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.
NOw to discourse of man I take in hand,
In what estate his fickle life doth stand,
Hée in this world is as a pilgrimage,
And maketh hast to trauaile to old age.
Mans life compared is vnto a Flower,
That grows and withers all within one houre
And like to grasse that groweth in the field.
Or like true courage which is loath to yéeld.
The flower's cut, and now can beare no shew,
The grasse is withered wch was gréen to view
True courage wronged by or'e many foes.
And death doth make a man his life to lose.
Mans life is like the damaske Rose you sée,
Or like the blossome that growes on the trée,
Or like vnto the dainty flowers in May,
Or like the morning that begins the day.
The Rose is withered & the blossome blasteth,
The flowers fade, & fast the morning hasteth.
Euen such is man whose thred is quickly spun,
Drawn out and cut, and suddenly is done.
Mans life is like the Sun, or like the shade,
Or like vnto the gourd which Ionas had,
Or like an houre, or like vnto a span,
Or like vnto the singing of a Swan
The Sun doth set, and fast the shaddow flies,
The gourd consumes and man he quickly dies
The houre is short, for and the span not long,
The swan néer death, mans life is quickly don
Mans life is like the grasse that's newly sprung
Or like vnto a tale that's newbegun,
Or like the bird which wée doe sée to day,
Or like the pearlie dew that is in May.
The grasse is wither'd, and the tale is ended,
The bird is flowne, and vp the dew ascended,
Euen such is man, who liueth by his breath,
Is here, now there, still subiect vnto death.
Mans life is like the bubble in the Brook,
Or like a glasse wherein a man doth look,
Or like a shuttle in a Weauers hand,
Or like the writing that is in the sand.
The bubble's broke, and soone the looke's forgot
The shuttle's flung, for and the writings blot:
Euen such is man that liueth on the earth,
Hées alwaies subiect for to loose his breath.
The second part.
To the same tune.
MAns life is like a thought, or like a dreame,
Or like the gliding of a running streame,
Or like a race, or like vnto a goale,
Or like the dealing of a rich mans doale.
The thought is past, for and the dreame is gone,
The water glides, euen so mans life is done.
The race soon run, so is the goale soon won,
The dole soon dealt, mans life is quickly done.
Mans life is like an arrow from the bow,
Or like swéet course of waters that doth flow,
Or like the time betwixt the floud and ebbe,
Or like vnto the Spiders tender web.
The arrowes shot, for and the floud soon spent,
The time's no time, the Spiders web is rent:
Euen such is man, and of as brittle state,
Hée's alwaies subiect vnto Enuies hate.
Mans life is like the lightning in the sky,
Or like a Post that suddenly doth hye,
Or like a Quauer singing of a song,
Or like a iourney that's not very long.
The lightning's past, for and the Post must goe,
The Note is short, and so's the iourney too:
Euen such is Man the which doth heap vp sorow
That liues to day, and dyes before to morrow.
Mans like vnto the snow when summer's come,
Or like a Peare, or like vnto a Plum,
Or like a tree that groweth fresh and gréen,
Or like the wind which can no waies be séen.
The Peare doth rot, for and the Plum doth fall,
The snow dissolues, and so wée must doe all,
The trée's consumd that was so fresh and faire,
The wind's vncertaine that blowes in the ayre.
Man's like the séed put into the earths womb,
Or like dead Lazarus that's in his Tombe:
Or like Tabitha being in a sléep,
Or like to Ionas that was in the deep.
The séed it springeth, Lazarus now standeth,
Tabitha wakes, and Ionas he hath landed.
Thus are wée certain life wée shall obtaine,
Though death doth kill yet shall we liue againe.
God of his mercy grant to vs his grace,
That we may lead our liues in such a case,
That when wée are departed hence away,
Wee then may liue with him in ioy for aye.
Grant Lord that wee may please thy will divine
Lord let thy louing fauour on vs shine,
And turne from vs thy heavy wrath and ire,
And grant vs mercy Lord wée thee require.
Lord make vs like the fruitfull Vines,
To bring forth fruits in our due tides & times,
Vnto the honour of thy glorious name,
Amen good Lord, grant wée may dee the same.
Now to conclude, God blesse our gracious Charle [...],
With all his worthy Subiects, Lords, & Earles,
And grant vs Lord, true faith, with loue & peace,
And let thy Gospell more and more encrease.
FINIS.
London Printed for H. G.