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Therefore, I'le never more despair,
Nor take myself for lost :
For he will all my loss repair,
Though at the dearest cost.

Yea more, I have his hand to show,
That when my lease is out,
A kingdom he'll on me bestow:
He chides me, if I doubt.

Once more I mean to sweep all clean,

And cast out filthy sin;

And Christ again I'le entertain,

And wait on him within.

I'le mend the roof; I'le watch the door, And better keep the key:

I'le trust my treacherous flesh no more,
But force it to obey.

I'le make a cov'nant with my eyes ;
My tongue shall know its law:
I'le all the baits of sin despise,
And keep my heart in awe.

What have I said-that I'le do this,
That am so false and weak:
And have so often done amiss,
And did my coy'nants break?

I mean, Lord, all this shall be done,
If Thou my heart wilt raise!

And as the work must be thine own,
So also shall the praise."

Remains after Death: including by way of introduction divers memorable obseruances, occasioned upon discourse of Epitaphs and Epycedes; their distinction and definition seconded by approved authors. Annexed there be divers select Epitaphs, and Hearceattending Epods, worthy our observation: The one deecribing what they were which now are not: The other comparing such as now are with those that were. Dignum laude virum Musa vetat mori.

By Richard Brathwayte, Gent.

Imprinted at London by John Beale, 1618.

sm. 8vo.

"To the Reader.

"It may be objected, Reader, that small is the concurrence, less the coherence in the titles of these two subjects, pleasantly concluding that it were pity Death should so soon seize on a good wife by the course of nature, as she is had here in pursuit by Death's remainder. But this objection may be answered by a twofold solution: First, the printer's importunacy, whose desire was in regard of the brevity of the former part, to have it by the annexion of some other proper subject enlarged; to whose reasonable demand I equally condescended : Secondly, the subject's propriety; which, howsoever by the judgment of the critic censurer traduced, (the pitch of whose knowledge aims rather at taxing than teaching) concurs as well with the precedent title, as man with mortality, time with mutability, life with death. And as the more virtuous the

nearer oft-times their dissolution, which no doubt proceeds from God's mercy, that they might have of him a fuller contemplation; so we commonly see the best wives limited to the shortest times, approved by that maxim:

"For this each day's experience seems to show,
Ill wives live longer far than good ones do.”

Let this suffice: if not, let the subject itself slight his censure, whose singularity makes of each thing an error.

MUSOPHILUS.

EXTRACT.

A Description of Death.

Death is a raw-bon'd shrimp, nor low nor high,
Yet has he power to make the highest low;
The summon master of mortality,

The poor man's wished friend, the rich man's foe,
The last remains of time's anatomy,

A thief in pace, in pace more sure than slow;
A sleep, a dream, whence we are said to have
In sleep a death, and in our bed a grave.

One who, howe'er we seem to have the power
To leave our states, wherein we ofttimes err,
To such an one as sole executor;

Spite of our nose plays executioner;
And as the lean kine did the fat devour,

So does this meagre slave the mightier;
Nor can we, if we should be choaked for't,
Remove Death's action to another court,

Arts tho' he know, yet he professeth none,
For little has he, and as little needs;

Yet has he tricks to catch the oldest one,
That on this earthly globe or centre treads;
Nor will he leave him till his breath be gone:
Cheering the worms that on his body feeds:
Thus fierceless he, as he has ever been,
Makes his stroke to be felt not to be seen.

His sign's in Sagitary, and the butt

He shoots at is man's heart. He ever fits
The shafts he shoots to th' quiver they are put:
Won is he not to be by threats, intreats,
Price, power, or prayer: at whate'er he shoot,
Or aims to hit, he never fails but hits; &c. &c.

[The Editor omits the following stanza, because he cannot understand it in the copy sent him; and therefore supposes some mistake in the transcript, the original being not at hand to compare it with. It seems to contain a ridiculous comparison between the figure and habit of Death, and that of an Irishman.]

Death is worms-caterer, who, when he comes,
Will have provision, tho' he market starve.
He will be serv'd before the mighty ones,

And knows before where he intends to carve.
It's he awakes the sin belulled drones,
And cuts them short, as rightly they deserve:
It's he that all things to subjection brings,
And plays at foot-ball with the crowns of kings.

Two empty lodges has he in his head,

Which had two lights, but now his eyes be gone;

Cheeks had he once, but they be hollowed;
Beauty he had, but now appears there none;
For all those moving parts be vanished:
Presenting horror if but look'd upon.

His colour sable, and his visage grim,
With ghastly looks that still attend on him.

Fleshy he was, but it is pick'd away,
Belike, for that he has so much to do;

If cloth'd with flesh, he should be forc'd to stay,
And shew, perchance, too much of mercy to
To some young wench, who on the holy day
Might force him love, if she could tell him how ;
Which to prevent, and better to restrain him,
He goes so ugly none should entertain him.

Yet entertain'd he will; for though he be Contemn'd by th' perfum'd courtesan, whose form Seems coy to give him hospitality;

Yet when he come, he'll not one hour adjourn

To give her summons of mortality;

Converting that same beauty, did adorne
Her composition, to corrupted earth,
Whence she deriv'd both period and birth.

Snail-like he comes on us, with creeping pace,
And takes us napping when we least think on him:
In's hand an hour-glass, which infers our race
Is near an end; and tho' we strive to shun him,
He moves when we move; and that very place
Whereto we fly, and think we have out-run him,
There he appears, and tells us it's not good
To strive 'gainst that which cannot be withstood.

If we shed tears, they're bootless, for his eyes
Instead of sight are moulded up with clay.

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