy Lordships round about thee Yet thou must goe and they must stay without thee 30 And these vpon thy death-bed shall appeare Like to so many glorious miseries Or like an Office thou didst lately beare Transferr'd t'another man before thine eyes For certaine t is what chiefly doth content thee In that sad houre to leaue shall most torment thee 31 Then the deboist disorders of thy youth Th' vniust detayning of anothers right Supported more by strong hand then by truth As done but yesterday before thy sight In hideous formes appeare which being well Thou hadst no time to thinke on there 's thy hell 32 Much like a pamper'd Iade grow'n-belly-proud Flings vp his heeles and his owne Master strikes Contemnes his poore Companions who allow'd No more then what they dearely earne Dislikes Their milde Condition and through wantounesse Feeds on the best of their deare purchas'd gresse 33 Aspiring thoughts aboue our fortunes soare And true content Mans chiefest happinesse By emulation is shut out of Doare Valuing our wants by other mens excesse We glance at those in worth and wealth out goe vs Regarding not how many walke below vs. 34 Disturbe not thine owne quiet with a thought Of what thou wast or what thou mightst haue bin Aduancement comes neglected and not sought As Monkayes with the chaines they are tide in Play with the common corrasiues of fate Which as they had beginnings haue their date 35 For iust Heau'n guilty of no ill at all From the beginning hath contriu'd it so That in all ages some shall rise some fall The goods of fortune wander to and fro From man to man and as the Poet sings Kings come from beggars beggars come frō Kings 36 T is strange to see how men from time to time Flatter themselues with presupposed ioyes Not growing in this sublunary Clime And feed on hopes enioy'd appeare but toyes So that in fine we spend out time in wishing Though we haue all yet something still is missing 37 Which shewes th' immortall soule of man confin'de Within this mortall Prison takes no rest Nor true content in any thing can find Till it ascend for euer to be blest Aboue the reach of any humane thought Within our muddy apprehensions wrought 38 All arts may hither come againe to Schoole And find new matter to insist vpon Grammarians here find out a generall rule That will admit of no exception Then whisper in their eares we all must die And tell them that their Maxime's a lie 39 Here the Logician may with ease conclude A Syllogisme most methodicall Without distinction figure forme or moode All humane Arguments sophisticall Death will not dally nor admit dispute Be thou ne're so ingenious and acute 40 Th' Arithmetician that can rectifie By daily vse and rules infallible His fractions adde substract or multiply To number his owne minutes is not able Though the Musitian daily in tune set His instrument he cannot passe this fret 41 Th' Astrologer that daily notice takes What Planets raigne what Staries predominate Whence he vncertaine demonstrations makes And doth our future fortunes calculate No further can transcend but leaues vs here Life leades the vantgard Death brings vp the reare 42 The graue Philosopher that can diuine And pry into th'obstrusest mysteries Hangs vs his Trophies here and doth resigne His knowledge choakt with foule absurdities Surceasing farther of his skill to boast Concludeth here that all his labour 's lost 43 The industrious Herald that wracks Pedigrees Vpon the tenter-hookes whereby to show Th' antiquity of Names and Families Death interrupts and can no further goe He only hath the priuiledge to tell Vs what men were who liu'd and who dy'd well 44 Here the Physician with his pils and potions Astonisht stands confounded in his Art The Surgeon doth his Cataplasmes and Lotions Apply no succour or reliefe impart Whatsoeuer hath beginning here must end Or first or last not can it selfe defend 45 No priuiledge hath honour Parentage The wise and foolish perish both together Old men and Infants carelesse middle-age Draw cuts by turnes indifferent to either Rich men and poore magnanimous and cowards Play all Mum-chance all 's but a game at hazards 46 No friend at Court no quillet in the Law No golden bride the life of eloquence Can keepe his common Enemy in awe No armed Guard to stand in thy defence No Supersedeas from a higher Court Can pleasure thee or doe the Plaintiffe hurt 47 No widdowes teares no wronged Orphans cryes No protestations vowes nor promises No Altars smoking with burnt sacrifice This Al-commanding power can appease The fatall Sisters hauing spun their thred Make holy-day and thou art left for dead 48 Behold thy friends about thee who inform'd By thy Physician that thou canst not liue Study their ends teares flow as if they mourn'd Corrupting him with promises to
