Behold, thou hast made my days as it were a span long: and mine age is even as nothing in respect of

thee; and verily every man living is altogether vanity. For man walketh in a vain shadow, and disqui-

eteth himself in vain: he heapeth up riches, and cannot tell who shall gather them. And now, Lord,

what is my hope: truly my hope is even in thee. Deliver me from all mine offences: and make me not

a rebuke unto the foolish. I became dumb, and opened not my mouth: for it was thy doing.

Psalm 39: 6–10

We whose names are here underwritten: having been called to give our counsels to Mr. Orlando Gib-

bons; in the time of his late and sudden sickness, which we found in the beginning lethargical, or a

profound sleep; out of which, we could never recover him, neither by inward nor outward medicines,

& then instantly he fell in most strong, & sharp convulsions; which did wring his mouth up to his

ears, & his eyes were distorted, as though they would have been thrust out of his head & then sud-

denly he lost both speech, sight and hearing, & so grew apoplectical & lost the whole motion of every

part of his body, & so died.

From the autopsy of Orlando Gibbons, 1625

Take thy plague away from me: I am even consumed by the means of thy heavy hand. When thou

with rebukes dost chasten man for sin, thou makest his beauty to consume away, like as it were a

moth fretting a garment: every man therefore is but vanity. Hear my prayer, O Lord, and with thine

ears consider my calling: hold not thy peace at my tears. For I am a stranger with thee: and a so-

journer, as all my fathers were. O spare me a little, that I may recover my strength: before I go hence,

and be no more seen.

Psalm 39: 11–14