The Age and Life of Man,
perfectly showing his Beginning of Life, and the progress
of his Dayes, from Seaven to Seaventy;
Here may you see the Frailety thats in Men,
Till they have run the Years threescore and ten.
To the Tune of, Jane Shore.
When man is born he in a Cradle lyes,
At one time seven a Hoby-horse devise,
At two times seven a Book to Read with all,
At three times seven a Bandy and a Ball,
At foure times seven a wife he seeks to know,
At five times seven the Horn of Strength he blow,
At six times seven Time standeth by him still,
At seven times seven his Bag begins to fill,
At eight times seven his Bags are filld each nuke,
At nine times seven, he to the Earth doe stoop,
At ten times seven his Glasse and time is run,
Into the Earth Man falls, and so hes gone.
|
AS I was wandring all alone,
|
A subject then I thought upon:
|
The Muses in my senses ran,
|
That I should show the Age of Man:
|
Man he is clay, that came from Earth,
|
And sinner lives till day of death,
|
From one sin to another run,
|
And never leaves till hes undone:
|
Then fear your God, make no delay,
|
For time and tide for none will stay.
|
The first of seaven years in a Cradle,
|
To stand or go, he is not able,
|
Whiles other creatures making scorn,
|
Tramples him down when he is born:
|
So weak he is, he cannot goe,
|
And poor is born we all do know,
|
Into this world stark naked he came,
|
And so shall go out of the same.
|
Then fear your God, &c.
|
At two times seven his friends to rule,
|
Provides for keeping him at Schoole,
|
That in his heart it might be told,
|
That for his good when he is old:
|
And he so given is to play,
|
He troants most his time away:
|
When age comes on, hele then Repent
|
That he his time had so mispent:
|
Then fear your God, &c.
|
At three times seven, he is very Idle,
|
That all his friends cant him bridle:
|
His thoughts run wandring too and fro
|
Perswade him well, you are his foe
|
In other Countrys he will rome,
|
And have no minde to stay at home,
|
That all his friends are grieved still
|
And yet hele have his foolish will.
|
Then feare your God, make no delay,
|
For time and tide for none will stay.
|
|
|
|
|
The Second Part, to the same Tune.
|
AT four times seven, a wife he gits,
|
Using and mustring up all his wits,
|
How he should thrive, he takes great pains
|
Alas for little or no gains:
|
He then to bend his sences, rowse
|
Things most convenient for his house,
|
Which in time wastes and fades away,
|
Even so must man, that is but clay:
|
Then fear your God, &c.
|
At five times seven, a charge comes on,
|
Which in the world few thinks upon:
|
He labour hard with right good will,
|
Striving like stones against a Hill,
|
Or like the flood that swiftly goes,
|
At one place or another flows:
|
Even so is man thats Rich today
|
Tomorrow God takes all away.
|
Then fear your God, &c.
|
At six times seven then he should leave,
|
And for his folly he doth grieve;
|
His heart is grieved with sobs & sights,
|
For all his former vain delights:
|
Good Husbandry, he then home takes:
|
Bad husbandry he then forsakes,
|
And sober lives and those defie,
|
Such as doe hate good husbandry.
|
Then fear your God, &c.
|
At seven times seven a Covetous mind,
|
His onely care is still to finde:
|
Covetous he is in himself
|
To purchase up all worldly wealth,
|
Gathering up that which is but drosse,
|
Which may prove out to be a cross,
|
Except his tallent he restore,
|
In charity relieve the poore.
|
Then fear your God, &c.
|
At eight times seven his cuning skill,
|
Striving withall his worldly will,
|
In bargaining and selling then,
|
Making his Children mighty men,
|
Leaving behinde him that which he
|
Scarcely hereafter thankt will be:
|
As he did gather and lay it by,
|
The Prodigall doth make it fly.
|
Then fear your God, &c.
|
At nine times seven, he waxes old,
|
His limbs benumbd and veins are cold:
|
His Children glad with much content,
|
Their Father have so good judgement,
|
So knowing is in every Cause,
|
His wit doth make young men to pause:
|
Yet all this world he now must leave,
|
And now prepare himself for Grave.
|
Then fear your God, &c.
|
At ten times seven his Glasse is run,
|
And he poore soul can no ways shun:
|
No he must leave Children and Wife,
|
To give the world, cant save his life:
|
Happy is he that liveth heare,
|
That keeps a Conscience pure & clear,
|
Although his Body in dust lye,
|
His soule shall mount up to the skie.
|
Then fear your God, &c.
|
Thus have I set you here a page,
|
The frailty that is in mans Age:
|
From seven to seven we pass while when
|
We reach the years threescore and ten,
|
Let us all joyn with one accord,
|
And with all reverence fear the Lord.
|
Then may we all rejoyce and sing
|
Halalujah to our heavenly King.
|
|
|
|
|