the sacred natures hest Which wold the bred shuld brede agayn which made such ioyful rest In wedlock bed thee not to feare but rather to allure Why wilt thou nature thus withstande no hurt in Venus lure There is if hir thou lawful vse with meane and not excesse But to much vsde she strength abates and drownes the valiantnesse Destroyes the wit and shortneth life Now must we here display dame Venus soÌ„ne whose force doth cause both man and God obay Who brond withal and quiuered shafts makes all the world afrayd To whome though yet a boy and blind hath euery thing obayd That earth or sea did euer breede or heauens hie contayne O Lord what rage of flames and fyre in euery place to rayne This boy hath causd what force haste y e O quiuered Cupide now No strength thy power may once resist thy conquest makes to bow Both beast and Man and Gods aboue with dartes of thine alone His heart through pearcd full oft hath made the thuÌ„dring God to grone And diuers shapes on him to take hys lightning laide a syde And region left of starry skyes on wretched soile to slide Hath not disdainde sometime the forme of Egle swift to beare Sometime a bull with frowuing face sometimes a shepheards cheare On him to put sometime to seme a snake and now and than With flames to come in Satirs shape now golde now like a swan Neptunus also once ychanged to fluddes of Enepey While he poore wretch thy dart did feele with Salmonide he lay And oft a Dolphin would he seeme a Ram or Horse to be With all the seas he coulde not quenche the flames that burnte by thee In breast so blinde and heart of him a tale to long it were Like actes of all the Gods to shewe to thee in order here How Phebus did a hauke become and eke a Lion kende Or call to minde the woode attemptes of raging Tartares fende But vaine it is so time to spende for if I should expounde The Lordes and Ladies euerychone whom cruell loue did wounde My tale woulde runne to much at large and downe before woulde hide His glistring beames syr Titan bright the smoking wheeles should slide Amid the washing westerne waues But here I thinke it best Such things to haue sith many men haue plainely them exprest And now the truth we will declare this boy did neuer flow From Bacchus raines as Grece did faine no sure if it were so Eche man that hateth wine should loue but destny him begot Bicause in euery kinde of loue this destny knittes the knot All morttall things this desteny rules she doth to all bestow Conditions eke with fortune to and ende of lyfe doth know Of greater force than beauty is this desteny assurde Though beauty cause of burning flame hath louers linckes procurde Of greater might than golde it is though once with golde did bye Olde Saturnes sonne inclosde in towers with Danae faire to lie Familier syght and licence had full oft to talke and liue Togither both when none shall see which sliding way doth giue By which to loue we in doe come by which is Venus got All this can nothing sure preuaile if destnies fauour not By destny ioinde by destny broke the louers knot and ring By this the vile deformed slaue sometimes obtaines the thing Which rich nor faire can haue by this the faire and gentle wyfe Is of hir husbande eft despisde and more contentes his lyfe A ragged iade in house to kepe By this the wife disdaines Hir husbande faire of gentle bloud and greater ioy sustaines A lither lousy lout to haue or vnaquainted wight And if so be that loue were not by Gods aduisement right To euery man appointed here by limittes parted iust No doubt of all might one be loued and on them all should lust And euery man might safe enioy the Damsel that he likes But as the fisher doth not take the fishes all in dikes Nor foulers all the birdes do catch nor hunters all doe kill But euery one his chance doth take obtaines and hath his will So loue to euery one is delt by Gods arbitrement So doth the seruant base full oft his Lady well content So shall the bursten bleared lout and crooked father olde A blissefull girle to wyfe obtaine For as the Marchant bolde That vnderneth vnhappy starre with wares his ship doth freight And cuts the fearefull fouring seas is often spoilde of weight By loste of ship or Pirates fierce so he that flames wyth loue The starres luck agaynst him both doth seke the rockes to moue An euil name and cruel wound receyueth he agayne And efâ—e his loue to get doth he the losse of lyfe sustayne But he whome destnies fauour wel and fortune smiles vpon His heart and ioy may sone obtayne wyth quiet rest anon But sure of fewe this grace is had so good are Gods to fewe Except such one as close doth kepe his ioyes that none them knowe No trust there is at al in man disceytes are vsed vile Now euery man doth practise howe his fellow to beguile If any man vnto his frende his secretes doth disclose Then must he stande in feare of him least he his frendship lose Least he in angry moode reueale that erst in harte he hydes If free therefore thou sekest to be and safe to liue besydes Let no man knowe thy secrete deedes thy frend haue alwayes so While frendship lasts that thou foresee he once may be thy foe Which thing in profe hath eft ben knowen for fewe such frendes we see That alwayes loue and much herein ought enuy fearde to be Which euer striues the happy chaunce wyth poyson fell to stayne Take heede therfore of enuy syrs I warne you louers playne Let no man know thy minde in loue but hide this loue of thine If witte thou hast and let not thou thy fyer forth to shine A monster vile is enuy sure a plague that rageth fel A deadly hurt than which a worse is hard to finde in Hel. It hunteth vertue in euery place good dedes asunder teares Good men she hates and doth disdayne the happes of others yeares Although no man can well kepe close his owne vnfayned loue If Fates agaynst him let and nyll the enuious lightes aboue Smal force in wit of man there is where Goddes do not agree In vayne he toyles that seeketh ought when Gods against him be Yet ought we not for this to leaue our willes and wittes to strayne For he that hath the race forth runne and palme cannot obtayne Is worthy prayse and enuy all vpon the Goddes he layes Who often good men downe haue put and fooles exaiting rayse A happy man is he to whome from tower of heauens grace Is graunted whoÌ„ God guides himself whose byrth with lucky face The happy starres haue shinde vpon to him coÌ„mes ioyful loue And voyd of woe long swetenesse he wyth pleasant life may proue For loue is daynty swete and milde if
there hath rule all fixed continually As voide of place and safe from harme they all doe seeme to be There are the causes of eache thing and springes of all we see The worlde that senses may perceiue from thys same worlde doth spring And semeth here a figure sure and shaddowe of that thing All things more perfect there and all things whole appere We haue but portions of the same which are encreased here By natures fault and great deffect so heartes a number be For vertue one aboue creates the hearts that here we see By hir the subtill Foxe is framde by hir the Lyons liue And so of all the other beastes that thys our worlde doth giue Which seeme in number diuers sortes but all are one in kinde That from these powers at first to come are euery one assinde None otherwyse than Carpenters in Cities great of name Eche one applying well hys worke doe diuers matters frame Wherfore this world doth stād of parts the other doth consyst Of al and liuing by themselues of distance as they list But some haue thought y t euery Starre a worlde we well may cal The earth they count a darkned starre wheras the least of all The God doth raine that vnderneath the clowdes hath placed his chaire That fosters all the creatures here in seas in earth and ayre A Lorde of shadowes and the guide of shapes that liuely bee To whom is delt the charge of things and rule of all to see Which for bicause they doe not last but passe with tyme away Doe scarse deserue the name of ought but shadowes that decay The same is Pluto as I iudge of whome the Poets olde Do often syng and say that he the King dome black doth holde For vnderneath the cloudes is night aboue are al things cleare Where light doth last for euermore and brightnesse styll appeare To him as to the worst of all thalmighty Lord dyd giue The vtleft raigne the rest more good in better starres to liue But yet is no man sure of this for who doth know so wel Gods mysteries who hath bene there and turnde agayne to tell No state of man is such our minde doth faynt in things so hie The Owle cannot beholde the Sunne wyth pure and perfect eye Eche one presuming of his wyt inuenteth matters newe But Poets specially to whome most confidence is dewe For they may by autority of any matters write Wyth Bacchus rage they moued be and wyth Apolloes sprite Though nothing is that doth forbyd the mad man truth to say Sibylla vsed to tell the trouth in madnesse as she lay Let this suffise my promisse kept to proue that numbers be Of creatures farre excelling vs which no mans eyes can see Yet do they liue and reason vse and as some wyse men say Such are our soules departed once that neuer shal decay So Plato so Pythagoras and so Plotinus thought And so haue many Poets erst in pleasaunt verses wrought Therefore it semeth labour worth a thing most mete to tel Of this for to entreat at large for what doth more excel Than throughly man to know himselfe for children vnderstand Where of the Body doth consyst euen earth of flyme and sand But harde it is so plaine to knowe the nature of the minde Wherfore presuming on my Muse with all the force I finde Bestowing all my wits thereon I will attempt to knowe The perfect nature of the same and plaine in verses shewe That done forsaking Libra soone Scorpius thy crooked sygne I entre wyll and destenie thy fatall force define If destiny doe not depriue our Port of hys wyll And for bycause in doubtfull things to bring the greater styll The methode and the order best is plainely to begin With such as are assured most so wyll I doe herein For if the fyrst beginnings here shall seeme obscure in syght The sequele shall vncertaine seeme and in the worser plight If slender the foundation be in small tyme and space We shall beholde the buildings fayle that we thereon doe place The effects more plaine and manifest than causes seeme to be At them therfore we wyll begin and all things open see With mouing nowe for euery thing that lyfe remayneth in Doth moue alone first sygne of lyfe therfore we will begin For of it selfe the bodyes restes and members rottes away The cause perhaps that moues is heate or bloud that beares the sway But things aliue are often styll when as they list to rest Though heate bloud in them abound therfore appereth best That wyll is cause of mouing here yet sometimes they desyre To moue and cannot stirre therefore doth mouing both require The one commaunds the other works for wyll can nothing doe If power doe lack But how commes it that men moue to and froe Bicause minde teaching wil seeth good and mouing straight doth turne To that it sees as Fyrre is drawn by that which makes it burne Lyke as the yron from his place the Lodestone vpwarde drawes And as the Aumber lyfteth vp the lyttle slender strawes The worlde in such a wondrous sorte the Almighty Lorde did frame That many things doe well agree as ioyned in the same And many things doe disagree and kepe continuall fight Wherby some men haue surely thought that strife and frendeship might Be iustly calde beginnings chiefe by which are all things wrought Thus good first moued by which y e mind to motion quickly brought Doth moue the partes pricketh forth the body here and there But yet ws think suffiseth not one good to all things here Nor one desyre to all alyke so thys some that estemes And euery one retaines hys ioy as best to nature seemes The Childe we see desyres the thyngs that aged men forsake For as the bodyes seeme to be so minde and wyll doe take Wherfore we sometime couet thys and sometime long for that And that which late we did esteme we now doe seeme to hate Bicause our chaunging body is disposed diuerslye And drawes the nature of the minde the way that it doth wrye Hereof comes thyrst and hunger sharp and lust to Ladyes lappes The body many things doe change as age or tyme or happes As also meate and drinke sometymes and ayre doth chaunge it quite And Starres doth alteration make as learned men doe write Wherfore nothing in syght alone but state of body here Doth cause vs diuers thyngs to wyll and moues it doth appere But some by reason rather ledde doe walke as she doth shew And onely are by vertue drawne but such are very fewe For fleshly fonde affections here the minde doe ouer runne None otherwyse than mistes doe darke the cleare and shining Sunne Lo this the cause why body moues the mouing force of minde Whom moued wil doth stil commaund obayes as is assinde And in the partes that quyet are if nothing them doe let Is poured out and causeth them now here now there to iet But why should labour weary them whereof
