Ancient Poems, Ballads and Songs of England | Page 7

Quarles, and can be traced to the time when that
writer was in the height of his popularity. These religious dialogues are
numerous, but the majority of them are very namby-pamby productions,
and unworthy of a reprint. The modern editions preserve the old form
of the broadside of the seventeenth century, and are adorned with rude
woodcuts, probably copies of ruder originals -
0. 'wooden cuts Strange, and uncouth; dire faces, figures dire,
Sharp-kneed, sharp-elbowed, and lean-ankled too, With long and
ghostly shanks, forms which once seen, Can never be
forgotten!'--WORDSWORTH'S Excursion.]
DEATH.
Thou wealthy man of large possessions here,
Amounting to some
thousand pounds a year,
Extorted by oppression from the poor,
The
time is come that thou shalt be no more;
Thy house therefore in order
set with speed,
And call to mind how you your life do lead.
Let true
repentance be thy chiefest care,
And for another world now, NOW
prepare.
For notwithstanding all your heaps of gold,
Your lands and
lofty buildings manifold,
Take notice you must die this very day;

And therefore kiss your bags and come away.
RICH MAN.
[He started straight and turned his head aside,
Where seeing
pale-faced Death, aloud he cried],
Lean famished slave! why do you
threaten so,
Whence come you, pray, and whither must I go?
DEATH.
I come from ranging round the universe,
Through courts and
kingdoms far and near I pass,
Where rich and poor, distressed, bond

and free,
Fall soon or late a sacrifice to me.
From crowned kings to
captives bound in chains
My power reaches, sir; the longest reigns

That ever were, I put a period to;
And now I'm come in fine to
conquer you.
RICH MAN.
I can't nor won't believe that you, pale Death,
Were sent this day to
stop my vital breath,
By reason I in perfect health remain,
Free
from diseases, sorrow, grief, and pain;
No heavy heart, nor fainting
fits have I,
And do you say that I am drawing nigh
The latter
minute? sure it cannot be;
Depart, therefore, you are not sent for me!
DEATH.
Yes, yes, I am, for did you never know,
The tender grass and pleasant
flowers that grow
Perhaps one minute, are the next cut down?
And
so is man, though famed with high renown.
Have you not heard the
doleful passing bell
Ring out for those that were alive and well
The
other day, in health and pleasure too,
And had as little thoughts of
death as you?
For let me tell you, when my warrant's sealed,
The
sweetest beauty that the earth doth yield
At my approach shall turn as
pale as lead;
'Tis I that lay them on their dying bed.
I kill with dropsy, phthisic, stone, and gout;
But when my raging
fevers fly about,
I strike the man, perhaps, but over-night,
Who
hardly lives to see the morning light;
I'm sent each hour, like to a
nimble page,
To infant, hoary heads, and middle age;
Time after
time I sweep the world quite through;
Then it's in vain to think I'll
favour you.
RICH MAN.
Proud Death, you see what awful sway I bear,
For when I frown none
of my servants dare
Approach my presence, but in corners hide


Until I am appeased and pacified.
Nay, men of greater rank I keep in
awe
Nor did I ever fear the force of law,
But ever did my enemies
subdue,
And must I after all submit to you?
DEATH.
'Tis very true, for why thy daring soul,
Which never could endure the
least control,
I'll thrust thee from this earthly tenement,
And thou
shalt to another world be sent.
RICH MAN.
What! must I die and leave a vast estate,
Which, with my gold, I
purchased but of late?
Besides what I had many years ago? -
What!
must my wealth and I be parted so?
If you your darts and arrows must
let fly,
Go search the jails, where mourning debtors lie;
Release
them from their sorrow, grief, and woe,
For I am rich and therefore
loth to go.
DEATH.
I'll search no jails, but the right mark I'll hit;
And though you are
unwilling to submit,
Yet die you must, no other friend can do, -

Prepare yourself to go, I'm come for you.
If you had all the world and
ten times more,
Yet die you must,--there's millions gone before;

The greatest kings on earth yield and obey,
And at my feet their
crowns and sceptres lay:
If crowned heads and right renowned peers

Die in the prime and blossoms of their years,
Can you suppose to
gain a longer space?
No! I will send you to another place.
RICH MAN.
Oh! stay thy hand and be not so severe,
I have a hopeful son and
daughter dear,
All that I beg is but to let me live
That I may them in
lawful marriage give:
They being young when I am laid in the grave,


I fear they will be wronged of what they have:
Although of me you
will no pity take,
Yet spare me for my little infants' sake.
DEATH.
If such a vain excuse as this might do,
It would be long ere mortals
would go through
The shades of death; for every