| |
| WHAT though I did possesse the greatest wealth, | |
| Though I were clad with honor and a crowne, | |
| And all my few and euill daies had health, | |
| Though no calamity did pluck me downe: | |
| |
| What if in sensuall pleasures I did swym, | 5 |
| Which mortall men account their chiefest bliss? | |
| What good shal’t be for me when death with him | |
| Brings a diuorce from life, t’haue had all this? | |
| |
| What plague wil’t bee for me when rais’d againe | |
| Out of the bed of death, I must accompt | 10 |
| For thousand thousand faultes and errors vaine | |
| That will to a number numberlesse amount, | |
| |
| Before a judge whose angrie breath can burne | |
| This whole round globe of earth, fire, water, aire, | |
| And all their glory into ashes turne, | 15 |
| That had these things allotted to their share? | |
| |
| Words serue me not, nor thoughts though infinite, | |
| To write or to imagine sinners’ paine, | |
| Or the least torment that on them shall light | |
| That this world’s loue prefer before heauen’s gaine. | 20 |
| |
| Then couet not, mine eies, worldly delight— | |
| Beautie, great riches, honor, and the rest, | |
| Which if you had would but bereaue my spright | |
| Of the immortal ioyes I am in quest. | |
| |
| I am a pilgrim-warriour bound to fight | 25 |
| Under the red crosse, ’gainst my rebell will, | |
| And with great Godfrey to employ my might | |
| To win Jerusalem and Sion hill. | |
| |
| More glorious is it in that war to dye, | |
| Then surfett with the world’s best delectation, | 30 |
| Since this, when death shall shutt out mortall eye, | |
| For meede shal haue eternall condempnation; | |
| But that not death, but life a passage is, | |
| Into a kingdome of perpetuall blis. | |
| |
