Odes In Imitation of the Seaven Penitential Psalmes with Sundry other Poemes and ditties tending to deuotion and pietie [by Richard Rowlands] |
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 | Odes In Imitation of the Seaven Penitential Psalmes |  |
107
THE SVBSTANCE OF humaine flesh.
As once I did behold,
The potters actiue skil,
In ordring of his earthen pots,
According to his wil.
The potters actiue skil,
In ordring of his earthen pots,
According to his wil.
And some for woorthy vse.
And some for seruile trade,
As hee them from one clod of clay,
In sundry fashons made.
And some for seruile trade,
As hee them from one clod of clay,
In sundry fashons made.
And when they al were wrought,
And each was put a parte,
No cause they had (If they had could)
To blame their makers arte.
And each was put a parte,
No cause they had (If they had could)
To blame their makers arte.
To each it might suffise,
To serue his vse asygn'd,
Since each to serue some proper vse,
VVas vtile in his kynde.
To serue his vse asygn'd,
Since each to serue some proper vse,
VVas vtile in his kynde.
Then as thereat I mus'd,
It came vnto my thought,
How God euen from one masse of clay,
All humaine kynd had wrought,
It came vnto my thought,
How God euen from one masse of clay,
All humaine kynd had wrought,
Aswel the silly wretch,
That liues in low degree,
As any mighty Emperor,
How puisant so hee bee.
That liues in low degree,
As any mighty Emperor,
How puisant so hee bee.
108
And how at his estate,
None rightly may repyne,
Since that the woorkman of his woork,
Hath freedome to designe.
None rightly may repyne,
Since that the woorkman of his woork,
Hath freedome to designe.
And each in each degree,
Sufficient hath in charge,
And hee the more whose mighty rule,
Extendeth moste at large.
Sufficient hath in charge,
And hee the more whose mighty rule,
Extendeth moste at large.
For how more great the charge.
Cares burden greater weyes,
And greatnesse beares the greatest brunt.
And breedes the lesser ease.
Cares burden greater weyes,
And greatnesse beares the greatest brunt.
And breedes the lesser ease.
And vertue can aswel
In cottages remaine,
As honor may in high estate,
In courtes of Princes raigne.
In cottages remaine,
As honor may in high estate,
In courtes of Princes raigne.
Let each him then dispose,
VVel in his charge to serue,
To haue the hyre that at the last,
VVel-doing doth deserue.
VVel in his charge to serue,
To haue the hyre that at the last,
VVel-doing doth deserue.
For when a whyle on earth,
Each hath seru'd in his turne,
Earths fragile woork earst made of earth,
Must vnto earth returne.
Each hath seru'd in his turne,
Earths fragile woork earst made of earth,
Must vnto earth returne.
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