The KINGS Last farewell to the World, OR THE Dead KINGS Living Meditations, at the approach of Death denounced against Him.
THrough fear of sharpe and bitter paine,
by cutting off my dayes,
No pleasure in my Crown I take,
Nor in my Royall Rayes.
I shall discend with grieved heart,
(for none my life can save)
Unto the dismall gates of death,
to moulder in the Grave.
Farewell my Wife, and Children all,
wipe off my brinish teares.
I am deprived of my Throne,
and from my future years.
Farewell my people every one,
for I no more shall see
The wonders of the Lord on earth,
nor with you shall I bee.
Mine eyes doe faile, and to the earth
to worms I must be hurl'd:
Henceforth no more shall I behold
the people of the world.
My Crown and Scepter I must leave,
my glory, and my Throne:
Adieu my fellow Princes all,
I from the earth am gone.
Mine Age (which did approach to me)
departed is away;
And as a Shepheards tent remov'd,
and I return'd to clay;
And as a Weaver doth cut off
his thrum, even so my life,
Must be cut off, from people and
from Children, and from Wife.
In sighes by day, and groanes by night
with bitternesse I moane,
And doe consume away with grief,
my end to think upon.
Fear in the morning me assailes,
Death Lion-like I see,
Even all the day (till night) to roare
to make an end of me.
I chattered as the schreeking Crane,
or Swallow that doth flye:
As Dove forlorn, in pensivenesse,
doth mourn, even so doe I,
I looked up to thee, O Lord,
but now mine eyes doe faile.
Oh ease my sad oppressed soule,
for death doth now prevaile.
What shall I say, to Gods Decree,
if he would speak, I then
should live; it is a work for God,
I find no help from men.
Yet if my life prolonged was,
my sins for to repent,
Then softly I would goe and mourn,
untill my life was spent.
And all my years, that I should live,
for mine offences foule,
I would passe o're in bitternesse,
of my distressed soule.
O Lord, thou hast discovered
to me, that by these things
Men live; Through thee, Princes do Reign,
thou swayest over Kings.
In all things here Gods providence,
and will alone commands,
The life of my poore spirit sad,
is only in his hands,
Oh, that the Lord would me restore.
my strength then I would give,
To serve my God in humblenesse
whilst he would let me live.
Behold, O Lord, when I in peace,
did look to be restor'd,
Then was my soule in bitternesse,
cast off, and I abhor'd,
Yet in the love of God most good,
his righteousnesse most just
Hath throwne me downe into the pit,
and to corrupted dust,
Because that I have gone astray,
and cherisht war and strife,
My dayes are now cut off, and I
am quite bereft of life,
Oh cast my sins behind thy backe,
good God, I humbly pray,
And my offences with the blood
of Christ wash clean away.
When my dead body is interd,
I cannot praise thee there,
Death cannot celebrate the Lord,
my God, most good, most deare;
They that go down into the pit
destructions them devoure:
For in thy truth they cannot hope,
but perish by thy power.
The living, Lord, the living, they
shall praise thy holy name.
With all the glorious hoast above,
and I shall do the same,
The father to his children here,
that are of tender youth,
Shall them forewarn, and unto them
make known thy glorious truth.
Forgive my sins, and save my soule
O Lord, I thee intreate,
And blot out mine offences all,
for they are very great:
Receive my soule for Christ his sake,
my Prophet, Priest, and King,
That I with Saints and Angells may
eternall prayses sing.
FINIS.