The Hymns and Carols of Christmas

The Map of Mortalitie

For The New Year

English Traditional

Imprinted at London by R.B. for William Lugger, and are to be sould at his shop in Holborne, ouer against S. Andrewes Church, 1604.

Source:
The Map of Mortalitie, HEH Britwell 18319
The Huntington Collection
Located at English Broadside Ballad Archive
University of California, Santa Barbara

As by first Adam all doe die
So in me all are made alive.
Deaths swallowed up in victory,
And I aeternall life do give.

Proude earth behould, as thou art we shall bee.
Against the grave, can no defence be made.
Dust will to dust, as thou art once were wee:
Worldes vaineglorie doth thus to nothing fade.

Man doth consume as water spilt on sande.
Like lightnings flash, his life is seene and gone:
Our part is plaide, your part is now in hand,
Death strikes unwares, and striking spareth none.

Life is a debt to death, all men must die:
But when, where, how, the Lord alone doth knowe.
As death leaves thee, even so undoubtedlie
Judgement shall find thee when last trump shall blowe.

Consider this o man whilst it is day,
Thine owne Christes death, for thee (if thou be his)
Vile worldes deceites, helles torments, heavens joy.
Provide to day: in night no comfort is,

In season calme, with Noah build an arke:
With Joseph lay up store in plenties tyme:
How to be savd, let be thy chiefest cark,
Returne to God, repent thee of thy cryme:

That come death late, earlie, or when he list,
It be birth day of thine eternitie.
Of righteous men live thou the life in Christ:
Then sure the death of righteous shalt thou die.

Die to the world, the pompes thereof forsake,
That Christ may come and live with thee in love:
So in the world, when thou shalt farewell take
Thou maist goe dwell with Christ in heaven above.

Youth well to live, age well to die should care:
In life, for death: in death for life prepare.

Sithe Adams fall did fill the world with sinne,
Whereby mans dayes (few) dayes of sorrow bin,
His life, no life, rather calamitie,
And worldes best pleasures, but meere vanitie:

Sith beautie, strength and wit, flowers fading bee,
Man made of dust, to dust must turne againe:
Sith all must die, by gods most just decree,
And death no torment is, but rest from paine:

Why should fraile flesh feare death, that ends all woes,
That salves all sores, and takes man from his foes?
His shape though ougly tis, he bringeth peace,
Stints strife, ends cares, gives life, and wisht-for ease.

Men dying, sleepe: sleeping, from travell rest,
To live in joy for ever with the blest.
Rather embrace, then feare so good a friend:
Yet wish not for him; that in sinne doth end:

But greater sinne, to feare him sure it is,
That troubles ends, and brings eternall blisse.
To faithfull soule, deaths full of comfortes sweete,
That longeth with his Christ in Cloudes to meete.

In earth nought sweeter is to wisedomes sense,
Then to prepare for peace-full passage hence.
For, wise man all his life should meditate
On death: that come he sodaine, soone, or late,

He is prepared to entertaine him so,
As Captives do, redeeming friends from woe.
Live well thou maist: but canst not live long. Even
So live, that death may leave thee fit for heaven:

And feare not death; pale, ouglie though he be.
Thou art in thrall, he comes to set thee free.

"And fear not Death — pale, ugly though he be.
You are in bondage, He comes to set you free."

Click here for a full sized copy: The Map Of Mortalitie

Note:

Some types of New Year's ballads were intended to spark the conscience, and were paired with Christmas ballads during these times, with the ultimate goal to be a reminder of the Second Advent (the Second Coming of Christ, and the subsequent Judgment). Examples of such ballads include:

Other New Year's Broadsides include:

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