When hee, who by his conquering Arme, possest The rich, and spacious Empires of the _East_, Felt his approaching end; he bade them beare A _Shirt_ throughout his _Armie_, on a _Speare_, Proclaiming, that of all his large estate, No more was left him, then, but only that: Perhaps intending, thereby, to expresse, A sorrow for his wilde _Ambitiousnesse_; Or, hoping, by that _Spectacle_, to give Some good _Instructions_ unto those that live. However, let it serve us, to declare, How vaine their toylings, and ambitions are, Who rob themselves, and other men of rest, For things that are so little while possest. And, if that powerfull King, could nothing have, That was of use, to carry to his _Grave_, (Of all his conquered _Kingdomes_) but, one _Shirt_, Or, _Winding sheet_, to hide his Royall durt; Why should we pinch, and scrape, and vext become, To heap up Riches, for we know not whom? Or, macerate the _Flesh_, by raising strife, For more, than will bee usefull during life? Nay, ev’n for that, which sometimes shortens _breath_, And makes us, also, wretched after _Death_. _Let mee, oh God! my labour so employ, That, I, a competencie may enjoy. I aske no more, than may =Lifes= want supply, And, leave their due to others, when I =die=. If this thou grant, (which nothing doubt I can) None ever liv’d, or dy’d a richer man._ _When =Hopes=, quite frustrate were become, The =Wither’d-branch= did freshly bloome._ [Illustration: INSPERATA FLORUIT. ILLVSTR. IX. _Book. 4_]