And by his belt his book he hanging had ; And to the ground his eyes were lowly bent, And all the way he prayed as he went, And often knockt his breast, as one that did repent. $ 79. Idleness. Of which the first, that all the rest did guide, And in his hand a portesse still he bare, Still drown'd in sleep, and most of his days Scarce could he once uphold his heavy head When such an one had guiding of the way, That knew not whether right he went, or else astray. From worldly cares himself he did esloine, And greatly shunned manly exercise For every work he challenged effoine, By which he grew to grievous maladie; At last, with creeping crooked forth came pace, An old man, with beard as white as snow, That on a staffe his feeble steps did frame, And guide his weary steps both to and fro; For his eye-sight him fail'd long ago; And on his arme a bunch of keys he bore, The which, unus'd, rust did overgrowe: Those were the keys of every inward dore; But he could not them use, but kept them still in store. But very uncouth sight was to behold For as he forward mov'd his footing old, Both feet and face one way are wont to lead; The Wandring Islands: therefore do them shonne; [wight For they have oft drawn many a wandring Into most deadly danger and distressed plight. Yet well they seem to him, that farre doth view, Both faire and fruitful, and the ground dispred His foot thereon, may never yet recure, And lusted after all that he did love, Ne would his looser life be tied to law, If from their loyal loves he might them move; paine Of that foul evill which all men reprove: That rots the marrow and consumes the braine : Such one was Lechery, the third of all this traine. $ 84. Life. O WHY doe wretched men so much desire To draw their days unto the utmost date, And doe not rather wish them soon expire, Knowing the misery of their estate, And thousand perils which them still awaite, Tossing themselves like a boat amid the maine That every hour they knock at deathes gate? And he that happy seemes, and least in paine, Yet is as nigh his end, as he that most doth plaine. The whiles some one did chaunt this lovely lay; Ah see, who so faire thing dost faine to see, Thus fairer seems, the less you see her may; Lo, see soon after, how more hold and free Her bared bosom she doth broad display; Lo, see soon after, how she fades and falls Well did antiquitie a god thee deeme, That over mortal minds has so great might, To order them as best to thee doth seeme, And all their actions to direct aright; The fatal purpose of divine foresight Thou dost effect in destined descents, Through deep impression of thy secret might; And stirredst up the heroes high intents, Which the late world admires for wondrous monuments. Wondrous it is to see in diverse mindes, How diversely Love doth his pageants play, And shews his power in variable kinds : The baser wit, whose idle thoughts alway, Are wont to cleave unto the lowly clay, It stirreth up to sensual desire, And in lewd sloth to wast its careless day; But in brave sprite it kindles goodly fire, That to all high desert and honour doth aspire. Ne suffereth uncomely idleness In his free thought to build her sluggish nest; Ne suffereth it thought of ungentleness, Ever to creep into his noble brest; But to the highest and the worthiest Lifteth it up, that else would lowly fall: It lets not fall, it lets it not to rest : It lets not scarce this prince to breathe at all, But to his first pursuit him forward still doth call. She led him up into a goodly bowre, In braided trammells, that no looser hares Did out of order stray about her dainty eares. Betwixt them both the fair Medina sate, With sober grace, and goodly carriage: With equall measure she doth moderate The strong extremities of their outrage: That forward pair she ever would asswage, When they would strive due reason to exceed; But that same froward twaine would accourage, And of her plenty adde unto their need: So kept she them in order, and herself in heed. § 90. Mercy. THEY, passing by, were guided by degree Unto the pressance of that gratious queen: Who sate on high, that she might all men see, And might of all men royally be seene, Upon a throne of gold full bright and sheene; Adorned all with gemmes of endless price, As either might for wealth have gotten been, Or could be fram'd by workman's rare device; And all embost with lyons and with flowre-delice. And over all her cloth of state was spred, Not of rich tissew, nor of cloth of gold, Nor of aught else that may be richest red, But like a cloud, as likest be told, may That her broad spreading wings did wide unfold; Whose skirts were bordered with bright sunny beames, Glistring like gold, amongst the plights enrold, And here and there shooting forth silver streames, Seemed those little angels did uphold The cloth of state, and on their purpled wings Did bear the pendants, thro' their nimbless bold, Besides a thousand more of such, as sings Hymnes to high God, and carols heavenly things, Encompassed the throne, on which she sate: She angel-like, the heir of ancient kings And mighty conquerors, in royal state, Whilst kings and Cæsars at her feet did them prostrate. Thus she did sit in sovereign majestie, Holding a sceptre in her royal hand, The sacred pledge of peace and clemencie, With which high God had blest her happy land, Maugre so many foes which did withstand. But at her feet her sword was likewise layd, Whose long rest rusted the bright steely brand, Yet when as foes enforc't, or friends sought ayde, [maide. She could it sternly draw, that all the world dis Some clerks doe doubt in their deviceful art, Whether this heavenly thing, whereof I treat, To weeten, mercy, be of justice part, Or drawne forth from her by divine extreate. This well I wote; that sure she is as great, And meriteth to have as high a place, Sith in th' Almightie's everlasting seat race; She first was bred, and borne of heavenly [of grace. From thence pour'd down on men, by influence For if that virtue be of that great might, Which from just verdict will for nothing start, But to preserve inviolated right, Oft spoils the principal to save the part; So much more then is that of powre and art, Yet never doth for doom of right depart: That seekes to save the subject of her skill, As