But, and[1537] the cruell fates so fixed bee, That tyme forepast cannot retourne agayne, This one request of Ioue yet prayed hee: That, in such withred plight, and wretched paine, As eld, accompanied with his[1538] lothsome trayne, Had brought on him, all were it woe and griefe, Hee might a while yet linger forth his liefe. 46. And not so soone discend into the pit: Where _Death_, when hee the mortall corps hath slayne, With retchlesse hand in graue doth couer it, Therafter neuer to enioy agayne The gladsome light, but, in the ground ylayne, In depth of darknesse wast and weare to nought, As hee had nere[1539] into the world bene brought. 47. But who had seene him, sobbing, how hee stoode, Unto himselfe, and how hee would bemone His youth forepast, as though it wrought him good To talke of youth, all were his youth foregone, Hee would haue musde, and meruaylde much, whereon This wretched _Age_ should life desire so fayne, And knowes full well lyfe doth but length his payne. 48. Crookebackt hee was, toothshaken, and blere eyde, Went on three feete, and somtyme,[1540] crept on fowre, With olde lame boanes, that ratled by his syde, His scalpe all pild, and hee with eld forlore: His withred fist still knocking at _Death’s_ dore, Fumbling, and driueling, as hee drawes his breath,[1541] For briefe, the shape and messenger of _Death_. 49. And fast by him pale _Malady_ was plaste, Sore sicke in bed, her coulour all foregone, Bereft of stomacke, sauour, and of taste, Ne could shee brooke no meate, but broths alone: Her breath corrupt, her kepers euery one Abhorring her, her sicknes past recure, Detesting phisicke, and all phisicke’s cure. 50. But, oh,[1542] the dolefull sight that then wee see, Wee tournd our looke, and, on the other side, A griesly shape of _Famine_ mought wee see, With greedy lookes, and gaping mouth, that cryed And roarde for meate, as shee should there haue dyed, Her body thin, and bare as any bone, Whereto was left nought but the case alone. 51. And that, alas, was gnawne on euery where, All full of holes, that I ne mought refrayne From tears, to see how shee her armes could teare, And with her teeth gnash on the bones in vayne: When, all for nought, shee fayne would so sustayne Her staruen corps, that rather seemde a shade, Then any substaunce of a creature made. 52.