Thys wolfe w c bloudy mouth doth ragâ— eche folde to come vnto And runneth headlong into vice hys misch efe to contriue And euery where he followeth harde as vyle desyre doth driue Nothing may worse be suffered than fooles in welthy state Than riche men to be couetous than ill men fortunate Thus ryther lyke to beastes he doth with fleshely pleasures go Unto himselfe an ennimye and to hys purse a foe Or else an other Tantalus hys goods to much doth spare And heapes vp all ne knowes for whom these heapes he doth prepare And as the swine to his owne bsâ— himselfe he doth not feede But many mo who fruites of toyle doe snatche away with speede Wherby appeares no goods to be the riches of the yl But if he stoute and sturdy be and stomacke haue at wyll What doth he theÌ„ he stratght wil braul and with hys mighty yowre Now one now others shall he harme and mischiefe euery howre Most commonly a wartare goes or else becomes a chiefe That Tygarlyke by others bloud he may receiue reliefe Both warres weapons fierce he loues for mischiefe not for prayse whereby he to his countrey gettes both losse and shame alwayes Stout personage void of vertuous mind puts many men to paine Lastes lyttle time and seldome doth to aged yeares attaine But what nedes many wordes hereiâ— syth these exampies may Suffise the trouth therof to shewe and clerely to display Now meete it is wyth good aduise to searche if ought can be That harmes the iust and holy men as many iudge we se Sure harde it is yet boldely will I thereto trudge apace Presuming of Apolloes helpe and of my Muses grace Fyrst euery good man nedes must be of soule and minde both sounde Though sycknesse in hys body rage or ache in limmes be founde Least will and iudgement tyght in him doe lacke or not agre For voide of iudgement right wyll no vertuous man may be These two are the foundations wheron doth vertue syt Such men whatsoeuer they possesse doe iustly order it And therfore is their learning good their substance and their strength And finally whatsoeuer they possesse and haue at length For in the greacest sort of things the vse of them we se Is it that chiâ—fly causeth them both good and ill to be And if so be thimmortall Gods of men haue any care They chiefely ought such to defende as sust and vertuous are Which if they should not doe they semde all voide of reason cleare Unworthy cke of odour sweete of Church or seruice here Wherfore I doe not se what thing can harme the vertuous man Ne yet what ill in body or in minde he suffer can Syth God him kepes and norisheth and with his mighty arme Doth for him fight and sets him safe from euery kinde of harme For who helpes not or who doth not defende his frende at neede whensoeuer he can if that he doe beare him good wyl in deede But yet sometimes the good man semes to liue in misery To suffer nede and sicknesses and great aduersity When as in deede he is not good but playes the Hipocrite Wherof a number shalt thou finde that vnder simple plight Do secret hide their poysoned heartes and woluish natures playne And foolish men do oft beguile while they do vertue fayne And therfore god who knowes y e hearts and secrets of the minde Preserues him not nor loueth him But we wyth iudgement blinde And doltish head deceyued wyth sygne and shaddow of the right Think then the iust man suffers hurte and liues in woful plight Alas how often false and fond are founde the iudgements blynde Of men and eke how ignorant of truth is mortal minde Al please themselues and euery man in his conceyt seemes wise By this we cause the Goddes to laugh hence errors most do rise But here admit the iust man feeles both griefe and sicknesses And leades his life in pouerty and aye in great distresse Exiled from his countrey farre or pent in pryson vile Or vext wyth other casualties doth he take harme this while No for in suffring of such things more clerely shine he shall Al to the best to Godly men as God commaundes doth fall And as Physitians vse to giue the byttrest medcines oft Unto the sicke to bring them health and rayse them vp aloft So oftentymes God tries the iust to stirre them vp thereby That so he may them more compel their vertue to apply As pleasure makes men foles naught so payne doth cal to minde And chaseth vice a bytte to synne a spurre to vertnes kinde Seest thou not golde in fyry flame more precious to be made And ground more ferule for to be by edge of churlish spade And standing waters to corrupt On yron cast thine eye Is fayrer made by occupyings and rusts if it do lye Thus diuers things there are that vext receyue a clearer state As chiefly vertue that when as hir blackest mischiefes mate Appeares most bright as in the darke the fyre more fayrer shewes wherfore no kinde of griefe at al the good man euer knowes Or if he suffers ought his pa â–ª cience gets him greater gayne And medcine though it bitter be doth cause relcase of payne And least some man should think that I do tryfies fayne in minde The thing that holesome others feele is poyson to some kinde So vnto some wines hurtful are and flesh a harmfull meate So wormwood vnto many health doth gyue and pleasure greate So heate doth Snow and wax and I se consume and melt away which heat doth harder make agayne the earth or potters clay So many such in sundry states do worke in diuers kinde How eft the same wordes some delight that vex anothers minde Al things to al sortes are not lyke the wines that best we deeme If they in musty calke be kept both tart and naught do seeme Unto the sound are al things sound but such as sycknesse haue Them holesome meates doe sometyme harme and almost bring to graue So to my matter to returne the ylles of body than Or stings of fortune hurtful be vnto the euyl man But good and also necessary for such as vertuous be By which although they hurtful seeme they gayne more hye degree These words for this tyme shal suffise for now this booke to ende My Muse commaundes Chiron doth vpon my Pen attende Who coueteth of state of man to write and fashtons rife And open to disclose abrode the vestry here of lyfe Now therfore nedeful is for me my Muses tunes to ceasse And silent in the sacred woods to rest my selfe in peace And on the roofe of learnings lodge on hye to hange my harpe Tyll that these tymes be ouerpast and doubtful seasons sharpe Tymes much to be bewaylde wherein the discorde that doth broyle Among the states all Italy wyth warres doth seke to spoyle Whereby doth Rome lament hir cafe hir housholdes layd on ground Ticinum Narnia Melphis eke this fall
haue And doth remaine when death hath cast the fading corse in graue But me vnhappy wretch alas did pleasure swete deâ—eaue And fled away doth me in briars and many mischienes leaue For whilst that I in youthful yeares the â—â—ewes do oft frequent And while to feeding slepe and play my dolâ—â—sh minde was bent Nought would I lerne hating bokes did study much despise And learning scorne but now alas I see before my eyes My selfe vnlearnde of yll report in beggarly aray My strength decayde my minde appald my senses worne away Al this tyme haue I liued as he that lyes a sleepe in dreames Doth think him self awake to be deceyued by such meanes Like wordes to these doth vtter ofâ— the sâ—outhfull sâ—uggish man When age the neighbor nexte to death doth count to late as than His life led yll in youthfull yeares The greatest sort do shut the dore when Steede is stollen away And wyse they are when as to late their wittes they do assay And for Physitians faâ—â— they seeke when hope of health is gone O wretches whilst you here haue tyme looke wel thys tyme vpon For fast away the houre â—â—yes and fled can not reâ—ouâ—ne No teares can help the corse in graue nor sobbes for him to mourne That medcine only is of force which is in time applyed Therfore must vertue be embracde when youth is fyrst in pryde And then it nedeful is to to treade the perfect path of lyfe And vertuous workes to take in hand then reason must be ryfe And minde wyth councel must be rulde while yet but yong it is Least that with fonde delight deceyude it he adlong runne amysse Who so is wyse let hym in tyme wyth wisedome wel prouide For after wyttes are euermore to folly next alied And out of tyme it bringeth griefe be wayling al in vayne A hurt or losse that neuer can be brought or got agayne Besyde the wicked thirst of wealth and vile desyre of golde Must thou eschew for where a place this couetousnesse doth holde There rayne almost eche other vice as shameful periuries Ungoolinesse theft and disceyt wyth open robberies Guyles treasons and conspyracies wyth frayes and murders vile What needes it for to shew them all nothing besyde more vile Nor worse than is the couetous man that drownde in earth belowe Doth like the Mole no kinde of thing desyre loue or know Saue only riches of the earth for which he doth not feare Eche yll to work nor other God he doth acknowledge here But purse and pens his chiefe delight nor sees the vnhappy best How short the lyfe of man is here how frayle how sone deceast And how that from his bending bow death euermore doth cast His deadly shaftes that pearceth hearts of mortall men so fast And neyther spares the yong nor lernd nor yet the wealthy wyght But euery man wythout respect wyth bloudy blow doth smyte And oftentimes is neerest then when furthest of he showes And sodaine tumults then doth cause when no man of hym knowes But thou regarde not ryches here nor goods that subiect be To blinded chaunce nor let no care of such things tro 〈…〉 thee For proper vnto no man are the things which as she lykes Doth fortune giue and takes away when she vnconstant strykes Or passing doth wyth lyfe away to diuers men descend Nay other riches shalt thou seke that neuer shal haue ende On which no chauÌ„ce nor kinde of death shall euer powre obtayne These riches labour thou to get both dayes and nightes with payne For that thou shalt be truely rich and truely blest by that The others that the common sorte like fooles do wonder at And wish to haue if thou enioyest as money house and land Them vse and occupy at wyll who doth agaynst it stand But iustly yet and modestly and when thou maist or can Haue pity on the pouerty despise no needy man By this meanes shalt y e wyn thee praise and health for euer more And for this earthly baggage here the Skies aboue shalt gayne No man is he but sure a wolfe that doth not mercy showe That is not moued to see the state of others ouerthrowe But if of poore estate thou arte then beare it paciently And in good part sustayne the lotte of this thy pouerty For greater ouerthrowes hath he and greater griefe and care Whome Fortune most enriched hath and giuen the greater share And so much ouerlayd he is wyth wayght of substance great That by no meanes he can beholde the hie celestial seate For light and voyde of earthly dregges it him behoues to be That wil with minde ascend the place where as the heauens be For more a man seekes earthly state more falles he from the Skye And from the euer lasting light he farther of doth flye And eke in place where as a man his treasure vp doth hyde There lies his heart and there his mind doth euermore abyde Thus prouertie helpes many men vnburdning them therby That so wyth swifter wyngs they may vnto the heauens flye In lyke sort pride thou must auoyde the spring of stryfe and hate That with discention many times destroyes a common state wyth thys disease in auncient time was Rome nere ouerthrowne Opprest wyth rage of fury fierce that ciuill warres had blowne Flye thou thys fiende of hell if thou desyrest for to bee A friende of Gods and after death the Heauens elere to see No proude man loues the Gods aboue nor is beloued of them For God estemes the humble sort and lowly minded men And well he lykes the gentle mindes where no ambition lyes Thrustes downe y e proude suffers not to dwell with him in skyes wherfore you proude disdainful swarme what doth your pryde you gaine What helpes your great renoumed names and princely titles vaine which death in shortest time doth spoile and in the streame hath dronde Of Lethes flouds where synking lowe they neuer can be founde You seeke to please the common sort and of them praysde to hee Tell what distretion hath that state the truth of things to see They count you here as Gods to be and what doth follow then When Asses here in deede you are with outwarde signe of men Th vnskilfull sort you doe deceiue but not the Gods aboue But rather them to laughter oft and oft to wrath you moue For all your prety prankes they marke and priuie deedes they see But you O blinded Asses thinke no Gods at all to bee Nor yet beleue the Corse in graue the soule shall ryse to dome And therfore seke these present ioyes and scorne the lyfe to come A number great of beastes aliue in shape of men doe straye Hence springeth vp your errour great and cause of your decaye That with your grosse capacitie no other thing you see but bodyes grosse nor true things know but such as shaddowes bee The greatest sort delight in smoke and full with smoke they flowe O fooles what lighter thing thaÌ„ smoke what
