Paradise sig. Fiiiir

[sig. Fiiiir]

(55) The foule that flies all day, at night returnes to rest. The Ploughmans wearie worke, amid the winters mire, Rewarded is with sommers gayne, which yeldes him double hire: +The sillie labouring soule, which drudges from day to day, At night his wages truely payed, contented goeth his way. (60) And commyng home, his drousie hed, He coucheth close in homely bed: Wherein no sooner downe he lyes, But sleepe hath straight possest his eyes. Oh happy man. (65) The Souldiour biding long, the brunt of mortall warres, Where life is neuer free, from dint of deadly foyle: At last comes ioyfull home, though mangled all with scarres, Where frankly, voyde of feare, he spendes the gotten spoyle. The Pirate lying long, amid the foming floudes, (70) With euery flaw in hazaed is, to lose both life and goodes: At length findes vewe of land, where wished Port he spies, Which once obtayned, emong his mates, he partes the gotten prise. Thus euery man, from trauaile past, Death reape a iust reward at last: (75) But I alone, whose troubled minde, In seeking rest, vnrest doth finde. Oh lucklesse lot. Oh cursed caitife wretch, whose heauy hard mishap, Doth wish ten thousand times, that thou hadst not bene borne: (80) Since fate hath thee condemned, to liue in sorrowes lap, Where wailynges wast thy life, of all redresse forlorne. What shall thy grief appease? who shall thy torment stay? Wilt thou thy selfe, with murthering handes, enforce thy owne decay: No, farre be thou from me, my selfe to stop my breath, (85) The Gods forbid, whom I beseech, to worke my ioyes by death. For lingryng length of lothsome life, Doth stirre in me such mortall strife: That whiles for life, and death I cry, In death I liue, and liuing dye. (90) Oh froward fate. Loe here my hard mishap, loe here my straunge disease, Loe here my deepe dispayre, loe here my lasting payne: Loe here my froward fate, which nothing can appease,