the feeling of my rauing fits Whose ioy annoy whose guerdon is disgrace Whose solace flies whose sorrow neuer flits Bad seed I sow'd worse fruit is now my gaine Soone dying mirth begat long liuing paine Now pleasure ebbes reuenge begins to flow One day doth wreake the wrath that many wrought Remorse doth teach my guilty thoughts to know How cheape I sold what Christ so dearely bought Faults long vnfelt doth conscience now bewray All ghostly dynts that Grace at me did dart Like stubborne rocke I forced to recoyle To other flights an ayme I made mine heart Whose wounds then welcome now haue wrought my foyle Wo worth the bow wo worth the Archers might That draue such Arrowes to the marke so right To pull them out to leaue them in is death One to this world one to the world to come Wounds may I weare and draw a doubtfull breath But then my wounds will worke a dreadfull doome And for a world whose pleasures passe away I lose a world whose ioyes are past decay O sense ô soule ô had ô hoped blisse You woo you weane you draw you driue me backe Your crosse encountring like their combat is That neuer end but with some deadly wracke When sense doth winne the soule doth lose the field And present haps make future hopes to yeeld O heauen lament sense robbeth thee of Saints Lament O soules sense spoyleth you of Grace Yet sense doth scarce deserue these hard complaints Loue is the thiefe sense but the entring place Yet graunt I must sense is not free from sinne For thiefe he is that thiefe admitteth in MARY MAGDALENS complaint at Christs death SIth my life from life is parted Death come take thy portion Who suruiues when life is murdred Liues by meere extortion All that liue and not in God Couch their life in deaths abod Silly starres must needs leaue shining When the Sunne is shaddowed Borowed streams refraine their running When head-springs are hindered One that liues by others breath Dyeth also by his death O true Life since thou hast left me Mortall life is tedious Death it is to liue without thee Death of all most odious Turne againe or take me to thee Let me dye or liue thou in me Where the truth once was and is not Shadowes are but vanity Shewing want that helpe they cannot Signes not salue of misery Painted meat no hunger feeds Dying life each death exceeds With my loue my life was nestled In the summe of happinesse From my loue my life is wrested To a world of heauinesse O let loue my life remoue Sith I liue not where I loue O my soule what did vnloose thee From the sweet captiuity God not I did still possesse thee His not mine thy liberty O too happy thrall thou wart When thy prison was his heart Spitefull speare that break'st this prison Seat of all felicity Working this with double treason Loues and liues deliuery Though my life thou drau'st away Maugre thee my loue shall stay Times go by turnes THE lopped tree in time may grow againe Most naked plants renew both fruit and flowre The sorriest wight may finde release of paine The driest soyle sucke in some moystning showre Times go by turnes and chances change by course From foule to faire from better hap to worse The sea of Fortune doth not euer flow She drawes her fauours to the lowest ebbe Her tides haue equall times to come and go Her Loome doth weaue the fine and coursest webbe No ioy so great but runneth to an end No hap so hard but may in fine amend Not alwaies Fall of leafe nor euer Spring No endlesse night nor yet eternall day The saddest Birds a season finde to sing The roughest storme a calme may soone allay Thus with succeeding turnes God tempereth all That man may hope to rise yet feare to fall A chance may winne that by mischance was lost That net that holds no great takes little fish In some things all in all things none are crost Few all they need but none haue all they wish Vnmingled ioyes heere to no man befall Who least hath some who most hath neuer all LOOKE HOME REtyred thoughts enioy their owne delights As beauty doth in selfe-beholding eye Mans mind a mirrour is of heauenly sights Abriefe wherein all maruels summed lye Of fairest formes and sweetest shapes the store Most gracefull all yet thought may grace them more The minde a creature is yet can create To Natures patterns adding higher skill Of finest works wit better could the state If force of wit had equall power of will Deuice of man in working hath no end What thought can thinke another thought can mend Mans soule of endlesse beauties image is Drawne by the worke of endlesse skill and might This skilfull might gaue many sparks of blisse And to discerne this blisse a natiue light To frame Gods image as his worths requir'd His might his skill his word and will conspir'd All that he had his Image should present All that it should present he could afford To that he could afford his will was bent His will was followed with performing word Let this suffice by this conceiue the rest He should he could he would he did the best Fortunes falshood IN worldly merriments lurketh much misery Sly Fortunes subtilties in bayts of happinesse Shrowd hookes