A discourse of Mans life.
Comparing him to things that quickly passe,
As bubble, shuttle, blossome, streame, and grasse.
To the tune of Ayme not too high.
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NOw to discourse of man I take in hand,
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In what estate his fickle life doth stand,
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Hee in this world is as a pilgrimage,
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And maketh hast to travaile to old age.
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Mans life compared is unto a Flower,
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That grows and withers all within one houre
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And like to grasse that groweth in the field.
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Or like true courage which is loath to yeeld.
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The flowers cut, and now can beare no shew,
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The grasse is withered which was green to view
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True courage wronged by ore many foes.
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And death doth make a man his life to lose.
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Mans life is like the damaske Rose you see,
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Or like the blossome that growes on the tree,
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Or like unto the dainty flowers in May,
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Or like the morning that begins the day.
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The Rose is withered & the blossome blasteth,
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The flowers fade, & fast the morning hasteth.
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Even such is man whose thred is quickly spun,
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Drawn out and cut, and suddenly is done.
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Mans life is like the Sun, or like the shade,
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Or like unto the gourd which Jonas had,
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Or like an houre, or like unto a span,
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Or like unto the singing of a Swan
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The Sun doth set, and fast the shaddow flies,
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The gourd consumes and man he quickly dies
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The houre is short, for and the span not long,
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The swan neer death, mans life is quickly don
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Mans life is like the grasse thats newly sprung
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Or like unto a tale thats new begun,
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Or like the bird which wee doe see to day,
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Or like the pearlie dew that is in May.
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The grasse is witherd, and the tale is ended,
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The bird is flowne, and up the dew ascended,
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Even such is man, who liveth by his breath,
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Is here, now there, still subject unto death.
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Mans life is like the bubble in the Brook,
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Or like a glasse wherein a man doth look,
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Or like a shuttle in a Weavers hand,
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Or like the writing that is in the sand.
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The bubbles broke, and soone the lookes forgot
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The shuttles flung, for and the writings blot:
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Even such is man that liveth on the earth,
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Hees alwaies subject for to loose his breath.
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The second part. To the same tune.
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MAns life is like a thought, or like a dreame,
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Or like the gliding of a running streame,
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Or like a race, or like unto a goale,
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Or like the dealing of a rich mans doale.
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The thought is past, for and the dreame is gone,
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The water glides, even so mans life is done.
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The race soon run, so is the goale soon won,
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The dole soon dealt, mans life is quickly done.
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Mans life is like an arrow from the bow,
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Or like sweet course of waters that doth flow,
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Or like the time betwixt the floud and ebbe,
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Or like unto the Spiders tender web.
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The arrowes shot, for and the floud soon spent,
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The times no time, the Spiders web is rent:
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Even such is man, and of as brittle state,
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Hees alwaies subject unto Envies hate.
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Mans life is like the lightning in the sky,
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Or like a Post that suddenly doth hye,
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Or like a Quaver singing of a song,
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Or like a journey thats not very long.
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The lightnings past, for and the Post must goe,
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The Note is short, and sos the journey too:
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Even such is Man the which doth heap up sorow
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That lives to day, and dyes before to morrow.
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Mans like unto the snow when summers come,
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Or like a Peare, or like unto a Plum,
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Or like a tree that groweth fresh and green,
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Or like the wind which can no waies be seen.
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The Peare doth rot, for and the Plum doth fall,
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The snow dissolves, and so wee must doe all,
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The trees consumd that was so fresh and faire,
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The winds uncertaine that blowes in the ayre.
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Mans like the seed put into the earths womb,
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Or like dead Lazarus thats in his Tombe:
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Or like Tabitha being in a sleep,
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Or like to Jonas that was in the deep.
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The seed it springeth, Lazarus now standeth,
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Tabitha wakes, and Jonas he hath landed,
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Thus are wee certain life wee shall obtaine,
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Though death doth kill yet shall we live againe.
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God of his mercy grant to us his grace,
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That we may lead our lives in such a case,
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That when wee are departed hence away,
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Wee then may live with him in joy for aye.
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Grant Lord that wee may please thy will divine
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Lord let thy loving favour on us shine,
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And turne from us thy heavy wrath and ire,
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And grant us mercy Lord wee thee require.
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Lord make us like the fruitfull Vines,
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To bring forth fruits in our due tides & times,
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Unto the honour of thy glorious name,
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Amen good Lord, grant wee may doe the same.
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Now to conclude, God blesse our gracious Charles,
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With all his worthy Subjects, Lords, & Earles,
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And grant us Lord, true faith, with love & peace,
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And let thy Gospell more and more encrease.
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