The Works in Verse and Prose of Nicholas Breton For the First Time Collected and Edited: With Memorial-Introduction, Notes and Illustrations, Glossarial Index, Facsimilies, &c. By the Rev. Alexander B. Grosart. In Two Volumes |
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A Dolorous discourse. |
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 | The Works in Verse and Prose of Nicholas Breton |  |
A Dolorous discourse.
If he who lingers foorth a loathsome lyfe,
In weary wyse, exprest with endlesse woe:
To whom care still stands, as a hackeling knife,
To teare the heart that is tormented so:
Who neuer felte one howre, nor sparke of ioy,
But deepe lyes drownde in Gulfe of foule annoy.
In weary wyse, exprest with endlesse woe:
To whom care still stands, as a hackeling knife,
To teare the heart that is tormented so:
Who neuer felte one howre, nor sparke of ioy,
But deepe lyes drownde in Gulfe of foule annoy.
Whom Fortune euer frounde on in his life,
And neuer lent one lucky looke at all:
With whome the Moone and Starres are all at strife,
Who all in vaine dooth dayly crie, and call
For comforte some, but yet receiueth none,
But to himselfe his greefe must still bemone.
And neuer lent one lucky looke at all:
With whome the Moone and Starres are all at strife,
Who all in vaine dooth dayly crie, and call
For comforte some, but yet receiueth none,
But to himselfe his greefe must still bemone.
Whose greefe first grew in time of tender yeares,
And yet dooth still continue to this daye:
Who, all berent, dooth chaunge among the Breares,
And still hang fast, and cannot get awaye:
Who euery way, which he dooth seeke to goe,
Dooth finde some block that dooth him ouerthrow.
And yet dooth still continue to this daye:
Who, all berent, dooth chaunge among the Breares,
And still hang fast, and cannot get awaye:
Who euery way, which he dooth seeke to goe,
Dooth finde some block that dooth him ouerthrow.
Who neuer was, is not, nor lookes to bee,
In way of weale, to ridde him of his woe:
Who day by day, by proofe too plaine, dooth see
That Desteny hath sworne it shall be so:
That he must liue with torments so opprest,
And till he die, must neuer looke for rest.
In way of weale, to ridde him of his woe:
Who day by day, by proofe too plaine, dooth see
That Desteny hath sworne it shall be so:
That he must liue with torments so opprest,
And till he die, must neuer looke for rest.
If such a one may well be thought to be
The onely man that knoweth misery:
I may well say that I (poore man) am hee;
Who dayly so doo pine in penury;
Whose heauy heart is so opprest with greefe,
As, vntill death, dooth looke for no releefe.
The onely man that knoweth misery:
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Who dayly so doo pine in penury;
Whose heauy heart is so opprest with greefe,
As, vntill death, dooth looke for no releefe.
To swim and sinke, to burne and be a-colde,
To hope and feare, to sigh and yet to sing:
And all at once, are louers fyttes of olde,
To many knowen, to some a common thing:
But still to synke, frye, feare, and alway sigh,
Are patterns plaine, that death approcheth nigh.
To hope and feare, to sigh and yet to sing:
And all at once, are louers fyttes of olde,
To many knowen, to some a common thing:
But still to synke, frye, feare, and alway sigh,
Are patterns plaine, that death approcheth nigh.
And doost thou then, sweete Death, approche so neare?
Welcome, my friend, and ease of all my woe:
A friend in deede, to me, a friend most deare,
To ease my heart that is tormented so:
Happy is he who lightes on such a friend,
To breede his ioyes, and cause his greefes to end.
Welcome, my friend, and ease of all my woe:
A friend in deede, to me, a friend most deare,
To ease my heart that is tormented so:
Happy is he who lightes on such a friend,
To breede his ioyes, and cause his greefes to end.
| The Works in Verse and Prose of Nicholas Breton | |