Description of a Religiovs Hovse and Condition of Life (Ovt of Barclay.)

No roofes of gold o're riotous tables shiningWhole dayes and suns, deuour'd with endlesse dining.No sailes of Tyrian sylk, proud pauements sweeping,Nor iuory couches costlyer slumber keeping;False lights of flairing gemmes; tumultuous ioyes;Halls full of flattering men and frisking boyes;What'ere false showes of short and slippery goodMix the mad sons of men in mutuall blood.But walkes, and vnshorn woods; and soules, iust soVnforc't and genuine; but not shady tho.Our lodgings hard and homely as our fare,That chast and cheap, as the few clothes we weare.Those, course and negligent, as the naturall lockesOf these loose groues; rough as th' vnpolish't rockes.A hasty portion of praescribed sleep;Obedient slumbers, that can wake and weep,And sing, and sigh, and work, and sleep again;Still rowling a round spear of still-returning pain.Hands full of harty labours; paines that payAnd prize themselves: doe much, that more they may,And work for work, not wages; let to-morrow'sNew drops, wash off the sweat of this daye's sorrows.A long and dayly-dying life, which breathsA respiration of reuiuing deaths.But neither are there those ignoble stingsThat nip the blossome of the World's best things,And lash Earth-labouring souls....No cruell guard of diligent cares, that keepCrown'd woes awake, as things too wise for sleep:But reuerent discipline, and religious fear,And soft obedience, find sweet biding here;Silence, and sacred rest; peace, and pure ioyes;Kind loues keep house, ly close, make no noise;And room enough for monarchs, while none swellsBeyond the kingdomes of contentfull cells.The self-remembring sovl sweetly recouersHer kindred with the starrs; not basely houersBelow: but meditates her immortall wayHome to the originall sourse of Light and intellectuall day