that swallowed without recouery Murder the innocent with mortall heauinesse She sootheth appetites with pleasing vanities Till they be conquered with cloaked tyranny Then changing countenance with open enmities Shee triumphs ouer them scorning their slauery With fawning flattery Deaths doore she openeth Alluring passingers to bloudy destiny In offers bountifull in proofe she beggereth Mens ruines registring her false felicity Her hopes are fastned in blisse that vanisheth Her smart inherited with sure possession Constant in cruelty she neuer altereth But from one violence to more oppression To those that follow her fauours are measured As easie premisses to hard conclusions With bitter corrosiues her ioyes are seasoned Her highest benifits are but illusions Her way 's a labyrinth of wandring passages Fooles common pilgrimage to cursed deities Whose fond deuotion and iole menages Are wag'd with wearinesse in fruitlesse drudgeries Blinde in her fauorites foolish election Châ—nâ—â— is â—er Aâ—â—â—rer a giuing dignity Heâ— choyse of visions shâ—wâ—s most discretion Sith â—â—â—â—th the vertuous might wrest from piety To humble suppliants tyrant most obstinate She suters answereth with contrarieties Proud with petition vntaught to mitigate Rigor with clemencie in hardest cruelties Like Tygre fugitiue from the Ambitious Like weeping Crocodile to scornefull enemies Suing for amitie where she is odious But to her followers forswearing curtesies No winde so changeable no sea so wauering As giddie Fortune in reeling varieties Now mad now mercifull now fierce now fauouring In all things mutable but mutabilities Scorne not the least VVHere wards are weake and foes incountring strong Where mightier do assault then do defend The feebler part puts vp enforced wrong And silent
egges ere they be hatched Kill bad Chickins in the tread Fligge they hardly can be catched In the rising stifle ill Lest it grow against thy will Drops do pierce the stubburne Flint Not by force but often falling Custome kils with feeble dint More by vse then strength preuailing Single sands haue little waight Many make a drowning fraight Tender twigs are bent with ease Aged trees do breake with bending Yong desires make little prease Growth doth make them past amending Happie man that soone doth knocke Babels Babes against the rocke Loue seruile Lot LOue Mistresse is of many minds Yet few know whom they serue They reckon least how little Loue Their seruice doth deserue The will she robbeth from the wit The sense from reasons lore Shee is delightfull in the ryne Corrupted in the core She shrowdeth vice in Vertues veile Pretending good in ill She offereth ioy affoordeth griefe A kisse where she doth kill A hony showre raines from her lips Sweet lights shine in her face She hath the blush of Virgine mind The minde of Vipers race She makes thee seeke yet feare to find To find but none enioy In many frownes some gliding smiles She yeelds to more annoy She wooes thee to come neare her fire Yet doth she draw it from thee Farre off she makes thy heart to fry And yet to freeze within thee She letteth fall some luring baits For fooles to gather vp Too sweet too sowre to euerie tast She tempereth her cup. Soft soules she binds in tender twist Small Flyes in spinners webbe She sets aflote some luring streames But makes them soone to ebbe Her watrie eyes haue burning force Her flouds and flames conspire Teares kindle sparkes sobs fuell are And sighs do blow her fire May neuer was the Month of loue For May is full of flowers But rather Aprill wet by kind For loue is full of showers Like Tyrant cruell wounds she giues Like Surgeon salue she lends But salue and sore haue equall force For death is both their ends With soothing words enthralled soules She chaines in seruile bands Her eye in silence hath a speech Which eye best vnderstands Her little sweet hath many sowres Short hap immortall harmes Her louing lookes are murdrings darts Her songs bewitching charmes Like Winter Rose and Sommer Ice Her ioyes are still vntimely Before her hope behind remorse Faire first in fine vnseemely Moodes passions fancies iealous fits Attend vpon her traine She yeeldeth rest without repose A Heauen in hellish paine Her house is sloth her doore deceit And slipperie hope her staires Vnbashfull boldnesse bids her guests And euerie vice repaires Her dyet is of such delights As please till they be past But then the poyson kils the heart That did entice the taste Her sleepe in sinne doth end in wrath Remorse rings her awake Death cals her vp shame driues her out Despaires her vpshot make Plow not the Seas sow not the sands Leaue off your idle paine Seeke other mistresse for your mindes Loues seruice is in vaine Life is but Losse BY force I liue in will I wish to dye In plaint I passe the length of lingring dayes Free would my soule from mortall bodie fly And tread the tracke of Deaths desired wayes Life is but losse where death is deemed gaine And lothed pleasures breed displeasing paine Who would not dye to kill all murdering greeues Or who