Part 2 — CLXXI

Laid in my quiet bed in study as I were I saw within my troubled head a heap of thoughts appear, And every thought did show so lively in mine eyes, That now I sigh'd, and then I smiled, as cause of thoughts did rise. I saw the little boy, in thought how oft that he Did wish of God, to 'scape the rod, a tall young man to be, The young man eke that feels his bones with pain opprest, How he would be a rich old man, to live and lie at rest! The rich old man that sees his end draw on so sore, How would he be a boy again to live so much the more. Whereat full oft I smiled, to see how all those three, From boy to man, from man to boy, would chop and change degree.