suddayne storme hath layd y e corne and grapes did downeward fling The matter making windes is mistes that from the flouds do spring The cause that moueth them are sprites that in the ayre do dwell But this will not the common sorte allow nor credit well What theÌ„ cast not such precious pearls to Dogs or filthy swine Beleue it you that learned are whose mindes are more deuine That not alone in Skies but in the ayre there thousands be Of sprites that moue the raging winds and tempests that you see And thunder down w c lightning throw Yet do I not deny But other causes are that blastes of windes are moued by As Sunne and Moone and Starres but chief the seauen which they name The wandring stars that of these mists effects do diuers frame I saw while as at Rome P. Leo the tenth there raygning than I was a peece of potters worke and picture of a man That from his mouth of straightest sise a mighty winde did blowe For all his brest being hollow made with water full did flowe Which being with heate of fire resolud out of his mouth it went In mighty winde and farre from it the force thereof was sent This proues y t wind proceedes of flouds that thus resolued bee While vapour mounting vp is forede by meanes of heate to flie For contraries do euermore eche other driue away In this same lowest parte of ayre as we before did say The blasing starres do oft appeare that fall of Prince doth showe And there with diuers colours died appeares the stormy bowe This same y e beames of Sun doth cause that on the cloudes we see The other made by some one starre of them that mouers bee Which while the vapour vnderneath doth shape thereof receaue Appeares a tayle and in the clouds his flaming light doth leaue Like as the Circled myst that doth encompasse round the Moone The circled mist as men do say a signe of winde to come As wheÌ„ thrée suÌ„nes are thought to shine and yet they are not thrée But shaps of suÌ„ne that framd in clouds as in a glasse we sée But vnderneath this ayre so grosse and lowe the Seas haue place The Occean Seas that all the earth in circuite do embrace Which passing through y e narrow stratghts where Hercles pillars showes It spreds it selfe and thus abrode both farre and wyde it flowes And this is namde by sundry names Aegian flouds it makes Ionian Tuscan Adriatike Red Seas and Persean lakes This Sea doth search the secrete caues that lowe in earth doth lye And euermore doth ebbe and flowe and tasteth diuersly As diuers is the earth by which he doth his passage make And of the brimstone sulphured vaynes doth smell of brimstone take This is the cause that fluds their cours mayntayne continually For to their springs they ofte returne and oft to seas they flye And roll and passe from place to place and round in compasse driue And do preserue the earth as bloud preserues the corse aliue The selfe same fluds doth make y e lakes and fennes of filthy ayre And cleare and Cristall ruÌ„ning springs and wells for euer fayre In fine from Occean seas proceedes all course of waters heere That round about the world retaynes This made the waters cleare That parte beneath the earth do lye and parte aboue doe runne And such besides as from the cloudes of Hellish dye do come But wherefore is the Seas so salte doth it of nature spring I thinke not so For euery tast that seas with them do bring Doth fetch his cause from out the earth for in the earth are found Great hilles of salte that vnderneath the waters deepe are dround Seas sucks this salte and doth resolue it into water cleare Thus Salte not Sunne is cause that saltnesse doth in Seas appeare For why doth not the Sunne likewise of Ponds salt water make For all such partes of earth as were not meete for man to take Bycause they were to full of salt hath nature vnderlayde The Occean seas more frutefull partes to vs she hath displayed Wherein are mountaines hils cliues rocks fields and valleyes lowe Straights countreys woods and pondê lakes springs streames that flowe Small townes great cities broughes holdes with â—â—ones and metalls pure Such things wherby the life of man the better doth endure The rule of all this earth and goods to man the Lorde did giue And made him King of eury kinde in seas or land that liue And wit and reason to him dealt by which he might excell And guide the world and seruing God him loue and worship well Amyd this earth a Center lies whereby it is sustaynde For thither falles eche waighty thing as God at first ordaynde That neuer of their propre force can from this Center flye And therefore fixed stands the earth and in the mydst doth lye Sustayned with hir heauy waight that fast on eury side To Center runs and frames a ball both darke and thick and wyde About the which wyth Crimsin horse the Sunne is alwayes lead And on the parte contrary styll the darkesome night is spread For nothing else but shade it is of earth and waters great Which shadow if in night it chaunce vpon the Moone to beate Doth cause Eclipse and filles w t feare the wofull gazers hearte Supposing that opprest shee is with charme of Magike arte This shadow makes the longest nightê when farthest from vs burnes The flaming Sunne and shortest when to Northerne signes he turnes The cause thereof is swelling earth and stately mountaynes hie Which subtile nature hath deuised in place betweene to lie That with their tops in change of time the nights they alter may For looke when neerer vnto South the same doth keepe his way Then farther forth their shadowes dark these hilles abrode do fling Such shades as hide the light and cause the day more late to spring And force the day in shorter time and space his course to ende Then frosty winter vnto vs his quaking colde doth sende Then soÌ„mer makes the Indians blacke with raging heate to frye But when the Sunne returneth backe to toppe of Cancer hie Then shorter are the nightê with vs and heate beginnes agayne Then winter vexeth those with colde that vnder vs do rayne Thus doth the SuÌ„ne with diuers cours both alter times and tides And in foure equall partes the space of all the yeare deuides And rolling round about the earth both nations serueth well Both them that vnder vs do liue and them aloft that dwell For men liue also vnder earth not onely woods and streames Nor nature willde that Sunne and day in vayne should cast their beames And onely serue for brutish beastes and sortes of swimming kinde For all the earth is dwelt vpon no place therein we finde Nor any clime there is but that there mortall men may dwell And finde out places fitte for them and seates that serue them well Though colde extreme or to much hear rayne there
anger farre from thee away with pride that elfe Such kinde of men cannot be loued and alwayes shewe thy selfe Of gentyll minde and lowly eke so shalt thou all men please If any man thy hurt procure proue thou hym to appease Rather with wyt than furious mode to wit doth strength giue place She conqueresse doth all things tame the Tigres stout in pace And Lyons fierce by art are wonne and ships in seas doe swim And towers stronge by art doth beare the Oliphant on him By this the Bull doth beare the yoke and horse with spouting might By this constrained is to beare the bridle and the knight Wit all things rules with aide of force to threaten much wyth crackes Is cowardes guise womens strength to men belongeth factes The wyse man doth dissemble hurt the valeant prates no whitte But when he sees the time then dare he doe that shall seeme fytte First take good heede that none y u hurt and if by iniury Thou harmed art when thou seest time reuenge it rightfully If thou canst not let griefe a while within thy heart remaine Least that by foolishe bosting wordes thou maist more harme sustaine It is naughty playing with edged toles the wyse man will refraine And spie hys time and eke giue place his foe with wordes to traine That pleasant seme and fawnings eke till he him bring to snare So winnes the wilde vnrulye colte the witty horseman ware So on the Oxens necke the yokes the plowman putteth on So Lyons fierce the Charret drawes that Cibell syttes vpon So tigres wood you doe obey to Bachus bridell raines Great wit it is to conquer thus and hide the inwarde paines Tyll time conuenient come therefore this must be markt beside Whersoeuer thou remainest let not thy mouth be stretched to wide With laughings loude but wheÌ„ nede is then laugh thou moderately It doth declare a simple wit to laugh excessiuely And on the other side it is not fyt for any man Alwayes in dumpes to be therfore flie thou them both and than The middle kepe there vertue sits no gester would I thee And yet if that thou canst I would that pleasant thou shouldst bee Enough me thinkes I haue now said my message here doth ende For which to thee my mother mee from heauen hie did sende Now time coÌ„maundes to leaue y e earth and skies aboue to clime From whence I wonted am the earth to se full many a time Musing that it so little semes and rounde as any ball Amid the aire to see it hang hauing no stay at all Sustainde only with his poise the sea doth eke appere About the earth full serpent lyke to crangle heere and there And like a little brooke to runne here eke I doe beholde The Padus Tanais Ganges and that Histre waters colde As oft as showers do cause the dikes with wet to ouerflowe And when thy mouthes alofe I see O Nilus then I trowe They be though great in dede they are but seauen gutters small And hence I vewe the bloudy broyles with shining swordes that fall And fieldes be sprent with purple bloud And foolishe kings therby Who while they couet more to haue and neuer thinke to die With dire debate do battailes bring the giltlesse soules to kill And shew the Gods a gasing griefe repugnant to their will And there I se their places change both riuers springs and flouds Hils fall to dales and dales to hils and place where once grewe woods With coulter â—â—lde and wheras plowes before haue runne their race Theyr woodes to growe transformed cowns and al things changing place He blessed is that may the like prospect to this obtaine Where Asia and Affricke he may see and Europ eke againe That swels with wealth wepons eke and diuers nations strong That there do dwell whoÌ„ Cancer burns the Ethiops them among Cilicians fierce and Tartars turkes and men of Scithians grounde The shoting Parthes Arabians eke where franckinsence is founde The Thracians wylde and Arimaspes those valiant men in fight The french the Italian men of Spain the dreadfull Englishe wight As many people more beside on whom the sunne doth shine While he aboue or vnder goes the horisontall line Wouldes thou not hither wyll to come if it might lawfull bee For any mortall man to doe if body let not thee But this can hap to none but vs whose bodies framed were Of finest aire and not of earth a while therefore forbeare Till death thy soule shall lose froÌ„ bonds and tyll that time a dewe I go this said and aunswering I away from me he flewe In haste he flies wyth swifter course than windes themselues my thought And spreading winges abrode the skies wyth course againe he cought ¶ The fithe Booke entituled Leo. I Seeke not here Arabians wealth nor stones of value hie That redde seas breede ne golden sandes in Tagus streames that lie Nor people proude to gouerne here with sceptred hande and mace Such things my lucke hath me denyed nor once I waile the case That desteny hath not giuen me such so euen the nought as good May like obtaine to reape the golde of wealthy richesse floud Full oft we see rhunworthy heds of witlesse people crownde Whose bodies eke are trun bedeckt with robes of purple rownde Those things I woulde the Lorde of all on mee would here bestow Which neither fooles nor wicked men may euer hap to know That makes a perfect man in deede and nere to sainctes aboue O mighty Joue what is the cause or what should thee thus moue Wisedome to none or fewe to geue in euery place we see Both pleasant faire and lustye brutes and wealthy men to bee But vneth may the place be founde in all the worlde so wyde That bringeth forth such any one in whom doth wyt abide Dost thou perchaÌ„te more worthy think a guide of fooles to bee More noble is that power vnder the which more noble be For worthyer it is assertainly to rule by force of powers Both castels stronge and fortresses wyth large and ample towers Than Lorde of folde and flocke to be and droues of beastes to guide Perhaps thou dost it to that ende our doings to deride And makest man thy laughing stocke for nothing else to be The life of men on earth doth seme the staged comedie And as the Ape that counter feits to vs doth laughter moue So we like wyse doe cause and moue the sainctes to laugh aboue As oft as stately steps we treade with looke of proude disdaine As oft as richesse we to much doe crane or honors graine As oft as we like Saunder snuffe our selues doe bragge and boste What lesse is it what part is played when holding honors most With sceptred hande a crowned owle an Asse of stature faire Of them beholden is to syt a loft in stately chaire Despising euery other man though he be like in case Desiring yet to heare the sounde of God preserue your grace And to be
