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