第7章
My bags of gold and land I'd freely give, For to obtain the favour here to live, Until I have a sure foundation laid.
Let me not die before my peace be made!
DEATH.
Thou hast not many minutes here to stay, Lift up your heart to God without delay, Implore his pardon now for what is past, Who knows but He may save your soul at last?
RICH MAN.
I'll water now with tears my dying bed, Before the Lord my sad complaint I'll spread, And if He will vouchsafe to pardon me, To die and leave this world I could be free.
False world! false world, farewell! farewell! adieu!
I find, I find, there is no trust in you!
For when upon a dying bed we lie, Your gilded baits are nought but misery.
My youthful son and loving daughter dear, Take warning by your dying father here;Let not the world deceive you at this rate, For fear a sad repentance comes too late.
Sweet babes, I little thought the other day, I should so suddenly be snatched away By Death, and leave you weeping here behind;But life's a most uncertain thing, I find.
When in the grave my head is lain full low, Pray let not folly prove your overthrow;Serve ye the Lord, obey his holy will, That he may have a blessing for you still.
[Having saluted them, he turned aside, These were the very words before he died]:
A painful life I ready am to leave, Wherefore, in mercy, Lord, my soul receive.
Poem: A DIALOGUE BETWIXT AN EXCISEMAN AND DEATH.
[TRANSCRIBED from a copy in the British Museum, printed in London by J. C[larke]., 1659. The idea of Death being employed to execute a writ, recalls an epitaph which we remember to have seen in a village church-yard at the foot of the Wrekin, in Shropshire, commencing thus:-'The King of Heaven a warrant got, And sealed it without delay, And he did give the same to Death, For him to serve straightway,' &c.]
UPON a time when Titan's steeds were driven To drench themselves beneath the western heaven;And sable Morpheus had his curtains spread, And silent night had laid the world to bed;'Mongst other night-birds which did seek for prey, A blunt exciseman, which abhorred the day, Was rambling forth to seek himself a booty 'Mongst merchant's goods which had not paid the duty;But walking all alone, Death chanced to meet him, And in this manner did begin to greet him.
DEATH.
Stand, who comes here? what means this knave to peep And skulk abroad, when honest men should sleep?
Speak, what's thy name? and quickly tell me this, Whither thou goest, and what thy business is?
EXCISEMAN.
Whate'er my business is, thou foul-mouthed scold, I'd have you know I scorn to be controlled By any man that lives; much less by thou, Who blurtest out thou know'st not what, nor how;I go about my lawful business; and I'll make you smart for bidding of me stand.
DEATH.
Imperious coxcomb! is your stomach vexed?
Pray slack your rage, and hearken what comes next:
I have a writ to take you up; therefore, To chafe your blood, I bid you stand, once more.
EXCISEMAN.
A writ to take ME up! excuse me, sir, You do mistake, I am an officer In public service, for my private wealth;My business is, if any seek by stealth To undermine the state, I do discover Their falsehood; therefore hold your hand, - give over.
DEATH.
Nay, fair and soft! 'tis not so quickly done As you conceive it is: I am not gone A jot the sooner for your hasty chat, Nor bragging language; for I tell you flat 'Tis more than so, though fortune seem to thwart us, Such easy terms I don't intend shall part us.
With this impartial arm I'll make you feel My fingers first, and with this shaft of steel I'll peck thy bones! AS THOU ALIVE WERT HATED, SO DEAD, TO DOGS THOU SHALT BE SEGREGATED.
EXCISEMAN.
I'd laugh at that; I would thou didst but dare To lay thy fingers on me; I'd not spare To hack thy carcass till my sword was broken, I'd make thee eat the words which thou hast spoken;All men should warning take by thy transgression, How they molested men of my profession.
My service to the State is so well known, That should I but complain, they'd quickly own My public grievances; and give me right To cut your ears, before tomorrow night.
DEATH.
Well said, indeed! but bootless all, for IAm well acquainted with thy villany;
I know thy office, and thy trade is such, Thy service little, and thy gains are much:
Thy brags are many; but 'tis vain to swagger, And think to fight me with thy gilded dagger:
AS I ABHOR THY PERSON, PLACE, AND THREAT, So now I'll bring thee to the judgment-seat.
EXCISEMAN.
The judgment-seat! I must confess that word Doth cut my heart, like any sharpened sword:
What! come t' account! methinks the dreadful sound Of every word doth make a mortal wound, Which sticks not only in my outward skin, But penetrates my very soul within.
'Twas least of all my thoughts that ever Death Would once attempt to stop excisemen's breath.
But since 'tis so, that now I do perceive You are in earnest, then I must relieve Myself another way: come, we'll be friends;If I have wronged thee, I'll make th' amends.
Let's join together; I'll pass my word this night Shall yield us grub, before the morning light.
Or otherwise (to mitigate my sorrow), Stay here, I'll bring you gold enough to-morrow.
DEATH.
To-morrow's gold I will not have; and thou Shalt have no gold upon to-morrow: now My final writ shall to th' execution have thee, All earthly treasure cannot help or save thee.
EXCISEMAN.
Then woe is me! ah! how was I befooled!
I thought that gold (which answereth all things) could Have stood my friend at any time to bail me!
But grief grows great, and now my trust doth fail me.
Oh! that my conscience were but clear within, Which now is racked with my former sin;With horror I behold my secret stealing, My bribes, oppression, and my graceless dealing;My office-sins, which I had clean forgotten, Will gnaw my soul when all my bones are rotten:
I must confess it, very grief doth force me, Dead or alive, both God and man doth curse me.
LET ALL EXCISEMEN hereby warning take, To shun their practice for their conscience sake.
Poem: THE MESSENGER OF MORTALITY; OR LIFE AND DEATH CONTRASTED IN ADIALOGUE BETWIXT DEATH AND A LADY.