Contents -BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD

Edward Farr, ed. Select Poetry of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth. 1845.

A Freendly Admonition

XXXIII. Richard Hill

YE stately wights, that liue in quiet rest

Through worldly wealth which God hath giuen to you,

Lament with teares and sighes from dolefull brest

The shame and power that vice obtaineth now:

Behold how God dooth daylie proffer grace,

Yet we disdaine repentance to imbrace.

The suddes of sinne doo soke into the minde,

And cancred vice dooth vertue quite expell;

No change to good, alas! can resting finde,

Our wicked hartes so stoutly do rebell.

Not one there is that hasteth to amend,

Though God from heauen his daylie threats downe send.

We are so slow to change our blamefull life;

We are so prest to snatch a luring vice;

Such greedy hartes on euerie side be rife;

So few that guide their will by counsell wise,

To let our teares lament the wretched case,

And call to God for vndeserued grace.

You worldly wights, that haue your fancies fixt

On slipper ioy of terraine pleasures here;

Let some remorse in all your deeds be mixt;

Whiles you haue time, let some redresse appeare.

Of sodaine death the hower you shall not know;

And looke for death, although it seemeth slow.

Oh, be no iudge in other men’s offence,

But purge thyselfe and seek to make thee free:

Let euerie one apply his diligence,

A chaunge to good within himselfe to see.

O God, direct our feete in such a stay,

From canckred vice to shun the hatefull way.