giue Largely that shall thy fatall Pen-man bee Each for himselfe laborious none for thee 49 Nor thy poore soule now totally contain'd In some small corner of a panting heart With death thy other members being maym'd Acting on this Worlds Theater that part To which some sooner then their fellowes come Calde Exit such a one whose part is done 50 Which sometimes lights on a relìgious King Or bloudy Tyrant Politician Foole Rich Cormorant or hungar-starued thing Or on some Iulius Caesar borne to rule Though each a part his seuerall part doth play In fine they all goe off the Stage one way 51 A great Commander hauing in the field A hundred thousand men their force to try Such as the World their betters could not yeild Viewing hìs Armie wept demanded why To thinke said he within one hundred yeare Not one of these shall to the World appeare 52 Doe but consider be thou ne're so yong How many deare Companions thou hast lost By course of nature might haue liu'd as long To enioy the wanton pleasures which thou do'st Only that Death in curtesie hath lent Thee some vncertaine minutes to repent 53 Repriu'd by Heau'ns most boundlesse clemencie Who like a too indulgent Parent striues To reconcile vs with that vchemencie By miracle doth oft preserue our liues Of which most fearefull presidents we haue Yet no impression in our hearts ingraue 54 You in whose hearts the seed of wickednesse Whence budded forth mans misery is sow'n Prizing your selues and your owne worthinesse At higher rates then may be call'd your owne As if on Earth you would be Deifide The wormes shall one day triumph ore your pride 55 You Mam mon-mongers horders vp of wealth Slaues to your owne rich only in conceit Whose hungry bellies vnto all your wealth Was ne're beholding for a good meales meate Whose death giues life to others likewise you Must pay the wormes what to yourselues were due 56 Luxurious wanton delicacies Minion Who pampers nature meerly to destroy her Yeelding thy selfe a Slaue vnto opinion Thinking thou most when thou dost least enioy her These are the Barber-Surgeons whose long traines Shall one day scow'r thy infectious raines 57 You the vnworthy burthens of the earth Pine and consume away yet are not old Making of Christain Charity a dearth Laugh only when you some sad sight behold The wormes shall sucke the rancor from your harts With which you poyson your malitious darts 48 You Gormandizers placing your delights In choisest morsels euermore to please Your cloy'd vnsatisfied appetites Nurse vp your selues in idlenesse and ease The silly wormes reioyce to see you eate On deare bought dainties to procure them meate 49 You sencelesse hot-spurres on each slight occasion Banish discretion in your frantique fits Into all mischiefe making an inuasion Wise in the iudgements of your after-wits Alas how little will those silly things Value your terrifying threatnings 60 You mothes in nature Caterpillers men Only in name and forme like fruitlesse plants Who liue but as it were to say Amen To others labours which supply your wants Equally grosse in body and in spirit Which one day these poore vermin must inher it 61 What shall I say of the worlds wealthy Minions Their vncouch'd thoughts and all admired glory Rais'd aboue all meus or their owne opinions Rotten in dust forgotten is their story Vnlesse perhaps what here so glittering shin'de Went out in snuffe and left ill sent behinde 62 Whither are those bewitching beauties fled Subduing them that all the world beside Could neuer vanquish Are they not all dead Nipt in the blossome of intising pride Or else grow'n old like fruit vntimely gotten Their out-side wither'd and their in-side rotten 63 Produce but one victorious Potentate Commanding all liu'd vncontroul'd of any That hath not paid his fealty to fate On whom the fates depended of so many The Sunne that shines most glorious hath its set So deaths th' Omega of our Alphabet 64 The graue Philosophers comming to view The sumptuous Shrine of Alexander made Of massie gold did thus begin to rue Mans miserie and to each other said He that of gold possest so great a measure Is now of gold become the loathsome treasure 65 To whosc aspiring thoughts yet all in vaine The spatious World presented was Loe now Foure foot of Earth doth quietly restraine To whom so many ftubborne necks did bow He that so many but last night could free From death now cannot helpe himselfe you see 66 Fear'd yesterday of all and honored The Earth he did oppresse now presseth him Contemn'd neglected and vnreuerenced None feares his frownes nor seeks his grace to win Greater then any but last night now lies Nor lou'd of Friends nor fear'd of Enemies 67 O greatnesse in whose all-commanding pow're Mercie aud Iustice are established Conn well this Lesson thinke vpon that houre In which you must your selues be summoned Death fear'd no colours For it all commands Both crowned heads and Scepter-bearing hands 68 Who lends mine eyes a Fountaine of fresh teares To re-deplore mans miserable birth The lamentable spending of his yeares His sad returne vnto our Mother Earth Whence what he is and whither he must goe And how men liue as if they did not know 69 'T would soile my paper worse then doth the inke With which I write exactly to expresse What eu'ry wise iudicious man may thinke Of his owne base and selfe vnworthinesse From