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| TO die, Dame Nature man did frame; | |
| Death is a thing most perfect sure: | |
| We ought not nature’s workes to blame, | |
| Shee made nothing still to endure. | |
| That lawe shee made, when we were borne, | 5 |
| That hence we should retourne againe: | |
| To render right we must not scorne; | |
| Death is due debt, it is no paine. | |
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| The civill lawe doth bidde restore | |
| That thou hast taken up of trust: | 10 |
| Thy life is lent; thou must therfore | |
| Repay, except thou be uniust. | |
| This life is like a poynted race, | |
| To the ende whereof when man hath trode, | |
| He must returne to former place, | 15 |
| He may not still remaine abrode. | |
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| Death hath in the earth a right; | |
| His power is great, it stretcheth farre: | |
| No lord, no prince can scape his might; | |
| No creature can his duetie barre. | 20 |
| The wise, the iust, the strong, the hie, | |
| The chaste, the meeke, the free of hart, | |
| The rich, the poore, (who can denie?) | |
| Haue yeelded all unto his dart. * * * * * | |
| Seeing no man then can death escape, | 25 |
| Nor hire him hence for any gaine; | |
| We ought not feare his carraine shape; | |
| He onely brings evell men to paine. | |
| If thou haue ledde thy life aright, | |
| Death is the ende of miserie: | 30 |
| If thou in God hast thy delight, | |
| Thou diest to live eternallie. | |
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| Eache wight therefore, while he liues heere, | |
| Let him thinke on his dying day: | |
| In midst of wealth, in midst of cheere, | 35 |
| Let him accompt he must away. | |
| This thought makes man to God a frend, | |
| This thought doth banish pride and sinne; | |
| This thought doth bring a man in th’ end, | |
| Where he of Death the field shall win. | 40 |
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