Then should I take my ease, quoth he,
In beds of down with my fair wife?
O king, he said, that must not be,
So long as I enjoy my life.

Then did the king a letter frame
To Joab, general of the host,
And by Uriah sent the same,
But certainly his life it cost.

SECOND PART.

And when the king for certain knew, Uriah thus had murdered been, Fair Bath-sheba to court he drew, And made of her his royal queen,

Then God, that saw his wicked deed, Was angry at King David's sin, The prophet Nathan then with speed Came thus complaining unto him.

O David, ponder what I say,

A great abuse I sh

For thou that rul'st

Should see the pe

Two men within the city dwell
The one is rich, the other poor,
The rich in cattle doth excell,

The other nothing had in store.

Saving one little silly sheep,

Which young he did with money buy, With his own bread he did it feed Amongst his children tenderly.

The rich man had a stranger come,
Unto his house, that lov'd him dear,
The poor man's sheep therefore he took,
And thereof made his friend good chear.

Because that he his own would save,
He us'd the man thus cruelly,

Then by the Lord, the king did swear,
The rich man for that fault should die.

Thou art the man, the prophet said,

Thy princely crown God gave to thee, Thy lord's wives thou thy own hast made, And many more of fair beauty.

Why hast thou so defiled thy life,
And slain Uriah with thy sword,
And taken home his wedded wife,

Regarding not God's holy word,

Therefore behold, thus saith the Lord, Great wars upon thy house shall be, Because thou hast my laws abhorr'd, Much ill, be sure, I'll raise on thee.

I'll take thy wives before thy face,
And give them to thy neighbour's use,
And thou thereby shall have disgrace,
For men shall laugh at thine abuse.

Then David cried out piteously,

Sore have I sinned against the Lord,

Have mercy, God, therefore on me,
Let not my prayers be abhorr'd,

But as the prophet told to him,
So did it after chance indeed,
For God did greatly plague his sin,
As in the Bible you may read.

The scourge of sin thus you may see,
For murder and adultery,

Lord grant that we may warned be,

Such crying sins to shun and fly!

LXXIV.

"THE DEAD MAN'S SONG,

Whose dwelling was neere unto Bassings Hall in

London."

To the tune of Flying Fame.

SORE sick, dear friends, long time I was,

And weakly laid in bed,

And for five hours, in all men's sight,

At length I lay as dead.

The bell rung out, my friends came in,
And I key cold was found,

Then was my carcase brought from bed
And cast upon the ground.

My loving wife did weep full sore,
And children loud did cry,

My friends did mourn, yet thus they said,
All flesh is born to die.

My winding sheet prepared was,
My grave was also made,
And five long hours, by just report
In this same case I laid.

During which time my soul did see
Such strange and fearful sights,
That for to hear the same disclos'd,
Would banish all delights.

Yet sith the Lord restor❜d my life,
Which from my body fled,

I will declare what sights I saw,
That time that I was dead.

Methought along a gallant green,
Where pleasant flowers sprung,
I took my way, whereas I thought
The Muses sweetly sung.

The grass was sweet, the trees full fair,

And lovely to behold,

And full of fruit was every twig,

Which shin'd like glistering gold.

My cheerful heart desired much
To taste the fruit so fair:

But as I reached, a fair young man
To me did fast repair.