would liue in neuer-dying feares Who would not wish his treasure safe from Theeues And quit his heart from pangs his eyes from teares Death parteth but two euer fighting foes Whose ciuill strife doth worke our endlesse woes Life is a wandring course to doubtfull rest As oft a cursed rise to damning leape As happie race to winne a heauenly crest None being sure what finall fruits to reape And who can like in such a life to dwell Whose wayes are strait to Heauen but wide to Hell Come cruell death why lingrest thou so long What doth withhold thy dint from fatall stroke Now prest I am alas thou doest me wrong To let me liue more anger to prouoke Thy right is bad when thou hast stopt my breath Why should'd thou stay to worke my bouble death If Sauls attempt in falling on his blade As lawfull were as ethe to put in vre If Sampsons leaue a common Law were made Of Abels lot if all that would were sure Then cruell death thou should'st the Tyrant play With none but such as wished for delay Where life is lou'd thou readie art to kill And to abridge with sodaine pangs their ioy Where life is loath'd thou wilt not worke their will But dost adiourne their death to their annoy To some thou art a fierce vnbidden guest But those that craue thy helpe thou helpest least Auant oh viper I thy spite defie There is a God that ouer-rules thy force Who can thy weapons to his will apply And shorten or prolong our brittle course I on his mercie not thy might relye To him I liue for him I hope to dye I dye aliue O Life what lets thee from a quicke decease O death what drawes thee from a present prey My feast is done my soule would be at ease My grace is said O Death come take away I liue but such a life as euer dyes I dye but such a death as neuer ends My death to end my dying life denies And life my liuing death no whit amends Thus still I dye yet still I do reuiue My liuing death by dying life is fed Grace more then Nature keepes my heart aliue Whose idle hopes and vaine desires are dead Not where I breathe but where I loue I liue Not where I loue but where I am I dye The life I wish must future glorie giue The deaths I feele in present dangers lye What ioy to liue I Wage no warre yet peace I none enioy I hope I feare I frye in freezing cold I mourne in mirth still prostrate in annoy I all the World imbrace yet nothing hold All wealth is want where chiefest wishes faile Yea life is loath'd where loue may not preuaile For that I loue I long but that I lacke That others loue I loath and that I haue All worldly fraights to me are deadly wracke Men present hap I future hopes do craue They louing where they liue long life require To liue where best I loue death I desire Here loue is lent for loue of filthie gaine Most friends befriend themselues with friendships shew Here plentie perill want doth breed disdaine Cares common are ioyes faultie short and few Here Honour enuide meannesse is despis'd Sinne deemed solace Vertue little pris'd Here beauty is a baite that swallowed choakes A treasure sought still to the owners harmes A light that eyes to murdring sights prouokes A grace that soules inchants with mortall charmes A luring ayme to Cupids fierie flights A balefull blisse that damnes where it delights O who would liue so many deaths to trie Where will doth wish that wisedome doth reproue
Disciples But thy loue had no leisure to cast so many doubts Thy teares were Interpreters of thy words and thy innocent meaning was written in thy dolefull countenance Thine eyes were rather pleaders for pitty than Heraulds of wrath and thy whole person presented such a patterne of thy extreame anguish that no man from thy presence could take in any other impression And therefore what thy words wanted thy action supplied and what his eare might mistake his eye did vnderstand It might be also that what he wrought in thy heart was concealed from thy sight and haply his voice and demeanour did import such compassion of thy case that he seemed as willing to affoord as thou desirest to haue his helpe And so presuming by his behauiour that thy suite should not suffer repulse the tenour of thy request doth but argue thy hope of a graunt But what is the reason that in all thy speeches which since the misse of thy maister thou hast vttered where they haue put him is alwayes a part So thou saydest to the Apostles the same to the Angels and now thou doest repeate it to this supposed Garderner very sweete must this word be in thy heart that is so often in thy mouth it would neuet be so ready in thy tongue if it were not very fresh in thy memory But what maruaile though it tast so sweete that was first seasoned in thy maisters mouth which as it was the treasury of truth the fountaine of life and the onely quire of the most perfect Harmonie so whatsoeuer it deliuered thine eare deuoured and thy heart locked vp And now that thou wantest himselfe thou hast no other comfort but his words which thou deemest so much the more effectuall to perswade in that they tooke their force from so heauenly a speaker His sweetenesse therefore