And so says Hope in all his tale,
Whereby he easeth all my bale.
For I believe, and think it true
That he doth speak or say of you.
And thus contented, lo! I stand
With that, that hope bears me in hand,
That you are mine, and shall so be.
Which hope I keep full sure in me,
As he, that all my comfort is.
On you alone, which are my bliss,
My pleasure chief, which most I find,
And e'en the whole joy of my mind.
And shall so be, until the death
Shall make me yield up life and breath.
Thus, good mine own, lo! here my trust
Lo! here my truth, and service just;
Lo! in what case for you I stand!
Lo! how you have me in your hand;
And if you can requite a man,
Requite me, as you find me than.

6

ECCLESIASTES.

CHAPTER I.

I, SOLOMON, David's son, King of Jerusalem, Chosen by God to teach the Jews, and in his laws to lead them,

Confess, under the Sun that every thing is vain; The world is false; man he is frail, and all his pleasures pain.

Alas! what stable fruit may Adam's children find In that they seek by sweat of brows and travail of their mind!

We, that live on the earth, draw toward our decay; Our children fill our place a while, and then they

vade away.

Such changes makes the earth, and doth remove for none;

But serves us for a place to play our tragedies upon. When that the restless sun westward his course

hath run,

Towards the east he hastes as fast to rise where

he begun.

When hoary Boreas hath blown his frozen blast, Then Zephyrus, with his gentle breath, dissolves the ice as fast.

1 Go, or pass.

Floods that drink up small brooks, and swell by rage of rain,

Discharge in seas; which them repulse, and swallow straight again.

These worldly pleasures, Lord! so swift they run their race,

That scarce our eyes may them discern; they bide so little space.

What hath been but is now; the like hereafter

shall:

What new device grounded so sure, that dreadeth not the fall!

What

may be called new, but such things in times past

As Time buried, and doth revive; and Time again shall waste.

Things past right worthy fame, have now no bruit

at all;

Even so shall die such things as now the simple wonders call.

I, that in David's seat sit crowned, and rejoice, That with my sceptre rule the Jews, and teach them with my voice,

Have searched long to know all things under the

sun;

To see how in this mortal life a surety might be won. This kindled will to know; strange things for to

desire,

God hath graft in our greedy breasts a torment

for our hire.

The end of each travail forthwith I sought to know; I found them vain, mixed with gall, and burthen'd with much woe.

Defaults of nature's work no man's hand may re

store,

Which be in number like the sands upon the salt floods shore.

Then vaunting in my wit, I gan call to my mind. What rules of wisdom I had taught, that elders I could not find.

And, as by contraries to try most things we use, Men's follies, and their errors eke I gan them all

peruse;

Thereby with more delight to knowledge for to climb: But this I found an endless work of pain, and loss

of time.

For he to wisdom's school that doth apply his mind, The further that he wades therein, the greater doubts shall find.

And such as enterprise to put new things in ure, Of some that shall scorn their device, may well themselves assure.

CHAPTER II.

From pensive fancies then I gan my heart revoke; And gave me to such sporting plays as laughter might provoke:

But even such vain delights, when they most blinded [ill agree.

me,

Always, methought, with smiling grace a king did

Then sought I how to please my belly with much

wine,

To feed me fat with costly feasts of rare delights, and fine;

And other pleasures eke to purchase me, with rest: In so great choice to find the thing that might content me best.

But, Lord! what care of mind, what sudden storms

of ire,

What broken sleeps endured I, to compass my

desire.

To build me houses fair then set I all my cure: By princely acts thus strove I still to make my fame endure.

Delicious gardens eke I made to please my sight; And graft therein all kinds of fruits that might my mouth delight.

Conduits, by lively springs from their old course I

drew,

For to refresh the fruitful trees that in my gardens

grew.

Of cattle great increase I bred in little space;

Bondmen I bought; I gave them wives, and serv'd me with their race.

Great heaps of shining gold by sparing gan I save; With things of price so furnished as fits a prince to have.

To hear fair women sing sometime I did rejoice; Ravished with their pleasant tunes, and sweetness of their voice.