My heart is cold; I tremble at the news; There’s bags of gold, if thou wilt me excuse, And seize on them, and finish thou the strife Of those that are aweary of their life. Are there not many bound in prison strong, In bitter grief of soul have languished long, Who could but find the grave a place of rest, From all the grief in which they are oppressed? Besides, there’s many with a hoary head, And palsy joints, by which their joys are fled; Release thou them whose sorrows are so great, But spare my life to have a longer date. DEATH. Though some by age be full of grief and pain, Yet their appointed time they must remain: I come to none before their warrant’s sealed, And when it is, they must submit and yield. I take no bribe, believe me, this is true; Prepare yourself to go; I’m come for you. LADY. Death, be not so severe, let me obtain A little longer time to live and reign! Fain would I stay if thou my life will spare; I have a daughter beautiful and fair, I’d live to see her wed whom I adore: Grant me but this and I will ask no more. DEATH. This is a slender frivolous excuse; I have you fast, and will not let you loose; Leave her to Providence, for you must go Along with me, whether you will or no; I, Death, command the King to leave his crown, And at my feet he lays his sceptre down! Then if to kings I don’t this favour give, But cut them off, can you expect to live Beyond the limits of your time and space! No! I must send you to another place. LADY. You learnèd doctors, now express your skill, And let not Death of me obtain his will; Prepare your cordials, let me comfort find, My gold shall fly like chaff before the wind. DEATH. Forbear to call, their skill will never do, They are but mortals here as well as you: I give the fatal wound, my dart is sure, And far beyond the doctor’s skill to cure. How freely can you let your riches fly To purchase life, rather than yield to die! But while you flourish here with all your store, You will not give one penny to the poor; Though in God’s name their suit to you they make, You would not spare one penny for His sake! The Lord beheld wherein you did amiss, And calls you hence to give account for this! LADY.