it is greater praise to save, than spill; And better to reforme, than to cut off the ill. $91. Minerva. LIKE as Minerva, being late return'd From slaughter of the giants conquered: Where proud Encelade, whose wide nosetrils burn'd With breathed flames, like to a furnace red, Transfixed with his spear, down tumbled dead From top of Hemus, by him heaped hie, Hath loos'd her helmet from her lofty head, And her Gorgonian shield gins to untie From her left arme, to rest in glorious victorie. § 92. Morning. Ar last fair Hesperus, in his highest sky Had spent his lamp, and brought forth dawning light, Then up he rose, and clad him hastily; The dwarfe him brought his steed: so both away did fly. Another. Now when the rosy-finger'd morning faire, Weary of aged Tithon's saffron bed, Soon as the fiery streakes with purple beames Disperse the shadowes of the misty night, And Titan playing on the easterne streames, Gan cleare the deawy aire with springing light: So soon as day, forth dawning from the east, Night's humid curtaine from the heavens withdrew, And early calling forth both man and beast, Commanded them their daily workes renew. § 93. Mountain. Ir was an hill plac'd in an open plaine, That round about was bordered with a wood Of matchless height, that seem'd th' earth to disdaine, In which all trees of honour stately stood, Spreading pavilions for the birds to bowre, Sitting like king of fowles in majesty and powre. And at the foot thereof, a gentle flood His silver waves did softly tumble down, Unmarr'd with ragged moss or filthy mud; Ne mote wild beasts, ne mote the ruder clowne There to approach, ne filth mote therein drowne : But nymphs and faeries by the bankes did sit, In the wood shade, which did the waters crowne, Keeping all noisome things away from it, And to the waters fall tuning their accents fit. And on the top thereof a spatious plaine Did spread itself, to serve to all delight, Either to dance, when they to dance would faine, Or else to course about their bases light: Ne ought there wanted, which for pleasure might Desired be, or thence to banish bale: So pleasantly the hill, with equal height, Did seem to overlook the lowly vale, Therefore it rightly cleeped was Mount Acidale. $94. Mutability. SUCH is the weakness of all mortall hope; So fickle is the state of earthly things, That ere they come into their aimed scope, They fall so short of our fraile reckonings, Now when as all the world in silence deep Yshrowded was, and every mortal wight Was drowned in the depth of deadly sleep. Night, thou foule mother of annoyance sad, Sister of heavy death, and nurse of woe, Which was begot in heaven, but for thy bad And brutish shape, thrust down to hell below, Where, by the grim floud of Cocytus slowe, That dwelling is Herebus' black hous, (Black Herebus, thy husband, is the foe Of all the Gods) where thou ungracious, Half of thy days doest lead in horrour hedeous. What had th' Eternal Maker need of thee, The world in his continual course to keep, That doest all things deface, ne lettest see The beauties of his work? Indeed in sleep The slothful body doth love to steep His lustless limbs, and drowne his baser mind; Doth praise thee oft, and oft from Stygian deep, Calls thee his goddess, in his errour blind, And great dame Nature's hand-maid chearing every kind. But well I wote, that to an heavy heart Thou art the root and nurse of bitter cares, Breeder of new, renewer of old smart; Instead of rest, thou lendest rayling tears, And dreadful visions, in the which alive, The dreary image of sad death appears: So from the warie spirite thou dost drive Desired rest, and men of happiness deprive. Under thy mantle black there hidden lye, Light-shunning theft, and trayterous intent, Abhorred bloudshed, and vile felony, Shameful deceipt, and danger iminent; Foule horror, and eke hellish dreriment: All these (I wote) in thy protection bee, And light doe shunne, for fear being shent: For, light ylike is loth'd of them and thee, And all that fewdness love, doe hate the light to see. For day discovers all dishonest wayes, And sheweth each thing as it is indeed; The prayses of high God he fair displayes, And his large bounty rightly doth areed, Days blessed children be the blessed seed, Which darkness shall subdue, and heaven win: Truth is his daughter, he her first did breed, Most sacred virgin, without spot or sin : Our life is day; but death with darkness doth begin. Now gan the humid vapour shed the ground With pearly dew, and the earth's gloomy shade Did dim the brightness of the welkin round, That every bird and beast awarned made To shrowd themselves, while sleep their senses did invade. peep His dwelling is; there Thetys his wet bed Doth ever wash, and Cynthia still doth steep In silver dew his ever drouping head, Whiles sad night over him her mantle black doth spread. Whose double gates he findeth locked fast, The one fair fram'd with burnish'd ivory, The other all with silver overcast; And wakefull dogges before them farre doe lye, Watching to banish Care their enemy, Who oft is wont to trouble gentle sleep. By them the spright doth pass in quietly, And unto Morpheus comes, whom drowned deep, In drowsie fit he finds of nothing he takes keep. And more to lull him in his slumbers soft, A trickling stream from high rock tumbling down, And ever drizling raine upon the loft, Mixt with a murmuring wind, much like the sound Of swarming bees, did cast him in a swoone: No other noise, nor peoples troublous cryes, As still are wont t'annoy the walled town, Might there be heard: but careless quiet lies, Wrapt in eternal silence, farre from enemies. § 98. Tyger. As when two tygers, pinch'd with hunger's rage, Have by good fortune found some beast's fresh spoyle, On which they ween their famin to asswage, And gaine a feastful guerdon of their toyle, Both falling out, do stir up strife-full broyle, And cruel battell 'twixt themselves do make, Whiles neither lets the other touch the spoyle, But either 'sdeignes with other to partake. Another. As when a tyger and a lyoness Both challenge it with equal greediness: Doth in defence thereof full stoutly stond, To which the lyon strongly doth gainsay, That she to hunt the beast first took in hond: And therefore ought it have, wherever she it found. |