it is that maketh this word so sweete and for loue of him thou repeatest it so often because he in the like case said of thy brother Where haue you put him O how much doest thou affect his person that findest so sweete a feeling in his phrase How much desirest thou to see his countenance that with so great desire pronouncest his wordes And how willingly wouldest thou licke his sacred feete that so willingly vtterest his shortest speeches But what meanest thou to make so absolute a promise and so boldly to say I will take him away Ioseph was afraid and durst not take downe his body from the Crosse but by night yea and then also not without Pilats warrant but thou neither stayest vntill night nor regardest Pilate but stoutly promisest that thou thy selfe wilt take him away What if he be in the pallace of the high Priest and some such maid as made Saint Peter denie his maister do begin to question with thee wilt thou then stand to these words I will take him away Is thy courage so high aboue kinde thy strength so farre beyond thy sexe thy loue so much without measure that thou neither doest remember that all women are weake not that thy selfe art but a woman Thou exemptest no place thou preferrest no person thou speakest without feare thou promisest without condition thou makest no exception as though nothing were impossible that thy loue suggesteth But as the darknesse could not fright thee from setting forth before day nor the watch feare thee from comming to the Tombe as thou diddest resolue to breake open the seales though with danger of thy life and to remoue the stone from the graues mouth though thy force could not serue thee so what maruaile though thy loue being now more incensed with the fresh wound of thy losse it resolue vpon any though neuer so hard aduentures Loue is not ruled with reason but with loue It neither regardeth what can be nor what shall be done but onely what it selfe desireth to do No difficulty can stay it no impossibility appall it Loue is title iust enough and Armour strong enough for all assaults and it selfe a reward of all labours It asketh no recompence it respecteth no commoditie Loues fruites are loues effects and the gaines the paines It considereth behoofe more than benefit and what in dutie it should not what indeed it can But how can nature be so maistered with affection that thou canst take such delight and carry such loue to a dead coarse The mother how tenderly soeuer she loued her child aliue yet she cannot chuse but loath him dead The most louing Spouse cannot endure the presence of her deceassed husband and whose embracements were delightsome in life are euer most hatefull after death Yea this is the nature of all but principally of women that the very conceit much more the sight of the departed striketh into them so fearefull and vgly impressions and stirreth in them so great horrour that notwithstanding the most vehement loue they thinke long vntill the house is ridde of their very dearest friends when they are once attyred in deaths vnlouely liueries How then canst thou endure to take vp his coarse in thy hands and to carry it thou knowest not thy selfe how farre being especially torne and mangled and consequently the more likely in so long time to be tainted Thy sister was vnwilling that the graue of her owne brother should be opened and yet he was shrowded in sheets embalmed with spices and died an ordinarie death without any wound bruse or other harme that might hasten his corruption But this coarse hath neither shrowd nor spice sith these are to be seene in the tombe and there is not a part in his body but had some helpe to further it to decay and art thou not afraid to see him yea to touch him yea to embrace and carry him naked in thine armes If thou haddest remembred Gods promise that His holy one should not see corruption If thou haddest beleeued that his God-head remaining with his bodie could haue preserued it from perishing thy faith had bene more worthy of praise but thy loue lesse worthy of admiration sith the more corruptible thou diddest conceiue him the more combers thou diddest determine to ouercome and the greater was thy loue in being able to conquer them But thou wouldest haue thought thy oyntments rather harmes than helpes if thou hadst bene setled in that beleefe and for so heauenly a coarse embalmed with God all earthly spices would haue seemed a disgrace If likewise thou haddest firmely trusted vpon his resurrection I should maruaile at thy constant designement sith all hazards in taking him should haue bene with vsurie repaide if lying in thy lappe thou mightest haue seene him reuiued and his disfigured and dead body beautified in thine armes with a diuine maiestie If thou haddest hoped so good fortune to thy waterie eyes that they might haue bene first cleared with the beames of his desired light or that his eyes might haue blessed thee with the first fruites of his glorious lookes If thou haddest imagined any likelihood to haue made happie thy
