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The vvorkes of a young wyt

trust vp with a Fardell of pretie fancies, profitable to young Poetes, preiudicial to no man, and pleasaunt to euery man to passe away idle tyme withall. Whereunto is ioyned an odde kynde of wooing, with a Banquet of Comfettes, to make an ende withall. Done by N. B. Gentleman

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[Oh wretched state of miserable man]

[_]

Now my Muse gan sodaynely enter into the cogitation of the state of man, and thereupon wilde me to write these few verses following.

Oh wretched state of miserable man,
who, let him haue what so he can desire:
Yea let him craue, what so deuise he can,
and eke obteyne the thing he dooth require:
Yet such (we see) is our ambitious minde,
as yet in deede, dooth neuer quiet find.
For to beginne with this perplexitie,
the Captiue, he that lies in prison pent:
Oh, what a heaune, sayes he, is liberty,
let him get out, and all his riches spent,
Oh then, sayes hee, coyne makes the merry man,
let him haue wealth, and then, what lackes hee than?
If hee be rich, perhappes he hath the gout,
what followes then? what heaune is health sayth hee?
Let him haue health, then honor out of doubt,
he seeketh next: and let him noble be,

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What seekes he then? to stand in Princes grace:
which had, what then? himselfe the regall mace.
If he be Prince, what then? a quiet seate:
which if he get, what then? his subiects loue:
That once obtaind, what then? some glory great?
and glory got, what then? by armes to prooue
Tenlarge his Realme: which got, what then but this?
to wish the rule of al the world were his?
Which sure I think, that if some man myght haue,
yet would his mind not sit at quiet rest:
But he would wish and somewhat seeke to craue,
which might (perhaps) in deede auaile him least:
Therefore say I, oh wretched state of man,
whom God can scarce content with what he can.
But for my selfe, God graunt me grace to craue,
that he may thinke most meete for me to haue:
God saue our Queene, and God her Realme defend,
confound her foes, and thus I make an end:
When that this vile and wretched world is past,
God send vs all the ioyes of heauen at last.
Amen.
Finis.