the first act of generation farre Morelothsome in corruption then beasts are 70 Which heauens all fore-seeing power would haue Contriued so to curbe and keepe in awe Our haughtie proud rebellious flesh to saue Th' immortall soule which otherwise no law Could subiugate since as we are O wonder Nor lawes of God nor man can keepe vs vnder 71 Trees herbes flow'rs plauts produce sweet nourishments Both toour taste delightfull and the smell Man nitts lice spittle stinking Excrements Nay more then that the very beasts excell Mans temperature refusing oft to doe Those things which we inforce our selues vnto 72 If such the first fruits which our spring-tide yeelds In th' height heat vigor Sun-shine of our dayes When youth proclaimes its glory in the fields Crowning our Temples with victorious bayes What lothsome poysonous and vnfauorie iuice Will bruised Autumnc from the presse produce 73 When crutched age wrapt in her carefull Chaire Crow'n white with yeares not innocencie blames Disordered youth whose liu'ry it doth weare Regardlesse truth to heedlesse youth proclaimes Belch't forth in tedious and distastfull stories In th' deare bought purchase of her knowledge glories 74 Becomne the certaine Almanacke of times Vncertaine motion future qualities Whose parched sinewes quauering doth chime All in to their owne funerall Obsequies And being dead with base corruption swels Senting farre worse then any dunghill smels 75 When thy best season'd thoughts seeme to afford Thee most content forgetfull what is past Or yet to come aske them but in a word What it shall be they '
craz'd is still most briefe And hangs a true man where there wants a thiefe No foole the prouerbe saith vnto the oldest And euermore blind Bayard is the boldest Thomas Veridicus To the Author vpon his Poem VVHile other Muses wanton Poems sing Thy pen being taken from a Cherubs wing Teacheth the way to blisse where they and we Meet in a quire to adore Eternitie Death must begin our triumph and the dust That hangs vpon our fleshie garment must Be first brush'd of the vanities of life Riches and pleasures that but sweeten strife And to the eye of sense makes death appeare Deform'd by thy diuiner raptures here Are quite destroide the rugged path made eauen And men acknowledge thee the way to Heauen Iames Sherlie To my worthiest friend Master W. C. on his Booke La Dance Machabre FRiend thou do'st ill to ranke me in this place Though I shall honor thee in my disgrace For as choice dainties after grosser food Taste better farre then other wayes they would So men by reading this harsh verse of mine Shall rellish better these sweet straines of thine What boot these lines alasse When euery one May read they prayses written in thine owne Such needlesse things may make weake people deeme Thy Booke wants sureties to beget esteeme Here hath thy sad Muse like a dying Swan Sung a sweet storie of the death of man O may shee liue that glad-deceiued we May heare her often sing such melodie Iohn Crompton Sum quod 〈◊〉 Fui quodes Behould fonde man J am what thou shallt be And as thou art soe was Jonee like thee Death's Duell Mors omnibus communis We must all die 1 OLympick Odes soft layes fond Louers breath Domestick iarres nor forrein broiles I bring Nor crown'd Lyaeus with a frantique wreath Twixt life and death the fatall warre I sing Which whilâ—t I but recite me thinkes from all At euery accent should a salt teare fall 2 Assist yee heau'nly powers no other Muse I inuocate cast downe propitious Eyes My humble genius with such fire infuse Our words may fall like Lightning from the Skyes Striking th' amazed mortals with such terrour They may not loue but liue to see their errour 3 Stay not too fast least thou impose an end To what we briefly haue discours'd vpon Before thou truly know what we intend Too hasty feeding hurts digestion Read note if not to profit What 's compriz'd Herein is meerly but cpitomiz'd 4 We highly prize this noble friend and that This boone Companion and that Parasite Whose smooth tongu'd language euer leuels at Those things which doe administer delight But in conclusion Death 's our truest friend Tels vs what we must trust to in the end 5 Tels vs that we are mortall that we know Our last nights habitation not the next That humane pleasures like sweet Roses grow Amidst a thousand miseries perplext Since ioy and griefe inseperably goe Nor can we reape our pleasures without woe 6 The Twins of Fortune at one instant borne Both Male and Female birth-rites due to neither Like Turtle-doues they re-salute each morne Wander all day and lodge at night together All ages all conditions all estates Know this discouer'd in their seuerall fates 7 The strongest Fort besieg'd with powerfull foes Till victuals and munition waxeth scant May for a time subsist but in the close Must of necessity submit to want So youth and nature bare vp stiffe while But in the end Death giues them â—â—…th the foile 8 The life of man is tripertite the first Of nature which is lyable to death The second after which all good men thirst Of same