Classic Poem

The thundringe God whose all-embracinge powre
Circles ye modell of this spatious rounde
When first he fram'd old Adams earthly bowre
ordain'd all thinges t h ' Emperiall vaile doth bound
Should lend their aide to others mutuallie
but all combinde serue man continuallie.

So heau'n w th heate, the dankish aire w th dew
this solid element of Earth reuiue
with gentle warm'th & robes of verdant hew
on w ch the horned Kyne & sheepe do liue
And as those bodies ministred their good
So they againe do turne to humane foode.

Man seru'd of all, seru'd none of all but God
but mighte his pleasures take w th out controule
Saue onely what Jehouah had forbod
the carefull Soueraigne of his simple soule.
This was the age wise Poets term'd of gold
for liberty in dearest prize they holde.

But theis succeedinge Seasons arm'd in steele,
Tramples hir downe & in tryumphant sorte
Not fearinge like contempts of fate to feele
Leades hir as Captiue, mate to poorest sorte
Yet Patience promis'd Liberty distrest
should reape for paine, a gayne, for vnrest, rest.

W ch Prophesy of hirs indeede mighte serue
for a perswation that my seruice done
would at the length enfranchisem t deserue
w th aunsw r to mine expectation.
But when I thinke twas Patience it spoke
the golden vessell of my hope is broke.

For she's a Sainte & scorninge vniust earth
is fledd to heau'n. All vertues are ingros't
In Gods owne hand, tis it w ch breedes the dearth
of due rewardes, & makes my labour lost
Or at the moste repaies my louinge minde
w th large delayes, vaine wordes & some vnkinde.

Since then the first worlde can not be recald
nor this our rusty Iron age refinde
Since Patience is in starry heau'n instald
Let euery Seruitour beare this in minde
That howsoeu'r he serue, obserue, deserue
if nought but Aire he purchase he may sterue.