Calhovn's Miscellanie Vol 1 | Page 19

Lily

10

How no age is content with his own estate, and how the age of children is happiest if they had skill to understand it by Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey

chosen by Nalee

LAID in my quiet bed, in study as I were,

I saw within my troubled head a heap of thoughts

appear.

And every thought did shew so lively in mine eyes,

That now I sigh’d, and then I smiled, as cause of

though did rise.

I saw the little boy in thought how oft that he

Did wish of God to scape the rod, a tall young

man to be.

The young man eke that feels his bones with pains

opprest,

How he would be a rich old man, to live and lie

at rest.

The rich old man that sees his end draw on so sore,

How he would be a boy again, to live so much the

more.

Wherat full oft I smiled, to see how all these three,

From boy to man, from man to boy, would chop

and change degree.

And musing thus I think, the case is very strange,

That man from wealth, to live in woe, doth ever

seek to change.

Thus thoughtful as I lay, I saw my wither’d skin,

How it doth shew my dented chews, the flesh was

worn so thin.

And eke my toothless chaps, the gates of my right

way,