commencing with our vtmost breath The last eternall consummates our bliffe Whither for Death there no admittance is 9 Blest Heau'ns defend me the Worlds maior part Reflect not on whose arrant they are sent The Stage scarce enterd they forget their part Turne dayes to nights and nights to dayes ill spent Such liberty vnto our selves we giue Till Death we know not truly how to liue 10 The thiefe reflects not what it is to steale Before he sees the Gallowes not the Maid Vntill her belly doe the fact reueale A th'stolne imbraces of her loues dismaid The Prodigall reflecteth not vpon A plentifull estate till he haue none 11 Consider wisely what thou hast to doe In this vaine World with serious meditation How short the time what 's likely to ensue And frustrate not the end of thy Creation Since here is nought whereon thou canst relie But to be borne to labour and to die 12 What though thou do'st enioy a greater measure Of temporall felicitie then those That liue reclus'd for eu'ry dram of pleasure Expect a world of happinesse to lose There 's but one Heau'n then thinke not to reioyce Both here and hence thou must not haue it twice 13 Vnthrifty youth time prodigally spends That flyes away with vndilcouer'd hast Mocking our hopes still future ioyes pretends Takes small content in recreations past Imagination sets our thoughts on fire And what we cannot haue we most desire 14 So little Children wish would we were men Freed from the fetters of our pupill age Growne old they couet to be young againe Pretending in their wayes to be more sage And circumspect what is not we thinke best And others in their meaner fortunes blest 15 The carefull Pilot wafting from the Shoare His ful-fâ—aâ—…ght Vessell sitteth at the Sterne Iudiciously to guide what goes before And from the hoary-headed Pole doth learne Which way to steere and furrow vp the Ocean With a secure though vnsteady motion 16 The World 's the Sea and we the Vessels are Consideration Stearesman and pale death The Sterne in which we haue an equall share Swift-footed time still towards vs beckeneth Dappled with age which careles youth doth know Yet all too late beleeues it to be so 17 But so it is what ere we doe pretend And fondly flatter our Imagination Being as neere vnto our Iourneyes end For ought we know as aged declination Experience tels vs Whence we may presage No certainty in youth nor hope in age 18 The one may liue the other cannot long A possibility on which we build Our certaine ruine and receiue a wrong That 's irrecouerable if we yeild Vnto such reasons nature will produce In her desires euermore pro use 19 He whose pulse beats the strongest hath no more Assurance of his life then he that lies Vpon his death-bed and perhaps before His deare companion whom he mournes for dyes The neere ally'd whose care the sicke attends Ouid. Sicken themselues and die before their friends 20 The Priest doth offer holy sacrifice Vpon the Alter for departing soules Liue to be present at his Obsequies And heare the Sextons Death-bell when it toules So the Physitian while he Physicke giues T'another dies himselfe his Patient liues 21 The forward heire Who thinkes that life too long By which he liues desirous to see His Father canoniz'd whilst he is young And not
a time good stands Vpon their female issue with their lands 203 And sometimes when the lawfull linage that For many ages hath continu'd falls In-steps some bastards peremptory brat And his propostrous progeny installs Death no distinction makes in whose hands lies The certaine ruine of all Families 204 Nor priuate men and Families destroyes But Kings and Kingdomes throwes vnto the ground Hugh Babels bulke Hierusalem and Troyes Admired strength whose memories are found Alone in bookes so thou proud Rome shalt fall Who call'st thy selfe the Supreme head of all 205 Nothing retaines its pristine state but still Some change or mutabilitie is found New Cities built the old decay'd nor will The setleds Kingdome on this massie round Subsist but shall to others be transfer'd By course of time their memories inter'd 206 The World 's the rode and we the passengers Are billeted at seuerall Innes the Crowne Some entertaines and for Embassadors The Angell is reseru'd others goe downe Vnto the Miter or the Cardinals hat Some to the Plough some vnto this some that 207 Our iournies end is either heauen or hell To which we all must first or last attaine Heauen prepar'd for those liue and die well And hell the wicked destin'd to restraine Not for a certaine or prefixed time In this most blest or that accursed clime 208 And doth not this wise Worldlings you concerne Who make religion but a stalking-horse And can at euery alteration Perne Nor eate nor drinke nor sleepe a pin the worse Whom some vntimely death like to a frost In Summer nips so all your glories lost 209 What wouldst thou giue when gifts will not preuaile What wouldst thou do when neither strength nor time Of doings left when death shall thee assaile And blast thy forward hopes euen in their prime Examine the defects of other men And