ON DEATH.

Though fortune have set thee on high,
Remember yet that thou shalt die.

To die, dame nature did man frame: Death is a thing most perfect sure : We ought not nature's works to blame; She made no thing still to endure. That law she made when we were born, That hence we should return again : To render right we must not scorn: Death is due debt: it is no pain.

Death hath in all the earth a right;
His power is great, it stretcheth far:
No lord, no prince, can scape his might;
No creature can his duty bar.

The wise, the just, the strong, the high,

The chaste, the meek, the free of heart, The rich, the poor-who can deny?— Have yielded all unto his dart.

Seeing no man then can death escape,
Nor hire him hence for any gain,
We ought not fear his carrion shape;
He only brings ill men to pain.

If thou have led thy life aright,
Death is the end of misery:
If thou in God hast thy delight,
Thou diest to live eternally.

Each wight, therefore, while he lives here,
Let him think on his dying day:
In midst of wealth, in midst of cheer,
Let him account he must away.
This thought makes man to God a friend;
This thought doth banish pride and sin;
This thought doth bring a man in th' end
Where he of death the field shall win.

VERSES FOUND IN SIR WALTER

RALEIGH'S BIBLE.

E'en such is time; which takes in trust
Our youth, our joys, and all we have!
And pays us nought but age and dust,
Which, in the dark and silent grave,
When we have wander'd all our ways,
of our days.

Shuts up the story

And from which grave, and earth, and dust, The Lord shall raise me up, I trust.

THE SOUL'S ERRAND.

Go, soul, the body's guest,

Upon a thankless errand! Fear not to touch the best, The truth shall be thy warrant; Go, since I needs must die, And give the world the lie.

Go tell the court it glows,

And shines like rotten wood, Go, tell the church it shows What's good, and doth no good: If church and court reply, Then give them both the lie.

Tell potentates, they live

Acting by others actions,

Not lov'd unless they give,
Not strong but by their factions.

If potentates reply,
Give potentates the lie.

Tell men of high condition

That rule affairs of state, Their purpose is ambition,

Their practice only hate.

And if they once reply,

Then give them all the lie.

Tell them that brave it most,

They beg for more by spending, Who in their greatest cost, Seek nothing but commending. And if they make reply,

So give them still the lie.

Tell zeal it lacks devotion,
Tell love it is but lust,
Tell time it is but motion,
Tell flesh it is but dust;
And wish them not reply,
For thou must give the lie.

Tell age it daily wasteth,
Tell honour how it alters,
Tell beauty how she blasteth,
Tell favour how she falters.
And as they shall reply
Give every one the lie.

Tell wit how much it wrangles
In tickle points of niceness:

Tell wisdom she entangles
Herself in over wiseness.
And when they do reply,
Straight give them both the lie.

S

Tell physic of her boldness,
Tell skill it is pretension,
Tell charity of coldness,
Tell law it is contention.
And as they do reply,

So give them all still the lie.

Tell fortune of her blindness,
Tell nature of decay,
Tell friendship of unkindness,
Tell justice of delay.

And if they will reply,

Then give them all the lie.

Tell hearts they have no soundness,

But vary by esteeming,

Tell schools they want profoundness, And stand too much on seeming.

If arts and schools reply,

Give arts and schools the lie.