should this aryse As faynting feete in trauaile and the akyng arme oft tryes The cause hereof is bloud resolued by force of feruent heate For to much mouing it inflames decayes in fuming sweate None otherwyse than Feuers fierce the creature pale consumes When bloud or other humor hote thorowout all the members fumes Doth lyfe support and body feedes which whylest it quickning makes The mouing force possessing all the body quiuering shakes The heate and heated bloud besyde doth brede a liuely spright As waters warmde w t beames of SuÌ„ne doe yelde a vapour light Thys spirite enclosed within the bowels Thorowe all the vaines doth ronne And nere to hir doth serue the lyfe in what she will haue donne But those in heauy sleepes that lye how should they mouing make As some doe in theyr steepes aryse and weapon vp doe take Some in the stable takes hys horse some wrytes as many say And some hath earst bene seene a sleâ—pe vpon the Lute to play It must be knowne that of the thing the Image doth remaine In vs of all that we doe see or senses can retaine Thys makes vs think we see the face that late we gased on And that we seeme to heare the wordes were vtred long agone These formes within the secrete celles inclosed in the brayne A vapour moues which to ascende the stomack doth constraine And minde deluded so doth moue the body styres thereby If the resemblance be of force that in the head doth lye But tayle of L ysart or of Snake that cut in two doth sprawle Doth will it moue Or force of minde that Greekes doe fansye call As they whom rage of madnesse moues or to much drinke arayes Or dreadfull dreames do cause to shake or happens other wayes Perchaunce amongst the knotty partes of thys deuided tayle The liuely spirite enclosde doth searche all meanes for to preuayle In breaking out and wynding partes doth wrye as best it may And striuing long through passage smal doth get at length away Or that same part of minde that feeles deuided doth remaine In tayle cut of and causeth it to turne and turne againe Yet I suppose that euery thing wherin no iudgement lyes Can feele no griefe nor nothing else that we can here deuise For chiefest force by which we feele from knowledge euer flowes who knowes iudgeth most feeles most and most reioysing knowes But fooles and doltes care lesse for all lesse harmde lesse fearing styll They feele not colde nor heate so much scarce know they good from ill Not for bicause it smartes therfore the tayle deuided shakes For nought it feeles bicause the streÌ„gth from which it knowledge takes Is not in it but in the head in better place did lye Wherfore the former cause I iudge the trouth to go more nye Lo thus therfore is mouing made by which all creatures go Yet in the reasons past before we put thys one thing to That sundry times the present good when it might be atchieued Doth nothing moue nor is desyred bicause t is not perceiued Thus knowledge semes of mouing cause or chiefest as we see For who desyres or sekes the thing he knowes not what to ber For will hâ—r selfe of proper force is altogither blinde And cannot any thing desyre without the light of minde By whom if she be not enformde she takes she vntowarde way And with the she we of good beguilde hir vertue doth decay Of mouing this shall here suffise nowe let vs seeke to knowe How liuing things doe waxe so great what causeth them to growe And why at certayne tyme they cease a fiery spirite doth raine Thou giuest lyfe to euery thing that carcasse doth contayne This heate doth liuely moisture feede as flame of Candell bright When soone withdraw himself froÌ„ vs the Oyle preserues in light Thys in the stomack boyles the meate wherof the finest spread Abrode the synowes bones and fleshe wyth pyth and bloud are bread And all the body doth encrease as plantes wyth showers of rayne And warmth of SuÌ„ne them comforting doth ryse and spring amaine If that this fyre be much of force and moysture equall here As much as heate shall seeme to nede the encrease shall great appere At length it makes an ende and stayes when spent is all the heate Which fading body fades as shewes in them whose yeares are great For wasted they lyke pyned Ehostes their aged lymmes doe crooke And stouping low wyth hollowed eye vpon the earth doe looke For fyre is gone and liuely heate and moysture doth decay Without the which no lyfe remaines as Lampes no longer may Giue out their light than oyle doth serue but leaues and darkenesse brings Then let vs now the mouing shewe of minde and whence it springs A thing both darke and harde to fynde but yet we will assay With all our force to touch the trouth as nere as well we may And fyrst of rage that boldneth men and daungers doth despyse Encreaseth strength and giueth force as much as shall suffise Which mouing all as desperate vpon our foes we flye And bloudy battaile to beginne with sworde in hast we hye The cause therof is bloud enflamde and heart that sendes out fyre And bitter galle abrode dispersd for Galle is house to yre And choller matter ministers to rage and fury blinde Hence comes that creatures lacking gal are not of wrathfull minde Embracing peace refuse to fight but they whose bloud doth burne And greater rage of heate retaine to anger sonest turne So youth and so such dronken mates whose heads hath brink diseased Upon a smallest cause doe snuffe the minde therfore displeased Doth bloud and choller myngle straight then hande for weapon calles And skirmishe comes thus cuts are carued and wounde wyde open falles For fyrst the minde offended is and vexed by miury Which troubled moues y e body straight by these it semes they lye That say the minde can neuer styre for if it neuer moue The body styll to stande and staye it alwayes doth behoue For diuers mouings doe declare a diuers mouer playne The Sunne doth ofteÌ„ change in course and shaddowes change againe What is the cause that Organs giue now one now other voice But hande y t shyftes from diuers kayes doth cause a diuers noyse The minde affection inwarde fyrst doth take and close concele And makes some part or other serue when she wyll it reucle Disclosing straight to it whatsoeuer within in secrete lyes To th ende that plame it may appere and open to the eyes None otherwyse than when the king vnto his faithfull frende Declares the secretes of hys minde and after doth it sende To be proclaimed in euery place that it may plaine appere Hence springeth loue for wheÌ„ the minde doth fansye pleasant gere She makes the heart a minister and so doth loue declare In heart loue wrath feare lust hope wyth ioye and also care As in a tower with minde doe dwell and these as there begonne By meanes
of other partes through al the body forth do runne But of this same in other place more playnly shal we write If God therein do fauour vs and Muses graunt vs sprite Suffiâ—eth now affections fyrst of al things else to be Wythin the minde the causes sprong of things wythout we see And after they by member bloud or other humours might Are spread abrode in euery parte and so thrust out to light For seing minde and body are ioynde the mouing nedes must be Common to both the harmes al one and chaunge in like degree Whatsoeuer thing the one perceyues the other feeleth it They both in nature doe agree so strongly are they knitte But now bycause we seeme to touch the typ of Scorpions toe Let vs my Muse of senses speake here briefly as we goe Fyue senses nature gaue to sucâ— as perfect creatures be But vnto some he delt not all which may be worthely Unperfect namde as Moles wormes and Scallops of the baye And Wilks Irchin ekâ— whom pricks incompast rounde araye Aniong these senses al the syght is thought the best to bee Bicause it is the chiefest meanes wherwith the minde doth see Declaring plaine the wondrous workes beasts that nature here doth frame such floures such fruits such her vs such such plantes such stones of name Such sundry sortes of mettalles fayre and shewing also plaine What Fyshes Proteus feedes in seas what Monsters there remaine And more than thys the stately roomes wherein the Gods doe lye The glistering globes of starres aboue and Phaebus shining hye Besydes the things that men doe heare that tongue can not displaye Thys sense therfore doth all excell and fayrest farre away In which the seate and chiefest place wherin the minde doth dwell Is thought to be for when we meetâ— or talke in presence tell Upon the others eyes we gase as man and minde and all Did there consyst who so the eyes the glasse of minde doth call Shall say the truth for pleasaunt loue in them doth fyrst gyue lyght There hate and â—iercenesse doth appere with mylde and gentle sprite There sadnesse ioy and mischief shewes with zeale and wysedome great And follye pride and feare and rage with fault and wrathfull heat But wherof doth the syght proceede the mindes let other see Of learned men I briefely shewe as I think best to be One lyfe there must be knowne to be of substance eke so fine As syght can neuer comprehende of force and power dâ—uine Which nature deales God doth giue thys feedes and makes to growe Doth breed doth moue doth heare tast doth smell see feele and knowe Which is the chiefe and greatest power most nere to saints on hye These powres she through y e body spreds in certaine partes to lye And by the eyes doth lyght let in and sundry coulers see And iudgeth playne of euery shape and all things else that be Receaueth also by the nose the smelles of sundry sort And by the eares doth vnderstande sounde noyse and great report By tongue descernes eche kinde of tast by feling knowledge brings Of hote from colde of harde from soft of rough from smothest things Companions fyue these are to lyfe and faithfull seruants sure That shewes hir all without the which she nothing coulde procure The eyes therfore as glassye made and as the Christall clâ—re Lyke as a glasse receyue the shapes that we doe looke on here By power wherof are things desernde if that the eye be sounde These sorts of things vnto the minde for as in hyghest grounde Hir stately seate in head the holdes the eye doth plainely showe Whose ymage truely shadowed there she wyse doth straight wayes knowe So wondrously she doth perceiue a sundry sort of soundes When in the helthy vnharmed eares the ayre therof reboundes For ayre of slendrest substance is and moueth by and by Which beaten with the noise doth shuÌ„ne and from the stroke doth flye And pearcyng breakes into the eares though close be kept the glasse And close the dore so fine it is that inwarde it will passe For euen the fyshe when fyâ—hers harde with poales the floudes â—â—e plashe For feare of noyse flye fast from thence and thick in nettes doe mashe For ayre to depth of seas doth pearce vp mountes the waues thereby And tempests roares w t dreadfull noyse the shipman out doth crye And vowes to offer sacred giftes As oft therfore as wee Doe finde two things togither knockte as oft as ayre we see Moued vehemently but chiefly then when through these hollowed things By narrowe straightes it passeth out thence diuers voices springs As diuers are the sortes of them as place doth fashion take In which the ayre doth sundry soundes and sundry voices make So soundes the Trumpet otherwyse by farre than shalme doth blowe And well we may the Tymbrels tune from sounde of sawtrey knowe For as by stroke of stone in streame doe many cyrcles ryse So moued the ayre w t whirling wheele doth spread in largest guise And therfore into many eares one voice doth easely passe As where a number be one syght is seene in euery glaue But how the nose receiueth smell let vs say something here A slender fume from euery thing arisyng doth appere Which broade in ayre doth spred it selfe as Frankconcense we see Or Myrrhe if that vpon the coales the powder poured bee By meanes of tongue is taste perceiude and roufe of mouthe besyde For by these twaine the taste smatche of euery thing is tryde Which pearcing straight doth touch the sense therof is taste begonne But feeling bloud and sprite procures which through the bodye runne Thys sense doe creatures all possesse and taste they all receiue But man doth better them enioye and them more right perceiue Hereof to man more wysedome doth than to the rest aryse Some thys denye and saye the things foresayde are otherwyse Alowing not that formes receyued in eyes cause syght to be Or that the ayre we neede as meane to heare or for to see For the almighty King doth giue so many powers to minde As in the world he framed things that varie in their kinde That she might al things comprehend she knowes wel what to be Hir proper kinde and more perceyues Minde al things plaine doth see And al things ponders prudently that senses to hir brings And wyth celestial trial wayes the true and vertuous things To Lyfe therefore is minde the Sunne the senses Starres doe seeme So some affirme but we make haste and leaue these things to deeme To other men for nye we come to ende of Libra here Bycause the feete of Scorpion signe do playnly now appere My sayings yet do plainly teach the soule Celestiall To be which voyd of body liues and giueth lyfe to all Discerning also euery thing as farre as God giues leaue For al things here of him their force determinde do receyue To him eternal power belongs al things doth he create And makes al things that
