Euen as the naked woods, whose greene is lost, Clad in hoare, their ruth do seeme to show, In teares turn’d t’ysicles by wintrie frost: So I my head made white with age and woe, While from th’eyes organs teares downe drizeling flow, When as I did perceiue approching death, Thus tooke my last farewell with fainting breath. 125. “Adiew the daies, that did my dole prolong, Adiew the nights, that vexed me so soare, Adiew false fortune, cause of all my wrong, Who laughes to scorne the fame I won of yore, Adiew O wrongfull world for euermore: Ye that conspir’d my sorowes to renew Both daies, nights, fortune, world and all adew. 126. These hands to thee (O God) that for a gift Thine owne deare Sonne for sin to death did yeeld, These hands, I say, to thee I now do lift, Which once did beare thy badge in brazen shield, Against the Pagan foes in many a field, Beseeching thee, from whom all mercies flowes, To grant such grace, as death may end my woes. 127. Twice fortie yeares and more, my daies haue ben, And twice fifteene the Ram his race hath runne, Since first, O Cardiffe, as in darkesome den, Within thy walles mew’d vp from sight of sunne, Forlorne, to mourne my fortunes I begunne: Then pitie take, O God, on th’aged blind, Death now begins my captiue bands t’vnbind. 128. Leade on, leade on, vnto that heau’nly place, Where in eternall blisse my soule must dwell, Flie faith before, sue penitence for grace, Backe, backe, my griefe, and vnto _Henrie_ tell, _Beauchamp_ is dead, Cardiffe adew, farewell:” This said, I downe did sinke into my bed, In which my soule did leaue the bodie dead. 129. Thus hast thou heard the Norman’s blind duke tell His fame in forren parts, the wretched wracke Of his renowne, and cause for which he fell: The iudge of heau’n to punish is not slacke, Where men do cast heau’n’s gifts behind their backe: Of which let my sad life in Cardiffe lead, A lasting Mirrour be, though I be dead. THE MEMORABLE LIFE _and death of King Richard the_ first, surnamed Cœur de Lion. THE ARGUMENT.