had onely bene left aliue to be a perpetuall map of dead folkes misfortunes but this is to arme an enemie against our selues and to yeeld Reason prisoner to Passion putting the sword in the rebelles hand when we are least able to withstand his treason Sorrow once setled is not lightly remoued easily winning but not so easily surrendring possession and where it is not excluded in time it challengeth a place by prescription The Scripture warneth vs not to giue our hearts to sadnesse yea rather to reiect it as a thing not beneficiall to the dead yea preiudiciall to our selues Eccles 38. Ecclesiasticus alloweth but seuen dayes to mourning iudging moderation in plaint to be a sufficient testimony in good will and a needefull office of wisedome Much sorrow for the dead is either the child of selfe-loue or of rash iudgement If we should shead our teares for others death as a meane to our contentment we shew but our owne wound perfit louers of our selues if we lament their deceasse as their hard destinie we attache them of euill deseruing with too peremtory a censure as though their life had bene an arise and their death a leape into small perdition for otherwise a good departure craueth small condoling being but a harbour from stormes and an entrance vnto felicitie But you know your sister too well to incurre any blame in these respects And experience of her life hath stored your thoughts with notice of so rare vertues as might sooner make her memorie all enforcement to ioy then any inducement to sorrow and moue you to esteeme her last duties rather the triumph of her victory then the farewels of her deceasse She was by birth second to none but vnto the first in the realme yet she measured onely greatnesse by goodnesse making Nobilitie but the mirrour of vertue as able to shew things worthy to be seene as apte to draw many eyes to beholde it she suted her behauiour to her birth and enobled her birth with her piety leauing her house more beholding to her for hauing honored it with the glorie of her vertues then she was to it for the titles of her degree She was high minded in nothing but in aspiring to perfection and in the disdaine of vice in other things couering her greatnesse with humilitie among her inferiors and shewing it with curtesie among her peeres Of the carriage of her selfe and her sober gouâ—â—ment may be a sufficient testimony that enuy her selfe was dumbe in her dispraise finding in her much to re … at but nought to reprooue The clearenesse of her honour I neede not to mention she hauing alwaies armed it with such modestie as taught the most vntemperate tongues to be silent in her presence and answered their eyes with scorne and contempt that did but seeme to make her an ayme to passion yea and in this behalfe as almost in all orhers she hath the most honorable knowen Ladies of the land so common and knowen witnesses that those that least loued her religion were in loue with her demeanour deliuering their opinions in open prayses How mildly she accepted the checke of fortune fallen vpon her without desert experience hath bene a most manifest proofe the temper of her mind being so easie that she found little difficultie in taking downe her thoughts to a meane degree which true honour not pride hath raised to the former height Her faithfulnesse loue where she fouÌ„d true friendship is written with teares in many eyes and will be longer registred in gratefull memories of diuers that haue tried her in that kind auowing her for secrecie wisedome and constancie to be a miracle in that sexe yea when she found least kindnesse in others she neuer lost it in her selfe more willingly suffering then offering wrong and often weeping for their mishaps whom though lesse louing her she could not but affect Of the innocencie of her life this generall each one can auerre that as she was gratefull many wayes and memorable for vertues so was she free from all blemish of any vice vsing to her power the best meanes to keepe continually an vndefiled conscience her attire was euer such as might both satisfie a curious eye and yet beare witnesse of a sober minde neither singular nor vaine but such as her peeres of best report vsed her tongue was very little acquainted with oathes vnlesse either duty or distrust did enforce them and surely they were needelesse to those that knew her to whom the truth of her words could not iustly be suspected much lesse was she noted of any vnfitting talke which as it was euer hatefull to her eares so did it neuer defile her breath Of feeding she was very measureable rather too sparing than too liberall a diet so religious for obseruing of fasts that neuer in her sickenesse she could hardly be wonne to breake them and if our soules be possessed in our patience surely her soule was truely her owne whose rocke though often stricken with the rod of aduersity neuer yeelded any more then to giue issue of eye streames and though these through the tendernesse of her nature and aptnesse of her sexe were the customarie tributes that her loue payed more to her friends then her owne misfortunes yet were