soule of man doth neuer dye and body liues without But thys ynough time biddes me ende nor ignoraunt am I That soule of many although vnapt is termde a melodye And as of sundry voices moued an harmony proceedes Of sundry compoundes medeyne made which force of healyng brcedes So of the ioyned elaments by certayne meane and way Created of the heauens eke the soule to be some say A part wherof in body dwels and part abrode doth lye As syght doth spring of outwarde lyght and vertue of the eye For Heauen is the chiefest cause from which all things doe spring wythout whose ayde y e earth coulde not nor seas breede any thing But thys opinion is not true for if it should be so The soule with flesh should neuer striue nor once against it go But euermore in one agree As euery powre doth showe That wonted are of myâ—ed things by sprite diuine to growe As in the kinde of hearbs apperes and in the precious stone Some think the soule doth not remaine when fleshe is from it gone Bicause that heauy sluggishe sleepe the nerest thing that may Resemble death doth seeme to take both sense and minde away Or for bycause they see the minde wyth sycknesse diuersly So vext and harmde that it can not the place it hath supply And with the body to encrease wyth which it eke decayes As well apperes in children yong and men of elder dayes Fonde is the childe the man discrete the olde man doteth styll For weake vnweldy wythered age doth minde and body spyll And more say they if that the soule of substance be diuine And seured from these fleshly lyms may leade a lyfe more fine Then why should it in wretched fleshe so seeke it selfe to place By whose defect so many yls and mischiefe it deface But fonde she is therfore if that she doe this willingly And if perforce she be compelde in carcasse caued to lye who doth coÌ„straine Doth God himself then hir he naught esteemes Nay which in prison vile he puts to hate he rather seemes More of it selfe except it learne synce it doth nothing knowe And oftentimes forgetfulnesse the minde doth ouerthrowe Therefore they iudge it nothing is when body here doth dye For learne it cannot senses deade which it knowes all things by Some other say that soule there is in all the worlde but one Which giueth lyfe to euery thing as Sunne but one alone There is that makes all eyes to see eternall think they this Though bodyes dye as eyes put out the Sunne eternall is These trifles fonde it is not harde wyth reason to disproue But here I longer am I feare than it doth me behoue There shal not want that such demauÌ„de shall aunswere once at full And all the doubtes therin assoyle and knots asunder pull O man of sharpe and pregnant wyt thy prayse shall liue with mine Our labours doubt not shall coÌ„mende the men of later time They famous worke attempt seedes of Heauen on earth go sowe This one thing will I more put to that euery man may knowe The soule immortall for to be and sprong of heauenly grace If senses and affections all he will restraine a space If that dispisyng worldly ioyes and earthly thoughtes resynde wyth dayly labour he attempt to God to lyfte hys minde Then perfect wisedome shall he haue and things to come foretell Awake or else in heuye sleepes perceiue the same as well In thys sort did the Prophetes olde the things to come declare The sober minde therefore doth come more nere to heauenly fare The farther from the fleshe it flyes and from the earthly care But lyke to beastes the greatest sort doe liue as sense doth wyll And thinke none other good to be but fleshe to haue hys fill Hereof 〈◊〉 comes that many think the soule with body dyes Bicause they see not things diuine with weake and fleshly eyes But of the soule thys shall suffise let vs returne againe To him that made the world whom we conclude for to remaine Of body voide and thousandes more that body line without As thick as in the woodes the leaues doe cluster trees about And if they bodyes haue at all so purely are they finde That sense of ours cannot perceiue but onely seene of mynde But thou my Muse be silent here and when hys wyll shall be And pleasure eke who moues my lips then shalt thou searche with me The cause of things that vnderueath the cyrcle of the Moone We see to passe if they by chaunce or fatall force be done And whylst while as the Sunne y e backe of Lyon flaming fryes And doubling oft hir creaking voyce the Greshop chyrping cryes Encompast with the shadowing grasse let vs finde out in shade Of Lawrell or sweete Mirtle tree where hushing noyse is made Of streames that flowes from Parnas springs a quiet resting place For rest doth well refreshe the minde and calles againe the grace And straight when as wyth quietnesse our strength is come againe I wyll if thou wilt fauour me and me wyth grace mayntayne Attempt to touch the stately tunes and if the almighty King with countenance sweete do graunt me ayde my labour long pitying And pouerty driue farre from me and bytter cares expel Al wholly wyl I liue wyth thee and alwayes wyth thee dwel This onely shal be my delight my selfe then shal I fyll Wyth pleasant Aganippaes streames and syng on Cirphâ—s hyll Scorpius the eyght Boke THe cause why mortal state doth pas such croked coÌ„trary wayes Some sort in honour happily do spend their ioyfull dayes And other some in myserie oppressed continually Wyth dayly moyling vexed sore in fame obscure do lye Fayre Muse declare for vnto thee it lawful is to knowe The councels of the Goddes aboue and secrets for to showe Some men by blinde disordred chaunce thinke all things done to be Nor world by reason to be ruled bycause they most things see Wyth vndeserued goods adourned and most things plagued agayne Uniustly vext wyth noysome ils and difference none to rayne The iust and vertuous men opprest and Rake helles hiely placed And vice than vertue more esteemed and Churches al defaced Wyth fyry flame of thunder cracks and most men for to gayne By synfull vsage of themselues and craft of subtyle brayne Such when they see to come to passe the greatest parte surmyse Eyther no Gods at al to be or else that they dispise The base affayres of mortal men And only heauens minde therfore they rash and blindely say Uncertayne chaunce in euery thing doth beare the chiefest sway But Fortune some to thee do giue the gouernance ouer al And thee Lady chiefe of euery thing on earth do cal And that thou holdst the scepters here wyth browes that sowrely frowne And wyth thy false vnstable wheele turnst al things vpsyde downe To thee the olde deceyued age dyd buyld their altares hye And often tymes before thy face their sacrifice dyd lye Some are besides that do
impute eche thing to destenye And iudge that force of fatall lawes the world is ordred by And that wyth one continual course as pageants shewes to minde Al things do moue and euery man hath here his parte assinde That he must play tyl al be done a question to be sought Right profitable fayre and hard not to be left vntaught Now fyrst therefore let vs declare that nothing here can be Wythout a cause and that the cause must of necessity Much differ from the effect synce that nothing it self doth breede No thing can of it selfe be cause nor of it selfe proceede Then infinite shall causes growe not so but yet there ought Some fyrst to be from which the rest of causes must be brought Which from the hiest must descend vnto the basest state This order then of causes we cal Destenie or Fate Which God as once predestining that all things should be so Determinde hath by his decree for euermore to go But as eche cause doth nerest come vnto the causer fyrst So all the rest it doth excel and moues and rules the worst The fyrst beginning is a cause and no effect the same The lowest state is but effect no cause we can it name The meanes that are betwene these two may names of both retayne For if of causes were no knot nor order styll to rayne If th one of thother shoulde not hang as if from heauens hye A Chayne to deepest part of Hell should hang and lincked lye Which is to vyle to be rehearsed beginnings more than one Shall seeme to be and causes fyrst must many spring thereon Then shal they stryue amōgst thēselues and often fiercely fyght So many heads for one alone doth rule require of right So neyther world should here be one nor beautifull should seeme For ordre is the beauty chiefe that we in things esteeme But some perchaunce wyl say from one beginning fyrst of all Togyther many causes seue ▪ red downward often fall As sundry sort of glistering beames the Sunne doth from him sende With certaine difference seuered of which doth not depende The one of the others force but eache from selfe same head doe fall So needes no strife nor let bycause one way they walke not all Thys order is not very yll nor much mislyketh me This sentence may be fortune true but let vs thorowly see All blindenesse from our minde expelde for minde of man cannot Attaine to lyght of trouth so sone nor in such easy sort But oftentimes doth vse to erre and hereof doth aryse Such sectes such contrary sawes he proues and he denies As reason proper is to Gods opinion is to vs No certaintie hath mortall man the trouth for to discusse Therfore if many causes be that from the fyrst doe flowe If eche of them in perfectnesse be like I seke to know No order there shal then appeare for where no chiefe doth guide No difference nor diuersity seene no order can be spyde In euery thing thou mayst perceyue a first a mydst and last No kind of thing is here that is wythout an order cast But if they al do not alike this perfectnesse auowe God hath some thing vnperfect made this can not I allowe Wherefore one perfect good effect allowe the causer fyrst The rest haue more vnperfecter as they themselues are worst For commonly most store of fruite the naughtiest tree doth bring But worst as yll than good and sowre than sweete doth ryfer spring For as eche cause is more of power and of estate more hye So more of lyfe and reason hath this purest substance nye The cause agayne of weaker force and of a baser kinde Lesse lyfe and reason doth possesse and substance lesse doth fynde As well vpon the earth appears wher al things do endure But little space where reason is scarce where no estate is pure But all of many things consistes al things on earth that bene Compounded are and myxt so that no substaunce can be sene Nor here she is esteemde a whit the honour doth remayne To such as hir do here enioy and such as hir retayne In darke some caues she hidden lyes and hereby do we fynde That fortunes goods are more estemde than vertues of the minde For substance vertue may be calde but in this worlde exilde This substaunce liues hir coūtrey fayre hir seate and mansion milde The heauens are where as she hath hir faythfull frendes of trust Goodnesse truth By this meanes tho the world is framed iust Of causes as before is sayde preieruing euery thing with during bond this chaine but God may none in peeces bring Nor force nor space of tyme it breake Of causes such is sponne What is to come what present is and what hath earst bene donne To al the which theyr force and strēgth thalmighty king aboue with certain boundes time appointes by certayne meanes to moue And needefull is it to be knowen how many causes runne To gather oft when any thing by force of them is donne Nor rashely is thys meeting made and causes mixed so But by appointed destenyes all things doe passe and go Thalmighty worke man of the worlde hath all things vndercast Assured lawes and measure delt to all the things he past Therefore it is not true that some affyrme and dare defende That nothing certayne can be founde that chance doth all things sende And God regards not mortall state But they themselues deceaue And are beguiled much to whom thys sentence here doth cleaue For truely chance is nothing else but vaine opinion blinde Not diffring much frō shapes syghtes that in our sleepes we fynde Whatsoeuer Aristotel sayth or any of them all I passe not for synce from the truth they many times doe fall Oft prudent graue and famous men in errors chance to slyde And many wittes wyth them deceiue when they themselues go wyde Examples only serue so much must errors folowed bee Let no man iudge me arrogant for reason ruleth mee She faithfull guide of wysemen is let him that seekes to fynde The trouth loue hir and followe hir with all hys might and minde And that there is no chaunce at all thys reason strong and stayde Makes me beleue for if that all as earst before is sayde By causes fixed in certaine guise and certayne time doe moue As God commaundes for perfectnesse and for the worldes behoue Least hurtfull error should destroy so fayre a worke as it what kind of place shall chaūce possesse or seate finde out to syt In doubtfulnesse and altering state surmounting farre away Both Protheus and Vertumnus to in changing theyr aray As voide so nature chance denies Uncertaine nought doth lye Within thys worlde but certaine all as nature God and skye And elaments and what of them so euer framde we see Or hath in tyme before bene wrought or euermore shall be But if that ought vncertaine were then should the minde diuine Not all things here knowe certainely but from the trouth decline
