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From “Third Part of Henry VI.,” Act II. Sc. 5.
KING HENRY.—O God! methinks, it were a happy life, | |
| To be no better than a homely swain; | |
| To sit upon a hill, as I do now, | |
| To carve out dials quaintly, point by point, | |
| Thereby to see the minutes how they run: | 5 |
| How many make the hour full complete, | |
| How many hours bring about the day, | |
| How many days will finish up the year, | |
| How many years a mortal man may live. | |
| When this is known, then to divide the times:— | 10 |
| So many hours must I tend my flock; | |
| So many hours must I take my rest; | |
| So many hours must I contemplate; | |
| So many hours must I sport myself; | |
| So many days my ewes have been with young; | 15 |
| So many weeks ere the poor fools will ean; | |
| So many years ere I shall shear the fleece: | |
| So minutes, hours, days, months, and years, | |
| Passed over to the end they were created, | |
| Would bring white hairs unto a quiet grave. | 20 |
| Ah, what a life were this! how sweet! how lovely! | |
| Gives not the hawthorn bush a sweeter shade | |
| To shepherds, looking on their silly sheep, | |
| Than doth a rich embroidered canopy | |
| To kings that fear their subjects’ treachery? | 25 |
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