they not accompanied with distempered words or ill seeming actions reason neuer forgetting decencie though remembring pity Her deuotions she daily obserued offering the daily sacrifice of an innocent heart and stinting her felfe to her times of prayer which she performed with so religious a care as well shewed that she knew how high a Maiestie she serued I neede not write how dutifully she discharged all the behoofes of a most louing wife since that was the commonest theame of her praise yet this may be said without improofe to any that whosoeuer in this behalfe may be counted her equall none can iustly be thought her superiour Where she owed she paied dutie where she found she returned curtesie wheresoeuer she was knowen she deserued amitie desirous of the best yet disdaining none but euill companie she was readier to requite benefits then reuenge wrongs more grieued then angrie with vnkindnesse of friends when either mistaking or misreport occasioned any breaches for if their words carry credite it entred deepest into her thoughts they haue acquitted her from all spice of malice not onely against her friends whose dislikes were but a retire to slip further into friendship but euen her greatest enemies to whom if she had bene a iudge as she was a suppliant I assuredly thinke she would haue redressed but not reuenged her wrongs In summe she was an honour to her predecessors a light to her age and a patterne to her posteritie neither was her conclusion different from her premises or her death from her life she shewed no dismay being warned of her danger carrying in her conscience the safe conduct of innocencie But hauing sent her desires to heauen before with a milde countenance and a most
made his heart a prey to his agonies whereas that that buried him in his owne melancholies raised Ioseph to his highest happinesse If Mary Magdalen said and supposed she could haue suncke no deeper in griefe than she had already plunged her selfe and yet that which she imagined the vttermost of euils proued in conclusion the very blisse of her wishes the like may be your errour if you cumber your minde with thinking vpon her death which could neuer be discharged from cares till death set his hand to her acquittance nor receiue the charter of an eternall being till her soule were presented at the sealing I loath to rubbe the scarre of a deeper wound for feare of renewing a dead discomfort yet if you will fauour your owne remedies the maisterie ouer that griefe that springs from the roote may learne you to qualifie this that buddeth from the branch Let not her losses moue you that are acquainted with greater of your owne and taught by experience to know how vncertaine then change is for whō vnconstant fortune throweth the dice. If she want the wonted titles her part is now ended and they were due but vpon the stage her losse therein is but a wracke of wounds in which she is but euen with the height of Princes surpassing both her selfe in them and the new honours of heauenly stile If she haue left her children it was her wish they should repay her absence with vsury yet had she sent her first fruits before her as pledges of her owne comming And now may we say that the Sparrow hath found an home and the Turtle doue a neast where she may lay her yonglings enioying some and expecting the rest If she be taken from her friends she is also deliuered from her enemies in hope hereafter to enioy the first out of feare of euer being troubled with the latter If she be cut off in her youth no age is vnripe for a good death and hauing ended her taske though neuer so short yet she hath liued out her full time Old age is venerable not long to be measured by increase of vertues not by number of yeares for grauity cōsisteth in wisedom Sap. 4. and an vnspotted life is the ripenesse of the perfectest age If she were in possibilitie of preferment she could hardly haue mounted higher than from whence she was throwne hauing bene brused with the first she had little will to clime for a second fall We might hitherto truly haue said this is that Naomi Ruth 1. she being to her end enriched with many outward and more inward graces But whether hereafter shee would haue bid vs not to call her Naomi that is faire but Mara that signifieth bitter it is vncertaine sith she might haue fallen into the widdows felicitie that so changed her name to the likenesse of her lot Insomuch that she is freed from more miseries then she suffered losses and more fortunate by not desiring then she would be by enioying fortunes fauour which if it be not counted a follie to loue yet it is a true happinesse not to need we may rather thinke that Death was prouided against her imminent harmes then enuious of any future prosperities the times being great with so many broyles that when they once fall in labour we shall thinke their condition securest whom absence hath exempted both from feeling the bitter throwes and beholding the monstrous issue that they are likely to bring forth The more you tender her the more temperate should be