Songs to 4. voyces
[I. The man vpright of life]
The man vpright of life
The man vpright of life whose guiltles
heart is free from all dishonest deeds from al dishonest
deedes, or thought of vanitie, that man whose silent dayes in
harmeles ioyes are spent, whom hopes cannot delude, delude, nor sorrow
discontent, whom hopes cānot delude, whom hopes cannot delude, nor sorrow
discontent, that man needs neither towers nor armor for defence, nor secret
vautes to flie, from thunders violence, nor secret vautes to flie
to flie from thunders violence.
[II. He onely can behold]
He onely can behold
He onely can behold behold he onely can
behold with vnaffrighted eyes, the horrors of the deep, &
terrors of the skies, the horrors of the deep, & terrors of the skies. Thus scorning
scorning, scorning all the cares that fate or fortune brings. He makes his
heauē his booke, he makes his heauen his booke, his wisedome
heauenly thinges good thoughts his onely friendes, his onely friendes, his
wealth a well spent age, the earth his sober Inne, & quiet pilgrimage.
[III. O heauy hart whose harms are hid]
O heauy hart whose harms are hid thy helpe is hurt
O heauy hart whose harms are hid thy helpe is hurt, thy
hap is hard, if thou shouldst break, as God forbid then
should desert want his reward, hope wel; to haue, hate not sweete
thought, sweete thought, fowle cruell storms; foule cruell storms
fairer calmes haue brought, fairer calmes haue brought, after sharpe showers
the sun shines fairer, hope cums likewise after dispaire, after sharpe showers,
the sunne shines faire hope cums likewise after dispaire.
[IIII In hope a king doth go to war]
In hope a king doth go to war
In hope a king doth go to war,
in hope a king doth go to war, in hope a louer liues ful long, in hope a marchant sailes ful far, in hope iust
men do suffer wrong, iust men do suffer wrong, in hope the plowman sowes
his seede, thus hope helps thousands at their neede, then
saint not hart among the rest, what euer chance hope thou
the best; what euer chāce hope thou the best.
[V Though wit bids wil to blow retreate]
Though wit bids wil to blow retreate
Though wit bids wil to blow retreate to blow retreait
will cannot worke as wit would wish, when that the Roch doth taste the bait
too late, to warne the hungrie fish, when Cities burn on fierie flame, on fiery
flame great riuers scarse may quench the same, If will and
fancy be agreede, agreede, too late for wit
to bid take heed to bid take heed, to late for wit to bid take heed.
[VI. Bvt yet it seems a foolish drift]
Bvt yet it seems a foolish drift
Bvt yet it seems a foolish drift, it seemes a foolish drift,
to follow wil, & leaue the wit the wanton,
wantō horse that runs too swift, that runs too swift, may well bee staid,
may well be stayed vpon the bit, but checke a horse amid his race, and out of
doubt you mar his pace, though wit & reason doth men teach, neuer to
clime abouetheir reach neuer to clime aboue their reach.
[VII. I can no more but hope good hart]
I can no more but
hope good hart
I can no more but
hope good hart, no more but hope good hart, for thogh the worst doth chāce to fal,
I know a wile shal ease thy smart, a wile shall ease thy
smart & turne to sweete thy sugred gall, when thy good will and painfull
suite hath shakt the tree and wants the
fruit then keepe thou patience well in store, that souraigne salue shall heale
thysore, that soueraigne salue shall heale thy sore.
[VIII. Who loues this life]
Who loues this life from loue
Who loues this life from loue his loue doth erre
& chusing drosse rich treasure doth denie, leauing the pearle Christs counsell
to prefer with selling all, we haue the same to buy
O happy soule that doth disburse a sum, to gain a Kingdome
in the life in the life to come, to gaine a Kingdome in the life to
come, O happie soule that doth disburse
a sum, to gaine a kingdom in the life to come, to gaine, a kingdom in
the life to com, to gain a kingdom in the life to com, a kingdō in the life to com
[IX. My prime of youth is but a frost of cares]
My prime of youth is but a frost of cares
My prime of youth is but a frost of cares, my feast of ioy
is but a dish of paine, a dish of pain, my crop of corne
is but a field of tares and all my good is but vain hope of gaine, vaine hope
of gaine, my life is fled is fled, & yet I saw no sun, & now I liue,
and now now now, now my life my life is done, my
life is fled is fled, and yet I saw no sunne, and now I liue, & now now
now, my life, my life is done.
[X. The spring is past]
The spring is past, and yet it hath not sprung
The spring is past, and yet it hath not sprung, the fruit is dead and
yet the leaues be greene, the leaues be greene, my youth is gone, and yet I
am but yong, I saw the world, and yet I was not seen, yet I was not seen, my
threed is cut, & yet it is not spun, it
is not spun and now I liue and now now now now now now my life
my life is done, my threed is cut, & yet it is not spun,
and yet it is not spun, & now I liue, & now & now now
now now my life is done, my life is done.
Here endeth the songs of foure parts.