doe those things which they would haue done then 210 You that broach Schisines and damned Heresies Sell your owne soules for sensualitie To magnifie your dunghill progenies Teach others for your owne ends libertie Reflect vpon the doctrine you will teach Vpon your death-beds and the selfesame preach 211 Wrong not the all beleeuing Laitie Strooke with a two houres preach into a qualme Thinke all deuotion zeale and pietie Consisteth in the singing of a Psalme And turning ore the Bible which I feare More in their hands then in their hearts they weare 212 So blind men iudge of colours babies chuse The gaudie out-side of a bitter sweet But good and wholsome sustenance refuse More for their health and weake disgestion meere So did Vlysses cunningly obtaine Achilles armes his armes could not sustaine 213 Be Pastors and not prators feed your sheepe With wholesome harmeles doctrine feed not on them Nor let them wade alone into the deepe If for them you le not pray prey not vpon them It is the chiefest ornament of Art To teach both th'actiue and the passiue part 214 Gull not the World with an vnblest beliefe As great Ones doe if they are not bely'd To thinke an outward Sanctitie the chiefe Perfection Gold before its purifi'd Retaines much drosse nor will for currant goe Although it seeme most perfect to the show 215 Behold fond worldlings one but euen now In prime of nature and contentious wealth Strook with some sudden chance no man knowes how At vnawares death euer comes by stealth Vpon his lamentable death-bed lying With all the postures of a man that 's dying 217 Deepe sighes and grones his colour pale and waune No moysture left to coole his parched tongue The bloud dri'd vp which in his blew vaines ranne His feeble limbes with nerues and arctures strong Vnable to support each other now And in their seuerall offices to bow 216 His eyes growne hollow and his sinewes drie Haire from his head nailes from his fingers fret No part escapes tor mented he doth lie The panges of death distils prodigious sweat Life to the heart for succour straight retyring Who first receiu'd her lastly leaues it dying 217 Meane while th' amazed multitude he wils By his example to be vigilent And carefull in their wayes whose cares he fils With wholsome counsell how they should preuent This mischiefe that occasion he imparts In zeale which neuer penitrates their hearts 218 Through obuious paths his wandring thoughts amazed Sets them on shore amidst his worldly blisses On whose vaine obiects he so fondly gazed And now too late ten thousand times he wishes His shatter'd vessell ready to be split With more discretion he had gouern'd it 219 Then you the witnesse of his youthfull folly Base Adulators and Associates He blames were wont to purge his melancholy For so you call deuotion at such rates As now his guiltie soule forc'd to be gone At so short warning grieues to thinke vpon 220 Doubtfull what the euent will be confides In him alone on whom we all relie Whose mercies more then all his workes besides Who neuer doth a penitent denie That humbly begs though it be nere so late For his transgressions nere so desperate 221 The soule departed what remaines behind A loathsome carcasse by the diligence Of louing neighbours decently inshrin'd Which other wayes would yeild no small offence Hard-hearted creatures that can daily doe Such things which no impression leaue in you 222 Conuaid with expedition to the tombe Dust vnto dust the greedy pillagers And Common-wealths men of our mothers wombe Impatient blame their slothfull Haruengers Who giue vs vp amidst our funerall rites To quench the furie of their appetites 223 Crawling into the seuerall passages Of our dead bodies sometimes throw the head At their owne freedome worke their Voyages Throw heart loines liuer Epicure like fed On which they feast in which each one resides Pitching his tents as since their progresse guides 224 Our Microcosme pillag'd ransackt sackt Raysing the siege leaue only in the roome The stragling ruines of so foule a fact To time which they themselues could not consume Which oft by othersare digg'd vp to find The hidden mysteries are left behind 225 Some deuote person purchaseth thy skull On which in 's Closet he doth meditate Sayes here were lips eyes all these hollowes full Of wanton flesh and sparkling bloud of late Now only serues me for a looking glasse To see that I am now what this once was 226 Thus shalt thou be tormented in thy graue Flowted and geered thy flesh consum'd thy bones Scatter'd abroad on which poore mortals haue No more regard then of so many stones Whose stony hearts such obiects neuer stirre Nor from the least of wickednesse deterre 227 Some sauage beasts deuoure as we doe them To fowles and fishes others are expos'd Who by degrees returne to vs againe First in a thousand seuerall shapes inclos'd For whatsoeuer is compos'd of earth's The same throughout innumerous formes births 228 Suppose thou haue the happinesse to die In thine owne Country at thy proper home And in thy fathers Sepulcher to lie Preseru'd for