your griefe sith seeing you vpon going she did but step before you into the next world to which she thought you to belong more than to this which hath already giuen you the most vngratefull congee They that are vpon remouing send their furniture before them and you still standing vpon your departure what ornament could you rather wish in your future abode then this that did euer please you God thither sendeth your Adamants whither he would draw your heart and casteth your anchors where your thoughts should lie at roade that seeing your loue taken out of the world and your hopes disanchored from the stormie shoare you might settle your desires where God seemeth to require them If you would haue wished her life for an example to your house assure your selfe she hath left her friends so inherited with her vertues and so perfect patternes of her best part that who knoweth the suruiuours may see the deceassed and shall finde little difference but in the number which before was greater but not better vnlesse it were in one repetition of the same goodnesse wherefore set your selfe at rest in the ordinance of God whose works are perfect and whose wisedome is infinite The termes of our life are like the seasons of the yeare some for sowing some for growing and some for reaping in this onely different that as the heauens keepe their prescribed periods so the succession of times haue their appointed changes But in the seasons of our life which are not the law of necessarie causes some are reaped in the seed some in the blade some in the vnripe eares all in the end this haruest depending vpon the Reapers will Death is too ordinary a thing to seeme any nouelty being a familiar guest in euery house and sith his comming is expected and his errand vnknowne neither his presence should be feared nor his effects lamented What wonder is it to see fuell burned spice-pouned or snow melted And as little feare it is to see those dead that were borne vpon condition once to dye She was such a compound as was once to be resolued vnto her simples which is now performed her soule being giuen to God and her body resorted into her first elements It could not dislike you to see your friend remoued out of a ruinous house the house it self destroyed and pulled down if you knew it were to build it in a statelier forme and to turne the inhabitant with more ioy into a fairer lodging Let then your sisters soule depart without griefe let her body also be altred into dust withdraw your eyes from the ruine of this cottage and cast them vpon the maiestie of the second building which Saint Paul saith shall be incorruptible glorious strange spirituall and immortall Night and sleepe are perpetuall mirrours figuring in their darknesse silence shutting vp of senses the finall end of our mortall bodies and for this some haue entituled sleepe the eldest brother of Death but with no lesse conuenience it might be called one of Deaths tenants neare vnto him in affinity of condition yet farre inferiour in right being but tennant for a time of that Death is the inheritance for by vertue of the conueyance made vnto him in Paradice that dust we were and to dust we must returne he hath hitherto shewed his seigniory ouer all exacting of vs not onely the yearely but hourely reuerence of time which euer by minuts we defray vnto him so that our very life is
not onely a memory but a part of our death sith the longer we haue liued the lesse we haue to liue What is the daily lessâ—ning of our life but a continuall dying and therefore none is more grieued with the running out of the last sand in an houre glasse the with all the rest so should not the end of the last houre trouble vs any more theÌ„ of so many that went before sith that did but finish the course that all the rest were still ending not the quantity but the quality commendeth our life the ordinary gaine of long liuers being onely a great burthen of sinne For as in teares so in life the value is not esteemed by the length but by the fruit goodnesse which often is more in the least than in the longest What your sister wanted in continuance she supplyed in speed and as with her needle she wrought more in a day than many Ladies in a yeare hauing both excellent skill and no lesse delight in working so with her diligence doubling her endeuours she wonne more vertue in halfe than others in a whole life Her death to time was her birth to eternitie the losse of this world an exchange of a better one endowment that she had being impaired but many farre greater added to the store Mardocheus house was too obscure a dwelling for so gracious an Hester shrowding royall parts in the mantle of a meane estate and shadowing immortall benefits vnder earthly veiles It was fitter that she being a summe of so rare perfections and so well worthy a spouse of our heauenly Ahashuerus should be carried to his court from her former abode there to be inuested in glorie and to enioy both place and preheminence answerable to her worthinesse her loue would haue bene lesse able to haue borne your