 | "Songes and Sonettes written by the ryght honorable
Lorde Henry Haward late Earle of Surrey, and other" |  |
Who wold beleeue mans life
Marcus Catoes comparison of mans life with yron.
Who wold beleeue mans life like yron to bee,But proof had been, great Cato, made by thee?
For if, long time, one put this yron in vre,
Folowing ech day his woork, with bysye cure:
With dayly vse, hee may the metall wear,
And bothe the strength, and hardnesse eke impaire.
Again, in case his yron hee cast aside,
And carelesse long let it vntoucht abide:
Sythe, cankerd rust inuades the mettall sore,
And her fowl teeth there fastneth more and more.
So man, incase his corps hee tyre, and faint
With labor long: his strength it shall attaint.
But if in sluggard slothe the same dothe lye:
That manly might will fall away, and dye:
That bodies strength, that force of wit remooue:
Hee shall, for man, a weaklyng woman prooue.
Wherfore, my childe, holde twene these twaine the waye:
Nother with to much toyl thy lyms decaye,
In idle ease nor giue to vices place:
In bothe who measure keeps, hee hath good grace.
| "Songes and Sonettes written by the ryght honorable
Lorde Henry Haward late Earle of Surrey, and other" | |