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Edward Farr, ed. Select Poetry of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth. 1845.

A Short Discourse of Man’s Fatall End

CXX. L. Ramsey

With (an unfaygned) commendation of the worthiness of Sir Nicholas Bacon, Knight, Lord Keeper of the Great Seale of England, who deceased the 11th day of February, 1578.

SINCE God hath fyxt our dayes and yeares to live and eke to dye,

And takes his choice of us his sheepe, what might shall him deny,

But that he may without regarde his creatures take and save,

Yea, beare them up, yea, throw them down from life unto the grave?

Rejoice we then among the route, which doth this thing confesse,

And pray that God may have his will: he teacheth us no lesse.

And thanke him to for all his giftes, and seeme not for to mourne

For that which he hath in himselfe set downe ere we were borne.

All tymes with him is not one houre, to age no subject is:

All shall decay, yea, heaven and earth; such power and glory is his.

Borne all to dye, and dye we must; all flesh shall yeelde to death:

The promise made welcome the tyme which sayth, Let go his breath.