death then your constancy to brooke hers and therefore God mercifully closed her eyes before they were punished with so grieuous a sight taking out to you but a new lesson of patience out of your old booke in which long study hath made you perfect Though your hearts were equally ballanced with a mutuall and most entire affection and the doubt insoluble which of you loued most yet Death finding her weaker though not the weaker vessell layd his weight in her ballance to bring her soonest to her rest Let your mind therefore consent to that which your tongue daily craueth that Gods will may be done as well here in earth of her mortall body as in that little heauen of her purest soule sith his will is the best measure of all euents There is in this world continuall enterchange of pleasing and greeting accidents still keeping their succession of times and ouertaking each other in their seuerall courses No picture can be all drawne of the brightest colours nor an harmonie consorted onely of trebbles shadowes are needfull in expressing of proportions and the base is a principall part in perfect musicke the condition of our exile here alloweth no vnmingled ioy our whole life is temperate betweene sweete and sower and we must all looke for a mixture of both The wise so wish better that they still thinke of worse accepting the one if it come with liking and bearing the other without impatience being so much maisters of each others fortunes that neither shall worke them to excesse The dwarfe groweth not on the highest hill nor the tall man loseth not his height in the lowest valley And as a base minde though most at ease will be deiected so a resolute vertue in the deepest distresse is most impregnable They euermore most perfectly enioy their comforts that least feare their contraries for a desire to enioy carieth with it a feare to lose and both desire and feare are enemies to quiet possession making men rather owners of Gods benefits then tenants at his will The cause of our troubles are that our misfortunes hap either to vnwitting or vnwilling minds Foresight preuenteth the one necessity the other for he taketh away the smart of present euills that attendeth their comming and is not amated with any crosse that is armed against all Where necessitie worketh without our consent the effect should neuer greatly afflict vs griefe being bootlesse where it cannot helpe needlesse where there was no fault God casteth the dice and giueth vs our chance the most we can do is to take the poynt that the cast will affoord vs not grudging so much that it is no better as comforting our selues it is no worse If men should lay all their euils together to be afterwards by equall portions deuided among them most men would rather take that they brought then stand to the diuision yet such is the partial iudgement of selfe loue that euery man iudgeth his selfe-misery too great fearing if he can find some circumstance to increase it and making it intollerable by thought to induce it When Moses threw his rod from him it became a serpent ready to sting and affrighted him insomuch as it made him to flie but being quietly taken vp it was a rod againe seruiceable for his vse no way hurtfull The crosse of Christ and rod of euery tribulation feeming to threaten stinging and terrour to those that shunne and eschue it but they that mildly take it vp and embrace it with patience may say with Dauid thy rod and thy staffe haue bene my comfort Psal 12. In this affliction resembleth the Crocadile flie it pursueth and frighteth followed it flieth and feareth a shame to the constant a tyrant to the timorous Soft mindes that thinke onely vpon delights admit no other consideration but in soothing things become so effeminate as that they are apt to bleed with euery sharpe impression But he that vseth his thoughts with expectation of troubles making their trauell through all hazards and apposing his resolution against the sharpest encounters findeth in the proofe facilitie of patience and easeth the loade of most heauy combers We must haue temporall things in vse but eternall in wish that in the one neither delight exceede in that we haue no desire in that we want and in the other our most delight is here in desire and our whole desire is hereafter to enioy They straighten too much their ioyes that draw them into the reach and compasse of their senses as if it were no facilitie where no sense is witnesse whereas if we exclude our passed and future contentments pleasant pleasures haue so fickle assurance that either as forestalled before their arriuall or interrupted before their end or ended before they are well begun the repetition of former comforts and the expectation of after hopes is euer a reliefe vnto a vertuous mind whereas others not suffering their life to continue in the conueniences of that which was and shall be deuided this day from yesterday and to morrow and by forgetting all and forecasting nothing abridge their whole life into the moment of present time Enioy your sister in her former vertues enioy her