Which were to great absurditie for he doth all things spye That eche thing makes nor ought from him can hyd in secret lye Though some doe say that if so be that heauenly minde shoulde knowe The base estate of mortall kinde it should lesse worthy growe But they are much deceiued for none is ill bycause that hee Doth ill things know nor vile y t knowes the things that vilest bee Nor any man is changed white that white can well define Nor worser is the Sunne as oft as it on knaues doth shine Nor if with beames it hap to blase in place be durtyed much It foule doth seeme nor light defylde that filthy things doth touche So if the minde perceiue the thing that vylest may be thought It is not worse to knowe ill than good but ill to doe is naught Thus God of nothing ignorant all things that are doth knowe What hath bene done in alder tymes and what shall after growe Which if they be not surely â—ixt confesse we must them needes Not to be knowne for knowledge styll of things assurde proceedes The Prophetes also when they speake of things that happen shall The certaine dayes do playnly appoint and proper names of all Which would not be but that al thyngs are fyxed certaine so That are to come or present be or passed long ago Yet many things doe seeme by chaunce amongst vs for to lyght As when a tyle by tempest torne from house a man doth smyte Or when a man in deluing deepe doth store of treasure finde Such things by chauÌ„ce to hap doth synk in common peoples minde But thys my minde doth not alowe for though vnlooked for Such things doe hap shall we therein admit a chaunce therfore Our knowledge nor our ignorance to alter things hath might For fyre hath not his flaming heate nor Snow therfore is whyte Nor SuÌ„ne doth yeld hys glistering beames bicause we knowe the thing For of the matters that consyst our knowledge here doth spring Therfore we knowe it thus to be bicause the thing is so And minde may often seeme to erre the thing can not so do Now of the thing I speake and aske if chaunce therein doe lye For whether we doe knowe thereof or no regarde not I. The chaunce therefore in vs doth lye not in the things that be Such things we thinke to fall by chauÌ„câ— wherof no cause we see As knowne alone vnto the Gods all things are certaine tho For with one sort of mouing rounde the heauens alwayes go Lyke seede like fruite and elaments in auncient order rayne And keepe their kinde wonted course the yeare doth styll retaine For after spring the somer hoat himselfe hath strayghtwayes placde And after him with Apples thyck and Grapes doth haruest hast Next after that his nipping frosres the wynter bringeth in And wyth his Isye northern blastes all things to droupe begin No herbe doth euer change hys force all creatures doe retaine Their olde accustomed shape and in theyr wonted guise remaine Ne must we thinke that monsters here of chaunce or errors growe When cause of them assertaynde is ill tydings to foreshowe And therof fyrst did take theyr name wherfore their wonders hyght Which nature willingly doth make who often doth delight To brede some â—ond ylfauoâ—red things As paynter oft doth ioy Though he haue cunning great besyde to paint some testing toy As pycture crooked or saddelbackd wyth nose of largest syse And blabber lypt a worthy syght and fit for clownishe eyes Synce all things thus in order good and measure lyke doe fall Unstable chaunce within the world shall beare no swynge at all whom chiefest prouidence of God and wysedome great doth draw That he may easely vnderstande with what a wondrous lawe The worlde with euerlasting course is framed here and gracde How euery creature hath his lymmes and members aptly placde well seruing to their vses all agreing fayre the same How God or nature neuer thyng in vaine did make or frame who ponders this shal think not chance but reason beares the sway And al things done as God commauÌ„ds wyll deeme and playnely say But whether fortune guideth all as many doe persuade A thing both meete and worthy is in knowledge to be had Let vs bende all our wyts to thys but fyrst we must well knowe What kinde of thing thys fortune is and whence hir grace doth growe In auncient tyme they worshipt hir and Goddesse hir did call And thought she bare no little sway in Heauen and earth and all And alters vnto hir they built and offred sacrifyce But I thinke hir not God to be nor any sainct in skyes Is eyther male or female sure in kinde they not delight No byrth they haue nor dying day as some of olde doe wryte Who thinke the Gods lyke vs to be O fonde and foolishe mindes O heads for to be healed with iuice of greatest purging kindes Judge you the Gods of our estate that wyth theyr Ladies fayre Embracing many times they lye theyr kinde for to repayre Let rather vs therfore account a certaine God to be Whose nature differs farre from Gods a Ghost of lowe degre And therfore guides the kingdomes vile of earth and waters rounde Wheras so many haynous factes such griefes and plagues are founde Where as no kinde of thing is safe where no estate is free where craftes and wyles doe swarme so thick where such deceiuings be The Prince of all the worlde thys God is named of Christ and Paule Whom Pluto and syr Dites black the Poets vse to call who fauours fooles and wicked men and vertuous men molest This house thys seate this courte doth seme for such a tyrant best whom commonly we fortune call for eche ill thing doth raine Beneath the Mone as darksome night and stormes and tempest mayne Wyth colde and heate and teasty age dame neede of beggars hall And labour griefe and wretchednesse and death that endeth all Aboue the Mone continual light wyth peace and ioy remayne No tyme nor error death nor age nor any thing is vayne O blest and double blest agayne that in so pleasaunt place So fayre so beautifull to liue of God obtayneth grace Some thinke the world to be fulfylde wyth other Gods besyde Whereof the most do leade their lyfe in ayry places wyde whom Greekes cal sprytes more to theÌ„ the chiefest rule they giue Of creatures al that on the earth or on the sea do liue Affirming that both good and euyl as most their mindes doth please They send as honours ioyes wealth and contraries to these wherefore it very needeful is to please them often tymes which may be done by seruing them by charmes or by diuines As many thinke and like wyse say that they will straight appere To vs if they be ryghtly calde and helpe vs praying here And that no better thing can be here in this life to man Than for to haue their company and see them now and than which I
obey For destny is the wyl of God where wyth the prudent wight Agrees and doth as it commaundes The fond and naughty sprite On the other part abhorres his lawes and shunnes the Lordes decrees But thou wylt say then is he free not rulde by destenies No but two worser lordes he serues and such as vilest be As wickednesse and folishnesse his syster in degree Though this the wyll of God doth cause but that which doth permit And not the wil that doth commaunde for of two sortes is it whereby appeares that al thyngs are subiect to desteny whether they be of good estate or of a vile degree For mischiefe desteny permits and good by force doth send And God him self cōmaūds frō whome doth desteny descend wyth reasous like persuaded some to this effect do say O mortal men liue ioyfully while that you haue a day And doleful cares from heart expel ne trouble once your thought wyth things that present here you see or after shall be wrought By fyxed law shall all things fall and passe by order sure Wherefore should griefe or foolish feare to sadnesse you procure Eche man hath here his lot assinde which written secretely Wythin his breast he alwayes beares yet nothing knowes thereby But profe thereof doth come to light vpon the fatall day When as experience doth reueale that erst in secret lay what nedeth sobs or wayling teares for back can neuer runne Celestial sawes nor nothing chaunge that God hath wrought or done For order best and perfect course if it should altred be It shuld be worse which may not chāce or better in degree But nothing of more perfect state than perfect can be found A doubt both great and maruellous doth spring vpon this ground For if al things as late I sayd are vnder Destenie Why frowneth God on some and lookes on others graciously why is not fortune like to al why seeth some happier dayes Than other do and nature why seemes she to some alwayes A stepdame sharpe and vnto some agayne a mother dere This knot it semeth good that we should breake asunder here By fault and by desert of vs a number thinke that this Doth chaunce and by decree of God such as haue done amysse For to be plagued and vertuous men good Fortune to receue But this by no meanes can be true nor I do it belene For what haue brutish beastes deserued what fault in trees can be Yet fortune vnto euery beast doth shew diuersity The theefe doth some conuey some dye vpon the Butchars knyfe Some wolues or sycknesse frost or flud some age depriues of lyfe Some leade their life more pleasantly and some wyth greater payne And vnto euery kynde of tree hys fortune doth remaine The east wynde cracks a sonder thys and rootes doth vpwarde turne Some sort are cut for diuers things and some in fiers burne And lyghtning spoyles an other sort To euery fishe and beast A certaine fortune is assynde by destenies beheast Yet neyther tree nor beast can synne And oftentymes besyde Misfortunes great the good man doth and vertuous man abyde On the other part to naughty men doth fortune fauour showe And graunts them eke in worldly welth and honors hye to flowe Thus destnye lookes not on desertes therfore some other way Or cause we must attempt to finde Perhaps some man wyll say The wyll of God is cause of all and seekes none other where Thys doth not yet suffise we must go syft the truth more nere For God synce he is wyse and best will not the thing permit That reason lackes but chiefest things commaunds as seemes most fyt Wherfore we must say otherwyse eche cause of causes all As from the fyrst it farther is so more vnlyke doth fall Syth God therfore is alwayes pure and euer one shal be The last of causes that from him is farthest in degre Shall double be and diuers seeme and worke shall alwayes frame In sundry sortes and altring state and this is euen the same That rules the earth and euery thing that earth doth here containe Therfore nothing on earth is seene that certaine is or plaine Syth fortune hir vnsted fast wheele doth turne in sundry sort And mortall men wyth diuers chaunce to guide hath chiefest sport But yet why smyles she so on some and frownes on other sort Why giues she some a lyfe wyth cares and some a princely port The cause of this is harde to knowe as if we should require To know the cause of raging heate we feele in flaming fyre Or wherfore worwood bitter is why snowe doth shewe so white wherfore some herbs haue force to hurt and others healing might And why some trees beare sūdry branch why in such shape they growe Or why some beasts haue subtile sense and some are dull and slowe Wherfore y e strawes doth Amber draw why Loadstone lyfteth hye The yron peece why it can not doe so the Diamonde nye Such things hath God in secrete shut and vnto mortall braine Appointed boundes the which to passe mans wyt doth striue in vaine As if the potter doe deuide in sundry partes his clay And it departed thus abrode to sundry purpose lay Why rather he of thys than that a pot or dishe doth bake Or bason broade Of thys a Crock of that a pytcher make Doth reason moue hint thus to doe or reason none at all But only wyll as he thinks best so frames he great and small T ys harde to know y e workmans mind Euen so who seekes to knowe Why fortune some exalteth hye and bringeth others lowe A thing to hye he reacheth at for God hath giuen powre Of earth to hir and of the world hath made hir gouernour That what she lyst shee may perfourme the force of desteny Excepted still for euery thing is gouerned therby why should not she doe what she lyst what law should hir restraine Ought seruants lawes for to appoint their Lordes for to constraine we all hir seruants truely are whyle we enioy this lyght And must in euery thing obey the pleasure of the spright Yet of our soules she hath no powre whose roote in heauen standes Thys onely God exempted hath from out thys tyrants handes All other things in earth or seas as she shall best deuise God suffers frely to be done both good and ill likewyse But some wyll say God then is cause of euery euill act And so vniust may well be calde for he that doth the fact And he that suffers it to passe doe both one fault commit And both lyke punnishement to haue the law adiudgeth fit Wherefore if God such illes on earth doth suffer for to raine And when he well may them forbydde yet doth not them restraine He shall be thought the cause of ill and mischiefe to embrace Thys part I also aunswere shall if God doe graunt me grace First therfore with attentiue minde it must be noted well That causes some be base and small and some againe excell In
