Iucundum, cum atas florida ver ageret
     [Footnote:  Catul.  Eleg. iv. 16.]

     When my age flourishing
     Did spend its pleasant spring.

Being amongst faire Ladies, and in earnest play, some have thought me busied, or musing with my selfe, how to digest some jealousie, or meditating on the uncertaintie of some conceived hope, when God he knowes, I was entertaining my selfe with the remembrance of some one or other, that but few daies before was taken with a burning fever, and of his sodaine end, comming from such a feast or meeting where I was my selfe, and with his head full of idle conceits, of lore, and merry glee; supposing the same, either sickness or end, to be as neere me as him.

    Iam fuerit, nec post, unquam revocare licebit.
    [Footnote:  Lucr.  I. iii. 947.]

    Now time would be, no more You can this time restore.

I did no more trouble my selfe or frowne at such conceit, [Idea.] than at any other.  It is impossible we should not apprehend or feele some motions or startings at such imaginations at the first, and comming sodainely upon us; but doubtlesse, he that shall manage and meditate upon them with an impartiall eye, they will assuredly, in tract [Course.] of time, become familiar to him:  Otherwise, for my part, I should be in continuall feare and agonie; for no man did ever more distrust his life, nor make lesse account of his continuance:  Neither can health, which hitherto I have so long enjoied, and which so seldome hath beene crazed, [Enfeebled.] lengthen my hopes, nor any sicknesse shorten them of it.  At every minute me thinkes I make an escape.  And I uncessantly record unto my selfe, that whatsoever may be done another day, may be effected this day.  Truly hazards and dangers doe little or nothing approach us at our end:  And if we consider, how many more there remaine, besides this accident, which in number more than millions seeme to threaten us, and hang over us; we shall find, that be we sound or sicke, lustie or weake, at sea or at land, abroad or at home, fighting or at rest, in the middest of a battell or, in our beds, she is ever alike neere unto us.  Nemo altero fragilior est, nemo in crastinum sui certior:  “No man is weaker then other; none surer of himselfe (to live) till to morrow.”  Whatsoever I have to doe before death, all leasure to end the same seemeth short unto me, yea were it but of one houre.  Some body, not long since turning over my writing tables, found by chance a memoriall of something I would have done after my death:  I told him (as indeed it was true), that being but a mile from my house, and in perfect health and lustie, I had made haste to write it, because I could not assure my self I should ever come home in safety:  As one that am ever hatching of mine owne thoughts, and place them in my selfe:  I am ever prepared about that which I may be:  nor can death (come when she please) put me in mind of any new thing.  A man should ever, as much as in him lieth, be ready booted to take his journey, and above all things, looke he have then nothing to doe but with himselfe.