Edward Farr, ed. Select Poetry of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth. 1845. From “A Discription of Norton’s Falcehood of Yorkshyre, and of his fatall Farewel” CXXX. William Gibson
IF 1 God command the wyndes to cease, His blastes are layd full low: If God command the seas to calme, They wyll not rage or flow. All thinges at God’s commandement be, 5 If he their state regarde: And no man lives whose destinie By him is unpreparde. But when a man forsakes the ship, And rowles in wallowing waves; 10 And of his voluntarie wyll His owne good hap depraves; How shal he hope to scape the gulfe? How shal he thinke to deal? How shal his fansie bring him round 15 To saftie’s shore with sayle? How shall his freight in fine succede? Alas! what shall he gayne? What feare by storms do make him quake, How ofte subjecte to payne! 20 How sundrie times in danger’s den Is throwne the man unwyse! Who climes withouten holde on hye, Beware, I him advise.
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