Care for it so, as by thy retchless traine
It not be brought to tast eternall paine.
Care for thy corps, but chiefly for soule's sake;
Cut off excesse; susteining food is best;
To vanquish pride, but comely clothing take;
Seeke after skill; deepe ignorance detest:
Care so, I say, the flesh to feed and cloth,
That thou harme not thy soule and bodie both.

Care for the world to do thy bodie right;
Racke not thy wit to winne by wicked waies;
Seeke not to oppresse the weake by wrongfull
might;

To pay thy dew do banish all delayes:

Care to dispend according to thy store,
And in like sort be mindfull of the poore.

Care for thy soule, as for thy chiefest stay;
Care for thy bodie, for the soule's auaile;
Care for the world, for bodie's help alway;
Care, yet but so as vertue may preuaile :
Care in such sort that thou be sure of this,—
Care keep thee not from heauen and heauenly
blisse.

THE MARTIRS.

How do I vse my paper, ink, and pen,
And call my wits to counsel what to say!
Such memories were made for mortall men-
I speak of saintes, whose names cannot decaye:
An angel's trump were fitter for to sound

Their glorious death, if such on earth were found.
That store of such were once on earth pursu'd,
The histories of auncient times record,

Whose constancie great tirants' rage subdued, Through patient death professing Christ their Lord:

As his apostles perfect witnesse bere,

With many more that blessed martirs were:
Whose patience rare and most couragious minde,
With fame renoun'd, perpetuall shall endure;
By whose examples we may rightly finde
Of holie life and death a patterne pure.
That we, therefore, their vertues may embrace,
Pray we to Christ to guide vs with his grace.

[ELIZ. POETS.]

15

XIX.

ANTHONY MUNDAY.

A DITTIE

Declaring the uncertaintie of our earthly honor, the certaine account that we must all make of death; and therefore that we should make ourselues ready at all times, because we are ignorant of our latter howre.

WHAT state so sure but time subvarts?
What pleasure that is voide of paine?
What cheereful change of former smarts
But turnes straitwaie to greefe againe?
What credite may a man repose
Vppon so fraile a clod of clay,
Which as to-day in sollace goes,
To-morrow is brought to earthly bay?
Thinke, O man!

How thy glasse is daily sette to runne,
And how thy life shall passe when it is doone:
Thy graue hath then thy glory wun,
And all thy pompe in cinders laide full lowe.
Take example

By the fragrant flower in the feeld,
Which as to-day in brauery is beheld,
The parching sun hath ouer-quel'd.

O wretched man! euen thou thyselfe art so.
How then?

How canst thou bragge, or canst thou boast, How that thou maiest

Or that thou shalt

Enjoy thy life untill to-morrow day?

Thou seest

That death subdues the strength of kings,

Of high and lowe,

Of rich and poore;

And all as one he dooth call awaie.

To goe,

*

Put on your black aray; for needes you must

away

Unto your house of clay:

Prepare your conscience gay against the dreadfull day,

That you may be Christ's chosen flocke and sheepe, Whom he will safely keepe, Whether you doo wake or sleepe: Then shall the hellish foe Away in terror goe, This joy to see. Remember this, amidst your blisse, That Christ hath redeemed vs by his blood. Then let vs kill our affections so ill, To be elected in his seruants' good. Then shall we be sure for aye to endure On God's right hand among the pure; When as the ill against their will The endlesse paine shall passe untill. God graunt us feruent constancie To auoide so great extremitie, That by his grace continuallie We may purchase heauen's felicitie !

A DITTIE

Which sheweth by example of diuers worthy personages past in ancient time, that neither strength, wit, beautie, riches, or any transitory things, wherein worldlings put any confidence, can save them from the stroke of death.

ADIEW, my former pleasure,

For 1 of force must leaue thee:
I see my state is most unsure,
And thou hast long deceiude me.
Time bids me minde my latter end,
And that I am but clay;
And euerie hour I doo offend
In manie a wicked waie.

Then farewell sinne,

I will beginne

To sorrow for my wicked life at the last,
And feare to sinne any more:
For when I remember all that is past,
My hart doth bleede therefore.

I see that ualiant Sampson,

Who uaunted of his stature,

His strength hath failde and he is gone;
Time forst him yeeld to nature:
And all the courage he possesst

Amidst his flowring dayes,

When death did call him home to rest,
Did uade from him straitwaies.
Then why should I

On strength rely,

Perceiuing that the stoutest hart dooth obey, When death dooth shew his power?

And so must I needes (as all flesh) passe