worthinesse before the rest as in a battayle mayne Lieuetenants are and Captaines stout the rest of common traine These causes chiefe aboue the rest in wondrous sort assignes Thalmighty Lord that guides aboue the Starres the starry sygnes Who lyues in euerlasting lyght aboue the Heauens hye That at hys beck doth cause to turne the motions of the skye To euery cause assigning force and whereto they shall tende With certaine boundes encloseth them the which may none transcende And synce he wysely all things made of force it followe must That euery thyng continuallye keepe course and order iust For things that once are rightly framed and fault doe none receaue Ought not in tract of any times their wonted course to leaue The order thus of euery thing can neuer altred be Bicause thalmighty Lorde hath made all things in iuste degre If then the sprite that guides the earth be naught or worke amisse It is bicause the basest cause and farthest of is this From causer fyrst and lyght remoued a large and ample space And therefore vnto darknesse blynde the nerer hath hys place And onely shadowe shewes of truth which God doth so permit Bicause the state of all the world and order asketh it For as the daye determinde is by darknesse of the night And things contrary ended are by force of others might So sort and course of causes good as reason doth require In vyle and wicked cause must ende and fynally expyre which wycked kingdomes gouerne shal and mischiefes vile shall guide Hence discorde euermore proceedes wyth brawles and minde to chide Strong battailes frayes false diseyt with fyres and slaughters great Theftes wyles with nede robberies and plagues with raging heate Great earthquakes stormes tempests great of sycknesses such store So great a sort of perilles vile and daungers euermore And finally what harmes to hap in any place we knowe From thys so wretched cause Prince of all the earth doth flowe Full truely earst alas did say the famous Hermes wyse This world a heape of harms doth seme where euery mischiefe lyes Bicause the diuell that on earth the chiefest stroke doth smite Is mischieuous and euermore in cruelty doth delight For as the first of causes is the spring of all good things So is the last the fountayne chiefe from whence all mischiefe springs Wherefore if lecherours on earth beare al the rule and sway If Asses sxt in seate as Kings in pompe of proud aray If charge of sheepe commytted is to wolues of rauening kinde If Harâ—ots in the Churches dwel and men of monstrous minde If that the holy rytes of Christ the hands vnpure doth fyle If Heauen and purging place Sir John doth sell wyth greedy guile More if vnpunnished such crimes are styll before our eyes The fault not in thalmighty Lord but in this Diuell lies Whome fortune commonly we name and Pluto oft we call But vnto him an apter name Sarcotheus fyt doth fall For vnto him the power of flesh and guiding is assinde Him serues all such as loue them selues â—o much wyth fleshly minde Of him the bodies are therefore in synne they alwayes driue And to the soules as enimies contrary styl do stryue For of the heauens commes the soule and from the starry Skyes But earthly are the bodies here and heauens do despyse This same Sarcotheus thoe that guydes the lowest partes of all Such holy men as do despise the â—oyes â—errestrâ—all To vertue bent and Godly life he hates and styl pursues And vexeth grieueth them molests as commonly doth vse The naughty Prince and cruel King alwayes for to oppresse The wysest men and such as do ercell in vertuousnesse For vertue of the wicked men is euermore enuied Al things their enimies hate and feare and shunne from them asyde Therefore the Diuel many harmes prouâ—deth for the meeke And them whose mindes do mouÌ„t aloft and hearts do heauen seke Ne would he haue his malice seene for if he should be knowne Al men would him detest as head from whom al ylles haue flowne And bloudy butcher of our kinde him al should iustly hate And cursing cal him cruel beast deceyuer of our state Therefore he craftely lies hydde and from the wyse man flies Least he be knowne ne feares he Moles but leapes from Linceus eyes So theues do vse and wicked men alwayes the light to flye And in the darkest tyme reioyce that none their mischiefe spye Hereof it commes as often as men feele aduersity Al ignorant wyth blindnesse and of minde oppressed be For ignorance is causer chiefe of errors al that fal Thinking with anger and complaynt the guyde of goodnesse al Doth vex theÌ„ so they straightway curse his hâ—e and holy name The wicked Diuel daunceth then and grinneth at the same And ioyes to see himself vnknowne and mischiefe close to lye And that he thus hath power to hurt and no man could it spye A foe vnto â—halmighty God he is and ennimy By whome from heauen tumbled down in chaynes he here doth lye Enclosde betwene the earth and Mone and there he holdes his rayne Wherfore O wretched mortal men at length apply your brayne To know the cause of al your griefes from whence such ylles do flowe And heauy harmful things do hay your butcher learne to know For this Sarcotheus this is he that plagues you in such sorte That of your harmes greuous grefes doth make his chiefest sport None otherwise than Mars his child great realmes in thraldome brought Wyth death of wretâ—hed men or beastes a pleaâ—ant pastyme sought The Noble men the Gentlemen the commons all syt styll In diuers roomes assigned them as Othaâ—s lawes doth wyll Then enters in before them all the cutters for to fyght Or else some other yeldes hys lymmes to beastes thereon to byte The Lion or the Tiger stout or else some fierâ—â—r kinde Should at this play present himselfe to please the peoples minde Wyth death mangled much w t wound from whence the bloud doth flow Oft vnto some of others smart a great delight doth grow Wherefore they do most wickedly that rayling thus do brawle And dare blaspheme thalmighty Lorde the cause of goodnesse all From whome as from himself no yll can any tyme proceede Except contingently as Sunne doth darcknesse euer breede As oft as vnder earth it slydes and absent fyre we see Encreaseth colde yet cloud in Sunne nor colde in Fyre can be Wherfore I maruel much that some whose Learning is not smal Do say that he offended is or wrathful him do cal And that he plagueth vs as oft as we do him offend That milde and Lord of mercies is that goodnesse al doth send And that from him doth warres begin wyth plague and famine sore If that our deedes could him offend what thing vnhappier more Than he in al the world were found â–ª for euery day and houre We crimes commit and blasphemies out of our mouthes we poure Then surely should he neuer ioy nor
thing doth vayner showe Or what may more be laughed at than honor to pursue All vndeserued and to despyse the cause of honor true We see yll men vnlearned and fonde in place aloft to stay And guide such as doe them excell whom they should rather obay For spitefull fortune stâ—ll doth sport 〈◊〉 mortall mans estate And out of order all confoundes as she doth lyke or hate Oft tymes exaiting to the starres the stouthfull seruile kinde Deseruing fetters for to weare or in the mille to grinde But if she were of good estate she would the world commit Of wyse men to be guided here as meete it is and fyt Then all things should in order passe and lawes in strength should stande And holy Sacraments be delt by Godly Prelates hande And God would then contented be to she we himselfe in syght But harebrainde Fortune alwaies doth in counter faites delight Yet thys thalmighty Lorde permittes Who could it well correct And why should not we suffer it For vnto what effect Is it the truth with reason strong to maintaine and defende Preuayling not but get thereby displeasure in the ende For wysedome is coÌ„temnde harmde with which no force doth raine Whom no authoritie supportes nor honour doth maintaine Therfore it is better not to speake despyse thou in thy minde The foolishe common peoples prayse and gyftes of Fortune blinde Applye thy selfe to please the Lorde wyth deedes of vertuous kynde And after death true honor thou and true renoume shalt finde That for the iust and Godly men prepared is in skyes Wheras the milde and lowly hearts doe ioy in ioyfull wyse But proude men wofully doe wayle in smothring fiery smokes Now last of all restraine thy wrath for anger rage prouokes And rage doth cause vnsemely wordes of naughty wordes doth spring Both brawles frayes of frayes comes wouÌ„ds wouÌ„ds do slaughter bring Anger doth so confounde the minde that dronke when bloud doth frye It knowes not what to doe and voide of iudgement runnes awrye Sraight griefe shame ensues y e deedes done vnaduisedly Shunne thys guide minde winne thy selfe with bearing manfully A goodly vertue pacience is which who so is without Must needes of force lacke honestie with cruell minde and stout Still vsyng for to braule and â—â—ght Frayes fittest are for beastes And quiet peace is farre more meete to dwell in mortall breastes The wyse vertuous man sekes peace all other things before And suffers things of smaller waight for feare of mischiefe more And well takes heede least that the cole that yet but kindling lyes Wyth fiery force of flashing flame aloft at length aryse Who naught can beare let him absent himselfe from company And leade hys lyfe alone in woods or else on mountaines hye And he that dwelles in company let him learne much to beare And to restrayne with brydle sharpe the wrath that him doe steare Dissembling closely wyth himselfe his anger that doth spring And neuer breake the bondes of peace for euery tristing thing Forgiuing stull the faultes of those that hym offended haue That he may so forgiuenesse get as he to others gaue Thus much of trayning of the minde I thought it good to touche Which doth suffyse to these I coulde haue added more by much But he that doth obserue these fewe shall neuer want the rest But easely all them obtaine that are not here exprest They all contayned priuily and closde in these doelye But yet it nedefull is the whyle the wysemens bookes to applye And causes for to searche of things and to adorne the minde With diuers arâ—es for voyde therof it is both dull and blinde And thus as hath bene sayde before those â—ooles and foxes well May vertuous be and frame theÌ„selues in seate of blysse to dwell These thigs while as my guide declarde in presens Mercury The poste of Gods and Atlas Sonne sent downe from Ioue stoode by And willde Tâ—malphes in hast the heauens to ascende For all the saints quoth he are willds on Ioue for to attende And Momus there appointed hath of wayghty affayres to treate If certaine Monks that placed are vpon the hauty seate That harde besyde the citie standes where passing by the walles To Venize goolfe the fyshie streames of Ariminum fall Oflyuing shall depriued be or else those partes forsake That contrey women vse to cut when they theyr Capons make Since that they are to coltishe waxt and beare their heddes to hye Despisyng men and filthy factes commit licenciously Example taking of their Prior fye fye to great a shame And can the Church abyde to see such Porkettes as these same That only liue to serue their paunch their lust and sleepy sense Which heard in hast Aretes sonne departing straight from thence Did me commyt to Mercury who going downe to Hell The speciall message of hys Lord vnto the fiende to tell Me fast embracing in his armes did through the cloudes conuay To ground what time as Clement Pope in campe with Caesar lay Within the walles of Bononye and Florenze City fayre With mighty force did long besiege Thus cutting swift the ayre With wyngs at length came Mercury to rockes that ragged lye Of S. Marinus hauty hylles that seeme to touch the Skye From thence in small descent he set me in thy fieldes so gay Verruculus and then to Hell in haste he takes his way Capricornus the tenth Booke AL haile to thee good Mercury from Stygian lake so soone things Art thou returnde declare what in Plutoes court are doone Great brawles raging mad vprodes what is the cause or why I wyll thee tell although in haffe I must to heauen flye So great a sort of Turkes and Jewes and Christians there remaine That place therein suffiseth not the number to contayne No empty rome there is but all ful thwact as they may he The Porches full and ful the Hall and full the courtes I see The Temples houses and the Streates the Walles and Market rowe And al the City fieldes and hylles and wooddy valleyes lowe So full that crowding thick they thrust and shoue wyth diuelish might With fyst and heele and tuske tooth in cruel sort they fight For of no weapon haue they skill nor sprites can euer dye Scarce could I passe the place vnto whereas the fiend doth lye But through y e mydst of swarming soules wyth force I make my way And wyth this rod to get me roome amongst them fast I lay At length the priuy chaumber of the black and vggly sprite I come vnto whom there I fynde in sad and doleful plight And when to him I had declarde my fathers full decree Commanding him that Antechrist should strayght vnlosed be From out the pyt and sent abrode to euery place and land That working wonders strange false and teaching that at hand The dreadful day of iudgement is and cude of all the rest May al thing out of order bring both Gods and man and beast As fixed
