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Suche femeth to me, dere
Soueraine, the lyfe of men prefent here in
earthe (for the comparifon of our vncertaine
time, and dayes to lyue) as if a fparowe beaten
with winde, and wether fhuld chaunce to flie
in at one windowe of the parlour, and flitting
there a litle aboute, ftraight waye flye out
at an other, while your grace is at diner
in the prefence of your dukes, Lordes, Capitaines,
and high garde. The parloure it felfe being
then pleafaunt, and warme with a fofte fyre
burning amideft therof, but all places, and
waies abrode troubled with tempefte, raging
ftormes, winter windes, hayle, and fnowe.
Nowe your grace confidereth,
that this fparrowe while it was within the
houfe felt no fmart of tempefteoufe winde
or rayne. But after the fhorte fpace of this
faire wether, and warme ayre, the poore byrd
efcapeth your fight, and returneth from winter
to winter againe.
So the life of man appeareth here in earth,
and is to be fene for a feafon: but what maye,
or fhall folowe the fame, or what hath gon
before it, that furely knowe we not.
The Venerable Bede The History of the Church
of Englande
(translated from Latin into English by Thomas
Stapleton student of divinitie).
)