finished it Or could he alwayes it haue done but would not vtter more What is the cause why rather would he after than before Or else what reason alterd thus his minde to other trade If naught it were this world to make why was it euer made But if it meete and profitable were this world to frame What is the cause that God so late created hath the same Wherefore hath it so short an age For if we boldly may Deuines beleeue eyght thousand yeres are not full past away Since Adam olde created was Beside whence doth proceede The cause why God shuld make y e world for that he this did neede If so he should at first it made least he should greeued bee The lacke of such a goodly thing so long a time to see If not why made he it in vayne â–ª ought he for to deuise The thing that to no purpose is of fooles this is the guise Therof theÌ„ was some cause but what of troth assuredly His goodnesse great and mighty powre least that in vayne should lye These twoo shut vp in secrete close but rather open be To eury man for mighty and good in vayne is coumpted he By whome no great nor godly thing hath neuer yet bene wrought If God therefore was euer good and euer mighty thought Why would he not haue alwayes builte this goodly world we see Why let he such a thing till nowe of late deferred bee No reason truly can be found except some subtile brayne Make more accoÌ„pt of â—oyes than truthe and foolish fansies fayne Wherefore if we to reason sticke then must we surely say That this same world hath euer bene and neuer shall decay But if that GOD sayd otherwise long since and then did giue To Moyses knowledge of his workes we Moyses must belieue Let reason alway yelde to fayth and there as prisoner leaue For GOD can not deceaued be nor neuer doth deceaue If any time he do vouchsafe by words with men to deale If that appearing vnto man his secrets he reueale But they that first this Chaos and continuall matter taught Do trifle much For why should God leaue it so long vnwrought If he forthwith could make the world and at the fyrst create All kinde of things In vayne it is for to deliberate That presently may well be done But some haue surely thought Eternal state the world to haue of no man made or wrought But of it selfe as now it is before all ages past And of it selfe as now it is for euermore shall last Which sure is false for reason doth hir selfe this same deny For two most perfect things can not in order euer lye But would fal out betwene themselues and strife thereby maintayne Well graunt that in a faythful league they alwayes do â—emayne In vayne two heads allowed are for one shall wel suffise Bicause at least dame nature ought before the rest to rise And if before the rest she be then is she cause of all For formost cause doth alwayes frame the things that after fall Wherfore doubtlesse the almighty lord this world himself did make Of nothing and eternall to But how the reason take Eternal goodnesse hath the Lorde eternal powre hath he May not likewise his wyll to make the world eternall be Which if it were as reason shewes nought letê but world may be Continuall built by workeman hie in such a fayre degree As who soeuer grauntê the Sunne continuall to haue bene Must needes confesse the light thereof continually was seene Yet is â—he light the Sunnes effect and Sunne the cause we call But let vs search the Elaments and from the Heauens fall And not vnworthy things of them let vs now vâ—â—er playne Some men haue sayd that vnderneath the Skies a fire doth rayne Neere to the Moone but voyd of light and kindling hastily And wondrous hote which to be true doth perfect reason try For in the night we may beholde the fire in Skies to flie And fâ—ashing flames throughout y e aire and Starres to shoote from hie Which doth proceede of damps that in the ayre do rise more hye And burned is by force of fyre that there alâ—ft doth lye For of twoo sorâ—ê is vapoure one light drye and soone begoonne To fire whereby the flaming sighâ—ê in Skies are causde to runne The other more colde more waighty grosse engendred of this same Are showrs clouds snowes mystes and windes with flashing flame And thunder haylestones deaw rayn if fier were none aboue No vapour there could kindled be in eueningê darke to moue Moreouer since in lightnesse thus the fire doth ayre excell No remedy but needes it must haue hier place to dwell His seate therefore is vnder Skies and next to Moone doth lye Beneath this fire hath ayre his place which in his partes most hye A feruent heate of fire doth take The myddle partes most colde Doth thuÌ„der clouds lightnings bredâ— and tempestê sundry folde The lowest parte is warme and moyst for vapour that doth rise From floudê continually it moysâ—ê ascending towardê the Skies And warmd it is by beames of Sunne that back from earth rebound Here â—â—sts showrs and plesant deawâ— and snowes and frostê are found Which sundry sorts of winds do breede for no small powre is dealt Unto these windes and oftentimes their force in ayre is fealt These can in time of Sommer cause the nipping coldes to come And in the winter season sende abrode the warming Sunne These can both giue and take away from vs our corne and grayne These can both breede and beare away great sicknesses and payne From out the East doth Eurus blowe and from the Libian coast Doth Auster come and Zephyrus from westerne parts doth poste But Boreas blastes in Scythian hilles and Northerne partes doth rise More windes there are all rule the ayre that lower lies And with the ayre both land and sea Of windes the cloudes do breede And from the cloudes do flakes of snow and showers of rayne proceede Dewes lightning hayle early frosts but with diuersty of times And eke by sundry wayes and meanes and blastes of sundry windes Whereof such as from South do blow bréedes cloudes showers heaty But those that from the Scythian partes do come cause coldenesse great From these coms yse snowes frostes when winter dwelleth héere But in the Sommer time they serue to make the weather cléere The westerne winde bréedes flowers grosid with gréene doth new aray And giues the birds a cause to sing and filles the woods wyth May. Oft times the Easterne winde is good yet now and then doth rayse Such tempestes great that seas land by force thereof it frayes These windes the ayry sprites aboue or Starres abrode do send And oft when as the Coniurer for treasure doth intend In earth to delue or consecrate his booke in Magike wise Some sprite to binde then haue I heard that windes which then did rise And
the which eche man himselfe would couet to destroy So hope and folly medicines be that nature doth employ For our behoue by sage aduise least we by chaunce should faint When many mischiefs swarming thick our wytlesse sense doth taint And if no creature else excell thys man in hye degre The chiefe Creator of the worlde what shall we thinke to be Of Misers Fooles and eke of them by whom doth mischiefe spring He shal be calde a Lorde a Prince a Father guide and King O noble powre O princely raigne companions fine and braue What wants ther now O God to thee what sekest thou more to haue Alone thou doste not now remaine it well became thy Grace To frame so fayre a worlde as thys to make such creatures place Let Heauen serue theyr only vse the Starres the Moone the Sunne The Ayre the Earth the surging Seas what else it shal be done But straight they shall consumed be and vanishe cleane away As Snowe doth fade in sommers heate or flowre in frosty day What state haue they that doe consyst of bodye weake and frayle What state baue they that in the space of so small tyme doe fayle May we beleue the seas and earth alone replenished bee Which are compared to the skyes as nothing in degree And if the mighty compast speare in minde thou well dost way thou shalt perceiue the smallest Starre more great as wysemen say Shall then so small and vile a place so many fishe contayne Such store of men of beasts and foules and thother voide remaine Shal skies and ayre their dwellers lack he dotes that thinke th so And seemes to haue a slender wit for there are thousandes mo That better state and better lyfe enioye and farre more blessed be Moreouer if we will confesse the vnfayned veritie This earth is place for man and beast beyonde the clowdes the ayre And sacred skye where peace doth raine and daye is alwayes fayre The Angels haue their dwellings there whom though we cannot see For pure and fyne theyr substance is yet numberlesse they be As thick as are the sandes in place where waters ebbe and flowe As thick as stand the flowers and grasâ—â— that in the meddowes growe For who so thinks the Heauens hye of dwellers voide to be And may vpon thys earth so vyle so many creatures se He dotes deceiued by ignorance and foolishnesse of minde And semes all drounde in earthly drosse as beastes of basest kinde Nor wonder I at thys a whit that happye Ilandes founde In Occean seas they say there be where all things good abounde Whereas no griefe the lyfe doth vexe where no misfortunes raygne The shyes perchaunce thâ— Occean sea to name doth here retaine Bicause in colour lyke it seemes and eke in mouing rounde Eche Starre an Ilande shall be thought why not haue we not founde That diuers houses are so calde bicause that farre away They seuered from their fellowes â—yâ— who otherwyse doth say He sayth not true for if there were such Ilandes in our seas The Princes would not suffer them make to passe their lyfe in ease But weapon strayght should conquest to enlarge theyr kingdomes hye If any passage were to them themselues therin to lye What doubteth Grece to fayne or lye the mother olde of toyes For doubtlesse Heauen Starres ayrâ— inhabitaunts enioyes Who thys denyes doth malice much the blessed saintes on hye And eke the eternall state of God doe blaspheme foolishlyé Is it not wicked blasphemie presumpteously to saye That Heauen lackes inhabitants and God doth beare no sway But here with vs and sauage beastes so fonde so full of shame Nay certainely God coulde and woulde more noble creatures frame That leade theyr lyfe in better place whereby hys prayse esteemde Should be the more and larger power and world more perfect deemde For making suÌ„dry sorts nobler things the beautie more doth shine Of this same worlde and more appeares his Maiesty diuine But if these shapes be pure and voide of body coms the dout Or whether they consist of partes as we doe rounde about Yes truely reason doth declare all creatures that doe dwell In fyre and ayre they bodyes haue if they had not aswell The ayre and fyre should desert be and places voyde should growe For none but bodyes place possesse as wyse mens wordes doe shows But whyther shall these bodyes dye we must confesse it so A long and ioyfull lyfe they leade at length with death they go For if that ayre and fyre in tyme corruption shall deface Why should not all such creatures dye as liue in such a place For placed things doe followe still the places nature playne But some perchaunce desyres to knowe what fashion they retayne We may be sure theyr beauty is such that they doe farre excell All creatures fleeting in the seas or all on earth that dwell Which neyther God permittes nor we coulde view with carnall eye But they that passe theyr life in starres and in the purest skye Doeneuer dye for age nor yeares cannot the strength abate Of those so gorgeous glistring starres or harme the heauens state And eke we must beleue that those which liue in skyes so bryght Theyr bodies are more fayre more fine of greater force and might Then all the reast that liue betweene the earth and Starres aboue Or in the elements dwell where time and age can them remoue But what doe they they doe reioyce with sense and reason right Now vsing one and now the other and liue in such delight As wit of man cannot deuise nor mortall tongue can tell True worlde and true est ate is there true ioyes and treasures dwell We only haue the shadowes here and counter faytes retayne Which lasting but a little space lyke waxe doe melt againe Our worlde is but a figure plaine of those so princely powres And as our worlde the painted Mappe so it surmounteth ouâ—es Aboue these Heauens that we name and creatures all beyonde A better worlde vncorporate that senses doth transcende And wyth the minde alone is seene there are that think to be And with thassured trouth it seemes not much to disagre If minde excelleth farre the sense why should the sense beholde A worlde alone wyth perfect things and creatures many folde And minde without his proper worlde a Cyphar should remayne And none but dreames and fansyes fine with shapes and shadowes vayne Thus eyther nothing is the minde or else hath nature wrought A worlde agreing to the same wherein containde are thought Unfained chiefe and purest things which better farre away May of themselues consyst thaÌ„ things that senses compasse may This same first framed world doth passe the world that senses see As much as minde excels the sense in perfecter degree In which the chiefest lyght is God where saints as Starres appere And therfore more straÌ„ger things are there then are perceiued here Syth it is perfecter by much for nothing there doth dye No tyme nor motion